Daily Fantasy Football Week 13 Picks: DraftKings cash game lineup, strategy, advice

Thomas Emerick

Daily Fantasy Football Week 13 Picks: DraftKings cash game lineup, strategy, advice image

The masses are still in recovery from getting "Cooks-ed" on Sunday, much like us . At least Travis Kelce righted the DraftKings cash game ship  a little during the wee hours Monday morning. We won't be deterred, though, making Kelce a key part of our strategy for our Week 13 daily fantasy football picks.

We're also going with a high-floor Bills' stack in a favorable matchup, as well as two RBs from a game that should see a lot of carries and short passes.

For more DFS advice, bookmark the Sporting News Fantasy DFS page .

WEEK 13 DFS: FD cash lineup | FD GPP | DK GPP Values DFS lineup builder

SUNDAY MORNING PIVOT: We hoped for more certainty on Watkins' status when setting this lineup at the outset of the week. We would like some exposure to the Taylor-Watkins stack in Oakland, but will change our official DK cash lineup to sacrifice ceiling and raise floor based on Sunday morning developments.  

PIVOTS: QB Tyrod Taylor ($5700) to Matt Ryan ($6800), WR3 Sammy Watkins ($5500) to Golden Tate ($6200), FLEX Rashad Jennings ($4800) to Dorial Green-Beckham ($3000).  Jordan Matthews and Marvin Jones got scratched so DGB and Tate are primed for discount at high target share. The net savings let us play Ryan in the dome against a defense Siemian hit up for nearly 400 yards Sunday night.

QB Tyrod Taylor, BUF at OAK ($5,700): Taylor’s rushing floor has helped him top 18 points in five of his past six games. The eagerness to run in the red zone is also crucial, with Taylor scoring on Sunday and seeing another called back in the previous week’s dud. Sammy Watkins should raise his passing floor.

RB Jordan Howard, CHI vs. SF ($6,900): We’ll save around two grand on elite backs to play a good RB in a great situation. Howard owns 81 percent of carries and 68 percent of targets among Bears RBs since Week 11, and this week he gets a Niners defense that had been historically bad against lead backs until it faced Miami’s decimated OL on Sunday.

RB Carlos Hyde, SF at CHI ($5,300): Worries about Hyde’s usage in the pass game have calmed as he’s tallied the ninth-most catches among running backs over the past two weeks. Colin Kaepernick’s passing improvement and run threat aids the whole offense; Hyde is averaging 4.7 yards per carry in the span.

WEEK 13 RANKINGS:
Quarterback  |  Running back  |  Wide receiver  |  Tight end  |  D/ST  |  Kicker

WR Mike Evans, TB at SD ($8,600): Evans is neck-and-neck with Antonio Brown in production, yet still goes for lower cost than Julio Jones. Evans has hit double digits in every game so far while Julio has missed that threshold four times, making Evans the superior cash-game play of the illustrious "Burned Sherman Club".

WR Michael Crabtree, OAK vs. BUF ($6,000): Crabtree put up uncharacteristic duds in Week 9 and 11, but bounced back Sunday and is still probably getting dinged in price for that rough Monday nighter. Crabtree’s 20 targets rank fourth among receivers over the past two weeks, and the $1,300 Cooper discount is welcomed in cash.

WR Sammy Watkins, BUF at OAK ($5,500): Watkins was on a snap count for conditioning reasons in his first game back Sunday, and he checked off the box that he’s definitely back . The $5,500 tag does not show enough confidence in this, and we’ll take advantage against an Oakland defense allowing the fifth-most DK points to opposing WRs.

TE Travis Kelce, KC at ATL ($4,700): Trevor Siemian played well and all, but Sunday night confirmed that there’s still no evidence that KC’s defense has found last year’s form. Game script has been much more favorable for Kelce’s volume, and he’s getting more targets than any tight end since Week 9.

MORE: Build your perfect lineup with RotoQL

FLEX Rashad Jennings, NYG at PIT ($4,800): Jennings provides a really nice floor at sub-$5K based on the Giants’ recent offense tendencies, leaning on Jennings more with a lead and on pass downs. Over the past three weeks, Jennings ranks top 10 among RBs in carries, rushing yards and targets.

DST Washington at Arizona ($2,400): Life has been rough for the Cardinals in the absence of tackle Jared Veldheer and guard Evan Mathis. Per Pro Football Focus data, Carson Palmer has thrown the most picks, taken the fifth-most sacks and posted the 34th-ranked completion rate on aimed throws since Week 10.

Thomas Emerick