The Week 8 NFL Dashboard
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Eagles at Cowboys
The Cowboys host Sunday Night Football as 4.5-point Vegas favorites. The 43.5 over/under is the third-lowest total on the slate, but the Cowboys are currently implied to score 24 points — the 10th-highest team total. The visiting Eagles have the third-lowest implied total on the slate at 19.5 points.
Philadelphia Eagles
Writer: Kelly McCann
QB – Carson Wentz
Wentz has struggled in his two most recent games: He’s thrown for just 158.5 yards per game and one total touchdown the past two weeks. This week’s matchup, however, isn’t terrible: He gets a Cowboys defense that has allowed the 12th-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks this season and is ranked 22nd against the pass (per Football Outsiders). Despite his poor recent play, Wentz’s 86.7 Pro Football Focus grade is the fourth-best grade at the position. Wentz has a Bargain Rating of 76 percent on DK, where he’s priced at just $5,100 this week. If the Eagles are able to outscore the Cowboys, it will more than likely be through the air. Wentz is in play for large guaranteed prize pools like the Millionaire Maker.
RB – Ryan Mathews
Mathews’ usage has been erratic and his production has been unimpressive this season. He’s averaged just nine carries and 7.8 DK points in his last four games. Mathews has also demonstrated a recent penchant for fumbling in crucial situations late in games; coach Doug Pederson could decide to turn to Darren Sproles or Wendell Smallwood at any time. Further, the Cowboys have allowed the second-fewest DK points to running backs this season. He’s a GPP dart at best.
RB – Darren Sproles
Like Mathews, Sproles is a member of a three-headed RB committee in Philly. However, he has seen 3.5 targets per game in his last four games and could see an increase if the Eagles get behind (they’re 4.5-point dogs). He has an 89 percent Bargain Rating on FanDuel, where he is currently a top-15 rated RB in CSURAM88’s Player Model.
WR – Jordan Matthews
Matthews’ usage and production has been in a free fall since Week 1. He has averaged just 4.5 targets and 7.2 FD points over the past four weeks. However, the Cowboys have struggled defending slot receivers all season and rank 23rd against that position (per FO). Randall Cobb, Jeremy Kerley, and Jamison Crowder have all had at least six catches and a touchdown against the Cowboys this year. Matthews has a 95 percent Bargain Rating on FD and FantasyLabs projected ownership of zero to one percent in the Sunday Million; he’s an intriguing GPP play on that site.
WR – Nelson Agholor
Dallas has been tough on outside receivers this season, ranking eighth and fourth against No. 1 and No. 2 WRs (per FO). According to our Matchups tool, Agholor can expect to see a lot of CB Brandon Carr, whose 77.3 PFF grade ranks him 35th at the position. Agholor leads all Eagles wide receivers with seven red-zone targets this season, and he’s averaged five total targets per game over the last four games. Despite the ample scoring opportunities, however, Agholor has not been providing value this season.
WR – Dorial Green-Beckham
DGB finally came down with that red-zone touchdown we’ve been waiting for all season. Even with the touchdown catch, however, Green-Beckham still totaled just 8.8 DK points. Until his role changes in the offense, he’s nothing more than a wishful GPP dart.
TE – Zach Ertz
Ertz has a 91 percent Bargain Rating on FD and is currently a top-seven rated player in the SportsGeek Player Model. Since returning from injury, he has averaged three targets, 1.67 catches, and 24.3 yards per game. However, per fantasydata.com, the Cowboys have allowed the fifth-most points to tight ends this season. They are the second-worst team in the NFL defending TEs (per FO). Despite the limited production so far, Ertz warrants GPP exposure.
Dallas Cowboys
Writer: Kelly McCann
QB – Dak Prescott
Tony Romo (back, old man-ness) is officially out for Week 8, so Prescott is still starting for the Boiz.
Prescott is the third-ranked quarterback in Defense-Adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR) by Football Outsiders. Only Matt Ryan and Drew Brees are ranked ahead of him. Prescott is currently a top-eight rated QB in the Bales, CSURAM88, and Adam Levitan Player Models for FanDuel. The Eagles have allowed the fewest FD points per game (11.6) to QBs this season, however. Per our Trends tool, QBs in comparable spots have provided a +1.85 Plus/Minus on FD with 62.9 percent Consistency. Playing Prescott in guaranteed prize pools — either naked or stacked — could pay off in spite of the difficult matchup.
RB – Ezekiel Elliott
Dallas has the No. 1 ranked run blocking offensive line in the NFL (per FO) and Elliott has taken great advantage of that up to this point in the season. Elliott leads the league in attempts per game (22.8) and rushing yards (703) in 2016. The Eagles rush defense is not nearly as intimidating as their pass defense: Per our Trends tool, RBs at home have generated a +2.81 Plus/Minus on FD this season against the Eagles. Elliott currently has the fourth-highest median projection for RBs on FD. He is an excellent play in both cash games and GPPs.
RB – Alfred Morris
Morris is Elliott’s handcuff for season-long leagues. He should not be used for DFS purposes at this point.
WR – Dez Bryant
Bryant (knee) was limited in practice all week but is fully expected to play through his questionable tag. Michael Irvin recently said, “You shall get the best Dez Bryant you’ve got in a long time.” Bryant hasn’t played since Week 3 and hasn’t topped more than 13.7 FD points in a game this season; he doesn’t have to play all that great to make Irvin’s statement come true. Bryant should get shots at CB Nolan Carroll — the weak link of the Philadelphia defense, with a 44.9 Pro Football Focus grade (105th at the position). Dez currently has FantasyLabs projected ownership of less than nine percent in FD’s Sunday Million. He is a boom-or-bust GPP play this weekend.
WR – Terrance Williams
Williams has played admirably with Bryant out of the lineup, eclipsing double-digit DraftKings points in four straight games. He has been targeted an average of five times per game during that span and totaled at least 70 yards receiving in three of the four games. Per the RotoViz Game Splits App, T-Will has averaged more targets, catches, yards, and points without Bryant in the lineup. He becomes a GPP dart at best with Bryant’s return.
WR – Cole Beasley
Beasley has accumulated double-digit DK points in all six games this season and has produced a very healthy +6.46 Plus/Minus in 2016. He’s been targeted an average of 6.5 times per game and, unlike Williams, shouldn’t see his role change much with Dez back in the lineup. Beasley carries a PFF grade of 84.6 — the sixth-highest grade at the position. With FantasyLabs projected ownership of zero to one percent in the Milly Maker, Beasley is an intriguing and economical GPP option.
TE – Jason Witten
Despite seeing eight targets last week, Witten was able to manufacture just 6.2 FD points. Witten hasn’t scored more than 8.2 FD points in five weeks. While he does see a decent amount of targets each week, he hasn’t produced points and lacks the explosiveness DFS players desire in GPPs. Witten has averaged just 0.98 FD points per target this season. There are more productive tight ends to target this week.
Witten (chest) practiced fully all week but is still listed as questionable. He’s expected to play.
News Updates
After this piece is published, FantasyLabs is likely to provide news updates on a number of players herein mentioned. Be sure to stay ahead of your competition with our industry-leading DFS-focused news blurbs:
