NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Early Only Cash Plays
Got your Week 13 NFL FanDuel DFS lineups all set and looking for a good reason to avoid tinkering with them? Make some more lineups on some smaller slates!! This article will focus on the top cash game plays for the 1PM only slate on Fanduel.
For the newbies, NFL DFS cash games are simply the games in the lobby that are 50/50 or close to that to win. These are basically all of the games other than the tournaments, and guaranteed prize pool tournaments (GPP’s). Head-to-Head’s (H2H), 50/50, and double-ups would best summarize cash games.
Let’s continue by saying this, if you don’t like chalk, these slates are not for you. This article highlights who the top options are in my opinion, and whether they are popular plays or not is not any of my concern. I am just trying to give you a good starting point and a few plays to build around for this nine-game slate.
There will be no recap for last week, which was tweeted out by me before lock on Sunday. I had Marquise Goodwin in the sample lineup, and it took me up until close to lock to figure out where to go. I ended up withdrawing all of my cash entries, and just played a GPP. Either way, we will get back to normal this week, as the bye weeks are over, and we have a very nice nine-game slate.
NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Cash Plays (1PM Only)
QB – Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers – $8,700
After a couple of weeks of spending down at the QB position, it is time to go back what was working best a couple of weeks ago, which is basically paying up for Patrick Mahomes or Cam Newton. With Mahomes and the Chiefs playing in Oakland, they play in the afternoon games, which makes this decision way too easy.
I thought about messing with Lamar Jackson here for a second, but that is a play to just save for GPP’s. Cam has easily the best match-up on the slate, as the Panthers will invade Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay to face the 4-7 Buccaneers. Because this is a home game for the Bucs, I like the idea that this game could stay close, and either way, the Panthers will be scoring some points.
Christian McCaffrey is absolutely crushing right now in all aspects of this offense, and last weeks huge game against the Seahawks also was quietly dominated by Newton as well. CMC stole the show without a doubt, but Cam managed to go 25-30 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. He also picked up 63 yards on the ground, and ended up with a solid total of 23.54 FDP.
In the first meeting between these two, Newton was also highly efficient, going 19-25 and 247 yards in that one, also with two touchdowns. With the value all over the place at the wide receiver and tight end positions, paying up for Newton looks like the best option for cash games.
***Also Consider: Jared Goff $8,400 – Lamar Jackson $7,500***
NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Cash Plays (1PM Only)
RB – Todd Gurley – Los Angeles Rams – $9,800
It’s been quite a while since we have had Gurley on the early slate, and this is a no-fade situation here, as the Rams will take on the Lions at Ford Field. Los Angeles now sits controlling their own destiny for home field advantage throughout the playoffs, with the Saints loss to the Cowboys on Thursday night. This team still has plenty to play for, and I am making Gurley a lock in my cash game lineup.
Detroit has gotten much better at stuffing the inside run with the addition of Snacks Harrison clogging up the interior, but Gurley is so versatile, he could destroy this defense through the air if the Rams offense goes that route.
Running back is really deep on this slate, and there are plenty of cheaper plays in arguable better spots, but with the value at wide receiver, I am spending up here. GPP’s will be a different story as I will likely have a mix of Phillip Lindsay and Aaron Jones. Both players have tremendous upside, but the floor based on game flow alone with either of these offenses has to be considered. I’ll take my chances with some cheap receivers, and pay up for at least one more running back in cash games.
RB – Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers – $8,800
I started my lineup with Newton, CMC, and Gurley, and never looked back. There are three viable receivers all in fantastic spots below $6K, and a couple more just over that. Aside from that fact, if I were to spend up on a WR for cash on this slate, it could really be one of three or four players. For so many reasons other than the obvious, pay up for CMC here as well, as nobody is hotter, and this Panthers offense should shred this Bucs defense.
CMC has been pretty consistent since the end of October, and is emerging as one of the top dual threat running backs in the league. With his 41.2 FDP performance last week against an at least average defense in the Seahawks, it is insane to think what can happen this Sunday in Tampa if he is given the same volume. McCaffrey caught all 11 targets he saw in that game for 112 yards and a TD, and added 125 more yards on the ground on 17 carries with another score. Lock him and Gurley in with Cam and start messing around. We have our core, let’s take a look at our value targets.
***Also Consider or FLEX: Aaron Jones $7,600 – Phillip Lindsay $7,000 – Lamar Miller $6,300***
NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Cash Plays (1PM Only)
WR – Davante Adams – Green Bay Packers – $8,500
If I did pay down at running back and paid up for a receiver, Adams would easily be my guy. With OBJ locked up with the Bears secondary, Julio Jones facing the Ravens, Davante has easily the best match-up among the receivers at the top of the price pool.
