Greetings, friends, and welcome to Week 15 of our Main Slate GPP Advice series. As always, we’ll be focused on GPP contests and players you can use to fill out your lineups while saving some of your budget. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite GPP targets for this week.
GPP means we are going to look for value and take big swings. You shouldn’t have every player below in your DFS lineups. These are players with upside to target so that you can save money to use on higher-priced studs. We are going to identify value. We are going to monitor injury situations. We are going to take some risks. And most importantly, we are going to make some money.
As a general reminder, these are how most FanDuel and DraftKings contests are formatted:
- FanDuel $60,000 salary cap, 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 DEF ($6,667 average price per position)
- DraftKings: $50,000 salary cap, 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 DEF ($5,555 average price per position)
Have questions or just want to talk football or DFS? Feel free to reach out on Twitter @mikeMaher with questions or feedback anytime.
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The players below are ones I’m looking at for large-field tournament considerations for Week 15 main slates:
Quarterbacks
FanDuel
Dak Prescott (DAL - QB): $7,500 vs. NYG
Sure, Dak Prescott is "slumping" right now, but he's still at the helm of one of the best offenses in the league taking on the lowly Giants this week. A $600 drop in price on FanDuel is silly. $7,500 puts him on QB12 on the full slate, and that's easy money and good savings that will allow you to spend elsewhere to fill out your lineup. When Prescott played against the Giants in Week 5, he threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns. He is coming off a couple of lackluster performances against the Washington something-or-others and the New Orleans Saints, but he threw for 375 yards against the Raiders in Week 12. This is an easy decision on FanDuel in Week 15.
Gardner Minshew II (PHI - QB): $6,200 vs. WAS
Jalen Hurts has a chance to return this week, but he is reportedly dealing with a high-ankle sprain and has been limited in practice throughout the week. He is far from a lock to play, and the Eagles may very well roll with Gardner Minshew in this matchup against what may be a Washington Football Team (and defense) that is depleted due to a COVID-19 breakout. Minshew lit up the Jets in his first start for the Eagles two weeks ago, and he is just QB30 on the FanDuel main slate this week. If Minshew starts, he is a must-start in at least a few of your GPP lineups at that price.
Update: This game has been postponed. Not only is it no longer on the main slate, but the postponement to Tuesday means Jalen Hurts is more likely to start for the Eagles.
DraftKings
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA - QB): $5,700 vs. NYJ
Want to know what's even better than playing the New York Giants, like Prescott above? Playing the New York Jets. Tua has thrown at least 31 passes in three straight games, including throwing 41 passes two weeks ago against the Giants. The Dolphins are coming off their bye and have injury/health issues at the running back position, so they are likely to continue throwing the ball. He's QB20 on the DraftKings full slate but has QB1 upside against this defense this week.
Taylor Heinicke (WAS - QB): $5,500 vs. PHI
As mentioned above, Washington is dealing with a pretty substantial COVID outbreak that could leave them without several key contributors in Week 15. And Taylor Heinicke himself is banged up coming into this matchup against the Eagles. But Washington should still have Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin (as long as the latter clears the concussion protocol, which it appears he will), and this Philadelphia defense has been carved up by decent quarterbacks all season long. Heinicke is QB15 on the DraftKings main slate, so he isn't a massive discount. But he should easily provide QB1 production at a fraction of what it would cost to pay up for someone like Kyler Murray, Aaron Rodgers, or even Dak Prescott on DraftKings's main slate this week.
Update: Since this was published, Taylor Heinicke was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, AND the WFT-PHI game was postponed to Tuesday. Heinicke has a chance to play on Tuesday thanks to the postponement, but this game is no longer on the main slate.
Running Backs
FanDuel
Rashaad Penny (SEA - RB): $6,100 vs. LAR
Rashaad Penny rushed for 137 yards on 16 carries last week, and Seattle is saying he deserves some run as the main guy. Sure. Great. That means he's going to be expensive in DFS, right? Apparently not this week. He's RB32 on the FanDuel main slate despite an $800 price increase. Even against the Rams, grabbing a running back that is expected to receive a full workload for an RB3 price is exactly the kind of value we are looking for.
Update: This game has been postponed and is no longer on the main slate.
Ezekiel Elliott (DAL - RB): $6,700 vs. NYG
Ezekiel Elliott has not looked like the same back in 2021, but the Giants have looked like the same old Giants. Tony Pollard has been dealing with an injury and is unlikely to return to his usual workload in this one even if he is able to play. Elliott hasn't finished as an RB1 since Week 10 against the Falcons, which is why he is RB15 on FanDuel's main slate this week. But he is coming off back-to-back games against teams who limit fantasy points to opposing running backs, and the game script this week should favor the running game for the Cowboys. The Giants are likely to fall behind early and struggle to do much on offense, so Elliott should receive at least 15 touches (likely more) and figures to have red zone work available.
