Like any healthy market, price fluctuations are expected for players in daily fantasy football (NFL DFS). 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
Kirk Cousins, QB (Minnesota Vikings) Week 2 DraftKings Price $6,100; Week 3 DraftKings Price $6,900
The first two games have been a turnover disaster for the Vikings with seven total giveaways, but Kirk Cousins has done his best to get Minnesota back into games with his arm. Surprisingly, he is the top fantasy quarterback so far early season.
Cousins has 708 passing yards with six touchdowns in the first two games. The Vikings’ running game with Alexander Mattison working behind a questionable offensive line has been non-existent. On the other hand, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson give Cousins potentially the best receiving options in the NFL.
Expect the Vikings to need lots of points on Sunday at home against Justin Herbert and the Chargers in a battle of disappointed 0-2 squads.
Cousins should continue to put up big fantasy numbers this week.
Zach Moss, RB (Indianapolis Colts) Week 2 DraftKings Price $4,700; Week 3 DraftKings Price $5,500
Until Jonathan Taylor decides to suit up for the Colts, Zach Moss appears to be a workhorse running back. He received all 18 running back carries for Indianapolis in Week 2 and turned those into 88 yards on a respectable 4.9 average yards per carry.
The former Bills tailback tallied four receptions against the Colts after averaging less than a catch per game in 2022. He has never earned more than 112 carries in a season and still has plenty of tread left on the tires.
With Anthony Richardson‘s status unknown for Sunday’s matchup with the Ravens, the Colts could easily be playing catch-up quickly. Game situations may limit Moss’ carries, but he could still see significant work in the passing game to justify his salary jump.
Keenan Allen, WR (Los Angeles Charger) Week 2 DraftKings Price $7,100; Week 3 DraftKings Price $7,600
The veteran wideout has landed in the top five of PPR fantasy receivers through Week 2 as he continues to produce in his 11th NFL season. Keenan Allen has 14 catches for 187 total receiving yards and two scores so far on the year.
Allen notched the top receiving performance of the week against Tennessee last Sunday with 31.1 PPR points. That’s his best weekly fantasy total since 2020. Despite missing eight games last season, Allen finished the year on a high note with three top-10 fantasy finishes in his last five games.
The Chargers drafted first-round receiver Quentin Johnston with high expectations, but he has been largely irrelevant through two weeks. Allen continues to be the favorite target for Justin Herbert and the Chargers face a young, inexperienced secondary in Minnesota this week.
TJ Hockenson, TE (Minnesota Vikings) Week 2 DraftKings Price $5,200; Week 3 DraftKings Price $6,500
Another Vikings player with a salary bump, TJ Hockenson, rebounded from a tough opening game to put up the best tight end performance of Week 2. He hauled in seven-of-eight targets for 66 yards and two touchdowns against Philadelphia.
Hockenson scored just three touchdowns in 12 games with the Vikings last season but finished with eight top-11 weekly performances as a consistent PPR threat. He has at least eight targets in both games so far in 2023.
The Vikings cannot run the ball and Kirk Cousins is off to perhaps the best start of his career. Hockenson serves as a security blanket and the state of the Minnesota offensive line gives Cousins looking for safety on a regular basis.
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Notable NFL DFS Price Decreases
Justin Fields, QB (Chicago Bears) Week 2 DraftKings Price $7,600; Week 3 DraftKings Price $7,100
The offseason optimism in Chicago has quickly turned to in-season disappointment. The Bears are 0-2 with Justin Fields and the offense looking inept through much of the first two games.
Last season was rough for the Bears, but Fields’ running ability created a fantasy cheat code. He totaled 1,143 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2022. Add that to his modest passing numbers and Fields finished as a top five fantasy quarterback.
Fields managed just three yards on the ground last week against the Buccaneers and fumbled twice. Hopes that his passing numbers would take a step forward in year three have yet to come to fruition. The Chiefs and Chris Jones are licking their lips for this matchup.
Dameon Pierce, RB (Houston Texans) Week 2 DraftKings Price $5,600; Week 3 DraftKings Price $5,200
Normally, teams try to ease their rookie quarterbacks into the offense by focusing on the running game early in the season. Whether due to intention or reaction, the Texans have chosen a different path for CJ Stroud in the first two games.
With a beat-up offensive line, Dameon Pierce has struggled to a 2.7 average yards per carry on 26 carries through two weeks. He’s caught four passes for a total of 13 yards. Stroud has thrown the ball 91 times thus far.
Pierce showed flashes last year in a lost season for the Texans and signs pointed to him taking on a bigger role. This may be a buy low opportunity for fantasy owners after a price drop.
Courtland Sutton, WR (Denver Broncos) Week 2 DraftKings Price $5,400; Week 3 DraftKings Price $5,100
Had Courtland Sutton hauled in the Broncos’ last-second Hail Mary instead of Brandon Johnson, he may not be on the price fallers list. Instead, Sutton has managed a ho-hum 98 yards on nine receptions through Week 2.
The Broncos offense seems to be a little friskier in 2023 under Sean Payton, but Sutton has not seen a major uptick in usage. His touchdown in Week 1 was only his third since Russell Wilson came to Denver at the start of last season.
It’s hard to trust Sutton in fantasy lineups until he shows more consistent upside. The Broncos will need to air it out in Miami this Sunday to keep up with the Dolphins’ high-powered offense, but there are no guarantees Sutton will be a main target with Jerry Jeudy back healthy and rookie Marvin Mims seeing deep opportunities.
Gerald Everett, TE (Los Angeles Chargers) Week 2 DraftKings Price $4,100; Week 3 DraftKings Price $3,800
The tight end position is rough for fantasy owners, especially with injuries to Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews to lead off the season.
Gerald Everett has been a touchdown-dependent fantasy option for the last couple of seasons. He finished 13th in PPR points per game at the position in 2022 with 555 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The pass attempts have been down for Justin Herbert through two games, but his 7.2 yards per attempt is up from 2022. The touchdown potential is always there for Everett, but he needs to earn more than three targets per game to be fantasy relevant.
