The cold and wind shouldn't slow down Allen
I’m glad Christmas is here.
After last Week 15’s up and down weekend I’m ready for the holiday.
During last Saturday’s 3-game slate, I trusted the forecasts of snow avoiding Orchard Park and played Josh Allen. It paid off nicely as he was the highest scoring QB of the slate. Adding Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson made reaching the green in my cash games easy (and that was with a big fat 0 from Alec Pierce). I finished with 142.66 points.
As for Sunday, my lineup was as cold as the wind chills in North Central West Virginia (current real feel of negative-15).
Justin Herbert didn’t throw a TD and I had four other snowflakes to doom me to finish with just 89.32 points.
Now if these crazy frigid winds would die down enough so my brother-in-law and I can deep fry our turkey on Christmas and win a little money from Saturday’s main slate, those will be true blessings.
I will be providing my spreadsheet and main cash and GPP lineups on my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/fantasyfbguru
Also check out my man Boris’ story on rostership numbers for GPP contests.
Onto my top players for the Saturday main slate.
Quarterback
My Top Play
Josh Allen, Buffalo ($8,500): I’m going right back to Allen in another cold weather game. Most of the snow should be clear for the Chicago area but it will still be cold and windy. By the way, Allen has 9 TD passes and no interceptions in his last two freezing temperature games.
Other QBs
Geno Smith, Seattle ($5,800)
Daniel Jones, NY Giants ($5,600)
I would rather go the cheap route with my secondary QBs to allow me to build a lineup that I don’t have to use a TE as my Flex. Smith has averaged 39 passes a game in his last four and the Seahawks are 10-point underdogs. Jones faces the 31st-ranked Vikings pass defense, which has given up 288 yards passing a game in its last 3. Plus the Giants are fighting for their playoff lives. The G-Men currently sit 6th just a game ahead of Washington,
Running Back
My Top Play
Derrick Henry, Tennessee ($8,600): The checklist for Henry to have a big game is two-fold.
1.) Start a rookie QB – check – Malik Willis is starting for the injured Ryan Tannehill.
2.) Face the Houston defense – check – Henry has rushed for 200-plus yard in his last four games vs. the Texans.
I don’t need to explain anymore for a guy who will be highly rostered in cash games.
Other RBs
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota ($7,200)
Jerrick McKinnon, Kansas City ($5,900)
J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore ($5,800)
After coming off his first 20-plus point game since Week 10, Cook has a juicy matchup against the Giants defense that has given up 196.7 yards rushing a game in their last three. McKinnon had has two straight 30-plus point games and if the Seahawks can keep the game close, McKinnon could push those numbers again. Dobbins has rushed for more than 100 yards in first two games from an ailing knee. He should be game shape now and with a cold weather game and still no Lamar Jackson, Dobbins should be relied upon vs. the Falcons.
Wide Receiver
My Top Play
DK Metcalf, Seattle ($7,100): With no Tyler Lockett, Metcalf should see the bulk of Geno Smith passes against the suspect KC defense. The last time Lockett missed a game Metcalf saw 12 targets.
Other WRs
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia ($8,100)
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit ($7,800)
Isaiah Hodgins, NY Giants ($4,100)
Richie James Jr., NY Giants ($3,900)
Gardner Minshew at QB should not slow down Brown. The Eagles threw the ball 25 and 33 times last year in Minshew’s two starts. St. Brown continues to be a target hog in the Lions offense as he has seen 8 for more targets in 8 straight games. Hodgins and James Jr. give you the opportunity of salary relief but plenty of upside. Hodgins has played more than 80 percent of the snaps for three straight games, while James Jr. has averaged 12.24 Draft Kings points in his last 5 games.
Tight End
My Top Play
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia ($4,500): Goedert finally returns from the IR and he may have the right QB for a big game. In his only game played with Minshew last season, Goedert finished with 31.5 DK points (6-105-2) in Week 13.
Other TEs
Travis Kelce, Kansas City ($8,000)
Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee ($3,500)
Jordan Akins, Houston ($2,900)
Kelce has been rather quiet for his standards for the past three weeks (18-232-0) and he faces a Seattle defense that 31st vs. TEs this season. The rookie Okonkwo saw 5 targets from Willis in Willis’ two starts this season, and Chig has improved since Week 8-9. Akins is my cheap play for TEs as the weather could limit the deep passing game in Tennessee.
Defenses
My Top Play
New England ($2,700): Yes I know Joe Burrow and the Bengals high-powered offense are coming to Foxborough, but the Patriots have been stellar at home this year on defense, averaging 13.0 DK points.
Other defenses
San Francisco ($3,900)
Cleveland ($3,800)
Philadelphia ($2,200)
DraftKings Cash Core
QB: Josh Allen, Buffalo
RB: Derrick Henry, Tennessee
WR: D.K. Metcalf, Seattle
TE: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia
GPP Stack
Daniel Jones, Isaiah Hodgins, Justin Jefferson, Richie James Jr.
Saturday’s DK by the Numbers
Cash Core
QB: Josh Allen 39.86
RB: Dalvin Cook 28.0
WR: Justin Jefferson 33.3
TE: David Njoku 5.8
QB: Kirk Cousins 37.4, Matt Ryan 11.28.
RB: Nick Chubb 9.9, Jonathan Taylor 2.3, J.K. Dobbins 16.8.
WR: Tyreek Hill 21.9, Isaiah McKenzie 4.4, Alec Pierce 0.
TE: T.J. Hockenson 8.3, Kylen Granson 5.4.
Sunday’s DK by the Numbers
Cash Core
QB: Justin Herbert 13.72
RB: Miles Sanders 2.90
WR: Keenan Allen 16.6
TE: Hunter Henry 2.9
QB: Dak Prescott 22.24, Tom Brady 23.58.
RB: Tony Pollard 14.6, James Conner 18.1, Isiah Pacheco 9.7.
WR: Ja’Marr Chase 19.0, Chris Olave 8.3, DeVonta Smith 20.6, Mike Williams 10.7, Chris Moore 8.2.
TE: Dalton Schultz 3.5, Juwan Johnson 22.7.
Follow me on Twitter @fantasyfbguru2!
- Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog (IT’S FREE) to stay up to date on new stories, new rankings and other information I will provide during the season.