We will write this in every column, this week, but the final set of games for the 2018 regular season is a completely wild scene. Thankfully, we have the largest slate of the year ahead of us, as it is the first-and-only time fifteen games are played on Sunday afternoon. From there, we can find enough value among the uncertainty.
Sporfolio’s NFL Daily Fantasy Sports game-by-game analysis columns are driven by expected game flow. Based on a combination of our Week 17 NFL picks against the spread and our expectations for a given game, we project the actions necessary to make these picks come to fruition. We aim to pinpoint players integral to our predicted game flow for each game of the week.
Luke May is our resident NFL DFS expert, and Mario Mergola operates Sporfolio as our expert for NFL Picks Against the Spread.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Luke’s DFS Take: The Lions used to possess an offense that was considered high-scoring and exciting. Those days have come and gone as the offense that remains has struggled mightily. Since Week 7, the Lions have scored more than 22 points zero times. Part of that has been due to their tough schedule against many good defenses, but that is still impressively bad to go nine straight games without eclipsing 22 points. The matchup this week is nice for them, and the game script may work in favor of them producing as well, but I’m not sure I can buy in whatsoever. It is one thing to buy low on a player or team that has been underachieving, but after nince straight weeks of underachieving, maybe they just simply are not good anymore. The Packers, on the other hand, have been trending up recently, and while it has no impact on the playoffs, they would love to end the season on a high note. Jamaal Williams showed well in his starting role and should be a fine play again, but this week is all about Davante Adams – assuming he is able to play at or near 100 percent health. Adams has been incredible all season long, but he is on the verge of some serious Packers history. He stands two catches shy of the single-season Packers record, 133 yards shy of the Packers single-season record, and should he accomplish those and score two touchdowns, he would become the first receiver in Packers history to compile 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. To do all of this, he would have to have an amazing game, but it would not be that far-fetched. In Week 5, he had 10 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown against this same Lions team. The Packers are aware of these numbers, and with Aaron Rodgers playing well, and nothing left to play for besides pride and stats, I can easily see Rodgers and Adams trying to connect all game long to make some history in a disappointing season.
Mario’s DFS Take: If we learned anything in an otherwise meaningless game, last week, it is that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to finish this season in-style. The superstar went absolutely nuts against the Jets, and it was clearly contagious for a team that has been nothing short of a disappointment. We can expect the same effort and production from Rodgers in the finale and, of course, use wide receiver Davante Adams with him. I normally don’t love any running back from Green Bay because of how split the backfield is, but Jamaal Williams was the only player besides Rodgers who recorded a carry in last week’s game. He is currently in concussion protocol but, assuming he is cleared to play, Williams is a decent option on Sunday.