The NFL heads into Week 14 and that means the race for the playoffs in both the NFL and in your Fantasy Football leagues is heating up. It is crazy that four teams will have their bye in Week 14. The San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers and New York Giants have a week to rest. This eliminates some of the top players from this slate (Drake Maye, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle to name a few). We will finally get a full slate of 13 games next Sunday, but we will have to be creative to make some winning lineups on the 11 game slate this weekend.
Here are my picks for the NFL Week 14….
DRAFTKINGS NFL CASH CONTEST
QUARTERBACK: I have been playing JACOBY BRISSETT as my Cash Contest QB for a month now and so far he has not let me down. Brissett is averaging 23.4 DK Points over his last seven games. That is a large sample size, with a lot of positive results. The match-up vs. the Rams is not ideal, but the Cardinals do not have a running game so they will likely ask Brissett to throw it 45+ times Sunday. He scored 21.4 DK points vs. the tough Seahawks Defense. Brissett should score 20+ DK Points vs. the Rams Sunday.
RUNNINGBACKS: There are some RBs with some great matchups on this slate, so I will spend most of my salary at the RB Position. I will start with DE’VON ACHANE. The Dolphins pretty much said, “Screw it. Achane is our best player and we are going to build our entire offense around him.” Achane has averaged 30.1 DK Points over the last three weeks. I see no reason why he shouldn’t continue to roll Sunday vs. the Jets… My second RB will be JAMES COOK III. He has been nearly as good as Achane over his last three games. Cook is averaging 23 DK Points over his last three games. Now he gets to face the Bengals dead last run defense. I would not be surprised if Cook is the highest scoring RB on the slate Sunday.
WIDE RECEIVERS: I am going to save some salary at the WR Position in Week 14 and take a chance with the three best value picks on the slate. JACOBY MEYERS has become the No. 1 WR for the Jaguars. They traded for Meyers because the Jags needed someone who can catch the ball. Meyers is averaging 16 DK Points over his last three games. He should be busy again Sunday in an important game vs. the Colts… Green Bay is another team who has an important game. The Packers need to beat the Bears if they want to win the NFC North. CHRISTIAN WATSON has become to top WR for the Packers. His matchup vs. the Bears 26th-ranked pass defense is too good to pass up. Watson is a good value pick for only $5,200 Sunday… I played ADONAI MITCHELL last week and he rewarded me with 27.2 DK Points for $3,600. His price increased $1K, but Mitchell still has a lot of value. He has become the No. 1 WR for the Jets with Garrett Wilson out of the lineup. Mitchell had 7 targets in Week 12 and 12 targets last week. He should get another 10 targets Sunday and easily return value on his $4,600 price tag.
TIGHT END: I used GREG HELM as my Cash Contest TE last week and he scored 8.3 DK Points for only $2,600 (3X’s value). He could have scored 15 DK Points but Helm was ruled just out of the end-zone on one of his catches. The matchup vs. the Browns is tough, but Helm is a big target who should get 5-6 catches Sunday. Helm is still cheap enough to be a good pick for all lineups vs. the Browns.
FLEX POSITION: The Bengals vs. Bills game is being promoted as a matchup between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Do not be surprised if the two RBs steal the show Sunday. James Cook III and CHASE BROWN have been on fire over the last month. Both teams will want to control the ball and keep the opposing QB off the field. Brown is averaging 20 DK Points over his last five games. He should score another 20+ DK Points Sunday and be a great pick for any of your lineups.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: I doubt that the STEELERS DEFENSE/ST will be used much this week because people will be scared of the Raven’s Offense. Lamar Jackson hasn’t been the threat to run this year that he has been in previous seasons. The Steelers Defense/ST scored 16 DK Points vs. the Patriots, 18 DK Points vs. the Colts, 21 DK Points vs. the Bengals, 10 DK Points vs. the Bears and 5 DK Points last week vs. the Bills. The Steelers Defense/ST has had no problem scoring DK Points vs. some of the best teams in the league. They should score well Sunday vs. the Ravens.
DRAFTKINGS NFL TOURNAMENT CONTEST
TOURNAMENT STACK: The Bengals vs. Bills game is going to be the most popular stack on the slate, so I like this lineup for Single-Entry Tournament Contests. I played the RBs from this game in my Cash Contest Lineup. I will focus on the passing games in my Tournament Contest lineup. This game has an Over/Under of 52.5 Points. Someone is going off in this game. I will play JOSH ALLEN alone from the Bills and bring it back with CHASE BROWN + JA’MARR CHASE on the Bengals side of the ball. Allen is one of those rare QBs who do not need to be played in a stack. Allen is at his best when he is running in TDs and scoring 6 DK Points, instead of the 4 DK Points for a passing TD. I expect Allen to turn into Superman and try to beat the Bengals on his own Sunday…. I think we all know how good Ja’Marr Chase is. I do not need to spend to much time writing about him.
RUNNINGBACKS: We have been waiting for it all season and we finally got the R.J. HARVEY break out game last week. Harvey scored two TDs and 21.2 DK Points. The Commanders played one of their best games vs. the Broncos last week. Harvey should find a lot more running room this week vs. the Raiders. I expect Harvey to have another solid week and easily return value in his $5,700 price tag.
WIDE RECEIVERS: There is a lot on the line in the Bears vs. Packers game. Rome Odunze is out for the Bears so I will take a chance with D.J. MOORE. He is still a talented WR, but he had to compete with too many players for catches. Moore should have a good game with Odunze out of the way… DEVAUGHN VELE is my punt play at the WR Position. I have had some success with my punt plays this year and this one should hit too. The Saints will likely have to air it out to keep up with the Buccaneers. Vele scored 23.3 DK Points last week. Can he do it again? For $3,700, I am willing to find out.
TIGHT END: I have been using COLBY PARKINSON as a punt play at the TE Position ever since Tyler Higbee left the Rams lineup with an injury. So far, Parkinson has returned value every time. He is averaging 11 DK Points ever since he became the starting TE. The Cardinals give up the 9th-most DK Points to the TE Position. Parkinson has a good chance to score over 10 DK points again Sunday.
RB + DEFENSE/ST STACK: I will stack QUINSHON JUDKINS + BROWNS DEFENSE/ST this week vs. the Titans. This may be the best RB + Defense/ST Stack of the year. The Browns run the ball at the highest rate in the league. The Titans are going to get a high dose of Judkins Sunday. The Titans also have allowed the most sacks in the NFL. Now they have to face Myles Garrett. I would be surprised if Garrett gets four sacks Sunday and breaks the NFL record for most sacks in a season. This stack is just too good to pass up in Week 14.
DRAFTKINGS SNF SHOWDOWN PICKS
DRAFTKINGS MNF SHOWDOWN
* There are many injuries in this game that will determine which team should win this game. Be sure to check back Monday to see my updated picks for the Monday Night Football game (If the players I have in the lineup are unable to play.
Good luck this week!
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