This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.
Make sure to check out FanDuel's Sport Equinox contest this Sunday that can be found here: https://dailyprops.fanduel.com/en/. It's an entirely free contest and selecting 20/26 or 27 games (provided the World Series isn't a sweep) will win you a share of a jackpot that's up to $345,000 and counting. Now, let's take a look at this week's slate for FanDuel football.
QUARTERBACKS
Russell Wilson ($8,600) and Deshaun Watson ($8,400) are the most expensive quarterbacks, and with good reason. While both are coming off bad performances last week, games against the Raiders and the Falcons should cure any fantasy concerns. The Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks while the Raiders have allowed the third-most. If push comes to shove, I'll probably use Watson over Wilson but will have GPP lineups with each player in them. Like Wilson and Watson, Kyler Murray ($7,400) had a forgettable game against the Giants but that was largely due to the effectiveness of Chase Edmonds ($6,100). However, the Saints have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs while allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Murray is firmly in play for tournaments and should have a low ownership this week. Finally, Ryan Tannehill ($6,900) looked like a competent quarterback last week finishing with more than 300 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Chargers. The Buccaneers have been great against the run but are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Tannehill can be cheaply stacked with A.J. Brown ($5,500) and Corey Davis ($5,500) as the receiving tree seems to be pretty narrow with Tannehill under center (15 out of 29 targets went to those two receivers last week).
RUNNING BACKS
Christian McCaffrey ($9,600) is always one of the first topics of conversation when looking at the running back position. However, this week he faces a tough 49ers defense at home, a team who has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to the position. Every week you should have at least one GPP lineup with McCaffrey in it; make sure you don't forget about him this week. Everyone will be jumping at the bit to use Chase Edmonds ($6,100) considering his price and that he's coming off a 34 fantasy point performance. Of course, it should be taken into consideration that the Giants run defense is significantly worse than the Saints' run defense. In fact, using both Saquon Barkley ($8,600) and Ty Johnson ($5,200), who play against each other, makes a lot of sense for cash this week. Both the Giants (fifth-most) and the Lions (third-most) are in the top-five teams allowing the most fantasy to opposing running backs per game. It looks like Alvin Kamara has a 50/50 chance to play, and if he's out, Latavius Murray ($6,200) should be on everyone's radar. He had a whopping 32 touches last week that he parlayed into 29.5 fantasy points and has an easier matchup this week at home against the Cardinals.
WIDE RECEIVERS
With all of the value at running back, it'll be easy to fit in DeAndre Hopkins ($8,200) who should be considered the top player at the position for this week given the matchup. The Raiders give up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, and pairing with Watson and Hopkins in cash makes sense. Kenny Stills ($5,700) is extremely cheap and could be the third piece to a winning Texans' stack this weekend. The same strategy can be used with the Seahawks, as Tyler Lockett ($7,200) isn't too expensive and is an option for cash games as well. DK Metcalf ($6,600) would be the third piece of a Seattle stack who should put up points in Atlanta. The Bills' John Brown ($5,900) remains criminally underpriced considering, other than Michael Thomas ($8,500), he's the only receiver to record at least 50 yards in every game this season. He should have an excellent floor Sunday against the Eagles, who have allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.
TIGHT ENDS
The Falcons' Austin Hooper ($6,600) is one of the better cash game options this weekend provided Matt Ryan is able to suit up and play. He averages the most fantasy points per game of any tight end who has played in at least four games, and the Seahawks have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the position. Cameron Brate ($5,200) could come onto the DFS radar this week if the hamstring injury to O.J. Howard ($5,000) keeps him out of this week's game. The Titans are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends.
DEFENSE
It took a special teams score from the Bills for them to sort of make value last week, so it wasn't the worst pick. This week, spending up for a team like the Los Angeles Rams ($5,000) seems to make sense. Jalen Ramsey is arguably the best corner in the league, and the winless Bengals are a good team to target against. The other team to consider is the Jacksonville Jaguars ($4,500) who are home and facing a team whose quarterback claims he sees ghosts. Seriously, this game has the lowest over/under of the week and with Jacksonville almost a touchdown favorite. That suggests the defenses will be doing their job, especially for the home team.
