RADIO
Week 11 is here and ready to make dreams come true. There aren't any games this week that have projected point totals of over 50 points. The closest we've got is the 49.5 total that the Detroit-Oakland game is offering. This doesn't mean that there isn't cheaper fun to be had though. There is still plenty of value calling far down on the player lists in DraftKings' player pool. We'll note the chalkier plays in the "other names" quick hit, but the full blurbs will be reserved for plays that require some context.
Week 11's Quarterback Cheap Plays
Mark Sanchez (QB, PHI): $5,000 - vs. TB
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Alex Smith (QB, SF): $5,000 - @SD
A lot of people are going to be on Charcandrick West this week (and rightfully so), but Smith is also facing the same terrible San Diego defense. Yes San Diego has the worst rushing defense according to FootballOutsiders' DVOA stat, but they also have the 27th overall pass defense. In a tournament setting, having a deep pivot against the biggest chalk play that has the upside of having his own great matchup, well that's a pretty good shot to take. Maybe you run him out there with Travis Kelce. Alea iacta est yo.
Other cheap plays: Ryan Fitzpatrick, $5,000 @ HOU, Tyrod Taylor, $5,200 @NE, Matthew Stafford, $5,400 vs. OAK.
Week 11's Running Back Cheap Plays
Ronnie Hillman (RB, DEN): $3,900 – @CHI
Hillman hasn't looked great recently, but he still has the most recent coach speak behind him, and seems to be the goal line guy moving forward. Take this with a matchup against the Bears and a new quarterback under center and I imagine the Broncos don't want Osweiler to take chances if he doesn't have to. Combine this with Denver's great defense against a Bears offense that looks like it might be missing Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, and this profiles pretty well for the running game.
Darren Sproles (RB, PHI): $3,400 – vs. TB.
Ryan Mathews has been ruled out against the Buccaneers, and while this may push a lot of people to DeMarco Murray (or the Eagles passing game, as we're touching on), don't forget about Darren Sproles. In a PPR format like DraftKings, getting the passing down back for the up tempo Eagles who gets to run wheel routes and screen passes against Tampa's pass defense is solid, let alone that he could tack on a return touchdown for you. Remember in Week 3 against the Jets when DeMarco Murray was out? Darren Sproles logged a season high 33 snaps, rushing for 17 yards and a touchdown (albeit on 11 carries) and tacking on an 89 yard punt return for a touchdown.
Other cheap plays that should have higher ownership: Charcandrick West, $4,500 @SD (seriously, 50% owned is probable), Jonathan Stewart, $4,400 vs. WAS, Frank Gore, $4,700 @ATL.
Week 11's Wide Receiver Cheap Plays
Ted Ginn (WR, CAR): $3,500 - vs. WAS
Ted Ginn should be going against a terrible cornerback in Chris Culliver, ranking out at 97th out of 110 qualified cornerbacks in coverage. Ginn is already your prototypical tournament boom or bust play, and when he gets to line up against an awful cornerback, that's reason to take notice. Cam Newton has been throwing a pretty good ball lately, and if you want a cheaper version of DeSean Jackson on the other side of the field, here's your guy. Devin Funchess isn't a bad option either with Corey Brown being "very doubtful", in the words of Ron Rivera, though Funchess is actually more expensive ($3,600).
Brian Quick (WR, STL): $3,000 – @BAL
This is a real longshot, but the Ravens secondary is one that we will target all year long. The Rams have made a quarterback change, going to a guy who can sling it a bit more with Case Keenum under center. The Rams will still probably look to go through Todd Gurley, and Tavon Austin is their most electric receiving weapon, but this might be the week where Brian Quick makes value with a different quarterback. Quick actually had seven targets last week, even though only one was caught (thanks to Foles missing many of the throws).
Dontrelle Inman (WR, SD): $3,000 - vs. KC
The Chargers are so beaten up. They have no hope at running the ball effectively, let alone against a good Kansas City front. The Chiefs secondary is another story though, regardless of them playing well last week against a ghost of who Peyton Manning used to be, the Chiefs' coverage unit still is their exploitable piece. Combine that with Philip Rivers' own skill level and the Chargers' need to throws, and you've got something. Many people will be on the usual names like Stevie Johnson, Antonio Gates, and Danny Woodhead. Stevie Johnson got 70 snaps in Week 9, and Inman had 69. Gates is also still not 100%. Inman is a pretty decent cheap play with upside.
Other cheap plays that should have higher ownership: Stevie Johnson, $3,900 vs. KC, Danny Amendola, $4,000 vs. BUF, Marvin Jones, $4,300 @ARI, Nate Washington, $4,400 vs. NYJ.
Week 11's Tight End Cheap Plays
Zach Ertz (TE, PHI): $3,100 - vs. TB
Guess which Eagle player saw the most snaps in Week 10 out of the running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends? Yup, it was Ertz. The Eagles have been using him more and more lately, and we've gone over how the Buccaneers really struggle at coverage. Ertz can run just about every route in the book, and it seems as though he's earned the right to be more involved. The Eagles are even involving Brent Celek more into their gameplans, using more two tight end sets rather than trying to spread the field wide with all of their wide receivers and attack that way. Perhaps this is more of a matchup dependent thing, with Chip Kelly saying how Miami's linebackers and safeties were more exploitable, and that they lost their best cover linebacker, so that's why Ertz was deployed so much. Either way, Ertz is trending upwards and gets a chance to operate against Tampa's secondary that resembles room temperature butter.
Richard Rodgers (TE, GB): $3,100 - @MIN
Richard Rodgers is very touchdown dependent, but one of the perks of being in an Aaron Rodgers led Packer offense is that those red zone opportunities come by quite often, even when the Packers' offense is playing poorly. Couple this with a running game that hasn't really found itself yet (and is going against a stout Minnesota front), and Richard will have a good chance of making it three games in a row with a touchdown, even if the yardage isn't going to approach the 100 yard bonus. If you have a bunch of great plays and only about $3,000 left for tight end, this is a solid back end guy who could end up with 12-15 points and return that 4x-5x value while you shoot for the moon with your other slots.
Other cheap plays that should have higher ownership: Eric Ebron, $3,500 vs. OAK, Jacob Tamme, $3,600 vs. IND, Martellus Bennett, $4,200 vs. DEN.
Week 11's Defense Cheap Plays
Kansas City Chiefs, D/ST: $2,600 – @SD
The Chargers are definitely beaten up, there is zero doubting that. This is a divisional game and it's possible that the Chiefs build off of their great game against the Broncos with another stellar effort. Their pass rush should eat up the Chargers' offensive line, and it'll really come down to whether the Chiefs DBs can guard those quick routes that the Chargers are going to need to run. With all of the other options out there, KC might get passed over by most and leave them as a good tournament option.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, D/ST: $2,300 - @PHI
The only reasonable tournament dialogue here is to stick up for that cheap defense that totally fades all of the conventional thinking and momentum, even within this article. The Buccaneers defense is on the road against an offense that moves very quickly. The Bucs will need their run defense to stymie DeMarco Murray and eat up the offensive line, and all it will take is Mark Sanchez to make some mistakes for the pass defense to do alright enough to float the unit to the point where maybe Sanchez throws a pick six or takes one too many sacks, fumbles it, etc. You could do worse if you want to fade the Philly offense and take a cheap shot.
