Best Daily Fantasy Football Plays for Cash Games – Week 13

By Ha Kung Wong  Daily Fantasy Football

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

I know a lot of you either play Daily Fantasy Football, or have though about playing Daily Fantasy Football.  So I’ve decided not only to help you with your seasonal Fantasy Football Leagues with my weekly Waiver Favors column, but also to help construct your lineup in Daily Fantasy Football, in particular, for Cash Games.

Cash Games, for those who don’t know, are essentially the lowest risk games.  They include “50/50” games, in which half the entrants win about 1.8x the entry fee, and “Double Ups”, in which slightly less than half the entrants win 2x the entry fee.

Since there’s so many different sites, and I can’t cover them all, I’ve decided to cover just the most popular sites, including Fan Duel, Draft Kings and Yahoo! Daily Fantasy.

First of all, as a general rule for 50/50 Cash Games, there’s a basic target of points per salary cap spent that you’d like to look for:

• For Fan Duel try to target at least 2 fantasy points per $1000 spent.
• For Draft Kings, try to target at least 2.5 fantasy points per $1000 spent.
• For Yahoo! Daily Fantasy, try to target at least 0.6-0.7 fantasy points per $1 spent.

Remember, this article is not focused on GPP (Tournament) Games, JUST Cash Games.  Feel free to use a few of these suggested players as a base when constructing a GPP lineup, but you’ll have to take some chances on a few low cost, upside players as well.

So, without further to do, here are my suggestions for the Best Daily Fantasy Football Plays for Cash Games in Week 13, along with they’re prices on Fan Duel (“FD”), Draft Kings (“DK”) and Yahoo! Daily Fantasy (“Y!”).

Quarterback

You’re welcome to pay up for a QB this week, but I think there are a good mid-tier / mid-cost options that I’d rather go for, like the last three on this list.

Tom Brady vs. PHI (FD: $9400 / DK: $8000 / Y!: $41)

• I don’t care that Gronk is out and Amendola is less than 100% healthy.  The PHI defense is getting torched every week by opposing QBs, most recently by Matt Stafford who threw 5 TDs against them.  If you’re going to pay up for QB, Brady is your guy.

Blake Bortles vs. TEN (FD: $7400 / DK: $6000 / Y!: $32)

• Some may disagree, but the TEN run defense isn’t half bad.  Allen Hurns is likely to sit out, but the TEN secondary is burnable, and Allen Robinson has been a productive target monster for Bortles throughout the season, plus Julius Thomas has risen from the grave as well.  Good upside for the cost.

Ryan Tannehill vs. BAL (FD: $7300 / DK: $5300 / Y!: $31)

• The first rule of Daily Fantasy Football in 2015 is play the QB facing the PHI defense.  The second rule is play the QB facing the BAL defense.  Tannehill has performed way below expectations, but always manages to pile up yards in garbage time.  This game promises to be closer, and with a new OC in town allowing Tannehill more freedom to audible, plus the arrival of first round draft pick DeVante Parker, things could get interesting.

Jay Cutler vs. SF (FD: $7000 / DK: $5100 / Y!: $31)

• Cutler has looked pretty good recently as the Bears have won five of their last eight.  I actually preview this game in another article, and I believe that getting a fully healthy Alshon Jeffery back makes this a big upside matchup for a very reasonable price.

Running Back

Generally speaking, there are a lot of value plays at RB this week, so don’t pay up for the big names.  Try these instead.

Thomas Rawls vs. MIN (FD: $7000 / DK $5400 / Y!: $23)

• This is practically a no brainer.  Rawls has been nothing short of Beastmode Jr. over the last couple weeks subbing in for Lynch.  The MIN secondary is better than its run defense, and the Seattle is finally back on track, so I can’t see them taking many chances downfield if they can grind this one out.  Very high floor and upside and a really affordable price.

LaGarrette Blount vs. PHI (FD: $6900 / DK: $5100 / Y!: $24)

• Yeah, I like Brady and basically everything about the Patriots passing attack this week against the terrible PHI secondary.  But I could also see the Pats grinding out the second half of the game with Blount as they milk the blowout.  I could also a goal line TD in his future.  If you don’t go Brady or any of the Pats passing options, feel free to think about Blount at RB.

