Every week in DFS, there is a player who comes out of nowhere to be the slate-breaker. These seemingly incognito players can be game-changers if you manage to roster them during the right week.
Tournament-only fliers have plenty of appeal -- offering low ownership, below value pricing, cheap stacking options, roster flexibility, and underrated ceilings. The purpose of this article is to identify dart throws to take your shots on during the main slate on FanDuel.
Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders
FanDuel Salary: $6,900
Derek Carr has often been accused of bringing a knife to a gunfight when it comes to fantasy output. With the second-highest over/under (51.5 per the Week 7 Heat Map) of the week, the Oakland Raiders signal-caller better be prepared for a shoot out against the Houston Texans.
Houston's defense has been more than generous to QBs, allowing the second-most passing attempts per game, which pairs nicely with the Raiders being 6.5 underdogs on the road. Over their past five games, opposing passers have averaged a QB4 overall finish against Houston. Carr makes for a strong volume play with a decent floor in week 8.
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
FanDuel Salary: $6,600
I'm not above going back to the well when it comes to D.K. Metcalf exposure in tournaments. Metcalf is just plain unlucky. The rookie is second in the league in red zone targets with 10 but has yet to snag a reception. One has to think that one of the most efficient passers in NFL history in Russell Wilson will find a way to rectify the situation.
The first-year playmaker will benefit from the Seattle Seahawks having the highest over/under (53.5) of the main slate, along with the second-best implied team total (29.5). Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons secondary appear to be sinking in quicksand as the unit has allowed opposing receivers to finish in the top five in yards, receptions, yards per receptions, and yards after catch.
Even without inside the 20 production, Metcalf has managed to remain a viable deep threat, as sits at 4th in yards per reception and 10th in average target distance. The 99th percentile SPARQ freak with 4.33 speed will face off with Blidi Wreh-Wilson (4.53) and Jordan Miller (4.49), who should get a front row seat to D.K. day.
Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans
FanDuel Salary: $5,100
At only $5,100, Keke Coutee checks every box as a dart throw. The second-year pro finally seems to be healthy and will benefit from ownership being heavily focused on Kenny Stills due to the absence of Will Fuller. Coutee makes for a perfect pivot off of Stills, and his cost savings allows for plenty of roster flexibility.
Rostering Houston Texans players is a no-brainer considering their match up with the Oakland Raiders is slated for the second-highest over/under (51.5) of the week. Houston is also projected for the fifth-highest implied team total. Also, consider that the hapless Silver and Black secondary, who rank 30th in pass DVOA, will be without starter Gareon Conley who was recently traded to the Texans.
Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons
FanDuel Salary: $6,200
Devonta Freeman should go relatively un-owned in the highest/under of the slate. His omission is in part due to lack of production (19th in FPPG), his early exit via ejection last week, and the Atlanta Falcons being 5.5 dogs in the Georgia Dome. Despite his shortfalls as a runner, Freeman has seen production via the air, where he ranks in the top 12 in targets, receptions, and yards. With backup Ito Smith expected to miss time, Brian Hill and Freeman stand to be the main beneficiaries in a game that expects to see plenty of plays and scoring.
Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos
FanDuel Salary: $4,500
In DFS circles, a great deal of attention is going to be transfixed on teams that have moved players prior to the deadline. Courtland Sutton will stand to garner plenty of attention with Emmanuel Sanders shipping out to San Francisco. Pivoting off of the obvious trade beneficiaries will be key to taking down some tournaments.
Noah Fant has had the typical up and down season that plagues most first-year tight ends.The rookie ranks 2nd in air yards per target and 12th in total air yards, despite only sitting at 24th in total receiving yards. Fant should see an uptick in production from his current 11% target share, and a bout with the Indianapolis Colts should allow the former Iowa tight end to produce right away.
The Colts rely heavily on utilizing a soft cover 3 zone that is friendly to targets over the short middle of the field. Over the past six games, tight ends facing Indy have averaged 6.2 receptions, 62 yards, and 0.6 touchdowns per game, good for an average finish of a TE6 overall.
Nathan Coleman is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nathan Coleman also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username nac89. 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.