This article focuses on building lineups with a quality foundation by utilizing the powerful Groups and Rules/Limits tools within the industry’s optimization tools. All of the concepts and pairings included below can also apply to hand-building. The goal is to create lineups with strong correlations among likely point-scorers to maximize the gains from infrequent scoring events within stacks while limiting the likelihood of building inefficient or negatively correlated entries for a full slate of NFL DFS lineups.
This video was made in a former life and features a detailed demonstration of how to apply these concepts in one leading optimizer tool: Fantasy Cruncher – How-To Video
All references to Sims were done via friends of the site: acemind.io
Don’t miss the Above/Below feature article for a few of our top picks, coming Sunday morning
Game notes are updated during the week and initially posted as “work in progress” as they take a long time to create, if teams are missing notes simply check back later in the day/week and they should be updated.
2024 Week 17 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stack Rankings
The following stack rankings were created by pairing each team quarterback with his top three scoring options, whether they are three wide receivers, two wide receivers and a tight end, a wide receiver, tight end, and running back, or any viable combination. In some cases, an expensive running back can push the overall price point of his team stack in the value rankings.
| TEAM | OPP | FD$ | FDpRank | FDvalRank | DK$ | DkpRank | DKvalRank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN | CLE | $33,800 | 1 | 1 | $30,500 | 1 | 2 |
| PHI | WAS | $34,000 | 2 | 7 | $29,700 | 2 | 9 |
| DET | CHI | $30,800 | 3 | 2 | $26,900 | 3 | 4 |
| LAR | NYJ | $32,800 | 4 | 11 | $27,600 | 4 | 8 |
| TB | DAL | $31,700 | 5 | 12 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| MIN | SEA | $31,100 | 6 | 10 | $27,300 | 5 | 11 |
| ARI | CAR | $30,700 | 7 | 9 | $24,800 | 6 | 3 |
| ATL | NYG | $28,700 | 8 | 3 | $24,400 | 8 | 5 |
| NYJ | LAR | $30,900 | 9 | 16 | $25,400 | 7 | 6 |
| BUF | NE | $30,300 | 10 | 13 | $26,800 | 9 | 15 |
| IND | TEN | $27,200 | 11 | 4 | $22,200 | 10 | 1 |
| MIA | SF | $30,300 | 12 | 18 | $25,800 | 11 | 16 |
| LV | JAC | $26,900 | 13 | 8 | $22,500 | 12 | 7 |
| DAL | TB | $28,100 | 14 | 15 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| SF | MIA | $25,800 | 15 | 5 | $23,400 | 13 | 14 |
| CAR | ARI | $25,200 | 16 | 6 | $21,900 | 16 | 12 |
| CHI | DET | $25,900 | 17 | 14 | $22,100 | 14 | 10 |
| SEA | MIN | $29,700 | 18 | 23 | $23,500 | 15 | 17 |
| WAS | PHI | $27,900 | 19 | 19 | $24,200 | 17 | 20 |
| TEN | IND | $25,500 | 20 | 17 | $22,200 | 18 | 18 |
| JAC | LV | $26,500 | 21 | 20 | $22,600 | 19 | 19 |
| NYG | ATL | $26,100 | 22 | 21 | $20,600 | 20 | 13 |
| CLE | CIN | $26,300 | 23 | 24 | $22,300 | 21 | 22 |
| NE | BUF | $23,000 | 24 | 22 | $20,200 | 22 | 21 |
Week 17 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stacks & Optimizer Groups
Overview
Rules and limits are powerful tools for lineup creation for NFL DFS where our primary focus is creating highly correlated lineups via stacking players from the same game. Lineups will typically be coordinated around the quarterback selection, which informs at least one pass-catcher choice, establishes a budget, eliminates a defense, and sets the tone for the lineup. We will typically look to correlate a quarterback and at least one of his pass-catchers in every lineup, with many of those including a skill player from the opposing team. This player is included to support the stack in a high-scoring game that drives offense on both sides, creating additional correlated scoring potential. Stacking multiple pass-catchers in the same lineup is a sound approach, though there are typically overall ceilings on how much volume is available at any given position. While pass-catching running backs can be prioritized in stacks and group tools, including running backs who are not involved in the passing game is less important at this stage, they will fall naturally into shares as needed. High-volume backs and pass catchers out of the backfield can be included in the groups utilized below, but it is frequently not necessary to do so with the very best players, they arrive in lineups without help.
Rules and limits are typically applied in an optimizer’s Advanced Options menu. Notes are included to illustrate the reasons behind each rule and explain what it does during the lineup creation process. These settings can typically be saved for re-use, which is highly recommended. Saving the groups created below is also a good idea that will save time with updates instead of recreation each week. These groups are created manually, but most optimizers include automated group creators that can help accelerate the curation process.
DraftKings + FanDuel Settings & Advanced Options
Note – Terminology may vary from site to site but these are common functions across most industry tools.
Unique Players Per Lineup– This setting forces the optimizer to utilize at least X new players who were not in Lineup 1 when it creates Lineup 2, and so on. We recommend a setting of at least two unique players, more can be applied depending on the degree of differentiation desired within lineups.
Team Salary– a minimum or maximum salary spend can be applied here as needed, although leaving salary on the table is an easy path toward creating unique lineups while not necessarily making a negative expected value play.
FLEX position– allows restrictions on what positions can be rostered at the FLEX spot. The primary position to restrict is the tight end so that lineups do not include two players from the position. In many industry tools this is a separate option via a checkbox, it can also be handled specifically within groups.
