This piece is part of our article program that features quality content from experts exclusively at FantasyPros. For more insight from Geoff, head over to GoingFor2.com.
Week 3 was a much better week for my value picks than Week 2, that’s for sure. As with everything in Daily Fantasy, it won’t always pan out as planned, but guys like Marvin Jones Jr., Cordarrelle Patterson, and Hunter Renfrow paid off nicely. This week, there are some good games to get some great value from, so let’s get to it.
Week 4 Value Plays
Quarterback
DraftKings
Taylor Heinicke (WFT) $5,900 @ ATL
Heinicke had a bad “real life” NFL game, but from a fantasy perspective, he was decent. He put up 23.4 DraftKings points against a very tough Bills defense. This week he gets a Falcons team that ranks 26th in passing defense DVOA (per FootballOutsiders.com). They also rank 31st in DVOA against a team’s NO. 1 wide receiver, which could make Terry McLaurin a great stacking option. Heinicke is Top 10 in Adjusted Completion percentage on the season (per FTNfantasy.com), which takes out passes thrown away, drops, spikes, batted passes, and passes while being hit, and on the flip side, the Falcons give up the fourth-highest adjusted completion percentage at 83.6-percent.
This piece is part of our article program that features quality content from experts exclusively at FantasyPros. For more insight from Geoff, head over to GoingFor2.com.
Week 3 was a much better week for my value picks than Week 2, that’s for sure. As with everything in Daily Fantasy, it won’t always pan out as planned, but guys like Marvin Jones Jr., Cordarrelle Patterson, and Hunter Renfrow paid off nicely. This week, there are some good games to get some great value from, so let’s get to it.
Week 4 Value Plays
Quarterback
DraftKings
Taylor Heinicke (WFT) $5,900 @ ATL
Heinicke had a bad “real life” NFL game, but from a fantasy perspective, he was decent. He put up 23.4 DraftKings points against a very tough Bills defense. This week he gets a Falcons team that ranks 26th in passing defense DVOA (per FootballOutsiders.com). They also rank 31st in DVOA against a team’s NO. 1 wide receiver, which could make Terry McLaurin a great stacking option. Heinicke is Top 10 in Adjusted Completion percentage on the season (per FTNfantasy.com), which takes out passes thrown away, drops, spikes, batted passes, and passes while being hit, and on the flip side, the Falcons give up the fourth-highest adjusted completion percentage at 83.6-percent.
Honorable mention: Ryan Tannehill (TEN) $6,300 @ NYJ
FanDuel
Sam Darnold (CAR) $7,200 @ DAL
In Darnold’s three years as a member of the Jets (38 games), he had four 300-plus yard games. In three games as the Panthers quarterback, he already has two. Dallas’ defense is much better through three games than many of us anticipated, but the Panthers are going to have to score points to keep up with this Cowboy offense, not to mention, Darnold already has three rushing touchdowns on the season.
Honorable mention: Baker Mayfield (CLE) $7,300 @ MIN
Running Back
DraftKings
Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL) $4,900 vs. WAS
Patterson is a much better DraftKings running back due to his receiving ability. He had six catches on seven targets last week for 82 yards to go along with seven carries for 20 yards. Washington is 20th in rushing defense DVOA and 28th in overall passing defense DVOA.
Nyheim Hines (IND) $4,900 @ MIA
Another running back better suited for DraftKings scoring is Nyheim Hines. The news that the Colts are holding Marlon Mack out of games in an attempt to trade him means Hines is the clear-cut No. 2 running back behind Jonathan Taylor. He had six rushes for 25 yards and a score last week to go with five catches and 54 yards. The Dolphins defense ranks high in DVOA across the board, but Hines will still get a solid workload, and the PPR scoring for DraftKings gives him a solid floor.
Honorable mention: Zack Moss $5,300
FanDuel
Tony Pollard (DAL) $5,600 vs. CAR
That’s now two weeks in a row that Pollard has received at least 12 touches in a game, making him a viable value play as long as he stays under 6k. This Cowboys offense is explosive and will continue to score points in bunches as long as Dak Prescott stays healthy. Any player getting 12-plus touches in this offense should be considered a decent play going forward. Panthers represent a tough matchup as they rank No. 1 in DVOA across the board; overall, against the pass and the run, but they also haven’t faced an offense this good yet.
Honorable mention: Elijah Mitchell (SF) $5,600 vs. SEA
Wide Receiver
DraftKings
Emmanuel Sanders (BUF) $4,900 vs. HOU
Throughout his career, Sanders just produces. No matter the team, no matter the offense, no matter where he is in the pecking order of playmakers, he just downright performs. He has had at least six targets in every game this year and caught his first two touchdowns last week against the Washington Football Team. Josh Allen seemed to return to form last week after starting slow, which bodes well not only for Sanders but the entire Bills offense.
Christian Kirk (ARI) $5,300 @ LAR
Expect cornerback Jalen Ramsey to shadow DeAndre Hopkins, leaving Christian Kirk, who runs 60-percent of his routes from the slot (per PlayerProfiler.com), to get the more favorable matchup with David Long Jr. The Rams defense is legit, but one place they have had their struggles is with the slot, Cooper Kupp killed them in Week 3 from the slot, Kyle Pitts ran a lot of his routes from the slot in Week 2 and that has been his best game so far, and in Week 1 Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb split slot duties, and both of them had success. Kirk doesn’t have the skill level of a Kupp, Cooper, or Lamb, but in a game that is expected to be high-scoring, he gives you some cheap exposure.
Honorable mention: Tim Patrick (DEN) $4,900 vs. BAL
FanDuel
Kadarius Toney (NYG) $4,900 @ NO
I had to reach deep to find some value wide receivers on FanDuel. This might be a “pay-up” week for this position, but I do have a couple of “shot in the dark” players worth considering. Toney is one such player, but he needs a few things to happen for him to be viable — both Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton must be ruled out. As of today (Wednesday), both are questionable. The Saints’ defense is legit, but the sheer volume could make Toney viable.
Jalen Reagor (PHI) $5,500 vs. KC
Reagor is another guy that could be viable based solely on volume, and in this case, junk-time volume. Expect the Chiefs to come ready to play after losing two straight games and currently sitting in last place in their division. Reagor racked up some late fantasy points in Week 3 after the Cowboys had the game in hand, the same could happen in this game.
Honorable mention: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine $5,300 @ NYJ
Tight End
DraftKings
Dalton Schultz (DAL) $3,400 vs. CAR
Schultz had his coming-out party in Week 3 scoring two touchdowns on six catches, and because he played Monday night, DraftKings did not adjust his price accordingly. Through three games, Schultz has been the preferred target over the other tight-end Blake Jarwin.
Honorable mention: Tommy Tremble (CAR) $2,500 @ DAL
FanDuel
Tyler Conklin (MIN) $5,300 vs. CLE
Conklin has been a regular member of my value column since Week 1, and then in Week 3 I don’t include him and he goes off, that’s DFS for you. The Browns have been good defensively this season, but one place they struggle with is defending the tight end where they rank 15th in DVOA.
Honorable mention: Dalton Schultz (DAL) $5,000 vs. CAR
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