Week 11 NFL GPP Plays
QUARTERBACKS
Alex Smith – Alex Smith and the Chiefs are coming off a bye, which is good news when Andy Reid is your head coach. Reid is one of the best coaches EVER coming off a bye week with a career 16-2 record! I like Smith a lot on FanDuel where he is only the eighth-most expensive QB on the board. My only concern is that the Chiefs get out to a huge lead early and don't have to throw the ball very much in the second half. As long as the game remains remotely close, I expect Smith to have a huge day, hitting Travis Kelce for at least one touchdown and possibly running one in himself.
Tom Brady – Tom Brady and the Patriots travel to Mexico City to take on the Raiders. This is the highest Over / Under on the slate today at nearly 55 points. I like his price on DraftKings better than Fanduel this week. Look for the Pats to get up early and keep their foot on the gas pedal.
Derek Carr – If the Patriots do get up early, the Raiders will need to try and keep up. To do that they will be throwing the ball. I think this could be a big game for Carr if the teams can go back and forth. Look for him to get all his receivers involved including tight end Jared Cook.
Drew Brees – Drew Brees at home is usually money in the bank. However, with the improved running game and defense, he has not put up those monster games we like to see. Could it happen this week versus the Washington Redskins? I think it could. I do like the running backs again for the Saints, but they are involved in the passing game as well. I think this is the first week in two months that he gets 20 fantasy points at home.
RUNNING BACKS
Rex Burkhead – Burkhead has scored 15.3 DraftKings points two weeks in a row. Last week, he surprisingly carried the ball 10 times to go along with three catches and a touchdown. If only the Patriots would stick with one running back, it would make things so much easier. However, I do think there is enough to go around in the highest Over / Under matchup on the slate. Brady and the Patriots are going to put plenty of points on the board and I think Burkhead could hit four or five times his price tag for 15-20 DK points this week.
Kareem Hunt – I like most offensive players on the Chiefs this week coming off that bye. I don’t think I am going Alex Smith and Hunt in the same lineup, though it is certainly a viable option. This would be a perfect week to make a lineup with Smith and Travis Kelce or Tyreek Hill and another lineup with Hunt.
Mark Ingram – Ingram has been a beast since Adrian Peterson has been traded. He has 16-25 carries in each of his last five games with seven rushing touchdowns. I don’t see that coming to an end today at home versus the Skins. This is another case of maybe doing a lineup with Brees and a lineup with Ingram. However, I don’t mind the two of them in the same lineup as much as I do Hunt and Smith. Also, you could play Alvin Kamara again this week, as there has been plenty to go around between the two backs in New Orleans.
Also like Chris Thompson, Jerick McKinnnon, Alex Collins and LeSean McCoy.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Michael Crabtree – Love him at only $5900 on DraftKings. Touchdown scorer in the highest over / under of the week and they will probably be playing from behind.
Mike Evans – Prefer him on Fanduel over DK. Should be peppered with targets after not playing last week due to being suspended.
Michael Thomas – I know he is going up against Josh Norman, but I don’t care this week. He should get enough targets and there will be plays where he is not being shadowed I think. His targets are through the roof and has seven or more catches in four of his last five games.
Jeremy Maclin – Prefer him on DK where he is only $4500. Had eight catches on nine targets last week for 98 yards. Too cheap for a legit number one wide-out.
Jamison Crowder – The Redskins go on the road to New Orleans which normally I love. No Pryor or Reed playing leaves a lot of targets and Crowder should be the beneficiary. Only concern is the Saints defense has been playing well and Cousins could be forced to check down to Thompson all day.
TIGHT ENDS
Tyler Kroft – Only $2900 on DraftKings. I am calling him getting in the end zone this week.
Travis Kelce – Best option on the slate, even better than Gronk in my opinion. Will pair him with Alex Smith if I can. Will be chalk.
Jared Cook – Yes, I like players from this game if you couldn’t tell. He’s only $5600 on Fanduel and $4800 on DK. He has over 100 yards in two of his last three games with 21 targets. He too could get in the end zone. I think doing a game stack with Oakland/New England is in play this week.
DEFENSE
Jacksonville Jaguars – One of the best defenses in the league versus the Browns in bad weather… yes please!
Cleveland Browns – Would be a contrarian cheap option in the same game as above. Blake Bortles isn’t too good in good weather, let alone high winds.
Denver Broncos – Another defense I would consider paying up for today. Could also even play the Bengals on the other side of the ball.
KICKERS – Fanduel only
Pick one that fits your lineup. Usually pick kickers from games with good weather or in domes and with high over/unders. Who the heck knows. If I must… Patrick Murray for Tampa Bay is min price and converted all three of his attempts last week. Stephen Gostkowski is expensive but in the high altitude of Mexico City is a great play if you can afford him. Kai Forbath and Brandon McManus are in good spots as well.
