Week 13 is just about the rearview mirror, but worry not because we still have a Monday Night Football game left to scratch that DFS itch. In a tight NFC East race, there are plenty of playoff implications in tonight's divisional matchup between Washington and Philadelphia, but we can up the ante by also taking a plunge in FanDuel's single-game format.
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 1.5-times 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
Carson Wentz ($16,000 on FanDuel): Seeing as the Eagles are 6.0-point home favorites with a 25.50 implied total, it stands to reason that much of our interest will lie on their side, and that naturally starts with quarterback Carson Wentz, who leads the slate with 17.8 FanDuel points per game. Wentz hasn't exactly been lighting up the box score lately, with FanDuel scores of just 3.84 and 13.24 over the last two games, but prior to this lull he had thrown for multiple scores in six straight, including four 300-yard games. Washington's pass defense is hardly impervious, either, ranking 24th in passing yards allowed per game (260.9), 25th in passing completion percentage allowed (67.3%), and 23rd in yards per pass attempt allowed (7.8). Wentz is a conventional but safe choice for your MVP slot.
Zach Ertz ($14,500): Of course, you can also opt for Wentz's favorite receiving target, Zach Ertz, who easily leads the Eagles with a 27.3% target market share. Washington doesn't necessarily make for an easy matchup, allowing the eighth-fewest FanDuel points per game to tight ends, but Ertz is still your best bet for a receiving touchdown, leading the team with 18 red zone targets, which also ranks top 10 overall in the NFL. The upside is there to bring home top-scoring honors tonight, as he's compiled over 18 FanDuel points in 4 of the last 7 games, including a season-high 33.5 FanDuel points against Dallas in Week 10.
Josh Adams ($13,500): Josh Adams is coming off his best performance of the year, logging season-highs in carries (22), rushing yards (84), snap rate (61.5%), and FanDuel points (16.4) in Philadelphia's comeback win over the Giants in Week 12. While there are some mixed signals from the Eagles' coaching staff about whether this is still a running back by committee, last week's usage sure seems to indicate that this is Adams' backfield now. Furthermore, Adams has demonstrated he deserves to be the lead back by numberFire's metrics, as he leads all Eagles backs (including the injured Jay Ajayi) in both Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) per carry and Success Rate. As a home favorite, the volume should be there once again, and while he only saw one target last week, he saw six in the week prior, so he should remain involved even if the Eagles fall behind. Although Washington has respectable numbers against the run this year, they rank just 17th in rushing defense by numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics.
Colt McCoy ($14,000): Washington is lacking in potential MVP choices, but if you're looking to venture off the beaten path for a lower-owned choice, then you could do worse than roll the dice with Colt McCoy in large-field tournaments. McCoy was hardly impressive in tossing three picks against Dallas on Thanksgiving, but at the end of the day he still threw for 268 yards and 2 scores for a very respectable 18.52 FanDuel points. Against the Eagles' banged up secondary, it's entirely possible McCoy can put together a high fantasy score -- even if it's not always pretty -- which could put you in a favorable position should the Eagles' high-owned players struggle.
Value Plays
Jordan Reed ($11,500) and Josh Doctson ($10,000): Although Washington may not have the most enticing overall options on the slate, we can still find value on their side. Despite actually staying healthy this season, Jordan Reed has produced a mostly quiet 2018 campaign, but he leads the team with a solid 21.4% target market share and has surpassed 70 receiving yards in back-to-back weeks. Meanwhile, Josh Doctson had his best game of the season in McCoy's start against the Cowboys, notching season-bests in targets (10), receptions (6), and yards (66). While it's dicey to read too much into one game, on a night when Washington will presumably need to pass as road underdogs, Docton figures to remain involved. It also doesn't hurt that the Eagles' decimated pass defense allows the second-most FanDuel points per game to wide receivers. Note that Jamison Crowder ($7,500) is questionable and may return tonight, which could complicate things, but on the flip side, Crowder could also serve a potential high-risk punt option himself.
Alshon Jeffery ($10,000): Alshon Jeffery has scored single-digit FanDuel points in four straight games, so you're not clicking on his name with a ton of confidence, but he makes sense if you want to pivot off Ertz, who figures to be one of tonight's most popular players. In spite of the lackluster recent results, in the eight games he's played, Jeffery has seen a respectable 21.0% target market share that ranks second on the team, and he's popped off for 18-plus FanDuel points three times. Golden Tate ($9,500) hasn't done much since joining the Eagles, but it's worth noting he's seen eight targets in each of the last two games.
Chris Thompson ($8,000): After missing six of the last seven games, it requires a leap of faith to roster Chris Thompson, but in a game where Washington could find themselves trailing, the game script may favor the pass-catching back over Adrian Peterson ($12,500). In Thompson's five games, he's actually tied with Jordan Reed for the team lead in target market share (21.0%) and saw double-digit touches in three of them. The floor is obviously very low, but Thompson has shown he can produce a high ceiling on limited touches, and began the season with FanDuel scores of 21.8 and 15.8 points.
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.