One of the main storylines we continue to hear about the early portion of the 2022 season is the lack of offense. As a whole, it appears as if we have seen some poor play on the football field, and some of that has extended to our DFS expectations. The good news is that some matchups lend themselves to an uptick in performance in Week 5, and we can hone in on them on an almost-full slate of games.
Sporfolio’s NFL Daily Fantasy Sports game-by-game analysis columns are driven by expected game flow. Based on a combination of our Week 5 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. We also include high-scoring and low-scoring matchups that can be used for either DFS plays or over-under picks in our DFS Overview column.
Please Note: Our ‘Must-Owns’ are either players around which we are building our entire roster or the top target we want, not considering salary restraints. Which means that some ‘must-owns’ will not make it into our final lineups.
Luke May is our resident NFL DFS expert, and Mario Mergola operates Sporfolio as our expert for NFL Picks Against the Spread.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Pittsburgh Steelers have made the move to Kenny Pickett, and while I can’t say Mitch Trubisky has been good, I am not expecting Pickett to suddenly solve all of their problems. Their entire offensive structure and game plan isn’t working, and while Pickett may have provided a “spark” last week, his haphazard play also created 3 second-half interceptions which played a key role in the Jets comeback victory. Now, Pickett and the Steelers have to go to Buffalo to play against an elite Bills team that is coming off back-to-back challenging weather games. The last two weeks have been a grind for Buffalo, and I expect them to take care of business easily this week against a team that is far overmatched.
Targets: Pat Freiermuth, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Bills Defense
Fades: Kenny Pickett
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Kenny Pickett will be making his first career start in the National Football League and be greeted by none other than the Buffalo Bills. That’s a tall task for anyone right now — Buffalo has allowed the fewest yards in the league — let alone a rookie who just threw three interceptions against the Jets. Pickett’s rushing ability does give him some upside — and the potential of throwing all game as the team likely trails helps boost his ceiling — but the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to try to win this game by limiting Buffalo’s offense. It may happen — so I wouldn’t go overboard with players from the Bills — but Buffalo is also returning home for the first time in three weeks and should finally be playing in nice weather.
Targets: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Bills defense, Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson — if healthy — Chase Claypool, George Pickens — especially if Johnson is out — and Pat Freiermuth
Fades: None, but I would only use one or two players from the Steelers if I go that route
Must-Owns: None
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Coming into this season, it was very easy to look at the defenses these teams had and pick them to be two of the top units in the league, but so far that has not come to fruition. The Chargers defense currently ranks 20th in yards allowed and 30th in points allowed, and they have been dominated on the ground allowing the second most yards per rush attempt in the league. The Browns defense has better numbers, but they do rank 20th in net yards allowed per pass attempt and 18th in yards per rush attempt. On top of that, they have allowed at least 17 points in every game while also allowing 23 or more in 3 out of 4 games. Considering their opponents have been the Panthers, Jets, Steelers, and Falcons, those numbers become even more concerning. This game has the potential to be a repeat of the back-and-forth high-scoring contest these teams played last season.
Targets: Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, Gerald Everett, Kareem Hunt, Amari Cooper, and David Njoku
Fades: Both Defenses
Must-Owns: Nick Chubb
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Los Angeles Chargers remain a fantasy football gem — and we saw how explosive someone like running back Austin Ekeler could be — but last week’s game marked only the first time it scored more than 24 points all season. The Cleveland Browns rank ninth-best in yards allowed defensively, and the setup is there for a slightly lower ceiling for Los Angeles. The reality is that Cleveland also burns so much clock running the ball — they lead the league in time-of-possession and are second in rushing yards and attempts — which is another path to keep the matchup from getting out-of-hand.
Targets: Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams — if Keenan Allen is out — and both defenses
Fades: Justin Herbert — for his high price tag in this particular matchup
Must-Owns: None
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The good news for the Bears is that Justin Fields finally had double digit completions last week. The bad news for the Bears is that he reached 11 completions and is still yet to surpass 175 passing yards in a game. The Bears have simply done nothing to inspire any amount of confidence in their offense outside of the occasional success running the ball. Given all that, it is easy to roll with the Vikings this week, but for some reason I can’t find myself feeling good about that. We have a Kirk Cousins led team that is always a candidate for a major letdown, and on top of that they are also traveling home after a London game which is sure to have some impact on them. It feels wrong, but I see the Bears winning this game. Even with that hunch, I won’t be buying into their offense much, but it also means I’ll be down on the VIkings offense compared to the rest of the fantasy football world.
