Daily League Bargains: Week Twelve

Dan Meylor

shorts

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our new Daily Content section in DLF. Daily leagues are growing in the fantasy community and we’ll cover them throughout the regular season. Remember, you can get a DLF Premium account free for year (or your current subscription extended for a year) just by signing up with FanDuel and making an initial deposit of  just $10. For more information on that special offer, click here.

This week brings another great opportunity to capitalize on some great deals on FanDuel.   Let’s highlight some of the biggest bargains.

Keep in mind that these suggestions are made for GPP (Guaranteed Prize Pool) tournaments with more than 50 participants where players are looking for bargains to fill out their lineups after already inserting their “studs” for the week. Many of them are risky plays and shouldn’t necessarily be considered in head to head or 50/50 games.

Quarterback

Josh McCown, QB TB

In the two weeks since regaining his starting job in Tampa Bay, McCown ($7,500) has averaged 295 passing yards per game and completed 64% of his passes while tossing a pair of touchdowns in each contest. This week he’ll travel to his old stomping grounds in Chicago to face a Bears defense among the five worst teams in the league in passing yards allowed per game (282) and passing touchdowns allowed per game (2.6).

McCown will no doubt be motivated to put up some big numbers against his former team. Now that he’s giving Mike Evans opportunities on the deep ball (much like he did last year with Chicago), I expect to see him throw for 300-plus yards and multiple touchdowns on Sunday.

Kyle Orton, QB BUF

Orton ($7,500) had a forgettable game the last time he took the field, completing just 22 of 39 passes for 193 yards and failing to throw a touchdown against the Dolphins last Thursday night. This week though, he gets to face the Jets at home. On the season New York is allowing 258 passing yards and 2.5 touchdowns per game which ranks them among the worst in the league and it was just four weeks ago that Orton burned the Jets for four touchdown passes himself.

I’d like to get a little bigger discount on Orton but if you’re looking to save some cap space under center, you could do much worse. Especially with the Bills at home this week.

Other Options: Ryan Mallett ($6,900) and Zach Mettenberger ($6,500)

Running Back

Joique Bell, RB DET

Although Reggie Bush ($6,000) is due back next week against the Patriots, Bell ($6,700) is sure to get a lion’s share of the work for Detroit. (On a side note, I love witty word play.) The Patriots are giving up more than 100-yards per game on the ground to tailbacks and to make Bell even more intriguing, they’re getting gashed by running backs in the passing game over their last three games.

I have absolutely no faith in Bush to put up numbers or stay healthy. Many may think he could cut into Bell’s workload which will likely scare off many from owning Bell. He’s a value at under $7,000 on FanDuel.

Knile Davis, RB KC

Although Davis ($6,400) hasn’t had more than five carries in any of the Chiefs’ last three games, this may be the week for Jamal Charles’ ($9,100) backup. Kansas City is playing on just three days’ rest this week and Charles is coming off a game where he touched the ball 22 times and accounted for 178 yards.

It’s an incredibly risky play, but my gut tells me Davis will take a few carries away from Charles on Thursday night and once the Chiefs have the game in hand in the second half, Davis will take over for good. He should be counted on for double digit touches and with the way Oakland is giving up fantasy points to tailbacks that could be all he needs to put up some nice numbers.

Charles Sims, RB TB

Sims ($4,900) wasn’t especially impressive last week against the Redskins, averaging just 2.8 yards-per-carry on 13 rushes and tallying just eight more yards on three catches. Even so, it looks like he’s taken over as the primary runner for the Buccs and this week they get the Bears, who are no better than average against the run.

Sims is certainly a dicey play but at less than $5,000 he’ll free up a lot of cap space for big names like Jamal Charles ($9,100), DeMarco Murray ($9,000) or Arian Foster ($8,700) who all have great matchups this week.

Dan Herron, RB IND

If you’re looking for a major discount in your FanDuel backfield and Sims isn’t cheap enough for you, Herron ($4,500) may be exactly what you’re looking for.