Global Exposure Setting – allows caps on the maximum percentage of lineups a player can appear in within a given pool of lineup construction. This is a powerful tool for shaping lineups but if settings are too low, attempts to build a full set will fall short due to a lack of available players, one of the most common errors in optimizer building. Most optimizers include the ability to calculate ownership caps continuously or at the end of the pool creation process. If caps are calculated continuously, a player with a 25% cap who is utilized in Lineup 1 will not be available for use again until Lineup 5, we recommend turning OFF continuous calculation.
Randomness – provides a random multiplier to each player’s projected point total based on the set values. This valuable tool helps differentiate lineups instead of simply creating them in order of the highest median projected scores. Using some randomness for lineup generation is strongly recommended but the degree to which it is applied is down to personal preference, 15-25% is fine to get started. We suggest heavier randomness to more event-based players like wide receivers while tracking volume-based positions like running backs more toward their median or ceiling projections.
DraftKings + FanDuel Team Stack Rules
This set of rules will force optimizers to build lineups with certain combinations. We are looking to stack at least one skill player, almost always a pass-catcher, with his quarterback while frequently playing a skill player from the opposing team in the lineup. The theory behind this build is that a high-scoring stack will require some response from the opposing team to deliver a ceiling score in most situations. Most optimizers utilize a “complete the sentence” approach for rule creation with selections from drop-down menus following a very straightforward logic. Exceptions to these rules can be added for specific teams and players on most optimizer products.
- QB with at least one WR/TE from Same Team (note: It is fine to set this to two or to utilize two versions of this rule, one with WR/TE and one with RB/WR/TE, but we can also refine this via Groups)
- optional – QB with at least one RB/WR/TE from the Opposing Team (we typically prefer the pass-catchers but high-volume running backs can be effective here)
- QB with at most zero DST from the Same Team (this is a personal preference; high-scoring teams and quarterbacks tend to leave their defenses on the field, exposing them to simple point-scoring negatives)
Limits & Custom Rules and Requirements
Limit rules can be applied to restrict certain combinations from coming together. This is powerful for limiting multiple running backs from the same team or getting overweight to a certain stack within a lineup.
- Limit QB/RB/WR/TE from Same Team to three
- Limit RB/WR/TE from the Same Team to one unless paired with QB from the Same Team OR the Opposing Team (this prevents multiple players from a team that is not a primary quarterback-based stack)
- optional – Limit RB from Same Team to one (we can also do this with WR in a separate rule that adds an “unless paired with QB or opposing QB” but it’s a personal preference for NFL DFS, we typically do not want two pass-catchers from the same team without their quarterback)
We will maintain the list of rules and limits throughout the season, with occasional tweaks. Each week sees another fresh crop of value plays as situations change and injuries create opportunities around the league. These changing roles and emergent value plays are accounted for in creating these groups from week to week. After a large pool of lineups is created utilizing these groups, it is still critical to filter them for factors including ceiling projections and leverage potential. These groups should help ensure that a highly correlated premium set of options that rotates through various combinations is utilized to create the full lineup pool.
Sunday Updates
Any changes and recommended boosts to specific players will be provided in an early morning update each Sunday.
NFL DFS Week 17 Features & FREE Projections
- Week 17 Projections
- Week 17 Above/Below
- Week 17 Quarterback Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 17 Running Back Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 17 Pass-Catcher Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 17 Defense Scoring & Value Rankings
Construction Concept
Team groups are built by utilizing the quarterback as the KEY player in group settings. The quarterback decision is the driving factor in determining which stack the lineup utilizes and which corresponding plays are made to work within the structured requirements. In Fantasy Cruncher, built to specification, each team will have two groups, a team group, and an opponent group, both of which utilize the same quarterback as the key player. Each game will have a total of four groups. This is the best approach to truly capture the requirement of playing individual “run-back” plays from the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to include all of the skill players from a game in each quarterback’s group and rely on rules and limits to restrict any potential overflow. It is highly recommended to save the early season groups as a foundation that will be updated for the rest of the season. The recommended groups will include skill players who have an active role in their offense and provide significant correlation with their quarterback’s scoring, often bell-cow running backs who do not specialize in the passing game will not be included in groups as they are projected highly and appear on their own in basically correct distributions, while also not always providing the strongest positive correlation plays. Stacking quarterbacks with pass-catchers and allowing running backs to fall into the lanes created by settings, available salary, and randomness should create a well-distributed set of quality lineups. These groups are updated weekly to account for changes in utilization, schemes, injuries, target shares, and more.
Team Groups for DraftKings & FanDuel – Week 17
The goal is to create a large pool of well-built lineups that can be utilized in any large-field GPP contest. Our approach is to build far more lineups than needed and utilize a sorting table or sim process to filter to the best set of entries. The lineups created in these crunches should provide a broad distribution that includes some of the lower-owned high-upside skill players from each stack. Applying boosts is critical in pushing and pulling ownership to individual players within their team’s stacked lineups if they appear too much or too little.
The groups below are designed so that each quarterback will have two groups to create, one with his skill players and another with the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to add them all to one large group with an “at least three” and let rules and limits set things, but there is a more granular level of control in creating them separately.
Utilizing two groups also allows us to place running backs into the “run-back” position in certain teams while not including them in the primary stack for their team. This is useful when a situation has an extremely highly projected running back that does not necessarily fit into his team’s passing game. These players are threaded throughout the following construction recommendations.
Note for all optimizers the rules can be utilized to force bring-back plays in some sets of crunches and turned off for others as a global function instead of changing each group to “exactly one” bring-back play, wherever applicable, but it will apply to all teams.
Atlanta Falcons – FanDuel only
Game Total: 47.0 / ATL +3.5 (21.75 imp)
Plays: 45.73% rush / 54.27% pass / 21.8 ppg / 4.3 ypa rush / 7.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.8 ypa rush / 7.1 ypa pass / 23.2 ppg / 8.37% sack / 1.41% int
Key Player: Michael Penix Jr.
