RADIO
This is the last regular-season showdown slate and it features an NFC East battle as the Washington Football Team takes on the Philadelphia Eagles. While the Eagles have already been eliminated from playoff contention, a win for Washington would put them into the playoffs and the Eagles would love to play spoiler on the final week of the season. This game features an over/under of 44 with Washington being favored by 2.5 points.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for Sunday Night Football slate on January 3rd (Week 17). These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel. If you have any questions you can follow me on Twitter @jorgepucks and fire away, or sign up for a premium RotoBaller NFL package and chat with myself and other NFL DFS analysts any time you'd like!
NOTE: Philly is resting a bunch of their starters so Washington could have a big advantage in this game.
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DFS Quarterbacks
The Washington Football Team looks to roll out Alex Smith in a must-win game against Philly. Smith has provided stability at the quarterback position for Washington as they have dealt with injuries and other problems that have led to turnover at the position throughout the season. When looking at his prior games, Smith hasn't really popped from a fantasy football production standpoint as he has yet to throw multiple passing touchdowns in a game this year. The upside isn't really there with Smith as Washington is focused on the ground game and beating teams in a low scoring game. The Eagles are ranked 18th against the pass as they allow 257.8 passing yards per game and allow 25.9 points per game which is 21st in the league. This Eagles Defense would love to ruin the opportunity for Washington to get into the playoffs so if they can rattle Smith early, his fantasy upside could be severely limited.
The Eagles have handed the reigns to the offense to Jalen Hurts and Hurts has really impressed from both a quarterbacking standpoint and a fantasy standpoint as well. Since taking over as the starter, Hurts has averaged 24.73 DK points per game and has thrown a touchdown in every start. Hurts also offers really good rushing upside as he has rushed for over 50+ yards in three out of four games this season and has found the end zone once on the ground. Hurts has thrown for 300+ yards in two out of four of his starts but he might not get there in this game given the tough Washington pass defense and the weather. Washington is limiting opponents to just 218.3 passing yards per game so the way for Hurts to find success will be with RPOs and the ground game.
Analysis: Hurts is the better overall play over Smith despite having the tougher matchup. He has more upside especially due to his involvement in the ground game and is one of the top overall plays on the slate.
DFS Running Backs
The running back position for this showdown slate is one to monitor throughout the day leading up to lineup lock right before kick. Miles Sanders has already been ruled out which paves a way for Boston Scott to be the lead back for Philly. Boston Scott has filled in nicely for Sanders when Sanders missed some time earlier this season so he is certainly a reliable player to target. Scott has shown his ability to handle a full workload but also is able to be involved in the passing game which makes him very attractive in tournament builds. Washington is allowing 112.5 rushing yards per game which make for a solid matchup for Scott and the rest of the Eagles running back room. Backing up Scott will be long time vets Jordan Howard and Corey Clement. Both backs haven't been involved much in the offense and with Scott looking to handle most of the workload, it is best to fade the other Eagles running backs.
On the other side of this game, Antonio Gibson is listed as questionable with a toe injury so if he is unable to go, we could see a split backfield featuring J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber. Gibson has been a strong fantasy player for Washington all season long and has emerged as a bright spot in this Washington offense. Gibson averaged 55 rushing yards per game and 11 total touchdowns on the season which was solid for his rookie season. If Gibson is able to go, he gets a favorable matchup against an Eagles defense that is allowing 127.3 rushing yards per game. If Gibson is unable to go, we could see Peyton Barber handle the early-down workload while McKissic takes on a big role in the passing game. The preferred back to roster should Gibson be out would be McKissic since he has been involved heavily in the Washington offense regardless if Gibson has been in or out of the lineup.
Analysis: Scott will handle the full workload for the Eagles making him viable in all formats. Gibson will be a game-time decision and should he suit up, he makes for a viable play in all formats. If he is out, Barber and McKissic could see larger workloads with McKissic still being the preferred back to use due to his overall involvement in the offense and his own carved out role.
