Listen, I love Derek Carr and his talented receiver duo of Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. I’ve gushed about them multiple times already this week, and their respective salaries on DraftKings do nothing but stoke the flames. I’m going to stack Carr with each of the receivers separately as well as use the trio together on multiple GPP lineups.
You don’t need me to dive into the numbers again to justify using them. So instead of doing that, consider this intro as sufficient hype and further disclosure that I love them this week. Moving on, they’re not the only players I’m infatuated with this week.
The forthcoming touted plays are great to use individually or around the Oakland triplets. This week’s suggested options are a mix of pricey studs and bargain plays with three players with salaries north of $7,000 and two priced under $4,000.
Win $1 Million playing in DraftKings Fantasy Football Millionaire contest
Travis Kelce (TE – KC): $7,300 @ Giants
Rob Gronkowski (TE – KC): $7,200 @ Raiders
I’m rarely a fan of using two tight ends on rosters, but this week provides a perfect storm for doing so. This duo is supremely talented, and both are more like receivers than run-of-the-mill tight ends.
Speaking of receivers, with the Titans and Steelers playing Thursday, the Eagles and Cowboys playing in the Sunday Night Football game, and the Falcons and Seahawks playing in the Monday Night Football game, top receivers such as Antonio Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster, Alshon Jeffery, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, and Doug Baldwin aren’t part of the player pool for the main slate. Their absences enhances the case for using a flex spot on either of the receiver-like tight ends. Of course, this wouldn’t be a consideration unless both tight ends had high scoring ceilings, and both do.
The Giants have coughed up a touchdown to a tight end in 10 straight games, and the nine they’ve allowed to the position this year are the most, per Pro-Football-Reference. Big Blue has come up small against tight ends and yielded the third most DraftKings points per game to the position.
Kelce’s having an excellent season averaging 69.9 yards per game, setting a new high with 5.7 receptions per game, and already tying his single-season high of five touchdowns (set in both 2014 and 2015) already. His receptions per game and receiving yards per game are tied for the 10th most and 14th most, respectively, this year among all positions.
Gronk’s besting Kelce in receiving yards per game, and his 72.9 yards per game are the ninth most this year. He’s averaging 4.8 receptions per game, and his five touchdown receptions — which are tied with Kelce — are tied for the eighth most this season. Oakland’s pass defense isn’t as soft against tight ends as the Giants’ pass defense is, but the former has allowed the 11th most DraftKings points per game to the position this year. The Chiefs boast an implied team over/under total of 27.75 points, per Pinnacle, and New England’s is even higher at 30.25 points.
Melvin Gordon (RB – LAC): $7,600 vs. Bills
The Bills have been run all over the last two weeks. The Jets and Saints combined for 492 yards rushing against the Bills in that two-game stretch. Natrone Means might be capable of unretiring and rushing for 100 yards against the Bills. Seriously, though, Buffalo has been a speed bump for backs of late, and Gordon’s next up.
The third-year pro has been leaned on heavily by the Chargers, and his high volume of work (16.3 carries per game and 3.9 receptions per game) have helped Gordon pile up the eighth most yards from scrimmage (803) thus far this year. The Wisconsin product’s eight rushing and receiving touchdowns combined are the third most this season, so he’s piling up yards in bunches and reaching pay dirt. And, oh yeah, don’t forget about the aforementioned 3.9 receptions per game he’s averaging.
Football Outsiders (FO) ranks the Bills 31st defending the run and 25th defending running backs in the passing game. Gordon’s my pick to lead running backs in DraftKings scoring this week.
Rex Burkhead (RB – NE): $3,600 @ Raiders
It’s never a comfortable using one of New England’s running backs. Bill Belichick has been known to mix and match his backs based on matchups, but Burkhead’s well-rounded skill-set lends itself to a run-heavy or pass-heavy game plan. Mike Gillislee was the back generating buzz in the preseason, but he was inactive last week.
Meanwhile, Burkhead’s offensive snap count has been trending upward with him setting single-game highs in each of the last three games and peaking at 36 last week. He’s also somewhat quietly received regular work in the red zone. According to Lineups.com, Burkhead has received at least one red-zone touch in all five games he’s played in.
Last week, he set a season-high with three red-zone touches. The former Bengal has scored a touchdown in two games, and he’s exceeded 60 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back games. The Swiss Army Knife back is also averaging 3.0 receptions per game.
Burkhead does a bit of everything, and his multiple avenues to fantasy scoring coupled with his low salary make him a strong bet to provide a solid ROI. However, a matchup with the Raiders opens the door to him doing more than simply posting a solid fantasy score. FO ranks the Raiders 24th defending the run and 28th defending running backs as pass catchers, and they’ve allowed the fourth most DraftKings points per game to running backs this year.
Bruce Ellington (WR – HOU): $3,000 vs. Cardinals
There’s no way to sugar coat it, Tom Savage is awful. Savage’s ineptitude makes investing in any of his pass catchers — or any members of the offense, for that matter — a risk. Ellington’s not a safe play.
Having said that, he’s been targeted eight times in back-to-back games, and his usage is unlikely to be curtailed with Will Fuller out with cracked ribs. Furthering the idea that Ellington will maintain a sizable role in the offense are quotes from head coach Bill O’Brien that you can read in Aaron Wilson’s article for the Houston Chronicle. No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins is in line for shadow coverage from stud corner Patrick Peterson, so Savage would be wise to look elsewhere.
Life hasn’t been bad for receivers opposing the Cardinals this year who aren’t blanketed by Peterson. Overall (i.e., including Peterson’s lockdown coverage), the Cardinals have allowed the ninth most DraftKings points per game to receivers this season. If you’re multi entering GPP contests this week, don’t go overboard investing in Ellington, but don’t be afraid of sprinkling him in.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.