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, Tyler Allgeier (on/off), Ray-Ray McCloud III
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Zach Ertz, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Penix ranks as QB12/12 on the FanDuel slate, there are better options
Running Backs
Bijan Robinson is a viable RB option as RB4/7 on FanDuel, Allgeier is no more than a dart throw at a touchdown
Receivers & Tight Ends
Drake London is interesting as a standalone option in the late game as WR6/10 on FanDuel. Mooney, Pitts, and McCloud make for viable mixers who each stand as more than a dart throw option but none of them is a priority
The Falcons are a better source of standalone skill players than they are a stack under most circumstances. Atlanta is Stack 9 by points but Stack 13 by value on FanDuel in Week 17
Buffalo Bills
Game Total: 45.5 / BUF -10.0 (27.75 imp)
Plays: 47.22% rush / 52.78% pass / 31.3 ppg / 4.7 ypa rush / 7.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.1 ypa rush / 6.9 ypa pass / 22.9 ppg / 7.94% sack / 1.11% int
Key Player: Josh Allen
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Amari Cooper, Ray Davis (on/off), Ty Johnson (on/off), Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins, Dawson Knox (on/off), Curtis Samuel (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Breece Hall, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Tyler Conklin
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Josh Allen is always worthwhile as QB1 by points on both sites. He is QB10 by value on DraftKings but QB3 by value on FanDuel
Running Backs
James Cook has 14 rushing touchdowns and a pair of receiving touchdowns, he needs to continue finding the end zone to make value, 2.7 targets per game push his potential touches to only 15.7 per game for the season but he gains 5.1 yards per rush attempt and has improved as 2024 has closed.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Khalil Shakir continues to be an appealing receiver pairing with Allen as WR11/11 and WR12/12 across sites. Dalton Kincaid slots in as a top shelf tight end option with a 7.8 yard average depth of target and 13.63% of the team’s air yards but he has only found the end zone twice this season. Amari Cooper has been a bit disappointing in Buffalo but he rates well for the reduced price and remains playable, the same is true for Keon Coleman. Mack Hollins is a dart throw at a big touchdown play but looks better when the depth chart is sparse
The Bills are a deep team with a lethal offense, they have a 27.75-point implied total and rank as Stack 4 by points and Stack 5 by value on DraftKings and Stack 5 by points and Stack 9 by value on FanDuel
Carolina Panthers
Game Total: 48.0 / CAR +10.0 (19.0 imp)
Plays: 41.61% rush / 58.39% pass / 18.9 ppg / 4.6 ypa rush / 6.1 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.4 ypa rush / 7.2 ypa pass / 23.5 ppg / 6.51% sack / 1.25% int
Key Player: Bryce Young
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Adam Thielen, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone, Xavier Legette (Q; likely), Jalen Coker, Tommy Tremble, David Moore, Ja’Tavion Sanders (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Jalen McMillan, Payne Durham, Ryan Miller, Rakim Jarrett, Trey Palmer
Game Notes: Chuba Hubbard’s season is over
Quarterback
On this bizarre slate of backups, Bryce Young ranks as QB5 by points and QB6 by value on DraftKings and lands as QB6/7 on FanDuel. Buyer beware, Young is still at only 10 touchdown passes and nine interceptions on the season, with another four touchdowns on the ground
Running Backs
With Chuba Hubbard out, Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone should see action in a shared situation, neither is an appealing talent but they are very inexpensive, Blackshear is RB19 by points but RB13 by value on DraftKings and RB21/12 on FanDuel, Boone ranks similarly
Receivers & Tight Ends
Adam Thielen is a top-20, nearly top-15 choice across the board on both sites, he has three touchdown catches on the season after missing significant time. Thielen sees a 10.4-yard average depth of target and has both big play ability and red zone upside as a pairing with Young. Xavier Legette sees a 12.2-yard ADOT and 30.55% of the team’s air yards, he has four touchdowns this season and is in the mix as WR25/25 and WR27/24. Remaining Panthers pass-catchers are dart-throw level mixers at best
While Bryce Young rates as an interesting individual play from a value-based team in a game carrying an elevated total, the Panthers rank as just Stack 13 by points and Stack 12 by value on DraftKings, they land somewhat better as Stack 14 by points but Stack 8 by value on FanDuel. Blackshear and Boone are at worst value mixers at running back but the public is well aware. Panthers skill players are viable as bring-back options either for scoring or value potential in stacks of Tampa Bay players
Cleveland Browns
Game Total: 34.0 / CLE +3.5 (15.25 imp)
Plays: 34.85% rush / 65.15% pass / 16.3 ppg / 4.2 ypa rush / 6.1 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.3 ypa rush / 6.9 ypa pass / 21.9 ppg / 5.97% sack / 1.64% int
Key Player: Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Jerry Jeudy, Jerome Ford, Elijah Moore, Jordan Akins, Michael Woods II, Brenden Bates (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: De’Von Achane, Tyreek Hill, Jonnu Smith, Raheem Mostert, Malik Washington, River Cracraft (large field)
Game Notes: Cedric Tillman and David Njoku are both out, as is quarterback Jameis Winston
Quarterback
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is QB13/12 on DraftKings and QB14/15 on FanDuel and the Browns are without two of their best pass-catchers, there is very little to see here
Running Backs
Jerome Ford is a mid-level mixer as RB13/16 and RB16/21, he is overpriced on FanDuel. Ford gains 5.5 yards per rush attempt and has three touchdowns on the season
Receivers & Tight Ends
