FanDuel Studs to Target in Week 5

Jamaal Charles

While widely recognized as being insanely good at football, Jamaal Charles is often seen as more of a tournament option in DFS due to the unpredictable nature of the number of touches he'll get in a game. Call it Andy Reid preserving the life of his star running back's legs at best, or Andy Reid being boneheaded at worst. Either way, utilizing Charles in cash games spooks some DFSers.

But Charles shouldn't be this spooky. He currently sports the second highest snap rate of all running backs in the league, staying on the field for over 81% of his teams total offensive plays. And while he's only averaging slightly less than 15 carries per game thus far, he's doing work with them. Charles's Rushing NEP per rush of 0.09 currently ranks as the fourth highest among backs with at least 50 carries, so he's getting the job done with his opportunities. And he's still a major factor in the Chiefs' passing game, averaging five catches per game so far this season, giving him a nice solid floor.

And this week, the game script aligns for him to have a big day. The Chiefs get to face the Chicago Bears at home and are currently favored to win by 9.5 points. That smells like a whole lot like a recipe for the Chiefs getting up early and dedicating time to burning clock and protecting a lead. And Charles, one of the most effective backs in the past 14 years, should be good to keep the chains moving while protecting said lead against the 23rd-ranked Bears rush defense. Roster Charles in your cash games with confidence.