DraftKings Cash Game Tips
Week 5 brings us the first London game, thus our first reduced main slate of the year with only 12 games to pick players from. Pricing is getting tighter and the field has more data to rely on after 4 weeks of “trends” to review. We can still build lines that give us an edge so that we’re cashing in 50/50’s, Double-Ups, and perhaps hitting some nice wins in small field Single Entry and 3-Max contests. Let’s go!
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Quarterback
The quarterback position doesn’t offer up as much value as it has in weeks past. I’d like to like Justin Fields ($5200) but he hasn’t put up a high enough floor score to rely on yet. We could consider Trey Lance ($5700) in a game that Jimmy G is “not expected” to start. Lance put up 20.38 DK points in a relief, come from behind effort last week, and will be in a game that the 49ers will be forced to score to keep pace with Arizona on the scoreboards and in the standings. He has that rushing floor we desire from the cheaper group of QBs and the Cardinals have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game this year. Lance’s 20 points last week included two passing TDs which can be boosted by 2 points if those become rushing TDs this week. Taylor Heinicke ($5900) was in the Cash Game Core build last week and didn’t disappoint. Heinicke also has a nice rushing floor and has scored more than 23 DK points in every game he’s started so far. The Saints are easier to throw because of how tough they have been in run defense over the years pushing this battle into Heinicke’s hands (and feet). The game between Tennessee and Jacksonville provides a surprisingly great game environment to build around. Both teams have terrible defenses and “just good enough” offenses to take advantage of each other’s defensive flaws. Trevor Lawrence ($5800) finds himself facing a defense where fellow rookie QB Zach Wilson had his “get right” game. Lawrence is moving the ball through the air and with his feet and has a path to clear 20-25 points for the second time this season. If we have the salary or desire to spend up at QB this week, the top two options are Justin Herbert ($6800) and Kyler Murray ($8000).
Running Back
In cash games, we are looking for as much certainty as possible from the RB position and no one has given us more certainty than Christian McCaffery ($8700) over the years. If CMC is on the field, we have to assume he is healthy and will take back his usual workload. He’s mispriced this week with this being his only sub-$9k salary of 2021 so far. Take advantage. We could also gain some certainty with Derrick Henry ($9000) who is facing a defense that is allowing the 6th most fantasy points to RB Rushing (21.9 per game). A lot of that is coming through TDs (1.5 rushing TDs per game allowed and 50% multiple rushing TDs allowed) which tends to be Henry’s specialty. McNichols put a dent into Henry’s passing game involvement last week but that was more based on game script and Henry still caught both of his targets last week for 20 yards. The top of the RB salary board has several other rushers in great spots like Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones, Saquon Barkley, and Ezekiel Elliot. Any of these first six players mentioned are great plays, but if we want to cram in several of them, we’re going to have to hunt for value elsewhere.
If we’re hunting for value at the RB position here are a few guys that can get it done for below $6000. Damien Williams ($5600) received a significant price increase this week after DK saw Montgomery’s injury on Sunday. He sets up well to receive a lot of work in the run and passing game versus a Raiders defense that is not adept at stopping RBs (35.9 PPR points per game allowed). The crown jewel of cheap RBs this week is probably going to be Damien Harris ($5500) against a sad Texans defense that can’t stop anyone on the ground. The Texans are allowing the fifth-most rushing yards per game (137.0) and the highest Adjusted Line Yards (per Football Outsiders metrics) of 5.17 yards. Harris is not going to get us many points in the passing game but a 100-yard effort with a pair of touchdowns is in the range of outcomes. As long as Washington continues to use J.D. McKissic ($5000) as much as they do in the passing game, the more he’s viable in matchups like these. New Orleans is a tough challenge on the ground but can be beaten by RBs through the passing game.