Jerry Jeudy is a talented receiver hamstrung by inept quarterback play, he ranks as WR17/26 on DraftKings and WR16/18 on FanDuel and is the most playable piece of the Browns in Week 17. Elijah Moore is a dart throw for a big play but he has been held to one touchdown on the season. Remaining pass-catchers are darts at best
Cleveland is not on the board for stacking as Stack 15/15 and Stack 17/17 this week
Dallas Cowboys
Game Total: 38.0 / DAL +7.5 (15.25 imp)
Plays: 37.15% rush / 62.85% pass / 21.6 ppg / 4.0 ypa rush / 6.4 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.3 ypa rush / 6.2 ypa pass / 18.9 ppg / 7.63% sack / 2.07% int
Key Player: Cooper Rush
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Rico Dowdle, Jake Ferguson, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert (Q; limited), KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks (large field; Q; limited), Ryan Flournoy (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, DeVonta SMith, Grant Calcaterra, Kenneth Gainwell (on/off), Jahan Dotson (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Without CeeDee Lamb, Dallas backup Cooper Rush ranks as QB15/16 and QB17/18 and is not in play against a talented Philadelphia defense. Rush has thrown for 6.1 yards per pass attempt with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions on the season but the lack of high-end talent against a tough opponent is difficult to endorse
Running Backs
Rico Dowdle is a mid-range running back mix-in as RB12 by points but RB10 by value on DraftKings and RB13/11 on FanDuel. Dowdle gains 4.8 yards per rush attempt and sees 16.8 potential touches per game with 3.2 targets, he has three touchdown receptions and one rushing touchdown on the board
Receivers & Tight Ends
Jake Ferguson is the most interesting Cowboys pass-catcher in projections this week but any of Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, or Brandin Cooks could have an interesting outing for value from the middle of the board on light projections. Ferguson is TE4 by points and TE1 by value on DraftKings and TE3/3 on FanDuel, he has not scored a touchdown this season but draws 6.4 targets per game
The Cowboys do not have much working in their favor against a good defense, though they could benefit from defensive plays their team makes against the backup quarterback on the other side of this one. Dallas is Stack 14/13 on DraftKings and Stack 16/15 on the blue site
Green Bay
Game Total: 48.0 / GB +1.0 (23.5 imp)
Plays: 51.6% rush / 48.4% pass / 27.5 ppg / 4.7 ypa rush / 8.4 ypa pass
oppDEF: 3.9 ypa rush / 7.0 ypa pass / 18.4 ppg / 7.12% sack / 3.83% int
Key Player: Jordan Love
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave (on/off), Chris Brooks (on/off), Bo Melton (large field), Malik Heath (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones Sr., Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Cam Akers (on/off), Josh Oliver (on/off), Jalen Nailor (large field), Brandon Powell (large field)
Game Notes: Christian Watson is reportedly unlikely to play going into Sunday morning
Quarterback
With a 48.0-point total and a 1.0-point spread, the showdown between the Vikings and Packers has the makings of a fantastic DFS game, despite strong defenses on both sides. Of course, that sort of statement typically has led to low-scoring disappointment in 2024. Still, the numbers demand that this game draws attention on both sides given the abundance of scoring options and skill. Jordan Love is QB4 by points and QB8 by value on DraftKings and QB5/QB8 on FanDuel in Week 17
Running Backs
Josh Jacobs draws 21.3 potential touches per week and has 14 touchdowns this season, he is one of the few rock solid heavy workload running backs in football and still gains 4.4 yards per attempt. Jacobs is RB4/8 and RB5/6 across DraftKings and FanDuel, he is a strong option on both sites in Standalone and Stacked shares
Receivers & Tight Ends
Christian Watson is expected to miss Week 17. The deep Packers receiver group pushes all of Reed, Doubs, and Wicks into consideration, but it is the value rating for Dontayvion Wicks that truly draws attention. Wicks is WR22 by points on both sites, given a strong 10.6-yard average depth of target for 20.88% of the air yards share despite just 4.3 targets per game and five touchdowns on the season. The receiver steps up when another is absent, he leaps to WR1 by value on DraftKings and WR6 by value on FanDuel. All three primary pass catchers are in play for shares in +1 and +2 stack configurations and tight end Tucker Kraft is not far behind as TE7/7 and TE7/5. Remaining receivers are playable dart throws at the position
The Packers rank as Stack 5 by points and Stack 6 by value on DraftKings, they are Stack 6/6 on the FanDuel slate and provide excellent options in and out of Stacks across the board on Week 17, despite facing a challenging defensive opponent
Indianapolis Colts
Game Total: 40.0 / IND -7.5 (23.75 imp)
Plays: 48.15% rush / 51.85% pass / 21.2 ppg / 4.7 ypa rush / 6.9 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.8 ypa rush / 7.7 ypa pass / 24.1 ppg / 8.82% sack / 0.71% int
Key Player: Joe Flacco
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, Trey Sermon (on/off), Kylen Granson/Mo-AlieCox (Q;limited)/Drew Ogletree (on/off; low-end TE rotation), Ashton Dulin (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Wan’Dale Robinson, Devin Singletary, Darius Slayton
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Another year, another Swansong performance late in the season for Joe Flacco? The veteran slots in as QB 8 by points and QB1 by value on DraftKings and QB8/4 on FanDuel where his price is slightly increased against the cap. Flacco has shown he can still play with 6.9 yards per pass attempt and nine touchdowns, though he did throw five interceptions in his limited action. Given the quality of surrounding skill players, this is a playable value quarterback in the absence of Anthony Richardson
