After this week, we will officially be halfway through the real NFL season. That’s right, the DFS season is 22 weeks in my brain, going all the way through the Super Bowl. We have already had plenty of entertaining football, and the best is on its way, starting the Week 11 NFL DFS contests.
But before we dig in, I have to be honest. I had an awful Week 10 in DFS contests. Like, my worst week of the season. This was bound to happen coming off a Week 9 where I cashed in all of my DFS Cash lineups.
What did I learn?
Well, first, you should not trust the volatility of a first-year quarterback completing 50% of his passes in Will Levis. Additionally, I need to stop falling for the Seahawks tight end by committee approach.
But overall, this was a bad week in a season full of wins. I will take small lessons from my Week 10 performance, but the goal of DFS Cash is to experience season-long success. So, let’s aim to get right in Week 11.
Let’s dig into our NFL DFS Week 11 Cash plays.
Cash is in session.
REMINDER: You can play against Austin and Kelly Singh this year! Join our contests by clicking the links:
DraftKings Contest
FanDuel Contest
NFL DFS Week 11
Teacher’s Pet
Kyler Murray (DraftKings:$6,100 / FanDuel: $7,600)
Kyler is back! Upon return from a knee injury, Kyler Murray seemingly picked up where he left off. Most importantly, he ran and scrambled in the pocket and looked comfortable doing so. And then DraftKings decided to price him as any other pocket quarterback in the league. We are reaching a point in the season where quarterback value is hard to come by. With all of the injuries plaguing the league, this may be the last week we start a dual-threat quarterback at this value. And while the matchup looks rough from a season-long perspective, Houston has been allowing more points to quarterbacks recently.
Honor Roll
Brock Purdy (DraftKings: $5,800 / FanDuel: $7,500)
If you are still holding out on Murray, turn to Brock Purdy. Hey, that almost rhymes. (Editors Note: #Bars) Anyways, Purdy has a great matchup this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are stout against the run and weak against the pass. Purdy has been a solid Cash quarterback this year, scoring over 20 points in five of nine games. He has scored fewer than 14 points only once, securing his floor. Easy.
Breece Hall (DraftKings: $6,400 / FanDuel: $7,100)
One of the big questions I’m asking myself this week is which $6,000 running backs am I starting. There are a lot of options, including Breece Hall, who has continued to be one of the most exciting aspects of the New York Jets offense. Since Week 5, he is the RB5 in DraftKings scoring, despite underperforming in recent weeks. While I typically avoid matchups against the Buffalo Bills, they have been susceptible to opposing run games this year. The Jets basically only have a run game, so look for Hall to experience success on Sunday.
Tony Pollard (DraftKings: $6,600 / FanDuel: $6.900)
It has been a frustrating start to the season for Tony Pollard managers. After finishing as the RB8 in DraftKings scoring last year, he currently sits at RB22. And it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Pollard ranks in the Top 12 in terms of carries and targets at the running back position. His efficiency and touchdown luck have been his downfall, but he is positioned for a get-right week against the fledgling Carolina Panthers. While the Panthers’ defense has performed better against running backs since their bye week, they have also had an easier schedule, so I am prioritizing the season-long trends for this matchup. Plus, the Cowboys have a 26.5-point implied team total, so there should be plenty of points to go around for Pollard.
Terry McLaurin (DraftKings: $5,800 / FanDuel: $6,800)
Given that Sam Howell is miraculously leading the league in passing yards, how could you not target one of his receivers in DFS Cash? While Washington may not be playing from behind this game, I still expect them to lean on the passing game against a New York Giants secondary that can be had. Even last week, when the Cowboys were up multiple scores, they decided the way to beat the Giants was through the air. Expect Washington to do the same and feed Terry McLaurin in what could be a messy divisional battle.
Check the Chalkboard
Tyreek Hill (DraftKings: $9,300 / FanDuel: $9,500)
Every year there are certain trends that arise regarding the decisions we must make as DFS players. This year, that decision is: which expensive receiver are you playing? The elite receivers have been hitting in Cash lineups seemingly weekly. A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill have been worth the cost of admission. While I can make a case for Lamb this week, my favorite spend-up option is Hill, who is coming off a bye week against an above-average Las Vegas Raiders pass defense. But with Hill, I’m ignoring the matchup. He is the number one. The Dolphins are projected to score nearly 30 points. Would it shock you if Hill scored all 30 of those points? Not me. Let’s ride with the betting favorite for Offensive Player of the Year.
Participation Grade
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (DraftKings: $4,300 / FanDuel: $5,500)
It has been incredibly challenging to find cheap options at receiver this year. Most sub-$4,000 players are too volatile for DFS Cash lineups. But there is still some value to be found. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been getting consistent usage in recent weeks, ranging between four and seven targets every week since Week 4. That’s enough for me at his salary. His athleticism means he is getting more from those targets than the routes are designed to offer, so even a four-catch game can get him enough points to pay off his salary. Plus, the Los Angeles Rams have been one of the better matchups for receivers, allowing the sixth most points to the position since Week 7.
