RADIO
Austyn Varney highlights the top FanDuel NFL DFS lineup picks for Thursday Night Football for Week 8 of the 2019 season, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building TNF daily fantasy rosters.
Welcome to Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season. We kick this week off with a fun game in U.S. Bank Stadium between the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are huge home favorites, sitting at -17 with a 49 total. The biggest news is Adam Thielen being out. Its a double-revenge game for the quarterbacks on top of it all, so we'll have plenty to look at. This may be a blowout, but it should be a fun showdown slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks in FanDuel for Thursday Night Football on October 24, 2019 (Week 8). These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel.
If you have any questions you can follow me on Twitter @VarneyDFS and fire away. Now let's break this slate down and make some cash. Good luck RotoBallers!
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DFS Quarterbacks - Week 8 Picks
Kirk Cousins - MIN (FanDuel $15,000 / DraftKings $12,000)
Kirk Cousins has been on fire of late, throwing for 300 yards in three consecutive games with 10 total TD’s. He now gets a revenge game against a Washington Redskins Defense that stinks against the pass. They also don’t generate any pass rush, which is the only reason Cousins was struggling to start the season. I wouldn’t consider Cousins in the captain spot, but he’s one of the safest flex options and it’s a risk to fade him. The Redskins are just so bad and it’s hard to see him throwing for less than 250 yards and two scores.
Case Keenum - WAS (FanDuel $13,500 / DraftKings $8,000)
This is a double revenge game, as Keenum was released after the improbable win in the playoffs over the Saints. Keenum won’t have much success in this game, but he could have some garbage time opportunity. The Vikings aren’t great against the pass and Keenum has a solid weapon to pair him with in McLaurin. You can also take away any bench risk, as the coach has already stated he will remain the starter through the week 10 bye.
DFS Running Backs - Week 8 Picks
Dalvin Cook - MIN (FanDuel $15,500 / DraftKings $13,000)
The most popular captain on the slate will be Dalvin Cook and rightfully so. The Vikings are huge 17.5 point favorites and playing in front of the home crowd. The only concern here is the blowout, but it’s fair to expect 100 yards and a score or two before they sit him down for the night. In a game that won’t be very exciting, that’s more than enough out of your captain. The Redskins rank 23rd in football against the run and Cook is going to make that number a bit worse.
Alexander Mattison - MIN (FanDuel $8,000 / DraftKings $4,400)
I have more interest in Alexander Mattison than I do any of the Washington Redskins running backs. Mattison will get plenty of carries tonight and he’ll get 10+ if the game gets ugly. He’s already shown his talent and effectiveness with over four yards per carry. He can catch the ball as well, and will be implemented early with the assumption that this game is winnable. I love Mattison and am perfectly comfortable pairing him with Cook.
Wendell Smallwood - WAS (FanDuel $5,000 / DraftKings $1,800)
With Chris Thompson out and Adrian Peterson questionable, you have to have an interest in Wendell Smallwood. Even if Adrian Peterson plays, you can’t expect him to play much in what should be a blowout. Smallwood can catch passes out of the backfield and we know the Redskins have every intention of running the ball. Smallwood is a great salary saver in a game without many of them.
DFS Wide Receivers - Week 8 Picks
Stefon Diggs - MIN (FanDuel $14,0000 / DraftKings $11,000)
With Adam Thielen out, Stefan Diggs should easily see double-digit targets. The Vikings have other weapons, but Diggs is far and away the number one and it’s fair to expect 40 passes from Cousins in this game. Diggs is my second favorite captain after Cook and while he will be popular, I think more will have Cousins and Cook as captain. Diggs could easily catch two touchdowns and be the must-own to cash captain.
Terry McLaurin - WAS (FanDuel $12,000 / DraftKings $9,200)
If I’m going to roster one Washington Redskins player, it’s Terry McLaurin. F1 has been one of the more impressive rookies in football and has single-handedly given this Redmond fan base something to hold onto. Tonight, he’ll face off with what was once a tough match-up in Xavier Rhodes. Rhodes allowed an astounding four touchdowns last week and has been bad all season long. The Redskins should be throwing all second half and I’d think McLaurin will see 8-10 targets. If he finds the end zone, you’re looking at 20+ fantasy points and he won’t be over 40% owned.
Olabisi Johnson - MIN (FanDuel $10,000 / DraftKings $6,200)
Olabisi Johnson is a talented receiver and we’ve seen him turn 17 targets into 13 catches for 134 yards and a score on the season. With Adam Thielen out for this game, I’m expecting Johnson to see 6-8 targets as a floor. He found the end zone last week and saw three targets in the red zone. Olabisi Johnson is a great play in all formats on this showdown slate.
DFS Tight Ends - Week 8 Picks
Irv Smith Jr. - MIN (FanDuel $7,500 / DraftKings $4,800)
Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. are on the field together a lot. The Vikings will be running a ton of 12 personnel, meaning two tight-ends and two receivers split out wide. Both of these guys saw six targets a week ago and I don’t think there’s a right answer. Smith Jr. May have not upside as he has the speed to break a long touchdown on any given play. With that said, Rudolph has seen five more red-zone targets than Smith on the season. I don’t think there is a wrong answer here, but I’d lean Smith Jr.
Jeremy Sprinkle - WAS (FanDuel $6,000 / DraftKings $3,400)
Vernon Davis is out once again for the Redskins, so it’ll be Jeremy Sprinkle getting the start again. He’s caught both of his targets last week, but didn’t do anything noteworthy. All it takes is a short bootleg touchdown for a guy like this to destroy value and it’s not crazy to bet on. Sprinkle is an athletic TE and is only limited by his QB and game plan. If Keenum targets him, he is a talented pass catcher with the ball in his hands. I don’t hate Sprinkle if you don’t like the Smallwood call at running back.