Targets: Khalil Herbert — assuming David Montgomery is still out — Bears Defense, Dalvin Cook, and Vikings Defense
Fades: Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Did you know that the Minnesota Vikings have allowed the sixth-most yards in the league? Most people probably aren’t aware of that, which means that most people won’t realize that the Chicago Bears have a path to a nice day on offense. Then again, most people may not particularly care, but I do. I will lean on some players from Chicago as undervalued assets in my lineups, but I won’t ignore the Vikings, either. They have delivered at least 340 yards of total offense in three-of-their-four games this year.
Targets: Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Irv Smith, Jr., David Montgomery — if healthy — Khalil Herbert — and, if Montgomery is out, he might slide back into ‘must-play’ territory — and Darnell Mooney
Fades: Kirk Cousins
Must-Owns: Justin Fields
Detroit Lions at New England Patriots
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Detroit Lions are truly fascinating this season. I am not sure I have ever seen this before, but through four games, the Lions offense ranks first in the league in yards and points while their defense ranks last in the league in yards and points. They are a DFS player’s dream come true because every week we have been able to stack their games confidently. I don’t see that trend changing in peoples’ minds this week, but I think this is a good time to jump off for at least a week. The Lions are traveling to New England to face a Patriots team that is famous for slowing things down and trying to avoid high-scoring battles. Couple that with the litany of injuries to both of these offenses, and I am going to take a stand and almost entirely avoid this game.
Targets: Jamaal Williams, Damien Harris, and Rhamondre Stevenson
Fades: All players currently battling injury
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is still dealing with an injury and, as of this writing, his status is unknown. Normally, I argue that something like this doesn’t matter but, in this particular matchup against the league’s most forgiving defense, it does. I would consider using Jones and a pass-catcher from New England if he is healthy. The reality, though, is that the Patriots are looking at a potential 1-4 start to the year and cannot allow the Detroit Lions’ offense to march all over them. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has shut down Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the past, so I would expect to see a significantly subdued Detroit attack on Sunday.
Targets: Mac Jones — if healthy — Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Jakobi Meyers — if healthy — DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, D’Andre Swift — if healthy — and Jamaal Williams
Fades: Jared Goff
Must-Owns: None, but Harris or Stevenson will likely make their way into most of my lineups, especially if Mac Jones is out
Seattle Seahawks at New Orleans Saints
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: You have to give a ton of credit to the Seahawks for what they have been able to do offensively this season. Obviously last week’s game helped their stats, but they are the 5th most efficient running offense and the 4th most efficient passing offense while ranking 10th in yards and 11th in points. With all of that said, we have also seen how they can struggle against good defenses, and the Saints defense may be a tough matchup for them. The Saints currently rank 11th in rushing and passing efficiency on defense. I expect the Saints defense to control this game and allow their offense to play a simple enough game which should allow them to win fairly comfortably.
Targets: Tyler Lockett, Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry, and Saints Defense
Fades: Geno Smith
Must-Owns: Alvin Kamara (assuming he is active and expected to handle his usual workload)
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Seattle Seahawks continue to prove that they aren’t rolling over and dying without a fight, and they now enter Sunday’s showdown with the New Orleans Saints as the team with the better record between the two. Therein lies the key for the Saints, as they cannot allow themselves to fall to 1-4, regardless of which player is healthy and available. We obviously care about health and, if any of quarterback Jameis Winston, running back Alvin Kamara, and wide receiver Michael Thomas are active, I will be targeting them for my lineup.
Targets: Jamies Winston, Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas — all three pending their health status for Sunday — Saints defense, and DK Metcalf
Fades: Everyone else from Seattle
Must-Owns: None
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: With all of the chaos revolving around the Tua Tagovailoa situation, it is hard to truly know what to expect from the Miami Dolphins this week. Swapping Teddy Bridgewater into the lineup is probably seen as a huge downgrade, but with how dynamic Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are, I don’t know if I think it matters that much. When you look at the Jets victory last week, and the gaudy yardage totals allowed by the Dolphins the past few weeks, people are looking at this game with high expectations for the Jets. I expect a big game from the Dolphins defense to show they are better than their current numbers show. I am confident in that feeling given their last three games saw them face off against Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. Simply put, Zach Wilson is nowhere near the level of those other quarterbacks, and I expect that to show. Look for a steady, controlled victory by the Dolphins in this one.
