NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer Rules and My Favorite Angle for Week 9’s Main Slate

Our Lineup Optimizer is an incredibly powerful tool inside our Player Models, particularly when creating a large number of lineups. However, it’s just that — a tool. We still have to make decisions. Otherwise, everyone would have the same 150 lineups in each contest.

This is intended more as a teaching piece than a step-by-step guide. These rules are suggestions that can show you how to translate your read on these games into lineups.

Each week I’ll go over my favorite DFS angle for the given week and go over some of our Lineup Optimizer settings that are worth considering.

Now, let’s get to it!

My Favorite Week 9 NFL DFS Angle

This week I plan on attacking this small slate with a similarly tight running back pool. In my view, the difference in ceiling in the top tier of running  backs this week is evident and will lead me to concentrate the vast majority of exposure to this group

Austin Ekeler faces a weak defense without the Chargers’ top two wideouts, making him a continued good bet for at least five catches.

Aaron Jones is a special talent who the team seems to finally realize needs more touches. Coming off a 23-point breakout last week, he now gets the lowly Lions defense inside the dome this week.

Travis Etienne is finally running as the top dog and gets a juicy home matchup against the Raiders.

Rhamondre Stevenson looks likely to carry the lion’s share of the load this week, with Damien Harris missing nearly all of practice this week with a sickness.

I think these guys are really lapping the field in terms of projected ceiling, and I want to be overweight on everyone in this group.

Lineup Optimizer Rules to Consider

Below are the rules to consider for Sunday. For more context on optimizer rules or the Showdown format in general, check out my NFL Showdown Primer.

General

Minimum salary cap: 99.6%. Leaving more than this causes you to lose significant win equity.

Flex positions: WR, RB.

Player Correlations

Optimal tournament construction includes stacking your quarterback with at least one, but usually two, pass-catcher(s) from the same team and at least one pass-catcher from the opposing team.

A mobile quarterback with a big rushing game is more likely to only need one teammate paired. These settings can be accomplished through rules in the “Position” tab or through the Player Correlations tab for more control.

At the moment, it looks like Justin Fields is the only QB I will be single stacking with, given his cheap price and rushing ability.

Player Groups

You want to avoid pairings like Davante Adams with Josh Jacobs in GPPs to assure your ceiling isn’t capped. The Player Groups tab gives you more control over the process, but the Position tab can be used to completely group out running back paired with a wide receiver from the same team.

Custom

Winning GPP lineups typically use 2-3 players that are less than 10% owned. The Lineup Optimizer allows you to accomplish this quickly.