One of the crucial aspects of daily fantasy football is unearthing cheap production.
Our projections can help you do just that by allowing you to sort players by their point-per-dollar value. A lot of times, the top value plays come as a result of injury situations, meaning it's imperative to see inactives on Sunday morning before setting your lineups.
When looking for a salary-saving option, check out one of these main-slate players this week.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Cardinals ($6,100)
Among backs priced under $7,000, Kenyan Drake is the top point-per-dollar play, according to our models (as of Thursday).
It's pretty simple -- Drake is seeing way too much work to be this cheap.
Since coming to the Arizona Cardinals, Drake owns a 17.4% target share and has played 84.2%, 64.3%, 88.4%, and 79.7% of snaps in four games. If that usage holds, he's a smash play at $6,100, even in a tough matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While the Steelers have surrendered the sixth-fewest FanDuel points per game to running backs (17.2), they have given up the 13th-most targets to the position, and Drake's volume helps overcome any matchup concerns.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Packers ($5,600)
The Green Bay Packers' offense should have their way with Washington, and Jamaal Williams is a cheap way to get exposure to the Packers.
Since Davante Adams came back from injury, Williams is second on the team in target share (14.5%), and he holds a 47-44 opportunity (carries plus targets) edge over Aaron Jones over the past three games.
With Green Bay a massive 13.0-point favorite with a 27.25-point implied total, game script should set up favorably for Williams and Jones. Both could eat, and Williams is $2,200 cheaper. He's the best point-per-dollar play (as of Thursday) among backs priced under $6,000, per our projections.
Darwin Thompson, RB, Chiefs ($5,200)
With Darrel Williams on IR and Damien Williams banged up, Darwin Thompson has a chance to see good volume this week. Any $5,200 attachment to Patrick Mahomes is a guy we need to check out.
In Week 13, a contest in which Damien sat and Darrel left early with an injury, Thompson finished with 11 carries for 44 yards and a score. He could be in line for similar -- or more -- work this week against the New England Patriots.
Kansas City has given a single running back more than 60% of the team's running back rushes in just four games this year, three of which belong to Damien Williams. Coach Andy Reid has opted for a committee approach, for the most part, and the exception to that has mostly been when Damien is healthy, which he isn't right now.
Obviously, the matchup is rough, but Thompson's potential role in a Mahomes-led offense makes him an intriguing flyer. That's why Thompson generated so much preseason buzz, and it may finally be coming to fruition.
Ian Thomas, TE, Panthers ($4,000)
Ian Thomas is in play only if Greg Olsen sits, but that's looking like a real possibility with Olsen missing Wednesday's practice after a Week 13 concussion.
If Olsen is out, Thomas could be looking at close to an every-down role at a basement salary. With Olsen playing an injury-shortened game last week, Thomas ended up running 28 routes and was targeted four times.
There's nothing too noteworthy about the matchup this week as the Atlanta Falcons are middle of the road in terms of targets, catches, yards and touchdowns allowed to tight ends. Thomas' salary and role make him awfully appealing, though, if Olsen is sidelined.