Draftkings introduced a new format this year called “NFL Tiers”. This is how it works:
DraftKings has a new format for NFL this season and it’s not quite getting the buzz that I think it should. The contest is called NFL tiers. In this contest you have a slimmed down player pool where you are supposed to pick the highest scoring player in each tier. There are eight total tiers and you can only select one player from each tier. There is no salary cap for this format.
For week 4, DraftKings is offering a $4 tournament paying $50K to first place for the tiers contest. There is money to be won and in that case, we have to take our chances. If you think this format would interest you and you would like to give it a shot, join DraftKings here.
Now, we will get into the slate and break down tier-by-tier in cash games and in tournaments who you should play in Week 4.
Tier 1
Player Pool:
Drew Brees, NO @ NYG
Matt Ryan, ATL v. CIN
Phillip Rivers, LAC v. SF
Deshaun Watson, HOU @ IND
Aaron Rodgers, GB v. BUF
Tom Brady, NE v. MIA
Cash Games:
Drew Brees, NO @ NYG –
There are a lot of good quarterback plays in Tier 1, however Drew Brees is the safest because I feel that his volume is most secure at this point. In a format where salary doesn’t matter and you just want to get the most fantasy points, you have to just play Drew Brees in cash games. The Saints are not running the football without Mark Ingram, so this is a pass first offense. Drew Brees is averaging 43 pass attempts a game through the first three games of the season and I don’t see this slowing down in Week 4. Also, Vegas likes this game to be a shootout like last weekend as the over/under total for this game is sitting at 50.
Tournaments:
Deshaun Watson, HOU @ IND
Watson does not look good. However, I do not trust this Indianapolis defense. This is a bad defense that has played a soft schedule the first three weeks of the NFL season. They’ve played Andy Dalton, Alex Smith and Carson Wentz in his first game back since he tore his ACL last season. The Texans are leaning on Watson to make plays in this offense as he is averaging 35 pass attempts a game through the first three weeks. Watson can light up this defense with his combination of weapons and volume. Plus, Watson has yet to add a rushing touchdown to his stat line so far this season. However, Watson’s averaging 40-plus rushing yards per game this year and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone. I see a ceiling game coming from Watson this week.
Tier 2
Player Pool:
Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB @ CHI
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT v. BAL
Andy Dalton, CIN @ ATL
Joe Flacco, BAL @ PIT
Ryan Tannehill, MIA @ NE
Matthew Stafford, DET @ DAL
Carson Wentz, PHI @ TEN
Baker Mayfield, CLE @ OAK
Cash Games:
Andy Dalton, CIN @ ATL
Andy Dalton is a cash game lock this week. I’m playing him in cash in salary formats as well. However, he’s the best play in this tier. Cincinnati at Atlanta is the highest total on the slate and the spread is 4.5 points. Dalton has been so good and similar situation to the Saints, the Bengals are going to throw the football with their main feature back this week being a pass catching back. I expect 40-plus attempts from Dalton for a third straight week.
Tournaments:
Baker Mayfield, CLE @ OAK
Baker Mayfield is going to get his first start of his NFL career in Week 4, and he is taking on an Oakland defense that has been dreadful. Look, Mayfield is a really accurate passer against a team that does not have a pass rush. I like Mayfield this week, however, this is not an amazing play, Dalton is the best play in this range and I honestly don’t feel like it’s close. You can get separation on other tiers and eat the chalk here if you aren’t a believer in Mayfield.
Tier 3
Player Pool:
Alvin Kamara, NO @ NYG
Michael Thomas, NO @ NYG
Melvin Gordon III, LAC v. SF
JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT v. BAL
James Conner, PIT v. BAL
Odell Beckham Jr, NYG v. NO
Antonio Brown, PIT v. BAL
Cash Games:
Michael Thomas, NO @ NYG
I just want to be clear, I have no issue with Alvin Kamara in this spot either but for me this spot is all about Michael Thomas. There has yet to be a game where Michael Thomas has not caught at least 10 passes. Thomas is also catching every single pass thrown in his direction, catching 38 of his 40 targets (95%). While regression is expected, I do not expect it to come this week. Drew Brees loves Michael Thomas and I expect Thomas to go for over 100-yards again this week and score a touchdown in one of the highest totaled games on the slate.
Tournaments:
Antonio Brown, PIT v. BAL
Getting this range right will sky rocket you to the top of the leaderboard. Any of these guys can crush on this slate. However, I am looking at Antonio Brown in a matchup he should crush at less than 10% ownership. Smash this spot in tournaments, Antonio Brown is the best wide receiver in football and has yet to have his breakout game. It’s coming!
Tier 4
Player Pool:
Mike Evans, TB @ CHI
Saquon Barkley, NYG v. NO
Davante Adams, GB v. BUF
Julio Jones, ATL v. CIN
Ezekiel Elliot, DAL v. DET
DeAndre Hopkins, HOU @ IND
Keenan Allen, LAC v. SF
Cash Games:
Saquon Barkley, NYG v. NO
Barkley has put together a great start to his NFL career and is going to run away with the NFL’s Rookie of the Year award. Barkley has received at least five targets in every game so far this season and is producing with those targets. The Giants do not want to give the ball back to New Orleans’ explosive offense, so they will lean heavily on their rookie running back to string together long drives. Barkley is as safe as it comes in this tier.
