DraftKings NFL Picks, Week 13: Best bargains in DFS play
By Drew DeLuca
Wide Receivers
Tyreek Hill (KC vs. OAK, $8,900) has a dream matchup as the highest ticketed player among all Sunday and Monday wide receivers. Unfortunately, a lingering hamstring issue makes his selection a risky one, so DraftKings contestants would be wise to explore the bargains below.
Few offer the consistency of Julian Edelman (NE at HOU, $7,500), who has logged ten or more targets in six straight matchups. Expect him to find room to work against a Texans defense; a touchdown is almost expected against a unit that ranks among the ten worst in the league in terms of passing touchdowns allowed per game.
Expect Tyler Lockett (SEA vs. MIN, $7,200) to resume his role as one of fantasy football’s most efficient wide receivers. Russell Wilson’s favorite target squares off against Xavier Rhodes, who has struggled to shut down elite wide receivers this year, and the Minnesota Vikings as a whole rank 31st in the league in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.
Davante Adams (GB at NYG, $7,000) hasn’t yet hit his stride but has still managed to haul in seven receptions in each of his three games since returning from injury. He should take advantage of a porous Giants secondary and post the breakout game his season-long fantasy football owners have long awaited.
Last week was Chris Godwin’s week to shine, which means Mike Evans (TB at JAX, $6,900) will get his turn this week. That’s just how this works: in the four previous games in which Godwin has logged a monster game (20 or more fantasy points), Evans has returned the favor to fantasy football shareholders in the following week three times.
Expect the trend to continue against a Jalen Ramsey-less Jacksonville Jaguars secondary that just surrendered 135 yards and a touchdown to rookie A.J. Brown.
D.J. Moore (CAR vs. WAS, $6,800) has received nine or more targets in six straight games, and should extend that streak against the Washington Redskins this weekend. Like Xavier Rhodes, cornerback Josh Norman has likewise had his hands full with elite talent this season. Moore, who is averaging over 100 yards receiving over his last four games, should build on last week’s two-touchdown effort.
While we can’t expect the level of efficiency we saw from him at the start of the season, Terry McLaurin (WAS at CAR, $5,600) should continue to be peppered with targets by his former college quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. The Carolina Panthers rank 27th in passing yards per game over the last three matchups, so McLaurin could very well post his first 100-yard receiving day since Week 6.
No one is happier to see Andy Dalton back in Cincinnati’s saddle than Tyler Boyd (CIN vs. NYJ, $5,500). Dalton’s favorite target looks to build on a 5-101-1 stat line against a superior Pittsburgh Steelers defense, with an inferior signal-caller at the helm. Dalton, who threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers earlier this season, should find the red zone often against a comparatively weak New York Jets defense.
Lower-priced honorable mentions start with a pair of Jaguars wide receivers, who face lip-licking matchups against their in-state, inter-conference rivals. Foles’ favorite receiver throughout training camp and the preseason was Dede Westbrook (JAX vs. TB, $5,000), who just caught eight of nine targets last week in Foles’ second game back.
Meanwhile, Chris Conley (JAX vs. TB, $4,500) has seen seven or more targets in five straight games. His efficiency has improved under Foles in that span: his 59% catch rate in his last two games is an improvement over his 43% in his last three games with Minshew under center.
Mecole Hardman (KC vs. OAK, $4,200) has proven he can perform an increased role, one he’ll see if Tyreek Hill misses time. Meanwhile, Alex Erickson (CIN vs. NYJ, $4,000) had been thriving out of the slot before Dalton’s benching and hopes to make it four straight games with ten or more fantasy points with the Red Rifle under center.