DraftKings NFL picks, Week 15: Best bargains in DFS play

Season-long leagues have left some filled with holiday cheer, and stuffed coal in others’ stockings, but NFL DFS contests remain in full swing. Check out our DraftKings NFL bargains for Week 15.

The name of the game in DFS play and DraftKings NFL contests is salary cap management. So we start by exploring the highest priced values at three key postions: quarterback, running back, and wide receivers. Identifying the players to build around is an important first step for anyone with visions of cash returns dancing in their heads.

The highest-priced quarterbacks on the Sunday-Monday slate are Patrick Mahomes (KC vs. DEN, $7,100) and Russell Wilson (SEA at CAR, $7,000). While both are certainly reasonable starts,  better values are out there, as outlined below.

Christian McCaffrey (CAR vs. SEA, $10,000) is the undisputed RB1 in fantasy football this season, but there are reasons to pass at his high price tag: he’s failed to score a touchdown in three of his last four games, and despite his high floor as a receiving threat, he hasn’t rushed for over 100 yards in a game for over a month.

We give Dalvin Cook (MIN at LAC, $8,900) the best odds of finishing as the RB1 this week; with Alexander Mattison out, expect Cook to shoulder even more of the load than usual against a susceptible Los Angeles Chargers run defense.

Michael Thomas (NO vs. IND, $8,700) is understandably the top-priced wide receiver, as no one offers a better high-floor, high-ceiling combo than the New Orleans Saints standout who draws a lip-licking matchup against an Indianapolis Colts defense that ranks 29th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. DeAndre Hopkins (HOU at TEN, $8,000) is just as great of a play in what looks to be a high-scoring affair against the Tennessee Titans.

Unfortunately, DFS enthusiasts know all too well that only a few of these studs can fit into a lineup with salary cap restraints. We, therefore, begin our analysis of the best DraftKings NFL bargains at the quarterback position to help find creative ways to stock lineups with studs.

Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson (HOU at TEN, $6,800) is the QB2 on my board this week, but he’s priced as the QB6. He should pile up the points in a shootout against a Titans defense that ranks 26th in the league over the last three games.

Devlin Hodges completed 16 of 19 passes against the Arizona Cardinals last week. In the two weeks before, the Cardinals let Jared Goff (LAR at DAL, $6,100) and Jimmy Garoppolo (SF vs. ATL, $6,100) complete over 70 percent of their passes while coughing up over 400 passing yards to each, and are now laying out the red carpet for Baker Mayfield (CLE at ARI, $6,400) to have a get-right game in Week 15. We don’t care for Hodges in Week 15, but Goff and Garoppolo are solid options, and the rationale for starting Mayfield is surprisingly strong.

Aaron Rodgers (GB vs. CHI, $6,300) should benefit from negative recency bias that has driven his price down and spooked many DFS experts. Pft. Davante Adams carries no injury designation this week, so deal me in anytime I can get Rodgers in my lineup for a cheaper price than Ryan Tannehill (TEN vs HOU, $6,500), who’s admittedly an excellent start this week in his own right. The Chicago Bears have fielded a disappointing, middling defense that won’t keep Rodgers from having a day.

Kirk Cousins (MIN at LAC, $6,000) is happy to get Adam Thielen into the fold this week. There are currently 16 quarterbacks that cost more, which isn’t bad value

For those looking to save some coin at the quarterback position, Gardner Minshew (JAX at OAK, $5,500) fits the bill. Only three teams have allowed more passing yards over the past three games than the Oakland Raiders. Meanwhile, Eli Manning (NYG vs. MIA, $5,200) draws an especially soft matchup in what should be his final home game at MetLife Stadium.