Targets: Teddy Bridgewater, Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Corey Davis
Fades: Zach Wilson
Must-Owns: Dolphins Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The obvious storyline for the game between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets is the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He has already been ruled out for the game, so there is no drama in how we should approach the situation. That leaves Teddy Bridgewater in a position to slide into Tagovailoa’s shoes with the same potent offensive weapons. There’s a good chance that Bridgewater delivers, and I will probably have some lineups that are heavy with playmakers from Miami. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson impressed at the end of last week’s game, but his numbers over the course of the start were much less inspiring.
Targets: Teddy Bridgewater, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins defense, Breece Hall — if healthy — Michael Carter — especially if Hall is out — and Garrett Wilson
Fades: Zach Wilson
Must-Owns: None, but I will probably have Hill or Waddle in most of my lineups
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: We have all heard what is going on in the world of Tom Brady off the football field, and it is fair to wonder how his personal life may or may not be impacting his play on the field. While it is fair to ask that question, it is also important to note that Tom Brady has essentially defined his career success on the back of proving people wrong. With expectations of him being distracted or unprepared, I will happily jump on board with him and the Buccaneers’ offense this week. I have some extra confidence in that pick given the fact that the Falcons defense has allowed at least 20 points in every game this season including against mediocre offenses of the Saints, Seahawks and Browns. If Jameis Winston, Geno Smith, and Jacoby Brissett can take advantage of this defense, I will have no problem rolling out Brady into my lineups with his offensive weapons also getting healthier. I expect constant offense from the Buccaneers which will force the Falcons passing game into a heavier workload than we’ve seen from them this year.
Targets: Marcus Mariota, Drake London, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin
Fades: Tyler Allgeier
Must-Owns: Tom Brady
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Where do we begin with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons? On one hand, we have a Falcons team that is finally getting some respect for being an actual competitor this year — at least, through the first quarter of the season. Then we have a Buccaneers team that finally broke out offensively, but only because it allowed a whopping 41 points. On top of that, there are even off-field storylines with quarterback Tom Brady that should be considered, where it would not be surprising if he were to come out on Sunday and put together an outstanding game. Overall, I’m more concerned with Atlanta’s offense now that running back Cordarrelle Patterson is out than anything else, while I am looking for Brady to thrive, as mentioned above.
Targets: Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin — if healthy — Marcus Mariota, Tyler Allgeier, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Tom Brady
Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: After a promising start to the season, this Commanders’ offense has taken a serious nosedive having scored a combined 18 points in the last two games. The opposite can be said about the Titans who started the year with two sloppy losses before playing well against the Raiders and Colts. Maybe I’m being overly simple with this game, but I am going to lean on the team trending in the right direction over the team trending in the wrong direction just about every time I am given the opportunity. I am not expecting a high-scoring game here by any means, but there are such limited playmakers in this game due to injuries that there are a few players worth targeting based on projected workloads.
Targets: Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Robert Woods, J.D. McKissic, and Terry McLaurin
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: One storyline that is likely to be confirmed or resolved before the start of Sunday’s game is the potential return of running back Brian Robinson. It’s easy to assume that he won’t be a factor but, if I am making a large number of lineups, I’d have to consider him for one. Otherwise, I’d look for the Washington Commanders to throw the ball against a Tennessee Titans defense that has allowed the third-most passing touchdowns to opponents. Of course, the Titans want to continue to run through Derrick Henry, and he has had at least 20 carries in three-of-their-four-games. Tennessee is 2-1 with a one-point loss in those contests.
Targets: Carson Wentz, Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic, Brian Robinson, Jr. — in one lineup if I have many and, of course, assuming he is healthy — Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Logan Thomas, Derrick Henry, and Robert Woods
Fades: Titans defense
Must-Owns: None
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: My favorite sleepers were in great position to pull off a huge upset last week, but the sloppy weather and constant pass rush of the Eagles forced too many turnovers for the Jaguars to overcome. Outside of that game, the Jaguars have quietly been one of the better teams in the league this year, and they now get to take aim at their easiest opponent yet. I am willing to wipe away what we saw last week, and expect a great bounce back performance from Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars this week. The Texans don’t seem likely to win many games this season, but it is also not fair to completely write them off either. The Texans played three tight games to start the year, and after falling behind early to the Chargers last week, they fought back admirably and made that game interesting. They have a talented enough — and small enough — group of skill position players that are worthy of consideration just about every week.
