FanDuel Projected Ownership: Wild Card Week

With just four games in this week’s slate, you can imagine that the top ownership levels are going to be quite a bit higher than usual. This is a fairly tricky slate to navigate also, as the price points are pretty much perfect, whereas there are usually a handful of underpriced players to take advantage of. These projected ownership rates will also serve as a means to see who the general public views as the top values.

Get our complete projected ownership report here

Quarterback

Highest Projected Players

• Alex Smith (KC): $7,800 vs TEN — 37.8%

Most everyone will be on either Alex Smith or Drew Brees. Their price points are not far apart and they both have steady game logs and projected game scripts so all we have to differentiate them is their opponent. Smith draws the Titans, who can get after the passer, while Brees plays in the dome against Carolina, who’s secondary has really fallen apart lately. Both teams can stop the run so you can expect plenty of passing and both players to reach value.

Running Back

Highest Projected Players

• Leonard Fournette (JAX): $8,100 vs BUF — 56.7%
• Todd Gurley (LAR): $10,000 vs ATL — 36.5%

There are seven quality running back plays this week. None are all that cheap, however, so you may need to spend down at wide receiver or risk missing out on a huge game by Leonard Fournette and/or Todd Gurley. Fournette is in the best matchup on the slate and should get 25+ touches, and Gurley, well he is the best player in fantasy football. Most lineups will have one or the other if not both. Many others will have exposure to Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Kareem Hunt, Derrick Henry or Christian McCaffrey, who are all projected for 7% to 30% ownership.

Wide Receiver

Highest Projected Players

• Michael Thomas (NO): $8,300 vs CAR — 55.9%
• Tyreek Hill (KC): $7,700 vs TEN — 37.3%
• Cooper Kupp (LAR): $6,600 vs ATL — 36.0%

There really is only one safe option this week and that is Thomas, who as you might imagine, will be owned in about 50% of lineups. Behind him will be two smaller guys, Tyreek Hill and Cooper Kupp, who besides the size, couldn’t be more different. Hill is a volatile risky play, but has a nice matchup and could smash value. Kupp is reliable, but doesn’t have much upside. Beyond them, Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Robert Woods and Rishard Matthews should all see at least 15% ownership.

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Tight End

Highest Projected Player

• Travis Kelce (KC): $7,700 vs TEN — 56.3%

Whie you won’t be able to fit all of the top projected players under your cash game budget, you may want to save some room for Travis Kelce, who is by far the top player at the position this week. He is in the best matchup, is the most consistent tight end and has by far the highest upside. If you don’t join the crowd on using Kelce, you can save some money by playing Charles Clay or Delanie Walker, who should each be in over 10% of lineups.

Defense

Highest Projected Team

• Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX): $5,600 vs BUF — 35.1%

As has been the case for most of the season, the Jags are expected to be the most used team despite having by far the highest price. It helps that they might be in the best matchup for any DST this week. If you can’t afford the extravagant price, however, you can spend down on Kansas City, Buffalo or New Orleans, who are all in decent matchups and expected to be owned in at least 1 out of every 8 lineups this weekend.

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Thanks for reading. If you haven’t already, please check out the FantasyPros Football Podcast (below) that I co-host with Mike Tagliere. Good luck this season.

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