3 Daily Fantasy Football Players to Avoid in Week 8
We have loads of pieces on numberFire dedicated to helping you figure out which plays you should target in your daily fantasy football contests on FanDuel and DraftKings. And you should definitely check them all out!
But an underrated aspect of the DFS process is figuring out who you shouldn't play. Narrowing down your shortlist of potential plays by avoiding those who are overpriced and/or in tough matchups goes a long way towards ensuring that you create optimal lineups.
Let's go through three guys to consider fading on this week's DFS main slates.
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
FanDuel Price: $7,400
DraftKings Price: $6,200
Prior to a dud last week, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals had been ballin' out at the QB position, topping 25 fantasy points in back-to-back contests. While a track meet in the Superdome seems like an easy play, there's more than meets the eye here.
The New Orleans Saints have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to the quarterback position, and their defense ranks 14th overall. A sneaky aspect of this team is their ability to harass the opposing quarterbacks -- they clock in 10th in the league in Adjusted Sack Rate, potentially taking advantage of a porous Cardinals offensive line.
In terms of efficiency, Murray has been average at best. His mark of 0.08 Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) per drop back ranks him 17th among the 32 quarterbacks with 100 or more drop backs.
Expect another tough week for the rookie signal-caller.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
FanDuel Price: $9,600
DraftKings Price: $9,200
Yes, I really am asking you to fade Christian McCaffrey, the highest-projected scorer on DraftKings.
Obviously, let's understand the why. It's clear that CMC has been an absolute beast so far in 2019. He's only gone below 19 FanDuel points in one contest this season. That ain't bad.
But this Sunday could mark time number two -- thanks to a ferocious San Francisco 49ers defense he stacks up against. They rank second overall in our per-play metrics, and they clock in fourth against the run. This season, they've wiped out runners like Joe Mixon (11 carries, 17 yards), James Conner (17-43), and Malcolm Brown (11-40). No one has come close to sniffing 100 rushing yards against them.
The Carolina Panthers are projected for the fourth-lowest implied team total this week, so roster McCaffrey at your own risk.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FanDuel Price: $8,100
DraftKings Price: $7,100
Currently fantasy's #1 wide receiver, fading Chris Godwin could be applied to also fading Mike Evans. This may seem a bit crazy facing the Tennessee Titans, who rank only 18th in our power rankings.
While the Tennessee offense has been absolutely horrific, the D has been stout. They rank fourth overall, and they've wiped out opposing passing games this year. Baker Mayfield (3 interceptions), Jacoby Brissett (147 passing yards), Gardner Minshew (205 passing yards), and Joe Flacco (177 passing yards) have all endured the wrath of this defense.
That could make life tough for Godwin and crew, especially behind this patchwork offensive line, which has allowed 25 sacks this season. Tennessee has allowed the seventh-fewest points to opposing wide receivers (18.0 PPG), so consider fading Godwin and this corps.
Matt Kupferle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matt Kupferle also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username MKupferle. 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.