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor is obvious as RB2 by points and RB5 by value on DraftKings and RB2/4 on FanDuel against a terrible Giants defense that yields 4.8 yards per rush attempt while selling out to hit the quarterback. Taylor gains 4.8 yards per attempt and has nine touchdowns over 21.9 potential touches per game across the rushing and passing departments
Receivers & Tight Ends
Josh Downs is WR14 by points but WR2 by value on DraftKings and WR13/8 on FanDuel, he has five touchdowns on the season and demonstrated a strong connection as Flacco’s top option earlier in the year. Michael Pittman Jr. is also flashing top value marks on DraftKings as WR6 by value, he is just WR23/17 on FanDuel. Pittman has only scored twice this season but he is the most likely of the team’s downfield threats. Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell see limited looks at big plays, Pierce in particular continues to tantalize with a 21.4-yard average depth of target and 28.04% of the air yards on just 4.1 targets per game but he ranks as just WR34/42 and WR39/45 across sites
The Colts are a significant source for individual value and they make for a playable stack on an oddball slate. Indianapolis is Stack 6 by points but Stack 3 by value on DraftKings and Stack 7/4 on FanDuel in Week 17, a fair argument can be made that if one is chasing backup quarterback value pricing it would be wise to go with an experienced well-equipped Flacco against a bad defense for a fair price than one of the lesser options
Jacksonville Jaguars
Game Total: 39.0 / JAC -1.0 (20.0 imp)
Plays: 40.02% rush / 59.98% pass / 18.5 ppg / 4.3 ypa rush / 6.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.4 ypa rush / 6.8 ypa pass / 27.8 ppg / 6.42% sack / 2.60% int
Key Player: Mac Jones
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, Brenton Strange, Parker Washington, Josh Reynolds, Luke Farrell, Devin Duvernay (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Tyjae Spears, Calvin Ridley, Chig Okonkwo, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tyler Boyd, Julius Chestnut (on/off), Josh Whyle (on/off)
Game Notes: Tony Pollard is out
Quarterback
Jones throws for 6.1 yards per pass attempt and has five touchdowns against seven interceptions this season, he ranks as QB10/9 and QB11/10 across sites but there is very little actual appeal outside of cheap skinny stacks with Brian Thomas Jr. or a +2 with Thomas and Brenton Strange
Running Backs
None of the Jaguars running backs are appealing with Etienne ranking 12th by value on DraftKings as the best mark in the group, he has been limited to 3.9 yards per rush attempt and just two rushing touchdowns in a lousy season
Receivers & Tight Ends
Thomas Jr. is a strong standalone wide receiver and the go-to pairing in any Jaguars stacks as WR3/5 and WR3/2 across sites. Thomas has big play appeal on an 11.4-yard average depth of target for 30.34% of the air yards over his 7.5 targets per game and has seen his role expand, he has nine touchdown catches going into Week 17. Brenton Strange is a value mixer at tight end as TE9 by points and TE11 by value on DraftKings and TE8/7 on FanDuel
The Jaguars are just Stack 10 by points and Stack 11 by value on DraftKings and Stack 12/11 on FanDuel, Brian Thomas Jr. standalone shares are easily the choice if one were required to draw something from this game
Las Vegas Raiders
Game Total: 37.5 / LV -1.0 (19.25 imp)
Plays: 34.99% rush / 65.01% pass / 17.6 ppg / 3.5 ypa rush / 6.5 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.9 ypa rush / 7.3 ypa pass / 23.1 ppg / 6.60% sack / 2.48% int
Key Player: Aidan O’Connell
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, Alexander Mattison (on/off), Ameer Abdullah (on/off), Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer (on/off; large field), Terrace Marshall Jr. (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Chris Olave, Kendre Miller, Juwan Johnson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kevin Austin Jr., Jordan Mims (on/off), Foster Moreau (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Aidan O’Connell is another quarterback benefitting somewhat from a soft opponent, quality skill player teammates in stacks, and a short strange week to vault to QB6 by points and QB2 by value on DraftKings, he is QB7 by points and QB6 by value on the larger FanDuel slate but is at least worthy of consideration against a bad New Orleans defense
Running Backs
This running back group lacks appeal, they are mid-range touchdown-dependent mixers
Receivers & Tight Ends
Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are the show for the the Raiders. Bowers is TE1 by points on both sites but slips to TE5 at an expensive DraftKings price, the excellent rookie remains TE1 by value on FanDuel. Bowers has four touchdown catches and is pushing rookie tight end receiving records. Jakobi Meyers is WR9/10 on DraftKings and WR10/7 on FanDuel, he has only scored twice this season but pulls in a 32.63% air yards share on 8.5 targets per game, delivering a solid 7.7 yards per target. Bowers and Meyers are strong individually or together with O’Connell in +2 configurations
The Raiders are a surprisingly interesting option, though it is around only their most obvious names, as Stack 9/9 on DraftKings, they are Stack 11 by points but Stack 7 by value on FanDuel in Week 17
Miami Dolphins
Game Total: 34.0 / MIA -3.5 (18.75 imp)
Plays: 41.59% rush / 58.41% pass / 20.3 ppg / 4.0 ypa rush / 6.8 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.5 ypa rush / 7.6 ypa pass / 25.3 ppg / 7.55% sack / 0.88% int
Key Player: Tyler Huntley
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: De’Von Achane, Tyreek Hill (Q; likely), Jonnu Smith, Raheem Mostert, Malik Washington, River Cracraft (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Jerry Jeudy, Jerome Ford, Elijah Moore, Jordan Akins, Michael Woods II
Game Notes: Jaylen Waddle is questionable but reportedly unlikely to play heading into Sunday, Tua Tagovailoa is officially Doubtful.
