DFS week 16 is upon us, and we are making an adjustment to our write-up for the rest of the season. So, let’s get right to our Main Slate cash game lineup recommendations. We will now spotlight core plays to help you build your DFS lineup on Fanduel and DraftKings. In creating a successful lineup, we research and find positional values to see where you can save money and players with projected low ownership who can pay 2x-2.5x of their listed DFS salary.
You bank on getting a minimum of 20 points from the quarterback position. You can not miss this position. Expect to pay up at the tight-end position. You can save at other spots. A successful strategy can be the QB-TE stack. These core plays will give you a nucleus for your DFS build.
These recommendations are designed to give you players we feel will be low-owned and good value and help you create a unique DFS build. We want a DFS lineup that is different from the masses and most likely made with an optimizer. Look for single or smaller slates to build your DFS bankroll. Expecting to hit the Sunday million jackpot regularly is not statistically sound.
DFS Quarterback
Joe Burrow ($7.5k DraftKings and $8.3k Fanduel)
If you want to pay up for the obvious chalk this week in DFS, it is Josh Allen. Allen makes sense on all levels, but Joe Burrow represents a great pivot option and has the potential to be less owned. Burrow is not only the overall QB4 but leads the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes. Burrow has been on a tear, averaging 28.26 fantasy points across his last six games.
Moving down to Burrow gives us salary relief to spend up at the other positions and not lose the potential upside. Cleveland’s defense ranks in the bottom half of the league in points allowed to the quarterback position, so fire up Joe Burrow in week 16!
Also consider: Baker Mayfield, Aaron Rodgers
DFS Running Back
James Conner ($7.1k DraftKings and $8.4k Fanduel)
Jahmyr Gibbs might be 100% owned this week, so we will pivot to James Conner who gets the Panther’s abysmal run defense. Conner is quietly the PPR overall RB10 and has a smash matchup against the Carolina defense ranked dead last versus the run and fantasy points allowed to running backs. Carolina has also yielded five RB1 running back performances in the last six weeks. In rostering James Conner, we also get bell cow usage.
Across his last three games, Conner is averaging 21 touches and 20.36 fantasy points per game. Last week, Dallas running back Rico Dowdle carved up the Panther’s defense for 149 yards on 25 carries, we expect a similar game plan for Arizona in week 16.
Also consider: James Cook, Ameer Abdullah
DFS Wide Receiver
D.J. Moore ($5.7k DraftKings and $ 6.3k Fanduel)
We will save at wide receiver this week and pay down for D.J. Moore. Moore gets the Lions’ defense that ranks 26th versus the pass and 30th in fantasy points allowed to the wide receivers. The same Detriot defense was just lit up by Buffalo’s pass offense for 362 yards. Moore’s fantasy output has elevated since Thomas Brown took over the playcalling duties. Over his last three games, Moore is at just under 11 targets per game and his 886 snaps lead all Chicago wideouts. In D.J. Moore, we get the Bear’s alpha wide receiver at a low DFS price tag.
Also consider: Garrett Wilson, Deebo Samuel, Malik Nabers
DFS Tight End
Sam LaPorta ($4.7k DraftKings and $6k Fanduel)
Sam LaPorta’s price tag is just too good to pass up this week. He gets a plus matchup with the Bear’s defense ranked 24th in fantasy points allowed to the position and in the bottom half of the league overall versus the pass. LaPorta is the overall TE13 and has picked it up of late, scoring double-digit fantasy points in two of his last three and three of his last five games.
LaPorta has seen seven targets per game in his last five and in week 15 produced a season-high 17.6 points. Finally, in the last six weeks, the Bears have allowed four TE1 fantasy outputs. Sam LaPorts gives us a terrific pivot option off the chalk plays of Trey McBride and Brock Bowers.
Also consider: Dalton Kincaid, Trey McBride, Brenton Strange
Defense/Special Teams
Dallas Cowboys ($DraftKings and $3.4k Fanduel)
At defense we love the Cowboys unit this week, they are cheap and have 14.5 fantasy points a game over the last four. Dallas gets a somewhat tough match-up with Baker and the Buccaneers’ offense, but the Cowboy’s defense has 20 sacks and six interceptions in the aforementioned four-game stretch. And somewhat surprising they are the overall DST11 in fantasy this season.
Also consider: Atlanta Falcons, Tennesse Titans
DFS Tournament Stacks
Joe Burrow-Tee Higgins-Chase Brown/ Josh Allen-Dalton Kincaid-James Cook/Aaron Rodgers-Garrett Wilson-Davante Adams
Conclusion
Each week in DFS, your pay line for FanDuel is approximately 125 points, which equates to 2x per player. For example, a player with a $4500 salary needs 9 points. DraftKings pay line is approximately 134 points, which is 2.5x per player. So, for a $4500 salary, that player would need 9.9 points. Again, we are not here to state the obvious every week in recommending Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley. We want to offer you player options that are projected for low ownership. Good luck with your DFS builds and please like and follow us on social media!