Tournaments:
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL v. DET
I expect Elliott to smash the Lions this week. He’s one of my favorite tournament plays on the slate. Detroit is allowing 5.4 yards per carry to average running backs through the first three weeks of the season. Zeke is an elite running back in a smash spot, I love Zeke this week. The lack of other stars around him will keep people off of him. Enjoy the low ownership. There is no reason to move off of Elliott.
Tier 5
Player Pool:
Will Fuller V., HOU @ IND
Jarvis Landry, CLE @ OAK
T.Y. Hilton, IND v. HOU
Jordan Howard, CHI v. TB
Rob Gronkowski, NE v. MIA
David Johnson, ARI v. SEA
Giovani Bernard, CIN @ ATL
Cash Games:
Giovani Bernard, CIN @ ATL
The floor for Bernard this week is extremely high in Week 4. Atlanta’s defense funnels catches to running backs and Bernard is a pass catching running back in the featured role. So far through three weeks of the regular season, Atlanta has allowed 33 passes caught from the running back position. I’m definitely not saying Bernard is going to catch double digit balls but I see him catching at least 8 passes along with getting all the work in the run game. Let others fall for the big names in this tier. Bernard will produce with the best of them.
Tournaments:
Jarvis Landry, CLE @ OAK
Landry would be a cash play for me if Bernard wasn’t in this tier, however, Bernard bumps him to the tournament slot. Landry is going to see an uptick in catches in the coming weeks with Baker Mayfield at the helm. I expect a big role from Landry as he is clearly the focal point of the offense. Mayfield targeted Landry frequently in the small amount of time they played together. Landry should enjoy a large number of targets in their first full game together.
Tier 6
Player Pool:
Kenny Golladay, DET @ DAL
Golden Tate, DET @ DAL
Carlos Hyde, CLE @ OAK
Matt Breida, SF @ LAC
James White, NE v. MIA
Nelson Agholor, PHI @ TEN
Zach Ertz, PHI @ TEN
Kenyan Drake, MIA @ NE
Cash Games:
Golden Tate, DET @ DAL –
Volume is everything for me in cash games, and Golden Tate is Matthew Stafford’s go-to wide receiver. The Patriots limited Tate to only eight targets last week, however, the Patriots are known for eliminating your best weapon. Knowing that, I’m crossing out last week and assuming to expect 10-plus targets a game every game. Tate has an extremely safe floor in cash games, and that is exactly what we are looking for.
Tournaments:
James White, NE v. MIA
Rex Burkhead is on IR, so is Jeremy Hill. At one time this looked like a running back by committee situation, but this quickly turned into a split role with Sony Michel and James White. White I think is going to absorb Burkhead’s workload as well as I can see the Patriots using both Michel and White on the field at the same time this week. The Patriots are going to get back on track this week and I think that centers around James White being used as a running back, slot receiver and a pass catching back.
Tier 7
Player Pool:
DeSean Jackson, TB @ CHI
Calvin Ridley, ATL v. CIN
Kenny Stills, MIA @ NE
John Brown, BAL @ PIT
Marshawn Lynch, OAK v. CLE
Allen Robinson II, CHI v. TB
Alex Collins, BAL @ PIT
Amari Cooper, OAK v. CLE
Cash Games:
Allen Robinson II, CHI v. TB
Tampa Bay has the worst secondary in the NFL and Allen Robinson has yet to see under seven targets in a game so far this season. Allen Robinson is the best play of this tier and I think this will be his first 100-plus yard week as a Bear.
Tournaments:
Amari Cooper, OAK v. CLE
Cooper is all over the map so far this season. He simply just hasn’t been good and that is why he will likely have the lowest ownership of this group. Oakland is going to try and get this offense back on track, and that all starts with Cooper. We know how huge the upside is with Cooper, and the couple of lousy games in the early going is going to keep ownership way down.
Tier 8:
Player Pool:
Tyler Lockett, SEA @ ARI
Keelan Cole, JAX v. NYJ
Randall Cobb, GB v. BUF
Marvin Jones Sr., DET @ DAL
Lamar Miller, HOU @ IND
Sterling Shepard, NYG v. NO
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI v. SEA
Cash Games:
Tyler Lockett, SEA @ ARI
Three games in and Tyler Lockett has caught a touchdown in all of them. WIthout Baldwin, Lockett is the Seahawks number one wide receiver and is getting the volume. Lockett’s touchdown streak is going to come to an end eventually, but I do not expect it to happen this week. That makes Lockett a very safe cash game play.
Tournaments:
Sterling Shepard, NYG v. NO
You attack the Saints across the middle of the field, and that’s Shepard’s role for the Giants. Shepard has seen at least 5 targets in every game so far this season. Shepard is an excellent pivot off Lockett in tournaments this week and is even cash game playable.
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