Welcome in! What a ride it has been this year. Alas, we’ve made it to the final week of the NFL regular season. Don’t fret. We have one more opportunity to make a good chunk of change playing DFS cash games. Furthermore, we will get more opportunities once the playoffs get underway, albeit with fewer games and players to choose from. With that said, this slate is disgusting from a navigation standpoint. Make sure you know which teams have the motivation to play their starters and which teams could put some of their regular starters on a snap count. Before we get to the cash game plays for this week, let’s go over some guidelines.Â
The goal of the cash game article is to outline some of the safer plays while also providing options that will help you create optimal builds. The whole point of it all is to make some money. Sometimes we won’t, but the most important part is putting ourselves in the best position to do so. That goes without saying, but it can sometimes get overshadowed by the results on a week-to-week basis.
People only want to know how many points a guy scored, not necessarily the route they took to get there. DFS is not only a science but a math equation. Let’s dive in, put the pieces together, and try to solve it.
If you’ve been riding with me all season, you know the drill. There will be a lock emoji next to a few of my favorite options. All the players mentioned in the article are viable for Cash Games, but those with that lock emoji will be fixtures in my main lineup(s). Let’s get to it.
Quarterback
Taysom Hill ($6,200 DK, $7,700 FD)
I mention it almost every week; playing a quarterback with rushing ability in cash games provides the points floor you’re looking for. Hill has at least 11 carries in each of the games he’s started, and he’s averaging 63 rushing yards per game. The Atlanta Falcons have given up the third-most rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. If the Saints win and the San Francisco 49ers lose, the Saints clinch. Given that knowledge, I’m guessing Hill will have the green light to run for as many yards as needed today.
Tyler Huntley ($5,700 DK, $7,000 FD)
Huntley is another rushing quarterback. He’s rushed for at least 40 yards in every game where he’s played most of the quarterback snaps. He’s not as prolific of a passer or runner as Lamar Jackson is, but he’s a solid replacement and works well enough in John Harbaugh’s current offense. Aside from the come-from-behind victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 11, the Ravens have lost each game where Huntley played the majority of snaps under center. Nonetheless, the losses have been narrow defeats. The Steelers have yielded the ninth-most rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks this year. Over Huntley’s last three games, he’s averaged nearly 22 DK points per game. It sounds dirty, but I’m willing to spend down and use him as needed.
Running Back
Jonathan Taylor ($9,300 DK, $10,200 FD) – 🔒
Taylor was our Primetimesportstalk.com consensus fantasy MVP of the 2021-22 season (you can read more about that here). Taylor has undoubtedly been the MVP for the Colts this season. For them, the situation is simple this week: beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they clinch a playoff birth. That shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Well, this is still the NFL, and we’ve seen crazier things happen than the Jaguars beating the Colts. One thing is for sure. They’re going to feed their team MVP the rock and watch him attempt for a fifth straight 100-yard rushing game. Another potential motivation factor, Taylor is 266 yards shy of 2,000 for the season. It’s not likely, but it’s not out of the question. I’m locking him in.
James Conner ($6,300 DK, $7,000 FD) – 🔒
Conner was a limited participant in practice this week. However, with Chase Edmonds out with rib and toe issues, given the fact Conner was able to practice at some capacity, I’d expect him to play. The Arizona Cardinals would love to win this game against the Seattle Seahawks and for the San Francisco 49ers to defeat the Los Angeles Rams. If both things happen, the Cardinals will win the NFC West. They also still have an outside shot at the No. 2 seed. The Seahawks are pretty stout against the run, ranking eighth in run DVOA, but Conner’s usage compared to his price is the most appealing part. In five games from Week 9 through Week 14, Conner averaged over 20 touches per game. Additionally, he scored a combined eight touchdowns between rushing and receiving. If he’s playing, I’m using him.
Other Options: Devin Singletary, David Montgomery, Sony Michel, Elijah MitchellÂ
Wide Receiver
Christian Kirk ($6,000 DK, $6,200 FD) – 🔒
Kirk has a 24 percent target share in his last three games. Unsurprisingly, it’s the last three games where DeAndre Hopkins has been out of action. Kirk has at least nine targets in each of those three games. A.J. Green needs ten catches to make an extra $250,000 and 75 yards for another $250,000. He might be worth a GPP gamble or placing a prop bet on, but I’m going with the number one option in the offense for cash games. The Seahawks rank 27th in the league in pass defense DVOA, so it’s an excellent matchup for Kirk.
Allen Robinson ($4,000 DK, $5,500 FD)
Since I mentioned our top pick for fantasy MVP, I might as well say our consensus fantasy bust. Not only was A-Rob a fantasy bust this season, but he was for the Bears in real life as well. Between alligator-arming passes thrown his way and displaying an overall lack of effort, Robinson hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since Week 2. Wouldn’t it be fitting for him to produce as soon as nothing matters? Wouldn’t it be fitting for him to torture his season-long fantasy owners by having a good game now when their fantasy seasons are over?
Justin Fields is out for this game. Andy Dalton will get the start under center. Guess who threw Robinson his only touchdown pass? You guessed it, it was Dalton, and he targeted A-Rob six times last week. Playing indoors at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota, we could be in store for a higher scoring game. I’m preparing for A-Rob to reach the endzone in a meaningless game just to set fantasy football and Bears football Twitter into a complete frenzy once more.
Other Options: Cooper Kupp, D.J. Moore, A.J. Brown, Brandin Cooks, Cyril Grayson
Tight End
Cole Kmet ($3,400 DK, $4,900 FD)
How many Bears players can you fit into your lineup before you feel downright queasy? I don’t feel great about it, but Kmet’s price on DraftKings gives me no option but to use him. Last time against the Vikings, Kmet caught six passes for 71 yards and was targeted nine times. The Vikings haven’t been terrible against tight ends this year, but maybe the Bears found an area they can exploit and go back to the well. Putting two Bears in my lineup is less than ideal, but this is all about pricing and the ability to afford Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp.
Other Options: Zach Ertz, Rob Gronkowski, Kyle Pitts
Defense/Special Teams
Cleveland Browns ($2,600 DK, $4,500 FD)
The Cincinnati Bengals have already locked up a playoff spot. Given how much Joe Burrow means to the team, they’ve opted to rest him this week and start Brandon Allen in his place. It makes sense since Burrow hobbled off the field last week a little gingerly after the Kansas City Chiefs game. Also, the Browns have this guy by the name of Myles Garrett. You might’ve heard of him. He’s pretty good at getting to the quarterback, as is the rest of this Browns defense, which ranks 12th in sacks per game. Furthermore, the Bengals have allowed the second-most sacks this season and rank second-worst in adjusted sack rate. Allen could be in for a world of trouble.
Other Options: Detroit Lions ($2,400 DK, $3,200 FD), Pittsburgh Steelers ($3,000 DK, $3,500 FD)
Good luck on the final DFS slate of the regular season! Let’s make some cash.
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