This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
After last Sunday's $2.2M Millionaire Maker was a hit, the contest is back for Week 5. The entry fee is just $27, and one lucky person will take home a cool million.
To help you get that million, here are my favorite players for Week 6 on DraftKings…
Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson, SEA (vs. DAL), $7600 – Wilson gets a favorable matchup against the soft Dallas defense after obliterating the Redskins to the tune of 37.2 DraftKings points last week. Don't be fooled by the Cowboys' decent defensive statistics, as they've benefited greatly from a favorable schedule, not to mention their own dominant running game, which will likely slow up a bit this week against Seattle's excellent defense. The downside with Wilson is that the Seahawks sometimes only need him as a device for handing off to Marshawn Lynch and wasting time between dominant defensive possessions. I think the Cowboys will put up a bit of a fight, just not enough to keep Wilson from putting a smile on his owners' faces.
Matt Ryan, ATL (vs. CHI), $8600 – In a game that easily has the week's highest over/under, both Ryan and counterpart Jay Cutler have good chances to put together massive fantasy days. I favor the Atlanta signal-caller over his opponent, as the Bears have actually shown some ability to contain the run this season, while the Falcons have been shredded by some mediocre running backs. The Falcons are less likely to succeed with a balanced approach, and it also helps that Ryan is the better player of the two quarterbacks.
Other options:Peyton Manning, DEN (at NYJ), $9400; Jay Cutler, CHI (at ATL), $8000; Andy Dalton, CIN (vs. CAR), $6500
Notes: In this matchup, Manning seems like a lock for three touchdowns, if there is such a thing. Cutler vs. Ryan should be fun to watch, so long as the expected steady dose of Matt Forte largely comes through the air. Dalton may not have anybody to throw to, but he gets to play behind a phenomenal offensive line against a defense that's fallen off massively from last season.
Running Backs
Matt Forte, CHI (at ATL), $8800 – It doesn't take a genius to make this recommendation, as Forte has been a monster the last two weeks, while the Atlanta front seven has been just as bad as expected. In addition to struggling against the run, Atlanta's linebackers are weak in coverage, which bodes well for Forte in a PPR format. Chicago's star running back ranks third at his position in DraftKings points per game, despite having a grand total of zero rushing touchdowns this season. That number is quite obviously a fluke, unlike Forte's superb receiving statistics. While his 115-reception pace seemingly has to slow down at some point, Forte is a real threat to compile 80-100 catches this year.
Joique Bell, DET (at MIN), $3700 – With Reggie Bush (ankle) unlikely to play, Bell is in line to lead the Detroit backfield against a middling Minnesota defense. Furthermore, Calvin Johnson (ankle) is expected to sit out, leaving Bell and Golden Tate as the likely top two options in Detroit's thus-far disappointing offense. Bell is much better than your typical cheap injury replacement, as he was already splitting touches with Bush, much like he did last season. Bell is a reasonably talented runner who is much bigger than he typically gets credit for, and even better, his receiving skills are excellent. As a bonus, he's quietly the owner of the NFL's best touchdown celebration .
Other options:Marshawn Lynch, SEA (vs. DAL), $8600; Le'Veon Bell, PIT (at CLE) $7200; Ben Tate, CLE (vs. PIT), $5500; Branden Oliver, SD (at OAK), $5500; Bishop Sankey, TEN (vs. JAX), $3500; Ronnie Hillman, DEN (at NYJ), $3000
Notes: Lynch against that Dallas run defense has the potential to get ugly. Bell is a top-tier running back that continues to come at a second-tier price, even against the struggling Cleveland defense. Tate, after returning with a 100-yard outing last week, gets the other side of a matchup that should be favorable for both offenses. Oliver, in addition to being an underrated talent before last week, is expected to work as the lead back for an excellent offense against a terrible team. Sankey is a dart throw with the potential to come up completely empty, but a matchup with the Jags makes this a good time to take the chance. Hillman, though not all that talented, is expected to start for the most prolific offense in football.
Wide Receivers
Alshon Jeffery, CHI (at ATL), $6500 – Jeffery once again comes at a favorable price, as he seems to be completely healthy but still hasn't had a huge breakout game this season. He did manage a 6-97-1 receiving line last week, while fellow stud wideout Brandon Marshall seems to be somewhat limited by the lingering effects of an ankle sprain. The Atlanta secondary is respectable, but the team's inability to generate a pass rush should give Jay Cutler plenty of time to find Jeffery deep down the field. I'm expecting a huge afternoon from the former Gamecock in this week's most obvious choice for a shootout.
