It’s hard to believe that we are already entering the fourth week of the NFL season. That said, a lot has changed in three weeks. There are numerous names on my DraftKings cash game lineup advice column this week who I never expected to be recommending so soon, if at all. This includes a couple of rookies, a ride-the-trend option, and a player who might not be usable again in DFS lineups starting next week. If the Thursday night game is any indication, we might be in for a wild Week 4!
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Quarterback
Daniel Jones (NYG): $5,300 vs. WAS
Jones got off to a great start to his NFL career with 336 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns in a comeback win over the Buccaneers last week. While I am not ready to anoint him as the next great quarterback, he does have another favorable matchup this week at home against the Redskins, and his price is still depressed at just $5,300. The Redskins pass defense is ranked 27th Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) according to FootballOutsiders this season. They have also allowed an average of 271 passing yards and three touchdowns per game. It looks like another week of Danny Dimes hype.
Other Notables:
- Jared Goff (LAR): $6,300 vs. TB
- Russell Wilson (SEA): $6,100 @ ARI
Running Backs
Austin Ekeler (LAC): $8,000 @ MIA
I have flipped back and forth on which high-priced running back to use this week between Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey. The ability to use both is a possibility to consider, but if you only have the room to plug one of them into your lineup, then I think Ekeler is the play. He gets a sensational matchup against the lowly Dolphins who have allowed 179 rushing yards (32nd) and 1.3 rushing scores (30th) per game to running backs. With Melvin Gordon reporting this week and Justin Jackson a little bit banged up, there is no reason not to let Ekeler pile up the touches in an expected Chargers rout.
Kerryon Johnson (DET): $5,400 vs. KC
The fantasy production for Johnson has been disappointing so far this season as the back has failed to reach 50 rushing yards in any game while averaging just 2.6 yards per carry. However, with the release of C.J. Anderson last week, Johnson saw his snap count jump up to 75% while he saw a season-high 21 touches. The Lions will need to lean on Johnson heavily this week to keep the ball away from the potent Chiefs offense. The matchup is strong for Johnson as well, with the Chiefs run defense ranking dead last DVOA while allowing a league-high 6.2 yards per carry to running backs. If the Lions fall behind, Johnson can also be used in the passing game. There may be questions around which high-end and value running backs to use this week, but there is no question which mid-priced back should be in your lineup. It’s Johnson.
Other Notables:
- Christian McCaffrey (CAR): $8,800 @ HOU
- Marlon Mack (IND): $6,100 vs. OAK
- Josh Jacobs (OAK): $5,100 @ IND
- Chris Thompson (WAS): $4,500 @ NYG
Wide Receivers
Keenan Allen (LAC): $7,600 @ MIA
Allen will be the chalk high-priced wide receiver in cash games this week with his massive target volume (32 over the last two weeks) and his very favorable matchup against the Dolphins. However, I wanted to write about Allen because I think you can pivot off of him, even in cash games this week, if you want to try to fit in both Ekeler and McCaffrey. There is a nice collection of mid-priced receiver options this week (listed below), and I would even consider pivoting to Julio Jones at the high-end. The game script might not be in Allen’s favor this week which could limit his upside and gives me a little bit of a pause when selecting him for my cash game lineup.
Terry McLaurin (WAS): $4,500 @ NYG
Rookie wide receiver, McLaurin, has come out of the gate hot for the Redskins scoring in each of his first three games while posting 16 receptions for 257 yards. He’ll get a juicy matchup this week against the Giants secondary who was shredded by Mike Evans for 190 yards and three scores last week and allowed over 100 receiving yards to both Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup in Week 1. The price tag is just too low for McLaurin in this matchup. Be sure to keep an eye on his injury status as the week progresses, but if he is given the green light for the Redskins, then he has the green light for your DFS lineup.
Other Notables:
- Julio Jones (ATL): $7,800 vs. TEN
- Julian Edelman (NE): $6,500 @ BUF
- Tyler Lockett (SEA): $6,300 @ ARI
- Kenny Golladay (DET): $5,900 vs. KC
- Larry Fitzgerald (ARI): $5,600 vs. SEA
- Christian Kirk (ARI): $5,100 vs. SEA
Tight End
Will Dissly (SEA): $3,600 @ ARI
Sometimes you just have to go down the path where all of the arrows point. The Cardinals have been abysmal at stopping tight ends this season, as they have allowed 23 receptions for 348 yards and five touchdowns to the position in just three weeks. This week’s winner of the tight end versus Arizona sweepstakes is Dissly. Dissly has scored three times over the last two weeks while topping five receptions for 50 yards in each of those efforts. I’m not going to bet against those trends continuing this week, at least not in cash games.
Other Notables:
- Travis Kelce (KC): $7,200 @ DET
- Evan Engram (NYG): $5,700 vs. WAS
- Darren Waller (OAK): $5,200 @ IND
D/ST
Rams (LAR): $3,500 vs TB
This might be a week to spend a few extra bucks on your defense with decent value floating around at other positions and limited cheap D/ST options that offer much optimism. The Rams are my preferred choice as a double-digit favorite at home against the Buccaneers. The Rams D/ST has scored at least eight DraftKings points in each of the first three weeks without the aid of any touchdowns. Now, they face Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers who have allowed 3.3 sacks and 1.7 turnovers per game while also giving up a couple of defensive scores along the way. The Rams defense has a high floor and plenty of upside.
Other Notables:
- Chargers (LAC): $3,800 @ MIA
- Broncos (DEN): $2,900 vs. JAX
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Brad Richter is a Featured Writer and correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
