NFL DFS Bargain Bin: Week 17 Sunday Slates
NFL DFS Bargain Bin: Week 17 Sunday Slates Wide Receivers
Nelson Agholor, LV at DEN ($5,400-DK/$5,800-FD)
As is becoming evident, the Raiders-Broncos contest is on the radar this week, unsurprising given the game environment I’m anticipating has a solid chance of developing. Agholor is certainly the type of player that combines savings and explosiveness in such a manner that not only makes him a natural fit for this column, but for a contest that could evolve into a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair. The speedy veteran comes in trending in the right direction as well, having seen between six and 11 targets in six straight games and compiling between 88 and 155 receiving yards in three of those outings.
Agholor now takes aim at a Denver pass defense whose late-season weaknesses were already partly outlined in Carr’s entry. In addition to the figures cited, it’s also worth noting the Broncos have allowed a 65.4 percent catch rate to receivers, along with the 11th-most receptions (202) and 36.7 DK/28.9 FD points per game to the position. Agholor also averages 75.8 air yards per game, boasts an elevated aDOT of 14.6 yards, and lays claim to 28.6 percent of the Raiders’ air yards along with 16.0 percent of his squad’s targets. Those are all metrics that give him a strong chance of remaining solidly involved once again to finish off what’s been a strong first season for him in the desert.
Jerry Jeudy, DEN vs. LV ($4,200-DK/$5,100-FD)
Keeping with the same theme for one last player, Jeudy checks in as a Broncos component that can be rostered much less expensively than earlier in the season, and that’s coming off a 15-target game that didn’t produce an elite fantasy score only because of a combination of Lock’s inaccuracy and Jeudy’s pervasive problem with drops. However, his issues hanging on to the ball don’t actually wipe out his chances of providing a strong return on his very modest salaries; all it would take is a more sure-handed performance with even 60 percent of Jeudy’s Week 16 volume to see him offer a strong return on investment.
The rookie has one truly elite fantasy performance this season, having posted a 7-125-1 line in Week 9 against the Falcons. However, Jeudy has seen consistent opportunity despite his issues securing the ball at times, logging three double-digit target games overall and averaging a solid 7.1 looks per contest. Like Agholor, Jeudy sees a good share of his passes come downfield, as he owns an aDOT of 13.6 yards and is averaging 96.4 air yards per contest, good for a substantial 31.0 percent share of his team’s allotment. The risk is naturally there due to the aforementioned drops, but Jeudy could certainly make for a lower-rostered tournament play that potentially flies more under the radar than usual while facing a Raiders team yielding 38.2 DK/30.2 FD points per game to receivers.
Darius Slayton, NYG vs. DAL ($4,100-DK/$5,00O-FD)
Similar to Jeudy, Slayton is another highly talented receiver that’s struggled with efficiency at times this season, including Week 16. The second-year speedster brought in only two of eight targets versus a tough Ravens defense, dropping Slayton’s catch rate on the season to an unsightly 51.9 percent. However, Slayton also has the ability to pay off his minuscule salaries on one play, and he’s now seen at least eight targets in three straight games. Moreover, he’ll face a Cowboys defense that’s had trouble with the deep ball throughout 2020, and that he torched for a season-best eight-catch, 129-yard tally back in Week 5.
Dallas has allowed elevated passer ratings of 132, 110 and 124 in the left, middle and right deep passing windows, respectively. Those numbers are partly the byproduct of a combined 15:3 TD:INT amassed by quarterbacks when targeting the Cowboys in those areas of the field, which makes Slayton all the more of a bad matchup for their secondary. Additionally, Slayton has two of his three TDs on the season in those deep windows, where he’s also seen just under 32 percent of his 92 targets and recorded 13 of his 48 receptions. With Slayton also seeing a healthy 33.4 percent of his team’s air yards and the Cowboys giving up the most touchdowns (25) to wideouts, Slayton is another likely low-rostered play to consider, particularly in larger-field tournaments.