Quarterback
With what was on display the last time Tua Tagovailoa was out of action, it is difficult to endorse anything from Miami this week. Tyler Huntley is QB16/7 on DraftKings and QB18/14 on FanDuel
Running Backs
De’Von Achane rates as RB9/17 on DraftKings and RB11/17 on FanDuel as the best option from a limited bunch. Achane is excellent in the passing game when the Dolphins have a competent quarterback, he sees 5.7 targets per week and has six touchdown receptions to pad his five rushing touchdowns. Achane is still the one we want if forced to draw from this deck but the Dolphins are almost certainly best left on the shelf this week
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tyreek Hill is questionable with a lingering wrist issue but expected to play, he will be further limited by a bad quarterback but lands as WR10 by points on DraftKings, he is WR18 by points on FanDuel and is outside of the top-20 by value rankings. Jonnu Smith sees touchdown upside if the team can get the ball heading in his direction accurately, he has six scores on the season and will be picking up volume with receiver Jaylen Waddle out this week
The Dolphins are Stack 12/16 on DraftKings and Stack 14/18 on FanDuel
Minnesota Vikings
Game Total: 48.0 / MIN -1.0 (24.5 imp)
Plays: 44.69% rush / 55.31% pass / 26.4 ppg / 4.0 ypa rush / 8.3 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.1 ypa rush / 7.0 ypa pass / 19.1 ppg / 8.04% sack / 3.05% int
Key Player: Sam Darnold
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Aaron Jones Sr., Cam Akers (on/off), Josh Oliver (on/off), Jalen Nailor (large field), Brandon Powell (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave (on/off), Chris Brooks (on/off), Bo Melton (large field), Malik Heath (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The Packers have a stout defense that has held opponents to just 19.1 points per game on 4.1 yards per attempt rushing and 7.0 yards per attempt passing but the Vikings have put up 8.3 yards per pass en route to 26.4 points scored per game with Sam Darnold at the helm. Darnold is QB 3 by points and QB4 by value on DraftKings and QB4/5 on FanDuel, he has a heavy implied team total in a strong passing matchup with fantastic skill player weapons on his team and coming the other way in bring-back shares
Running Backs
Aaron Jones Sr. ranks as RB6/4 on DraftKings and RB7/5 on FanDuel, he has seven touchdowns while seeing 18.9 potential touches across rushing attempts and targets. Jones is easily playable for value and touchdown-scoring upside as an alternative or in addition to pass-catching shares in stacks or on his own
Receivers & Tight Ends
Justin Jefferson is the superstar in Minnesota, the receiver is WR1 by points on both sites this week. Jefferson slips to WR3 for value on DraftKings but stays as WR1 on FanDuel when measured by value. The receiver has 10 touchdown catches on an 11.6-yard ADOT that has yielded a massive 40.17% air yards share over his 8.9 targets per game. Jefferson is one of the top pass catchers on this or any slate. Jordan Addison is not far behind with eight touchdowns over a 12.7-yard ADOT for another 27.83% of the team’s air yards. Addison is WR7 by points on DraftKings and WR8 on FanDuel, he is WR13 and WR11 for value. TJ Hockenson slots in as a strong tight end option, adding another 9.72% to our significant air yards share across the group. Hockenson is TE2/3 on DraftKings and TE2/2 on FanDuel but is yet to score this season while second-string Josh Oliver has three touchdown catches on 1.9 targets per game with reduced volume since Hockenson’s return. Jalen Nailor is a dart throw at a deep touchdown with a 10.9-yard ADOT and five touchdown catches
The Vikings are in the mix as a top shelf stack, they rank as Stack 2 by raw points on both sites but fall to Stack 4 by value on DraftKings, they are Stack 2/2 on FanDuel where the value remains strong
New Orleans Saints
Game Total: 37.5 / NO +1.0 (18.25 imp)
Plays: 44.98% rush / 55.02% pass / 20.6 ppg / 4.4 ypa rush / 6.9 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.4 ypa rush / 7.0 ypa pass / 26.0 ppg / 6.32% sack / 1.64% int
Key Player: Spencer Rattler
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Chris Olave, Kendre Miller, Juwan Johnson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Q; limited), Kevin Austin Jr., Jordan Mims (on/off), Foster Moreau (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, Alexander Mattison (on/off), Ameer Abdullah (on/off), Tre Tucker
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Spencer Rattler is QB14/15 and QB16/17, he has essentially no appeal in a bad spot
Running Backs
Kendre Miller is expected to carry the workload with Alvin Kamara out, he is no Alvin Kamara but has gained 4.0 yards per attempt this season with one rushing touchdown on the board
Receivers & Tight Ends
Olave is WR20/16 and WR24/22 if he plays, he had one touchdown catch before missing multiple weeks due to injury. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has big play ability on a huge 17.9-yard ADOT but may not play and may not see a cleanly thrown ball if he does, he is a dart throw at a big touchdown grab as usual
The Saints are unappealing as Stack 16/14 and Stack 18/17 with Rattler at the wheel and Kamara absent, even with Olave’s return there is not much in play here
New York Giants
Game Total: 40.0 / NYG +7.5 (16.25 imp)
Plays: 38.6% rush / 61.4% pass / 14.3 ppg / 4.3 ypa rush / 5.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.4 ypa rush / 7.4 ypa pass / 23.9 ppg / 6.49% sack / 3.06% int
Key Player: Drew Lock
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Malik Nabers (Q; likely), Tyrone Tracy Jr., Wan’Dale Robinson, Devin Singletary, Darius Slayton
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell, Trey Sermon (on/off), Kylen Granson/Mo-AlieCox/Drew Ogletree (on/off; low-end TE rotation), Ashton Dulin (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Drew Lock is QB12/13 on DraftKings and QB15/16 on FanDuel, he has thrown one touchdown against four interceptions while gaining a pathetic 4.8 yards per pass attempt in limited action this season, do not play him
Running Backs
Tyrone Tracy Jr. is an explosive young player gaining 4.6 yards per rush attempt but he still yields carries and scoring opportunities to veteran Devin Singletary, a coaching staff favorite. Tracy’s value is impacted to RB11/9 on DraftKings and RB12/8 on FanDuel, he is playable but not overly appealing