Javorius Allen vs. MIA (FD: $6800 / DK: $5400 / Y!: $19)

• He looked decent in place of Forsett, and catches plenty of passes getting you those “points per reception” that all three sites give credit for (full PPR for FD, half PPR for DK and Y!).  MIA is in disarray, and Allen is used in all aspects of the game.  Plus Matt Schaub likes to (a) throw pick-sixes and (b) dump off the ball, so Allen should be busy.

David Johnson vs. STL (FD: $5900 / DK: $3400 / Y!: $10)

• On DK and Y!, don’t even think about this, just plug him in and move along.  HC Bruce Arians said Johnson may get up to 25 touches this week since Chris Johnson is out for the regular season with a broken tibia and Andre Ellington is out with turf toe.  On the high powered Cardinals offense, getting the lead RB for basically minimum price is a STEAL.

Wide Receivers

If you saved money on RBs as a suggested, you’ll have money to pay up for some WRs this week, so don’t hesitate to pull the trigger!

Odell Beckham Jr. vs. NYJ (FD: $9400 / DK: $8900 / Y!: $34)

• A NY vs. NY showdown, no Revis, and the Giants need to win to stay in the NFC East division hunt.  Where would you throw the ball if you were Eli Manning?  OBJ is bound to make at least one more ridiculous one-handed TD grab, and what better week to do than this week against the Jets?

Antonio Brown vs. IND (FD: $9000 / DK: $8600 / Y!: $35)

• He’s a PPR monster and is matchup proof when playing with Big Ben under center.  Looks like Ben is practicing in full, so slot Brown in as you normally would.

Allen Robinson vs. TEN (FD: $8000 / DK: $7300 / Y!: $28)

• With no Hurns, I think Bortles will force feed Robinson.  The rest almost doesn’t matter.

Brandon LaFell vs. PHI (FD: $6600 / DK: $4800 / Y!: $21)

• As Giselle once said, Tom Brady can’t throw AND catch the ball.  So, with Edelman and Gronk out, and Amendola at less than 100%, LaFell should see plenty of targets against a terrible PHI secondary.  Feel free to stack with Brady and enjoy the show.

Tight Ends

Jordan Reed vs. DAL (FD: $5900 / DK: $5300 / Y!: $20)

• Cousins loves going to the TE, and since Reed has been healthy, he rarely disappoints.  The Redskins need to keep winning to stay ahead of the Giants in the NFC East, and I can see the Cowboys, though led by Matt Cassell, keep this close.

Scott Chandler vs. PHI (FD: $5300 / DK: $2500 / Y!: $10)

• If you’re on DK or Y1, this is another one of those don’t even waste time thinking about it things.  Slot in Chandler for minimum price and sneak away before someone catches you.  Only FD accounted for his lead TE role in New England, and even at that price I like him fine.

Jacob Tamme vs. TB (FD: $5200 / DK: $3700 / Y!: $14)

• Leonard Hankerson was put on IR, and Tamme has been terrific when Hankerson hasn’t played.  He has more targets with Hankerson out than any other pass catcher not called Julio Jones.  Another great value play, and probably my favorite in FD.

Defenses

Arizona vs. STL (FD: $5400 / DK: $3900 / Y!: $13)

• STL has been terrible outside of Todd Gurley and some occasional Tavon Austin.  The Cardinals are on a roll offensively, which may force STL to throw the ball more…which means more turnovers for the Arizona defense.  On Y! in particular, this is priced to move.  It’s my favorite defense on Y!.

Denver vs. SD (FD: $5300 / DK: $3400 / Y!: $16)

• I know they’ve been mediocre without Ware, but I have a gut feeling that Rivers will air it out a lot in light of Danny Woodhead and Melvin Gordon struggling on the ground.  And the do have the most sacks in the NFL this season (37).  Plus I think Denver will be able to capitalize on a few INTs.

New England vs. PHI (FD: $4800 / DK $3400 / Y!: $15)

• I almost think that Bradford likes getting sacked.  The Eagles have been terrible and I can see New England getting up big and forcing PHI to throw a lot.  And that’s a big plus for New England as PHI has thrown the 2nd most interceptions in the NFL this season (14).  Additionally, New England has the second most total sacks in the NFL this season (35).  Feel free stacking the New England defense with Blount in what might be a grind it out rout.