Daily League Bargains: Week Seventeen

Dan Meylor

cutler

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.

Now that the fantasy season has wrapped up for just about everybody, it’s a perfect opportunity to either give daily fantasy football a chance or really focus on it for a few weeks. Because of the increased interest due to seasonal leagues being done, FanDuel has more tournaments and more prize money than ever before this week – let’s try to help you win some of that money.

Keep in mind 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

Eli Manning, QB NYG

While his price tag may be a bit higher than those I usually focus on when looking for deals on FanDuel, Manning ($8,200) is my favorite tournament play this weekend. Over the last two weeks, Manning has lit up the Redskins and Rams to the tune of 641 yards and six touchdowns. This week he and his favorite target Odell Beckham Jr., get to face the Eagles defense that is among the worst in the league against the quarterback. Philadelphia’s defense is allowing 289 yards per game through the air and has given up 29 touchdown passes on the year which is good for a tie for 29th in the league.

Manning may carry a higher price tag than what I’m typically looking for when trying to find a bargain under center, but he’s the 12th highest priced signal caller and has a good chance to finish the week as a top three scorer against the Eagles’ defense that has nothing to play for.

Jay Cutler, QB CHI

Now that Cutler ($7,500) is back in the saddle as Chicago’s starter, he should be motivated to end his season on a high note. Chicago travels the Minnesota on Sunday and although the Vikings defense has been relatively good against the pass this year, they’re coming off a game where they allowed 396 passing yards and four touchdown tosses to Ryan Tannehill. The last time Cutler faced Minnesota, he ripped the Vikings for 330 yards and three scores. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him post a similar stat line this week in what many have suggested could be his final game as a Bear.

Brian Hoyer, QB CLE

Hoyer ($6,500) is another signal caller who should get his job back this weekend as long as he’s healthy. He wasn’t pleased to be on the sideline over the last couple weeks and should be itching to show the Browns’ coaching staff exactly how big of a mistake they made by turning to Johnny Manziel. The Ravens have been decimated by injury in the defensive backfield and given up some monster games to quarterbacks recently. Hoyer is a bigtime boom-or-bust play, but I could see him hooking up a couple times with Josh Gordon (see below) on Sunday and with their low prices, they could be a nice combination in tournaments.

Other Options: Mark Sanchez ($7,400) and Case Keenum ($6,000)

Running Back

Andre Williams, RB NYG

It’s unlikely at this point in the season that the Giants push Rashad Jennings back for a meaningless week 17 game – that should give Williams ($6,800) another opportunity to run as the lead back this week against the Eagles, who have permitted 496 yards rushing and seven rushing touchdowns over the last four weeks. As I mentioned above, there’s a good chance the Eagles have mailed it in after losing the last three games. The Giants are moving the ball well of late and Williams is sure to get any opportunities around the goal line as long as Jennings is inactive. He could be in for a big day on Sunday.

Johnathan Stewart, RB CAR

Whoever sets the prices for FanDuel either hasn’t been paying attention or has been burned so many times over the last few years by Stewart ($6,600) that he just can’t believe it’s really him putting up these numbers for the Panthers. Over the last four weeks, Stewart has more rushing yards (437) than any other running back in the league and has averaged 15.1 fantasy points per game. To make things even more enticing, he faces the Falcons this week, who are allowing 113 yards per game on the ground and have given up more rushing touchdowns (20) than any other defense in the league. Stewart helped many win money on FanDuel in week 16. With his matchup combined with his low price, he should do the same in week 17.

Latavius Murray, RB OAK

Denver’s defense has been pretty good against running backs throughout the year but just gave up big games to Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard on Monday night. Murray ($6,200) has been the Raiders primary ball carrier since coming back from his concussion a few weeks ago and should be in line for 20-plus touches once again on Sunday in the Mile High City. With his low price tag and what should be a healthy workload, he’s worth consideration this weekend.

Branden Oliver, RB SD

This suggestion completely depends on whether Ryan Mathews returns from injury this week or not. If Mathews isn’t able to suit up, Oliver ($5,300) is a good option considering he should get a majority of the carries out of the San Diego backfield and he gets to take on the Chiefs’ defense among the worst in the league when it comes to stopping the run. Kansas City is allowing 4.7 yards per carry to running backs on the year and 128 yards per game on the ground.

Again, it depend on if Mathews is active. If he’s in street clothes though, Oliver could prove to be one of the best bargains of the week.

Dan Herron, RB IND

This one is simple. The Titans are terrible against the run and the Colts’ best runner is Herron ($5,600). Tennessee is among the worst in the league defensively in rushing yards per game allowed (142), rushing touchdowns allowed (17) and receiving touchdowns allowed to running backs (4). Herron should be a big part of the Colts’ game plan this week. They have a lot to play for and need to get the bad taste out of their mouths from the massacre they took at the hands of the Cowboys. Herron is a good option if you’re looking for a super cheap option at tailback this week.

Other options: Mark Ingram ($7,300), Matt Asiata ($6,400), Reggie Bush ($5,700) and Jonas Gray ($5,300)

Wide Receiver

Josh Gordon, WR CLE

Would the real Josh Gordon please stand up? Gordon ($7,200) has been a disappointment since returning from suspension in week 12. He’s tallied just 24 catches for 303 yards in five games and has been held out of the end zone so far. All that should end this week against the Ravens. It’s a bit of a hunch, but this feels like the week Gordon will remind everybody why he was considered a top-five fantasy receiver after last season. It’s a huge risk putting him in your lineup, but it could pay off in spades on Sunday.

Golden Tate, WR DET

The Packers’ pass defense has been good of late against the likes of Buffalo and Tampa Bay but have to take on the Lions this week. Tate ($7,100) hasn’t had more than 62 receiving yards in any of the last three weeks but is sure to be targeted early and often at Lambeau this weekend as Green Bay focuses their efforts on Calvin Johnson. Johnson has feasted on the Packers over the years and for the record, I have him as my top wide receiver play this weekend. However, he’s also opened up countless opportunities for his teammates over the years against Green Bay. The NFC North title game is sure to be a high scoring affair and if you’re looking to get a piece of the action and can’t afford Megatron, Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb, Tate is a good fallback option.

Marqise Lee, WR JAX

I have been waiting for a breakout from Lee ($5,200) since Allen Robinson broke his foot in week 10 and I still think it’s coming. He’s been the Jaguars’ best receiver over the last four weeks and now gets to face one of the worst defenses against the pass in week 17. The Texans rank third worst in the league when it comes to both receiving yards per game given up to receivers (186) and touchdowns allowed to wideouts (19). The Jags certainly don’t have a great offense and Lee is a big risk, but he’ll be in a couple of my tournament lineups this weekend due to his plus matchup and extremely low price tag.

Other Options: Vincent Jackson ($6,500), Greg Jennings ($6,500), and both Kenny Stills ($6,000) and Nick Toon ($5,000)

Tight End

Jason Witten, TE DAL

Tony Romo has been looking to his BFF more than at any other point in the season over the last two weeks. Over that span, Witten ($5,500) has been targeted 15 times and hauled in 14 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. This week he faces the Redskins’ defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends on the season. Although the Cowboys have wrapped up the division, they’re still playing for seeding and a shot a bye. They’ll put their best foot forward in week 17 and that could mean big things for Witten. He’s my favorite bargain at tight end this week.

Other options: Julius Thomas ($6,000) and Delanie Walker ($5,200)

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dan meylor