Well, it’s week seven of the fantasy football season. You realized that you’ve made a ton of errors in your awful teams, so it’s time to get some good fuzzies and play some daily fantasy football. These guys will help you jam all those high-priced studs into your lineups.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Quarterback (Fan Duel and Draft Kings):
Gardner Minshew II at Cincinnati ($6,900 – Fan Duel / $5,400 – Draft Kings)
This isn’t a great week for inexpensive quarterbacks. I mean, are you brave enough to start Case Keenum versus San Francisco? Or maybe Chase Daniel versus New Orleans? Or Ryan Tannehill… ever? I’m not brave enough to do any of those things, so I’ll advocate for the sixth-cheapest quarterback on both DK and FD that is actually starting this week. Minshew fell all the way flat on his face last week, and I’ll own that. The Saints defense he played last week has put on the clamps after coming out of the gate as a plus matchup. New Orleans allowed 92 fantasy points to quarterbacks in their first three weeks, but have allowed just 31.7 in the last three games.
This week, The Gardner Snake gets a much easier matchup with Cincinnati. The Bengals allow the fifth-highest yards per attempt to quarterbacks and are tied for the fourth-lowest number of interceptions (2) this season. Overall, they present the fourth-best QB matchup in Fan Duel scoring, and they’ve allowed at least 16.6 fantasy football points to every quarterback this season.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Running Back (Fan Duel):
Devin Singletary versus Miami ($5,800)
This isn’t as deep as a dive as usual for dumpster dive running backs, but it does represent an extraordinary opportunity to get in before everyone else does on Singletary. He’s officially off the injury report for this weekend, and it should be all systems go for the rookie running back this week. If you’ve forgotten about Devin Singletary, it’s probably because he has only 15 touches on the season. He’s turned those 15 touches into 155 scrimmage yards. Then, injury cost him weeks three through six. Now, he’s back to tear up the best possible running back matchup in the NFL. The Dolphins are downright dreadful at all levels, and eight running backs have had double-digit fantasy point days against them in five weeks. I can’t emphasize how thoroughly they suck at stopping running backs. Nine backs have at least 100 rushing yards or a touchdown against them. In five games!
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Running Back (Draft Kings):
Darrell Henderson Jr at Atlanta ($3,500)
At just $500 above minimum RB salary, it’s hard to get cheaper than Darrell Henderson for anyone that is going to get significant playing time this week in a decent matchup. Henderson hasn’t gotten a lot of publicity this week as someone who broke out, but that’s because the Rams played the stifling 49ers defense last week. With no Todd Gurley, Henderson and Malcolm Brown split the RB duties. Overall, Henderson had just seven touches, but he turned them into 61 yards. Compare that to Brown, who turned his eleven touches into just 40 yards (all 40 yards on the first Rams drive). Henderson is clearly the better back, and it’s looking like Malcolm Brown might not even play against Atlanta. Slot Henderson in there against a Falcons defense that has given up the fifth-most rushing touchdowns so far this season.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Wide Receiver (Fan Duel and Draft Kings):
Allen Lazard versus Oakland (Fan Duel – $4,500/Draft Kings – 3,000)
You literally cannot find a cheaper wide receiver on Fan Duel or Draft Kings, as Lazard’s status comes from five targets… and three injuries. Everyone ahead of him on the depth chart collapsed, and it’s up to Lazard to take up the mantle of “Aaron Rodgers’ #1 Target” without Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, or Marquez Valdes-Scantling in his way. He gets a hapless Oakland pass defense that yields the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. They’ve yielded at least 70 yards or a touchdown to eight different players in their five games this season. Lazard is likely to be among the leaders in Packers targets this weekend.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Tight End (Fan Duel):
Hunter Henry at Tennessee ($5,700)
Usually, the ninth-highest priced tight end wouldn’t qualify for this, but when he’s behind Darren Waller (injured midweek) and Jared Cook (already listed as out) in pricing, he’s worth a nod. HH came back in force last week, scoring two touchdowns against the Steelers, as the lone fantasy football bright spot for the Chargers in a shellacking. The Titans allow the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, and you just have to catch the Hunter Henry rocket before his price soars through the atmosphere next week.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Tight End (Draft Kings):
Darren Fells at Indianapolis ($3,100)
Fells has done it through touchdowns two weeks ago (TE4), and catches and yardage last week (TE6). You just need to put those together in one game for this to pay off big for you, and at this price point, even if he just does of the two things he did in the last two weeks, you should be happy. The Colts’ defense opposite him should provide him with plenty of opportunities to produce. The Colts allow the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season, including double-digit PPR points to four-of-five tight ends to get at least five targets against them.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Defense (Fan Duel):
Tennessee Titans versus L.A. Chargers ($4,200)
With the Patriots and Steelers on a Bye, the Bills & 49ers snagged the top-two salaries this week, so they’re out. The 49ers have been nice to us, but they don’t quite qualify at $5,000. The Titans aren’t much lower, at $4,200, but at the #9 salary in a 22-team main slate, you could do worse. And by worse, I mean the teams below them. I also considered The Minnesota Vikings ($3,800), but the Lions have inconsistently given up fantasy points to defenses. The Chargers have been somewhat thorough in their point hemorrhaging… except when they played Miami. Overall, the Chargers have given up 32 fantasy points to the Broncos and Steelers in the last two games, and in their non-Miami games, they’ve given up at least 9 fantasy points to opposing defenses. Philip Rivers averages an interception per game and has four in his last two contests, so he’s a good QB to target.
The Titans are a good D/ST on their own merits. They’re top ten in points allowed, sacks, and interceptions. They’re a stifling defense, playing at home, with a west coast team traveling cross-country. Ultimately, they’re unlikely to blow up for a huge game outside of a defensive score. However, they are unlikely to poop the bed against the Chargers, and they clean out some salary to fit in better position players.
Dumpster Dive Daily Fantasy Football Defense (Draft Kings):
Arizona Cardinals at N.Y. Giants ($2,400)
This one is an appropriate dumpster dive because it stinks! The Cardinals have not been a good fantasy football defense (or real defense) this season. However, Patrick Peterson’s return should help an awful secondary against a rookie quarterback. Daniel Jones shouldn’t provide much resistance against this defensive unit, as the rookie averages a mind-boggling two turnovers per game in his starts. He’s only thrown three touchdowns in three weeks. If they can slow Saquon (easier said than done), this bargain-basement (third-lowest price) D/ST could free up enough cash for you to slide a few more fantasy football superstars into your lineups.
