Daily League Bargains: Week Four
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. For more information on that special offer, click here.
Last week was a good one for daily bargains. I mentioned Kirk Cousins as the best deal at quarterback and he was among the highest scoring signal callers on FanDuel in week three after throwing for 427 yards and three touchdowns against the Redskins. Also featured in the article were Knile Davis, Terrance West, Ahmad Bradshaw, Mohammed Sanu, Kelvin Benjamin, Brian Quick and Travis Kelce who all scored touchdowns. Lamar Miller as well as Steve Smith were also featured and both came through with big games although they didn’t find pay dirt. If you played a few of those bargains with a few high priced super stars like Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Giovanni Bernard or Marshawn Lynch, you no doubt had a big weekend. Let’s do it again in week four.
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. They shouldn’t necessarily be considered in head to head or 50/50 games.
Quarterback
Blake Bortles, QB JAX
With the price of Cousins rising to $8,100, finding a bargain under center in week four is a bit difficult. Most likely if you’re looking to save money it will have to come at another position but if you’re hell-bent on trying to find a bargain at quarterback, you’ll likely have to go with a rookie signal caller.
Bortles ($6,500) will face the Chargers defense that is giving up just 226 yards through the air per game but has allowed five passing touchdowns. In only a half of action Sunday, Bortles looked good. He threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns against the Colts’ prevent defense but also turned the ball over twice. Most likely, the Jags will be playing from behind in San Diego this weekend so the potential is there for Bortles to put up some nice numbers in garbage time in the game.
Other Options: Ben Roethlisberger ($7,700), Tony Romo ($7,500) and Teddy Bridgewater ($5,900)
[inlinead]Running Back
Lamar Miller, RB MIA
As I said above, Miller ($6,900) was featured in this space a week ago and he didn’t disappoint. Although he wasn’t used in the passing game he was called upon to carry the ball 15 times, gaining 108 yards and just missing a touchdown in the third quarter. The Dolphins fell behind early so the running game wasn’t able to get going in the loss to the Chiefs but it’s encouraging that he got 83% of the carries by tailbacks for Miami in the game.
This week, Miller and the Phins travel to Oakland to face the Raiders’ 30th ranked rush defense which gives up nearly 160 yards per game on the ground. It’s highly unlikely that Miami immediately falls behind like they did against Kansas City so Miller should be in for a big workload in week four. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t find the end zone against the Raiders.
Donald Brown, RB SD
Brown ($6,300) is coming off a game where he got 31 of the Chargers’ 35 (89%) carries by tailbacks. Sure, he only gained 62 yards against the Bills’ tough defensive front but it’s clear he’s the only healthy back with the trust of the coaching staff in San Diego.
Brown gets to take on the Jaguars this week and Jacksonville is giving up a league worst 160 yards per game on the ground and has allowed four rushing scores. He’ll likely be depended upon to put the game away in the second half, should get more than 20 touches in the contest and is a good bet to score in the match-up.
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB IND
At this point, it’s clear that Bradshaw ($6,100) is clearly the lead back for the Colts and the preferred choice in their backfield on third down and in the red zone. He’s averaging about 12 touches per game so far on the season but he’s made the best of them, averaging 88 yards from scrimmage per game and scoring three touchdowns.
Bradshaw and the Colts play the Titans in week four. Tennessee’s defense is coming off a game where they were pounded for 101 yards on 26 carries and three touchdowns by Bengals tailbacks and gave up 167 yards and a score to DeMarco Murray the week before.
Bradshaw should be in line for 15-plus touches again this week and is once again a good bet to score due to his expanded role in the red zone.
Bishop Sankey, RB TEN
When Shonn Greene carried nine times in the first half of the Titans’ game in Cincinnati and was only able to muster 32 yards, the Tennessee coaching staff decided to give Sankey ($5,700) a chance. His number was called on the Titans’ first six plays from scrimmage in the second half and Sankey took advantage, running for 64 yards on those six touches (although a 22-yarder was negated due to a holding call.)
It seems we may be about to see a changing of the guard in the Tennessee backfield and if so, Sankey could be a bargain to daily players. The Titans go to Indianapolis in week four and the Colts defense is no more than average against the run. If you’re feeling like gambling on a cheap tailback in your RB2 spot on FanDuel, Sankey may be your guy.
