Will you wake up Sunday morning to find that Santa had dropped a bunch of presents under your tree? Or, were you naughty and paid a visit from Krampus instead? We have three games on Sunday to jingle your bells and give you a holly-jolly Christmas.
The Sunday Slate: recommended DFS lineups
DK Lineup: QB Aaron Rodgers ($5.9k), RB Aaron Jones ($7.5k), RB Latavius Murray ($5.6k), WR Tyreek Hill ($9k), WR Christian Watson ($6k), WR Russell Gage Jr. ($3.7k), TE Greg Dulcich ($3.9k), FLEX Rachaad White ($5.3k), DST Los Angeles Rams ($3k)
FD Lineup: QB Aaron Rodgers ($7.3k), RB Aaron Jones ($7.8k), RB Latavius Murray ($7.2k), WR Chris Godwin ($8k), WR Romeo Doubs ($5.5k), WR Russell Gage Jr. ($5.7k), TE Greg Dulcich ($5.7k), FLEX Jaylen Waddle ($7.8k), DST Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($4.8k)
FB Lineup (Includes Monday Night): QB Justin Herbert ($6.5k), RB Aaron Jones ($6.3k), RB Deon Jackson ($4.3k), WR Tyreek Hill ($7.4k), WR Michael Pittman Jr. ($5.3k), WR Russell Gage Jr. ($3.7k), TE Greg Dulcich ($3.4k), FLEX Austin Ekeler ($7.1k), FLEX Keenan Allen ($5.9k)
Quarterback
| Quarterbacks | DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa | $7,000 | $8,400 |
| Tom Brady | $6,100 | $7,500 |
| Aaron Rodgers | $5,900 | $7,300 |
| Russell Wilson | $5,500 | $7,000 |
| Baker Mayfield | $5,300 | $6,600 |
| Brett Rypien | $5,000 | $6,300 |
| Trace McSorley | $4,800 | $6,400 |
Weekly strategy – Just call this the Tua Tagovailoa and a bunch of question marks slate. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the only possible pivots.
Pay to Play
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins vs. GB ($7,000 DK, $8,400 FD) Green Bay is actually solid against the pass, but Tua is the only truly reliable offensive option on this slate. My biggest issue here is that he will have absurd ownership ratios. To avoid some of that, consider pivoting to Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. If you use Tua, stack him with Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle.
Stay Away
Baker Mayfield, Rams vs. DEN ($5,300 DK, $6,600 FD) Throwing out Week 1 versus Geno Smith and then a later matchup with Patrick Mahomes, the Broncos have allowed EIGHT passing TDs the rest of the season. The Mayfield resurrection in Los Angeles will be put on hold for at least one week.
Value Play
Aaron Rodgers, Packers @ MIA ($5,900 DK, $7,300 FD) If you decide to go against the masses and not play Tagovailoa, Rodgers makes a nice consolation prize. He finally has all of his weapons healthy. Plus, he has been very consistent by scoring multiple passing TDs in nine of 14 games. Meanwhile, over their last three games, Miami has allowed the second-most passing yards per game.
Running Back
| Running backs |
DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones | $7,500 | $7,800 |
| James Conner | $7,000 | $7,500 |
| Raheem Mostert | $5,900 | $7,400 |
| Leonard Fournette | $5,800 | $7,100 |
| AJ Dillon | $5,700 | $7,000 |
| Latavius Murray | $5,600 | $7,200 |
| Jeff Wilson Jr. | $5,400 | $6,000 |
| Rachaad White | $5,300 | $6,700 |
| Cam Akers | $5,200 | $6,300 |
| Kyren Williams | $4,700 | $5,500 |
| Marlon Mack | $4,600 | $5,700 |
| Keaontay Ingram | $4,500 | $4,900 |
| Salvon Ahmed | $4,000 | $5,300 |
Weekly strategy – When you select your RB1, make it easy on yourself and select Aaron Jones. Then build out your lineups with Latavius Murray or one of the Dolphins or Buccaneers.
Pay to Play
Aaron Jones, Packers @ MIA ($7,500 DK, $7,800 FD) AJ Dillon (concussion) vulturing a pair of scores Monday night doesn’t strengthen my argument for using Jones. What should strengthen my argument is that five of the last seven teams to face Miami have destroyed this defense on the ground.
Stay Away
James Conner, Cardinals vs. TB ($7,000 DK, $7,500 FD) Tampa Bay is elite against the run. Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about avoiding Conner in this spot. Even at his best, you are hoping for 60-70 total yards, and maybe he falls across the goal line for a score. Throw in the fact that Conner will face loaded fronts thanks to Trace McSorley being under center and this becomes an even more odorous play.
Value Play
Latavius Murray, Broncos @ LAR ($5,600 DK, $7,200 FD) Six of the last nine offenses to face the Rams have had an RB top 15 PPR points. This trend reached its apex last week when two different RBs reached this plateau. If Murray hits 15+, he should be right on target for 3x value on DK.
