Building a DK Lineup with the Top-3 Receivers
By Jen Ryan
(Lineup Tool: https://www.footballdiehards.com/fantasyfootball/dailygames/Lineup-Generator.cfm)
Building a DraftKings Lineup with the Top Three Receivers
I figure since this is the last week of the regular season it is my last chance at getting that million dollars I have been chasing. I wracked my brain trying to come up with a unique, outside-of-the-box way to secure the big bucks. Since I have not won yet I figured why not try something different. This got me to thinking about my season-long leagues and the success I had this year. In all my redraft leagues I took the top three receivers available during the first three rounds of my draft. Maybe if I apply this strategy from season-long to daily I will finally win the top prize (doubtful). Below is the lineup I am submitting in the DraftKings Millionaire Maker this weekend with the top three receivers in terms of pricing.
QB – Eli Manning - $5,600
When I was selecting a quarterback to pair with one of my stud receivers I considered Matt Ryan here due to his matchup against the 32nd-ranked Saints pass defense but I decided to go with Manning for a few reasons. He has a higher floor than Ryan and has a soft matchup against the Eagles defense that is allowing quarterbacks an average of 19.5 points per game. This game also has the second-highest Vegas line of the weekend at 51 points, just one point shy of the Atlanta/New Orleans game. With Odell Beckham, Jr back and the Giants playing for their coach for possibly the last time, I like the odds Manning having a huge game.
RB – Jonas Gray - $3,000
My receiver shopping spree forced me to go very, very cheap at running back. The logic behind using Gray is simply that Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson stated that the “plan” is to “get a good look” at Gray this week. Fine, I’ll bite. If they give him a goal-line look I could get lucky.
RB – Tre Mason - $3,000
Here is another running back that I will need a miracle for but Mason is not quite as far of a reach as Gray is. Todd Gurley is listed as doubtful and I doubt the coaching staff is going to risk injury to their rookie investment. Mason is already listed as the starter for the weekend and should not have too much difficulty finding room against the 49ers 28th-ranked run defense. Benny Cunningham will steal touches but if the team sticks to the run Mason can have a sneaky day.
WR – Antonio Brown - $9,300
Brown is the highest of the top-three most expensive receivers for the final slate of the season. What can I really say about him that has not already been said? He has a cake matchup and is a target machine. His upside is through the roof and I am very confident he is in for a huge bounce-back week.
WR – Odell Beckham, Jr - $9,000
Just beneath Brown at $300 cheaper lies Odell Beckham, Jr who is dying to get back on the field after serving a one-game suspension. The Eli/Beckham connection should be solid gold this weekend. He has scored in five of the past games he has played in. In the 2014 Week 17 matchup between the Giants and the Eagles, Beckham had 185 yards and a score. A déjà vu would be money in the bank.
WR – Julio Jones - $8,500
My stud receiving corps is rounded out by the top receiver in fantasy football. In his past two games he has a combined 65.6 fantasy points. Dominant receivers dominate and that is what Jones is capable of each and every week. Jones had six receptions for 93 yards in his first meeting against the Saints and I see him topping that statline with a score in the regular-season finale.
TE – Vance McDonald - $3,000
McDonald is an upside play this week. He is Blaine Gabbert’s go-to target and the Rams have a weak spot against tight ends as they allow the 22nd most points to the position. He will need a few receptions and a score to hit value but as Gabbert’s defacto WR1 he very well could. There were a small amount of tight ends I could have went with here but the target totals brought me to McDonald.
Flex – Tim Hightower - $5,500
My flex is almost always reserved for a receiver but I decided to go with a running back to cover my very suspect running back duo of Gray and Mason. Hightower himself could put up enough points to keep me competitive if both of my other backs turn in dud performances. He is coming off of a huge two-touchdown game and gets the Falcons this week who have allowed running backs to score 15 touchdowns this season. That is good for second-worst in the league behind the San Francisco 49ers who have surrendered 17. Hightower’s volume could pay off for a second week in a row.
DST – Redskins - $2,800
The Redskins defense feels like a no-brainer play this week. The Dallas Cowboys are right up there as one of the most dysfunctional teams in football and have spent the past two weeks shutting down playmakers on both sides of the ball. Their season is over and they know it. They will stick to the conservative play that they have been playing over the second half of the season and will turn in another low scoring game. The Redskins defensive should generate turnovers and keep the Cowboys out of the end zone. They have not had an interception since Week 12 and Kellen Moore is good for at least one. For what it is worth, they will be playing at AT&T stadium and their defense has scored four touchdowns in road games against one score at home.
If my receiver-heavy strategy from redraft carries over in daily fantasy this week I have a feeling I will be able to win some money, even if it is not the million dollars. The combination of Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham, Jr and Julio Jones feels like a dream team. A dominant performance from each could cover any short comings I have at other positions. If my dart running backs or tight end happen to have a big game I could have a big day.
