Week 7 FanDuel Picks: NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy for GPP tournaments

Bennett Bedford

Week 7 FanDuel Picks: NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy for GPP tournaments image

Cooper Kupp really let down daily fantasy football owners last week -- especially us. Our core plays were looking pretty good with Matt Ryan, David Johnson and Austin Hooper, but then the Rams could barely move the ball. We'll blame Jared Goff. For our Week 7 FanDuel core picks for NFL DFS GPP tournaments, we'll hope to avoid that near goose-egg and hope to bounce back.

If you're new to this article, we pick four players every week we'll be overweight in our lineup builds. Then, we give an example of how we'd fill in around them in tournaments. Our "Core Four" this week is Matt Ryan, Dalvin Cook, John Brown and Hunter Henry. This isn't an "optimal lineup", but it's an example of one you could build if you start with our "Core Four". If you're looking for more great NFL, NBA, or MLB, or PGA DFS advice, check me out on Twitter (@DFSBenj).

WEEK 7 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

FanDuel Picks Week 7: NFL DFS example lineup 

CORE PLAY: QB Matt Ryan, Falcons vs. Rams ($7,900)

Another week, another Ryan sighting in the core plays. Matty Ice has been a model of consistency this season, throwing for more 300 yards in every game in addition to throwing for multiple touchdowns in all but one game. The Falcons as a whole are struggling at 1-5, but it is not because of a lack of production out of their offense. This week, Ryan and the Falcons will return home to Atlanta to take on the Rams in a game that has shootout written all over it. 

The total for this game sits at 54, which is 3.5 points higher than the next closest game on the slate. The matchup with the Rams is incredibly favorable. They just placed their top corner Aqib Talbi on IR, and outside of Aaron Donald, they really don’t have much talent on the defensive side of the ball. The Rams have performed well against the lower-end quarterbacks that they’ve faced but allowed Jameis Winston (385 yards, four TDs) and Russell Wilson (268 yards, four TDs) to tear them apart. Ryan is priced up to $7,900, but that is still a nice value given the elite floor that he has in this matchup. 

WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS: Running backWide receiver | Tight end

CORE PLAY: RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Lions ($8,300)

This is a tricky week at running back unless some value opens up, possibly through the Rams if Todd Gurley (thigh) is ruled out. With that being said, I want to lock in as much guaranteed volume as I can at the position. This starts with Cook, who is coming into an ideal bounce-back spot against the Lions. Cook is coming off of his worst game of the season where he posted just 54 total yards against the Eagles. The matchup this week against the Lions is much softer after they allowed the combination of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to rush for 150 yards on Monday night. 

Sure, “Snacks” Harrison is one of the best run stoppers in the entire league, but the Lions' linebackers are the big weakness of Detroit’s defense, which will spell trouble against an explosive back such as Cook who frequently gets to the second level. Cook is the first name that I’m clicking on in cash games and someone that I’m looking to play 20-30 percent of in my GPP lineups. 

WEEK 7 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | DK cash | DK GPPFD cash | FD GPP

RB Devonta Freeman, Falcons vs. Rams ($6,400)

We are going all-in on the Falcons-Rams matchup. I’m starting the lineup off by going with a Falcons onslaught stack of Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, and Julio Jones. QB-RB stacks can be risky, but Freeman is seeing enough volume in the passing game (three TDs the past two weeks) to justify rostering him in the same lineup as Ryan.

CORE PLAY: WR John Brown, Bills vs. Dolphins ($5,900)

There are a couple of really nice value wide receivers on FanDuel this week. Tyler Boyd, Marvin Jones, Dante Pettis, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Ridley, and Mohammed Sanu all stand out, but my favorite among the value plays at the position is Brown at his $5,900 price. Brown has established himself as the clear-cut top receiver on the Bills, and his skill set is a perfect match for quarterback Josh Allen’s deep throwing tendencies. 

The Bills are not only coming off their bye week but also have a matchup with the tanking Dolphins. Miami is pretty awful at every facet of the game, but its pass defense is especially weak, ranking 26th DvP against wide receivers. Brown could be in for a ceiling-type game given his high target share and a long average depth of target. I love Brown, especially on FanDuel because of the added emphasis on yards and touchdowns, and he makes for one of the best upside GPP plays on the slate. 

MORE WEEK 7 DFS: Top values | Lineup Builder

WR Julio Jones, Falcons vs. Rams ($8,200)

Jones is coming off of a 100-yard receiving game and should feast on a Rams defense that will be without top cover corner Aqib Talib. 

WR Cooper Kupp, Rams @ Falcons ($7,800)

Obviously, with three Falcons in the lineup, we’re going to want to run it back with a Rams player or two, and it’s no surprise that I’m using Kupp to do this. I also don’t mind Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, or even Darrell Henderson if Todd Gurley is ruled out, but Kupp is clearly the best option if you can afford him. 

MORE WEEK 7 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder

CORE PLAY: TE Hunter Henry, Chargers @ Titans ($5,700)

Henry made a surprise early return to the lineup last week against the Steelers and instantly made an impact in the offense with eight receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. Playing on Sunday night made it so FanDuel could not adjust his salary for Week 7 in time to reflect his role in the offense, and his $5,700 price tag presents us with the best value play on the slate. 

I’m not in love with the matchup against a stout Titans defense, but it has struggled against tight ends this season, ranking in the bottom 10 in the league against the position. Expect Henry to be one of the highest-owned players on the slate, but his low price and high usage make him an awfully tough player to fade.  

FLEX Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Jaguars ($5,600)

The FLEX position is going to another of the value wide receivers with Boyd, who is grossly mispriced at only $5,600. The matchup is tough against the Jaguars, but slot man Boyd should avoid coverage from Jalen Ramsey even if he plays, as Ramsey normally sticks almost exclusively on the outside. Boyd has seen at least six targets in every game this season, and he should bounce back nicely after a three catch, 10-yard performance last week against the Ravens. 

D/ST Tennessee Titans vs. Chargers ($4,200)

I wish I could get up to the Bears at the defense spot, but I fell just short on salary, so I’ll be pivoting to the Titans who are playing at home against the Chargers. Los Angeles’ offense has been inconsistent this season, and its offensive line is a mess. I trust that Tennessee will be able to put some pressure on Philip Rivers in this game, forcing him into taking some sacks and possible turnover situations.

Bennett Bedford