Targets: Dameon Pierce, Rex Burkhead, Brandin Cooks, James Robinson, Trevis, Etienne Jr., Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Trevor Lawrence
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: You will be hard-pressed to find another pair of writers that bought more heavily into the Jacksonville Jaguars than us, but Jacksonville still remains a matchup-based team. At first glance, a visit from the Houston Texans appears to be a positive matchup and, while it probably will go in the Jaguars’ direction in the end, Houston had allowed an average of fewer than 20 points-per-game before giving up 34 to the Chargers last week. The more impressive feat is that the Texans scored at least 20 points in three-of-their-four games and, since most of their offense runs through a handful of players, we can find some nice value with the usual suspects.
Targets: Davis Mills, Dameon Pierce, Brandin Cooks, James Robinson, Travis Etienne, Jr., and Christian Kirk
Fades: Trevor Lawrence
Must-Owns: None
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The 49ers’ defense has been downright dominant this season having allowed just 46 total points on the year. You would be correct to point out that the offenses they have faced haven’t exactly been great, but then again, neither are the Panthers. The Panthers’ offense is dead last in the league in total yards, so expecting a big game from Carolina would be beyond wishful thinking. The Panthers’ defense is plenty capable of holding their own, and given the general lack of excitement coming from the 49ers offense, there is no reason to think the Panthers can’t compete in this game. Either way, this has all the makings of a defensive struggle where fantasy points are few and far between. There are some obvious players that have the talent to defy that expectation, but I will be avoiding extensive exposure to any single player from this matchup.
Targets: Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, 49ers Defense, Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, and Panthers Defense
Fades: Jimmy Garappolo and Baker Mayfield
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I’m never one to look at a matchup, see two excellent defenses, and move on without giving it a second thought. The game between the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers is the perfect example of this. At first glance, there appears to be no fantasy relevance for anyone, as this game may not even include an offensive touchdown. We should know better. There are still a handful of talented playmakers and, while I won’t overload my lineup with players from this game, I may plug one into a lineup as salary dictates.
Targets: Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and both defenses
Fades: Mainly everyone else
Must-Owns: None
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I typically leave the spread analysis to my colleague, but every now and again there is a spread that jumps out to me that I simply cannot ignore. From everything we have seen in the early stages of this season, the Cowboys have to be the easy choice to win this game. Their offense has been effective enough with Cooper Rush under center while their defense has been playing dominant football. The Rams have looked entirely lost on offense — outside of Cooper Kupp — and their defense has been average at best. With all of that clear by the game film and the season-long stats, why should the Rams be favorites in this game — not to mention 5.5 point favorites? The only justification is that the oddsmakers simply know the Rams are going to win this game, and I can’t fight that. It may not be pretty, but the Rams are going to win this game comfortably. With my faith in their offense dwindling, I am going to lean on this victory stemming from a big performance by their defense.
Targets: Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb, Cooper Kupp, and Tyler Higbee
Fades: Cooper Rush and Ezekiel Elliott
Must-Owns: Rams Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Dallas Cowboys continue to win games under backup-turned-starting-quarterback Cooper Rush, but it’s clear that the defense is leading the way. Through four games, Dallas has yet to allow 20 points to an opponent. It has, however, given up fewer points in four consecutive weeks, and there is a big opportunity for a regression to the mean. If that happens, it allows the Los Angeles Rams’ offense — which has now scored fewer points in three consecutive weeks — to thrive. I’m ‘all-in’ on Los Angeles putting up points, even if the Cowboys keep pace on their end.
Targets: Matthew Stafford, Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, Jr., Allen Robinson II, Tyler Higbee, Cooper Rush, Ezekiel Eliott, Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup
Fades: Both defenses
Must-Owns: Cooper Kupp
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: If you were to look at this game and give your immediate reaction, you would see an easy victory for the Eagles. While I completely get that impulse, taking a deeper look at things paints a slightly different picture. The Eagles’ offense has been good, there is no denying that. Even though they have been good, it is also fair to say that their competition hasn’t exactly been elite. The Eagles’ opponents’ current ranks in terms of total yards are 32nd, 27th, 23rd, and 14th. The Cardinals currently rank 17th in that same metric, but if you remove the Week 1 assault by the Chiefs — which I completely give them a pass for — their numbers improve significantly. Turnovers have also played a big role in the Eagles undefeated season as they have recorded 10 takeaways through 4 games. The Cardinals’ offense sometimes looks like a mess, but they have only turned the ball over twice this season while also amassing 330 or more yards of offense in each of their last three games. The Eagles may leave Arizona with another win, but don’t entirely count out the Cardinals this week.