Wide Receiver
I’m not going to waste time discussing the WRs over $7000 in this space because they are all good plays if we’re paying up for a WR this week. Diontae Johnson ($6500) still seems like a pricing anomaly for his role. The dude gets 10+ every game he plays from start to finish. and he’s often right around the 100-yard mark for the extra 3 points of DK bonus. He leads the NFL in Fantasy Data’s “Hog Rate” metric which represents targets per snap to capture the rate of passing game utilization on a per play basis. Either of the Cowboys top-two WRs makes for a good SE/3-Max play as the field chases Zeke’s stat lines. They’ve been quiet. Too quiet. One of them is bound to have an out of nowhere, bender of a game. Of the two, I prefer CeeDee Lamb ($6200). Another of the SE/3-Max type plays I like this week is the Slim Reaper. DeVonta Smith ($5900) is getting fed by Jalen Hurts at the highest rate on his team and he is running routes that span the entire field. When he can, Hurts prefers to look for him first. Ja’Marr Chase ($5800) is in the same type of scenario as DeVonta in that he and his college QB are showing a nice early connection this season and the Packers losing Jaire Alexander will open things up quite a bit more for opponents trying to move the ball through the air against the Packers. A salary move down to Tee Higgins ($5000), if he’s healthy, is another solid way to attack this game and will save some salary.
My favorite value play on the slate is Laviska Sheanult ($4800). Once D.J. Chark went down last week it was Shenault who took over the deep shots that were typically passed Chark’s way when he saw a target of 25+ and 50+ yards. Shenault’s aDOT from Weeks 1-3 was 5.3. That spiked to 13.4 last week in part because of those newfound deep targets. Sheault faces a Titans defense that has been burned by slot WRs all year (Kirk in Week 1, Lockett in Week 2, and Crowder last week). No defense is allowing more points to slot WRs than Tennessee’s 31.4 PPR points allowed per game. Curtis Samuel ($3000) checks in as the minimum-priced WR I’d be most interested in, as long as he’s healthy. If Samuel is a no-go, then we might want to watch out for clues as to who will take over D.J. Chark’s role as the Jaguars “X” receiver. After his injury last week, it was Tavon Austin ($3000) who was lining up in his spot but Urban Meyer said “it’s time for him” about Tyron Johnson ($3000) before last week’s game, then Johnson went on to record only nine snaps and zero targets. One of these guys could be a decent play if we can figure out who is in line for the most work. Johnson would seem like the most likely fit at the “X” and Austin as the gadget type guy who could do what they wanted Etienne to do before he was lost, but, we’ll see.
Tight End
Without Travis Kelce on the slate, it makes the position interesting and easier to find a nice “pay down” option with a ceiling not too far off of the range of outcomes the $5000+ guys have. Mike Gesicki ($4200) stands out to me against a Tampa Bay defense that funnels targets and fantasy points to the TE position. Miami will be forced to pass in this game and Jacoby Brissett has an aDOT of 4.9 meaning he’s not in the business of looking for the deep man. Gesicki and Jaylen Waddle will be the likeliest places he’ll go with the ball. On the other side of this game is Cameron Brate ($3300). His upside is lower than Gesicki’s but he’s also in an advantageous matchup against a Dolphins defense that is also allowing 20+ PPR points per game to TEs (TB allows 23.2). We may also want to ride out the hot hand with Dalton Schultz ($4400) who has been his team’s top target-getter in each of the last two weeks. I’m a bit nervous about going for three weeks in a row with him but his matchup is solid. Only the Ravens have allowed a higher percentage of the targets to opposing tight ends. Zach Ertz ($3400) has been the go-to TE in Philly the past two weeks and he has slightly edged out Dallas Goedert in both Red Zone and End Zone targets this year.
Defense/Special Teams
There are not a lot of cheap DSTs to work with this week. The two that interest me the most would be Washington DST ($2300) and the Chargers DST ($2700). Washington is especially interesting if the Saints are still down their starting left tackle and center leaving them with backups to handle the vaunted WFT front-four. The Saints are trying to do as little as possible through Jameis Winston and the matchup for WFT’s defensive line versus the Saints offensive line would be to WFT’s advantage without Armstead and McCoy on the Saints. Cleveland just doesn’t have enough weapons to keep defenses from stacking the box to stop the run. They will still find some success on the ground because they are very good at it, but the lack of explosive plays is going to limit their scoring potential and Baker Mayfield likes to hold onto the ball longer than other QBs which could be a detriment against Joey Bosa and friends.
Cash Game Core
Using the players listed above, you could construct something along these lines. However, keep in mind, I am not advising using this build. You should come to your own conclusions and build a roster you are most comfortable with for your style of play. Keep an eye on the status of McCaffery and leave yourself a way to pivot up to Henry if he’s out.
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