DFS Wide Receivers
With the weather being a factor in this game, it might be tough to see any of these receivers have a big-time game. For Washington, they have had a strong season from Terry McLaurin. McLaurin has been a big-time receiving threat for Washington as he has racked up 126 total targets on the season and hauled in 80 of those as catches. McLaurin has hit double-digit DK points in 11 games played and looks to be the strongest receiver option on this showdown slate. He is nursing an ankle injury heading into this game but is expected to play so McLaurin should be deployed in all formats. Outside of McLaurin, Cam Sims has emerged as a solid compliment receiver down the stretch for this Washington offense. Sims has seen 28 targets over his last four games and would be a nice value play if looking for another Washington receiver to roster in your lineups. Outside of McLaurin and Sims, Washington has Steven Sims Jr. and Dontrelle Inman for their wide receiver depth but they have gotten passed by as Logan Thomas and J.D. McKissic have created larger roles for themselves in the Washington passing offense.
On the other side of this game, the Eagles will be without DeSean Jackson as he will miss the game with an ankle injury. The Eagles have had a strong showing from their younger receivers this season as Greg Ward Jr., Travis Fulgham, and Jalen Reagor really emerged as reliable receiving targets as DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery tended to injuries most of the season. Ward and Fulgham lead the team with four receiving touchdowns each while Ward saw the most targets on the team (76 targets). Jalen Reagor missed a good chunk of time in the early portion of the season but has finished strong as he has seen 39 total targets over his final seven games played which leads all Eagles wide receivers during that stretch of games. The matchup against Washington is a tough one as they have one of the best pass defenses in the league so this group would be better suited for tournament lineups.
Analysis: McLaurin is the top receiver option on the slate while Reagor, Ward, Fulgham, and Sims all make viable targets for tournament builds. Passing could be tough due to the overall matchup and weather so looking at the running backs and tight ends could be safer for your overall builds.
DFS Tight Ends
The tight end spot in this game is one to really like. Both Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers have been ruled out for this game against Washington which means Zach Ertz will get the full run at the tight end position today. Ertz battled injuries throughout this season and while Dallas Goedert emerged as a strong passing catching tight end in this Eagles offense, Ertz still provides value as a fantasy play. He has seen seven targets in back-to-back games, and actually saw seven targets in Week 1 against Washington. With the uptick in targets over the past several weeks and the lack of availability from the other tight ends, Ertz shoots up the board to be a strong all-around play for his potential target share and price point.
Washington has really gotten the most out of tight end Logan Thomas this season. He comes into this game with 69 total receptions, 633 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. Thomas has been a target monster over his last four games as he has seen 44 targets over that four-game span and has hauled in 35 of those for catches. In addition, Thomas has actually seen the fourth-most total targets at the tight end position in the entire league and leads the Washington Football Team with five receiving touchdowns on the season. Thomas is a focal point in this Washington offense and he makes for a great all-around play on this slate.
Analysis: Both Ertz and Thomas are great options on this showdown slate in all formats. They should see plenty of targets which offers a good floor with great upside.
DFS Defense/Special Teams
With a low overall total and Philly resting a bunch of their offensive starters, this seems like a great place to consider rostering the Washington Football Teams' defense. They have been the strongest part of this football team and have done a good job pressuring opposing quarterbacks as they have accumulated 44 sacks on the season. Philly is allowing over four sacks per game and in their first game of the season against the Eagles, Washington racked up eight total sacks. Now, while we can't expect that same outcome again in this game, it would not be surprising to anticipate three to four total sacks and tons of pressure. The Eagles Defense is also in play as well as Washington has struggled to put up points all season long. They are averaging 19.7 points scored per game which is in the bottom five of the entire league. This game could be a field-position battle where generating points could be hard to come by.
With this game being in Philly, the weather this time of year is extremely tough and it looks like it could be in the mid-30s with a strong possibility of rain. With knowing this, this really downgrades both kickers as the playing conditions will not be in their favor one bit. Also adding in the lack of quality field goal attempts, it is best to most likely fade both kickers in cash games while limiting your exposure to them in your tournament builds.
Analysis: This is an all-around ugly game where both defenses look to be in play. Philly is down several key offensive starters and the weather conditions will not help either team.
Good luck, RotoBallers, and remember to mix it up and don't be afraid to be different in these large field GPPs!
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