RADIO
We are officially entering the second half of the 2023 NFL season and there are three notable teams (the Kansas City Chiefs, the Miami Dolphins, and the Philadelphia Eagles) all on a bye week in Week 10. The primetime games leave a lot to be desired this week, so we're left with an interesting 10-game main slate to discuss for Sunday.
In this weekly article, we'll be taking a look at stacks and bring-back options that are ideal plays in GPPs (guaranteed prize pools) on DraftKings and FanDuel. Salaries and scoring formats can differ on both sites, making some players much better options on one site compared to the other.
When looking at stacks and bring-back players each week, you have to take into account potential game scripts and correlation. Before the 10th week of the season, here are my favorite stacks and bring-back options in NFL DFS on DraftKings and FanDuel.
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans
- Joe Burrow ($6,800 DK, $8,200 FD)
- Ja'Marr Chase ($8,600 DK, $9,300 FD)
- Tee Higgins ($4,700 DK, $5,900 FD) or Tyler Boyd ($4,500 DK, $6,200 FD)
We are officially back to having a healthy, matchup-proof version of Joe Burrow back in our lives. Burrow has combined for 631 passing yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions in his first two games out of the bye week against the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers. The Houston Texans are 26th in pass defense DVOA and the Cincinnati Bengals are tied for the highest projected team total (27.5) on the main slate. Since Week 6, there isn't a team with a higher neutral pass rate than the Bengals.
Ja'Marr Chase is questionable with a back injury, so make sure to pay close attention to his status in Week 10. If Chase suits up, he leads the Bengals with a 31.4% target share and 39.4% of the team's air yards. Meanwhile, if Chase is ruled out, then Burrow will likely spread the ball around even more and the other pass catchers in Cincinnati's offense receive a massive boost. Chase was close to having a much better outing in Week 9 if it weren't for a rare dropped touchdown and an underthrown pass from Burrow.
Tee Higgins has bounced back following a dreadful start to the season, totaling 13 receptions and 179 yards on 15 targets in the last two weeks. Higgins would become the No. 1 option in the passing game if Chase is inactive. Tyler Boyd would also benefit out of the slot if Chase is limited or ruled out as he's now caught a touchdown in two of his last three outings. We also saw Burrow spread the ball to tight ends Irv Smith Jr., Drew Sample, and Tanner Hudson in Week 9, so they could be more involved if Chase isn't able to go.
Bring-back options:
- Nico Collins ($5,900 DK, $7,600 FD)
- Tank Dell ($5,700 DK, $6,800 FD) or Dalton Schultz ($3,900 DK, $5,700 FD)
What a historic performance it was for C.J. Stroud and the Texans in Week 9. The rookie quarterback tossed 470 yards and five touchdowns, with Nico Collins accounting for 54 yards and a score in the win. Collins has cooled off a bit following a blazing start to the season, but he is still seeing valuable targets over the middle of the field.
Tank Dell stood out in Week 9, hauling in six passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns on a season-high 11 targets as he leads the Texans in air yards per route run (3.23). Dalton Schultz has emerged as a reliable target for Stroud, commanding seven-plus targets in three of his last four games. The veteran tight end has also caught a touchdown in four of his last five appearances. If Robert Woods is inactive again, Noah Brown has registered nine catches, 210 yards, and a touchdown on 11 targets in the last two weeks.
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Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers
- Jared Goff ($6,400 DK, $8,000 FD)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown ($8,300 DK, $8,600 FD)
- Sam LaPorta ($5,700 DK, $6,500 FD) or Josh Reynolds ($3,800 DK, $6,100 FD)
The home/road splits for Jared Goff are certainly legitimate as the veteran signal-caller seemingly struggles in outdoor conditions. The good news for Goff and the Detroit Lions is that he'll be playing in a dome on Sunday despite being the visiting team. Even though the Los Angeles Chargers just shut down Zach Wilson and the New York Jets in Week 9, they are still allowing the most passing yards (313.5) and fantasy points per game (21.4) to quarterbacks. The Lions have the fourth-highest team total (25) on the main slate and the Chargers have been an improved team at stopping the run (3.7 yards per attempt).
Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to prove he's one of the most reliable wide receivers in the league. The talented wideout boasts a healthy 31.5% target share and he is sixth among all wide receivers in PPR points per game (19.99). The addition of Donovan Peoples-Jones at the trade deadline shouldn't affect St. Brown much, but it could make things murkier for Josh Reynolds and Jameson Williams.
