The A List at DFS Academy | Week 16 NFL DFS

As we head into the weekend before the Christmas holiday, it is time for a brief programming note. First off, there will be a Week 17 version of this article to help you recover from the break and prepare for those DFS Cash lineups. However, our Youtube show, The DFS Academy, will be taking the week off, which mostly means you won’t get to see Ryan and I take a stab at the ever-changing DFS tournament landscape. But for this week, let’s get into our Week 16 NFL DFS Cash picks.

Cash is in session.

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NFL DFS Week 16

 

Teacher’s Pet

Ja’Marr Chase (DraftKings: $8,500 / FanDuel: $9,500)

The Cincinnati Bengals are technically still in the running for the playoffs, but they must win this matchup to maintain that opportunity. As such, expect them to continue relying on their best player, Ja’Marr Chase. Chase has continued to be the focal point of the offense, bringing in 10 or more targets in six of his last seven games. For a receiver who can get into the endzone any time he touches the ball, we will happily pay up to start him.

Honor Roll

Bijan Robinson (DraftKings: $8,100 / FanDuel: $8,900)

As the season has progressed, the New York Giants have emerged as a great matchup for fantasy running backs. Since Week 12, the Giants have allowed the second most points to the position, behind only the Cincinnati Bengals. Bijan Robinson has been hitting workhorse status in recent weeks. He is coming off his third consecutive game with over 20 rushing attempts. Plus, he has maintained a solid role in the passing game. Even with Michael Penix under center, Robinson is in a great position to smash the Giants in a must-win game.

Jahmyr Gibbs (DraftKings: $7,500 / FanDuel: $8,300)

Unfortunately for Lions fans, David Montgomery will be out this week. Fortunately for DFS players, that means Jahmyr Gibbs should be set for an incredible game against a Chicago Bears defense that has struggled against the run in recent weeks. Gibbs has already been a proficient fantasy running back throughout the year. Now, he gets to show what he can do with only Craig Reynolds to compete for touches. But you might be starting to wonder, how are we going to fit all of these expensive players in our lineup?

Jakobi Meyers (DraftKings: $5,800 / FanDuel: $6,700)

I truly do not understand how Jakobi Meyers continues to be priced under $6,000. I’m not going to complain, though. He has been a DFS Cash staple all year and looks poised to remain so for the next three weeks. Even with a middling performance in Week 15, Meyers was targeted on nine occasions, proving he is a key aspect of the Raiders offense. The good news for Meyers is that Aidan O’Connell is expected to be the starter this week, which means the offense will be slightly more functional than it was under Desmond Ridder.

Check the Chalkboard

Patrick Taylor (DraftKings: $5,200 / FanDuel: $4,800)

We are well into the stretch of the season where injuries open up cheap DFS Cash options, particularly at the running back position. The San Francisco 49ers running back room is among the most beat up in the NFL. Patrick Taylor is effectively their fifth-string running back, but that is no concern for a Kyle Shanahan offense. He is known for using a primary back, and his ability to scheme a run game makes that running back an intriguing fantasy option. Look for Taylor to get 15 to 20 touches and help you spend big elsewhere in your lineup.

Participation Grade

Michael Penix (DraftKings: $4,500 / FanDuel: $6,000)

The key to my lineup this week is starting Michael Penix at quarterback. Before he even takes a snap, we’re getting rumors leaking that the Falcons are planning to cut Kirk Cousins before we get to March. That is a wild amount of faith to put in Penix. And sure, it is the Falcons, and perhaps we should not trust them. But, even if they are wrong on Penix, we can be right in trusting him to get us 12 to 15 points this week. If he does that, we will be sitting pretty elsewhere with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase and Jahmyr Gibbs to give us the upside to take down our DFS Cash contests.

Back of the Classroom Studs

Wan’Dale Robinson (DraftKings: $4,100 / FanDuel: $5,100)

With all of the quarterback transitions in New York, it is hard to rely on anyone in that offense. However, the Atlanta Falcons have made opposing offenses look like the Greatest Show on Turn. Wan’Dale Robinson has found himself re-emerging as a prominent target over the past two weeks, bringing in 20 targets over that span. With his price, that level of volume returns him to DFS Cash viability. In a week with few options in the mid-tier, Robinson provides some much-needed salary savings.

Brenton Strange (DraftKings: $3,500 / FanDuel: $5,200)

Mac Jones is managing to make this Jacksonville Jaguars offense a PPR dream. Brenton Strange finished last week as the TE in DraftKings scoring, behind only Sam LaPorta and Jonnu Smith. His DraftKings price indeed went up $1,000 after that performance, but he is still cheap enough to take the free square. If you are concerned Strange cannot repeat, Grant Calcaterra is just $100 cheaper on DraftKings and is also a solid punt option at tight end.

Tennessee Titans (DraftKings: $2,600 / FanDuel: $3,900)

After fitting in all of these expensive players, I only had $2,800 left in my DraftKings budget and $5,500 in my FanDuel budget. That means we can pay up for defense on FanDuel or trade out some other players and start the Tennessee Titans. The Titans’ defense has been solid from a fantasy perspective. They face the Indianapolis Colts this week, which have a tendency to turn the ball over, which will give the Titans a chance to pay off in your DFS Cash lineup. That said, defense will likely play a minor role in your lineup and the ability to pay up for some of the league’s studs will more than pay off this week.

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
Courtland Sutton	$6,600	12.20	C
Bo Nix	$6,300	16.50	B
Chuba Hubbard	$6,500	8.90	C
Khalil Shakir	$6,100	15.90	B
Derrick Henry	$8,300	6.70	F
Brenton Strange	$2,500	18.30	A
Adam Thielen	$5,400	10.10	C
Michael Wilson	$4,400	2.90	F
Denver Broncos	$3,200	22.00	A
Overall	$49,300	113.50	B
Season Long	$693,500	1,653.34	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
Courtland Sutton	$7,200	10.70	C
Bo Nix	$7,600	16.50	A
Chuba Hubbard	$7,500	6.90	F
Khalil Shakir	$7,000	12.90	B
Derrick Henry	$9,200	6.70	F
Brenton Strange	$4,600	12.80	A
Adam Thielen	$6,100	7.60	C
Michael Wilson	$5,400	1.90	F
Denver Broncos	$4,800	22.00	A
Overall	$59,400	98.00	B
Season Long	$829,900	1,449.84	B

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