DFS Cash Game Plays: NFL Week 14
DFS Cash Game Plays: NFL Week 14
The NFL Week 14 DFS slate is ready for us to attack, but first, let's think about how to react to last week's DFS slate. With thirten 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] - 1223/4597
- NFL GIANT $5 Double Up [Single Entry] - 2037/9195
- NFL GIANT $5 Double Up [Single Entry] - 1192/4597
- NFL GIANT $2 Double Up [Single Entry] - 1002/4022
- NFL GIANT $10 Double Up [Single Entry] - 1504/5747
- NFL Single Entry $2 Double Up - 504/1724
- NFL GIANT $10 Double Up [Single Entry] - 1020/3448
Winning percentage in Single Entry contests - 100%
Cash line in DraftKings Massive $25 Double-Up contest - 153.86
This was my cash game lineup for all contests in Week 13:
This was a very straightforward week in cash games for me, but it turns I could have made it even simpler on myself if I jammed in Christian McCaffrey and Tyreek Hill and just played two cheap wide receivers. The lineup that did that and played both Elijah Moore and Diontae Johnson was a biggest "train" team of the season and finished with more than 169 points.
When there is this much similarity between lineups in cash (Moss 93%, Hill 84%, Purdy 61%, etc.), you have to find a way to really lock in on what plays you want outside the mega-chalk or just run with the train. Sometimes that train cashes, sometimes it chops the pot, and other times it busts. But if you're convicted in your cash plays, don't be afraid to deviate away from the "clear" team.
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 14.
Quarterback
Justin Fields (DK: $6,800, FD: $7,900) gets the Detroit Lions for the second time in three weeks, and despite torching them two weeks ago, his salary goes down $400 on DraftKings. In that last game, he threw for 170 yards with a touchdown and ran for another 104 yards. He averages over 190 passing yards and over 80 rushing yards in his last two games and the Lions defense is now allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season.
Ryan Kirksey
Ryan is a 20-year veteran of fantasy baseball, football, and basketball leagues. He has been writing about fantasy sports, sports betting, and DFS since 2018 and is a member of the FSWA and IBWAA. A native of Houston, he is a die-hard fan of the Astros, Rockets, and - reluctantly - the Texans. When he is not buried under sports analysis and TV show recaps, he works full-time in higher education and can be found pursuing his other passions: drinking coffee and writing about comic book investment and speculation.