Fantasy Football Week 15: Early FanDuel, DraftKings Optimal Lineup Picks
Daily fantasy leagues never abandon avid gamers looking to fill their fix.
Get knocked out of your regular league already? Switch over to daily to conclude the season. Rooting for Tom Brady as a New York Jets fan was getting tiresome anyway, so here's an opportunity to invest in a whole new batch of stars.
Daily fantasy contests are as big of an economics exercise as a sports challenge. As a player, your job is to derive the most points per dollar spent possible. In order to do that, let's dig through the DraftKings and FanDuel price listings and unearth the greatest bargains on both ends.
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Some players earned their way into Week 15 play with a strong Sunday, but others actually faltered last week to everyone's advantage this weekend. Prices dwindled, making them values rather than risks.
Don't play a drinking game every time you read "value," or you'll see blig blurs midway through the article. Did I mention the importance of locating value?
| QB | Matt Ryan | ATL | PIT | $6,600 |
| RB | Matt Forte | CHI | NO (Mon.) | $9,000 |
| RB | LeSean McCoy | PHI | DAL | $6,600 |
| WR | Mike Evans | TB | @CAR | $6,600 |
| WR | Jeremy Maclin | PHI | DAL | $6,100 |
| WR | Donte Moncrief | IND | HOU | $4,000 |
| TE | Delanie Walker | TEN | NYJ | $4,400 |
| FLEX | Chris Johnson | NYJ | @TEN | $3,600 |
| D/ST | New York Giants | NYG | WAS | $3,100 |
| QB | Cam Newton | CAR | TB | $8,100 |
| RB | Matt Forte | CHI | NO (Mon.) | $9,000 |
| RB | Chris Johnson | NYJ | @TEN | $5,300 |
| WR | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | NO (Mon.) | $8,400 |
| WR | Jeremy Maclin | PHI | DAL | $8,000 |
| WR | Kenny Stills | NO | @CHI (Mon.) | $6,100 |
| TE | Delanie Walker | TEN | NYJ | $5,300 |
| K | Cairo Santos | KC | OAK | $4,500 |
| D/ST | Baltimore Ravens | BAL | JAC | $5,300 |
Quarterback
| Cam Newton | Tampa Bay | $7,200 | $8,100 |
| Joe Flacco | Jacksonville | $6,900 | $8,100 |
| Matt Ryan | Pittsburgh | $6,600 | $7,900 |
| Mark Sanchez | Dallas | $6,500 | $7,500 |
| Eli Manning | Washington | $6,400 | $7,500 |
There's plenty of value (I warned you) to be had at quarterback this week, making this a good week to eschew the studs and chase a mid-pack discount.
Every player above enters Week 15 with a good matchup and fair price on both sites, so see who slides into your lineup. But as is often the case, Matt Ryan comes dirt cheap on DraftKings.
He's not a superstar this season, but Ryan gets more flak than he deserves. He's averaged 319.3 passing yards over his last three contests, never throwing more than one pick since Week 4. Since the prices are set before Monday night, his 375-yard, four-touchdown showing is not reflected in his going rate.
A home tilt also helps his cause. During five games inside the Georgia Dome, he's averaging 327.8 yards with 11 touchdowns and three picks. The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Atlanta ranked No. 23 in passing defense, and the Falcons' brutal defense is going to force Ryan and Co. to match their foe's explosive offense score for score, just like against the Green Bay Packers.
While DraftKings made Cam Newton the 11th-costliest quarterback after his Week 14 outburst, FanDuel did not adjust as measurably. Thirteen quarterbacks cost more than him, even after he showed shades of peak Newton with 309 total yards (226 passing, 83 rushing) and four touchdowns.
ESPN's Christopher Harris noted his return to normalcy during a disappointing season.
Can he do it again? Don't bet against it against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who rank No. 24 in passing defense. That huge game is against the 2014 norm, but remember that Newton consistently served as a top-five fantasy quarterback in previous years.
Running Back
| Justin Forsett | Jacksonville | $7,400 | $7,700 |
| LeSean McCoy | Dallas | $6,600 | $8,100 |
| Latavius Murray | at Kansas City | $4,000 | $6,500 |
| Isaiah Crowell | Cincinnati | $3,900 | $6,500 |
| Chris Johnson | at Tennessee | $3,600 | $5,300 |
The best way to procure some bang for your buck is to buy low on someone who just faltered against a tough adversary. On DraftKings especially, LeSean McCoy is a steal following a day to forget against the formidable Seattle Seahawks.
McCoy ran for 50 yards on 17 carries, coughing up some of that little yardage with a fumble. Strangely enough, he became the Philadelphia Eagles' all-time leading rusher during the off day.
He struggled to celebrate the honor after a loss to Seattle, per the team's Twitter page.
What did anyone think would happen against the NFL's third-best rushing defense? It was a week to avoid McCoy, and savvy gamers can enjoy his Week 15 rebound against the Dallas Cowboys, whom he shredded for 159 rushing yards and a score on Thanksgiving.
