Thomason: Thomason: Sleepers & Daily Fantasy Value Plays For Week 6
By Jack Thomason--
(CBS) As we dive deeper and deeper into the season, these sleeper plays become more valuable for a few reasons. First, the number of devastating injuries continue to pile up. Second, because more teams are on weekly byes. Lastly, as salaries are adjusted and become tighter on daily fantasy sites, the right inexpensive plays helps you open up your options during lineup construction.
For instance, playing minimum-priced Saints receiver Willie Snead ($3000) last week in my DraftKings cash game lineup allowed me to pay up for Jamaal Charles, Devonta Freeman, Julian Edelman and Larry Fitzgerald. While Charles ended up getting hurt, my cash lineup still scored 188-plus points, and I had a great day. Snead was one of the right inexpensive plays, hitting almost seven times his value.
Let's take a look at this week's sleepers/value plays for both season-long leagues and daily fantasy.
Quarterback
Jay Cutler, Bears (at Lions) -- Cutler has performed well over his last two starts, gutting out a hamstring injury with limited weapons around him. This week he gets a Lions team that's in disarray. They can't get much of anything going offensively, and the pass defense ranks 28th in DVOA. The Lions have allowed nine touchdowns via the pass on the season, and Cutler still has Matt Forte, Martellus Bennett and Marquess Wilson to throw the rock to. With price tags of $7500 on FanDuel and $5200 on DraftKings, he's worth a start this week.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers (vs. Ravens) -- If there is ever a week to start Kaepernick, this is it. The Ravens rank 25th in passing yards allowed per game (278,) are fifth-worst in allowing nine touchdowns through the air and were just torched by Josh McCown for more than 450 yards and three total scores. Kaepernick is coming off one of his better games too, throwing for 262 yards and two touchdowns in New York. He did all he could to lead his team to victory, but Eli Manning's late-game heroics sealed the deal. Kaepernick also has the ability to run, which always provides a safer floor. Priced at a meager $5000 on DraftKings, he's absolutely worth a flier. FanDuel has him at $7300. Are you feeling lucky?
Running back
Charcandrick West, Chiefs (at Vikings) -- Generally, when a big-time running back goes down, their immediate replacement is a value. There's nothing different here with West, as he's priced at $4000 on DraftKings and $6200 on FanDuel. He out-touched Knile Davis, 8-2, after Charles went down Sunday, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid has said he feels West compares more similarly to Charles. The Vikings rank 29th in rush DVOA, and West has shown dual-threat ability to do damage on the ground and through the air.
Chris Thompson, Redskins (at Jets) -- The Jets are one of the best defenses in football. They rank first in rush DVOA, which should mean tough sledding for Matt Jones and Alfred Morris. Chris Thompson is the player doing the majority of the work in the passing game and may have the best opportunity for points in this matchup. He has 16 receptions on 21 targets over the past three weeks, while playing 44 percent of the snaps, which leads the backfield. He's a better play on DraftKings, considering full PPR and a price of $3300, while on FanDuel he will cost you $5100 with its 0.5 PPR format. With the Jets being home favorites by six points, expect Thompson to see plenty of work in passing situations.
Receiver
Willie Snead, Saints (vs. Falcons) -- Snead caught eye of Drew Brees back in the offseason, and now he has become a top option for this offense. Over the last three weeks, Snead's snapped have increased (61 percent to 66 percent to 71 percent), and he's second to Brandin Cooks in targets (25 to 24). As the Saints continue to fall behind early due to their wretched defense, Brees is going to have to throw the ball a ton. That means plenty opportunities for Snead to cash in on. As evidence, he has 12 receptions for 230 yards the last two weeks, and now Marques Colston is dealing with a shoulder injury. Snead makes for a great play at DraftKings' $3300 price and a good play over on FanDuel at $6200.
Marquess Wilson, Bears (at Lions) -- Wilson was great last week against the Chiefs. He snagged six balls for 85 yards and a touchdown on his eight targets, and we already discussed the woes of this Lions pass defense. It's now back-to-back weeks for Wilson with six catches, at least 80 yards and playing more than 80 percent of snaps. He's a steal at the price of $4000 (DK) and $5400 (FD), if either Alshon Jeffery or Eddie Royal sits.
Tight end
Jacob Tamme, Falcons (at Saints) -- The Saints are third-worst in the league in allowing 12.6 standard fantasy points to tight ends. On the season, they've permitted 30 receptions, 436 yards and four touchdowns. While Tamme's alternating off good and bad weeks, he did have 10 targets, eight receptions and 94 yards last week against the Redskins. With the Falcons playing on a short week, Julio Jones possibly on a snap count due to his lingering hamstring injury and Leonard Hankerson being banged up, I expect Tamme to pick up the slack. Given the matchup and injuries, Tamme makes a nice punt play at $5100 on FanDuel and even more so at $2500 on DraftKings.
Antonio Gates, Chargers (at Packers) -- An ageless wonder, Gates walked onto the field Monday night and dropped 92 yards and two scores on nine catches. His chemistry with Philip Rivers is unprecedented, and he did that type of damage playing only 54 percentof the snaps. His price is $5500 on FanDuel and $4600 on DraftKings; there isn't much to say outside of ride the wave before his salary hits a premium price point.
Others considered: Blake Bortles, Matt Stafford, Javorius Allen, David Johnson, Jamison Crowder, Stefon Diggs, Crockett Gillmore and Larry Donnell.
Jack Thomason is 670 The Score's fantasy football expert and co-host of "Chicago's Fantasy Football Today," which can be heard every Sunday during football season from 8-9 a.m. CT on WSCR-670 and 670thescore.com/listen. Follow him on Twitter @jthomason77 and feel free to ask fantasy questions.