Like any healthy market, price fluctuations are expected for players in daily fantasy football. Exploring those fluctuations can often reveal bargain players to target after down weeks or players that are rising too high in price above future expectations.
Each week, we will analyze one player at each position that has notably increased and decreased in price.
Notable NFL DFS Price Increases
Justin Fields, QB (Chicago Bears) Week 9 DraftKings Price $5,300; Week 10 DraftKings Price $6,500
Fields ran all over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday for a historic 178 rushing yards, the highest total for a quarterback in NFL history during the regular season. He added four total touchdowns for the highest fantasy output of his young career.
With just one game this season over 200 passing yards, Fields’ fantasy value comes primarily from his feet. His rushing attempts have increased throughout the season, with an average of more than 10 carries over his last four games.
The Lions provide the second-highest Opponent Plus/Minus rating to quarterbacks on the slate, and Fields is building momentum. This could be a shootout with two sub-par defenses.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB (Jacksonville Jaguars) Week 9 DraftKings Price $6,300; Week 10 DraftKings Price $7,100
The second-year running back impressed again in Week 9 with his third 20+ fantasy point game in a row. He also topped the 100-yard rushing threshold for his third straight week and scored twice.
Even more exciting, Etienne Jr. has become a bell cow running back since James Robinson was shipped off to the Jets. Etienne Jr. got 30 total touches last week, the most in his career.
The Jaguars head to Kansas City this Sunday, where they expect to be playing from behind a lot. Etienne Jr. may need more than the five total targets he received over the past two weeks to live up to his new price level.
Tyreek Hill, WR (Miami Dolphins) Week 9 DraftKings Price $8,500; Week 10 DraftKings Price $9,100
Hill surpassed all other wide receivers in salary for the first time this season after another stellar performance in Week 9. He had seven catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.
Through nine games, Hill leads the NFL with 100 targets and 1,104 yards. Despite only catching three touchdowns so far in 2022, Hill is still third in fantasy points per game behind Stefon Diggs and Cooper Kupp.
The Browns allow the fifth-highest yards per completion rate in the league. Hill will need to produce superstar numbers to make good on his top-end salary. If the Browns can find success with Nick Chubb on the ground, they will try to limit the Dolphins’ time of possession and takeaway opportunities for Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
T.J. Hockenson, TE (Minnesota Vikings) Week 9 DraftKings Price $4,800; Week 10 DraftKings Price $5,300
The newest Minnesota Vikings pass catcher had a strong debut in Washington with nine receptions on nine targets for 70 yards. He was a consistent safety blanket for Kirk Cousins and gives the Vikings a trusted short to mid-range option over the middle.
Hockenson had one explosive performance with the Lions in Week 4 but otherwise has been a fantasy disappointment. Maybe the Vikings made specific plans to show off their new weapon last week, but he should have plenty of opportunities to attract targets in this offense with double coverage often going to Justin Jefferson.
Notable NFL DFS Price Decreases
Kirk Cousins, QB (Minnesota Vikings) Week 9 DraftKings Price $6,200; Week 10 DraftKings Price $6,000
Cousins may be blinging out on the team plane after a six-game winning streak, but the veteran quarterback is not providing explosive fantasy numbers in the process.
Sitting 10th in fantasy points per game this season, Cousins is on pace for his lowest yards per attempt since 2013 and has yet to throw three touchdown passes in a game this year.
He is a solid high-floor quarterback for cash game lineups, but his upside is capped without any running production. The Vikings will need to score points in Buffalo this week, and Cousins may be asked to come through with some explosive plays to Justin Jefferson.
Aaron Jones, RB (Green Bay Packers) Week 9 DraftKings Price $7,400; Week 10 DraftKings Price $7,200
The Packers are off to their worst start in recent memory, as the offense has failed to surpass 22 points scored in their last five games.
Jones has been the lone bright spot this season for Green Bay as he’s dominated backfield touches over AJ Dillon, but the low total output of this offense has limited his touchdown totals to just one rushing score on the season.
Jones left last week’s game with an ankle injury, but it appears he has a chance to play this Sunday against the Cowboys. With the injury uncertainties, a difficult Cowboys defense, and the Packers’ struggles to score, Jones is a firm sit this week.
Alec Pierce, WR (Indianapolis Colts) Week 9 DraftKings Price $4,400; Week 10 DraftKings Price $4,100
The Colts’ wideouts are collateral damage with the backfield and front-office turmoil going on in Indianapolis this week. It’s hard to know what the head coaching change from Frank Reich to Jeff Saturday may mean for the Colts offense, but we have a good idea of what the change to Sam Ehlinger has meant, and it’s not good.
Ehlinger threw 29 times for just 103 yards on Sunday against the Patriots. He was sacked nine times and managed just 3.6 yards per attempt.
Rookie wideout Pierce showed some talent early in the season with Matt Ryan behind center, but his upside is non-existent with Ehlinger. He logged just one catch for 23 yards on two targets against the Patriots. Keep him off your fantasy radar until things are brighter in Indianapolis.
Mike Gesicki, TE (Miami Dolphins) Week 9 DraftKings Price $4,000; Week 10 DraftKings Price $3,500
The Dolphins are scoring plenty of points with Tua Tagovailoa back on the field, but that has not translated into fantasy scoring for Gesicki.
He is a touchdown-dependent option at the difficult tight end position but has the capability to score any week. With just one catch for three yards last week, the limited upside may not be worth the likely low-floor output.
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