Alfred Morris and the Redskins take on the team that’s been friendliest to opposing RBs

Finally had a week without one of my main suggestions flopping. None of them went off, but they provided decent points for their value. Hopefully you found the right combinations to win some cash. None of my decisions paid off in a big way, but I was lucky to come out even. My value suggestions kept me in it, I just did not pick anyone like Devonta Freeman who scored three touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. Who would have thunk it?

Before I recap last week and give you my suggestions for Week 5, let me remind you this article is about finding value options. Please do not expect to start all of the guys I suggest and win. DFS is all about finding the right combinations. If you played Julio Jones or Antonio Brown last week, you were probably not happy. However, you have to lean on those studs more weeks than not because that is what they are, studs. If you find yourself needing help creating a roster, try using our DFS Lineup Optimizer.

Instead of me dwelling on the moves I should have made, let’s break down the numbers from my main suggestions and really see how I did, shall we? Apparently Vegas and I forgot that the Raiders are still the Raiders. Favored for the first time in 27 games, I thought Derek Carr and company were in for a big day. Carr found a happy medium between his poor performance in Week 1 and his solid performances in Weeks 2 and 3. Carr threw two touchdown passes and an interception while totaling 196 yards. His lack of yards caused his point total to not be ideal, but 12.84 points from a guy who cost $6,700 in salary was not horrible.

My running back selection was Karlos Williams. Many of you, myself included, were probably very frustrated with Williams. He was not doing much until late in the game when he scored a receiving touchdown. Williams finished with 70 all-purpose yards and 14.50 points on FanDuel.

I finished out my suggestions with another Raider and a Bear. Wow, three of my four suggestions came from the same game! At WR I said to role with Michael Crabtree, and at TE I suggested Martellus Bennett. Crabtree missed a chunk of the game with an ankle injury, but still managed five catches for 80 yards, good enough for 10.5 points on FanDuel. Bennett was my most productive suggestion. He scored 19.80 points on FanDuel by grabbing 11 balls for 83 yards and a touchdown. I like him in Week 5 too, but his higher salary eliminates him as a value option.

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Speaking of Week 5 and value options, on to what you all really came here to read.

Quarterbacks

Marcus Mariota – TEN vs. BUF – $7,400

I struggled to find a guy who excites me and costs under $7,000 on FanDuel this week. You might have to spend more on this position than you have in the last four weeks. I am leaning on Mariota because of his past performances and also his matchup. Mariota is averaging over 20 points on FanDuel so far this season. Many might think his first week performance inflated those numbers, but they really have not. Mariota has yet to post a score under 15 points on FanDuel this season, and he is doing it by staying in the pocket. Shockingly, Mariota has only five rushing attempts. He has thrown for over 200 yards each game and has eight touchdowns. Mariota is facing a Buffalo defense who have allowed the fourth most points to the QB position. I am thinking many may overlook Mariota in Week 5, which makes him an even better play. Check back later this week to see where Mariota stacks up on the FanDuel ownership projections.

Notable mentions:

• Jay Cutler CHI @ KC – $7,400
• Joe Flacco BAL vs. CLE – $6,500
• Brandon Weeden DAL vs. NE – $6,400

Running Backs

Alfred Morris – WAS @ ATL – $6,300

Morris jumped out at me for one reason and one reason alone. He is facing Atlanta. The Falcons have allowed the most points to the RB position. They cannot seem to stop the run. Last week was their best week defensively against the run, but they still allowed over three yards a carry and a touchdown. This was against a Houston team who found themselves throwing the ball 57 times because Atlanta had a big lead. Washington has a better defense than Houston. I do not see this game getting away from them as quickly as it did for the Texans.

I’m sure everyone is thinking I am crazy for choosing Morris over Matt Jones, but here is my reasoning. Morris has out-touched Jones in every game except one this season, and it is by a decent margin. Last week Morris received 17 carries whereas Jones had seven touches and Chris Thompson had six. Although Morris does not have any touchdowns this season, I am predicting that changes in Week 5. He is averaging almost four yards per carry and seeing the most action out of the Washington backfield. I am not saying this pick does not come with some risk, but I expect Morris to see more than 50 percent of the carries again. This means he will have the most opportunities to exploit the Falcon’s weak run defense.

Notable mentions:

• LeGarrette Blount NE @ DAL – $6,200 
• Danny Woodhead SD vs. PIT – $6,000
• Duke Johnson CLE @ BAL – $5,900
• Antonio Andrews TEN vs. BUF – $5,600

Wide Receiver

Travis Benjamin – CLE @ BAL – $6,200

Benjamin has proved he can play with either quarterback under center in Cleveland. He has also shown he can be more than just a one-catch wonder. Although he did not score in Week 4, Benjamin caught six balls on 10 targets. He finished with 79 yards and 10.90 points on FanDuel. With an average of just over six targets per game and his ability to make explosive plays, I love Benjamin this week against Baltimore. Baltimore used to be a feared defense, but with the loss of Terrell Suggs, the team has not been the same. Baltimore has given up the second most points to the WR position. They have been getting scorched through the air. Now, I do not expect Cleveland to pass for over three hundred yards in this game. However, I do like Benjamin for over 85 yards and another touchdown in Week 5. This is why he will be on my starting roster in both DFS and my PPR league.

Notable mentions:

• DeSean Jackson WAS @ ATL – $6,000 (Note: He may not play this week)
• Kendall Wright TEN vs. BUF – $5,900
• Willie Snead NO @ PHI – $5,300
• Martavis Bryant PIT @ SD – $6,100

Tight End

Charles Clay – BUF @ TEN – $5,700

Like I stated earlier, I like Martellus Bennett again this week. However, for $200 less, I am going to lean on Clay. Clay is the fifth most targeted TE so far this season. What I especially like is that his targets have increased each week. This means that Tyrod Taylor and Clay are forming a more trusting relationship. Last week, Taylor targeted Clay a team-leading 13 times. As long as Clay sees his average of seven targets a game, he should be in for a decent fantasy day. Buffalo is facing off against a Tennessee defense who has given up the fifth most fantasy points to the TE position. This game should be close and honestly could be a tough one to call out a winner. I am expecting Tyrod Taylor to lean on his TE, especially if the Bills are missing both LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams to injuries. Top receiver Sammy Watkins could also be sidelined again. Look for Clay to be a check-down option who should catch seven balls for around 50 yards and hopefully a touchdown.

Notable mentions:

• Gary Barnidge CLE @ BAL – $5,400
• Tyler Eifert CIN vs. SEA – $5,600
• Delanie Walker TEN vs. BUF – $5,400

Come back next week and leave a comment about how you did with your Week 5 lineups. I will be here once again recapping Week 5 and giving you my value suggestions for Week 6. Also, if you are interested, make sure to look for my article on FanDuel projected ownership for Week 5 coming sometime this weekend.

Be sure to check out our free FanDuel Lineup Optimizer

Rob Schwarz, Jr. is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Rob, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @ChiSportsnut25.