AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays

                                       AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays

The Alliance of American Football (AAF) rolls on into Week 8 with another four-game slate. Luckily for those still craving pro football DFS action now that the CFL and NFL have wrapped up their seasons, Fanball has stepped up to the plate with a full array of AAF DFS based cash games and GPPs.

As such, we’ll chime in each remaining week of the 2019 AAF DFS season with suggestions at each position for those contests. Before getting into our AAF DFS Week 8 plays, a summary of some of the most significant ways in which AAF rules depart from those of the NFL:

• No kickoffs; each team begins any game-opening/second-half-opening and post-score drive at its own 25-yard line.
• No extra points; teams will be required to attempt a two-point conversion play after each touchdown.
• No onside kicks; teams will have the option of running a “4th-and-12” play from their own 28-yard line in lieu of onside kicks. The play will only be made available if a team is trailing by 17 points or more or if they’re trailing with 5 minutes or fewer left in regulation. Teams that are scored upon via a safety also have the option of attempting to gain possession by running this same play from their own 18-yard line.
• 35-second play clocks, as opposed to the 40-second clocks utilized in the NFL.
• All overtime periods played under “Kansas Playoff” rules. Each team begins on the opponent’s 10-yard line and given four chances to score. No field goals are allowed in overtime. If the score remains tied after each team has had a possession, the game ends in a tie.
• No more than five defensive players may rush on any one play. Any players on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage at the snap count towards those five players whether they rush or not.
• Pass rushing from a starting position that is more than two yards outside the widest offensive lineman and more than five yards from the line of scrimmage (defensive pressure box) is prohibited. However, there are exceptions to this rule on play-action or run-pass option plays, or if the ball leaves the tackle box.
• Violations of the aforementioned defensive alignment rules will prompt a 15-yard illegal defense penalty.
• Finally, a “sky judge” situated in a suite above the field acts as the ninth member of the officiating crew and will have access to review each play. The sky judge will have the ability to correct any on-field officiating errors that it deems “egregious.”

AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays- Quarterbacks

Garrett Gilbert,  ORL at MEM ($6,700):

Gilbert is one of the AAF’s “set-it-and-forget-it” selections each week. The prolific signal caller was a bit more subdued in Week 7 against the Legends with the running game taking center stage, but he still found his way to a solid 14.98 fantasy points against Atlanta.

Gilbert continues to lead the AAF in fantasy points (154.2) and passing yards (1,842) while checking in second in TD passes (11).

Gilbert tallied 22.58 fantasy points versus the Express in a Week 3 meeting, supplementing 207 passing yards and a touchdown pass with 43 rushing yards and a running score as well.

He’s been over 20 fantasy points in five of seven games overall, and a matchup against a Memphis defense allowing 232.3 passing yards per game and tied with the Stallions for most passing touchdowns allowed (10) lines up as the recipe for another excellent return.

John Wolford, ARI at SA ($5,800):

Wolford finished with 24.84 fantasy points when he saw this same Commanders defense in Week 5, his third-best total of the season. The Wake Forest quarterback was guilty of three interceptions in that contest, but he almost led a successful comeback before falling short by four points.

Wolford was outstanding as well in Week 7 against the Fleet, misfiring on just four occasions over 19 attempts, throwing two TDs and then adding 44 rush yards and another score on the ground. The production led to a whopping 26.88 fantasy points.

Yet despite that type of upside, Wolford is just the fifth-most expensive QB in Week 8. He’s averaging 21.8 fantasy points per game on the season, a number bested only by Gilbert. And, the Commanders, while playing better over the last two weeks, are still vulnerable in the secondary.

They’re still allowing the most passing yards per game (248.4) and have yielded 11 scoring passes overall (eight TDs, three two-point conversion passes). In what could turn into another high-scoring affair, Wolford could well finish as one of the best fantasy-point-per-dollar values for the week.

Josh Woodrum, SL vs. SD ($5,700):

Woodrum has been improving steadily as a passer, and his very best day of the season came against this same Fleet squad in Week 5. Woodrum racked up a whopping 380 passing yards in that contest on his way to 27.3 fantasy points.

