This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
Week 5 brings a few exciting matchups, including a Sunday Night Football game between the Ravens and Bengals. To add to the fun, let's 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
Let's go to the late Sunday afternoon games and look at a 2/2 goal for 3X the prize. The options are Christian McCaffrey 17.5 fantasy points and A.J. Brown 16.5 fantasy points. Let's start with Brown, who has been excellent since joining the Eagles. He's caught at least five passes in all four games, totaling 25 receptions, 404 receiving yards and a touchdown. With a matchup against a Cardinals team that has allowed the 10th-most passing yards per game on tap, give me the over on Brown's total.
As crazy as this might sound, I'm leaning toward the under for McCaffrey. The Panthers' offense has been awful, which has contributed to McCaffrey recording only two total touchdowns. With Baker Mayfield struggling, McCaffrey has had three games with fewer than 30 receiving yards. Things won't get any easier for him against the 49ers, who have allowed an NFL-low 11.5 points per game.
Rapid Fire Contest
An interesting option here is a 2/3 goal for 1.5X the prize. The matchups are passing yards for Matthew Stafford vs. Jalen Hurts (with Hurst receiving a +10.5 yards bonus), rushing yards for Miles Sanders vs. Jeff Wilson Jr. (with Wilson receiving a +5.5 yards bonus) and receiving yards for Cooper Kupp vs. Brown (with Brown receiving a +25.5 yards bonus).
The Cowboys present a tough matchup for Stafford in that they get a lot of pressure on quarterbacks. They are tied for the second-most sacks in the league, and their ability to generate so much pressure has helped them allow the sixth-fewest passing yards per game in the league. Hurts is known more for his rushing abilities, but when you factor in the better matchup for him against the Cardinals, I'll take him over Stafford.
The battle between Sanders and Wilson is tricky because both have competition for carries. Deebo Samuel continues to receive carries for the 49ers, while the Eagles have Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott behind Sanders. Also, with his ability to run the ball, Hurts can also steal some work from Sanders. That said, Sanders received 27 carries last week against the Jaguars, which he turned into 134 yards.
Let's give the edge to Sanders. The Eagles are on fire and face a Cardinals team that has allowed 25.8 points per game. If they race out to an early lead, Sanders could be plenty busy during the second half.
Stat Shootout Contest
Let's finish things off with a 2.5-plus total touchdowns goal for 1.5X the prize. First off, Dalvin Cook stands out for his matchup against the Bears. The Bears have been awful at stopping the run, allowing the most rushing yards per game in the league. Cook might have only one touchdown this season, but he has received six carries inside the red zone, five of which have come the last two games.
Second, let's go with Nick Chubb for his matchup with the Chargers. The Browns continue to rely heavily on Chubb, giving him a least 17 carries in all four games this season. He's also had a whopping 16 carries inside the red zone, which has helped him accumulate five touchdowns.
Lastly, let's take a wide receiver with Mike Evans. He had two touchdowns in Week 3, giving him three over the three games that he has played. The one game that he didn't score, he was ejected early. He could receive added opportunities to score in a matchup against the Falcons, who have allowed 25.3 points per game.
