X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 4 DraftKings Deeper Sleeper Tournament Plays

We're back in the mines for Week 4 after an absolutely insane Week 3. Almost every stud and touted mid-range pick went off. I had friends texting me about how their safer cash game lineups would've won tournaments. The DraftKings Milly Maker winner had 301 points. Breathe.

I should say that if you haven't yet, go read Jason Bales' piece on here regarding DraftKings' best plays and some value guys.

I had a lot of reservations as Sunday unfolded about how to approach tournaments going forward. I started questioning if I was getting too cute with some of these picks. Did only listening to podcasts and reading expert articles leave me feeling like "so many" people were going to align with the sharps that I out-thought myself? Guys like Steve Smith were still under 3% owned. I went for a run, shook off the anomaly, and now we're back. Being process oriented, and not results oriented. That's how you keep your head on straight.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

Not to say you shouldn't reevaluate your process though. In the end, it was a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. It was eye opening for me, personally. Everyone loves cheaper lottery picks though, and they can mean a jackpot for you if you hit. It takes being lucky and hitting on those 1% chances to tip tourneys over the top. Let's look at this week having digested the lessons learned to date.

Note - The Jets/Dolphins game is excluded for me, as I try to align this with the Millionaire Maker and its start time (which is 1 PM EST).

 

Week 4 Quarterback Sleepers

Sam Bradford, QB, Eagles: $6,000 - @WAS

When will I ever learn? Well, when the heck will the Eagles learn how to be a cohesive unit? Oh, they play Washington this weekend? Okay. Weather concerns are real, and that's giving me some trepidation about the game in general, not for fear that the game is cancelled (you would have ample heads up), just that the gusts, rain, and general field conditions make for a sloppy game. The Redskins have a decent run defense though, they've graded out positively according to PFF so far with a +2.3 rating, whereas their pass coverage grade is -5.9 (which was with DeAngelo Hall healthy). Now Hall is out, and the Eagles clearly have an issue running the ball and blocking effectively. They should utilize short quick routes and tire out the Redskins outmatched secondary. Also, it's worth noting that weather concerns might push off a lot more people from these guys and allow you to capitalize if it hits.

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders: $5,300 - @CHI

Derek Carr may very well be more owned than this column should see, but I'm banking on people chasing the marquee names, especially after Aaron Rodgers' crazy Monday night and the tier of Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, and even Andy Dalton, drawing a lot of attention. There was a lot of hullabaloo regarding this year's crop of rookie receivers being held to an ungodly standard, but Amari Cooper has looked very strong so far. Mix in Michael Crabtree's "I'm not quite dead yet" resurgence as well as Seth Roberts coming on as a solid slot receiver, and baby, you've got a stew going. The Chicago Bears are ranked as the worst defense to date according to Football Outsiders, and though their system is still heavily integrating preseason numbers in order to operate off of a significant sample size, if you've seen them play at all you don't feel like you need much convincing. Carr's 2015 has seen him only turn the ball over once, as well as only taking one sack. He's looking the part, and he looks like a solid tournament play this week.

Other deep plays that might have higher ownership: Tyrod Taylor, $5,800 vs. NYG, Blake Bortles, $5,100 @IND.

 

Week 4 Running Back Sleepers

There's zero point in trying to spin Karlos Williams (RB, BUF - $3,400) as any sort of sleeper, he may very well be owned in 30-40% of Milly Maker lineups, but I'd feel bad not mentioning him as LeSean McCoy is out.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers: $4,900 – vs. CLE

One of these weeks Gordon is going to win people a lot of money. This week has a great chance of being that week. The only caveat I'll really throw out there is that their offensive line is beaten up with four linemen on the injury report. That said, the Cleveland Browns have been awful against the run for years now, they are rated by PFF as the worst run defense of 2015 (-18.9), they just got gashed by Latavius Murray, and the Chargers are playing at home and looking to finally play a game where they control the tempo. They've fallen behind early in every game so far, and should want to get Gordon going. Gordon isn't consistent enough to trust in cash games, but if you take a tourney chance on him and he connects for two touchdowns, you've got great value here.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars: $4,400 – @IND.

