This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
Before jumping in headfirst into the whirlwind of fun that is Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football, be sure to differentiate from the variety of games offered. Since Head-to-Heads, 50/50s and Double Ups pay nearly half of entrants, your best bet to cashing is to target players with higher floors. Think heavily targeted No. 1 WRs, RBs who get the bulk of a team's carries and upper-echelon QBs in matchups with a tight Vegas point spread and a high total.
Tournaments/Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs) require a bit more of your inner contrarian -- target offensive players with higher ceilings in advantageous matchups. Huge point totals can come from the most unpredictable of places -- the most obvious plays are not always the right ones. Although previous week's performances should be noted, each new week of action should be considered its own season. Don't chase last week's stats.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP - GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
Matt Ryan (ATL, $30)
Ryan and the Falcons hope to close on a positive note after a rough season and a disappointing stretch that included six consecutive losses. Ryan has been unreliable this season, but looked good in the Falcons' upset of the Panthers last week. He utilized veteran wideout Roddy White for essentially the first time all season, threw for 127 yards to Julio Jones in the second half and even scrambled for a first down on seven yards. Ryan has just one outing with more than two touchdown passes this season. The final game of the year against the Saints and their porous defense boasts the highest over/under (52) of the week, where the Falcons opened as four-point favorites. Ryan, Jones and Devonta Freeman can be stacked in tournaments in what may well be an offensive explosion in the season finale.
Jeremy Langford (CHI, $17)
The rookie back performed splendidly in a two-game stretch in mid-November (57.4 FP) when Matt Forte was hurt. Although Ka'deem Carey appears to be a goal-line vulture lately, Langford has out-touched Forte two of the last three games. Forte left last week's game against the Bucs in the fourth quarter and may be inactive this week as to not aggravate a back injury with his impending free agency. Although the Lions have been stout against the run at times, they still have allowed a whopping 18 rushing touchdowns. If Forte and Alshon Jeffery are out for the season finale, expect Langford to see a boatload of touches and heftily out-earn his $17 price.
Stefon Diggs (MIN, $15)
Diggs will see light ownership this Sunday and gives those rostering him an opportunity for a primetime hammer as the Vikings and Packers face off for the last game of the season. Diggs has just one double-digit fantasy point performance in his last nine games as the Vikings have been especially run-heavy with Adrian Peterson and Jerrick McKinnon. Last week, Bridgewater completed just 15 passes and Diggs was a non-factor, catching just 4-of-5 targets for 19 yards. Diggs is extremely elusive and quick and is the team's best option in the passing game. With the Packers looking to rebound after getting destroyed by the Cardinals last week, the defense will do everything in its power to key in on and stop Peterson. The Packers may be without cornerback Sam Shields again, who missed the last two games due to a concussion. If the game stays competitive as the three-point spread suggests, the Vikings may look to supplement the passing game by attacking through the air with Diggs as the primary beneficiary. Diggs' regular season ending with a bang would not be the least bit shocking.
Other Against-the-Grainers:
QB: Zach Mettenberger (TEN, $21)
RB: Jeremy Hill (CIN, $19), DeMarco Murray (PHI, $14)
WR: Amari Cooper (OAK, $23), Travis Benjamin (CLE, $16), Devin Funchess (CAR, $10)
TE: Eric Ebron (DET, $11)
DEF: Detroit Lions ($10)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
Quarterback
Eli Manning (NYG, $35)
Using Manning this week is a sneaky way to get a leg up on the competition as most folks will look to Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson or Tom Brady if they are looking to spend on the high end at quarterback this week. With his erratic week-to-week play, Manning is not a prototypical cash game target. Those who do roster Manning will overlook his horrid Week 16 performance (3 INT) knowing that Odell Beckham Jr. wasn't a weapon at his disposal. Manning threw four touchdown passes in each of his previous two games and has accumulated 20 or more fantasy points in four of his last eight games. With Beckham back, Eli and the Giants will look to put on an aerial display against an Eagles secondary that has allowed 34 passing touchdowns -- second most in the league.
