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Here we go with the Single Game NFL DFS slate for Monday Night Football of Week 11. Today’s matchup is between the Buccaneers and Giants with Tampa Bay checking in as an 11-point home favorite. The over/under currently rests at 49.5 total points. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 ET.
We’ll highlight the top picks and best bargains to assemble a cash-inducing lineup. On top of that, the “additional notes” section will feature several tournament selections while adding context to the rest of this slate.
We will be producing these articles for Thursday, Sunday, and Monday Night Football matchups, so be sure to bookmark the NBC Sports EDGE DFS Page for those occasions - not to mention all the other fantastic daily fantasy content.
TOP PICKS
Tom Brady - QB - Tampa Bay (DK: $11,200 / FD: $17,000 / Yahoo: $37)
Brady is the headline pick of this slate, and you probably didn’t need me to tell you that. He’s a touchdown machine, and you better believe he’s going to come out with fire after an embarrassing loss last weekend. His opponent, the Giants, rank below average in pass defense, and this is a decent spot for the Hall-of-Famer to get back on track. Brady tallied 24+ fantasy points in back-to-back games prior to last week’s letdown, and I expect him to get back to that level tonight.
Chris Godwin - WR - Tampa Bay (DK: $9,400 / FD: $12,500 / Yahoo: $24)
It’s hard to choose between Mike Evans and Godwin as a priority stacking option with Brady. However, I have a slight lean towards Godwin in this MNF showdown. First off, Godwin is a little bit cheaper than Evans, which doesn’t hurt while trying to maximize value. Second, you could argue that Godwin will see better individual matchups with Evans getting some shadow treatment from James Bradberry. Of course, Antonio Brown’s absence will continue to give Godwin more looks.
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BEST BARGAINS
Tyler Johnson - WR - Tampa Bay (DK: $5,000 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $10)
As mentioned in the previous write-up, Brown will not play in this game. That means Johnson will serve as WR3 for the Bucs. He has been serviceable in that role while seeing five or more targets in back-to-back games. It hasn’t translated to a fantasy breakout, but Johnson is a decent value filler while seeing a handful of looks. His salary is especially agreeable on FanDuel and Yahoo.
Darius Slayton - WR - NY Giants (DK: $3,200 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $12)
This one is more of a feast or famine pick. Slayton’s fantasy production has been all over the place lately, and he was shut out in back-to-back games. However, Sterling Shepard is out tonight, and the Giants should be throwing the ball early and often to try and keep pace with Tampa. Slayton only needs a couple of big plays to pay fantasy dividends, and he should get enough opportunities to make that happen.
TOURNAMENT LOOKS
Jaelon Darden - WR - Tampa Bay (DK: $600 / FD: $6,000 / Yahoo: $10)
Darden is a dirt-cheap filler on DraftKings who you can stack around in tournaments. You are essentially hoping he can catch a couple of passes while maybe breaking through for a big gainer on one of them. The rookie should keep seeing opportunities with Brown out of the lineup.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Daniel Jones (QB - NYG) should see volume tonight, although it’s tough to bank on him at an expensive price, given that Tampa has alluring options for a similar salary. Perhaps Kadarius Toney (WR - NYG) is one of the better “per dollar” candidates on this Giants offense with Shepard out of the lineup. Toney has shown massive upside at times this season, and he could operate as Jones’ top target in a game where the Giants are throwing more than usual.
Kenny Golladay (WR - NYG) and Saquon Barkley (RB - NYG) are fringe plays at their respective price points. Barkley will need to get things done through the air, as Tampa has been tremendous against the run this season. I’m labeling both of these guys as tournament-only picks.
Leonard Fournette (RB - TB) is a potential pillar in cash games. He should see a ton of carries with Tampa favored by double-digits. Making matters even better, the Giants have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs this season.
Mike Evans (WR - TB) was mentioned earlier in Godwin’s write-up. He’s an excellent red-zone threat, and that’s where most of his fantasy value is derived. Will that take a hit if Rob Gronkowski (TE - TB) is back in action? How many snaps will Gronk see? Does it matter as long as he gets red-zone targets? This is shaping up to be a risk/reward tournament situation.