Fantasy Football Daily Fantasy

Print

Week 8 DraftKings Cash-Game Picks

Top Plays for DraftKings Head-to-Head and 50/50 Contests

Here are the guys I’m considering for DraftKings Week 8 head-to-heads and 50/50s:

Quarterback

Jameis Winston, Browns ($5,200)

Winston has a good chance to lead all main-slate QBs in pass attempts. His Browns already rank fifth in neutral pass rate and sixth in pass rate over expected. Their Week 8 opponent, the Ravens, are the league’s biggest pass funnel, ranking first in pass rate over expected against.

AND the Browns are 8.5-point underdogs.

Baltimore has been beatable through the air all season, ranking 18th in pass defense DVOA and 29th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. The Ravens have coughed up 290+ passing yards and/or multiple passing TDs in five of seven games.

Also consider:

• Jordan Love, Packers ($7,100)

Running Backs

Joe Mixon, Texans ($7,700)

Mixon has averaged 22.7 carries and 3.0 targets in his three healthy games this season. He’s scored 29.8, 30.2, and 29.4 DraftKings points in those outings.

That 29.8-pointer came back in Week 1 against the Colts, who Mixon gets again this Sunday. Indianapolis has been respectable against the run this year, ranking 18th in DVOA and allowing 4.4 yards per carry to RBs. But they rank 32nd in pass rate over expected against and have faced the most RB carries.

The Texans don’t need to be convinced to lean on the run. Their 56.3% neutral run rate with Mixon back over the last two weeks ranks third league-wide.

Breece Hall, Jets ($7,300)

Hall has seen workhorse usage under interim HC Jeff Ulbrich over the last two weeks:

• 84% snap rate
• 76% route rate
• 30 carries (83% share)
• 15 targets (20% share)

Hall ranks second among RBs in expected PPR points per game and fifth in actual PPR points per game over that span.

He’s way too cheap for this new usage. The cherry on top is a prime Week 8 spot with the Jets 7-point favorites against the Patriots, who rank 28th in run defense DVOA and 26th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

De’Von Achane, Dolphins ($6,200)

Achane remained Miami’s clear lead back coming out of the bye last week, handling 15 carries and 3 targets on a 57% snap rate. He’s led the team in carries in all five of his healthy games this season.

The upside is back this weekend with QB Tua Tagovailoa’s return. Achane scored 23.0 and 29.5 DraftKings points in two games with Tua at the start of the season, drawing 7 targets in both contests.

The Dolphins are 4-point home favorites with a 25-point implied total on Sunday vs. the Cardinals.

Also consider:

• Kareem Hunt, Chiefs ($6,300)

Wide Receivers

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins ($7,000)

Hill is still priced as if it’s Tyler Huntley or Tim Boyle under center. But he’s getting Tua Tagovailoa back this week.

In case you forgot, Hill averaged 23.7 PPR points per game with Tua last year.

He gets a Cardinals team this weekend that ranks:

• 29th in pass defense DVOA
• 31st in Pro Football Focus coverage grade
• 19th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs

Tee Higgins, Bengals ($6,500)

Higgins has been one of the most reliable WRs in fantasy football since returning from his hamstring injury. He’s scored at least 12 DraftKings points in each of his last four games, averaging 18.6 over that span.

Higgins’ 39 targets over those last four contests lead Ja’Marr Chase by 9 and rank fifth among all WRs.

Sunday’s game vs. the Eagles has shootout potential. And Philadelphia ranks a middling 16th in pass defense DVOA.

Cedric Tillman, Browns ($3,300)

Tillman stepped into Amari Cooper’s starting spot last week, running a route on 82% of pass plays. He drew 12 targets – second on the team and a 23% share – catching eight for 81 yards. No WR tallied more expected PPR points last week.

Tillman is in a nice spot on Sunday with the Browns likely to throw a ton as 8.5-point underdogs to the pass-funnel Ravens. Baltimore ranks 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs and might be without starting CB Marlon Humphrey.

Tillman pops as the second-best dollars-per-point value at WR this week, behind only Tyreek Hill.

Also consider:

• Drake London, Falcons ($7,200)
• Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers ($3,700)

Tight Ends

Cade Otton, Buccaneers ($3,500)

No need to overthink this one.

Otton already ranks fourth among TEs in targets and fifth in catches. The absences of WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans this weekend leave behind 46% of Bucs targets.

As a bonus, the schematic matchup for Otton vs. Atlanta is strong. The Falcons rank fifth in zone-coverage usage this season. Otton’s target share jumps from 8% vs. man coverage to 20% vs. zone.

Defense/Special Teams

Chargers ($3,300)

The Chargers are averaging a respectable 8.0 DraftKings points per game – 7th among main-slate DSTs. They rank 8th in defensive DVOA, 7th in yards per game allowed, and 1st in points per game allowed.

The Chargers are 7-point home favorites this weekend vs. the Derek Carr-less Saints. New Orleans has coughed up 11 sacks and 5 turnovers without Carr over the last two games.

Also consider:

• Ravens ($3,400)
• Bears ($2,700)
• Falcons ($2,600)

Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks 1st among 133 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.