Devising the perfect Daily Fantasy Sports strategy for the NFL can be a challenge, which is why I’m here weekly to assist.
On DraftKings, it’s important to you’re playing full-point PPR with bonuses if a player sures 300 ing yards, 100 rushing yards or 100 receiving yards.
Here is my optimal lineup for Sunday’s $3.5 million Fantasy Football Millionaire contest, but it can be utilized as a foundation in other games and platforms.
All prices listed are courtesy of DraftKings with a $50,000 budget.
These lineups have netted $75, so that leaves me $10 in the hole with an average score of 151.48 points through five weeks.
Year-To-Date Results
Week 1: 170.52 points
Week 2: 141.30 points
Week 3: 130.78 points
Week 4: 152.50 points
Week 5: 162.32 points
QB: Gardner Minshew, Colts ($5,000)
Minshew is the cheapest viable option on DraftKings this week and faces a Jaguars defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. They also have the sixth-fewest sacks (nine) and have allowed the league’s seventh-most yards per attempt (7.2).
RB: Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($7,200)
Robinson has been spectacular through five games, but he’s yet to have a smash week. According to FantasyPros, the Commanders have allowed the eighth-highest explosive run rate while having the fifth-worst stuff rate and fourth-highest yards before allowed. My gut tells me this is the week.
RB: Raheem Mostert, Dolphins ($6,400)
Queue up Van Halen’s “Eruption.” The amazing De’Von Achane is out for at least four weeks and Jeff Wilson isn’t expected to come off IR this weekend. That means Mostert gets a matchup with the Panthers where Miami is favored by nearly two touchdowns and have a 31-point implied total all to himself. Carolina has allowed multiple touchdowns to running backs in four of five games this season.
WR: Calvin Ridley, Jaguars ($6,700)
Ridley had eight receptions for 101 yards and a TD against the Colts in Week 1. He’s one of a few options to “bring back” if you decide to stack Indy this week.
WR: Michael Pittman Jr., Colts ($6,300)
Pittman Jr. is the overall WR22 in PPR and has scored double-digits on DraftKings in four of five games. The Jaguars have allowed the fifth-most PPR points per target to outside wide receivers this season.
WR: Rashid Shaheed, Saints ($3,700)
The Texans have had issues defending the deep ball and play zone coverage at the second-highest rate in the NFL (84.6 percent). The speedy Shaheed is one of most dangerous deep threats in the game and his target rate increases against zone. Plus, Chris Olave has been dealing with a toe injury, which could help explain why he has only three receptions on 11 targets for 16 yards in the last two games.
TE: TJ Hockenson, Vikings ($6,600)
Justin Jefferson’s injury leaves a massive hole in Minnesota’s ing attack, and Hockenson is the most likely to soak up a significant percentage of Jefferson’s vacated targets (along with Jordan Addison). Only Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce have scored more fantasy points at tight end in PPR through five games.
FLEX: Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots ($5,400)
After being outscored 72-3 the last two weeks, New England will likely try to simplify things. For Bill Belichick, that means running the football and playing sound defense. According to FantasyPros, the Raiders have allowed the 11th-highest missed tackles per attempt, the seventh-highest yards after per attempt, and the 10th-highest yards per carry to gap runs. Over 60 percent of Stevenson’s attempts are gap.
DST: New England Patriots ($2,600)
Belichick faces an offense coached by his former coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterbacked by Jimmy Garoppolo — a player The Hoodie drafted and traded away — that has allowed 15 sacks and committed seven turnovers in the last three games.
