The Saints and the Chargers are getting ready for what should be an interest Monday Night Football clash in Week 5. Daily fantasy football players will surely be amped up about the possibility of two good offenses squaring off, as there are plenty of different strategies to employ in creating lineups for NFL DFS contests. Our FanDuel single-game lineup uses a same-team RB-RB stack in hopes of creating some differentiation.
Our strategy here is banking on a game script that sees the Saints get up early and use their running game plenty. Meanwhile, we'll bank on the Chargers playing from behind and being forced to target their top passing weapons often.
MONDAY INJURY UPDATES: Michael Thomas | Cook/Williams
FanDuel Single-Game Picks: Saints vs. Chargers
MVP (1.5x points): Alvin Kamara, Saints ($16,000)
Kamara will probably be the top-owned MVP in this contest, but there simply isn't a better option for this spot in our lineup. Kamara has been an absolute beast this season, averaging 28.2 FanDuel points per game so far. In his worst outing, which came last week against the Lions, Kamara had 19.4 FD points and totaled 119 scrimmage yards and a TD. The only reason he didn't crack 20 was that he had a couple of TDs vultured from him. He can be trusted as the most consistent player on this slate, and while he will be highly owned, there's no reason to fade him.
MORE DFS: NO-LAC DK Showdown Lineup
FLEX: Justin Herbert, Chargers ($14,000)
Were Kamara not our MVP, Herbert probably would've gotten the nod. Herbert is averaging over 300 passing yards and two total TDs per game. The rookie has been very sharp and has a high floor. The Saints may pose a tough challenge for him, but he held his own against the tough defense of the Buccaneers last week. The Saints have allowed the fourth-most FD points to QBs (23) this season, so Herbert should be another player with a high floor.
FLEX: Keenan Allen, Chargers ($12,500)
With Herbert in the lineup, we're going to add a couple of his weapons to increase our chances of getting double-points on a passing TD. Allen has been targeted a whopping 40 times in Herbert's three starts, and he has logged double-digit FanDuel points in each of those contests. With Janoris Jenkins (shoulder) out and Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) questionable, Allen's upside is sky-high, and he could demolish a decimated Saints secondary if Lattimore can't suit up.
WEEK 6 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
FLEX: Hunter Henry, Chargers ($9,500)
Henry is averaging 8.4 FD points per game so far this season, but he has done that without catching a TD. The Saints have allowed five TDs to TEs through four games this season, so this could be a good matchup for Henry to exploit. Herbert could target him often, especially with his No. 2 wideout, Mike Williams, questionable with a hamstring injury. This seems like a great spot for Henry to do some damage in.
WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
FLEX: Latavius Murray, Saints ($8,000)
Murray is where we'll go for some lineup differentiation, or so we hope. Murray is a good value at $8K considering that he has logged 26 carries for 122 yards and two TDs in his past two games. He has actually had one more carry than Kamara in that span, and the Saints may continue to use him as a goal-line battering ram. Other fantasy players may choose to avoid him because he's technically a backup RB, but he will get chances to carry the ball. Don't be afraid to trust him and go whole hog on the Saints running game.
