Andrew Garda
Moderator
All we want for Christmas (or delayed Hanukkah) is a weekend free of major injuries. There’s no preparing for them and if you roll craps, they can wipe your lineup out even in cash games where the variance isn’t as high and more people own the same players.
The staff has once again put together some lineups and I’ve cherry picked a few selections I thought could be worth talking about.
As always, subscribers can read the full lineups here.
Staff Trends
Start any QB vs the Saints
With the exception of Jameis Winston last week, the Saints defense is awesome for fantasy quarterbacks. Ranked 30th in the NFL and dead last in Football Outsider’s DVOA rating the Saints are allowing an average of 278.8 yards a game passing and have given up 36 touchdowns total this year with only six interceptions. They are primed for Stafford to drop a huge number on them. Add in Stafford’s price of $6400 and he seems like a player you can save money with while also getting maximum scoring from. Interestingly, Tom Brady got a pair of starts—a rarity for a top quarterback in many cash games.
Johnson in Arizona
The Cardinals’ David Johnson was a start in each lineup, and with good reason. His $6300 price tag seems low, especially considering his 17 and 20 points scored over the last two games. The Eagles aren’t that great defending the run, so this seems like a great opportunity for value in a back who can put up yards. In truth, it seems like Johnson is underpriced at many DFS sites and should probably see play in them as well.
High End Receivers
One owner stacked Stafford/Calvin Johnson (a wise move given our thoughts above), and AJ Green, Odell Beckham Jr and Demaryius Thomas all got starts—some in more than one lineup. It seems as if we’ve gravitated back towards spending more money on wide receiver while mixing in more value plays elsewhere.
I’m not a huge fan of Thomas given how badly he has played with Brock Osweiler so far, and Beckham might give you pause going up against Josh Norman. However in Beckham’s case, the Giants are threatening to move him around while Norman tends to stick to one spot on the field. So Beckham might be fine overall as he won’t see just Norman all day.
Green is also a little of a question mark with AJ McCarron under center but a week as starter and some game film analysis should tell the young quarterback who needs the ball—which means Green should do fine.
Diamonds in the Rough
Tim Hightower ($4800), Fozzy Whittaker ($2000) and Brandon Bolden ($2900) all look attractive to varying degrees.
Bolden will get a nice matchup against Tennessee and most of the between the tackles work, though I suspect James White has more upside. If the Patriots run out ahead – and they should – he will get a lot of clock burning work.
Hightower looked very good against the Buccaneers, which is better than it sounds, as Todd Gurley had mediocre numbers against the Bucs this Thursday. They aren’t bad. That means Hightower should have no issue moving the chains against Detroit, who let the selfsame Gurley drop 140 yards and two touchdowns on them last weekend. This will probably be a shootout, but I think Hightower will get chances.
Fozzy Whittaker will get the start with Jonathan Stewart out, but he is my least favorite here. You could see Mike Tolbert in goal line carries, and you have other backs there. Plus Cam Newton will run the ball in on occasion. I’m not high on Whittacker.
My favorite lower-priced running back is Denard Robinson at $3300. Against an Atlanta team which just got embarrassed? Maybe that would fuel their engine and the Falcons come out swinging but the previous drubbings they received didn’t do it, so I doubt anything will.
Robinson will get the full load, is against a mediocre run defense and in an offense that can throw the ball, so the box will not be stacked. I love Robinson this week and recommend him across the board.
The staff has once again put together some lineups and I’ve cherry picked a few selections I thought could be worth talking about.
As always, subscribers can read the full lineups here.
Staff Trends
Start any QB vs the Saints
With the exception of Jameis Winston last week, the Saints defense is awesome for fantasy quarterbacks. Ranked 30th in the NFL and dead last in Football Outsider’s DVOA rating the Saints are allowing an average of 278.8 yards a game passing and have given up 36 touchdowns total this year with only six interceptions. They are primed for Stafford to drop a huge number on them. Add in Stafford’s price of $6400 and he seems like a player you can save money with while also getting maximum scoring from. Interestingly, Tom Brady got a pair of starts—a rarity for a top quarterback in many cash games.
Johnson in Arizona
The Cardinals’ David Johnson was a start in each lineup, and with good reason. His $6300 price tag seems low, especially considering his 17 and 20 points scored over the last two games. The Eagles aren’t that great defending the run, so this seems like a great opportunity for value in a back who can put up yards. In truth, it seems like Johnson is underpriced at many DFS sites and should probably see play in them as well.
High End Receivers
One owner stacked Stafford/Calvin Johnson (a wise move given our thoughts above), and AJ Green, Odell Beckham Jr and Demaryius Thomas all got starts—some in more than one lineup. It seems as if we’ve gravitated back towards spending more money on wide receiver while mixing in more value plays elsewhere.
I’m not a huge fan of Thomas given how badly he has played with Brock Osweiler so far, and Beckham might give you pause going up against Josh Norman. However in Beckham’s case, the Giants are threatening to move him around while Norman tends to stick to one spot on the field. So Beckham might be fine overall as he won’t see just Norman all day.
Green is also a little of a question mark with AJ McCarron under center but a week as starter and some game film analysis should tell the young quarterback who needs the ball—which means Green should do fine.
Diamonds in the Rough
Tim Hightower ($4800), Fozzy Whittaker ($2000) and Brandon Bolden ($2900) all look attractive to varying degrees.
Bolden will get a nice matchup against Tennessee and most of the between the tackles work, though I suspect James White has more upside. If the Patriots run out ahead – and they should – he will get a lot of clock burning work.
Hightower looked very good against the Buccaneers, which is better than it sounds, as Todd Gurley had mediocre numbers against the Bucs this Thursday. They aren’t bad. That means Hightower should have no issue moving the chains against Detroit, who let the selfsame Gurley drop 140 yards and two touchdowns on them last weekend. This will probably be a shootout, but I think Hightower will get chances.
Fozzy Whittaker will get the start with Jonathan Stewart out, but he is my least favorite here. You could see Mike Tolbert in goal line carries, and you have other backs there. Plus Cam Newton will run the ball in on occasion. I’m not high on Whittacker.
My favorite lower-priced running back is Denard Robinson at $3300. Against an Atlanta team which just got embarrassed? Maybe that would fuel their engine and the Falcons come out swinging but the previous drubbings they received didn’t do it, so I doubt anything will.
Robinson will get the full load, is against a mediocre run defense and in an offense that can throw the ball, so the box will not be stacked. I love Robinson this week and recommend him across the board.
