Chalk
In the upper pricing echelon, DFS players will very likely be looking to Rob Gronkowski against Denver and Evan Engram against San Francisco. Gronk is always in play if the salary fits, and he has an excellent matchup against the Broncos' bottom-three tight end defense, whom he's scored at least 17.8 points against in his past three regular season games. Even at $8,000, he should be a popular play.
Engram has been on fire lately for a number of reasons. He's simply good at what we call the foosball, but he's also one of only two legitimate receiving options on the Giants. He has scored 15-plus FanDuel points in three straight and there is no reason to think that streak should stop against a woeful 49ers defense.
Those wishing to pay down at the position will likely be looking to Cameron Brate. The Jets are now seventh-worst against tight ends, largely because they have given up five scores to the position in the past five games. With Mike Evans out due to a suspension, Brate should see a lot of extra looks. At only $5,700, there is a clear path for him to return excellent value this week. Others likely to be in a good number of lineups include Jack Doyle and Kyle Rudolph.
Pivot
Garrett Celek, $4,500 (vs New York Giants)
Garrett Celek has never been an exciting player for those of us who often care more about fake points than real points. His top score this year is 2.9. Yes, he's played second fiddle to George Kittle, but still. Last season, however, he was amazingly able to top 9.0 FanDuel points on three occasions, and he will get every opportunity to do so again this week as Kittle will not be playing.
This pivot has everything to do with matchup and little to do with skill. If you want a safe pick, just go chalk at the position and you'll likely be rewarded. If you plan on starting, say, a couple of high-end running backs like Bell and Gurley and need some wiggle room, then Celek's opponent makes him an intriguing punt for one week and one week only. The Giants have been the worst team against opposing tight ends for most of the season and are currently giving up 16.6 points per game to the position. They have given up the third-most yards, but it's touchdowns that have been killing them.
Nine different tight ends have found paydirt against New York. This is significant because San Francisco should be able to move the ball well with Carlos Hyde, so all Celek really needs to hit value is a one-yard catch for a score. If you're fine with a touchdown-dependent, swing-for-the-fences type of play, then Celek is your man.
Ian Goldsmith is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ian Goldsmith also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zoidbergs_revenge. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.