Nobody can blame players who empty their pockets for an elite rusher this weekend. Le'Veon Bell, DeMarco Murray, Jamaal Charles and Matt Forte are all worth it against exploitable foes. Yet McCoy comes cheaper, enough so on DraftKings to pair him with another stud.
Neither site seems particularly interested in addressing Chris Johnson's recent workload surge. The 29-year-old has churned out 158 rushing yards on 33 carries over the past two games, splitting the touches with a less productive (and more expensive) Chris Ivory.
This has nothing to do with Johnson exacting revenge on his old team, but it sure helps that the Tennessee Titans stink against the run, ranking last in rushing defense. Andre Williams, who entered Week 14 averaging 2.9 yards per carry, collected a career-high 131 rushing yards at their expense after gaining no more than 66 yards through the ground all season.
Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman cost more than him on DraftKings. FanDuel deems him an equal to Trent Richardson and Fozzy Whittaker. He doesn't need to find the end zone to deliver value.
Wide Receiver
| Alshon Jeffery | New Orleans | $8,200 | $8,400 |
| Mike Evans | at Carolina | $6,600 | $8,200 |
| Jeremy Maclin | Dallas | $6,100 | $8,000 |
| Kenny Stills | at Chicago | $5,700 | $6,100 |
| Donte Moncrief | Houston | $4,000 | $5,700 |
Remember that last bit about McCoy? Copy and past that for Jeremy Maclin. He salvaged a cheap, one-yard touchdown, but it only came with three catches for 21 yards. Just like that, he's framed as a mid-level No. 2 wideout.
Maclin routinely lines up on the right side of the field, which positioned him against Richard Sherman throughout the clash. Those who ignored the schedule should appreciate the score preventing a fantasy catastrophe.
Now let's play the same game for Maclin as for McCoy. The week before getting shut down by Seattle, he posted eight catches and 107 yards against Dallas. That was one of just five games where he failed to pass the pylons, but it still resulted in lucrative fantasy points.
Before Monday night's bout, only seven wideouts averaged more DraftKings points per game than Maclin's 19.8, yet 16 receivers cost more than him in a winnable matchup.
Kenny Stills entered Week 14 with all the fanfare in the world, so naturally he responded with three catches for 23 yards. It's not like Drew Brees shut the youngster out; the New Orleans Saints simply couldn't get anything going against the Panthers.
New Orleans' offense is too good to stay down, especially against the Chicago Bears' third-worst passing defense. The down day deflated Stills' hype after emerging as Brees' top receiver, making him a reasonable No. 3 wideout on Monday night.
Tight End
| Martellus Bennett | New Orleans | $5,900 | $6,200 |
| Antonio Gates | Denver | $4,500 | $5,500 |
| Delanie Walker | NY Jets | $4,400 | $5,300 |
| Jordan Cameron | Cincinnati | $4,000 | $5,100 |
| Larry Donnell | Washington | $3,800 | $5,200 |
Despite receiving 10 targets on Sunday, Delanie Walker finished with four receptions for 27 yards against the New York Giants. The missed connections sunk his fantasy value as the Titans face the Giants' co-inhabitants.
The Jets are more welcoming to tight ends, surrendering 12 scores to them. While Walker hasn't afforded anybody consistency, he ranks fifth in targets (87) at the position. At least owners know he'll get chances to make plays.
For those looking to go cheaper at tight end, Larry Donnell scored three touchdowns when he last faced Washington. He has scored just twice since, making him more of a desperation heave than a comfortable selection.
But this is tight end, where few safe bets exist.
Kicker
| Josh Brown | Washington | $4,900 |
| Matt Bryant | Pittsburgh | $4,800 |
| Connor Barth | at San Diego | $4,700 |
| Cairo Santos | Oakland | $4,500 |
Connor Barth is still kicking for the Denver Broncos. He's also still cheap. Cool? Cool.
The optimal FanDuel lineup, however, needed a $200,000 cut somewhere, so Barth got the boot for Cairo Santos. He has only received six field-goal chances in the past six games, but he also hasn't missed an attempt since Week 2.
Kickers are impossible to project, but the Oakland Raiders are vulnerable against the run. Jamaal Charles will hopefully carry the Kansas City Chiefs into scoring territory, giving Santos enough opportunities to make him a decent play.
Defense/Special Teams
| Seattle Seahawks | San Francisco | $3,500 | $5,500 |
| Baltimore Ravens | Jacksonville | $3,400 | $5,300 |
| New York Giants | Washington | $3,100 | $5,200 |
| Carolina Panthers | Tampa Bay | $2,600 | $4,800 |
When the Baltimore Ravens faced Tennessee a month ago, they generated five sacks and two takeaways while surrendering just seven points. Now they face the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of two teams (Oakland) with fewer total offensive yards.
They're not cheap, but they're worth it for anyone who can allocate the Ravens into their budget.
The Giants produced eight sacks, three turnovers and a defensive touchdown against the Titans on Sunday. Now they face Washington, who just got shut out by the St. Louis Rams. They're crossing their fingers for Jay Gruden to play Kirk Cousins, who coughed up five turnovers last time, but none of the team's options should impose much fear.
All pricing and scoring information via DraftKings.com and FanDuel.com.
Looking for lineup advice this week? Ask away.
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