Week 15 Game Scripts to Target in Daily Fantasy Football

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Over/Under: 42.0

Vikings Implied Team Total: 26.50

Bengals Implied Team Total: 15.50

The Minnesota Vikings (10-3) are coming off a tough loss to the Carolina Panthers and looking to get back on track against a Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) team that has endured a truly frustrating 2017 season. While the Vikings are jockeying for position at the top of a crowded and competitive NFC playoff picture, the Bengals are looking for something positive to take away from a year of missed opportunities. Playing spoiler to a contending team at this juncture would represent such an accomplishment.

While this doesn't project to be a high-scoring contest, the Vikings are heavily favored -- 11.0 points, second-biggest spread of the week -- and several of their players make for intriguing plays in daily formats.

Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

FanDuel Price: $7,600

One of the season's biggest breakouts, Adam Thielen looks ready to continue his sensational run of play in a nice spot against Cincy. With 80 catches, 1,161 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns on the season, the former undrafted free agent has established himself as one of the game's best wideouts, and he has emerged as Case Keenum's ($7,400) favorite target.

While the Bengals have been stingy against opposing wideouts for much of the season, their secondary has been ravaged by injuries as of late and surrendered a 10 grabs and 107 yards to Kendall Wright a week ago (Wright had 11 catches for 111 yards combined over his previous four games). Thielen is an 11.0-point home favorite, and our models project him for 15.8 FanDuel points (sixth-most among wideouts). Oh, and he can be started for WR8 cost.

Betting against Thielen has proven to be a mistake more often than not in 2017, as he's snared five or more receptions in all but one contest. That consistency should continue in Week 15.

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota Vikings

FanDuel Price: $5,900

While the Bengals have been solid against opposing wideouts, the same cannot be said for running backs. After all, this is the same team that permitted 240 total yards and 2 touchdowns to Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen last weekend. In fact, the Bengals have surrendered 132.1 rushing yards per game (most in the league) and 23.2 FanDuel points per contest to runners (tied for fourth-most) on the season.

That means Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray ($6,200) should be in for a productive day. Murray is solid investment in his own right, but McKinnon gets the slight edge here because he's the Vikings' primary receiving back and the Bengals have allowed 78 catches (sixth-most) to opposing runners. At such a low cost, McKinnon could be a value pick and one of the week's best contrarian plays.

Others to Consider

Stefon Diggs ($6,800) seems to have settled into a complementary role in recent weeks, but he still drew 10 targets last week and could produce against a depleted Bengals secondary.

Kyle Rudolph ($6,000) has scored four touchdowns over his last three games, but he hasn't received more than five targets in any of them. Right now, he's getting by on remarkable efficiency, but the volume is lacking.

A.J. Green ($7,700) is still one of the league's best wideouts, but he faces a daunting matchup against Vikings top cornerback Xavier Rhodes. The Vikings have allowed the fewest FanDuel points per game to opposing running backs, so even if he's cleared to play, Joe Mixon ($6,700) and his backfield mate Giovani Bernard ($5,900) could struggle to get anything going on the ground.