Daily Divide: Week Eight

Matt and Nathan each offer Week 8 cash game picks for every position, then the other insults or compliments those picks, as warranted. They hope their arguments debates provide enough information to make help people make their own decisions. Nathan probably makes more good points than Matt though, over the long haul, so please pay special attention to his thoughts in this piece.

Matt: I’m really disappointed I haven’t earned the right to change the intro back.

You can follow the great Nathan Powell on twitter: @npowellff -- and the just okay Matt Rittle on twitter: @ffrittle. Matt: This is embarrassing for me.

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Nathan’s DFS Picks for Week Eight

QB: Philip Rivers at BAL
No quarterback has completed more passes (215) or thrown for more yards (2452) than Philip Rivers so far this season. San Diego’s inability to run the ball helps the passing volume, and that isn't changing in the near future. The Baltimore defense has been a target for DFS quarterbacks all season long, allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to quarterbacks so far this season. The combination of Rivers passing volume, quality weapons and poor defensive play makes Rivers my favorite cash game quarterback of the week.

Stacking: If Gates is out, Ladarius Green is definitely a viable stacking option. Keenan Allen is as well.

Matt: West coast team travelling east for a noon game is a bit of a concern, but that’s the only yellow light in a sea of green lights.

Nathan: Baltimore playing on a short week coming off a loss to the Cardinals on Monday night helps counteract that.

Matt: Yeah the Chargers are in a really nice spot this weekend, and I’m definitely fine with peppering them in. I’m just wary of loading up too heavily.

 

RB: Todd Gurley vs SFO
Todd Gurley’s DFS price has been rising each week, but he is proving to be worth the price. After being limited in his first game, Gurley is averaging 22.10 PPR points per game in his last 3 games. Gurley has another plus matchup this week at home against the 49ers who have allowed the 7th most fantasy points to running backs. I think we see another big game from Gurley as Jeff Fisher and the Rams know that Gurley is their best weapon and going to him early and often is the only way they can win games.

Stacking: Stacking a running back and a defense can be an overlooked part of DFS. When Gurley is playing well, that keeps the Rams defense off the field and keeps the fantasy points up. Also, even when the 49ers are on the field, they haven't been effective, ranking last in the NFL in total yards per game at 295.6

Matt: The Rams defense make a good play this weekend regardless, but I agree I’m comfortable having both in my cash lineups. Gurley has a high floor and plenty of upside, coming off three consecutive weeks over 150 yards from scrimmage, making him an ideal cash game target.

 

WR: Alshon Jeffery vs MIN
Alshon Jeffery has played just one full game this season, but that went pretty well in Week 6, putting up a strong 8-146-1 line. Coming off a bye week, Alshon should be even more healthy, and he is incredibly underpriced on DFS sites relative to his talent. Alshon has had 11 targets in each of games he has played, showing that with Brandon Marshall gone, Jay Cutler is going to pepper Jeffery with targets, and I expect him to do big things with those targets.

Stacking:I’m not really a fan of stacking Cutler here. Just other options I find more attractive..

Matt: Love it.

 

TE: TYLER EIFERT vs PIT

This article would be a weekly love poem to Tyler Eifert if Matt and Rotoballer would allow it, but alas, you will have to settle for a few sentences of why you should play him in daily fantasy this week. Tyler Eifert is still being priced as a mid-low end TE1 on DFS sites despite his stellar play so far this season to go with a plus matchup against the Steelers defense. I usually hate those lines “Take away this game and this would be true”, but if you take away Eifert’s 0 in week 3 (where he did catch a touchdown pass...cough cough beating a dead horse), Eifert is averaging 19.64 PPR points per game with a pair of 29+ point games. Additionally, the Steelers have given up the 3rd most fantasy points per game to tight ends according to Fantasy Pros.

Stacking: Dalton’s price has a wide range across sites. Where he is priced toward the bottom of the quarterbacks (Draftkings), he is a must play. On sites where is priced more around Rivers, Matt Ryan, and Andrew Luck, it is a lot easier to fade Dalton in favor of one of the other options.

Matt: You really planted your flag in Eifert this offseason, in week one, and ever since. Couldn’t have been more right either. His one goose egg aside, his lowest weekly finish thus far is as TE12. Good for you.

Nathan: Every blind squirrel finds a nut.

