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
Tom Brady, QB (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,000; Week 6 DraftKings Price $6,300
After a disappointing first three weeks for fantasy owners, Brady seems to have found his rhythm with two positive Plus/Minus games in a row. The improving health of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin has correlated with his improved point totals.
Brady has thrown the ball 52 times for over 350+ yards each of the last two weeks. Expect the volume to come down in week six against a Steelers team with little explosive potential on the offensive end to match the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers should get ahead early without superstar T.J. Watt on the defensive side for Pittsburgh. Brady should have plenty of scoring opportunity early, but be wary of a second-half running focus in a blowout.
Leonard Fournette, RB (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,900; Week 6 DraftKings Price $7,400
Fournette has seen an uptick in targets every week this season, culminating in 11 targets this past week against the Falcons. He capitalized with 10 receptions for 83 yards and a score through the air with another 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The Steelers are bottom-third in the league in rushing yards allowed, and the Buccaneers are clear favorites with a strong chance of a lopsided affair. Fournette could see a few less targets this week due to game flow, but those opportunities could shift to more carries.
With some of the top-tier running backs struggling on the season, Fournette is a strong lineup option even with the elevated price.
Jakobi Meyers, WR (New England Patriots) Week 5 DraftKings Price $4,800; Week 6 DraftKings Price $5,300
The NC State product returned to the lineup on Sunday and had one of his best games with the Patriots while catching balls from rookie backup quarterback Bailey Zappe. Meyers caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown on eight targets.
Touchdowns have been the knock on Meyers over his four years in the league. He has just three total touchdown grabs in 188 career catches. His 27.10 DraftKings points in week five were the most points he’s scored in a game since the start of 2021.
He is a consistent receptions producer for head-to-head or 50/50 lineups, but his ceiling remains limited no matter who is behind center.
Dallas Goedert, TE (Philadelphia Eagles) Week 5 DraftKings Price $4,700; Week 6 DraftKings Price $5,000
Goedert has quietly cranked out four positive Plus/Minus games in a row for the Eagles’ high-powered offense. He had his best DraftKings performance of the season last week eight catches for 95 yards against the Cardinals.
Jalen Hurts is a leading MVP candidate so far in 2022 but does much of that damage on the ground. He has more games without a touchdown pass (3) than with a touchdown pass (2) this season. Of course, he also has six rushing touchdowns.
With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith taking the top off the defense, there is a lot of space underneath for Goedert as a possession receiver. His ceiling may be capped with Hurts’ rushing production, but he is a good player with consistent involvement on an explosive offense. There are not many other tight ends that meet those criteria.
Notable NFL DFS Price Decreases
Aaron Rodgers, QB (Green Bay Packers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,300; Week 6 DraftKings Price $6,100
Rodgers has been extremely consistent in fantasy production over the last four weeks, but those scoring results have not been what we are used to out of the former MVP.
He has scored between 16.88 and 17.36 DraftKings points in those weeks and has yet to top 255 passing yards in a game this season. Rodgers has 10 games above that threshold in 2021.
The Packers have one of the highest implied point totals on the slate against the Jets this week. Rodgers may currently be at his lowest price tag of the season as he continues to gel with his new young wide receivers. This week could be a “get right” game for the entire Packers team after a sub-par showing in London.
Najee Harris, RB (Pittsburgh Steelers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,500; Week 6 DraftKings Price $6,000
Consistent volume has boosted Harris’ fantasy value over his career. With the Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett experience at quarterback for the Steelers this season, that volume has diminished, and scoring opportunities have completely dried up.
Pittsburgh has the third-lowest scoring offense in the league through five games. With the game quickly out of hand against the Bills last week, Harris saw less than 50% of the Steelers offensive snaps for the first time since the start of 2021.
The offensive line is in shambles, and the Steelers face another difficult defense this week in the Buccaneers. Stay far away from Harris until the Steelers show some life on the offensive end.
Diontae Johnson, WR (Pittsburgh Steelers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $6,100; Week 6 DraftKings Price $5,700
One of the most talented wide receivers in the league, Johnson now looks to build a connection with first-round rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett.
The targets are still elite for the top Steelers pass catcher. He earned 13 opportunities on Sunday in Pickett’s first start but caught only five of those passes for 60 yards. Johnson has double-digit targets in four of five games this season but has yet to produce more than 16.40 DraftKings points with zero touchdowns.
If Pickett can find his groove and the Steelers offense takes a step forward, Johnson is a bargain at this price level.
Expect another difficult week against the Buccaneers this week.
Gerald Everett, TE (Los Angeles Chargers) Week 5 DraftKings Price $4,200; Week 6 DraftKings Price $3,700
Everett has been solid for three of the first five games this season but produced just one catch for two yards against the Browns on three targets.
The bleak tight end landscape makes Everett a potential lineup option, and he does play with one of the top quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert.
Keenan Allen may be returning for the Chargers, but there are still enough targets to go around. If you are looking for a tight end dart throw, Everett is an interesting option against the Broncos.
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