There are an abundance of tools at FantasyLabs to use for your NFL DFS lineups each week. Our most popular tools are our NFL Player Models, which house our NFL DFS projections from Sean Koerner.
You can use these projections in our models with our Lineup Builder to hand-build your lineups or use our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 150 lineups for your NFL DFS tournaments.
In this article, we will go position by position, highlighting my favorite plays for both cash games and single-entry/three-max GPP contests. These plays are also viable in large field tournaments but do not focus on ownership percentages.
NFL DFS Cash Game + Single-Entry GPP Locks
NFL DFS Quarterback Picks
Jalen Hurts ($8,200 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel) Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Despite there being 13 games this week, there is not a ton to like at any position. Hurts is listed as questionable to play this week after missing each of the past two games, but is expected to suit up in what’s a must-win game for the Eagles. Nobody outside of Josh Allen on this slate has the floor ceiling combination that Hurts does, which is reflected in the projections as THE BLITZ has Hurts almost four points clear of the next highest projected quarterback (Allen).
The Eagles boast the highest implied team total on the slate at 28.75, and the Giants might also be resting some players since they do not need the game. There’s quite a bit of opportunity cost if you pay down at the position this week, making Hurts the premier play on the board.
Kirk Cousins ($6,500 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel) Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
This one will not show up in optimals, which means it should be a nice low-owned play. The Vikings are locked into a playoff spot but can move up to the No. 2 seed with a win and a 49ers loss. They also play at 1 p.m. while the 49ers don’t kick off until the afternoon window, meaning they will certainly be playing to win here. Minnesota — and Kirk Cousins specifically — got embarrassed last week by the Packers.
However, this is the NFL, and we must have a short memory. The matchup this week couldn’t be better, as the Bears got absolutely eviscerated by Jared Goff and the Lions last week and have now dropped to 29th in pass defense DVOA and 30th in yards per pass attempt allowed. Cousins had been on a nice run prior to last week, posting 24 or more DraftKings points in three straight.
The Vikings have a solid team total here and are six-point favorites at Soldier Field, so it absolutely makes a ton of sense to bet on a Cousins bounceback. Obviously, if you play him, pair him with Justin Jefferson, who needs just 194 yards to pass Calvin Johnson’s record for receiving yards in a season.
NFL DFS Running Back Picks
Kenneth Walker ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel) Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Seahawks absolutely have to have this game against the Rams if they want to make the playoffs, and they should lean on Walker quite a bit in this spot, especially with Tyler Lockett questionable to play. The Rams have not been great against opposing running backs lately, especially after giving up 161 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns to Austin Ekeler last week.
Walker has received a whopping 49 carries over his past two games, which makes his $6,400 price tag this week look laughable. The game script should also work in Walker’s favor here as Seattle is currently laying 6.5 points in the game.
On a week full of uncertainty, Walker is pretty close to a sure thing as you’re going to find.
Christian McCaffrey ($9,300 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel) San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals
After a down week against the Commanders, CMC came right back out and looked like his usual self last week against the Raiders. He rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries while adding an additional six catches for 72 yards through the air. He’s presented with another amazing matchup this week, as the Cardinals have been getting gashed by opposing running backs, ranking 28th in DraftKings points allowed to the position.
We won’t have to worry about CMC’s workload in this game either, as the 49ers can still clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye with a win and an Eagles loss.
Both games kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET as well. Obviously, McCaffrey is not cheap, but it’s just so easy for him to get 30 with the usage he gets making him as safe an option as they come.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Garrett Wilson ($5,800 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel) New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
I may be in the minority here, but I believe if the Jets had started Joe Flacco all season, they would be a playoff team. Instead, they will yet again be playing a meaningless game in the final week of the season. However, Flacco will start this week in place of Mike White, and there’s no way this can be viewed as a downgrade. Flacco started the first three games of the season for the Jets and threw 59, 44, and 52 times in those games.
In Week 2 at Cleveland, Flacco and Garrett Wilson hooked up for a pair of touchdowns in a game where the rookie caught eight balls for 102 yards. This Miami secondary is nothing to fear as it ranks 25th in pass defense DVOA on the year. Wilson has burned us for two consecutive weeks now, but should absolutely get back on track here.
He’s still underpriced at just $5,800 as well.
Rashid Shaheed ($4,200 DraftKings, 5,800 FanDuel) New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Very quietly, Shaheed has scored over 11.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four games while eclipsing double digits in five of 11 games on the season. The Saints are really thin on pass catchers outside of Chris Olave right now, with Jarvis Landry on IR and Juwan Johnson questionable to play this week. Enter Shaheed, who has a great matchup against a Panthers team that’s allowed the third most DraftKings points to opposing wideouts and sits 26th in pass defense DVOA.
Shaheed has been earning targets and will be on the field a bunch in this spot, which is good enough for just $4,200 on DraftKings. If you want to play the Jalen Hurts’ and CMCs of the world, you’re gonna need to find some value, and Shaheed provides just that.
NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Pat Freiermuth ($3,800 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
Freiermuth’s down game last week plummeted his price on DraftKings to just $3,800, which is the cheapest he’s been all season. I don’t think it needs to be said that potentially getting nine target upside from a $3,800 player is something we see that often, but that’s what we have this week with the Penn State product.
Freiermuth has been much better at home this season as well, averaging 12.9 DraftKings points at Acrisure Stadium compared to just 7.9 on the road. The Browns do not present a great matchup for opposing tight ends, but Freiermuth is going to be on the field and can easily hit double-digit fantasy points, which would easily pay off his salary.
Mark Andrews (5,400 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel) Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
This is not a cash game play, but it’s Week 18, and I’m not sure how many people are still playing cash anyway. We finally saw the Huntley to Andrews connection smash against last week after four down games in a row. Last season Andrews absolutely feasted in the brief stint Huntley had as quarterback. The big fella caught all nine of his targets for 100 yards against a pretty good Pittsburgh defense and has an even better matchup this week with the Bengals.
The Ravens are currently 9.5-point road underdogs, so it’s unlikely they’ll be running much if this game plays out the way Vegas thinks. The only thing to monitor here is the health of Tyler Huntley, as he’s listed as questionable with a shoulder/wrist issue, but coach Jon Harbaugh said he expects Huntley to play.
If so, Andrews is simply way too cheap at just $5,400 with the target share he’s been seeing.
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