This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
After a Sunday slate that included some noteworthy injuries and plenty of drama, we turn our attention to a Monday Night Football matchup between the Rams and 49ers. The final game of Week 4 brings another opportunity to win some money on Monkey Knife Fight.
Three Game Types are offered, including "More Or Less," "Rapid Fire" and "Stat Shootout." For a full breakdown of the rules for each game, see the House Rules page. Let's dive into some of the contests within each Game Type and discuss how things might play out.
More Or Less Contest
Let's start things with a 2/2 goal for 3.5X the prize. The two choices we need to make are on 23.5 completions for Matthew Stafford and 19.5 completions for Jimmy Garoppolo. Stafford blew by the this number the first two games of the season, recording 29 and 27 completions, respectively. He couldn't get much going in Week 3 against the Cardinals, though, completing 18 of 25 attempts. The 49ers have only allowed 37 points in their first three games, setting this up to be a potentially difficult matchup for Stafford. As good as he was the first two weeks, I'd lean toward the under on his total.
Garoppolo returned to a starting role last week against the Broncos, completing 18 of 29 pass attempts for 211 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The 49ers know his limitations, and likely will continue to rely heavily on Jeff Wilson Jr. and Deebo Samuel on the ground. In what could be a run-heavy, low scoring game for the 49ers, give me the under for Garoppolo's completions.
Rapid Fire Contest
An interesting option is a 2/3 goal for 1.7X the prize. The options are Cooper Kupp vs. Garoppolo fantasy points (with Garoppolo receiving a +7.5 fantasy points bonus), Stafford vs. Wilson fantasy points (with Wilson receiving a +5.5 fantasy points bonus) and Samuel vs. Brandon Aiyuk fantasy points (with Aiyuk receiving a +1.5 fantasy points bonus).
First, let's tackle Kupp vs Garoppolo. Without hesitation, I'm rolling with Kupp. Even though the 49ers have a great defense, Kupp's target share and talent stand out. He also has at least one touchdown in all three games this season. Last season, he had at least 100 receiving yards in both meetings with the 49ers.
As for our second choice, I'm rolling with Samuel over Aiyuk. Aiyuk hasn't surpassed five receptions or 63 receiving yards in a game this season. With Garoppolo at the helm, the 49ers' passing game is lacking upside. Samuel not only can at least match Aiyuk's production in terms of receiving yards, but Samuel has recorded at least 52 rushing yards in two of three games.
Stat Shootout Contest
It's tough to find appealing options in what has the potential to be a low-scoring game. That said, let's take a stab at a 19.5-plus receptions goal for 2X the prize. We have to pick three players to get us over the number, and right off the bat, Kupp is a must. Through three games, he has totaled 28 receptions and 35 targets. I'll also go with Samuel. For as limited as Garoppolo is, Samuel has caught five passes in back-to-back games.
Finally, let's go back to the Rams and select Tyler Higbee. The tight end has been a key secondary receiving option behind Kupp, totaling 24 targets through three games. He's made the most of his opportunities, posting 16 receptions.
