Written by: Nikunj Patel @NickOfTimeDFS
As always, feel free to share this article and follow my twitter for real time updates @NickOfTimeDFS. I will be posting lineups on my twitter account instead of here from now on due to the many changes leading up to game day. I’ll start off by posting a graphic of all the players prices as listed on FanDuel.
Favorite plays:
QBs: What I’m looking for this week is a high floor, high ceiling and we have a few options. PJ Walker is obviously the favorite but he comes at a price. Ta’amu comes with the same, if not higher, upside with a little less cost. I believe Johnson also offers that same upside with an even lower cost, especially now that he had a week of practice with his teammates. Now, with Johnson facing a DC defense that’s been formidable so far, it may be better suited for you to pay up for Ta’amu in cash games.
RBs: The trickiest position by far when it comes to XFL DFS. Cameron Artis-Payne seems to have solidified his role as a workhorse in week 2 after a dud in week 1 and he also has a pass-catching ability which is crucial when looking at RBs. He is the most expensive so the thing to consider is if he is worth his value this week. Donnell Pumphrey split the workload last week with Jhurrell Pressley and had 20 yards more rushing on 1 extra carry and 19 yards more receiving on 1 extra reception. Yes, I am coming back here with Hood once again. The LA offense is being overlooked outside of Spruce and I think it’s just a matter of time before the offense clicks and with Johnson getting a full week’s practice in, it could very well be this week.
WRs: First, let me just say any DC WR (Rogers, Ross, Thompkins) is a good option this week. Ranking from lowest to highest risk (lowest to highest upside): Rogers, Thompkins, Ross. Coming to HOU, Holley is a great dart play with him averaging 5 targets a game and even adding a rushing attempt last week against STL. At the same price point, Badet is available who saw 9 targets last week with Landry Jones back. L’Damian Washington once again proved to be one of Ta’amu’s favorite targets and comes at $3 cheaper than Pierson-El.
TEs: With Landry Jones back, Parham saw a team-high 11 targets and that will definitely be continuing as he is a massive target for Jones to throw to. He is listed on the injury report so that’s something to watch out for. If he’s out, expect Nagel to get a bump in targets. Truesdell is one of the best tight ends in the league, however, with the QB situation what it is in TB, it’s hard to trust any pass-catchers in TB. Once again, Cornelius and Flowers will be sharing reps.
Value/Sleeper plays:
Jacques Patrick, $14: Patrick and Smith both looked great last week. I did think Smith was a better rusher, but given Patrick’s price, he can not be passed up.
Nick Truesdell, $13: He’s way better than any other option in the same price range. He has a knack for getting physical leading to yards after the catch. The only problem is who is going to get him the ball?
Matt McGloin + Mekale McKay, $15 and $14: Yeah, yeah, I know. He SUCKED last week (although he has yet to admit it.) But, he was also pretty damn decent in week 1. He’s a sneaky play that will give you leverage to pay up at other positions.
All TB WRs: They are priced relatively low and as a result of how TB has been playing, they’ll also be low owned. Good for GPPs, not for Cash. Recently added WR SJ Green has also been added to FanDuel’s player list but he’ll be a low owned, high-risk play just like Tre McBride last week.
Adonis Jennings + Levonte Whitfield, $13: They average 4 and 3.5 targets, respectively, a game through week 2 and Whitfield has 3 rushing attempts. They’re as cheap as they come and could hold value at their price.
Quinton Flowers, $12: By far, my absolute favorite sleeper play of the week. He is listed as a running back on FanDuel meaning you can sneak in 2 QBs into your lineup. Although Tampa Bay stated they would be giving the majority of snaps to Cornelius, anything can happen with Flowers on the field. At $12, you can bet I’m having him in a few of my GPP lineups.