FanDuel Single-Game Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Week 10 Monday Night
Week 10 is just about the rearview mirror, but worry not because we still have a Monday Night Football game left to scratch that DFS itch. Tonight's edition features the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers, another Monday matchup that won't move the needle for your average fan, but that shouldn't dissuade us from some single-game slate action to boost the entertainment value.
For those unfamiliar with the single-game format, scoring is identical to its full roster cousin, except lineups consist of five flex spots, and kickers (remember them?) are an option in place of defense/special teams. The one twist? One of the five roster spots is your designated "MVP," who receives 1.5x his total fantasy points. Naturally, it's crucial that you choose your MVP carefully if you want to be at the top of the leaderboards when it's all said and done.
Let's run through some of tonight's top plays, starting with the best options to consider for your MVP slot.
MVP Candidates
Saquon Barkley ($17,000 on FanDuel): Similar to Ezekiel Elliott last Monday, Saquon Barkley figures to be the highest-owned player on the slate, and the chalkiest choice for your MVP. But it's with good reason, as Barkley is averaging 13.9 carries and 8.9 targets per game, and even when including Sunday's numbers, he trails only James White in receptions, targets and receiving yards among running backs. Barkley has an immense 39.4% market share of the Giants' carries and targets, and the substantial passing game usage will keep him involved regardless of game script, with the Giants checking in as 3.0-point road underdogs. Excluding Nick Mullens, who has only played one game, Barkley leads the slate with 21.8 FanDuel points per game, and even if it will be the popular move, you can be hardly faulted if you choose Barkley as your MVP.
Odell Beckham ($15,000): On an anemic offense led by a struggling Eli Manning ($14,000), Odell Beckham has endured an up and down campaign with just two scores through eight games. But the elite volume remains intact through a 29% target market share and 42% market share of air yards, as he's seen double-digit targets in all but one game. He still possesses slate-winning upside, with over 130 receiving yards in three of the last four games, and the matchup isn't imposing, against numberFire's 20th-ranked schedule-adjusted passing defense. It's also worth noting that Beckham moves all over the field, so he should avoid Richard Sherman's coverage for much of a game (Sherman does not shadow opposing wideouts).
Nick Mullens ($15,000): Mullens was an afterthought just a week ago, filling in for the injured C.J. Beathard. What a difference one game can make though, as Nick Mullens torched the Oakland Raiders for 3 touchdowns and 262 yards while completing 72.7% of his passes in his NFL debut (22.18 FanDuel points). While it's perhaps a bit foolish to expect a repeat performance from the former undrafted free agent, he's still the starting quarterback of a home favorite, and it's not necessarily the toughest matchup, as the Giants' passing defense ranks 23rd by numberFire's metrics while compiling the second-fewest sacks in the league (10). With another clean pocket expected tonight, Mullens makes for an intriguing alternative as a potential lower-owned MVP to Barkley and Beckham. George Kittle ($13,500) makes for a good pairing with Mullens, leading the team with a 22% target market share, but he can also serve as a dark horse MVP candidate. Kittle is third among tight ends in receiving yards (692) and has shown a solid ceiling with three games exceeding 18 FanDuel points.
Value Plays
Matt Breida ($10,000): Hopefully the extended rest from playing last Thursday will do Matt Breida some good, who has played injured for practically the entire season. His nagging ailments have clearly affect the box score, as Breida has reached double-digit FanDuel points just twice in the last six games, and failed to eclipse 61 total yards in each of the last five. But with Raheem Mostert out for the year and Alfred Morris ($6,500) the only competition for backfield touches, this isn't a bad price to pay for a lead back favored at home. Breida has seen double-digit touches in three of the past four games (he re-aggravated an injury in the other), so even with the low floor, volume and game script should be in Brieda's favor. The Giants rank 25th in rushing yards allowed per game, and have allowed 12 touchdowns to opposing backfields (7 rushing, 5 receiving).
Robbie Gould ($9,000): In a contest pitting Eli Manning against Nick Mullens that features two offenses the rank in the bottom-eight by numberFire's metrics, let's just say it won't be surprising if a few drives come up short in this one. Investing in the kicking game could be a wise move. Robbie Gould gets the slight edge over Aldrick Rosas ($9,000) as the home favorite, and he's reached at least 9.0 FanDuel points in five of nine games.
Marquise Goodwin ($7,500) and Kendrick Bourne ($6,000): With Pierre Garcon ruled out for the game, Marquise Goodwin and Kendrick Bourne come in as two of the better values on the board. Goodwin has been more bust than boom this year, and he didn't get in on last week's festivities with Mullens, catching just 1-of-4 targets for 11 yards. Still, we're typically sifting through scraps at this price range, so the speedster is still very much on the radar in case he can break out for a big play or two like he did in Week 6 against Green Bay (27.1 FanDuel points). However, the more direct beneficiary with Garcon out will be Bourne, who caught 7-of-10 targets for 71 yards when Garcon didn't play in Week 8. At the minimum salary, Bourne should be immensely popular tonight. If you have a little extra cash and want to side with the Giants, Sterling Shepard ($11,000) and Evan Engram ($9,500) are reasonably priced as Manning's secondary pass-catching options. Shepard has seen at least seven targets in all but one game this year, good for just under a 19% target market share. Engram hasn't been nearly as consistent and missed time with a strained MCL, but he saw a season-high nine targets in Week 8 before the Giants' bye week.
Kenyatta Storin is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Kenyatta Storin also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username yatters. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