The Packers will host the Cardinals this weekend at Lambeau, which will likely not bode too well for Arizona. The Cards are among the worst in the league at stopping the run, so the easy play in this game is Aaron Jones. But with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy about as unpredictable as it comes when it comes to a game plan, my target here in this one is still Rodgers to Adams.
Against an even tougher pass defense last week in Minnesota, Adams found the end zone once, and compiled 69 yards on five grabs. He is among the best in the league in 2018, as he sits with 77 receptions for 1022 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games thus far. If you spend up at WR my recommendation is to do it here, but I prefer the running back heavy route this week.
WR – D.J Moore – Carolina Panthers – $6,400
Continuing with picking on the Bucs defense, one player clearly imaging as Newton’s top target in this WR corps is the rookie D.J. Moore out of Maryland. We kind of caught a glimpse of how good he could be back in late October, when he had his best game as a pro up to that point, catching five balls for 90 yards and a TD against a stout Ravens pass D.
After a couple of quiet games following that Ravens game, Moore has erupted over the last two. In total against the Lions and Seahawks, Moore caught 15 passes on 17 targets, for 248 yards and a touchdown. Now that he appears to have figured mostly everything out, he could be huge down the stretch as the Panthers make a playoff run. I am trying to squeeze him in my lineup here, but I may have to go just a bit cheaper to fit my running game.
WR – Josh Reynolds – Los Angeles Rams – $5,800
If things go like I think they will, this is Reynolds mega-chalk week. Of course I was on him when I started writing this on Wednesday, but I have also seen his name come up as a value play pretty much everywhere. In cash games this is likely to be a 60-75% chalk play, and I am going to explain to you why you should eat it and play him.
Reynolds slid into a starting role when the Rams lost slot receiver Cooper Kupp for the season. For the most part, the Rams have moved Robert Woods into the slot, and Reynolds lines up opposite Brandin Cooks. With all of these options, you think to just stay away. However, while I think Woods will have the best day of the three, Reynolds will also get some looks.
Cooks will find himself locked up with Lions shutdown corner Darius Slay all day, and Reynolds has been making the most of his extended role. The rookie fourth-rounder is getting looks in the red-zone which is huge, and in last weeks shoot-out against the Chiefs, he had the best game of his young career. Reynolds saw eight targets in that one, and hauled in six for 80 yards and a TD. With the three “also considers” below, we have some solid value WR this week to help us pay up for Cam Newton and the stud running backs.
***Also Consider or FLEX: Larry Fitzgerald $6,400 – Michael Crabtree $5,400 – Courtland Sutton $5,400***
NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Cash Plays (1PM Only)
TE – Eric Ebron – Indianapolis Colts – $5,600
More chalk here, and for the price I get it, but the match-up really isn’t that great. Sure the Jaguars defense has had some holes this season, but I just don’t think this is as a sure thing as it seems. The Colts lost Ebron’s fellow tight end Jack Doyle for the season, so more targets can be expected.
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However, other than T. Y. Hilton, this team is lacking threats. Ebron has been fantastic with 11 TD’s on the season and he will be a popular play, but I don’t think fading him will that detrimental. I actually like Cameron Brate a little more this week for the discount.
***Also Consider: Cameron Brate – $4,900***
DEF – Green Bay Packers – $4,400
On paper, the Packers defense has probably the easiest match-up, and they will face the Cardinals and rookie QB Josh Rosen at home. This defense has struggled against the run, so we finally may see a truly hefty dose of David Johnson if the Cards can stay in the game. I don’t think they will be able to keep up with this Packers offense at home though, so Rosen will likely be forced to throw in the second half.
While I don’t think Arizona will be able to move the sticks, the Packers don’t really force enough turnovers to pay off this price tag. For $300 less, I really like the pivot to the Rams. You hate to take a defense on the road, but pressure up front from the Rams defense could force Lions QB Matt Stafford into some bad throws. The Packers may be the top dog on the slate as far as the overall metrics go, but I am leasing Rams.
***Also Consider: Los Angeles Rams – $4,100***
NFL FanDuel DFS: Week 13 Sample Cash Lineup (1PM Only)
The line-up below is meant to be illustrative only to further back-up the logic laid out in previous slides. It is not an optimal line-up. It is in fact, just a “Sample Lineup.”
QB – Cam Newton – $8,700
RB – Todd Gurley – $9,800
RB – Christian McCaffrey – $8,800
WR – Michael Crabtree – $5,400
WR – Josh Reynolds – $5,800
WR – Courtland Sutton – $5,400
TE – Cameron Brate – $4,900
FLEX – Phillip Lindsay – $7,000
DEF – Los Angeles Rams – $4,100
Next. DFS NFL Game by Game Breakdown, Week 13. dark
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