Torrey Smith, BAL (at TB), $4100 – I'd still probably avoid Smith in a 50/50, but his price is finally low enough to make his ceiling worth taking a stab at in GPPs or other top-heavy contests. With Dennis Pitta (hip) out for the season, the Ravens will eventually need the services of Smith, whose reliance on the deep ball has long made him a risky play. Keep in mind that while his stats are terrible, the speedy fourth-year wideout has managed to draw a league-high six pass interference penalties. He's still quite involved in the Baltimore offense, which as a whole looks to be much improved from last season.
Other options:Julio Jones, ATL (vs. CHI), $8400; Antonio Brown, PIT (at CLE) , $7900; Golden Tate, DET (at MIN), $6300; Roddy White, ATL (vs. CHI), $4800; Brian Hartline, MIA (vs. GB), $3800; Markus Wheaton, PHI (at CLE), $3800; Brandon Tate, CIN (vs. CAR), $3000
Notes: Jones won't come as a bargain, but he's unlikely to disappoint in such a favorable matchup. Brown need not worry about Joe Haden, as the Browns' supposed shutdown corner is off to a slow start, along with the rest of the Cleveland defense. Coming off consecutive 100-yard games, Tate is the clear top target in Detroit's offense, as Calvin Johnson will be limited if he somehow manages to play. White offers even better value than his teammate in a matchup that should allow for both wideouts to have big games. Hartline won't reach 1,000 yards for a third straight season, but he's also not nearly as bad as his slow start might lead one to believe. Wheaton's floor is quite low, but he's eventually going to have a few big games, and this week's matchup is as good as any. Tate will likely start across from the much more expensive Mohamed Sanu ($5300) against a struggling Carolina secondary.
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski, NE (at BUF), $5800 – After the hulking tight end logged 68 snaps on his way to a 5-100-1 receiving line last week, we can safely say that the Gronk is back, at least until his next injury strikes. While this matchup may not look favorable on paper, I expect the Patriots to come out with a pass-heavy gameplan against a Buffalo defense that's proven to be among the league's stingiest against the run. The Bills have also been good against the pass, but they've allowed 253.8 passing yards per game, as opponents have realized the futility in trying to run.
Other options:Julius Thomas, DEN (at NYJ), $6700; Greg Olsen, CAR (at CIN), $5700; Larry Donnell, NYG (at PHI), $3500
Notes: Thomas is the top red-zone target in the league's best offense, which gets to face a leaky Jets secondary this week. Olsen will likely settle in as the top non-Thomas/Graham/Gronk tight end, and the Cincinnati defense hasn't been nearly as good as what it's getting credit for. Donnell's one no-show doesn't erase four weeks of good work.
Team D/ST
Denver Broncos, at NYJ, $3100 – As much as I hate to write about the same unit two weeks in a row, my enthusiasm for this Denver defense remains strong, despite its continued mediocrity from a fantasy perspective. Though they failed to notch a takeaway against the Cardinals last week, the Broncos completely shut down the Arizona offense outside of a game-opening field-goal drive and Andre Ellington's 81-yard touchdown on a swing route. Denver, somewhat scarily, has as much defensive talent as any team in the NFL, with the exception of those guys in Seattle. And, of course, the Jets have a miserable offense.
Other options:San Diego Chargers (at OAK), $3400; Baltimore Ravens (at TB), $3200; New York Giants (at PHI), $2700; Minnesota Vikings (vs. DET), $2500; Washington Redskins (at ARI), $2500
Notes: The San Diego defense will eventually come back down to earth, but that isn't going to happen until it has to face a real NFL offense. The Tampa Bay offense hasn't been able to take advantage of favorable matchups, and now it draws one of the tougher defensive teams in the league. The Philadelphia offense has been sloppy all season, while Big Blue's defense has been fantastic since getting torched by Calvin Johnson in the first 10 minutes of the season. The Vikings aren't a terrible defensive team, and the Lions will likely be playing without the aforementioned Johnson. Washington has an embarrassing secondary, but the team's stout front seven may be too much for Carson Palmer/Drew Stanton/Logan Thomas and the porous Arizona offensive line to handle.
