Week 13 off the NFL Season has kicked off and there are four games in the books. We still do not have a full Sunday Slate and we won’t have one next week either because four teams have a bye in Week 14 (that is just crazy to have a bye that late in the season). We still have some good choice to choose from, so we should be able to build a decent Cash and Tournament lineup for Week 13. The Prime Time Showdown Slates are pretty weak with the Broncos vs. Commanders on Sunday Night Football and the Giants vs. Patriots in Monday Night Football.
Here are my picks for the NFL Week 13….
DRAFTKINGS NFL CASH CONTEST
QUARTERBACK: I have been using JACOBY BRISSETT a lot as my Cash Contest QB over the last month and I will go back to him in Week 13. I also do not mind paying up for Josh Allen or Justin Herbert on this slate. Brissett is the best pick for the price against the Buccaneers. He has averaged 23.4 DK Points over his last six games. That is a large sample size with positive results. He should have no problem scoring 20+ DK Points vs. the Buccaneers 30th ranked pass defense.
RUNNINGBACKS: I am going to have to take a break from Christian McCaffrey as my Cash Contest RB and pivot to DE’VON ACHANE. He has actually been just as good as CMC over the last month. Achane is averaging 26 DK Points over his last four games. His ability to catch passes out of the backfield raises his floor and makes Achane a good play for your Cash Contest lineup…. I thought about saving some salary and playing Ashton Jeanty or Breece Hall as my second RB, but I do not trust the Raiders or the Jets. I will play it safe and use TRAVIS ETIENNE JR. He is averaging 18 DK Points over his last four games. The Titans have given up the fourth-most DK Points to the RB Position, so Etienne should continue to roll in Week 13.
WIDE RECEIVERS: JAXSON SMITH-NJIGBA is almost a “free square” in Cash Contests. JSN has been the most consistent WR in the NFL this year. He is averaging 25.5 DK Points in his 11 games this year. I see no reason why JSN shouldn’t score at least 25 DK Points again Sunday…. MICHAEL WILSON has been on fire over the last two weeks. He scored 36.5 DK Points in Week 11 and 24.8 DK Points in Week 12. I am not worried about the possible return of Marvin Harrison Jr. Wilson should score well even if Harrison returns to the lineup… I will punt the last WR Position and take a chance with JOHN METCHIE III. I know I said I did not want to play Breece Hall because I do not trust the JETS Offense, but I wasn’t getting Hall for $3,800. Metchie has averaged 18 DK Points since he became a starter. I do not need him to do much at his cheap price tag in Week 13.
TIGHT END: The best punt play at the TE Position is GREG HELM. He isn’t going to go wild and score 20+ DK Points like Trey McBride, but he is only $2,600 and Helm has averaged 8 DK Points over his last four games. I need roughly 4X’s return on each players price, so that means Helm only needs to score 10 DK Points in order to be a good pick. I think he can do that vs. a Jaguars team that has given up the second-most points to the TE Position this year.
FLEX POSITION: The Steelers coaching staff is starting to realize the KENNETH GAINWELL is just as good as Jaylen Warren, if not better. Gainwell scored 29.5 DK Points two weeks ago and 18.2 DK Points last week. The Bills have the third-worst run defense this year and the worst since the beginning of November. The Steelers should run it a lot to keep Josh Allen on the sidelines. That means a lot of work and a lot of points for Gainwell Sunday.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: The Titans are not very good as a team, but the TITANS DEFENSE/ST is not too bad. They are averaging 10.3 DK Points over their last three games. The Jaguars’ Offense is ranks 20th in the NFL. The Titans should be able to return a good value at their cheap price Sunday.
DRAFTKINGS NFL TOURNAMENT CONTEST
TOURNAMENT STACK: The Raiders vs. Chargers game only has an Over/Under of 40 Points, but I think it could be higher scoring than that. I will stack JUSTIN HERBERT + LADD MCCONKLEY and run it back with TREY TUCKER. The Herbert + McConkey stack has been hit or miss this year but it has a good chance to explode Sunday. The Raiders Defense is allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to the slot WR this year. I trust McConkey to have a good game against the Raiders… The Raiders are 9.5 Point Underdogs. They will have to throw it a lot Sunday. The Chargers have a history of getting beat by the long pass. Tucker should catch some of those and score a lot of points for only $4,800.
RUNNINGBACKS: I will pay up at the RB Position and use two of the top players at the position this week. BIJAN ROBINSON should have a 20+ DK Point game vs. the JETS. New York is giving up the 12th-most DK Points to the RB Position and the 7th-most to receiving RBs. I just need Tyler Allgeier to stop stealing points from Robinson for this to work out well… DE’VON ACHANE is my top RB on the slate so I will have him in both lineups. The matchup vs. the Saints is just too good to pass up Sunday.
WIDE RECEIVERS: I played John Metchie III in my Cash Contest lineup. I have heard some people talking up Metchie this week, so I will pivot to JAYDEN HIGGINS in my Tournament Contest Lineup. C.J. Stroud should return Sunday and that means the Texans passing game should be a bit better this week. Higgins has scored at least 13 DK Points in three of his last five games. He should score well again Sunday vs. the Colts 28th-ranked Pass Defense.
TIGHT END: CODY PARKINSON has been one of the best value plays at the TE Position since Tyler Higbee left the Rams Offense. Parkinson has averaged 12.5 DK Points in his last three games. That is not too bad for $2,800.
RB + DEFENSE/ST STACK: The STEELERS DEFENSE/ST does not sound like a good play vs. the Bills Offense, but the numbers disagree. The Dolphins Defense/ST scored 13 DK Points vs. the Bills in Week 10. The Texans Defense/ST scored 15 DK Points vs. the Bills Last Week. The Steelers Defense/ST has averaged 13.5 DK Points over their last four games. They have a good chance to score 10+ DK Points Sunday… I played Kenneth Gainwell at the RB Position in my Cash Contest lineup. I will play the other RB from the Steelers for my Tournament Contest lineup. JAYLEN WARREN has a good chance to score well vs. the Bills horrible run defense.
DRAFTKINGS SNF SHOWDOWN PICKS
DRAFTKINGS MNF SHOWDOWN
Good luck this week!
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