Greetings, friends, and welcome to Week 17 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.
COVID ran wild through NFL rosters over the last two weeks, but relaxed protocols and reduced testing are returning players-even unvaccinated ones-to the field earlier than before. Whether or not that is the best move from a health or ethical standpoint is an argument for someone else in another space, but that is good news for fantasy managers in their playoff or championship matchups this week. It also creates uncertainty around pricing for DFS contests, which is where we often find unexpected value.
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.
Greetings, friends, and welcome to Week 17 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.
COVID ran wild through NFL rosters over the last two weeks, but relaxed protocols and reduced testing are returning players-even unvaccinated ones-to the field earlier than before. Whether or not that is the best move from a health or ethical standpoint is an argument for someone else in another space, but that is good news for fantasy managers in their playoff or championship matchups this week. It also creates uncertainty around pricing for DFS contests, which is where we often find unexpected value.
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.
Create Optimal lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool 
The players below are ones I’m looking at for large-field tournament considerations for Week 17 main slates:
Quarterbacks
FanDuel
Matthew Stafford (LAR - QB): $7,600 vs. BAL
From this week's DFS Pricing Exploitation piece:
Matthew Stafford's price is down $300 after a lackluster performance against the Vikings last week, but he was coming off four consecutive QB1 performances heading into that game. On FanDuel this week, he's QB10 at $7,600. That isn't the biggest discount in the world, but QB is arguably the most important position to get right in DFS, and Stafford is a discount with a favorable matchup against a Ravens defense that is allowing a ton of points to opposing quarterbacks.
Dak Prescott (DAL - QB): $7,400 vs. ARI
Remember that slump Dak Prescott was in? He broke out of it by completing 28 of his 39 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns in an absolute beatdown of that nameless team in Washington last week. And most of those numbers came in the first half as the Cowboys dropped a cool 42 points on Washington and then put things into cruise control. Despite that breakout, Prescott is priced as just QB12 on the FanDuel main slate this week. The Arizona defense hasn't been as good of late as they were earlier in the season, and there is always the potential for a shootout when going up against a Kliff Kingsbury offensive attack. Both of those factors point to a good situation for Prescott, who is a more-than-affordable $7,400 this week.
DraftKings
Trey Lance (SF - QB): $4,800 vs. HOU
Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to miss this week's game against the Texans, putting Trey Lance in line to make his first start since Week 5. Garoppolo hasn't officially been ruled out yet, so you'll have to keep an eye on his status as the week goes on. But if he's out and Lance gets the start, you can get a free square with QB1 upside on DraftKings. Lance is priced at $4,800, which is essentially their lowest price for active quarterbacks. His running ability provides a solid floor, and the matchup combined with San Francisco's weapons provides excellent upside. Now, we just have to confirm that Jimmy G won't play.
Jalen Hurts (PHI - QB): $6,600 vs. WAS
Jalen Hurts only ran the ball twice last week against the Giants. Before that, he had at least seven carries in every other game he played this season. There is some concern that his ankle was still bothering him, but it's also possible that the Eagles and head coach Nick Sirianni were being careful with their young starter in a game they figured they could win without Hurts running the ball. Both Sirianni and Hurts insisted this week that the ankle is fine, and Hurts isn't even listed on the injury report. Hurts also ran the ball eight times against Washington 10 days ago (they played on Tuesday), while also throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns after a slow start. At $6,600, he is QB10 on the DraftKings main slate this week.
Running Backs
FanDuel
Boston Scott (PHI - RB): $4,900 vs. WAS
Miles Sanders is out this week with a broken bone in his hand. Jordan Howard is questionable after suffering a stinger, but my guess is that Howard either misses this game or has a reduced role. A stinger may sound minor, but Howard missed a substantial chunk of time with a similar injury back in 2019. Enter Boston Scott, who carried the ball 12 times for 41 yards and a touchdown after replacing Sanders and Howard on Sunday. The Eagles have one of the best offensive lines and rushing attacks in the NFL, and Scott has proven to be serviceable when called on in the past. And because of the uncertainty surrounding Howard (and possibly even Sanders at the time the salaries locked), Scott is only RB31 in terms of price on FanDuel.
Dare Ogunbowale (JAC - RB): $5,500 vs. NE
No James Robinson, and Dare Ogunbowale is RB45 on the FanDuel main slate this week. End of transmission. Easy enough, right? Ogunbowale probably won't see the same kind of volume that Robinson regularly received, but he carried the ball 17 times and caught two of his four targets last week. The Patriots aren't the best matchup, but Ogunbowale can catch the ball out of the backfield, which helps make him immune to a bad game script.