Receivers & Tight Ends
Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson draw essentially all of the critical volume in the passing attack for New York. Nabers has four touchdowns on 11.8 targets per game but cooled badly after a good start to his career when it comes to scoring. He still has amassed a huge 41.09% air yards share on a 9.2-yard ADOT. Robinson draws 8.2 targets per game but just a 4.9-yard ADOT that requires a broken play for scoring upside
The Giants are Stack 11 by points but climb somewhat to Stack 8 by value on DraftKings where receptions are more worthwhile, on FanDuel they are just Stack 13 by points and Stack 12 by value
New York Jets
Game Total: 45.5 / NYJ +10.0 (17.75 imp)
Plays: 35.91% rush / 63.01% pass / 19.5 ppg / 4.2 ypa rush / 6.6 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.6 ypa rush / 7.1 ypa pass / 22.1 ppg / 6.18% sack / 2.71% int
Key Player: Aaron Rodgers
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Breece Hall, Davante Adams (Q; likely), Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Tyler Conklin, Braelon Allen (on/off), Isaiah Davis (on/off), Jeremy Ruckert (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Amari Cooper, Ray Davis (on/off), Ty Johnson (on/off), Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins, Dawson Knox (on/off), Curtis Samuel (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers has been up and down this year and he drags the fate of his skill players with him. Rodgers has 24 touchdown passes against eight interceptions overall while gaining 6.6 yards per pass attempt over more than 35 attempts per game, he is a playable QB7/11 and lands as QB 9 by points and QB11 by value on FanDuel
Running Backs
Breece Hall has had a disappointing 2024 overall, he has five rushing and two receiving touchdowns but has gained merely 4.1 yards per attempt on just 13.4 attempts per game, though he adds another 5.0 potential touches via targets to approach our desired 20.0 opportunities per game. Hall is RB7/7 on DraftKings and RB10/15 on FanDuel this week, he is a playable option in and out of stacks
Receivers & Tight Ends
Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson continue to share huge volume as the 1/1A receiving tandem for Rodgers. Adams sees 10.1 targets per game with double-digit opportunities as the norm of late, he had 13 targets in the team’s most recent outing. Wilson picks up 9.4 targets per game and 36.48% of the air yards to Adams’ 29.01% share in a smaller sample with the team. Both receivers are top options, Adams has seven touchdowns and Wilson has six but the Bills are not bad on defense and Rodgers has been an erratic passer on the whole. Allen Lazard is a touchdown-dependent mixer play and Tyler Conklin is not a radical idea at TE10/6 and TE14/15
The Jets are Stack 7 by points and Stack 10 by value on DraftKings and Stack 10/14 on FanDuel, they are playable in a game against a division opponent but with nothing to play for and Adams questionable to play we are less enthusiastic than in recent weeks
Philadelphia Eagles
Game Total: 38.0 / PHI -7.5 (22.75 imp)
Plays: 56.24% rush / 43.76% pass / 26.8 ppg / 5.1 ypa rush / 7.9 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.8 ypa rush / 7.9 ypa pass / 26.9 ppg / 9.06% sack / 2.81% int
Key Player: Kenny Pickett
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Grant Calcaterra, Jahan Dotson, Kenneth Gainwell (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Rico Dowdle, Jake Ferguson, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Kenny Pickett finds himself at quarterback for the high-end Eagles this week, a role in which he could find limited success. Pickett ranks as QB11/14 and QB13/13, he is not a priority but the supporting cast remains excellent and the matchup is an easy one, with the team looking like a top stack by raw points potential the quarterback should warrant consideration
Running Backs
Superstar running back Saquon Barkley is the easy click from Philadelphia in or out of stacks this week. Barkley sees unrivaled volume and provides nearly unrivaled returns with a ridiculous 5.9 yards per rush attempt over 20.9 attempts per game. The running back has 13 rushing touchdowns with another two coming over his 2.7 targets per game. Barkley is an outstanding option as RB1 by points on both sites, he is RB3 by value on DraftKings and RB2 by value on FanDuel despite high raw prices, he is simply that good and that likely to handle the scoring workload up close
Receivers & Tight Ends
With Hurts out, the Eagles’ elite passing game should take a bit of a backseat but that only pushes things so far down the board, the team is still strong and difficult to suppress in any good model. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith have six touchdowns each this season, with Brown operating as the bigger deep threat on a 12.1-yard average depth of target for 39.47% of the air yards over his 7.7 targets to Smith’s 26.07% share on an 8.9 yard average depth over 6.8 targets per game. Grant Calcaterra is a mixer at tight end, the others are low-end darts. The Eagles are top heavy but excellent across the three core skill players
Even with Hurts missing in action, the Eagles are Stack 3 by points on both sites, they slip to Stack 7 and Stack 10 by value on DraftKings and FanDuel respectively and could be a better source of standalone plays in the end
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game Total: 48.0 / TB -10.0 (29.0 imp)
Plays: 43.1% rush / 56.9% pass / 28.5 ppg / 5.2 ypa rush / 7.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 5.1 ypa rush / 7.3 ypa pass / 29.9 ppg / 5.93% sack / 1.74% int
Key Player: Baker Mayfield
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Jalen McMillan, Rachaad White, Payne Durham, Ryan Miller (on/off), Sean Tucker (on/off), Rakim Jarrett (large field), Trey Palmer (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Adam Thielen, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone, Xavier Legette (Q; likely), Jalen Coker, Tommy Tremble, David Moore, Ja’Tavion Sanders (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield looks tremendous amidst the wreckage at QB in Week 17. Mayfield is QB3 by points on both sites and ranks as QB2 by value on DraftKings and QB3 by value on FanDuel. The Tampa Bay signal caller has 34 touchdown passes against 15 interceptions this season and has led several slate-winning efforts while walking into a premium matchup against a Carolina defense that allows 5.1 yards per rush and 7.3 yards per pass with 29.9 points per game. Mayfield and Mike Evans could connect for a multiple scores in this matchup while Bucky Irving gets there out of the backfield