DraftKings
James Robinson (JAC - RB): $5,400 vs. HOU
Urban Meyer is gone. James Robinson is not. Not only that, but interim Jaguars head coach Darrell Bevell said Thursday that they intend to utilize as their "starting running back" despite Robinson's previous place in Urban Meyer's dog house. With Meyer gone, it's fair to expect a short-term boost in production for the Jaguars, especially against this Texans team. A rejuvenated Robinson priced at RB23 on the DraftKings main slate is the perfect lineup builder for GPP contests.
Chase Edmonds (ARI - RB): $5,100 vs. DET
Chase Edmonds is finally back, and it appears to be just in time as James Conner is dinged up. Edmonds is just RB27 on the DraftKings main slate, but he could be in for a sizable workload in a favorable matchup against the Lions if Conner is unable to play. Even without wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals should cruise to an easy victory this week against the Lions.
Wide Receivers
FanDuel
Diontae Johnson (PIT - WR): $7,200 vs. TEN
For some reason, Diontae Johnson is WR16 on FanDuel's main slate this week. Johnson has received at least 10 targets in five straight games, with 13 or more targets in three of those games. The quarterback play in Pittsburgh hasn't been great, but Johnson has been as consistent as they come this season. Tennessee is allowing a ton of points to opposing wide receivers this season, and Johnson is great value at just $7,200.
Van Jefferson (LAR - WR): $6,200 vs. SEA
Van Jefferson has scored a touchdown in three straight games, and, even though he only caught two passes in last week's win over the Cardinals, his role continues to grow in this offense. Jefferson is just WR23 on the FanDuel main slate, so he is discounted enough to be a lineup builder in GPP contests in Week 15. But keep an eye on the Rams' COVID situation.
Update: This game has been postponed and is no longer on the main slate.
DraftKings
DeVante Parker (MIA - WR): $4,300 vs. NYJ
DeVante Parker is just WR49 on the DraftKings main slate this week, meaning he is essentially a free square. Fellow Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle just landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and is very questionable for Sunday against the Jets. If Waddle is unable to return, Parker becomes that much more valuable, especially in a matchup against the Jets.
Amari Cooper (DAL - WR): $6,400 vs. NYG
Amari Cooper is fully healthy after missing a couple of games due to a positive COVID test, and he caught five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown against Washington last week. He found the end zone the last time the Cowboys played the Giants in Week 5, too. Cooper has been up-and-down this season, but that's priced into his WR21 cost on the DraftKings main slate. In Week 15, Cooper is a perfect lineup builder with upside at just $6,400.
Tight Ends
FanDuel
Zach Ertz (ARI - TE): $5,300 vs. DET
This was a tough week to find value at the tight end position, but Zach Ertz against the Lions jumps out. It sounds like wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins could miss some time, which means more targets to go around for the other options in this offense. While Christian Kirk will be popular on waivers, Ertz could be one of the main benefactors here. The veteran tight end caught five passes against a much better Rams defense in Week 14, and he should have plenty of space to operate against the Lions. He is just TE17 in terms of price on FanDuel this week, and his $5,300 price tag is more than $2,000 cheaper than the TE1.
DraftKings
Ricky Seals-Jones (WAS - TE): $3,400 vs. PHI
We talked about RSJ last week and got burned as John Bates played more snaps, which was likely due to Seals-Jones working his way back into game shape. I'm going back to the well this week. Washington is dealing with a massive COVID outbreak, but Seals-Jones has thus far avoided landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list with many of his teammates. If he remains one of the healthy players left standing heading into the weekend, he has a great matchup against an Eagles team that doesn't employ any linebackers or safeties capable of covering a tight end on a regular basis.
Update: This game has been postponed and is no longer on the main slate.
Defense/Special Teams
FanDuel
Dallas Cowboys (DAL - DST): $4,600 vs. NYG
While there have been some bumps in the road, the Dallas Cowboys D/ST is playing some of their best football heading into the home stretch. More importantly, they're playing the New York Giants and Mike Glennon. Oh, and if that isn't enticing enough, the recently-acquired Jake Fromm could see action for the Giants in this one, too. This should be a blowout, and the Giants having the pass the ball often with Glennon or Fromm in the second half could mean a ton of fantasy points for this Cowboys unit. They aren't the cheapest D/ST this week, but they're a lock for DST1 production. If you need to save more money at D/ST on FanDuel, the Bengals are a more affordable option.
DraftKings
Buffalo Bills (BUF - DST): $3,100 vs. CAR
Not only did the Panthers recently fire their offensive coordinator and lose their star running back for the season, but they don't really know what they're doing at quarterback, either. The Bills are fresh off allowing 33 points to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and have just one interception over their last four games, but they should fare better against the Panthers in what has become somewhat of a must-win game for them heading into the home stretch.
Want to keep the conversation going or just have a question? Feel free to reach out on Twitter @mikeMaher with questions or feedback anytime.
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Mike Maher is an editor and featured writer at FantasyPros and BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive, follow him on Twitter @MikeMaher, and visit his Philadelphia Eagles blog, The Birds Blitz.
