Monkey Knife Fight takes a new spin on daily fantasy, combining player props and parlays. With exciting contest structures, put your football knowledge to the test and pit player performances against one another.
Check out a few picks to consider in this exciting format for the massive Week 17 slate with the help of our NFL Player Props Tool.
More or Less 2/2
Taylor Heinicke Passing Yards (200.5) vs. Jalen Hurts Passing Yards (199.5)
In a classic NFC East rivalry, the Philadelphia Eagles head to the nation’s capital to square off against the Washington Football Team. Led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles rank as the sixth-best offense (per PFF), using a balanced 50%/50% pass-to-run play calling split (per RotoViz). A dual-threat option, Hurts is responsible for 30% of the share of carries in the backfield, splitting time with running backs Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard. In what looks to be an ideal matchup against a Washington defense ranked 27th in DVOA (per Football Outsiders), Hurts should have no problem moving the ball down the field but may opt for a more run-heavy approach as 3.5-point favorites in a game with a 46-point total, which may limit the ability for Hurts to reach the 200-passing yard mark.
Hurts has reached the 200-passing yard mark in five games this season, and our models project him to throw for 189.5 yards, trending toward the under.
Quarterback Taylor Heinicke leads a struggling Washington Football Offense, ranked 21st and looks to have an unfavorable matchup against an Eagles defense ranked 15th in DVOA. Washington’s play-calling tendencies focus more on the passing game, using a 57%/43% pass-to-run play calling ratio, but are among one of the slower-paced teams in the league, running a play ever 26.8 seconds. Heinicke should turn to wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who handles 24% of the target share and averages 7.68 yards per target. As home underdogs, Heinicke may need to increase the cadence in the passing game to keep the game competitive, but with limited targets and a slow pace, it seems there may not be too many paths to success.
This season, Heinicke has thrown for 201-passing yards in nine games. We’re projecting him to throw for 186.5-passing yards, trending well below the mark in a tough matchup with the Eagles.
The Pick: Taylor Heinicke less 200.5 passing yards, Jalen Hurts Less 199.5 passing yards
More or Less 2/2
Dak Prescott Passing Yards (290.5) vs. Kyler Murray Passing Yards (259.5)
In what looks to be the marquee matchup of the week, the Arizona Cardinals head to Dallas to face the Cowboys in a game with the highest total on the slate, currently at 51.5-points.
Quarterback Dak Prescott leads the top-ranked Cowboys offense and a high-powered receiving corps of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz. One of the more pass-heavy offenses in the league, using a 60%/40% split, the Cowboys are also one of the fastest-paced teams in the league, calling a play every 24.9 seconds. Despite facing a Cardinals defense ranked fifth in DVOA, the plethora of weapons in the Cowboys’ offense should rack up points. However, Prescott’s passing upside may be limited, with the Cowboys’ currently 6-point home favorites that may signal more opportunities for touches in Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.
Prescott has reached the 291-passing yard mark in six games this season as a dynamic passer. However, our models project him to throw 286.5 passing yards, slightly trending toward the under.
For Arizona, dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray leads a Cardinals offense ranked 15th, preferring a slightly skewed 56%/44% pass-to-run play calling split. Despite running a league-average 26.3 second per snap pace, the Cardinals have the highest no-huddle rate in the league, using the scheme 32% of the time. The high no-huddle frequency should match the lightning-fast pace of the Cowboys but may run into problems facing the top-ranked Cowboys defense. With the loss of high-powered wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Murray will need to rely on Christian Kirk, Rondale Moore and Zach Ertz to absorb Hopkins’s 20% target share. Of late, the beneficiary looks to be Ertz, who has seen 11 and 13 targets in the past two games.
This year, Murray has reached the 260-passing yard mark in seven games, and we’re projecting him to throw for 249.5, slightly below the mark, facing a tough Cowboys defense.
The Pick: Dak Prescott Less 290.5 passing yards, Kyler Murray Less 259.5 passing yards