He was also over 20 fantasy points the following week versus the Express before a more modest 229-yard, one-touchdown, one-interception performance in Week 7 against the Commanders that led to 13.06 fantasy points.

However, with San Diego on tap again in Week 8, Woodrum could be due for another spike in production. The Fleet just allowed 391 total yards to the Hotshots in Week 7 and come in surrendering 248.0 passing yards per game, the second most in the AAF and just a tick below the league-high 248.4 yielded by the Commanders.

What’s more, the Fleet has yielded nine passing touchdowns and a trio of two-point conversions, making them an even more inviting target.

AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays- Running Backs

Trent Richardson, BIR vs. ATL ($8,000):

While I’ve typically stayed way from recommending Richardson this season due to a combination of him being an overly obvious choice and his overall inefficiency, I’m putting an end to that foolishness in Week 8.

There’s little reason to stray away from the one-time first-round pick of the Browns, considering he’s shattered all conventional wisdom when it comes to touchdown regression. Coach Tim Lewis continues to lean on Richardson very heavily not just in the red zone, but all over the field.

Richardson saw a whopping 82 percent of the RB snaps in Week 7, including 20 third-down snaps and 18 snaps inside the 20 (including seven inside the five). He now has a league-leading 10 rushing touchdowns, and he’s complemented that with six straight multi-reception games.

To top it off, he totaled a season-high 28 fantasy points versus the Legends in the one prior meeting this season on the strength of a season-high three-touchdown effort. Factor in that the Legends are once again allowing the most rush yards per game (106.4) and the most rushing TDs (12), and you’ve got the recipe for another rewarding return.

Jhurell Pressley, ARI at SA ($6,000):

Pressley finds himself in a favorable spot in Week 8 against a Commanders defense that’s faced the fewest rushing attempts in the AAF (17.6), but that’s allowing an average of 4.7 yards per carry.

Additionally, San Antonio has been one of the more generous teams in allowing receiving production to RBs. They’ve yielded the second-most receptions to the position (5.0) on the most targets (7.1) in the league.

Pressley is equipped to exploit both weaknesses. The New Mexico product is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has averaged between 4.2 and 7.8 per tote in three of his last four contests. Then, Pressley only has 10 receptions on the season, but he’s a capable pass catcher and did have a four-reception tally versus the Legends earlier this season.

While backfield mate Tim Cook ($4,500) is also very appealing if you’re paying down, Pressley remains the lead back and out-snapped his teammate by a 33-15 margin in Week 7.

D’Ernest Johnson, ORL at MEM ($4,700): 

Naturally, Johnson’s backfield mate De’Veon Smith ($5,300) should see no shortage of ownership in Week 7 after his three-touchdown effort in Week 7 against the Legends. However, lest we forget Johnson, who checks in $600 cheaper, has been consistently productive in his own right and offers a pass-catching dimension.

Johnson did log just 39 percent of the snaps in Week 7, but he still helmed the backfield with 22 snaps, ran a team-high 10 routes and still saw seven red-zone snaps.

Johnson is averaging a solid 13.1 fantasy points per contest and has a pair of performances of greater than 17 fantasy points on his ledger this season. He’s also logged multiple receptions in five consecutive games, a nice supplement to his production.

Moreover, Johnson’s best game of the season came against this same Express defense, as he posted 17.7 fantasy points on the strength of a 13-79-1 line in his one prior meeting with them. Memphis continues to struggle defending the run as well — they’re yielding the second-most ground  yards (100.9) per contest and nine rushing scores overall (six TD, three two-point conversions).

AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays- Wide Receivers

Rashad Ross, ARI at SA ($6,900): 

Ross has had a couple of down weeks while playing at less than 100 percent. However, he’d seen six or more targets in five of six games coming into last week, and he still posted a solid 3-53 line versus the Fleet in Week 7 despite his physical issues.

Ross also touched up this same Commanders squad for 25.6 fantasy points on the strength of a 5-106-1 line in Week 5, and he’s scored between 16.7 and 29.3 fantasy points in five of seven contests.

