Finding value is the cornerstone of building elite daily fantasy
lineups. Value plays allow you to mix in studs you can rely on
for both consistency and a high ceiling. It's a sound strategy
to start with value first when constructing the perfect combination
of players.
A lot of people will be excited to play the Thursday slate this
week in DFS and I highly encourage it. I also recommend that you
keep your emotions in check when deciding the exposure you will
put your bankroll against this week. The scarcity of the positions
and ownership differences make this week a high variance week
overall with all the different slates available. There is no shame
in scaling things back in cash games this week if you are not
fully confident in your roster decisions. This week I have decided
to post my cash game lineup for both the Thursday slate and the
Sun-Mon slate as well.
McFadden is set up perfectly this week against a Panthers defense
that has given up 6.2 receptions to running backs per game this
season. Tony
Romo has struggled in recent Thanksgiving games and I expect
the Cowboys to lean on the running game heavily Thursday. His
workload makes him a value, even at this price on FanDuel. With
Dez
Bryant likely shadowed by Josh
Norman, Romo should be looking to McFadden early and often.
Tate had a massive 11 targets in Week 11 and hauled in eight
catches for 73 yards against the Raiders. He has not been as big
a part of this offense with Calvin
Johnson back in the mix this year but Megatron is still dealing
with a nagging ankle injury. At the very least this should free
up a few targets for Tate where he could break a big play against
an Eagles team who struggles to defend the pass. Until last week
against Tampa Bay, the Eagles have been one of the best teams
against the run and I don’t expect Detroit’s inept running game
to suddenly turn the corner. Detroit players should live off volume,
and Tate should far exceed his value on FanDuel in Week 12.
Stewart has quietly become a very reliable fantasy asset this
season. He has 20-plus touches in each of his last five games
and has touchdowns in five of six games. He has been making big
plays and the notion that Cam Newton caps his touchdown upside
is wildly overblown as Stewart is getting the game scripts consistently
to be in the RB1 conversation. I love the stack with Stewart and
Panthers defense if you are playing the Thursday slate this week.
Sunday-Monday slate
Note: Check back later in the week for an updated
cash game lineup.
Even at his price, Fitzgerald is one of the best values on FanDuel
this week. Playing with one of the top quarterbacks in the league
this season, Fitzgerald will remain heavily involved given the
nagging injuries in the Cardinals receiving corps. He has three
straight games with 80 or more yards and does not have a touchdown
since Week 8. That makes him a popular target for touchdown regression
against a defense that just gave up a big game to Russell Wilson
and the Seattle Seahawks putrid offense. Fitzgerald is a high
floor option for cash games that seems matchup proof, but the
matchup is favorable this week anyway.
Yeldon actually looked surprisingly good last week playing through
a foot injury. He showed explosiveness and effectiveness in both
the running and pass games for the Jaguars. It is a bit alarming
that he was pulled at the goal line a few times for Denard
Robinson last week but Robinson failed to convert his opportunities.
Yeldon is a strong value play this week against the Chargers who
have struggled to defend the run. He should be healthier with
the longer rest after playing Thursday Night Football in Week
11.
Barnidge owners rejoice at the news Josh McCown will again be
the starting quarterback following a video surfacing of Johnny
Manziel partying last week. Barnidge has been vastly more productive
with McCown at the helm and his price still isn’t out of
control on FanDuel. Baltimore’s secondary is very suspect
and Barnidge should continue to see a large amount of targets.
Coming off a bye, Barnidge has settled in as a top value pick
at the tight end position with a high floor and high ceiling for
Week 12.
The rookie running back was the star of the Seahawks offense
last week as he went off for the second-best day by a running
back in franchise history. With Marshawn Lynch set to undergo
sports hernia surgery, Rawls is a clear value play for our cash
games in Week 12. Rawls plays very similar to Lynch as he has
both power and quickness, which he uses to gain yards after contact.
He doesn’t go down without a fight and this week even against
a tough Pittsburgh line, he should see the volume to exceed value
in regards to $/point on FanDuel.
Stevie has the targets to be a viable fantasy option but his
touchdown upside is lacking. He hasn’t scored since Week
2 but he has a soft matchup against the Jaguars in Week 12 and
he will be a favorite target of Philip Rivers once again. The
injuries in San Diego will keep him as a high floor option for
our cash games and at this price is a clear value for Week 12.
