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We get a primetime NFC South showdown slate as the New Orleans Saints travel to the sunshine state to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This game has an under/over of 50.5 with the Buccaneers being favored by 4.5 points.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Sunday Night Football slate on November 8th (Week 9). These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
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DFS Quarterbacks
This will be a battle of two future Hall of Famers and will be exciting as they are also fighting for the most passing touchdowns in NFL history. Drew Brees has slowly been coming back to form and with it being expected that he gets his top target in Thomas back into the fold, this could be a solid night for the Saints passing attack. Brees has thrown for two touchdowns in three out of his last four games played and has performed well despite missing some of his top targets for multiple weeks! The Bucs defense has been very stingy as they are allowing opposing teams to score just 19 points per game but opposing teams have found success in the passing game against them as they are allowing 255 passing yards per game. In order for the Saints to win this game, they will need Drew Brees to stay upright and be quick with his passes and decision making as this Bucs front seven will be itching to get after him.
Brady struggled in the first game of the season against the Saints as he threw two touchdowns and two interceptions and completed only 61% of his passes. He has drastically improved since and this Bucs offense seems to have found itself over the last three games. Brady will have a plethora of weapons for this game as Godwin is expected to be back and Brown could see a limited role this week. The Saints Defense has allowed opposing teams to average 257 passing yards per game while also allowing opposing offenses to score over 28 points per game and Brady has had over 40+ passing attempts in three of his last four games.
Analysis: This could be a game where it comes down to the quarterback play as both defenses are stout against the run game and are allowing opposing teams to throw for over 250+ yards per game. Both are cash game viable and are certainly tournament viable as well. Paying for both in one line might be tough but it could pay off. If you want to get risky, you can always choose to play Taysom Hill who does get several snaps per game at quarterback but you would need to bank on him getting a touchdown of some sorts to have the play pay off.
DFS Running Backs
The Saints offense runs through Alvin Kamara and it should be no different in this matchup. While Kamara has yet to top a 100-yard receiving game, he has been the top Saints receiving option, especially over the last three games played. He has seen 31 targets throughout that stretch and holds a 25% target share on the entire Saints offense. The Bucs defense has been extremely good against the run as they hold teams to just 70 yards on the ground. This if anything is bad news for Latavius Murray who is the bruising back for the Saints and who usually gets the between the tackle runs. In the first week of the season, Kamara was bottled up for just 16 rushing yards but excelled in the passing game as he racked up five catches on eight targets so we can expect a similar type of game from him where his success will be in the passing game.
Tampa Bay has been tough to understand and read in the running game, partly because Bruce Arians loves to put his backs in the doghouse the minute they make a mistake. Ronald Jones II felt the heat last week as he was yanked in the first quarter due to a fumble and didn't see any action until the third quarter. Jones has been more of the workhorse in the offense as he has held a 65% rush percentage throughout the season but ever since Fournette has returned from his ankle injury, he has actually taken 56% of the teams rushing attempts throughout that two-game span. In addition to out rushing Jones over the last two weeks, Fournette has seen 13 targets in the passing game which makes his upside even greater. The Saints have been great against the run as they are limiting opponents to just 90 yards on the ground so this seems to be another situation where the Bucs backs will find success from a receiving standpoint.
Analysis: Kamara is always a lock in all formats since his pass-catching upside is always so high. Fournette looks to be taking over the starting running back role and since the is involved in the passing game, he is another guy to consider in all formats. Jones and Murray will see snaps but their upside will be limited so they would be tournament fliers at best.
DFS Wide Receivers
This position is loaded on this showdown slate and with several stud receiving options returning, this could be the spot where you can differentiate in your tournament builds. The Saints look to be getting their top receiving option back in Michael Thomas. Thomas has dealt with an ankle injury for most of the season and then had a hamstring injury flare up as he was gearing up for a return. Thomas has been Brees's top target for several years so we can be sure that Brees will look his way early and often in this game. While Thomas was out, Emmanuel Sanders and Tre'Quan Smith were the main wide receiver options for Brees with Sanders being the more consistent target. Deonte Harris and Marquez Callaway also saw increased roles with Sanders being out as well due to Covid-19 but with Thomas being back, that will likely push them back down the depth chart as their snaps and targets will diminish.
On the other side of this game, Chris Godwin looks to possibly be back, and with the new acquisition of Antonio Brown, this trio could be the best receiving group in the league. When glancing at the games when Godwin and Evans have both been on the field together (four games), Godwin was by far been the more reliable fantasy target as he has seen 29 targets to Evans's 12. When Godwin was forced to miss time, Evans saw 34 targets over a four-game stretch. Evans tends to be more of a riskier play when Godwin is in the lineup since Brady looks his way and now with Antonio Brown in the mix, Mike Evans could be the odd man out. Brown will have a small role to start out but we can anticipate him getting several looks and see a handful of plays that make him viable in tournament lineups. Scotty Miller has done a great job filling in as a slot receiver but his role might also take a hit with Brown joining the mix as well.
Analysis: Thomas and Godwin are the safest receiving options in this game and could be used in all formats. Sanders and Brown are both viable but carry a little more risk while Evans and Smith are more of tournament plays based on their roles in the offense. Miller, Callaway, and Harris are all value punt options but you would need a big touchdown from them to have it pay off.
DFS Tight Ends
While there are plenty of receiving options on this showdown slate, the tight end position should not be forgotten about. Rob Gronkowski has really been a strong pass-catching option in this Bucs offense over the last four weeks as he has racked up 24 targets over that four-game stretch. Gronk got off to a slow start to the season but just like the rest of the Bucs offense, it took some time for them to find their offensive rhythm. With Godwin returning and Brown slowly being assimilated into the Bucs game plan, Gronk could get overlooked as he will operate underneath and down the middle of the field. Backing up Gronk is Cameron Brate who has always been known to vulture a touchdown or two in inopportune times so he could be worth a stab if you're mass multi entering lineups. This looks to be a good matchup for the Bucs tight ends as the Saints are allowing the third-most points to tight ends so this could be a nice place to look for your tournament lines.
For the Saints, Jared Cook has filled a nice void in this offense while they have had a revolving door at the receiver position this season. Now that Thomas is expected to be back for this game, Cook could see a drop in volume but still go overlooked. One thing that Cook does offer is touchdown upside as he has hauled in four touchdown receptions which rank second on the entire Saints offense. The Bucs do a solid job limiting tight ends as they are only allowing 11 DK points per game to this position but Cook could be a good tournament option, especially if you pair him with Brees.
Analysis: Gronk and Cook make for solid plays on this slate but are better for tournament lineups with all of the other receiving options on the slate. Brate is worth a stab in larger tournaments but shouldn't be a priority.
DFS Defense/Special Teams
This is a big-time showdown with both teams having strong offenses which means the defenses might not be in play. Both offenses are in the top 10 when it comes to scoring as they are both averaging over 28 points per game and both teams could be at full strength offensively on Sunday night so it is hard to imagine that rostering a defense will be a successful strategy, especially in cash games. Rostering a defense could be good in tournament lineups but it might not be optimal as this slate is loaded with offensive plays. Both Ryan Succop and Will Lutz make for solid value tournament plays as they have both been reliable kickers for their respective teams and are both carrying above an 85% field goal percentage on the year.
Analysis: It is best to fade the defenses in cash games but could be a way to differentiate in tournament lineups even though they are riskier plays. Both kickers could be in a solid spot given the back and forth pace of play and the fact that both teams can move the ball into their opponents' territory.
Good luck, RotoBallers, and remember to mix it up and don't be afraid to be different in these large field GPPs!
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