T.J. Yeldon is getting an incredible market share of Jacksonville's backfield work, and has a good chance at returning 4x value. Not to mention if Andrew Luck doesn't go for the Colts, I think Yeldon could provide amazing return in a game where the Jaguars won't have to abandon the run. I think I would look elsewhere if Luck plays, but Yeldon still might do well. The Colts have a decent run defense, but if Luck is out this game profiles a lot more like the Jags Week 2 tilt against the Dolphins rather than the Week 3 game against the Patriots. In Week 2 Yeldon was on the field for 85% of snaps, showing me that Jags OC Greg Olson wasn't blowing smoke when he said he wanted to run the ball a lot. Toby Gerhart is back, but he doesn't pose much of a threat and T.J. Yeldon should be a sneaky play in Week 4 if Luck sits and the Jags can control the game.

Other deep plays that might have higher ownership: Lance Dunbar, $3,600 @NO, Theo Riddick, $3,000 @SEA, Thomas Rawls vs. DET (if Marshawn Lynch news breaks that he is out/limited).

 

Week 4 Wide Receiver Sleepers

Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars: $3,900 - @IND

What is this? I've recommended multiple Raiders and all of these Jaguars?! What a time to be alive. Okay, so Allen Robinson should draw Vontae Davis, which leaves Hurns against a Colts secondary that ranks 22nd against #2 receivers according to Football Outsiders DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average). I've mentioned Bortles (and Yeldon), and if you're about that stacking life, Hurns is a prime candidate. Allen Hurns isn't exactly Eric Decker, but he's no slouch either. We saw what the #2 receiver could do against the Colts in a well managed game. Hurns actually has yet to post a DraftKings total this year that is under double digits. Surprising, but true. Marqise Lee looks as though he'll be sitting, he hasn't practiced at all this week. That said, do keep an eye on Hurns' status as he's been limited in practice with a thigh injury, but I think he plays. They'll need him with Lee banged up and Julius Thomas still not ready to return to action. Fire up Hurns in tournament lineups and hope for the Decker treatment.

Rueben Randle, WR, Giants: $4,500 – @BUF

Speaking of that DVOA stat, the Bills are 20th against #2 receivers versus being ranked 3rd best against #1 receivers. Now obviously I'm not saying Odell Beckham Jr. is a bad play, that guy is matchup-proof, but with Victor Cruz ailing again and the Giants being thin at wide receiver, Randle has to step up. The Bills also have a very strong rushing defense that gets to go against a subpar Giants stable of running backs. Rashad Jennings has done little to instill confidence in him and while Andre Williams has looked better, it's not enough to convince me they'll have success against Buffalo. The line is still banged up and NYG should attack through the air out of the shotgun formation. Saying should is a risky thing to bank on, but it's true. If the Giants want to win, they'll need Randle. Be there if he turns the opportunity into gold.

Other deep plays that might have higher ownership: Ted Ginn Jr., $3,400 @TB, Percy Harvin, $4,600 vs. NYG, Michael Crabtree, $4,600 @CHI.

 

Week 4 Tight End Sleepers

Plenty of people are going to try to work Greg Olsen and Martellus Bennett into their lineups with their plus matchups, but there are deeper options that could pay off handsomely.

Charles Clay, TE, Bills: $3,300 - vs. NYG

The New York football Giants have quite a few things they struggle with, but their linebackers in coverage are at the top of the list. Jon Beason coming back helps, but he is mostly in there for run defense. Young middle linebacker Uani' Unga is the guy who gave Jason Witten a five yard cushion in the end zone in the Week 1 collapse. The Falcons don't have any tight ends to speak of, but Jordan Reed posted a 6-96 line against the G-Men in Week 3. Charles Clay had a great catch and run last week, juking three defenders on his way to the end zone, showing that the knee is doing just fine and that his athleticism is underrated. The Giants do have a better than you'd expect run defense unit, and with Sammy Watkins out, Clay should see a decent amount of looks.

Eric Ebron, TE, Lions: $3,500 - @SEA

I know that they were without Kam Chancellor for the first bit of the season, so the horrid third worst DVOA rating against tight ends is skewed, but it's still noteworthy if you're looking for a contrarian type play below the Jordan Reed level. The Lions have yet to start firing on all cylinders as they continue to find a rushing identity (aka stop giing Joique Bell the ball) and Stafford leading the offense at less than 100%. Calvin Johnson and Richard Sherman should have an incredible battle, and if you buy into narratives this is a Golden Tate revenge game, but realistically the Lions are going to need Ebron if they want to win. It's not a pretty play, but he shouldn't be highly owned, and if you approach tournaments with that "if you're not first, you're last" mentality, he's a solid upside play. Brandon Pettigrew is still not participating in practice, which bodes well for Ebron's playing time. Fire him up if you want a realllll longshot flier.