DraftKings
Sony Michel (LAR - RB): $5,800 vs. BAL
Cam Akers being activated from injured reserve is getting all of the headlines, but Sony Michel looks like the guy to roster in Los Angeles this week. Darrel Henderson was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, and it doesn't sound like Akers is going to return this Sunday. That leaves Michel as the workhorse, and he is coming off a game in which he carried the ball 27 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. Oh, and he's priced as RB23 on the DraftKings main slate this weekend.
David Montgomery (CHI - RB): $6,500 vs. NYG
David Montgomery's touches per game since the Week 10 bye week, from Week 11 through Week 16: 15, 20, 29, 16, 23, 28. Follow the volume, as the kids say. Montgomery has at least 17 carries in four of his last five games and at least six targets in the passing game in four consecutive games. Chicago hasn't exactly been consistent on offense this season, but they are consistently utilizing Montgomery in the second half of the season now that he's healthy. He's RB14 on DraftKings this week, but I have him projected as a Top 5 running back based on his expected volume and the matchup against the Giants.
Wide Receivers
FanDuel
Tee Higgins (CIN - WR): $7,000 vs. KC
I wrote this about Tee Higgins in this space last week:
Tee Higgins was shut down by a tough Denver defense last week, and his WR29 price tag on the FanDuel full slate reflects that. But he was WR4 and WR3 overall in Week 12 and 13, respectively, and our model has him projected for WR1 numbers against a Baltimore defense that struggles against opposing wideouts. The production has been inconsistent this season, but this is an ideal low price/high ceiling combination to target.
And guess what? He went out and caught 12 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns to finish as the WR1 overall. This week, in what very well could be a shootout, he is priced as the WR14 on FanDuel.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET - WR): $6,900 vs. SEA
Apparently, it doesn't matter who is throwing the ball to Amon-Ra St. Brown right now. Despite a variety of lackluster quarterbacks throwing the ball in Detroit, St. Brown has at least 11 targets in four consecutive games. Last week, with :::checks notes::: Tim Boyle at quarterback, St. Brown caught nine of his 11 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. He's WR17 on the FanDuel main slate this week but should offer Top 10 production if he continues to see this same volume in the passing game.
DraftKings
Antonio Brown (TB - WR): $6,100 vs. NYJ
Tampa Bay is banged up on offense right now. Antonio Brown returned last week and caught 10 of his 15 targets for 101 yards. In Week 17, his price is up $1,200, but he's still just the WR22 on DraftKings despite a favorable matchup against the New York Jets. I have him projected for easy WR1 production, so this WR22 price is an easy decision for me. I'll have him in multiple lineups this weekend.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET - WR): $6,000 vs. SEA
See above. St. Brown is priced as the WR21 on the DraftKings main slate this week.
Tight Ends
FanDuel
Zach Ertz (ARI - TE): $5,500 vs. DAL
The tight end position has felt gross in DFS for several weeks now. Every week, this is the hardest position for me to find value (at least obviously or substantial value). So, I tend to stick to the low-end TE1 tier where I know I can get solid production at a slight discount. Over the last few weeks, FanDuel has been kind enough to price Zach Ertz too low even with DeAndre Hopkins out. This week, Ertz is TE13 on FanDuel and is down $300 despite catching 14 of his 24 targets for 128 yards over his last two games.
DraftKings
Rob Gronkowski (TB - TE): $6,200 vs. NYJ
The Rob Gronkowski writeup is really just a combination of the Antonio Brown and Zach Ertz writeups above. The tight end position has been gross in DFS lately, and the Bucs will be without their top two pass catchers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin). Gronk only received two targets last week, but he had received at least eight targets in five consecutive games come into Week 16. That volume plus his frequent usage in the red zone make him an ideal tight end target again this week.
Defense/Special Teams
FanDuel
Indianapolis Colts (IND - DST): $3,900 vs. LV
I do have some concerns about the Colts returning so many players from the reserve/COVID-19 list recently and what kind of shape they'll be in, but they're priced as the D/ST16 on FanDuel this week. I have them projected as a borderline Top 5 unit, so that's a swing I'm definitely taking in some GPP contests this weekend. They've held five of their last six opponents to 17 or fewer points, including holding the Cardinals to just 16 points last week even without some of their better players on defense.
DraftKings
Chicago Bears (CHI - DST): $3,200 vs. NYG
Jake Fromm. Mike Glennon. Does it really matter who is playing quarterback for the Giants this week? This might be the worst offense in all of football even with Daniel Jones starting, and they are somehow exponentially worse when downgraded to Fromm or Glennon. I have the Bears as easily one of the top D/STs this week, but they're priced as the D/ST9 on DraftKings. Easy decision.
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.
