This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
Sunday's 12-game slate has a number with high totals, including three over 50, while three have double-digit spreads. Based on the pricing for many players, there are multiple attractive stacking options, including full game stacks, so we're likely to see plenty of differentiation when it comes to GPPs and cash games.
RUNNING BACKS
Saquon Barkley, NYG at DET ($8,900): Christian McCaffrey ($9,200) is the most expensive player on the slate, which is understandable given how great he's been this season, and he continues to get all the volume he can handle. The hesitation with McCaffrey is that he's facing an excellent 49ers defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. That has to be prefaced by the fact that they've played Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the Rams and Washington, offenses that haven't been able to rely on their running games consistently this season. Nevertheless, the 49ers have allowed over 100 rushing yards to running backs twice this season while keeping them all out of the end zone. McCaffrey is a different beast, of course, but you need a truly explosive game for the salary. Meanwhile, Barkley faces a Lions defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs, including 142 yards and two touchdowns to Dalvin Cook last week. The Giants' offense isn't as prolific at Minnesota's, but Barkley's usage should allow him to be a very good pivot for those who are worried about McCaffrey's matchup.
Leonard Fournette, JAX v. NYJ ($7,800): Fournette's single touchdown this season continues to make him underpriced for his volume, as he lead the NFL in carries (144) through the first seven weeks and only Cook had more rushing yards than his 715. Impressively, Fournette has just one rushing touchdown, and while his 27 red-zone carries are the second-most in the league, only two of those came inside the five-yard line. He also continues to be used on all three downs, with Austin Ekeler ($5,900), James White ($5,100), McCaffrey and Tarik Cohen ($4,700) the only running backs on the slate who have been targeted more. He now lines up against a Jets defense that's allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season, including three touchdowns to Sony Michel ($5,200) on Monday. If you refuse to buy in on Fournette, one pivot in the price range is the always-reliable (sarcasm font) Todd Gurley ($7,400), who is facing the dreadful Bengals defense that has allowed more fantasy points to running backs than any other team in the league. Additionally, the Bengals have given up a ton of yards to quarterbacks on the ground, though much of that is because they've already faced Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson and Gardner Minshew. The difficulty with Gurley is that we never really know what his touch-share will be, making him a bit risky in cash games despite the near-perfect matchup. That should push us toward Chris Carson ($7,000), who is playing on the road against Atlanta's dumpster fire defense.
James White, NE vs. CLE ($5,100): If I told you there was a Patriots wide receiver who had 10, nine, nine and eight targets in his last four games, catching eight, six, nine and seven, respectively, would you be interested in that player at a $5,100 salary? It certainly has to peak some interest given how effective Tom Brady ($6,600) is at hitting his receivers. White obviously doesn't have great rushing upside, losing those looks to Sony Michel ($5,200), who is also pretty cheap, but the receiving work makes him one of the most consistent running backs on the slate. White actually had a rushing touchdown taken away during last Monday's win over the Jets because of an illegal block in the back (thanks, Edelman!), which eventually led to one of Michel's three rushing scores. With the Patriots heavy favorites at home against the Browns, both backs should be in consideration for cash games (White's ceiling isn't overly high for tournaments), and choosing one of them gets you away from Ty Johnson ($4,900), who is expected to get the early down work for the Lions against the dreadful Giants defense, though he could lose some carries and the passing down work to J.D. McKissic ($3,900).
WIDE RECEIVERS
Kenny Stills, HOU vs. OAK ($4,700): Will Fuller's injury absence opens up a solid number of targets, and Stills figures to get a decent share of those, along with more to DeAndre Hopkins ($8,100) and, to a lesser extent, Keke Coutee ($4,100). He filled in quite well last week after Fuller went down, catching four of five targets for 105 yards, helping him to his third game with double-digit fantasy points this season. Stills is a down-field threat much like Fuller, so while he shouldn't be expected to get the same kind of volume as Hopkins, his significantly reduced price makes him an easy play in cash games and GPPs, particularly in a game stack with quarterback Deshaun Watson ($7,100), Hopkins and tight end Darren Waller ($5,900) on the other side. Other cash-game options in the price range are the Jets' Jamison Crowder ($4,800), who could be decently targeted in a game the Jets are expected to be trailing in, the Bills' Cole Beasley ($4,200) against Philadelphia, the Bengals' Auden Tate ($4,200) on the road against the Rams and, to a lesser extent, Emmanuel Sanders ($4,600) of the 49ers, though he's certainly riskier since he just joined the team in a trade from Denver. The again, maybe it's worth taking the leap of faith that Ryan Tannehill ($5,100) is significantly better than Marcus Mariota, which could put A.J. Brown ($4,100) firmly on the cash-game radar.
