It is hard to believe Week 11 is here already, but let’s get right to our DFS Full Slate preview. We spotlight some core plays each week to help you build a winning weekly 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.
Perhaps most importantly, you don’t need me to tell you to use Jalen Hurts or Justin Jefferson in your week 10 DFS builds. These recommendations are designed to give you players we feel will be low-owned, good value, and help you create a unique DFS build. We want a DFS lineup 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 Start ‘Ems
Here are a few of the players that we are leaning on heavily in this game. These players are in a good spot to put together a solid performance in a favorable DFS matchup.
Bo Nix ($6.2k DraftKings and $7.4k Fanduel)
We went to the mid-tier DFS price point for our quarterback recommendation this week. Bo Nix checks in as the overall QB9 on the season, which puts him firmly in the QB1 discussion. Nix is averaging 17.24 fantasy points per week in FanDuel scoring and faces the Falcon’s defense ranked 26th in points allowed to the position and just 24th against the pass. Nix is another signal caller who gives you rushing upside averaging with his four rushing touchdowns on the year.
Kareem Hunt ($6.7k DraftKings and $8k Fanduel)
At running back this week, we are paying up a bit with Kareem Hunt. His usage rate has been unbelievable of late and we want to take advantage of his situation with the return of Isiah Pacheco on the horizon. Hunt has averaged 25.2 touches per game, with five touchdowns. Hunt is a top-28 running back in PPR despite only playing in six games. This week he faces a Buffalo defense ranked 31st in fantasy points allowed to running backs. Ride the DFS wave with Kareem Hunt in week 11.
George Pickens ($7k DraftKings and $7.5k Fanduel)
We are riding another DFS wave at wide receiver this week in George Pickens. Since Russell Wilson has taken over the Pittsburgh offense, Pickens has entered the WR1 category. In Wilson’s three starts, Pickens is averaging 17 points, 5 targets, and 2 total touchdowns. That does not include the two scores he had taken off the board against the Giants in week 8. Pickens has ascended to overall WR18 in PPR scoring and inherits as good a spot as you can this week. Baltimore is dead last versus the pass and points allowed to the position. Use Pickens while he is still priced as a mid-tier DFS option.
DFS Sit ‘Ems
On the flip side of things, here are a few of the players we recommend sitting in DFS this week.
Caleb Williams ($5.4k DraftKings and $7k Fanduel)
Caleb Williams has tailed off big time in fantasy the past three games. Since the stellar run in weeks 3-6 where he scored over 20 points in three of four games, Williams has dropped to just 8.47 points per game. He comes in as the overall QB20, which certainly puts him outside the must-start category. This week he faces the Green Bay’s ranked in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks and top 15 against the pass. We are also not a fan of paying way down and quarterback in DFS, making Williams a sit for us.
Raheem Mostert ($5.8k DraftKings and $6.6k Fanduel)
Our running back DFS sit takes us to Raheem Mostert this week. On Monday night against the Rams, Mostert had zero carries and two catches for 34 yards. In the last two games, Mostetr is at 6.1 points in FanDuel scoring. He does get a very good matchup on paper with a bad Las Vegas run defense ranked 27th in points allowed to running backs. However, Mostert is just too risky to recommend and has seen just one carry since his fumble in week nine versus Buffalo.
Evan Engram ($5.2k DraftKings and $5.9k Fanduel)
We went with a tight-end sit this week in place of a wide receiver. With Trevor Lawrence now ruled out, we are sitting Evan Engram. Engram not only gets the Lion’s defense ranked second in tight end scoring, but gets Mac Jones at quarterback. Engram has reached double-digit fantasy points just twice in his past six games and at that price point we would rather use Kyle Pitts or Pat Freiermuth.
Total Apex Stud of the Week
Josh Allen ($7.8k DraftKings and $8.8k Fanduel)
We continue to beat this drum for our DFS lock of the week as Josh Allen keeps churning out 20-plus point games for us. In his last five games, Allen is averaging 22.58 FanDuel fantasy Points per game. Allen is the overall QB5 and yes he does get a difficult week 11 matchup versus a Chiefs defense ranked 4th overall in total defense but is just 19th in points allowed to the position.
Allen also comes with the rushing upside, and last week had second highest carries and rushing yards on the season. There is a reason Josh Allen is the second highest-priced quarterback on the main slate, and with Lamar Jackson a choice as well, that may suppress Allen’s DFS ownership.
Total Apex Dud of the Week
Anthony Richardson ($5.3k DraftKings and $6.4k Fanduel)
We just got breaking news that Anthony Richardson is returning under center for the Colts in week 11. This is just in time to use him as our dud or fade of the week. Richardson will begin week 11 as the overall QB30, with a completion percentage well below 50% and a 4-7 touchdown to interception ratio. Couple those stats with his matchup versus the Jet’s second-ranked pass defense and you see why Richardson is a pass for us in DFS, outside of a Super Flex league.
Stack of the Week
Recommended Stacks: Russell Wilson-George Pickens/ Josh Allen-Khalil Shakir/ Jared Goff-Aman Ra St. Brown
Additional Starts: Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert, De’Von Achane, David Montgomery, Cedric Tillman, Amon Ra St. Brown, Kyle Pitts, and Dalton Kincaid/ Dawson Knox
Additional Sits: Kirk Cousins, Tony Pollard, Travis Etienne, Xavier Worthy, Taysom Hill
Conclusion
Each week in DFS, your pay line for FanDuel is approximately 125 points, which is 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. Keep in mind our sit recommendations are based on a DFS perspective to help provide you with a unique lineup build, relative to the masses. We want to offer you player options that are projected for low ownership.
