Free DFS FanDuel NFL Cash Game Lineup for Week 8 (10/29/17)

Every week during the NFL season, I’ll be sharing my FanDuel cash game (50/50’s, Double Ups and Head to Head) line up. Cash games are a great way to build up your bankroll without as much risk as Guaranteed Prize Pool (GPP) tournaments.

For those unfamiliar with cash games, roster construction differs in some ways than GPPs. In GPPs, our line up needs to finish in the top 15% or so to simply cash, so we’re looking for those boom or bust players to roster with our studs, to stay under the salary cap. In cash games, we merely have to finish in the top 45-50% with a score of about 120, which usually gets us there, so we look to replace those boom or bust layers with much safer players, who may lack the high ceiling to help win a GPP who can be reasonably expected to return 2X value (if a player’s salary is $6,000, then we’d need him to score 12 fantasy points).

Before I get into my LU for the week, some general thoughts going into Week8:

• This is the time of year that weather can begin to have an effect on games. Several east coast games are expected to be impacted by winds and rain, so be sure to check weather reports before line up lock on Sunday.
• Injuries have thinned the QB ranks moving forward. While some of the backups can be used in tournaments, I would resist the urge to save salary and use them in cash games.

The blocks I like to check for my QB include a good matchup with a bottom 10 pass defense, a high Vegas implied total and for him to be on the team that is the slight favorite.  Ideally, we want a mobile QB, as those rushing yards provide a nice floor. Finally, check the weather reports for strong winds or torrential rains.

QB Russell Wilson ($7,900) This is the time of year when Wilson and the Seahawks get it going. The Texans lost two of their best three pass rushers and are 5 1/2 point favorites in a game featuring a 46 point O/U.

At the RB position, I’m looking for most of the same blocks to check.  I’m also looking for a three-down back, but they’re becoming rare and are usually expensive, so I often settle for a two-down back (but not a committee RB) who also handles short-yardage duties.

RB LeSean McCoy ($8,400) I’m going back to the well here with McCoy because as I’ve mentioned in a previous week, the Bills have little else on offense. Oakland is ranked 20th against the run, but only 25th against pass receivers out of the backfield.

RB Mark Ingram ($7,200) Since Adrian Peterson was traded, Ingram has received 27 and 30 touches. Chicago is a middle of the road defense against the run, but with the Saints favored by 9 in a 47 1/2 OU, Ingram should have plenty of opportunities to reach the same number of touches as the last two games.

For WRs, I’m looking for the same things I’m looking for in my QB, but I’m looking for them to be slight underdogs. I also look for a receiver who’s the QBs #1 target. Targets lead to points, so the best way to ensure your receivers return value is to ensure they get plenty of opportunities. I also avoid rookies until they prove themselves. Coaches are conservative and a rookie has to earn the coach’s trust to make it onto the field and then earn the QB’s trust to start getting targets.

WR A.J. Green ($8,500) The Colts have allowed 40 pass plays of 20+ yards, 10 more than any other team and Green has 404 receiving yards since Bill Lazor became the offensive coordinator after Week 2. Meanwhile, the Colts are ranked 30th in DVOA against the pass.

WR Michael Crabtree ($7,200) Buffalo is a middle of the road pass defense, but have been burned for big games the last two weeks by A.J. Green and Mike Evans. Marshawn Lynch has been suspended for this game as well.

WR Marvin Jones, Jr ($6,100) Golden Tate and Wayne Golladay are both extremely questionable for this game, leaving Jones as the only healthy regular for the Lions game against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a good pass defense, but the lack of options should funnel targets to Jones.

Statistics show that TEs on teams favored at home, with a Vegas implied total of 22 or more points has the best chance to return the highest value.

TE Hunter Henry ($5,500) Henry has nine catches of 15 yards or more and will face a Patriots team ranked 29th in DVOA against the TE position. He’s also helped by the fact that Patriots LB Donta Hightower was placed on injured reserve.

Kickers are a crapshoot, but these four blocks will help tremendously: high Vegas total, favored to win (he’ll be more likely to kick 4^th quarter FGs if the team is winning rather than be sitting on the bench, watching his team go for it on 4^th down), playing at home and playing in a dome.

K Will Lutz ($4,900) Not only does Lutz check all the blocks, he allows us to avoid any potential weather issues.

Defenses aren’t that difficult. They score their point primarily with sacks, turnovers and defensive TDs. Therefore, I target teams with bad QBs and look for defenses with a strong pass rush and/or secondary. Bad QBs throw more interceptions and hold the ball longer, leading to more sacks.

DEF NY Jets ($4,300) The weather report in New York is calling for heavy rain and winds between 15-20 MPH and gusts of over 25 MPH, not exactly a forecast that should help a dome team.

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