By Jen Ryan
(Lineup Tool: https://www.footballdiehards.com/fantasyfootball/dailygames/Lineup-Generator.cfm)
Building a DraftKings Lineup with the Top Three Receivers
I figure since this is the last week of the regular season it is my last chance at getting that million dollars I have been chasing. I wracked my brain trying to come up with a unique, outside-of-the-box way to secure the big bucks. Since I have not won yet I figured why not try something different. This got me to thinking about my season-long leagues and the success I had this year. In all my redraft leagues I took the top three receivers available during the first three rounds of my draft. Maybe if I apply this strategy from season-long to daily I will finally win the top prize (doubtful). Below is the lineup I am submitting in the DraftKings Millionaire Maker this weekend with the top three receivers in terms of pricing.
QB – Eli Manning - $5,600
When I was selecting a quarterback to pair with one of my stud receivers I considered Matt Ryan here due to his matchup against the 32nd-ranked Saints pass defense but I decided to go with Manning for a few reasons. He has a higher floor than Ryan and has a soft matchup against the Eagles defense that is allowing quarterbacks an average of 19.5 points per game. This game also has the second-highest Vegas line of the weekend at 51 points, just one point shy of the Atlanta/New Orleans game. With Odell Beckham, Jr back and the Giants playing for their coach for possibly the last time, I like the odds Manning having a huge game.
RB – Jonas Gray - $3,000
My receiver shopping spree forced me to go very, very cheap at running back. The logic behind using Gray is simply that Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson stated that the “plan” is to “get a good look” at Gray this week. Fine, I’ll bite. If they give him a goal-line look I could get lucky.
RB – Tre Mason - $3,000
Here is another running back that I will need a miracle for but Mason is not quite as far of a reach as Gray is. Todd Gurley is listed as doubtful and I doubt the coaching staff is going to risk injury to their rookie investment. Mason is already listed as the starter for the weekend and should not have too much difficulty finding room against the 49ers 28th-ranked run defense. Benny Cunningham will steal touches but if the team sticks to the run Mason can have a sneaky day.
WR – Antonio Brown - $9,300
Brown is the highest of the top-three most expensive receivers for the final slate of the season. What can I really say about him that has not already been said? He has a cake matchup and is a target machine. His upside is through the roof and I am very confident he is in for a huge bounce-back week.
WR – Odell Beckham, Jr - $9,000
Just beneath Brown at $300 cheaper lies Odell Beckham, Jr who is dying to get back on the field after serving a one-game suspension. The Eli/Beckham connection should be solid gold this weekend. He has scored in five of the past games he has played in. In the 2014 Week 17 matchup between the Giants and the Eagles, Beckham had 185 yards and a score. A déjà vu would be money in the bank.
WR – Julio Jones - $8,500
My stud receiving corps is rounded out by the top receiver in fantasy football. In his past two games he has a combined 65.6 fantasy points. Dominant receivers dominate and that is what Jones is capable of each and every week. Jones had six receptions for 93 yards in his first meeting against the Saints and I see him topping that statline with a score in the regular-season finale.
TE – Vance McDonald - $3,000
McDonald is an upside play this week. He is Blaine Gabbert’s go-to target and the Rams have a weak spot against tight ends as they allow the 22nd most points to the position. He will need a few receptions and a score to hit value but as Gabbert’s defacto WR1 he very well could. There were a small amount of tight ends I could have went with here but the target totals brought me to McDonald.
Flex – Tim Hightower - $5,500
My flex is almost always reserved for a receiver but I decided to go with a running back to cover my very suspect running back duo of Gray and Mason. Hightower himself could put up enough points to keep me competitive if both of my other backs turn in dud performances. He is coming off of a huge two-touchdown game and gets the Falcons this week who have allowed running backs to score 15 touchdowns this season. That is good for second-worst in the league behind the San Francisco 49ers who have surrendered 17. Hightower’s volume could pay off for a second week in a row.
DST – Redskins - $2,800
The Redskins defense feels like a no-brainer play this week. The Dallas Cowboys are right up there as one of the most dysfunctional teams in football and have spent the past two weeks shutting down playmakers on both sides of the ball. Their season is over and they know it. They will stick to the conservative play that they have been playing over the second half of the season and will turn in another low scoring game. The Redskins defensive should generate turnovers and keep the Cowboys out of the end zone. They have not had an interception since Week 12 and Kellen Moore is good for at least one. For what it is worth, they will be playing at AT&T stadium and their defense has scored four touchdowns in road games against one score at home.
If my receiver-heavy strategy from redraft carries over in daily fantasy this week I have a feeling I will be able to win some money, even if it is not the million dollars. The combination of Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham, Jr and Julio Jones feels like a dream team. A dominant performance from each could cover any short comings I have at other positions. If my dart running backs or tight end happen to have a big game I could have a big day.