Dan's DFS picks for NFL Week 16
After a four-week losing streak, my Week 15 lineup broke through and made the money in the final DraftKings Millionaire Maker of 2015. And it was a big win, too, because I spent the last $20 in my account to buy in to the tournament.
Still, I'm having a pretty terrible daily fantasy football season. I've invested $310 through 15 weeks ($20 per week and $30 in Week 14) and have cashed for just $130.
I should probably just stick to poker. But who am I kidding – this is way too much fun!
For a full explanation of the differences between DraftKings and FanDuel scoring, read this blog post by Daily Fantasy Sports 101.
Quarterback: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (DK: $6,500; FD: $8,200)
I'm back on the Bortles bandwagon again this week, as the second-year stud has a tasty matchup on Sunday in New Orleans. The Jaguars, at 5-9, are still in play to win the AFC South and don't look to be going away quietly, despite a disappointing home loss to the Atlanta Falcons last week.
Bortles, for all his success in the passing game this season, has intrigued me lately because of his ability to run the football. He's notched a rushing touchdown in each of the last two weeks, and scampered for 44 yards on the ground against the Falcons. The Jaguars have no running game, and in what should be a shootout against the Saints, look for Bortles to throw the ball or keep it himself on the ground upward of 60 times on Sunday.
Running Back (DK): James White, New England Patriots ($4,700)
The Patriots running backs are consistently inconsistent from a fantasy perspective, and I made the mistake of selecting one (Brandon Bolden) last week. Well guess what? I'm making the same mistake again!
But here's my logic: The Patriots, even when they try to establish the run, are a pass-first team, and White has proven himself as a capable receiver out of the backfield. That's huge on a site like DraftKings, where a reception is worth one point. White has caught a combined 21 balls for 224 yards over the past three games, or an average of 7 catches for roughly 71 yards. If he can do that on Sunday, that's a solid performance for his price. If he can do that and get in the end zone, I love it. And there's plenty more upside where that came from.
Running Back (FD): Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens ($5,800)
Allen, like White, is a pass-catching back who won't put up a lot of production on the ground. But unlike White, Allen is the focal point of a Ravens offense decimated by injury.
Allen burst onto the scene in his first three games as Baltimore's starting tailback, but has been slowed down significantly over the last two contests against two of the best defenses in the league in Seattle and Kansas City. I think that will factor in keeping his ownership percentage down this week, meaning that if he does go off – against a pretty vulnerable Pittsburgh Steelers defense – he'll be worth that much more to me in a GPP.
Wide Receiver (DK): Eric Decker, New York Jets ($6,500)
In Week 7, I speculated that the Jets' receivers would have a huge day against the New England Patriots, and I made New York's top wideout, Brandon Marshall, one of my daily fantasy picks. Well, I was right; sort of.
While Marshall was held in check, it was Decker who was targeted 12 times in the air and reeled in six catches for 94 yards. He's a huge target and has become an equally big part of a Jets passing game that, led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, has become one of the most potent in the league.
With the Jets and Pats meeting up again this week, I'm sticking by my analysis that New York will be in passing situations most of the game. But this time, I'm going with Decker over Marshall.
Wide Receiver (FD): Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars ($8,400)
I'm going with Robinson in a stack with Bortles this week (and maybe even Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns, too), even though he's been virtually shut down each of the last few weeks. Again, that's a reason to think he'll be under-owned in an incredible matchup against the Saints, and the reality is that Robinson has been one of the top five receivers in all of football this season. This is a great price for a guy who could go off with a career day on Sunday.
Tight End: Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints (DK: $5,300; FD: $5,600)
I actually ended up removing Watson from my Week 15 lineup and replacing him with Antonio Gates, which gave me enough room to add Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown to my roster. Brown led all players in points on DraftKings on Sunday and was owned by just 5% of entries in the Millionaire Maker, so I'd say that was a good decision.
Still, Watson had a pretty good game on Monday night against the Lions, reeling in six catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. He's become one of the most solid and consistent second-tier tight ends in the league, and this week, I promise I'll keep him on my roster.
Defense: Kansas City Chiefs (DK: $4,200; FD: $5,400)
The Chiefs are one of the highest-priced defenses on the board this week – and I usually like searching the cellar for this position – but I just can't resist them in a matchup against the Browns this week. Kansas City scored two defensive touchdowns against an awful Ravens offense last week, and I'm expecting more of the same at home in Week 16. You get what you pay for.