Daily Fantasy Football Week 14: Strategy Advice for DraftKings, FanDuel Lineups

The NFL fantasy football season may be over for some players in season-long leagues, but daily fantasy football will still go on through conference championship weekend.

Here's a quick look at some notable plays for the main slate (the Sunday early and late afternoon games) ahead of Week 14, with a focus on the main four offensive positions.

Quarterback

Although Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson are in tough spots against the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, their FanDuel ($7,700) and DraftKings ($6,200) price tags have to put them in consideration.

Newton and Wilson are capable of scoring a large chunk of fantasy points on the ground alone. Wilson rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons three weeks ago, while Newton amassed 95 yards versus the Miami Dolphins on November 13.

Even if they don't find much success passing the ball, Newton and Wilson's rushing ability could be a big boost if you roster either of them.

In terms of pocket passers, the Detroit Lions' Matt Stafford is the best bet as long as his bruised right hand suffered against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday heals in time. He practiced on a limited basis Thursday, and his status for Sunday has not been confirmed.

Ultimately, Stafford has a plus matchup against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass defense that ranks second-to-last in the NFL, per Football Outsiders. One might consider a triple stack with Stafford and wide receivers Marvin Jones Jr. and Golden Tate, as the Lions should not have much trouble moving the ball through the air.

Running Back

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers and missed Thursday practice as he works through the mandated protocol.

If Mixon can't go, then Giovani Bernard will take over and become a near lock since the former North Carolina Tar Heel's salary is just $5,100 on FanDuel and $3,100 on DraftKings.

Even if he doesn't find success running the ball through the tackles, Bernard could still accrue points through his pass-catching prowess. For his career, Bernard has eclipsed the century mark twice in receiving yards. It's doubtful he hits 100 here, but Bernard can still get those cheap fantasy points.

Ultimately, you don't need that many points from Bernard to hit value. The only downside is that a lot of people will be playing him, so you won't exactly be getting an edge on the field.

That being said, sometimes you just have to take the obvious play and differentiate your lineups elsewhere, and that seems to be the case here.

Wide Receiver

If you're looking for a shot in the dark, consider Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts.

Teammate Amari Cooper is still dealing with an ankle sprain and did not practice Thursday. If he can't go, then Roberts could be intriguing against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that just got lit up for 38 points by the New York Jets.

Those same Chiefs will be without their best cornerback (Marcus Peters), who was suspended by head coach Andy Reid. Without him in the mix, Kansas City could have an even harder time defending the pass.

Roberts did not post an eye-popping stat line against the New York Giants as the team's No. 1 wide receiver (five catches on six targets, 46 yards), but Oakland was in control of the game and went to the run early and often, so Roberts wasn't needed as much to move the chains.

The game flow could be different in Kansas City, as it's conceivable that the two teams play to an old and classic AFC West shootout. Plus, with wideout Michael Crabtree back from suspension, that could take some attention off Roberts, who could find himself in some plus matchups downfield.

It should be noted that Roberts is just $4,500 on FanDuel and $4,000 on DraftKings, so if you're looking to pay up for a high-end player like the Houston Texans' DeAndre Hopkins or the Los Angeles Rams' Todd Gurley, then Roberts could give your team much-needed salary relief to get that done.

Tight End

It's Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce or bust despite the exorbitant FanDuel ($8,000) and DraftKings ($7,400) price tags.

Kelce is in a monster spot at home against the Oakland Raiders. The Silver and Black have not done well defending tight ends this year: Per Football Outsiders, the Raiders have allowed 60 yards per game on average to the position, which ranks seventh-worst in the NFL.

Without the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski on the main slate (he plays Monday night at the Miami Dolphins), there are only two other high-end options to consider in the Philadelphia Eagles' Zach Ertz and the Seattle Seahawks' Jimmy Graham.

However, they have difficult draws against tough Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars defenses, respectively. That makes Kelce the No. 1 play on the board in terms of raw points.

It's hard to expect Kelce to repeat last week's performance against the New York Jets (two first-quarter touchdowns), but he could be in line for yet another monster day.