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.
Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets
FanDuel Salary: $7,700
Choosing a passer to roster from the second tier of the main slate will present plenty of intriguing options. There are 9 QBs priced between $7,600-$7,800 with ownership probably leaning heavily towards Deshaun Watson. Watson is a screaming value as he is projected for the second-most points but is only the 7th most expensive QB on the slate.
The drawback to rostering Watson is heavy ownership and an incredibly low over/under of only 41.5, meaning that the folks in Vegas don’t foresee much of a fight from Denver. For this reason, I love the idea of targeting the equally priced Sam Darnold as the pivot off of Watson.
Believe it or not, the Miami Dolphins have shown the ability to at least stay competitive in shootouts having hit the over in their last 3 outings including a 37 point outburst in their last game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The ability to keep pace will be crucial to Darnold lighting up the scoreboard. The New York Jets are implied for the 5th highest team total (25.0) and face off with a punch-less Miami defense that ranks 31st versus the QB position. Targeting whats perceived to be an ugly game is the perfect way to avoid the chalk and gain unique exposure to a potential shootout
Zach Pascal, WR, Indianapolis Colts
FanDuel Salary: $6,100
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense might as well be on a bye week when squaring off with other teams Alpha wide receivers. Opposing pass catchers have averaged a scorching 12.2 targets, 7.6 receptions, 109.2 receiving yards, and 1.6 receiving touchdowns per game. To put that ridiculous stat line in perspective, the past 5 receivers to face the Bucs have finished as the overall WR1 on average.
As of Wednesday T.Y. Hilton is not expected to play in Week 14, opening the door for Zach Pascal to be the next opposing wide out to decimate the Tampa secondary. At only $6,100, the Indianapolis Colts receiver is more than affordable and Indy's low implied team total (21.75) and over/under(46.5) should deter too much ownership. Pascal is capable of spike weeks as well, having finished as a WR1 or WR2 in 4 of 7 starts.
Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons
FanDuel Salary: $6,000
Any questions surrounding Devonta Freeman's usage moving forward were answered with a resounding vote of confidence as the Atlanta Falcons back saw a healthy 77.6% snap share in his Week 13 return. Unfortunately for Freeman, he continues to struggle with production having failed to hit the RB1 benchmark more than once the entire season.
The Falcons will look for their running game to bounce back versus an anemic Carolina Panthers rush defense(32nd versus RB1s) that just got shredded by a Washington Redskins offense that ranks dead last in total yards per game. Per NumberFire advanced stats, Carolina ranks dead last against the position having given up the most yards per carry and second-most rushing yards over the past 5 games.
Freeman's main allure on Fanduel is his bargain bin cost of only $6,000. The Dirty Birds back is a slam dunk value as he projects for the 10th most points while only being the 25th most expensive RB on the main slate.
Ryan Griffin, TE, New York Jets
FanDuel Salary: $5,600
The flow chart will direct DFS players to roster Vance McDonald ($,5800) in Week 14 but I favor the pivot to Ryan Griffin for $200 cheaper. Believe it or not, the lowly New York Jets have the 6th highest implied team total in a division showdown against the suddenly surging Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins are open for business when it comes to giving up fantasy points. Over the past 5 games opposing tight ends rank in the top 10 in targets, receptions, receiving yards, air yards, and yards after catch. Griffin meanwhile has been a godsend for QB Sam Darnold as QBs have averaged a 138.8 rating when targeting the Jets tight end. With a decent team total, low ownership, and a cheap price tag, Griffin makes for a strong dart throw.
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.