Other deep plays that might have higher ownership: Coby Fleener, $3,200 vs. JAX (if Dwayne Allen is out/limited), Jason Witten, $4,400 @NO.

 

Week 4 Defense Sleepers

Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST: $2,700 - @WAS

They were here last week, and while the Jets mounted a late comeback, the defensive unit played well for most of the game on the road and Darren Sproles contributed a wonderful special teams touchdown for owners. The Redskins don't have the same weapons that the Jets do, and if the Eagles offense shows up and attacks the Redskins through the air (as I've said they should), the Redskins will have to abandon their strong running game early like they had to against the Giants. The Eagles' D/ST price didn't change, so I'm still going to advise that they're a solid play against Kirk Cousins here.

Oakland Raiders, D/ST: $2,600 – vs. CHI

Maybe you need that extra $100, and if so I'd suggest looking at Oakland. They get a home matchup against a broken Bears football club. Chicago's starting blindside tackle is out, Jay Cutler and Alshon Jeffery are going to be game time decisions, but definitely not 100%, and reports are coming out that they are open to selling off major pieces of their offense. You'd love to see Cutler and Jeffery both be out, but either way the Bears team is demoralized and on the heels of a humiliating defeat in Seattle. The Bears' defense is still in tatters and the Raiders offense seems to have really found something with their offensive pieces. The opportunities should be there for the Bears to either show their apathy or make dumb mistakes.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Austin Eckroat

Looking To Find Success Again At TPC Craig Ranch
Ben Kohles

Finishes Tied For 59 At Corales Puntacana Championship
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For Second At Corales Puntacana Championship
Beau Hossler

Finishes Tied For 60 At Valero Texas Open
Doug Ghim

Finishes Tied For 18 At the Valero Texas Open
Jordan Spieth

Finishes Tied For 18 At RBC Heritage
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut At Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For Eighth At RBC Heritage
George Kirby

"Feeling Great", Could Throw Again On Sunday
Tyler Fitzgerald

Returning To Starting Nine
Josh Lowe

Progressing Well, Could Play In Rehab Games On Saturday
Shane McClanahan

Begins "Throwing-Like" Activities
Patrik Laine

Remains Day-To-Day
Gabriel Vilardi

On Track To Return Wednesday
Brandon Hagel

Ruled Out For Game 5
Marcus Johansson

Returns To Action Tuesday
Cole Ragans

Won't Start On Wednesday
Dylan Moore

Placed On 10-Day Injured List With Hip Inflammation
Jonas Siegenthaler

Considered A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Brett Pesce

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Back In Tuesday's Lineup
Frederik Andersen

Unavailable Tuesday
Aaron Nesmith

Upgraded To Available
Las Vegas Raiders

Jack Bech A Strong Candidate To Be An Immediate Starter
Las Vegas Raiders

Zamir White Competing For Depth Role
New York Jets

Mason Taylor To Immediately Be Atop Jets Tight End Depth Chart
Bennedict Mathurin

Cleared For Game 5
Buffalo Bills

Dalton Kincaid Setting Up As Post-Hype Sleeper In 2025?
Denver Broncos

Dre Greenlaw Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Seattle Seahawks

Sam Darnold To Take Over 90% Of The Snaps
Tennessee Titans

Titans In No Rush To Trade Will Levis
Daulton Varsho

Reinstated From Injured List And Starting On Tuesday
Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy Says He Knows He's Ready To Start For Vikings
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Picking Up Fifth-Year Option On Dax Hill
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Apply Unrestricted Free-Agent Tender To J.K. Dobbins
Seattle Seahawks

Jaren Hall Cut Loose By Seahawks
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Compare Josh Simmons To Christian Darrisaw, Rashawn Slater
Denver Broncos

Pat Bryant Compared To Michael Thomas
Denver Broncos

RJ Harvey Could Do It All For Broncos
Carolina Panthers

Tetairoa McMillan Likely To Man The X Spot For Panthers
Green Bay Packers

Packers, Jaire Alexander Continue To Discuss Potential Reunion
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Discussed George Pickens With Steelers
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs To Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis
Washington Commanders

Matt Gays Signs One-Year Deal With Commanders
San Francisco 49ers

George Kittle Signs Four-Year Extension With 49ers
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Records Third Consecutive Double-Double
Brandin Podziemski

Hits Six Treys During 26-Point Performance
Jimmy Butler III

Leads Warriors In Scoring Monday Night
Jarrett Allen

Has Double-Double, Six Steals In Blowout Win
Brandon Boston Jr.

