This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.
Cash Games
In 50/50s, double-ups or heads-up contests, always aim for a lineup that has a higher floor rather than a higher ceiling. In 50/50 contests, the top half of all entries finish in the money, which means you don't have to pick a lineup that shoots for the moon. Rather, build these lineups with the players who are safe and can be counted on for production.
QB: Carson Palmer ($8,200)
Palmer is likely to be the most owned quarterback in cash games this week and there are many reasons why. He's thrown for over 300 yards in four of six games this season and has an ideal matchup Sunday. He will be at home against the Ravens, who are a team to pick on through the air weekly. The Ravens have been terrible since losing Terrell Suggs in Week 1, and here is what quarterbacks have done to the Ravens in four of their last five games:
Colin Kaepernick: 340 passing yards, 2 TDs
Josh McCown: 457 passing yards, 2 TDs
Andy Dalton: 383 passing yards, 3 TDs
Derek Carr: 351 passing yard, 3 TDs
The other game was the Pittsburgh/Michael Vick game, which seems excusable to throw out.
RB: Todd Gurley ($7,400
Palmer is probably going to be the highest owned quarterback this week and Gurley will likely be the highest owned running back in cash games. His price isn't near $9,000 like the elite options but he has a much better matchup. Gurley gets the Browns at home this week, a team allowing a league-worst 149.4 rushing yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry. Gurley has averaged a lofty 5.7 yards per carry and has gotten 30 and 19 carries over his last two games, respectively. Another reassuring factor to consider is that even down double-digits in Green Bay, St. Louis didn't abandon the run and still fed Gurley. There is 200-yard, two touchdown performance upside here.
RB: Devonta Freeman ($8,700)
At this point it appears to be a naive move to fade Freeman in both cash and tournament given what he's done. He's scored 31.6, 29.2, 35.4 and 39.8 fantasy points over his last four games, respectively, and has done his damage on the ground and through the air. The matchup against the Titans is a good one, as they've surrendered 4.7 yards per carry and 129.6 rushing yards per game this season. It's still a smart move to fade Freeman in tournaments given what his ownership levels have been, but in cash games it'll probably cost you.
WR: Larry Fitzgerald ($7,800)
Non-Fitz owners in season-long leagues are regretting overlooking him but the beautiful thing about FanDuel is you can still profit from him every week. Fitzgerald has scored double-digit fantasy points in every game this season and goes against a Ravens defense that gives up tons of fantasy points to opposing No. 1 wide receivers (think A.J. Green, Amari Cooper, Anquan Boldin/Torrey Smith). Pairing Fitzgerald with Carson Palmer sets a very nice floor for cash games.
WR: Donte Moncrief ($6,500)
This price isn't close to what it should be given Moncrief has double-digit fantasy points in all but one game this season. That game can be excused because he didn't have Andrew Luck throwing to him, and that shouldn't be a problem going forward. Moncrief has scored a touchdown in every one of Luck's starts this season and is averaging 15.6 fantasy points per game on FanDuel. The matchup doesn't get much better this week as the Colts host the Saints and their 8.6 passing yards per attempt defense.
WR: Stefon Diggs ($5,800)
It's a little puzzling why Diggs has taken so long to get onto the field considering the Vikings' early season struggles with the passing game. Diggs has exploded the last two weeks in place of Charles Johnson and there could be a mutiny by the fan base if Norv Turner pulls Diggs out of the starting lineup. Over the last two games, Diggs has led the team in targets (19) and scored 16.4 and 11.7 fantasy points, respetively. He's yet to find the end zone but the volume of targets suggests it's a matter of time before he does.
TE: Antonio Gates ($5,800)
Even at 35, Gates doesn't look like he's missed a step as he continues to be a main contributor to the Chargers' passing game. He has nine catches in both of his two games and at least 92 yards while scoring twice in the Pittsburgh loss. The Raiders struggled greatly against opposing tight ends before playing the aging Peyton Manning and Owen Daniels last week, and they should be exploited again this weekend. Double check on Gates' status Sunday, as he sat out practice Wednesday. If Keenan Allen doesn't play this week, give Gates' value a slight bump as well.
K: Greg Zuerlein ($4,600)
The use of Diggs in this lineup allows for some flexibility at both the kicker and defense. Greg The Leg fits the scenario you want to look for in a kicker: he's a home favorite and kicking in a dome. It helps that Jeff Fisher isn't afraid to let him try from long range, which helps racks up the bonus points for the position.
DEF: Kansas City Chiefs ($4,600)
This is the first time in his career that Andy Reid has gone 1-5 and there's a good chance he won't let it go to 1-6. The key here is the Steelers starting Landry Jones for the first time and Arrowhead Stadium is still a tough place to play for a road team. One place to wager came out with an over/under of 200.5 passing yards for Landry and it's likely the rookie has at least one turnover. Again, going with this lineup as it is will allow some wiggle room for the defense in case Arizona or another team is a more preferred choice.
Tournaments
For tournament lineups, you have to look at upside and use some "outside-the-box" picks if you want to cash. Don't use this type of lineup completely, as there is a lower floor with a lot of players. A mix of studs with a few of the cheaper options could net the top overall prize.
Latavius Murray ($7,000)
It seems like owners this weekend may overlook Murray given that he's coming off a bye and hasn't done much over his last two games. An extra week of rest and preparation should help, and he gets a prime matchup this weekend in San Diego. The Chargers are allowing a league-worst 5.4 yards per carry and have already been involved in a lot of high-scoring affairs, with their lowest scoring game having a total 43.
Mike Evans ($7,500)
Like Murray, Evans is coming of a bye and has been sub-par in the last two games. The Redskins are middle of the road in terms of pass defense, though they really don't have a corner to match up with Evans' size and speed. Evans has a 17-target game under his belt this season, which means the volume could be there this week. Look for him to finally break out of his early season slump.
