If you were here last week, you likely walked away with some solid pocket change, as most of the picks came through like they were supposed to. With that being said, it was one of the weirdest weeks of football we’ve seen in some time. I mean, if I would have told you that last Thursday’s game was going to produce the No. 1 quarterback, No. 1 running back, and No. 2 wide receiver, you probably would’ve thought that they were all Patriots. But not in Week 1 of 2017, no, they were all Chiefs players.
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Instead of trying to predict things like that, we’re here to predict what should be the most obvious of things, like Antonio Brown destroying the Browns or Derek Carr lighting up the Titans pass defense. That’s right, cash game players who should be considered a near-lock to produce what you’re being charged to roster them. If you’re new to DFS, cash games refer to contests that pay-out if you finish in the top half of contestants, whether it be a 50/50, head-to-head, or double up. These are the types of contests where you’re just trying to make money every week, and not necessarily “hit it big.” Each week, we go through and discuss the best cash game players on DraftKings, giving you multiple options at each position. Keep in mind that these players may not be the highest-projected point scorers, but they have a rare combination of a solid salary, expected performance, and safety compared to other players at their position and/or price-point.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers (at ATL) – $7400
With all the values out there this week, you can afford to pay up for Rodgers this week, who is somehow just the fourth-most expensive option. Going back to last year, the Packers played against the Falcons twice (once in the regular season, once in the playoffs), and Rodgers dominated in both matchups, finishing with 533 yards passing and seven touchdowns. In both games, there were 65 total points scored, making it a fantasy goldmine. Keep in mind that he didn’t have Jordy Nelson available in the second matchup (who he’ll have this time around) and that he’ll be returning with a healthy Randall Cobb, as well as newly-acquired Martellus Bennett. This offense simply has no holes.
Philip Rivers (vs. MIA) – $5800
Coming off a week in which he went into Denver and totaled 17.7 fantasy points, something only three quarterbacks were able to do throughout 2016, Rivers will play his first home game against a Dolphins defense that he threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns against last year. Granted, he threw four interceptions that game as well, but he was also without Keenan Allen. The Dolphins are stout against the run and allowed just seven rushing touchdowns all of last season. You don’t even need Rivers to have a massive game considering his price, but it’d be a shock if he didn’t throw for at least 250 yards and two touchdowns.
Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch (vs. NYJ) – $6000
This seems too easy, right? Lynch in his homecoming game against a Jets team that is in the running for the No. 1 overall pick next year. In cash game 101 lessons, you’ll learn to look for a team who is favored to win big, ideally at home, and on a high-scoring offense. Lynch checks all the boxes and should be one of the easiest running backs to select in your cash lineups. He may not catch many passes, but he won’t need to against a defense that has allowed eight touchdowns to running backs in their last six games, and keep in mind that seven of those games were with Sheldon Richardson, who they traded away before Week 1. Just last week you witnessed LeSean McCoy and Mike Tolbert combine for 218 yards and a touchdown. He’s a top-five play at the running back position this week.
Ty Montgomery (at ATL) – $5800
There are a lot of choices at the running back position this week who make a lot of sense, but getting a running back who played 10 more snaps than any other running back last week, who is projected to be on one of the highest-scoring teams on this slate. Not just that, but the Falcons have been a pass-catching running back’s best friend. During the 2016 season, they allowed 109 receptions, 870 yards, and six touchdowns through the air to opposing backs, all of which ranked as the most in football. They also allowed almost 4.3 yards per carry on the ground with another 13 touchdowns there. Montgomery only came off the field when he wanted to in Week 1, leaving you with an easy selection in your cash game lineups for a cheap price.
Jacquizz Rodgers (vs. CHI) – $4400
Earlier in the offseason, Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said that Doug Martin would not just be handed his job back when he returns from suspension, saying that he’ll have to earn it back from Rodgers. This is essentially an audition to keep the job for Rodgers, who excelled in the role last year. There were five games last year in which he was asked to carry the load, and in those games he averaged 21.4 carries, 92.4 yards, and 0.4 touchdowns. He also added in two receptions for 13 yards per game, bringing his average PPR finish to 14.9 points. The Bears just lost their best linebacker Jerrell Freeman to IR, while Rodgers and the Bucs are fresh without having played a game last week. At just $4400, Rodgers is one of the best bargains of the week.
Wide Receivers
Julio Jones (vs. GB) – $9200
At times, there are players who you just simply don’t want to miss the ball on. No matter how much value you find in DFS, if you miss that player who’ll score 30-plus points, it could ruin your day. Because of that, you’ll want to pay up for Jones this week. The Packers secondary is deprived of what we would call playmakers, and on top of that, they are now extremely thin on the depth chart. Earlier this week, they cut last year’s starter LaDarius Gunther, who played 859 snaps for them last year. To replace him, they got Davon House, who was benched in Jacksonville last year for poor play. This defense has no answer for Jones – the only thing that can stop him is lack of targets, which OC Steve Sarkisian promised he’d get more of starting this week.
Larry Fitzgerald (at IND) – $6500
Even though Fitzgerald didn’t kill it last week like we anticipated, he still finished with 74 receiving yards, which was the 14th most in Week 1. It’s also important to keep in mind that he did that while Carson Palmer couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. His matchup gets even better in Week 2 when Bruce Arians brings his Cardinals team (who is coming off a very disappointing loss to the Lions) into Indianapolis, where he used to coach. There will be no “letting the foot off the gas” in this game, and to be honest, the Cardinals (Palmer specifically) needs a confidence builder. Play Fitzgerald in what is likely his best matchup of the year.
Jarvis Landry (at LAC) – $5500
This offseason was one where I said Landry’s stock should come down from years past, but not this week. Going against the Chargers is difficult for a lot of top-tier wide receivers in fantasy football because Jason Verrett and Casey Hayward are among the best cornerbacks in the game. But the part that makes Landry so attractive this week is that they don’t travel into the slot, which is where he plays roughly 80 percent of his snaps. To account for subpar offensive line play, look for Jay Cutler to check down a bit more than normal this week.
Tight Ends
Disclaimer: If you save enough money elsewhere, Rob Gronkowski should be worth his price of admission this week.
Delanie Walker (at JAX) – $4700
The matchup against the Jaguars is going to be tough for a lot of skill-position players, as they have so much talent on the roster. Walker was the primary show in town last year and saw eight targets against them, yet he only managed three catches for 26 yards. One of those was a touchdown, however, making his fantasy day a success. This year it’ll be different, as the cornerback duo of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye will have their hands full with the trio of Corey Davis, Rishard Matthews, and Eric Decker. While Decker has a solid matchup, Walker’s is just as good over the middle of the field. Over their last five games, the Jaguars have allowed these fantasy performances (most recent first): C.J. Fiedorowicz (missed half the game due to concussion) 8.6, Dwayne Allen 12.4, Delanie Walker 11.3, Ryan Griffin 16.5, and Kyle Rudolph 16.0.
Martellus Bennett (at ATL) – $3900
Probably my favorite tight end play of the week, Bennett should smash in the matchup against the Falcons. He be lower owned due to his lackluster performance last week against the Seahawks, which makes him even more attractive in tournaments. Of the 16 games that the Falcons played last year, there were 13 tight ends who saw at least two targets (yes, just two) and just three of them failed to cross the 10 PPR point threshold. If you were to go back to the playoff game against the Falcons, Aaron Rodgers found the inferior talent Jared Cook seven times for 78 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. Would it really surprise you if Bennett hauled in two touchdowns in this contest?
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
