After only 10 games on the Sunday main slate the last two weeks, we have a beefed-up 12-game NFL main slate in Week 8. With a few more options to consider lineup construction for cash games this week seems pretty straightforward outside of a couple of 2v2 or 3v3 decisions to make.
Cash builds this week looks like most weeks have this season where you want to spend some salary at quarterback, hit the mid-range at running backs, and lock in as many targets and as much touchdown opportunity as you can at wide receiver. Punt at defense with a cheap option and see what fits at tight end and the last roster spot or two. It should be a good week for playing cash games. Let’s go!
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The players below are ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations for Week 8 main slates:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Jalen Hurts (PHI): $7,200 vs. DET
It hasn’t always been pretty but Hurts has been the most consistent high-end quarterback this season with at least 21 DraftKings points in all seven games. Yet, he is only the fifth most expensive quarterback on the main slate on DraftKings this week despite facing the winless Lions.
I’m already on record in my belief that the Lions get their first win in this game, but that should benefit Hurts by forcing him and the Eagles to keep their foot on the gas and score points either to catch up or stay ahead. The Lions pass defense ranks 27th DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) according to FootballOutsiders and have allowed a league-high 9.50 yards per pass attempt.
Other notables: Josh Allen (BUF): $8,100 vs. MIA, Teddy Bridgewater (DEN): $5,400 vs. WAS
FanDuel
Josh Allen (BUF): $8,800 vs. MIA
The decision at quarterback in cash games on FanDuel this week is coming down to Allen or Justin Herbert. Which one to choose likely depends on your comfort level with who you plugin as your third wide receiver and flex. If you can get up to Allen for the extra $900 it could be worth it in his matchup against the Dolphins.
Allen has shredded the Dolphins during his career with multiple touchdown passes in all seven of their previous meetings. While the Bills are a two-touchdown favorite, the easiest path to victory and their high expected point total is through the air as the Dolphins have allowed a league-high 344 passing yards per game over the last five weeks while also giving up 2.4 touchdown passes (30th) per game during that stretch.
Other notables: Jalen Hurts (PHI): $8,400 vs. DET, Justin Herbert (LAC): $7,900 vs. NE
Running Backs
DraftKings
D’Andre Swift (DET): $7,100 vs. PHI
Swift continues to show up on the injury report but he also continues to play every week and put up strong production, in particular in the passing game with at least four catches in every game. Follow back, Jamaal Williams, also showed up on the injury report this week and if he is out we could get the full #FreeSwift movement.
Either way Swift will still reach his value in the passing game against an Eagles defense that has allowed 6.7 receptions (27th) for 48 yards (24th) per game to pass-catching backs this season. Add in some goal line work against the Eagles run defense that has allowed a touchdown on the ground per game to backs and it could be a big day for Swift.
David Johnson (HOU): $4,200 vs. LAR
Can we really do this? Play a Texans running back in a game they are more than two-touchdown underdogs? Maybe. While I don’t love the idea of rolling the dice with Johnson who should get a bigger role with Mark Ingram traded away this week, he does have the passing role locked up in the Texans backfield with five catches in two of the last three weeks.
If he can add about half (6ish) of the lost carries from Ingram’s (13 per game) absence then Johnson should be getting about 15 touches this week (10 carries plus five catches) for just $4,200. If you just can’t go there (and I haven’t decided if I can either) then there are other cheap running back options like Kenneth Gainwell or Michael Carter to consider for about $800 more bucks.
Other notables: Darrell Henderson (LAR): $6,500 vs. HOU, Kenneth Gainwell (PHI): $5,000 vs. DET, Michael Carter (NYJ): $4,900 vs. CIN
FanDuel
Darrell Henderson (LAR): $7,700 vs. HOU
Yep, we are touting Henderson yet again for cash games. Although he didn’t deliver last week it has been an incredibly easy stretch of games for the Rams who play the Texans this week. With the Rams as two-touchdown favorites, Henderson should continue to pile up the carries and touchdown opportunities.
The Texans rank 30th DVOA against the run and have allowed 127 rushing yards (31st) and one touchdown (26th) per game to running backs while yielding 5.27 YPC (31st). I don’t expect Henderson to fail two weeks in a row in a similar spot.
Joe Mixon (CIN): $7,600 vs. NYJ
While Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are stealing all the headlines out of Cincinnati, Mixon has fairly quietly had a good and consistent season. Mixon has topped 59 rushing yards in all but one game and has scored in four out of seven games.
Mixon could be in line for a huge game in Week 8 with the Bengals as a double-digit favorite against the Jets. The Jets rank 27th DVOA against the run this season and have allowed a league-high 1.7 touchdowns per game to running backs. A two-score week with the potential for 100 yards on the ground could make Mixon a must in all types of DFS lineups on Sunday.
