Injuries smashed various depth charts this week, often with definitive news appearing after DraftKings released pricing for Week 14 NFL DFS slates. It's important to consider the ripple effect in DK ownership before deciding which daily fantasy football sleepers to ride with and which potential studs to fade.
I'll reference UFCollective ownership projections in parsing themes that could complicate roster rates on the DraftKings Sunday featured slate. Before building those GPP lineups, it's important to identify which players are likely to go high- or low-owned based on recent events and trends
Week 14 Rankings:
Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
NFL Week 14 DFS Ownership: Quarterback
DraftKings' massive matchup adjustment on Patrick Mahomes II ($7,000) — down $600 at home against the Ravens — could very well keep Mahomes in his weekly chalk lane despite Baltimore's red No. 2 matchup for opposing QBs in DK. ... UFCollective projects him and Drew Brees ($6,600) at double-digit roster rates, as the latter is projected for a bounce-back spot in Tampa.
Matt Ryan ($5,600) and Aaron Rodgers ($6,000) battle at Lambeau and should provide decent polling on whether people are bailing on those offenses, though probably a better snapshot of feelings toward Green Bay since they're at home. Ryan on the road stands a much better shot at straight contrarian status.
WEEK 14 DFS CASH LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKingsNFL Week 14 DFS Ownership: Running Back
Jeff Wilson Jr. ($3,800) sets up as a popular cap-saving play after an impressive showing on Sunday. Injury-riddled RB depth chart create a vacuum for a few cheap RBs on the slate, especially Wilson and Jaylen Samuels ($3,700). Those two could end up pacing the position in ownership.
David Johnson ($6,500) tilted the masses last week when Chase Edmonds vultured two touchdowns, and the Cards offensive struggles this season should keep him strictly contrarian. Still, it's an intriguing price for a 20-touch floor for a favored RB. ... Phillip Linday ($6,300) has averaged over 25 DK points in his past three, yet the $900 price bump this week could keep him outside chalk territory.
WEEK 14 DFS GPP LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKings
NFL Week 14 DFS Ownership: Wide Receiver
Manny Sanders' injury should send his shares over to Courtland Sutton ($4,500) since his DK price had already been set, and he could make his way into double-digit ownership on Sunday. ... UFCollective flags Keenan Allen ($7,400) as a frontrunner for the top chalk play at receiver, and his price hasn't risen much being the most-targeted receiver in recent weeks.
DaeSean Hamilton ($3,000) might not see the same kind of uptick in ownership as Broncos teammate Sutton, but he can save even more against the the cap and is expected to fill Sanders' role in the slot. It's a risky swing, but he should go far lower-owned than the other rookie. ... Julio Jones ($7,900) could play out as a contrarian stud since he followed a Week 13 dud by popping on the injury report.
MORE WEEK 14 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder
NFL Week 14 DFS Ownership: Tight End
Zach Ertz ($6,400) and Travis Kelce ($6,700) will both command high ownership, per usual. Kelce stands a much better chance at becoming the chalk play at tight end after a super-smash Week 13. The Ertz dud in New Orleans also remains fresh enough in minds to help people pay the extra three hundo.
David Njoku ($3,900) has confoundingly been more bust than boom during Baker Mayfield's ascent, though he still saw encouraging route volume with 32 on Sunday. He'll probably go contrarian even with the price drop. ... Jimmy Graham ($4,400) has busted enough this season that even the 1 targets last week won't coax over that many shares.