Week 7 NFL FanDuel Tournament Pivots

Quarterback

Chalk:

Matt Ryan is playing with a ridiculous 30-point implied team total and is sure to be popular. If not paying up for Ryan, it will be for Tom Brady, who has a similarly juicy matchup and implied team total. Andy Dalton draws the "flow-chart" matchup against the Cleveland Browns and may get Tyler Eifert back. If paying down at quarterback, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota, and Colin Kaepernick are all in terrific spots.

Pivots:

Philip Rivers, $7,800 at Atlanta Falcons - Philip Rivers comes in as an almost direct price pivot off of Mariota and is likely to go overlooked as everyone focuses on the quarterback on the other side of the ball in this game. Prior to last week's dud against a stifling Denver Broncos defense, Rivers had enjoyed a four-game stretch in which he averaged 307 passing yards and 2.5 touchdowns.

Rivers will have a much easier time this week against the Atlanta Falcons, who have allowed the second-most FanDuel points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Atlanta also ranks ninth-worst in Adjusted (for strength of schedule) Defensive Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) per play this season. This game easily has the highest over/under on the slate, and while San Diego's 23.75-point implied team total isn't elite, they should remain competitive in what has all the makings of a shootout. Rivers isn't getting the attention that many of the more "obvious" plays are, but he has just as much upside and is a viable tournament pivot this week.

Blake Bortles, $7,400 vs Oakland Raiders - Blake Bortles has stunk it up to start the season, but he finds himself in an excellent position for a bounce-back performance this week at home against an Oakland Raiders defense ranking fourth-worst in Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play on the year. Oakland has also given up the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to opposing quarterbacks, along with a league-worst 313 passing yards per game and 8.9 yards per attempt.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are listed as one-point favorites over the Raiders in what should be a high-scoring matchup (47-point over/under). Bortles isn't an advisable cash game option given the way he has performed this season, but his depressed price tag and ownership make him an excellent tournament option.