The bargain basement DFS plays are back for Week 17. Everyone knows to start Aaron Rodgers and Julio Jones most weeks. What can bring home the money in DFS is finding players who will produce at a lower salary but might not be on many lineup cards.
Here’s a look at some players in Week 17 who have low salaries but are worth considering for your rosters:
Quarterbacks
Landry Jones, Steelers
DraftKings: $5,000
FanDuel: $6,000
Jones will start in place of Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday. He didn’t play great in his one other start this season but that was against the Patriots. This week’s matchup is much more favorable.
Jones will face a Browns defense that allows the most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Cleveland’s defense gives up 259.7 yards and 2.2 touchdowns per game to opposing quarterbacks.
The Steelers will also be without Antonio Brown but the team will want to give Jones work in case they need him in the playoffs. The Browns pass defense has been shredded by virtually every quarterback its faced this year. Jones should put up solid fantasy numbers even in a meaningless game.
Running Backs
Darren Sproles, Eagles
DraftKings: $4,000
FanDuel: $5,500
Ryan Mathews won’t play Sunday with a herniated disc in his neck. The only two healthy running backs on the Eagles roster are Sproles and Byron Marshall.
Marshall is expected to see more work this week but Sproles is the Eagles back to own against the Cowboys. Sproles has scored at least 10 DraftKings points in seven of his last eight games. The last time he faced the Cowboys back in Week 8, Sproles put up 15.3 DK points.
The Cowboys have the No. 1 rush defense in the NFL and give up the second fewest fantasy points to running backs. However, with Dallas sitting a lot of starters this week in a meaningless game, Sproles will have the opportunity to rack up plenty of points and see at least 15 touches.
Wide Receivers
J.J. Nelson, Cardinals
DraftKings: $4,600
FanDuel: $5,300
How hot is Nelson right now? He’s scored in four straight games. Against the stingy Seahawks secondary last week, Nelson was the only Cardinals receiver to make a fantasy impact. He caught three passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Nelson should stay hot against a Rams defense that allows the sixth most fantasy points to wide receivers. The Rams give up 15 receptions, 170 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game on 23.3 targets.
Nelson has scored double-digit DK points in four straight games. He’s been targeted 18 times in his last two games. At a modest salary of just $4,600 on DraftKings, ride the hot hand with Nelson this week
Cameron Meredith, Bears
DraftKings: $5,200
FanDuel: $5,800
Meredith caught 9-of-12 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown last week against the Redskins. It’s his second straight 100-yard game. He’s been targeted 25 times with 18 receptions over that span.
Meredith has put up at least 67 yards receiving in four straight games. Meredith draws the Vikings this week. That used to be a nightmare matchup for receivers before Minnesota’s players started calling their own defensive plays in the huddle.
Minnesota’s defense gives the fourth fewest fantasy points to wide receivers but the Vikings have allowed 72 points in their last two games. This is no longer a defense to avoid. Matt Barkley is feeding Meredith the ball. Don’t shy away for him in Week 17 even with the tough matchup on paper.
Tight Ends
Charles Clay, Bills
DraftKings: $3,500
FanDuel: $5,600
Clay is the hottest tight end in the NFL right now. Over his last three games, Clay has caught 18 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns on 23 targets. Clay only has 54 receptions, 532 yards and four touchdowns for the entire season.
This week Clay faces a Jets defense that’s tough against the run but that can be exploited through the air. New York is particularly weak against tight ends. The Jets allow the sixth most fantasy points to tight ends. Seven different tight ends have caught at least four passes in a game versus the Jets this season.
Clay is rolling right now and even with E.J. Manuel at quarterback, he’s a strong DFS play against a Jets defense that bleeds points to tight ends. He’s well worth his $3,500 salary on DraftKings.
Defense
Washington Redskins
DraftKings: $2,900
FanDuel: $4,600
Last week versus the Bears, the Redskins defense picked off Matt Barkley five times. The Giants starters will play on Sunday but many high-level stars like Eli Manning and Odell Beckham, Jr will eventually be taken out with New York locked-in to the fifth playoff seed the following week.
The oddsmakers don’t expect the Giants starters to play the entire game. The Redskins are a seven-point favorite Sunday. The Giants backup quarterback is Josh Johnson. He hasn’t thrown a regular season pass since 2011. Assuming Johnson plays, it will another good week for Washington’s defense.