Running Backs
Irving ranks the same way Mayfield does, he is RB3/2 on DraftKings and RB3/3 on FanDuel. The running back was an pre-season draft favorite and an early call-out in this space and has rewarded throughout with 5.5 yards per rush attempt and seven rushing touchdowns over 11.2 carries per game. Irving has seen increased workload and responsibility but does have a pesky Rachaad White lingering to steal targets and key carries at the wrong time
Receivers & Tight Ends
Mike Evans is WR2 by points on both sites, he is WR2/3 on the FanDuel slate, putting all of Mayfield, Irving, and Evans third by value at their respective position. Evans slips to WR7 by value on DraftKings but that’s ok too. The receiver has nine touchdown catches despite missing several games, he draws a 30.82% air yards share on a big-play-friendly 11.9-yard average depth of target. Jalen McMillan has interesting upside with five touchdowns and an increased workload in the absence of Chris Godwin, he has an appealing 12.8-yard averaged depth of target and saw seven opportunities in the team’s most recent game. Payne Durham remains a value tight end option with Cade Otton out
Tampa Bay is Stack 1 by points and Stack 2 by value on DraftKings, they are Stack 1/1 on the FanDuel slate and seem to demand shares once again. Adam Thielen is a noteworthy Carolina bring-back option that is not from the value running back tier
Tennessee Titans
Game Total: 39.0 / TEN +1.0 (19.0 imp)
Plays: 42.73% rush / 57.27% pass / 18.9 ppg / 4.2 ypa rush / 6.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.3 ypa rush / 8.1 ypa pass / 26.4 ppg / 5.21% sack / 0.98% int
Key Player: Mason Rudolph
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Tyjae Spears, Calvin Ridley, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chig Okonkwo, Tyler Boyd (Q; did not practice), Julius Chestnut (on/off), Josh Whyle (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, Brenton Strange, Parker Washington, Josh Reynolds, Luke Farrell, Devin Duvernay (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Mason Rudolph has thrown eight touchdowns and eight interceptions and steady volume in the passing game against a bad defense but there is only limited appeal as QB9/5 on DraftKings and QB10/9 on FanDuel in a week with value in every corner
Running Backs
Tony Pollard is out, leaving Tyjae Spears as the lead running back this week. Spears gains 3.4 yards per attempt and has four rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown on the board this season, he ranks as RB5 by points and RB1 by value on DraftKings and is RB6 by points and RB1 by value on FanDuel this week
Receivers & Tight Ends
Calvin Ridley has monster potential for a slate-breaking day against a bad secondary that yields 8.1 yards per pass attempt. Ridley has four touchdowns but those come on a huge 49.26% air yards share via a 15.1-yard average depth of target over his 7.3 opportunities per game, if Rudolph can get the ball to him Ridley can deliver huge DFS scoring events. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine continues to roll along catching odd touchdown passes and doing little else, he is up to nine now. Tyler Boyd is injured and unproductive, he is a mere mixer if he plays
The Titans are Stack 8 by points but leap to Stack 1 by value on DraftKings with the cheap pricing for a few key options, they are Stack 8 by points but Stack 3 by points-per-dollar value on the FanDuel slate against the terrible Jaguars
Washington Commanders
Game Total: 47.0 / WAS -3.5 (25.25 imp)
Plays: 48.71% rush / 51.29% pass / 28.8 ppg / 4.9 ypa rush / 7.7 ypa pass
oppDEF: 4.3 ypa rush / 6.9 ypa pass / 23.3 ppg / 4.88% sack / 2.17% int
Key Player: Jayden Daniels
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Zach Ertz, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols (on/off), KJ Osborn (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, Tyler Allgeier (on/off), Ray-Ray McCloud III
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels has 22 touchdown passes with another six coming on the ground in a tremendous rookie campaign. The quarterback has thrown just eight interceptions while gaining a terrific 7.6 yards per pass attempt and establishing himself as a premier option at the position with a dominant connection to receiver Terry McLaurin. Daniels has the Commanders relevant for DFS scoring potential again in Week 17, they are a consideration for FanDuel gamers as the late game and Daniels is QB2 by points and QB1 by value on the blue site
Running Backs
Brian Robinson Jr. is a playable RB9/9 on FanDuel this week, he has eight rushing touchdowns while gaining 4.3 yards per attempt over 14.1 carries per game. Robinson Jr. adds just 1.8 targets per game and has zero touchdown receptions but he is playable as a piece of this stack or in standalone shares
Receivers & Tight Ends
Terry McLaurin is by far the top option in the passing game with 6.5 targets per game leading to a massive 40.87% air yards share, given his big play-adjacent 13.8-yard average depth of target. McLaurin has turned the big play opportunities into big plays, posting a dozen touchdown catches so far this season, he ranks as WR4 by points and WR5 by value on the FanDuel slate. Zach Ertz, meanwhile, has been held to just four touchdown catches in limited action this season. Ertz sees a solid 5.3 targets per game and has a relevant 18.25% air yards share that ranks second on this team, he is a playable TE9/8 on FanDuel as a late night tight end twist with limited popularity. Additional receivers are mix-and-match dart throws at best
The Commanders are a top-heavy stack that rates as Stack 4 by points and Stack 5 by value on FanDuel in Week 17, most of that runs through Daniels, McLaurin, Ertz, and Robinson Jr., with the first three forming the most appealing stack
Follow Us on Twitter. Join us in Discord. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel.