Running Back
Devonta Freeman (ATL, $35)
If you are all-in on this Falcons-Saints game that implies the highest projected point total of the week, the cornerstone of your squad should be Freeman. Freeman was the belle of the ball in the first half of the season, and after a brief stretch of mediocrity, has scored a rushing touchdown in each of his last two games. Freeman had a monster outing against the Saints back in October (156 all-purpose yards, 8 REC, 2 TD for 31.6 FP). The Saints allow a league-high 5.0 yards per carry and are prime for the plucking for Freeman this Sunday. He is the most expensive running back on the slate, but should be worth the price of admission.
Darren McFadden (DAL, $24)
With so many juicy running back matchups on the high end of the spectrum and great values on the low end this week, the masses may miss on some of the mid-range studs at the position -- one being the surprisingly reliable McFadden. McFadden has six games with 90 or more rushing yards since taking over the bellcow back role for the Cowboys in Week 7. He is three yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards for the season and averages 4.4 YPC. The lone detractor for him in cash games is the low touchdown total -- just three on the season. The Redskins appear to be the only team locked in to a specific playoff seed heading into Week 17 and may rest some of their starters. The Redskins allow 4.8 YPC -- one of the highest marks in the league. With Dez Bryant out and the inexperienced Kellen Moore still in as the Cowboys' signal-caller, expect a heavy dose of DMac, and quite possibly a bit of touchdown regression in our favor.
Wide Receiver
Julio Jones (ATL, $34)
Julio against the Saints' secondary is a matchup made in DFS heaven. He will easily be the highest percentage receiver this week, despite Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall priced within $2 of each other. Jones is 278 yards shy of 2,000 -- a lofty target for a single outing, but not completely out of the realm of possibility when you look at the matchup and the receiver in question.
Willie Snead (NO, $17)
Snead has been an out-of-nowhere surprise for season-long owners and still holds a fairly low price point in DFS games. Snead has caught just three touchdown passes, but has 66 receptions on 97 targets and is 51 yards shy of 1,000. With fellow wideout Brandin Cooks likely tied up by stout CB Desmond Trufant on Sunday, Snead should easily get his 51 yards, and is a good bet for one more trip to the end zone. Maybe two.
Brandon LaFell (NE, $12)
LaFell has disappointed overall in 2015. After spending the first six games on the PUP list, LaFell rejoined the Patriots in Week 7 against the Jets. He has had several documented, untimely drops and has just a 50-percent catch rate (35 of 70) this season and no touchdowns. A Week 17 matchup against burnable Dolphins' corners would be a great place to begin to make amends for a lost season. LaFell was limited in Wednesday's practice, but should be good to go this Sunday. Most enticing is his near-minimum price that allows for plenty of flexibility in other lineup slots.
Tight End
Zach Ertz (PHI, $17)
Ertz recently entered "cash game reliable" status following three consecutive double-digit fantasy point games. Last week, he gained a career-high 122 receiving yards on a whopping 13 receptions (17 targets). The week prior, he caught 8 of 13 targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Ertz has provided quarterback Sam Bradford with a formidable cushion for his targets in the middle of the field. The firing of Chip Kelly should not affect what has been working for the Eagles. Still reasonably priced, Ertz is a solid cash game and tournament option for the final week of the season.
Defense/Special Teams
Denver Broncos ($16)
The Broncos likely won't even have to exert maximum effort to score double-digit fantasy points against a reeling Chargers' offense. With most of the Chargers' offense on IR, the Broncos should have a field day keying in on the aging Antonio Gates and the diminutive Danny Woodhead -- the Chargers' two most formidable weapons. Most will look at game logs and note that the Broncos D/ST have just one double-digit fantasy outing in their last nine games after starting off hot with five consecutive. Keep in mind, the last time the Broncos faced the Chargers, they allowed just three total points and reeled off four sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception return for a touchdown. Despite the opponent, the Broncos defense is expected to play at a high level as they tune up for the playoffs.
Honorable Mentions:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger (PIT, $35)
RB: DeAngelo Williams (MIN, $34), Tim Hightower (NO, $20)
WR: Antonio Brown (PIT, $36), Michael Floyd (ARI, $23), James Jones (GB, $12)
TE: Travis Kelce (KC, $15)
DEF: St. Louis Rams ($13)