Wide Receiver
| Wide receivers |
DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|
| Tyreek Hill | $9,000 | $9,200 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | $7,500 | $8,400 |
| Jaylen Waddle | $7,200 | $7,800 |
| Chris Godwin | $6,900 | $8,000 |
| Mike Evans | $6,200 | $7,200 |
| Christian Watson | $6,000 | $7,700 |
| Jerry Jeudy | $5,900 | $7,300 |
| Allen Lazard | $5,500 | $6,400 |
| Marquise Brown | $5,400 | $6,800 |
| Courtland Sutton | $4,900 | $6,500 |
| Romeo Doubs | $4,700 | $5,500 |
| Randall Cobb | $4,200 | $5,300 |
| Van Jefferson | $4,100 | $6,600 |
| Julio Jones | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Kendall Hinton | $3,800 | $5,300 |
| Russell Gage Jr. | $3,700 | $5,700 |
| Tutu Atwell | $3,600 | $5,400 |
| Trent Sherfield | $3,200 | $5,100 |
| A.J. Green | $3,100 | $5,000 |
| Brandon Powell | $3,000 | $4,800 |
| Cedrick Wilson Jr. | $3,000 | $4,900 |
| Greg Dortch | $3,000 | $4,900 |
Weekly strategy – Take your pick of Dolphins at WR1. Then add either Chris Godwin or one of the Packers at WR2. For WR3, choose between Russell Gage Jr. or one of the Rams.
Pay to Play
Tyreek Hill, Dolphins vs. GB ($9,000 DK, $9,200 FD) Amon-Ra St. Brown is the only true alpha WR1 to face Green Bay this season that has not gone berserk against them. Hill should have little difficulty here as he has remained consistently studly no matter who was at QB for Miami. He has also faded the recent slump of Tua Tagovailoa. The price is obviously cheaper for Jaylen Waddle, but Hill is the safer play. That said, if you want to get cute, consider starting both of them and then running it back with one of the Packers at WR3.
Stay Away
DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals vs. TB ($7,500 DK, $8,400 FD) Since Week 8, 15 different WRs have reached double-digit PPR points against Tampa Bay. This should mean that Hopkins is a safe play. Unfortunately, Hopkins will get targeted by Trace McSorley instead of Kyler Murray. The matchup is strong enough to have some exposure. I just wish he was cheaper. As a bonus tip, avoid Mike Evans in this game as well because WR1s have struggled against Arizona all season.
Value Play
Russell Gage Jr., Buccaneers @ ARI ($3,700 DK, $5,700 FD) As strong as Arizona has been against WR1s, they have been equally mediocre against non-WR1s. This sets up nicely for Gage, who has scored three times in the last two games while playing more with Julio Jones (knee) injured. Gage also performed well earlier this year while Julio was out. So, monitor Julio’s practice schedule as the week progresses. If he is out again, Gage becomes a must-start at this discount price.
Tight End
| Tight ends |
DraftKings | FanDuel |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Higbee | $4,100 | $5,400 |
| Greg Dulcich | $3,900 | $5,700 |
| Robert Tonyan | $3,700 | $5,200 |
| Mike Gesicki | $3,400 | $4,700 |
| Trey McBride | $3,200 | $4,800 |
| Cade Otton | $3,000 | $4,900 |
| Cameron Brate | $2,900 | $4,500 |
| Marcedes Lewis | $2,800 | $4,200 |
| Josiah Deguara | $2,700 | $4,300 |
| Brycen Hopkins | $2,600 | $4,400 |
| Eric Tomlinson | $2,600 | $4,600 |
| Durham Smythe | $2,500 | $4,300 |
Weekly strategy – Greg Dulcich is the easy play. He also should have minimal ownership after last week’s bum steer. If you don’t use him, choose Robert Tonyan or one of the Buccaneers.
Pay to Play
Greg Dulcich, Broncos @ LAR ($3,900 DK, $5,700 FD) I love when a gimme play is sitting here, and the populace avoids it because the player blew a similar spot the week before. That is what we have here since Dulcich failed against the Cardinals last week. The Rams have held two consecutive (subpar) TE rooms in check, but over the six weeks prior to that they had given up an average of 6-81 to the position with five TDs. This slate is awful for the position, so take the victory here.
Stay Away
Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. DEN ($4,100 DK, $5,400 FD) Higbee scored Monday night, and he was the most targeted receiving option for Baker Mayfield. Unfortunately, this week, Higbee is facing a team that is much tougher against the position. Only Evan Engram and the Seahawks TE crew way back in Week 1 have posted quality lines against them. Even Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews posted below-average lines against them. With Dulcich sitting right there for less on DK, Higbee just makes little sense unless you are trying for variance. Even then, I’d rather punt down to one of the Buccaneers.
Value Play
Cade Otton, Buccaneers @ ARI ($3,000 DK, $4,900 FD) Speaking of which, Otton and Cameron Brate have split the TE receptions and yards all season for the Bucs. Their prices are similar, so I have no problem using either of them. Just know that aside from Week 15, Otton has been much more reliable. Against Arizona, don’t be surprised if they both score.