Back of the Classroom Studs
Aaron Jones (DraftKings: $6,200 / FanDuel: $7,000)
Why yes, I am indeed rolling with Aaron Jones no more than seven days after he let me down. But no matter, that was Week 10. This is Week 11. And everything has changed. How has everything changed, you ask? Let me get back to you on that. What I do know is that the Los Angeles Chargers still struggle against running backs, and Jones is the best offensive player on the Green Bay Packers. So, I guess nothing has changed. The stars have simply aligned.
Devin Singletary (DraftKings: $5,300 / FanDuel: $6,500)
While I’m likely spending above $6,000 at running back, Devin Singletary provides a compelling salary-saving option, particularly if Dameon Pierce sits again this week. Singletary got a whopping 30 touches last week, and it wasn’t even a “grind-it-out” game script. Now, he gets one of the best matchups for running backs in the Arizona Cardinals. While this is still a pass-first offense, CJ Stroud is moving the ball down the field, which provides more opportunities for guys like Singletary to get in the endzone.
Diontae Johnson (DraftKings: $5,000 / FanDuel: $6,600)
There are some guys I just can’t quit, and Diontae Johnson is one of them. I see the target volume, and it screams DFS Cash play. Sure, he goes against the Cleveland Browns. But they are starting Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was prone to turnovers in his first outing. That means Pittsburgh may get some short fields and easy opportunities to score touchdowns. Plus, Cleveland has been hit or miss against opposing receivers lately, so Johnson’s target volume should be plenty to make his Cash viable.
Trey McBride (DraftKings: $4,400 / FanDuel $5,900)
I did not play Trey McBride last week, and it bit me. I’m not making the same mistake twice. The target volume he is getting as a tight end is absolutely absurd. There’s no arguing with that volume in a tight end. Plus, Houston has allowed the seventh most points to opposing tight ends since Week 7. Lock it in.
Luke Musgrave (DraftKings: $3,600 / FanDuel: $5,200)
The one issue with McBride this week is his price is inflated just enough to complicate roster construction with him in the lineup. So, if you desperately need to save money, let’s ride again with Luke Musgrave. He has not demonstrated the ceiling of someone like McBride, but he has proven himself to be a down-the-field target. That enables him to pay off his salary with minimal volume, as he did last week against the Steelers. Plus, he is consistently bringing in a handful of targets, and at his salary, we don’t need much.
New York Jets (DraftKings: $2,600 / FanDuel: $3,700)
Since I’m paying up at multiple positions this week, I need to save as much money as possible on defense. Send in the New York Jets, who have continued to perform well on defense despite their offense making life difficult. And while I believe the Buffalo Bill’s turnover luck will change, they have turned the ball over a lot. The Jets are positioned to take advantage of a volatile Bills offense.
Green Bay Packers (DraftKings: $2,300 / FanDuel: $3,700)
Again, I need to punt defense off a cliff this week. The Green Bay Packers are the second-cheapest defense on the slate. They have recorded a sack in every game they’ve played this season and forced a turnover in six of nine games. While the Chargers are better at taking care of the ball, the sheer pass volume they bring provides more opportunities for the Packers to force turnovers and pay off their salary. I mean, they are basically free.
Report Card
DraftKings
Scoring System
- A: Scored over three times their price
- B: Scored over two times their price
- C: Matched their price
- F: Scored lower than their price
| Player | Price | Points | Grade |
| Geno Smith | $5,800 | 27.06 | A |
| David Montgomery | $6,900 | 20.6 | B |
| Kenneth Walker | $6,800 | 19.7 | B |
| DeAndre Hopkins | $6,000 | 5.7 | F |
| Sam LaPorta | $5,700 | 8 | C |
| Christian McCaffrey | $9,200 | 20.2 | B |
| Noah Fant | $2,800 | 2.6 | F |
| Brock Purdy | $5,700 | 23.84 | A |
| Aaron Jones | $6,500 | 9.4 | C |
| Diontae Johnson | $5,400 | 2.7 | F |
| Marquise Brown | $5,200 | 3.8 | F |
| Zay Flowers | $5,700 | 12.3 | B |
| Arizona Cardinals | $2,500 | 3 | C |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | $2,400 | 1 | F |
| Overall | $63,900 | 112.24 | C |
| Season Long | $677,400 | 1839.12 | B |
FanDuel
Scoring System
- A: Scored over two times their price
- B: Scored over one and a half times their price
- C: Matched their price
- F: Scored lower than their price
| Player | Price | Points | Grade |
| Geno Smith | $6,900 | 24.06 | A |
| David Montgomery | $7,500 | 17.6 | A |
| Kenneth Walker | $7,300 | 19.2 | A |
| DeAndre Hopkins | $7,100 | 4.2 | F |
| Sam LaPorta | $6,500 | 6 | F |
| Christian McCaffrey | $10,500 | 17.2 | B |
| Noah Fant | $4,600 | 1.6 | F |
| Brock Purdy | $7,400 | 23.84 | A |
| Aaron Jones | $6,800 | 7.4 | C |
| Diontae Johnson | $7,000 | 2.2 | F |
| Marquise Brown | $6,600 | 3.3 | F |
| Zay Flowers | $6,000 | 9.8 | B |
| Arizona Cardinals | $3,700 | 3 | F |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | $3,900 | 1 | F |
| Overall | $77,400 | 98.74 | C |
| Season Long | $821,500 | 1588.62 | B |