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
Jordan Love, QB (Green Bay Packers) Week 4 DraftKings Price $6,000; Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,500
It was a tale of two halves for Jordan Love and the Packers as they could not quite complete a miraculous comeback after falling behind 28-0 to the Vikings on Sunday. Love aired the ball out in the second half, finishing 32-54 for 389 yards and four touchdowns.
He did not show any noticeable hesitation after returning from a Week 1 injury but did manage to throw three balls to the defense. Speaking of defense, the Packers secondary struggled to defend Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison without star cornerback Jaire Alexander in the lineup.
Love will be asked to throw the ball against a Rams defense that ranks 27th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks this season. Even with Christian Watson going down, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks provide plenty of weapons for fantasy upside.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB (Washington Commanders) Week 4 DraftKings Price $6,100; Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,600
Jayden Daniels isn’t the only Washington Commanders player climbing up fantasy rankings. Brian Robinson Jr. tallied his second 100-yard performance in Week 4 with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts.
The Commanders offense has been prolific with their shiny new rookie quarterback at the helm. Despite sharing the backfield with Austin Ekeler until his recent injury, Robinson Jr. has continued to earn the lion’s share of the workload. He has seen at least 68% of the team’s running back carries each week and at least two opportunities inside the 10-yard line each game.
Robinson Jr. faces a difficult Cleveland run defense this week, but his usage in this surprisingly explosive offense makes him a strong fantasy consideration for lineups.
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Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (New York Giants) Week 4 DraftKings Price $4,600; Week 5 DraftKings Price $5,600
The Giants passing game is largely focused on standout rookie Malik Nabers, but his teammate Wan’Dale Robinson has emerged as a second option with sneaky PPR value. He caught 11 passes for 71 yards in Week 4 against the Cowboys after seven catches in Week 3.
The targets for Robinson are largely screens and short-designed passes near the line of scrimmage, which hurts his upside potential, but he’s got to break one of those for a big play at some point, right?
For the price tag, Robinson is a high-floor lineup option against a Seattle defense that just allowed 42 points to Detroit. With Devon Witherspoon and the rest of the Seahawks secondary focused on Nabers, Robinson may be a sneaky play.
Erick All Jr., TE (Cincinnati Bengals) Week 4 DraftKings Price $2,500; Week 5 DraftKings Price $2,700
If you are looking for a low-end dart throw at tight end, Erick All Jr. is an interesting name down the salary chart. The Bengals rookie has caught all 12 of his targets over the last three weeks, and he surpassed first-stringer Mike Gesicki in catches in Week 4 for the first time in his career.
The Bengals’ passing attack is highlighted by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but Joe Burrow has opted to throw the ball to tight ends at a 29% rate. All Jr. has the talent to become a solid pass-catching tight end in the league. Normally, it takes time for rookies to break out at the position, but it’s worth keeping his name on the fantasy radar with the position in dire straits as a whole.
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Notable NFL DFS Price Decreases
Matthew Stafford, QB (Los Angeles Rams) Week 4 DraftKings Price $5,600; Week 5 DraftKings Price $5,500
The Rams offense is in a difficult spot without their top two wideouts on the field. Matthew Stafford can still throw the ball, but his passing targets lack the firepower for high-end fantasy performances.
Stafford has finished outside the top 20 in quarterback fantasy scoring in each of the last three weeks. He has 20 or fewer completions in each of those games and just two touchdown passes on the season.
With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on the field, Stafford posted five top-12 quarterback weeks in the last six games of 2023. Until they return to the lineup, the likes of Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell don’t provide the same fantasy potential.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB (Jacksonville Jaguars) Week 4 DraftKings Price $7,000; Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,700
The Jacksonville offense is on red alert after another lackluster performance. The Jaguars have failed to top 20 points in a game through four weeks Travis Etienne Jr. has been kept well below the opportunity rate he saw as a top-5 fantasy running back in the first half of 2023.
Etienne Jr. saw his snap rate dwindle to 52% in Week 4 as he dealt with a shoulder issue. Lone touchdowns saved the fantasy days for him in the first two games of the season, but he still has not cracked the top 20 in running back fantasy scoring in a single week this year.
Assuming his shoulder issue doesn’t linger, this could be a buying opportunity against a beatable Colts defense. Etienne Jr. and Brian Thomas Jr. are by far the most talented weapons in Trevor Lawrence‘s arsenal. If they are going to turn things around in Jacksonville, Etienne Jr. should play a major role.
Keenan Allen, WR (Chicago Bears) Week 4 DraftKings Price $5,800; Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,100
Caleb Williams‘ streak of doubling his passing yards each week came to an end in Week 4 as he dropped back down to 157 yards and a score. He earned his best QB Rating (106.6) of the season and finished with his best completion rate (74%) of his young career.
Veteran wideout Keenan Allen did not fare as well in Week 4, as he caught all three of his targets for 19 total yards. DJ Moore finished with a similar stat line and caught the touchdown. Rookie receiver Rome Odunze caught one pass for 10 yards. Both D’Andre Swift and Cole Kmet outpaced the trio of receivers in production.
With so many pass catchers sharing a small passing pie, Allen cannot be counted on to live up to the fantasy expectations he has surpassed his entire career.
Hunter Henry, TE (New England Patriots) Week 4 DraftKings Price $4,200; Week 5 DraftKings Price $3,900
After a TE1 performance in Week 2 with over 100 receiving yards, Hunter Henry has put up two bust weeks with four total catches and 21 total yards. The Patriots offense is stuck in the mud with Jacoby Brissett behind center as they’ve yet to top 20 points scored in a week.
Henry can be left out of lineups until the Patriots show signs of life on the scoreboard, and in the passing attack. Maybe Drake Maye can provide a spark at some point this season if he gets inserted into the lineup.
