NFL

Week 16 Game Scripts to Target in Daily Fantasy Football

David McCaffery  —  @mccaffmedia Dec 20th, 2017
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Jacksonville Jaguars vs. San Francisco 49ers

Over/Under: 42.0
Jaguars Implied Team Total: 23.25
49ers Implied Team Total: 18.75

It's been a strange season for both the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) and the San Francisco 49ers (4-10). Each team is riding a three-game winning streak, but the stakes are different for these franchises as they enter the week.

The Jaguars have been one of the league's most pleasant surprises, clinching their first playoff birth since 2007 and, remarkably, remain in contention for a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs. The 49ers are playing for next year but appear to have landed a franchise quarterback to build around for seasons to come. This may not be the game of the week, but if you're seeking value in daily formats, there are several contributors in play.

Blake, Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
FanDuel Price: $7,600

Blake Bortles: QB1? It may seem insane, but the oft-criticized signal caller has been incredible in recent weeks, throwing for 926 yards and 7 touchdowns during the Jags' winning streak. But perhaps most impressively, he hasn't committed a turnover during this stretch. Make no mistake about it, the fourth-year man is playing the best football of his career right now.

Bortles' run of success should continue against a 49ers' defense that is allowing 19.5 FanDuel points per contest (third-most) to opposing quarterbacks. That makes him a viable play in both daily and seasonal formats. Bortles can be started for QB16 cost, but our models project him to be the 12th-highest scoring passer of the week with 18.8 FanDuel points.

Keelan Cole, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
FanDuel Price: $5,300

During Bortles' hot streak, Keelan Cole has snared 13 of 15 targets for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns. How's that for efficient football? While Cole only saw 3 targets in both Weeks 13 an 14, that changed last weekend when Marqise Lee was forced from the game with an ankle injury.

Cole went on to lead the Jaguars with 9 targets, securing 7 of them for 186 yards and a score. It was the best game of the rookie's young career and a potential sign of what's to come.


Lee should be fine for the playoffs but will be sidelined this weekend. That means Cole will be in for another heavy workload against a 49ers defense that has permitted 28.1 FanDuel points a game (tied for ninth-most) to opposing wideouts. Cole can essentially be started for free on FanDuel this week, even though he's been on an incredible tear and has a fantastic matchup. While he's a bit of a risky start, it could be a risk worth taking.

Others to Consider

Speaking of risky wide receiver starts, Dede Westbrook ($5,900) disappointed last week, securing 2 catches for 18 yards in a premium matchup. Still, he has demonstrated a high ceiling, and led all Jaguars receivers in Week 15 snaps. A bounce back could be in order.

There hasn't been a tangible update on Leonard Fournette's ($8,100) Week 16 status as of yet, but he's expected to be back in the lineup and ready to face San Francisco's 22nd-ranked run defense. Keep your eye on him, but assuming he plays, the rookie can be started for RB10 cost in a favorable matchup.

Now we know why Bill Belichick was so hesitant to trade Jimmy Garoppolo ($7,000). Tom Brady's former backup is up to 5-0 as a starter, throwing for 1,716 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while posting a sensational 67.94 completion percentage and a sparkling 101.7 quarterback rating during those contests. The bottom line is that the 26-year-old looks like a legitimate franchise passer.

But that's not going to help him the weekend against a Jags pass defense that has limited opposing signal callers to the fewest FanDuel points per game in the league (10.8). As terrific as he's been, this doesn't set up as a great time to play him.

David McCaffery is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username dmccfb. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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