Other options: Fred Jackson ($6,300), Justin Forsett ($5,400) and Khiry Robinson ($4,900)
Wide Receiver
Keenan Allen, WR SD
Over the off-season, I was on the record as a non-believer of Allen ($6,700) being a low-end WR1 this year as he was a season ago for dynasty owners. That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in using him on FanDuel when the match-up and price is right and that’s the case in week four.
The Chargers are decimated in the backfield with Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead out and only Brown and Branden Oliver available to handle the rock against the Jaguars so they may build their game plan around their aerial attack. The Jags are giving up more than 300 receiving yards per game and have allowed a league high eight receiving touchdowns. Most likely, the Bolts will be nursing a lead in the second half on Sunday against the worst defense in the league but the passing game should be in for a field day early in the contest.
Allen has been a disappointment thus far in the season, catching only 12 passes for 109 yards but the Chargers have faced three pretty good defenses, Arizona, Seattle and Buffalo. He’s been held without a touchdown so far this year but I fully expect that to change this week. Allen could be in line for a huge game this week.
Brandin Cooks, WR NO
Cooks ($6,200) is a big part of the Saints offense, playing 73% of the offense’s snaps and being targeted the most among wide receivers for New Orleans and this week they get to play the Cowboys’ defense that is giving up more than 250 yards per game through the air and has allowed six receiving touchdowns.
Las Vegas has the Saints/Cowboys game as the highest scoring game of the weekend with the over/under set at 53 points and daily players should want a part of the action. If you’re unable to fit Drew Brees ($9,200), DeMarco Murray ($9,000), Dez Bryant ($8,900) or Jimmy Graham ($8,200) into your lineup, Cooks makes for a good target.
Steve Smith, WR BAL
Smith ($6,100) has three double-digit scoring games and is averaging 14.6 fantasy points per game on FanDuel so far on the season. He leads the team in targets (32) and they just lost Joe Flacco’s second favorite target, Dennis Pitta for the season. Oh and did I mention that Smith faces his former team, the Panthers this weekend?
Smith has a flare for the dramatic and is still fast enough to burn defenders. I could definitely see him going off for double-digit catches, way more than 100 receiving yards and at least one score against his former teammates. He’ll be in most of my lineups this weekend.
Allen Robinson, WR JAX
Over the last two weeks Robinson ($5,100) has been targeted 16 times and hauled in 11 passes for 154 yards with Chad Henne throwing him a majority of those passes and this week, Robinson gets the far more talented Bortles delivering him passes. He’s also been getting more and more playing time each week, playing 44 of 60 (73%) snaps in week three, and is now starting opposite Cecil Shorts ($6,200) who could also be considered a bargain on FanDuel.
I also write the Rookie Report Card each week for DLF which features the best fantasy performers from first year players that particular week. Call it a hunch but I wouldn’t be surprised if Robinson is highlighted in next week’s article. He’s a boom-or-bust play, but won’t be owned by most and could give daily players an advantage in GPP games.
Other Options: Cordarrelle Patterson ($6,600), Terrance Williams ($6,100) and Anquan Boldin ($6,100)
Tight End
Travis Kelce, TE KC
Kelce ($5,200) hasn’t put up big numbers yet, only catching 10 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown so far on the season, but he’s been more involved in the game plan with each week that passes and is now becoming a regular on the field in the red zone.
The Chiefs are in desperate need of a playmaker on offense and Kelce’s playing time is bound to go up again on Monday night against the Patriots. A breakout is coming, and there seems to be no better time than prime time for it to happen. If you’re looking for a discount at tight end this weekend, you could do worse than Kelce.
Other options: Niles Paul ($5,100), Owen Daniels ($5,100), Larry Donnell ($4,900) and Heath Miller ($4,900)
Follow me on Twitter for more daily nuggets as well as lineup advice: @dmeylor22
[ad5]
- League Tycoon: Dynasty Salary Cap Fantasy Football - December 15, 2023
- Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two - March 22, 2023
- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Offensive Player Dynasty Review - March 10, 2023
