Daily Fantasy Football December 14: DFS Stock Up, Stock Down
Secondary and tertiary options seemed to rack up the most points during daily fantasy football Week 14 as some of the NFL's stars stumbled through tough outings.
While a few big names posted decent games, others like Calvin Johnson narrowly avoided a complete shutout. Plus, a couple of expected breakout performers came up well short of expectations.
Factors used to assemble the list include Sunday's production, upcoming matchups and season-long trends.
Use this information as a brief review of Week 14 and a starting point for your Week 15 research on DraftKings.
Stock Up: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
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Jay Cutler didn't "wow" anyone on Sunday, but the Chicago Bears quarterback put together a decent fantasy game.
He completed 19 of 31 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns, topping 20 points for the third time this season while running a mere $5,300 price tag.
Next week, Cutler will take on the Minnesota Vikings, against whom he tossed one score and ran for another earlier this season. Plus, the Vikings have ceded at least two touchdowns to quarterbacks in four of the last five games.
Cutler isn't a glamorous choice but has 25-point potential at a nearly minimum price opposite an injury-riddled defense.
Stock Down: Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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After Eli Manning, Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins and Cam Newton each accounted for four touchdowns or more, Jameis Winston was projected to shred a shoddy New Orleans Saints defense.
Well, that was a major letdown.
The rookie gunslinger managed just 182 yards and one touchdown for 13.68 DFS points, well below the expectation of his 13.7 percent ownership rate in the Millionaire Maker.
Winston has a quick turnaround for a Thursday night clash withย the St. Louis Rams, who held Matthew Stafford below 20 points on Sunday. Using Winston is once again a risk.
Stock Up: Tim Hightower, New Orleans Saints
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Welcome back to the NFL spotlight, Tim Hightower.
The former Arizona Cardinals running back filled in admirably for an injured Mark Ingram, helping the New Orleans Saints knock off Winston and the Bucs.
Hightower registered a league-high 29 touches, amassing 95 total yards and one touchdown against a solid run defense. Week 15 shouldn't be as difficult since he'll face a Detroit Lions squad that surrendered 140 yards and two scores to Todd Gurley.
Even though Hightower's price will rise, placing him in your roster likely won't cost more than $4,500.
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Stock Down: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
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Perhaps the revenge game narrative boosted LeSean McCoy's stock, but a 35.7 percent ownership rate won't be repeated.
McCoy tallied 74 rushing yards as well as four receptions for 35 yards against his former team, posting 14.9 points yet costing $6,100.
Additionally, the Buffalo Bills travel to face the Washington football team next Sunday. Washington isn't a consistently dominant run-stopping force, but the defense has held its last three opponents below 100 rushing yards.
Though McCoy might find his way into a lineup as a low-owned option, he's certainly not a top play.
Stock Up: Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
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Doug Baldwin continued his ridiculous stretch with another three-touchdown day, and Tyler Lockett demanded some attention, too.
The standout Seattle Seahawks rookie snatched six of seven targets for 104 yards and two scores, including a 49-yard touchdown where he simply outran the Baltimore Ravens corner.
Only 3.7 percent of Millionaire Maker participants selected Lockett, who amassed 31.4 points.
Lockett had already claimed a larger role in the lineup but solidified it on Sunday. Considering Seattle challenges the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, Lockett will be an appealing choice.
Stock Down: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
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Calvin Johnson blew up the Green Bay Packers for 35.3 DFS points on Thanksgiving, but the explosion was merely an outlier in a season full of bad fantasy returns for the Lions wideout.
And Sunday marked Johnson's worst day of the year. He caught a single pass for 16 yards.
The hope for a bounce-back game is somewhat realistic since the Saints host Detroit next week. However, Mike Evans only tallied three catches for 39 yards against New Orleans.
If Johnson fails to create separationโa regular sight in 2015โMegatron might not even reach 10 points. At a nearly $7,000 price, he's a poor DFS option.
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