NFL DFS Bargain Bin: Week 8 Sunday Slates

NFL DFS Bargain Bin: Week 8 Sunday Slates Tight Ends 

Noah Fant, DEN vs. LAC ($4,700-DK/$5,700-FD)

Fant returned from a one-game absence in Week 7, posting a 3-38 line on seven targets versus the Chiefs. While those numbers certainly don’t pop off the page, Fant’s talent should allow him to give a serious boost to his numbers the more separation he gains from the ankle injury that led to him sitting out Week 6. At a position that always has plenty of fantasy volatility, he brings some welcome stability, as he’s logged at least six targets in four of his first five contests.

The degree of attention Fant typically gets from quarterback Drew Lock speaks to the rapport between the two young players. With the Chargers boasting an above-average cover corner in Casey Heyward on one side and a formidable pass rush that features Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, Lock could find himself frequently turning to Fant as a safety valve Sunday. That would bode well for a strong game from the athletic second-year pro, as Los Angeles has given up a 26-318-4 line to tight ends through six games, leading to averages of 14.0 DK/11.8 FD points per contest surrendered to the position.

Irv Smith, Jr., MIN at GB ($3,000-DK/$4,500-FD)

Smith could turn out to be one of the best fantasy-points-per-dollar values at tight end by the time the slate concludes. The second-year pro’s salaries are particularly surprising when considering his role in the notoriously narrowly-focused Vikings air attack has been expanding of late. Prior to Minnesota’s Week 7 bye, Smith had logged five targets apiece against the Seahawks and Falcons in Weeks 5 and 6, respectively, parlaying them into an 8-119 line.

Sunday’s positional matchup doesn’t immediately jump off the page, as Green Bay has given up a respectable 21-271-1 line (27 targets) to tight ends over six games. However, the Pack has surrendered an average of just 12.3 receptions for 149 yards per game to wideouts, potentially funneling plenty of potential work toward Smith, who out-snapped position mate Kyle Rudolph by a 44-38 margin in the Vikings’ last game before the bye. The Vikes’ offense offers the advantage of being very predictable in terms of where targets will typically go, enhancing Smith’s value as a complementary option to Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson.

ALSO CONSIDER: Harrison Bryant, CLE vs. LV ($3,200-DK/$5,000-FD)