Kenny Golladay, DET vs. NYG ($6,400): Golladay was a popular pick last week at home against Minnesota, but fantasy players had to sit back and steam while watching Marvin Jones ($5,800) catch 10 of 13 targets for 93 yards and four touchdowns while Golladay caught one of two targets for 21 yards. However, a matchup against the Giants' dismal secondary should keep Golladay in consideration, and while Jones greatly outscored him last week, the price difference isn't worth the savings based on a longer look of their stats. This game provides another solid stacking opportunity, with Daniel Jones or Matthew Stafford, Barkley and maybe a receiver and tight end from the Giants and then Golladay and Jones. Also in this range is the Bears' Allen Robinson ($6,000), who has been targeted at least seven times in every game this season, including a monster 16-target game last weekend when he finished with 10 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Michael Thomas, NO vs. ARI ($8,000): Hopkins, Thomas, Julio Jones ($7,700) and Cooper Kupp ($7,500) make up the upper tier of wideouts this week, and they each offer plenty of optimism based on their past usage and matchups this week. Hopkins gets to face the terrible Oakland secondary, but being able to get Stills for so much less makes it tough to justify Hopkins if you only have one. Kupp hasn't been great recently but gets a prime matchup against the Bengals in London, though with Jared Goff's struggles, not to mention that he can also throw to Robert Woods ($6,300), Brandin Cooks ($5,700), tight end Gerald Everett ($4,300) and his running backs, Kupp doesn't seem that necessary. Meanwhile, Jones' viability is wholly dependent on Matt Ryan ($6,000) playing, as he heads into the weekend officially questionable because of an ankle injury that knocked him out of last week's game. Meanwhile, Thomas has one of the best matchups in an expected high-pace game with the Cardinals, and he does so with 36 targets in his last three games. Impressively, he's had fewer than nine targets just once this season, and he still managed to find the end zone in that one. He may not have the target depth upside of other receivers, but Thomas' reliability should make him a popular cash-game consideration. If you're looking for more GPP-upside, the Bucs duo of Chris Godwin ($7,100) and Mike Evans ($6,600) are always in play, though they have a somewhat tough matchup against the Titans in Tennessee.
QUARTERBACKS
Deshaun Watson, HOU vs. OAK ($7,100): You don't get many better opportunities as a quarterback than at home against the Raiders, as Aaron Rodgers showed us last week when he completed 25 of 41 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing twice for six yards and another score. Those gaudy numbers will be tough to replicate, though Watson did have a monster 426 yards and five touchdowns back in Week 5 against the Falcons, who will try to slow down Russell Wilson ($7,200) this weekend. Despite losing Fuller to injury, the Texans still have plenty of pass-catching weapons for Watson, who faces off against a Raiders defense that has allowed more quarterback fantasy points per game than all but the Falcons and Dolphins.
Matthew Stafford, DET vs. NYG ($6,100): Coming in $1,000 cheaper than Watson is Stafford, who is coming off a big game last week against the Vikings when he threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns. He has an even better matchup this week against the Giants, who have allowed the fifth-most passing yards this season, helping them to the 10th-most fantasy points by quarterbacks. While the Lions' backfield situation is pretty cloudy, the air attack is anything but, with Stafford having quality guys outside and in the backfield to keep the Lions' offense rolling.
TIGHT ENDS
Darren Waller, OAK at HOU ($5,900): There are a number of very good tight end options on the slate, which is even more impressive since Travis Kelce isn't on it. George Kittle ($6,500) remains a top option given how effective he is with his six to eight targets per game, and the same can be said about Evan Engram ($5,300) in a game that could be going back and forth. Austin Hooper ($5,500) will have his upside drastically affected by whether Ryan starts under center, though even if he does he probably sits behind Kittle and Engram. However, Waller might have the most upside of the group, as he's the best receiving option on a team that could be throwing a bunch while trying to keep up with the Texans. The best use for Waller is in a game stack with Watson, Hopkins and Stills, for example, as all have 100-yard and multi-touchdown upside. One expensive player who might be overlooked is the Eagles Zach Ertz ($5,100), who has been one of quarterback Carson Wentz's favorite targets over the past two years, though he's been a bit down recently and facing a very good Bills defense.
Gerald Everett, LAR vs. CIN ($4,300): Everett has been a very solid fantasy option recently, as his contributions have led directly to the poorer returns from Kupp, Woods and Cooks. He has 18 catches on 34 targets for 239 yards and two touchdowns in his last four games, and he presents as a solid cheaper option Sunday against a poor Bengals defense. Admittedly, the Bengals have been pretty good against tight ends and wide receivers this season, but Everett's price is too low for his recent production and matchup. Other potential pay-down options include Cameron Brate ($2,700), who is expected to take over for the injured O.J. Howard, Jonnu Smith ($2,800) on the other side of the game in place of the injured Delanie Walker, and Josh Hill ($3,200), who could be running tight end routes against the Cardinals in place of Jared Cook.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Chargers at CHI ($2,300): Playing against Mitchell Trubisky is the foundation of this selection, as the Chargers' defense hasn't really been that great lately, recording only 10 sacks in the past four games while forcing only five turnovers. However, the Bears' offensive struggles fit perfectly into this situation of paying down for a defense. The Patriots ($4,300) always have to be considered since they're averaging over 21 fantasy points per game this season (only eight position players are averaging more), but they are finally starting to see a league-average offense that might not allow them such upside. If that's too much, the Titans ($3,200) are always capable of putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and Jameis Winston is never one to shy away from turnovers.
