DFS Cash Game Plays: NFL Week 13
The NFL Week 13 slate is ready for us to attack, but first, let’s think about how to react to last week’s DFS slate. With twelve weeks of data under our belts, it’s hard not to overreact to what we saw on the field, particularly as injuries and outlier performances pile up. Let other people chase the outcome stats, and we will instead focus on usage and opportunity.
We will go through each position at a variety of salary levels to see who are the best plays in cash games on DraftKings and FanDuel. For these purposes, a cash game is any contest that pays out more than one-third of the field. While these are also viable GPP options, we are primarily looking for a safe floor combined with high usage that can lead to ceiling games.
DFS Tools
Previous Week’s Results
Results in select DraftKings contests:
- NFL MASSIVE $25 Double Up [Single Entry] – 1086/5747
- NFL GIANT $5 Double Up [Single Entry] – 1998/11494
- NFL GIANT $5 Double Up [Single Entry] – 1308/6896
- NFL GIANT $2 Double Up [Single Entry] – 818/4825
- NFL GIANT $10 Double Up [Single Entry] – 1998/5747
- NFL Single Entry $2 Double Up – 592/2873
- NFL GIANT $10 Double Up [Single Entry] – 1308/3448
Winning percentage in Single Entry contests – 100%
Cash line in DraftKings Massive $25 Double-Up contest – 147.6
This was my cash game lineup for all contests in Week 12:
I felt this was a fairly straightforward week after I decided that the plays I was most interested in didn’t leave me room for Jalen Hurts (who ended up smashing, of course). I was comfortable with Trevor Lawrence in a game where I thought Houston would be able to keep the Jaguars pushing the gas pedal on offense. The last real decision I had was Travis Etienne at $7,100 or Tank Dell at $6,900 to finish out the roster.
I built my lineups with Etienne, but as I was driving somewhere on Sunday morning I decided to make the switch to Tank Dell. Whatever I was doing that morning, I forgot to make the switch, but thankfully only about 3.5 points separated the two so the mistake of not making the change didn’t cost me any cash-game wins. But I was one bad ref call in the Texans-Jaguars game from potentially missing the line because I didn’t find time to make the swap.
Be sure you’re following me on X (@CableBoxScore) for any updates I make to my player pool as we get closer to lock. I will update that account every weekend with additional players as other news emerges.
Scoring Differences Between DraftKings and FanDuel
A quick primer on DraftKings versus FanDuel scoring for DFS if you are unfamiliar with their platforms.
- On DraftKings, you are selecting nine spots with a total of $50,000 to spend. FanDuel has nine spots with $60,000 to spend, so salaries are slightly higher.
- DraftKings is full PPR scoring, while FanDuel is half-PPR.
- DraftKings deducts one point for a fumble lost and an interception. FanDuel is minus two points for a lost fumble and minus one for an interception.
- DraftKings awards three-point bonuses for 300-yard passing games, 100-yard rushing games, and 100-yard receiving games. FanDuel does not award bonuses.
With those differences in mind, let’s look at which players make good selections in Week 13.
Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa (DK: $7,900, FD: $8,400) has a team total north of 30 points in this matchup against the horrific Washington Commanders pass defense. Over the last month, Washington has allowed three passing touchdowns per game and the second-worst passer rating allowed (124.2). This is going to be an onslaught for Miami against Washington and the only question is will it be through the air or on the ground. I’m betting Tua has a huge game.
Brock Purdy (DK: $6,100, FD: $7,800) gets a tough matchup against the Eagles, but he has simply been putting on a passing clinic lately with all of his weapons now fully healthy. The Eagles secondary has been burned all year long, and I would much rather have their receivers and Purdy at their salaries than Christian McCaffrey on Sunday. On the season, the Eagles have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns per game (2.1).
Russell Wilson (DK: $5,700, FD: $7,400) has a four-game streak of at least 14.5 fantasy points going and now gets a Houston defense in a dome that has allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game to opponents plus the third-most yards per completion to quarterbacks over the last three weeks. The added bonus for Wilson lately is that he averages just under eight rush attempts per game over the last month and is once again using his legs as a weapon.
Running Back
Rachaad White (DK: $6,300, FD: $7,500) is as expensive as I’m looking to go at running back this week because I have all but decided that I am going to have Tyreek Hill in my lineup, even at his inflated salary. White is getting all the volume these days and has not seen fewer than 16 opportunities since Week 6. Even in a game last week where he only saw two targets and didn’t score, he still managed 16 fantasy points because he piled up 6.7 yards per carry. The early-season efficiency concerns are gone and Carolina allows the most rushing touchdowns per game this season (1.6).