Recovering From Ankle Surgery
Kelly Olynyk

Undergoes Heel Procedure
Aaron Nesmith

Probable For Tuesday's Action
Nathan MacKinnon

Has Two Points In Losing Effort
Martin Necas

Records Two Assists In Game 5 Loss
Mikko Rantanen

Tallies Three Points In Monday's Win
Wyatt Johnston

Leads Stars To Game 5 Victory
Sergei Bobrovsky

Returns To Winning Ways
Anton Lundell

Earns Two Points Monday
Ryan Gerard

Going For A Texas Trifecta Of Sorts
Brandon Hagel

Departs Loss Early
Joe Highsmith

Hoping To Make More Putts In Texas
Eric Cole

Expecting Big Things In Texas
Brian Campbell

May Go Under The Radar At CJ Cup
Riley Greene

Homers Twice On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

Exits Monday's Win Early
Los Angeles Chargers

Tre Harris Expected To Fill X Role For Chargers
Jimmy Butler III

Officially Active For Game 4
Isaiah Stewart

Uncertain For Game 5
Michael Porter Jr.

Expected To Play In Game 5
Brandon Nimmo

Has Career Game
Russell Westbrook

Questionable For Tuesday Night
Tyler Glasnow

Going On The Injured List
Jaylen Brown

Back On The Injury Report
Jrue Holiday

Out Again On Tuesday Night
Bennedict Mathurin

Questionable For Game 5
Damian Lillard

May Not Play Next Season
Luis Arraez

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Johnathan Kovacevic

To Remain Out Tuesday
Brenden Dillon

Unavailable Tuesday
Luke Hughes

Not Ready To Return For Game 5
Darius Garland

Remains Out On Monday
Ross Colton

Remains Out On Monday
Oskar Bäck

Oskar Back Returns To Stars Lineup Monday
Miro Heiskanen

To Miss Game 5
Jordan Westburg

Placed On Injured List
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go For Game 4
William Byron

Ends With A Strong Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Bad Luck Continues With Talladega Crash
Kyle Larson

Has A Career-Best Performance At Talladega
Ian Machado Garry

Gets Back On Track With UFC Kansas City Win
Brad Keselowski

Talladega Run Ends Early After Crashing
Carlos Prates

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Zhang Mingyang

Still Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Smith

Retires After UFC Kansas City Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous Decision Loss
Giga Chikadze

Takes Unanimous-Decision Loss
David Onama

Extends Win Streak At UFC Kansas City
Michel Pereira

Drops Decision At UFC Kansas City
Abus Magomedov

Extends His Win Streak
Nicolas Dalby

Gets Finished For The First Time
Randy Brown

Gets Back In The Win Column
Ikram Aliskerov

Gets First-Round TKO Finish At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Gets TKO'd At UFC Kansas City
Chase Elliott

Recovers from Speeding Penalty to Finish Fifth
Joey Logano

Finishes Last at Talladega After Disqualification for Missing Spoiler Brace
Ryan Preece

Loses Talladega Race First in Photo Finish Then in Post-Race Inspection
NASCAR

Poor Toyota Strategy Arguably Cost Bubba Wallace Winning Chances at Talladega
Christopher Bell

Unhurt After Hard Contact with Inside Retaining Wall
Joe Ryan

Posts Stellar Outing
Jaylen Brown

Available For Game 4
Nick Lodolo

Throws Seven Scoreless Innings
Tyler Glasnow

Removed Early On Sunday
Darius Garland

Questionable For Game 4
Jaden Ivey

Making Progress
Tarik Skubal

Racks Up 11 Strikeouts
Luke Weaver

In Line To Get The Bulk Of Save Opportunities Moving Forward
Devin Williams

Removed From Closer Role
Chase Elliott

Is One OF The Top Overall DFS Picks Of The Week
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano Finish A Race With A Top Finish At Talladega?
NASCAR

DFS Players Should Like Bubba Wallace For Talladega This Week
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Players Roster Christopher Bell At Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering For Talladega DFS Lineups?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Is A Solid, Safe, DFS Choice For Talladega Lineups
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon A Viable DFS Play At Talladega This Week?
Josh Berry

Qualifies Too High At Talladega To Be Worth Rostering In DFS
Michael McDowell

Should DFS Players Take A Shot On Michael McDowell At Talladega?
Noah Gragson

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play For Talladega
Denny Hamlin

Probably Qualified Too Well for DFS Consideration
Kyle Larson

Increasingly Undervalued Due to His Crashing, but Still a Great DFS Option
Austin Hays

Smacks Two Homers On Saturday
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF