The cash-game article has always been my favorite. These tend to be the easiest players to analyze because its the safest players on every slate! We had Christian McCaffrey twice last week, and we’d pick him 100 times if we could. If you didn’t use him in cash games, what were you doing? There seem to be players like that on every slate, but we don’t have any home-run picks like that this week!
The players below are the ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations for Week 5:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC): $8,200 at MIN
Patrick Mahomes could be a cash-game option on every slate for the next decade. This has been the highest-scoring player in fantasy since he grabbed the starting role, and it’s just a matter of time before he returns closer to that this season. Despite some recent struggles, a matchup with Minnesota should get him back on track. The Vikings rank 25th in total defense while surrendering the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL): $7,800 at PIT
After a slow start, Lamar Jackson has been lovely over the last few weeks. The speedster has scored at least 23 DraftKings points in three straight weeks, averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game in that span. Facing Pittsburgh sounds pitiful on the surface, but L-Jax has at least 19 DK points in his last two matchups with the Steelers. That looks even better since they’re allowing the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL, Jackson’s specialty!
FanDuel
Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI): $8,600 at LAR
Jalen Hurts scores as many rushing touchdowns as many of the top backs in the NFL, and that doesn’t even include his elite passing. The former Alabama stud has scored at least 22 FanDuel points in 16 games since the start of last season! Many QBs aren’t even close to a 23-point average, making him a safe cash game option on every slate.
Kirk Cousins (QB – MIN): $7,600 vs. KC
Though it may have gone unnoticed, Kirk Cousins has been top three in air yards over the last three years! That high-value passing pairs beautifully with his volume. He is currently ranked fifth among QBs with 21 FanDuel points per game. This is a game where he’ll have to throw a ton because we’re looking at a 54-point total against a Kansas City secondary that was the worst in the NFL last season.
Running Backs
DraftKings
David Montgomery (RB – DET): $6,600 vs. CAR
Everyone saw David Montgomery go nuts last Thursday, and it will have him rostered everywhere this week. The stud back finished with 32 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns! He also had 13.4 DK points in each of the first two weeks and is clearly the go-to RB over Jahmyr Gibbs. A home game against Carolina is the icing on the cake because Detroit is nearly a double-digit favorite in this tasty spot. Not to mention, the Panthers post a 27th OPRK against opposing backs.
De’Von Achane (RB – MIA): $6,100 vs. NYG
All DFS players will roster De’Von Achane after the last two weeks. He’s taken over this Miami backfield, collecting 84.3 DraftKings points over the last two games! That has him as the highest-scoring player in fantasy, and he’s about $1,500 too cheap in this type of role. Being a 10-point favorite against the Giants is wonderful, with New York owning a 23rd OPRK against opposing rushers.
FanDuel
Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL): $8,200 vs. HOU
Bijan Robinson will be the best back in the NFL over the next decade. It’s easy to see when watching him score at least 16 FanDuel points in three of four games. What’s most encouraging is that he played a career-high 80 percent of the snaps in Week 4 and should take over this backfield for the remainder of the season. Playing the Texans is terrific, too, allowing the most rushing yards in the NFL since the start of last season.
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN): $7,000 at ARI
Joe Mixon is just too cheap. He’s still the bell cow back in Cincy, picking up at least 13 carries in all four games. He’s also getting all the receptions out of the backfield and will see all the goal-line work as well. That type of role makes Mixon an immense value against Arizona, allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this year!
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Puka Nacua (WR – LAR): $7,700 vs. PHI
It’s wild to see what this rookie is doing. Puka Nacua leads the NFL in targets and receptions, scoring at least 25 DraftKings points in three of four games. He also has at least 34 fantasy points in two of those, and is impossible to fade as long as Cooper Kupp is out. Facing Philadelphia is fantastic, as the Eagles allow the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
Adam Thielen (WR – CAR): $5,100 at DET
This veteran is the top target in Carolina, and it’s led to a revival season. Adam Thielen has at least seven receptions in three straight games, averaging over 23 DraftKings points per game in that span. That’s absurd from such an affordable player, especially since he faces a Detroit team that owns a 15th OPRK against opposing wideouts.
FanDuel
Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN): $9,200 vs. KC
Justin Jefferson has been the best player in fantasy since the start of last season. This stud WR has scored at least 19 FanDuel points in all four games this year while scoring at least 22 FD points nine times last year. That has him as the top receiver in the NFL, and he’s simply the safest option on every slate. Playing in the game with the highest projected total of the week isn’t too shabby, either.
Zay Flowers (WR – BAL): $5,900 at PIT
It was shocking to see Zay Flowers below $6,000 on FanDuel. That has Flowers sitting around many benchwarmers, but he’s the go-to wideout in this offense. He’s one of the league leaders with a 28 percent team target share, picking up double-digit targets in half of the games this year. We love that against Pittsburgh, posting a 29th OPRK against opposing pass-catchers.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Travis Kelce (TE – KC): $7,600 at MIN
The tight end position is a nightmare, but Travis Kelce is a bright spot in a dark situation. He had nearly double the fantasy points of any tight end last year and is leading the position once again this season. He’s a different animal at the weakest position and should be your cash game tight end on every slate. We certainly can’t fade him against one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
FanDuel
TJ Hockenson (TE – MIN): $6,800 vs. KC
TJ Hockenson is up there with Mark Andrews and Kelce as the only other reliable tight ends, ranked third with 10.7 FanDuel points per game. He had a 14-point average before a rare dud last week, but we expect him to bounce back against Kansas City. They own a 23rd OPRK against opposing tight ends, and this should be the shootout of the weekend.
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Miami Dolphins D/ST: $3,600 vs. NYG
Miami would’ve been rostered everywhere, no matter their salary, but they will be in everyone’s lineup since they’re fifth in salary. That’s hard to fathom because the Giants allow the most fantasy points to opposing D/STs. They just surrendered 30 fantasy points to Seattle, and Miami has a much better defense than them.
FanDuel
Houston Texans D/ST: $3,600 at ATL
There aren’t many good values on FanDuel at the D/ST position, but Houston is a massive one. The Falcons have one of the worst offenses in the NFL, with Desmond Ridder looking like a disaster in London last week. That’s scary against an improved Houston defense, ranked fifth at the position with 8.0 FanDuel points per game. That makes the $3,600 salary hard to believe. DFS managers should try to save salary and use them in such a favorable spot.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