Rhamondre Stevenson (DK: $6,000, FD: $7,300) has also been a target and usage monster despite the New England dumpster fire of an offense. In a game where his team scored just seven points last week, Stevenson scored 21 fantasy points. He is getting just about every other touch for the Patriots and has the highest touchdown equity on the team by far. With all of their receivers banged up, Stevenson will be a workhorse again on Sunday against the Chargers.
Javonte Williams (DK: $5,700, FD: $6,600) is not someone I am looking to play if I have Russell Wilson at quarterback, but he played his highest percentage of snaps last week and also got six targets (a season high) to go with 18 rush attempts. He has struggled to find the end zone the last two weeks, but that’s baked into a salary that is just a little too low on DK.
Zach Moss (DK: $4,600, FD: $5,600) will be the most popular play in cash games and is the value play everyone needs to make their lineups work. He will assume his bell-cow role with Jonathan Taylor out again. In his first four games of the season when Taylor was out with injury, Moss averaged 22 carries for 111 yards and had four total touchdowns. He is a must-have in all cash games this week.
Wide Receiver
Tyreek Hill (DK: $9,600, $FD: $10,000) is the most expensive he has been on both sites all season, and might be at his peak price throughout his entire career. There is simply no one on Washington who has a prayer of stopping him, especially if he gets the ball in the open field on Sunday. Washington allows 7.5 yards per pass attempt this season, second to only Cincinnati. You won’t find a site that has him projected for under 20 points, and it’s a huge upset if he doesn’t hit that number on Sunday.
Michael Pittman, Jr. (DK: $7,100, FD: $7,900) torched the Buccaneers for 10 catches and 107 yards last week and now has another good matchup against a pass-funnel Tennessee defense. Over his last three games, only Keenan Allen has a higher team target share. Pittman is at 37.9% in that span and now is up over 30% for the entire season.
Courtland Sutton (DK: $5,400, FD: $6,900) has clearly emerged as Russell Wilson’s favorite target since the halfway point of the season. He has a 27% target share in the last three games and no other player on the Broncos has over 16%. At just $5,400 with at least 60 yards or a touchdown in five straight games, he is way too cheap on DK in a game with the second-highest implied total on the slate.
Jalen Guyton (DK: $3,300, FD: $5,300) played in 80% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps last week and should have a big role again against the Patriots who will be keying in on Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen all game. We know that Mike Williams is out. Joshua Palmer may or may not play. Quentin Johnston played sparingly last week when the Chargers were desperate for help. Guyton is cheap enough on DK to allow you to get a lot of stud pieces in your lineup.
Tight End
Trey McBride (DK: $4,900, FD: $6,700) has a 24% target share in his last three games, which is only behind T.J. Hockenson and David Njoku among tight ends in that span. McBride keeps piling up catches and targets but DK refuses to bring him above $5,000 for some reason. The Dolphins have allowed the 10th-most receptions to tight ends this season and give up almost 13 DraftKings points to the position per game.
Logan Thomas (DK: $3,600, FD: $5,200) is going to be part of a pass-catching corps for the Commanders that will be very busy trying to keep up with the Dolphins on Sunday. Thomas has at least five targets in five of his last six games and now has a 14% target share on the season. The Commanders throw at the highest rate in the league (almost 68%) and they may deploy it even more than that on Sunday.
Defense/Special Teams
Miami Dolphins DST (DK: $3,900, FD: $5,000) get the pass-happiest team in the league and a Washington offensive line that allows the fourth-highest sack rate in the league (10.2%). In addition to the sacks, Sam Howell has six interceptions and two fumbles in his last five games. Losing Jaelen Phillips is a blow for the Dolphins, but they should have no problem pressuring Howell on Sunday.
Atlanta Falcons DST (DK: $3,400, FD: $4,700) is facing Tim Boyle and the New York Jets on Sunday and I’m not really sure what else needs to be said. He just threw two interceptions and was sacked seven times against Miami last week and this offense has proven to simply be incapable of sustaining drives and scoring touchdowns. The defense facing the Jets each week should be an automatic $4,500, but until it is, we will take the discount like we have in Week 13.
Cash Game Sample Lineup
Using the players listed above, you could construct a roster that looks something like this. However, remember that this is just a suggested build and could change drastically by the time the games kick off on Sunday. You should come to your own conclusions and build a cash game roster that suits the players you prefer and your style of build.
