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It feels like forever, but we finally have a big NFL slate to look forward to. Not only that, but many games look to be fantasy-friendly with high totals and close spreads. There are nine teams with an individual team total of more than 23 real-life points, giving us a plethora of options to stack in tournaments.
As of this writing, there isn’t a ton of value to chase, but we are days away from Friday's practice reports where the picture will start to clear up. There are so many injuries to monitor, and as players get ruled out, more and more value will open up. That will allow us to spend on the best cash plays (which will be indicated below), but at this point, we just don’t have that information. If value doesn’t open up, there’s still a path to a strong cash lineup that won’t require too many punts; the benefit of a large slate.
I’m super excited for Week 17, and my goal is to create a hierarchy of plays so you know who to prioritize when building your lineups! Remember that this article is written early in the week, so please make sure to check in with our Discord for any updates as practice reports come in throughout the week and a clearer picture starts to come into view. Also, check out all of our other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big!
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DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Quarterbacks
1. Jarrett Stidham (Denver Broncos - $4800)
He’s cheap, he’s starting, and he has a decent home matchup against a Chargers defense that has been hosed all year. We saw what Jarrett Stidham could do last year when he started the last couple of games for the Raiders and wasn’t awful. He put up 365 yards and three touchdowns in Week 16 last year against a tough 49ers defense. He also runs more than you’d think, rushing seven times in each of his two starts last year, averaging 42 rushing yards per game. That rushing floor, at his value price point, really puts him over the top as a cash option.
At just $4,800, he doesn’t need to do much to hit a 15 DraftKings point floor, and with Sean Payton calling the plays, he’s going to have one of the better offensive minds in the league directing him. He’s not as safe as most cash options, but sometimes we trade that safety for price so we can spend up at other positions and this is a week where we can do that with Stidham.
2. Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals - $6300)
3. Justin Fields (Chicago Bears - $7300)
Others in consideration: Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor, Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy
Sunday update: Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy are the chalk, but I want to save my money for other positions. I'm personally still rolling with Jarrett Stidham, but Tyrod Taylor and Derek Carr also work as value cash options. If I'm playing early-only cash games, I'm using Carr or Kyler.
DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Quarterbacks
1. Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers - $7000)
One bad week is not going to deter me from using the most efficient offense in the league in an amazing matchup. Brock Purdy has had a couple of stinkers this year, but they are few and far between. Aside from last week, he’s been particularly hot over the last month and a half. He’s had three or more touchdowns four times in his last eight games, scoring 23 or more DraftKings points six times in those eight games. He also happens to have the best weapons in the league, all of whom are viable stacking options for Purdy.
Meanwhile, the Commanders’ defense is one of the worst in the league. They’ve been awful against the pass all year, allowing multiple quarterbacks to have their best game of the season against them. Unlike prior weeks, there are enough strong options on this slate that the 49ers' ownership should be reasonable, even with them having the highest team total on the slate at 31.25 points.
Hahaha!! Brock Purdy still way up there in stats even after a disastrous game…hold on to your seats come playoffs ladys and gents!! He’s coming…💪🏽🎯🗣️ #FTTB pic.twitter.com/dZpYOZag87
— JRiv (@JRiv_49) December 27, 2023
2. Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens - $7700)
3. Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams - $6600)
Others in consideration: Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, C.J. Stroud, Derek Carr, Bryce Young
Sunday update: I'm warming up to Derek Carr doubles with Chris Olave and either Rashid Shaheed or Juwan Johnson and a Mike Evans bring-back. That leaves enough room for a Christian McCaffrey secondary stack (with Curtis Samuel) or exposure to Cooper Kupp or A.J. Brown secondary stacks (with cheap brink-backs). I'm also getting to a lot of Houston doubles with Nico Collins/Noah Brown and a bring-back of Okonkwo or Hopkins.
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DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Running Backs
1. Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers - $9600)
Why would you not want to use Christian McCaffrey in cash games? Is it his price? This week, that shouldn’t be as bit of an issue. There’s a value play available at quarterback, the midrange for wide receiver is strong, tight ends can always be found on the cheap, and you never have to pay up for a defense. There’s not much of an excuse to not lock CMC into your cash lineup given his ridiculously high floor. He’s scored a touchdown in all but two games this year, and his floor is over 20 DraftKings points (only scoring below that number three times).
The Commanders’ defense has fallen apart since the trade deadline, and it wasn’t all that great before that either. Washington has allowed more than 90 rushing yards in every game this year, and more than 100 yards in all but three games. Christian McCaffrey is the leading rusher in the NFL by a wide margin. This is a slam dunk game for him; pay up, eat the chalk, and worry about finding value elsewhere.
2. Zamir White (Lav Vegas Raiders - $5100)
3. D'Andre Swift (Philadelphia Eagles - $6500)
Others in consideration: Kyren Williams
Sunday update: There is no reason to go any deeper than the four running backs listed here. You're using CMC and White and the decision point is if you want to use a third running back or if you want to do with four wide receivers. People may pivot to De'Von Achane with the news that Raheem Mostert won't play, but we have no idea how Miami will use him and that screams GPP to me rather than cash game. You should be fine with CMC, White, and Swift today.
DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Running Backs
1. Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers - $9600)
Yes, he will be chalky, but fade him at your own risk. I have more exposure to CMC than any other running back in tournaments. My goal is to get different elsewhere and not fade his 40 DraftKings points upside.
2. Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers - $6700)
3. D'Andre Swift (Philadelphia Eagles - $6500)
Others in consideration: Javonte Williams, Zamir White, De'Von Achane, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Travis Etienne
Sunday update: I'm not getting too cute here with CMC as a clear play regardless of game format. The one name I'm coming around to more and more frequently is Austin Ekeler. Does he have one more big game left in him? I'm willing to take shots on it at only $6,700.
DraftKings NFL DFS Cash Rankings - Wide Receivers
1. Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens - $5600)
As of this writing (Wednesday night), Zay Flowers is dealing with a bit of an injury, but if he plays this weekend, he’s wildly mispriced. Flowers has been a target machine this year with seven games of eight or more targets, three of which came in the last four weeks. Encouragingly, he has scored four of his five touchdowns this year over his last four games, so he’s starting to find his place in this offense.
Flowers has game-breaking ability, but he’s usually targeted close to the line of scrimmage, making his opportunities easily convertible. At just $5,600, he doesn’t need to have a ceiling game to hit value for a cash lineup. Baltimore has the fifth-highest team total on the slate, and their game with the Dolphins is one of the more likely shootouts on the slate; providing a potential for a ceiling game when all you need is a floor.
2. Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints - $6800)
3. Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs - $6900)
Others in consideration: Nico Collins, Demario Douglas, Diontae Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, D.J. Chark
Sunday update: Very little has changed for me regarding cash wide receivers other than pulling the highest-priced guys out of my pool. The mid-range is so hearty this weekend that we just don't need to spend up. You'll get your volume from Flowers, Olave, and Rice and you can easily afford them. Robinson and Chark are my preferred options if you wanted to spend all the way down. I don't think we need to try to get cute with Miami value exposure for cash.
DraftKings NFL DFS GPP Rankings - Wide Receivers
1. Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams - $7900)
With the number of strong teams on this slate, the Rams are likely going to be overlooked despite their strong matchup against the Giants. Los Angeles has to travel to New York for this game, but the oddsmakers still like them as they have the sixth-highest projected team total on the slate at 24.25 points. Even if people do end up using the Rams, they could look to fade Puka Nacua in favor of Cooper Kupp at only $200 more and a significantly cheaper Demarcus Robinson. Those two receivers are great plays, but as we saw last weekend it doesn’t mean that Nacua is going to just go silent in this offense.
He’s been consistent all year with seven or more targets in every game. While he’s had varying levels of success with those targets, he has shown a high ceiling with seven games of 20 or more DraftKings points. Stacking Nacua with Kupp will be very expensive, but you can pair him with Robinson for a reasonable price and still have room for a decent secondary stack.
Puka Nacua’s 17.6 Rookie PPG has only been topped by…
[ Ja’Marr Chase ]
[ Odell Beckham Jr ]and his 2.53 Rookie Yards per Team Pass Attempt has only been topped by…
[ [ Ja’Marr Chase ]
[ Justin Jefferson ]
[ Odell Beckham Jr ]i think Puka might just be REALLY damn good pic.twitter.com/LSE0pLmjY9
— DynastyIM (@dynasty_im) December 27, 2023
2. Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers- $7700)
3. Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs - $6900)
Others in consideration: Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, Brandon Aiyuk, Tyreek Hill, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, DK Metcalf, Jerry Jeudy, Greg Dortch, Rashid Shaheed, D.J. Chark
DraftKings NFL DFS Rankings - Tight Ends
1. Gerald Everett (Los Angeles Chargers - $3500)
If you have the $3,500 to spend, and you should, then Everett is a slam dunk for cash games this weekend. I don't know how I missed this on Wednesday's initial build, but he's a lock and load. He has eight targets in each of his last three games and the Chargers have nobody else to throw to at this point given their plethora of injuries. A young quarterback's best friend is their big-bodied, athletic tight end and that's exactly what Everett is for Easton Stick. He's a great bring-back for Denver stacks if you don't want to spend up for Austin Ekeler.
2. Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals - $5900)
3. Kylen Granson (Indianapolis Colts - $2800)
Others in consideration: Juwan Johnson, Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert
DraftKings NFL DFS Rankings - D/ST
1. Las Vegas Raiders - $3000
Antonio Pierce has been the Raiders' head coach since Week 9, a span of seven games. The Raiders have scored eight or more DraftKings points in all but one of those seven games, four times scoring more than 20 DraftKings points. They have done this on the strength of 13 turnovers and 24 sacks; both strong numbers for a seven-game sample. This week, they head to Indianapolis to face a plucky, but turnover-prone Colts offense. At just $2,900, they present a ton of value given their current level of play, making for a strong cash or GPP play.
How good was the Raiders’ defense vs Kansas City in Week 16?
Patrick Mahomes’ 34.2 passing grade in Week 16 ranked 38-of-38 — last in the entire NFL among all QBs to play a snap — this last week.
— Alex Monfreda (@AlexMonfreda) December 28, 2023
2. Denver Broncos - $2900
3. Houston Texans - $3000
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