This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.
This week's $5 entry contest has a top overall prize of $300,000 and is paying out a total of $1.8 million. This is also a good week to expand your horizons and try out some single entry contests in case you haven't done so already. Single entry contests are unique in that contrarian or riskier plays can pay off given that players using multiple lineups are less likely to use certain players.
Let's look at some plays on Fanduel.com for this week.
QUARTERBACK
There's nothing wrong with going with Josh Allen ($8,800) this week, and it's not a crazy call given he has the highest salary of the week. Buffalo is coming off a bye week and is around a two touchdown favorite at home against the Dolphins. The other option who looks attractive is the Chargers' Justin Herbert ($7,900). He is also coming off a bye and has had the extra time to recover from the debacle Los Angeles had in Baltimore. Herbert faces a New England team that has to travel across the country and has been only league-average allowing fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. The Patriots also haven't had a very tough schedule playing the Jets (twice), Houston and Miami.
If I'm looking to be economical at the position, I'm going with the Broncos' Teddy Bridgewater ($7,000). He has arguably the best matchup of the week against the Washington Football Team who has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks despite their heralded defensive line. It looks like Teddy will get back Jerry Jeudy this week, and Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick are a nice complement of wide receivers to go along with him. Bridgewater has at least two touchdown passes in five of his seven games this season and has scored at least 19.62 in four games.
RUNNING BACK
Do the Lions get into the win column this week at home against the Eagles? There's a decent probability given the matchup and they've been close to winning on a couple of occasions this season. This brings me to D'Andre Swift ($7,900), who has a great matchup (the Eagles are 30th against the running back position) and faces a team that has allowed 28 and 33 points over their last two games. The key here is for the Lions to give him around 20 touches and Swift has had 19.4 or more fantasy points four times this season when he's around that mark.
Sticking with this game, Kenneth Gainwell ($5,900) should lead the backfield for the Eagles. Unfortunately, it looks like Boston Scott ($5,800) should vulture some touches from Gainwell, but, overall, Gainwell appears to be the better option. Gainwell has been used in the passing game even when Miles Sanders has been active, helping his fantasy value in FanDuel's .5 PPR format.
WIDE RECEIVER
If you believe in using Derrick Henry ($10,500), there's every reason to think about using Cooper Kupp ($9,200). Kupp is averaging only two less fantasy points per game but comes with a discount and has a better matchup this week than Henry. Kupp has scored more than 20 fantasy points this season in five of his seven games and is in line to make that six with his favorable matchup at the Texans.
The Chargers' Keenan Allen ($6,900) is my favorite mid-tier player at the position this week. I think the Chargers roll in this game, and Allen has yet to have a monster game that he's more than capable of doing. Stephon Gilmore no longer calls New England home, and the Patriots are 26th in the league against opposing wide receivers. It's not a bad idea to stack Herbert and Allen together, which frees up a lot of salary cap space to spend elsewhere.
TIGHT END
It's a bit of an odd week at the position given that every player is priced below $6,900. Kyle Pitts ($6,800) has had a historically good run for a rookie but has a tough matchup this week against the Carolina Panthers. If I'm looking for a player who comes with a reasonable salary cap hit, I'm going with the Rams' Tyler Higbee ($5,300). I think he's a great option if you're going to fade the other Rams' players, and the Texans are ranked 31st against the position. I think this might be a spot where we see multiple touchdowns from Higbee.
DEFENSE
On this week's episode of "Who's Playing The Jets," the answer is the Cincinnati Bengals ($4,900). Not only do they get the Jets, but New York will be starting backup Mike White, who threw two interceptions in relief of Zach Wilson last week. A less expensive option at the position is the Indianapolis Colts ($3,800) who take on the Tennessee Titans at home. The Colts average 8.42 fantasy points per game this season (fourth-best) and have games of 15 and 11 fantasy points in two of their three home starts.