Targets: Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown, DeVonte Smith, Dallas Goedert, Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, adn Zach Ertz
Fades: Eagles Defense
Must-Owns: Kyler Murray
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I continue to write about it, but I also feel like I am shouting into the wind. The Philadelphia Eagles have been thriving on offense, but they also have not scored 30 points in a game since Opening Day. Therefore, while the matchup with the Arizona Cardinals appears to be a goldmine for fantasy production, the over-under holding below 50 points is a good indication that we might want to look elsewhere for a full offensive explosion. Of course, either team can do it — and the talented playmakers from both squads should be on our radars — but I would be careful before assuming that this is the matchup that will produce the best set of DFS players for the weekend.
Targets: Kyler Murray, James Conner, Marquise Brown, Greg Dortch, Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and both defense — if being ‘contrarian,’ where there is a path to one of them being a surprisingly good play
Fades: None, but again, I won’t be stacking this game
Must-Owns: None
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: We have been high on the Ravens all season, and while it is completely meaningless, it feels important to note that they should be 4-0 on the season if not for two extremely ugly blown leads. With that out of the way, I will be backing the Ravens once again this week primarily based on Lamar Jackson being largely unstoppable this season. The Bengals’ defense has looked pretty good so far this season, but they have faced off with Mitch Trubisky, Cooper Rush, Joe Flacco, and a combination of an injured Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater. Based on that, I have no choice but to almost entirely throw out what their defense has done because none of it compares to what they will face against the Ravens. While you have to worry about the Ravens blowing another lead, I think the struggling offensive line of the Bengals holds them back this week and doesn’t allow them to keep pace in this one.
Targets: Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, JK Dobbins, Rashod Bateman — unless inactive — Devin Duvernay, Mark Andrews, and Isiah Likely — primarily if Bateman is out
Fades: Bengals Defense
Must-Owns: Lamar Jackson
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: After the pitiful display of offense that we saw on Thursday Night Football, I am sure that we will have football fans clamoring for points in Primetime. Between the two games, however, I would expect most to target Monday night’s matchup for offense more than Sunday Night’s, and that’s where we can find an edge. If playing in the two-game slate, I will certainly be leaning more on the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens than either of Monday’s teams not only to be ‘contrarian,’ but because they certainly have their own paths to a high-scoring output. In fact, when these two teams met last year, the final scores of the games were 41-17 and 41-21 — both won by the Bengals.
Targets: Everyone
Fades: No one
Must-Owns: Lamar Jackson
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Raiders finally got into the win column last week, but with how their defense has played this season, they are going to have a hard time staying there. The Raiders defense has allowed at least 23 points in every game this season while ranking 30th in net yards per pass attempt. Heading into Kansas City to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs is never a good thing when you can’t slow down the passing game of anyone you play. The Chiefs are fresh off a dominant outing against one of the better defenses in the league, so I have no doubt that Mahomes is set for another big game this week in a much more favorable matchup. The offense should be in a position to be throwing the ball early and often which bodes well for the fantasy outlook of many players, and there should be little to no reservations about loading up on this game.
Targets: Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Devante Adams, Hunter Renfow, Darren Waller, Patrick Mahomes, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Travis Kelce
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: As I just wrote for the Sunday Night Football game, I am going to be more inclined to stay away from offense on Monday Night. Of course, that doesn’t mean I will avoid everyone, but I will simply be more careful with targeting players from the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. The other problem is that a team like the Chiefs tends to spread the ball around, where landing on the ‘right’ play is both tricky and necessary. Of course, tight end Travis Kelce is the main focal point, but taking a chance with one of the wide receivers is a captain in a Showdown slate is the high risk-reward play I would make in a tournament. For the Raiders, the same comment applies to wide receiver Davante Adams and the rest of the receiving corps, where Adams is the key but correctly identifying someone else is the best way to surge to a victory.
Targets: Both quarterbacks, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Isaiah Pacheco, Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smth-Schuster, Skyy Moore, Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow — if healthy — Mack Hollins, both kickers — in a Showdown contest — and both defenses — in the two-game Primetime slate
Fades: None because basically any singular player can have a big game, but I am down on the game’s offense as a whole
Must-Owns: None