Week 15 NFL FanDuel Salary Movers
Running Back
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14 Salary: $5,100
Week 15 Salary: $5,900
With Joe Mixon on the shelf last week, Giovani Bernard was basically a must-play, given his $5,100 salary. He was incendiary, finishing with six catches and 130 total yards, which was good for 16 points, a return of more than three times value. Not surprisingly, his performance induced the largest price gain of any running back this week. At only $5,900, he still seems cheap, but was $800 too much of a jump?
Yes. The first problem is that it looks like Mixon could return this week. Though he hasn't yet cleared concussion protocol, he was back practicing with his Bengals teammates on Thursday. Adding to the issue is that Bernard himself was limited in practice for the second straight day.
The Bengals are 11-point underdogs with an implied total of only 15.5 points this week against the Minnesota Vikings. Such a game script would favor pass-catching backs. Gio is known for his receiving skills, but it was actually Mixon who saw more targets (13 to 12) in the four games after Jeremy Hill got injured.
As such, the underdog, pass-heavy game script that would play to Bernard's skills is basically moot if Joe's back in the mix. On balance, Bernard's sub $6,000 price may seem enticing, but it's one that you want to avoid when building your lineups.
Other Big Movers
Jamaal Williams, Green Bay Packers: $6,600 > $7,300
Alex Collins, Baltimore Ravens: $6,000 > $6,600
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers: $8,800 > $9,400
LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills: $9,000 > $8,500
