With the weekend almost upon us we take a look at the Sunday slate to recommend the top plays in DraftKings contests running tomorrow. This week two of our top values come from the Sunday night game which is looking like an attractive offering for those who like to play in multiple contests. As always please note that these rankings and thus our top CPP values are subject to change as we are adjusting and updating our rankings up until kickoff tomorrow afternoon.
Tom Brady $264 CPP, $6,500 Salary; (sixth in salary rank, second in our rankings)
Tom Brady checks in this week as our second overall quarterback and our top CPP play of the week. Brady has a tasty matchup on tap with the Kansas City Chiefs in what promises to be a high scoring affair. With an over/under that has already reached 60 total points Brady should vie for the best overall fantasy performance in week six against a Chiefs defense giving up the fifth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks at 23.7 points per game. The Chiefs have allowed 360 passing yards per game this season including an average of 438 yards and three touchdowns to the top two quarterbacks they have faced this season in Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. There are likely not going to be many instances when Tom Brady offers up solid value in DFS but this week at DraftKings slotted in as only the sixth overall QB based on salary he promises just that. Roll with Brady where possible.
Austin Ekeler $342 CPP, $4,200 Salary; (23rd in our rankings, 41st in salary rank)
Though Austin Ekeler is technically a backup running back behind a RB1 who gets workhorse like touches Ekeler has managed to bite down on his mouthpiece grind his way to standalone fantasy value. Ekeler currently sports an insane 1.81 fantasy points per touch as per FantasyPros Mike Dente which ranks first in the NFL among running backs with at least 20 touches so far this season. Ekeler is seeing only 32 percent of the running back touches for the Chargers but has remained a consistent fantasy force and will look to continue the same this week in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Ekeler has been dominating the receiving game this season as his 207 yards rank him seventh amongst all running backs,and is a huge reason why his production premium of +7.44 ranks him second in the NFL as per Playerprofiler.com. At an NFL running back leading 8.1 yards per touch Ekeler is almost certain to push for another big game this week especially in the receiving department. We are not sure what possessed DraftKings to rank a top-20 fantasy running back 41st in salary rank but take advantage and get Ekeler into lineups where needed.
Carlos Hyde $298 CPP, Salary $4,900; (ninth in our rankings, 26th in salary rank)
The only reason to be sour on Carlos Hyde this week is due to potential gameflow concerns but if the sharps and betting public have told us anything this week it is that they expect this to be a tightly contested game between the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers, especially with the game in Cleveland. It is true that if Joey Bosa were active this would be a matchup one would want to shy away from but with him still sidelined and the line in this one being pushed from +1.5 for the Browns to a ‘pick em’ there is ample evidence to suggest that the prognosticators are forecasting a closely contested battle. Further alleviating gameflow concerns is the fact that the Chargers come into this contest giving up a whopping 26 points per game, a number that puts them in the bottom twelve in the NFL. According to playerprofiler.com Carlos Hyde has dominated the advanced metrics department, Hyde sports a workhorse level 69.6 percent opportunity share (10th in NFL among running backs) despite just a 56.3 percent snap share and has been able to parlay that into 348 rushing yards, good for fifth in the NFL. Hyde is seeing a valuable three red zone touches per game and 1.8 goal line carries per game a number that ranks him first in the entire NFL. Hyde has been particularly impressive as a ball carrier this season as he has wrestled his way to 29 evaded tackles and sports a 28.5 percent dominator ranking (12th amongst running backs) despite seeing stacked fronts 48.3 percent of the time (third in the NFL) and an average of 7.5 defenders in the box (second highest in the NFL). All this is to say that despite a -2.26 gamescript rating and facing stacked fronts more than just two other NFL running backs Carlos Hyde has dazzled his way to RB1 value. Start our number nine ranked running back in Hyde this week with what looks like an exploitable salary rank.
Julian Edelman $325 CPP, $6,100 Salary; (ninth in our rankings, 25th in salary rank)
Julian Edelman looks to be in line for a huge game this weekend versus The Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night football. Nothing needs to be said about the Tom Brady-Julian Edelman connection as it has been well documented and in a potential shoot out this weekend Edelman is bound to go off. This contest boasts the highest total of the week of 60 and with money continuing to pour in on the over we are confident this one could very well turn into a scoring bonanza. We have Julian Edelman as our ninth overall wide receiver for week six while draftkings has tapped as the 25th overall wide receiver this week based on salary rank. Edelman made both our FanDuel and DraftKings CPP value lists this week and as echoed in our FanDuel breakdown the Kansas City Chiefs have been particularly vulnerable in the middle of the field this season as they have surrendered a 78.3 percent completion percentage there this season. Start Edelman if playing the Sunday night contest.
Mike Williams $347 CPP, $4,300 Salary; (32nd in our rankings, 59th in salary rank)
Our number two CPP play this week at the wide receiver position is Mike Williams of the Los Angeles Chargers. This week the chargers face off against the Cleveland Browns in what will actually be a tighter contest that many may have it pegged for. This contests point spread has moved 1.5 points and now has the two teams at even odds after the Chargers opened as the favorites. The Browns have surrendered massive games to the fantasy WR1s they have faced this season and even saw Amari Cooper go off for eight receptions, 128 yards and a touchdown to the struggling Amari Cooper. While Williams has been a boom or bust play so far this season he ranks fifth in yards per target at 11.3 and fourth in fantasy points per target at 2.65, numbers that suggest a positive gameflow has led to a dip in production in wins, especially when one considers that per nextgenstats he has seen a larger portion of the teams airyards than Keenan Allen at 28.33 percent. The Chargers are likely in for a battle in this one and this should force Rivers to air it out which only stands to benefit Williams based on the trends we have seen so far this season. Slot Williams in where needed.
Kyle Rudolph $292 CPP, $4,400 Salary (third ranked tight end, tenth in salary rank)
Kyle Rudolph ranks among the top five tight ends in fantasy points per target with 2.14 as per playerprofiler and is undoubtedly developing a stronger rapport with Kirk Cousins as the season wears on due to Cousins’ sparkling 128.3 passer rating when targeting his pro bowl caliber tight end. Rudolph currently boasts five plus receptions or a touchdown in every game he has played this season despite staying home to block a concerning amount in weeks three and four. Like Edelman, Kyle Rudolph also made both our FanDuel and DraftKings CPP value lists this week and our main focus in that breakdown was that of Rudolph’s consistency thus far this season. Rudolph has finished as a TE1 every game this year except against the Eagles where he ranked as TE13 and should be primed for another solid day against the Arizona Cardinals who have been victimized by the top tier tight ends they faced so far this season in George Kittle and Jordan Reed. Kyle Rudolph is our third ranked overall tight end this week while he is only tenth in salary in the DraftKings game. Start him where needed.