Ross should play a prominent role against the Commanders again in Week 8. Both teams’ passing offenses are playing well, which is likely to lead to another fairly high-scoring tussle.

The Commanders have been better against the pass in the last two weeks, but they’re still surrendering the third-most receiving yards (167.9) to wide-outs, and they’re tied with multiple teams for the most receiving touchdowns (five) yielded to the position.

With a price almost $1,000 cheaper than that of top option Charles Johnson ($7,600), Ross is worth a look if you’re paying up.

Nelson Spruce, SD at SL ($6,200): 

Spruce burst into the spotlight last week in the wake of wide-out mate Dontez Ford’s absence, setting an AAF record with a 12-146 line in the loss to the Hotshots. Ford is now on injured reserve with an ankle injury and the Fleet are up against the funnel defense of the Stallions in Week 8, making it a potentially perfect storm for Spruce.

The sure-handed receiver has seen eight, eight and 14 targets over the last three games, with the latter figure having come in Week 7 in Ford’s absence.

Spruce posted a solid 4-47 line on eight targets against the Stallions in Week 5 with Ford on the field, and Salt Lake continues to completely discourage teams from running against them by yielding a miserly 64.6 rush yards per contest, easily the lowest figure in the AAF.

It’s a very different story in the secondary, however, where the Stallions are surrendering the third-most passing yards (240.4) per game and are tied with the Express with a league-high 10 passing touchdowns allowed. With what would seemingly be a locked-in target share in Week 8 and a reasonable price, he’s an excellent mid-tier option.

De’Mornay Pierson-El, SL vs. SD ($6,100): 

The mid-tier is definitely where it’s at when it comes to the receiver position this week, and Pierson-El is yet another example of a wideout that could outpace his affordable cost.

He’ll face a vulnerable Fleet secondary that, as discussed in Woodrum’s entry, is yielding 248.0 passing yards per contest. What’s more, they’re surrendering the most receiving yards per game to wide-outs (183.3) and are tied with several teams for most receiving touchdowns allowed (five).

For his part, Pierson-El has seen no fewer than six targets in five of seven games, including in three straight. He’s become one of the Woodrum’s most reliable weapons, and he’s flashed some nice GPP upside with two games of more than 20 fantasy points.

While touchdowns have admittedly been scarce — Pierson-El has just one on the season — his best game came versus this same Fleet squad, courtesy of an 8-130 line on a season-high nine targets in Week 5 that netted 23 fantasy points.

      AAF DFS Week 8 Fanball Plays- Flex Options

Mekale McKay, SA vs. ARI ($6,300): 

Back to the receiver position we go for our first flex option. McKay has scored in three straight games, and in four of the last five overall.

One of those touchdowns came versus these same Hotshots, against which he posted a 5-91-1 line in Week 5 that led to a season-high 20.1 fantasy points.

The targets have been steady all year for McKay as well, even when they’ve taken a bit of a hit — the big-bodied receiver has logged no fewer than four looks in any game and as many as 12.

The Hotshots  just allowed a 12-146 line to the Fleet’s Nelson Spruce in Week 7 as well, and they’ve surrendered the second-most receptions (91) to wideouts on the campaign. They’re also one of five teams that are tied for most receiving touchdowns allowed to wide receivers (five).

Finally, no AAF pass catcher has seen more red-zone targets than McKay (12), who should thrive regardless of whether it’s Marquise Williams or Logan Woodside (shoulder) under center in Week 8.

Evan Rodriguez, SA vs. ARI ($4,300): 

So where might Commanders QBs look when they don’t go to McKay this week? Consider Rodriguez as a likely low-owned, bargain option that has some sneaky tournament upside. Rodriguez has emerged as a downfield option over the last two games, posting four catches for 104 yards. That sample includes a 3-71 line in Week 7 against the Stallions.

San Diego’s problems defending the pass have extended to tight ends at times, as they’ve allowed the second-most touchdowns (three) to the position and the third-most targets (5.9) per contest  as well. Rodriguez brings more athleticism to the position than most, and similar returns to those of the last two weeks would justify his modest price.