Rookie Sam LaPorta has emerged as a true TE1 in fantasy as he's notched seven or more targets in four of his last six games. While the Lions could get David Montgomery back in Week 10, Laporta is tied with St. Brown for the most red-zone targets (7) on the team. After seeing five-plus targets in each of his first four games this season, Reynolds has three or fewer targets in three straight contests. Peoples-Jones will need time to get acclimated to the offense, so Reynolds is still worth a dart throw in multi-entry tournaments.
Bring-back options:
- Keenan Allen ($8,800 DK, $9,000 FD)
- Austin Ekeler ($8,400 DK, $9,000 FD), Quentin Johnston ($4,100 DK, $5,900 FD), or Gerald Everett ($3,900 DK, $5,000 FD)
With Mike Williams out for the season and Josh Palmer on injured reserve, Keenan Allen becomes even more of a focal point of the offense for the Chargers. The experienced pass catcher has at least nine targets in all but one game this season and he's fifth among all wideouts in PPR points per game (20.57). The Lions are giving up the second-fewest rushing yards per game (76.8), but Austin Ekeler has received six-plus targets in three of the last four games he's been active. Ekeler had an uncharacteristic three drops in Week 9 and he's always live to score at least one touchdown.
After facing a stingy Jets defense in Week 9, this week is a slightly more favorable matchup for rookie Quentin Johnston. Johnston will be needed down the stretch for the Chargers as the wide receiver room is becoming extremely thin due to injuries. Gerald Everett is also in a much better matchup and his usage should increase with Williams and Palmer sidelined. Everett's ability after the catch, and the fact he's caught a touchdown in two of his last three games, makes him a viable salary-relief tight end.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Commanders
- Geno Smith ($5,800 DK, $6,900 FD)
- DK Metcalf ($6,800 DK, $7,300 FD)
- Tyler Lockett ($6,100 DK, $6,800 FD) or Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($4,100 DK, $5,600 FD)
If there is any week where Geno Smith can show flashes of what we saw from him last year it is this week against the Washington Commanders. Smith has nine passing touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season, and we've only gotten one QB1 performance from him thus far. At the same time, the Commanders are 29th in pass defense DVOA and are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. With Chase Young and Montez Sweat no longer in Washington, Smith should have plenty of time to find his dynamic receivers.
As a result of Seattle's offense not performing as well as last season, DK Metcalf has just one 100-yard performance this season. Metcalf leads the Seahawks with 14 red-zone targets (he's only caught five of them), so there is positive regression headed his way soon. The Commanders have struggled in the secondary this season, allowing at least one pass catcher to have 98-plus receiving yards in seven of their nine games this season.
The Seahawks are spreading the ball around more, but Tyler Lockett has the slight edge over Metcalf with a team-best 23.4% target share. Lockett has eight or more targets in three of the last four weeks. In the first four weeks of the season, the Seahawks ran 11 personnel at only a 53 percent rate. But from Weeks 6 through 9, the Seahawks have deployed 11 personnel at a 65 percent rate. As a result of the increased three-receiver sets, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has five-plus targets in three of his last four games.
Bring-back options:
- Terry McLaurin ($5,800 DK, $6,800 FD)
- Jahan Dotson ($5,000 DK, $6,200 FD) or Logan Thomas ($3,800 DK, $5,300 FD)
Since Week 6, the Commanders have the second-highest neutral pass rate in the NFL. Taking that into account, Brian Robinson Jr. doesn't interest me much as a bring-back piece, especially since the Commanders are nearly touchdown underdogs on the road. Instead, I'll elect to focus on the pass catchers in Washington's offense. After garnering six or fewer targets in the first three weeks, Terry McLaurin has seven-plus targets in five of his last six games.
If Curtis Samuel is forced to miss another week of action, Jahan Dotson remains a viable option in DFS. Dotson has combined for 12 receptions, 177 yards, and two touchdowns on 18 targets in the last two weeks with Samuel injured. With the Commanders allowing Sam Howell to air the ball out often, Logan Thomas has six or more targets in four of the last five games. Thomas is also tied for the sixth-most red-zone targets (5) among all tight ends, which is where he's scored all three of his touchdowns this season.
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