With Ahmad Bradshaw now out with a broken ankle, the Colts will be looking for a tailback to fill the role of change of pace/third down back. Now only Trent Richardson ($5,700) and his 3.4 yards per carry are in the way of Herron getting regular touches. It’s certainly a risky play, but there’s a good chance Herron gets those touches this week.

Other options: Shane Vereen ($6,500), Darren Sproles ($6,000), Bishop Sankey ($5,800) and whoever gets the start for the Browns against the Falcons’ awful run defense. Ben Tate ($6,400), Terrence West ($6,100) or Isaiah Crowell ($5,500).

Wide Receiver

Mohamed Sanu, WR CIN

Now that Sanu ($6,800) has accounted for just five catches for 43 yards and has been held without a score over the last two weeks, his price has fallen to the point that he’s becoming a value once again on FanDuel. This week he gets to take on the Texans’ secondary that is allowing nearly 200 yards per game to receivers on the season and given up seven touchdowns to wide outs in their last four games and 14 total on the year.

It’s completely possible A.J. Green ($8,600) accounts for a majority of the Bengals’ production at the position, but I’d be willing to bet the Texans focus on Green and Sanu gets his chances to get behind their secondary.

Cecil Shorts, WR JAX

Now that Allen Robinson is out for the season, the Jags will be looking for a new number one receiver. Most likely the role will be scooped up by either Shorts ($6,300) or Allen Hurns ($5,900), but my money is on the veteran. Shorts has averaged 8.8 targets per game over the last five games and is coming off a five catch, 119-yard performance in week 10 before Jacksonville’s bye.

In four career games against the Colts, Shorts has hauled in 19 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns. His production may come in garbage time on Sunday, but that counts too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come through once again for a long touchdown.

Andre Caldwell, WR DEN

After Emmanuel Sanders went out of the game in the third quarter against the Rams with a concussion on Sunday, Caldwell ($5,600) filled in by catching three balls for 31 yards in a little more than a quarter of work. Along with Julius Thomas being banged up and Wes Welker’s uselessness, Caldwell should be in line for an increase in reps this week.

If Sanders misses the Broncos’ matchup with the Dolphins on Sunday, it will likely be Caldwell that picks up the slack. He’ll no doubt be single covered and have the opportunity to make plays. If you want a piece of the Denver offense this week, Caldwell could be a good way to do so on the cheap.

Charles Johnson, WR MIN

With Greg Jennings and Jarius Wright both missing time due to injury, Johnson ($5,200) came through with six catches for 87 yards against the Bears on Sunday. He’s the only receiver in Minnesota to show any kind of chemistry with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater so far this year and seems to have the trust of the rookie signal caller. In fact, on the Vikings’ final offensive play last week Bridgewater targeted Johnson in the end zone although he was in double coverage in a last ditch effort to get the win.

This week Johnson gets a chance to play against his former team, the Packers. If Jennings and Wright miss the game and Johnson gets the start, he’d be a sneaky (and cheap) start as a WR3 on FanDuel.

Other Options: Josh Gordon ($7,800), Sammy Watkins ($7,000), Steve Smith Sr. ($6,400), Kenny Stills ($5,900) and Justin Hunter ($5,300)

Tight End

Coby Fleener, TE IND

If you’re going to go away from Rob Gronkowski ($7,900) or Jimmy Graham ($7,500) in an attempt to save some money at tight end this week (which I don’t recommend), Fleener ($5,400) is one of the top options.

Although the Jaguars have improved against the tight end of late, Fleener is coming off a seven catch game where he racked up a career high 144 yards. Most of his damage came after fellow tight end Dwayne Allen suffered an ankle injury. If Allen misses week 12 against the Jags, Fleener could be in line for a repeat performance on Sunday.

Garrett Graham, TE HOU

Now that Mallett is under center, the previously forgotten Graham ($5,100) has fantasy value once again. He hauled in just two passes for 34 yards in week 11 against the Browns, but one of those grabs went for a 20 yard score on a seem route. This week Graham takes on the Bengals’ defense that is giving up nearly six catches and 75 yards per game to tight ends. He’s a risky play, but Graham could come through in week 12.

Other options: Larry Donnell ($5,500), Jacob Tamme ($5,300) and Charles Clay ($5,200)

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dan meylor