NFL Week 17 DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown

Welcome to week seventeen of the Add More Funds DraftKings Main Slate Rundown. Remember, this is a weekly column. We are very excited to bring you high-level content using tools from our website. At AMF, we want to help both the experienced-player and beginners alike. To do this, every week we will release our favorite weekend classic slate plays. We will go position by position highlighting different price points. We will try to find the plays that provide value, whether they are underpriced or possibly, projected to be under-owned. Plays will be denoted as cash game or tournament specific. 

Here is our week seventeen NFL DraftKings main slate rundown.

Quarterback: 

Josh Allen ($8000) Prefer in tournaments still strong in cash

The Bills are third in the entire league in points scored, and Allen accounts for 77% of their touchdowns. That makes him a strong play any week. However, playing a Falcons defense that is 29th against quarterbacks in DK points allowed, Allen is in a smash spot. The Bills can finish out 2-0 to clinch the division and host a playoff game. They would prefer to do that and will not be holding back anything this weekend in Buffalo.

Dak Prescott ($6,700) Prefer in tournaments still strong in cash

We saw last week what this offense can look like when things are clicking. Prescott amassed thirty DK points by half and didn’t even play in the fourth quarter, still racking up a great 330-yard four-touchdown performance. He also looked healthier than he has in months on the few rush attempts he had. That added boost combined with Amari Cooper ($6,600) also getting to what appears to be full health is another reason Dak took off last week. Finally, Arizona is on the opposite end of the injury game. They have dropped three straight and I believe after another strong game from Dak it will be four. 

Trey Lance ($4,800) Cash-game play but worth a stab in tournaments

Everyone in cash will have Lance this week. That said he is likely to once again be inefficient throwing the ball even against a poor Houston defense. However, in his two games this season he amassed 130 rushing yards and 350 passing yards. He also threw three touchdowns and ran for another. Assuming those are conservative estimates for his performance with three more months of coaching and a matchup against one of the worst teams in the league, I think Lance may be the highest owned quarterback in cash in any week this season. 

Other QB thoughts:

I like a lot of quarterbacks this week. Especially the ones with rushing upside Herbert ($6,800), Hurts ($6,600), Hill ($6,000), and Huntley ($5,600). It’s never fun to fade Brady and Mahomes but I do think in tournaments this is the week to do it. They are not options in cash either, so I think I will sadly not have either MVP candidate even as they try to make their penultimate impressions for the award. 

Running Back: 

Jonathan Taylor ($9,000) Play in all formats

He is not a must in either format but he is viable in any contest. He’s priced up enough that it’s likely contrarian to pay up for Taylor. Reminder you can use our AMF tools to find all sorts of advanced data including that Taylor leads the NFL in rush attempts, yards, red zone attempts, red zone yards, and touchdowns. He has also hit the 100-yard bonus in nine of the Colt's last twelve games. Taylor is the only running back with legitimate 30-point upside weekly. The only difference is with him it's more like a 40-point upside. 

David Montgomery ($6500) Prefer in cash but will play in tournaments

From weeks 12-16 Montgomery led all running backs in snaps played, and red zone rush attempts. He was also among the league leaders in most other rushing categories. Combine that with his increased pass game role (7.7 targets per game over his last four). Possibly equally as important to his new role is the opponent. The Giants are long out of playoff contention and have put in a month's worth of uninspiring performances. I think Monty has a chance at the bonus, and excellent pass game work, with great TD upside. I’ll have him in cash for sure. 

Ronald Jones ($6,300) Prefer in cash but will play in tournaments

Ke'Shawn Vaughn stole the show last week on a long run. But in 35 snaps it was clear Ronald Jones is in for a massive role as long as Fournette is out. He had 20 carries and also received three more targets. This week against the Jets he gets a plus matchup in a game his team needs to win. The Bucs are also still banged up at the pass-catcher position and will need to rely on their run game a little more the rest of the season. Ride Jones while he’s still priced below quite a few other backs. 

Other RB thoughts: I will be fading Pats, Cardinals, Cowboys, Panthers, and Eagles backs this week. They are all sharing touches with teammates and are in suboptimal positions. Sony Michel ($5,800) and Alvin Kamara ($7,900) are two other backs I will have sprinkled in tournaments and possibly cash as well. 

Wide Receivers: 

Cooper Kupp ($9,500) Play in all formats

I wrote Kupp up last week saying “Kupp has been amazing this year leading the league in targets and target percentage and also red zone targets. His targets have resulted in a league leading 1625 receiving yards  (next closest is 1335) and 14 Tds (next closest is 11).” Those numbers would possibly have still led the league after the season if he missed the Ram's last three games. But he’s still playing and has many team and personal goals left on the table. The Rams need to finish 2-0 to secure the division and Kupp needs two more big games to break the NFL receiving yard record. He also has a chance to break the reception record. I think at this price he may be contrarian in tournaments and is still viable in cash.

Mike Evans and Antonio Brown ($7,000 and $6,100) Prefer in cash but will play in tournaments

Chris Godwin will not be suiting up for the Buccaneers in week seventeen. And one or even both of these two may miss the game. If one of them does miss I will likely be heavily in on whoever can suit up. I will be even more excited if the one who plays is Brown. Last week even with a still injured ankle he looked great. Brady was looking his way early and often and he amassed just enough yardage to hit the bonus. Even without a touchdown he still smashed in Draftking's heavily favorable ppr format. If he gets similar usage and scores on top of it he will be one of the best plays regardless of position this week. 

Braxton Berrios ($3,700) Play in cash only

Dirt cheap and following a week in which he received 30% of his team's targets Berrios is a nice punt play at WR. Playing against the Buccaneers secondary I think he has a chance to win some matchups in a game his team is certain to be trailing. The ceiling is low as he is not a big-play threat, but there is a nice level of security here at a near-minimum price tag. 

Other WR thoughts: 

There’s a lot of receivers right around 6k that I like this week (Waddle, Cooks, St. Brown, Pittman, and D.J. Moore.) I also never like to fully fade Tyreek Hill so I may have a few shares of him as well. Coming off their big games now is a great time to fade Bengals receivers in a game that is likely to be heavily stacked. 

Tight Ends:

Dallas Goedert ($5,100) Prefer in tournaments

We are writing him up again at what is ironically the same price as last week. He failed in week 15 as he produced only two receptions for twenty-eight yards for a total of 4.8 DK points. But that may be exactly what can get you a solid tight end at an affordable price at low ownership. That’s almost unheard of! I do prefer Goedert in tournaments, but that is probably because most tight ends this week feel much more tournament-like than a cash play. 

Stephen Anderson ($2,500) Cash-game play 

Here’s a cash play option. Jared Cook and Donald Parham are out this week, leaving Anderson as the receiving threat for the Chargers at the tight end position. Last week he got a little more run and flashed some athleticism in his two receptions. It’s not super strong and I think the ceiling is low but he’s 2500 and we need the savings somewhere.

Other TE thoughts: Paying up for Gronk or Kelce could pay off huge dividends as they are a tad more expensive than you’d want but still have immense ceilings. I think in cash per usual my play will be a cheap one and in tournaments, I will overpay for the upside. 

Defense: 

Saints ($3,400) Play in all formats

There are a lot of good options this week but a home Saints defense against the mess that is the Panthers is very enticing. The Saints are also still clinging onto their playoff hopes while the Panthers know their season is over. That needs to be factored in these last two weeks. 

Giants ($2,800) Cash-game play 

Getting to play a rookie QB with limited weapons is always a good thing. The price is right too.