 

Matt’s DFS Picks for Week Eight

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick at OAK
Coming off his Week Five bye, Ryan Fitzpatrick showed his Fitzmagic, scoring 25 and 20 fantasy points, respectively. When combined with his first month, where he scored between 13 and 17 points per game, he is fantasy’s QB12 on a per game basis. I think Oakland’s defense is better than people realize, but they do fare better against the run than the pass, ranking 11th against the run in FootballOutsider’s DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) and a middling 17th in DVOA against the pass. Keep your eye on the pricing, though, as I do prefer Andy Dalton outright, who has finished as a top ten fantasy QB five of six weeks. I’d consider paying up for Dalton where the price gap is reasonable. In a nice matchup, with both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker healthy, Fitzpatrick should have enough Fitzmagic in the tank to buoy an otherwise solid cash game lineup.

Stacking: Fitzmagic is stackable with either one of Brandon Marshall or Eric Decker, but not both. .

Nathan: The one thing I'd caution here is that, like you said, the Oakland defense is better than some think and it took Philip Rivers a lot of volume to get going against them last week. Also, take note that the Jets are traveling cross country and playing their second road game in as many weeks.

Nathan: Traveling west (not east), and playing in the afternoon, isn’t a concern for me.

 

RB: Charcandrick West vs DET
The stud RBs are definitely in play this weekend with each of the three main targets (Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, and Todd Gurley) all squarely in play. To make an effort to talk about some guys who may be under your radar, though, let’s chat about Charcandrick West. A week after Jamaal Charles went down, West disappointed high expectations putting up a lowly 9-33 line on the ground, with 1-6 in the passing game. West came through in his second week as starter, though, putting up 22-110-1 line adding 2-19 in the air. This game may have a low O/U of 44.5, but the Chiefs team total is a respectable 24.5. Coming off an 87% snap share, 23 touch outing, he plays this weekend as a four point favorite, figuring to get a nice workload once again.

NOTE: This game is the London early game and may not be in all slates. If in need of cheap RBs on the later slate, you may want to check the pricing on Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden, Danny Woodhead, or Jonathan Stewart.

Nathan: Charcandrick will get his touches against a bad Lions defense, I definitely think West could ring the value bell in London,.

 

WR: Antonio Brown vs CIN
Prior to Ben Roethlisberger getting hurt, Antonio Brown strung together 35 straight performances of at least five catches and 50 yards. John Paulsen of 4for4 tracked Brown as having at least five catches and/or a touchdown in 42 consecutive games. Simply put, with Big Ben under center, Brown was the epitome of a reliable cash game option with both a high floor and high weekly ceiling. With Brown’s depressed price from the last month of Michael Vick related fantasy duds, I would consider Brown an absolute must play with Roethlisberger back under center, even in a tough matchup. Even if Roethlisberger is inactive this weekend, Brown would be a solid start with Landry Jones under center. (He put up a 6-124 line in Landry’s only start, more yardage than in his three Vick starts combined.)

Stacking:I wouldn’t play Landry Jones in cash, but Ben Roethlisberger may be an interesting play, depending on price and injury reports.

Nathan: Agree with everything here, just a bit hesitant to go back to the Steelers offense with a possibly hobbled Ben Roethlisberger in his first week back:

Matt: A hobbled Ben is still a great upgrade from the backup QBs.

 

TE: Delanie Walker at HOU
Delanie Walker finished as a top 10 TE in three of the five games he has played thus far, and was TE14 in one more. After finishing as a top 10 TE on last season, these results are on par with my expectations of him. With some questions as to the Titans starting QB this weekend, it’s worth noting Walker has averaged a 4.4-60-.33 line in in nine games with backup QB Zach Mettenberger versus a 4.7-56-.18 line in the 11 games with other Titans’ QBs. Walker has flown a bit under the radar this year, on a bad team and having missed a game to injury, but has the depressed price to match. Healthy and with a plus matchup this weekend, Walker makes a nice cheap play at the TE position.

Stacking: #NahWave

Nathan: Delanie Walker is a viable cash option nearly every week. This week is no different..

 

Watch The Pricing, But We Also Like

Nathan likes: Joe Flacco (GPP only), Justin Forsett, Danny Woodhead, Marvin Jones, Steve Smith, Eric Decker, Ladarius Green (if Gates is out).

Matt likes: Philip Rivers, Andy Dalton, Devonta Freeman, Justin Forsett, A.J. Green, Mike Evans, Ladarius Green.

 

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