This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
Thursday Night Football is here, and it's another less-than-stellar matchup. The Cardinals play host to the Saints, and neither team will be at full strength. Let's help spice up this game by trying to win some cash on Monkey Knife Fight.
Three Game Types are offered, including "More Or Less," "Rapid Fire" and "Stat Shootout." For a full breakdown of the rules for each game, see the House Rules page. Let's dive into some of the contests within each Game Type and discuss how things might play out.
More Or Less Contest
Right off the bat, let's look at a 2/2 goal for 3.5X the prize. We need to pick side on Zach Ertz 12.5 fantasy points and Chris Olave 13.5 fantasy points. First, take the over with Ertz. Remember, the scoring is one fantasy point per reception. Ertz already has 51 targets this season, which has helped him record five consecutive games with at least six receptions. He also has 11 red-zone targets, helping propel him to two touchdown receptions.
The Saints were desperate at wide receiver last week with Olave (concussion), Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) out. The short week won't enable Thomas and Landry to return for this game, but Olave will play. He has a touchdown reception in both of his last two games, and he has three games with at least 67 receiving yards. Expect a lot of passes to be thrown his way, making the over the way to go with his fantasy points total.
Rapid Fire Contest
Let's look at a 2/3 for 1.7X the prize. The battles are fantasy points Kyler Murray vs. Alvin Kamara (with Kamara receiving a +2.5 fantasy points bonus), fantasy points DeAndre Hopkins vs. Andy Dalton (with Dalton receiving a +1.5 fantasy points bonus) and fantasy points Olave vs. Ertz (with Ertz receiving a +1.5 fantasy points bonus). Let's go with Hopkins over Dalton, even with Dalton receiving the bonus. Jameis Winston (back/ankle) is no longer on the injury report, but it's unclear as of early Thursday morning if he or Dalton will start. Even if Dalton does start, he hasn't been great. He's thrown for fewer than 190 yards in both of the last two games, totaling just two touchdown passes during that stretch.
With regard to Murray and Kamara, give me Kamara. Not only does he get a bonus, but the Saints being shorthanded at wide receiver has left him with a heavy workload the last two weeks. He had 23 carries and six receptions for 194 total yards in Week 5, then followed that up with 19 carries and six receptions for 124 total yards in Week 6.
Stat Shootout Contest
With both teams limited at wide receiver, their targets should be funneled to fewer players. That makes the 18.5-plus receptions from three total players goal for 2X the prize an interesting option. With Ertz hauling in at least six receptions in five consecutive games, he's my first choice. I'll also go with Kamara, since he has back-to-back games with six receptions each.
For the final player, let's roll with Hopkins. He averaged 6.4 targets per game last season, and 10.0 targets per game the season prior. The Cardinals acquired Robbie Anderson to provide some depth at wide receiver, but he's unlikely to have much of an impact considering the short week. Hopkins and Rondale Moore should be the top two wide receiver options for Murray, so look for Hopkins to be busy in his season debut.
