The right pieces at the right time
Sometimes in cash games, it’s all about the build and not players.
I took two big fat zeroes last week and still cashed easily with my cash lineup.
Adam Trautman and Darnell Mooney each were shut out, but I was able to finish with 137.62 points for a comfortable finish. I avoided the chalky Josh Kelley that most DFS sites and other top analysts said to play. The player is not worth playing if the game environment does not present a positive result.
Jeff Goff and Christian McCaffrey were my only Core plays that paid off, but I was able to squeeze in Zack Moss and Puka Nacua.
Moss dominated the touches in the Indianapolis backfield for 20.7 points and a fire emoji with his $4,700 price tag. Nacua continued to play the Cooper Kupp role in the LA Rams offense as he finished with 33.1 points.
This week Cleveland’s Jerome Ford appears to be the chalky running back to avoid. Tennessee may have the best run defense in the league and most of Ford’s production came on one run last week. I’m out on him!
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Don’t forget to check out Boris’ game-by-game DFS breakdown!
Onto this week’s My Top Plays!
My Top Play
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota ($6,900): I can’t ignore a guy who is the best value and scoring the second most points vs. a bad pass defense from my spreadsheet.
But Cousins has been elite in his first two games before coming into Sunday’s juicy matchup.
He has averaged 354 yards passing and has thrown 6 touchdown passes. His only downfall has been the 4 turnovers.
Other QBs
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City ($8,300)
Justin Herbert, LA Chargers ($7,500)
Mahomes has started slow by his standards but the Chicago defense comes to Arrowhead on Sunday. Plus, Travis Kelce should be closer to 100 percent. Herbert is the other half of the Chargers-Vikings matchup, and the Minnesota defense is still as bad as it was at the end of last season.
Sneaky GPP QB
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami ($7,000)
My Top Play
Running back
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle ($6,200): It appears Zach Charbonnet is only going to be a guy who gives Walker a breather.
Walker has dominated the backfield rushing touches and scored twice last week. He has 29 rushes compared to Charbonnet’s 7.
Now, Carolina comes to Seattle with a run defense that has given up the third most points to RBs this season. The Panthers are giving up 132 yards rushing in two games.
Other cash RBs
Tony Pollard, Dallas ($8,000)
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville ($6,900)
Josh Kelley, LA Chargers ($5,400)
Pollard continues to be the bell cow in the Cowboys’ offense in a game Dallas is favored by double digits. He has seen the majority of the red zone work and missed adding another TD last week to a holding call. Etienne has rushed for 179 yards on 19 carries and a TD in his two games vs. the Jaguars. Kelley finally will have a chance to show off his Week 1 stats were not a fluke. He faced the tough Titans’ run defense last week.
Sneaky GPP RB
Brian Robinson, Washington ($5,800)
My Top Play
Wide Receiver
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota ($9,300): Jefferson is the most expensive player on the slate and for good reason. The Chargers have given up the most fantasy points to WRs this season and Jefferson is averaging 28.0 DraftKings points in his two games.
Easy plug and play in cash despite the high price tag.
Other Cash WRs
Tyreek Hill, Miami ($9,000)
Keenan Allen, LA Chargers ($7,600)
You are probably seeing a theme for my other plays. Take anyone in the Chargers-Vikings game or take the explosive duo in Miami. Hill has been nearly impossible to stop. He has seen 24 targets in 2 games and the Dolphins may be without Jaylen Waddle vs. Denver. The 31-year-old Allen has seen a resurgence in new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense.
Sneaky GPP WR
Adam Thielen, Carolina ($3,900)
My Top Play
Tight End
Taysom Hill, New Orleans ($3,300): Hill rushed for a quiet 75 yards last week as Tony Jones Jr. vultured the TDs.
I expect more of the same with Hill this week (and hopefully with a TD) as Jamaal Williams will miss the game with a hamstring injury and rookie Kendre Miller is making his NFL debut.
Other cash TEs
Travis Kelce, Kansas City ($7,200)
Mark Andrews, Baltimore ($6,000)
Both Kelce and Andrews are expensive but they are the highest scoring TEs from my spredsheet this week. And they back up their high prices with their past production.
Sneaky GPP TE
Hunter Henry, New England ($4,100)
My Top Play
DST
Jacksonville ($3,800): I know the Jaguars are expensive for a cash game DST but if the odds makers are right and they jump to a big lead, the Texans will be putting the ball in the air a lot.
I’ll take the sacks and possible interceptions as Houston has thrown the ball 40-plus times in both their games this season.
Other Cash DST
Indianapolis ($2,400) at Baltimore
Washington ($2,400) home against Buffalo
Sunday’s DK Cash Core
QB: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota
RB: Kenneth Walker III, Seattle
WR: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota
TE: Taysom Hill, New Orleans
DK by the Numbers
Cash Core
QB: Jared Goff 26.92
RB: Christian McCaffrey 25.5
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown 18.2
TE: Adam Trautman 0
QB: Patrick Mahomes 25.2, Justin Fields 16.74, Trevor Lawrence 10.24.
RB: Tony Pollard 19.9, Josh Jacobs 9.9, David Montgomery 13.4, Zack Moss 20.7.
WR: Puka Nucua 33.1, Darnell Mooney 0, Hunter Renfrow 3.3.
TE: Cole Kmet 7.8, Luke Musgrave 4.5.
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