Other notables: Jonathan Taylor (IND): $8,500 vs. TEN, Damien Harris (NE): $6,900 vs. LAC, Eli Mitchell (SF): $5,800 vs. CHI
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Keenan Allen (LAC): $6,500 vs. NE
One of the reasons I’m considering going cheap with David Johnson at running back is because I love the mid-range wide receivers on DraftKings this week and what to get as many of them in my lineup as possible starting with Allen.
Allen has played second-fiddle to Mike Williams this season but Allen has still had at least eight targets in every game except for one in Week 6 when the Chargers were blown out by the Ravens. He will face a Patriots secondary that has been league-average this season and is vulnerable against slot receivers.
Chris Godwin (TB): $6,400 vs. NO
With Antonio Brown still out and with Mike Evans contending with Marshon Lattimore on the outside, there should be plenty of targets funneled into Godwin working out of the slot against the Saints. Godwin saw double-digit targets last week with Brown out and converted them into eight catches for 111 yards and a score.
The Saints have featured a strong run defense this season which should also help force Tom Brady to pass to find success moving the ball. Meanwhile, the Saints secondary has allowed 203 receiving yards (30th) per game to wide receivers over the last five weeks.
Other notables: DJ Moore (CAR): $7,200 vs. ATL, Diontae Johnson (PIT): $6,700 vs. CLE, Michael Pittman (IND): $5,300 vs. TEN
FanDuel
Stefon Diggs (BUF): $7,300 vs. MIA
I understand the Diggs hasn’t put up huge numbers so far this season, but FanDuel setting his salary at just $7,300 this week is a big mistake that we need to take advantage of. Diggs has still seen double-digit targets in four out of six games this season and has topped 60 receiving yards in every game.
He faces a Dolphins secondary that has allowed a league-high 16 receptions for 221 yards per game to wide receivers over the last five weeks. The Bills are coming off a loss and a bye week giving them plenty of time and motivation to get Diggs even more involved. Diggs should be the first name you click on for cash games on FanDuel.
Michael Pittman (IND): $6,600 vs. TEN
Pittman has been the alpha wide receiver for the Colts this season and has at least 89 yards and a score in two of his last three games. The availability of T.Y. Hilton for Sunday’s game doesn’t change my opinion that Pittman is a strong option this week against the Titans.
The Titans have allowed 16.4 receptions (31st) for 226 yards (32nd), and 1.4 touchdowns (26th) per game to opposing wide receivers this season. The game has the highest Vegas total on the main slate and a tight line which should mean plenty of scoring opportunities for Pittman.
Other notables: DJ Moore (CAR): $7,700 vs. ATL, AJ Brown (TEN): $7,600 vs. IND, Chris Godwin (TB): $7,200 vs. NO
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Dallas Goedert (PHI): $4,700 vs. DET
There are two options for cash games at tight end on DraftKings this week. Either spend a little bit of money on Goedert or pay way down for Dan Arnold. With Zach Ertz out of the picture (finally!) in Philly, Goedert played on 92% of the offensive snaps last week and had five targets with three receptions and 70 yards.
The Lions have allowed some good games to opposing tight ends this season giving up more than 45 yards four times and allowing a pair of scores. Goedert gives you a nice pairing with Hurts which could help rise up the standings if they can connect for a score.
Other notables: Cj Uzomah (CIN): $3,700 vs. NYJ, Dan Arnold (JAC): $2,800 vs. SEA
FanDuel
Hunter Henry (NE): $5,500 vs. LAC
Henry has scored in four straight games and this week he has a matchup against his former club the Chargers. Both are good reasons to consider Henry, however, there are more.
He faces a Chargers defense that has allowed an average of six receptions for 79 yards and 0.8 touchdowns per game to the tight end position this season. Hunter could also get a bump in snaps, routes, and targets if Jonnu Smith misses the game after leaving last week’s game early.
Other notables: Kyle Pitts (ATL): $6,800 vs. CAR, Dallas Goedert (PHI): $5,900 vs. DET
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Washington (WAS): $2,100 vs. DEN
While Washington has been giving up a lot of points, they also do apply a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and have registered multiple sacks in five of their seven games this season. The Broncos have allowed three sacks per game (26th) this season which gives Washington a strong floor for a cheap defense.
Other notables: Bears (CHI): $2,700 vs. SF, Lions (DET): $2,300 vs. PHI
FanDuel
Lions (DET): $3,200 vs. PHI
Not sure why, but I have a suspicion that the Lions get their first W of the season this weekend at home against the Eagles which could translate into fantasy production for their defense and special teams.
Other notables: Washington (WAS): $3,400 vs. DEN, Jets (NYJ): $3,000 vs. SF
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Brad Richter is a featured writer at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
