The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
Here we go with the Single Game NFL DFS slate for Monday Night Football of Week 16. Today’s matchup is between the Dolphins and Saints with Miami checking in as a three-point road favorite. The over/under currently rests at 37 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
Alvin Kamara - RB - New Orleans (DK: $12,200 / FD: $16,500 / Yahoo: $31)
Kamara is definitely the headline pick of this slate. He was already the featured option of this Saints’ offense, and his role is set to increase with rookie QB Ian Book getting his first career start. I’m not expecting Kamara to have an efficient performance with the Miami defense keying on him. After all, the Dolphins have allowed the sixth-least fantasy points to RBs this year. However, Kamara could realistically see 30+ touches while spearheading New Orleans’ offense and taking some pressure off Book. It’s hard to pass on that type of volume in a single-game slate.
Tua Tagovailoa - QB - Miami (DK: $10,200 / FD: $15,000 / Yahoo: $26)
If you frequent the NFL GPP Pivots column every Friday, then you know Tua was one of our favorite tournament QBs earlier this season. Sure, he lost some of his fantasy luster down the stretch, but some of that is due to injuries at the WR position. He’s slated to have both Jaylen Waddle and DeVante Parker healthy on Monday, which really boosts Tua’s upside. There’s not much opportunity cost on this injury-plagued slate, so rolling with Tagovailoa as a top pick makes plenty of sense through all formats.
Editor’s Note: Looking for an added edge? Dominate all season long with our DFS Toolkit. Use our Lineup Optimizer to come up with winning lineups for DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo! Click here for more!
BEST BARGAINS
Tre’Quan Smith - WR - New Orleans (DK: $4,600 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $14)
First off, Smith is listed as questionable, so we’ll need to confirm his status before clicking him into a lineup. If Smith plays, then he makes for a sensible bargain choice as one of New Orleans’ top receivers. We aren’t sure what the Saints’ passing game will look like under a new QB, but Smith should at least see a handful of targets with upside towards double-digits. That makes him a worthy choice at a bargain salary.
Jason Sanders - K - Miami (DK: $4,200 / FD: $8,500 / Yahoo: N/A)
This game has a low over/under at 37 total points. You know what that means: it’s time to fire up some kickers! Miami is favored in this contest, and Sanders should see numerous field goal opportunities. Kicking in a dome doesn’t hurt either.
TOURNAMENT LOOKS
Mike Gesicki - TE - Miami (DK: $6,400 / FD: $10,000 / Yahoo: $15)
I’m thinking Gesicki could be underrated with Parker and Waddle back in the lineup for Miami. Let’s not forget about the Dolphins’ tight end, who has seen eight or more targets in two straight games. Gesicki has been up-and-down all season, but a regular stream of looks puts him on our fantasy radar in this otherwise choppy slate.
Nick Vannett - TE - New Orleans (DK: $1,000 / FD: $7,000 / Yahoo: $10)
The more I think about this pick, the more I like it for cash games - especially on DraftKings for only $1k. Adam Trautman and Juwan Johnson are out for New Orleans, which should boost Vannett’s snap rate and target count. As mentioned earlier, we don’t know what the Saints’ passing game will look like tonight, but Vannett could serve as a nice safety valve for his rookie QB. I’m willing to take a chance on Vannett, moreso on DraftKings than FanDuel or Yahoo.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Jaylen Waddle (WR - MIA) rivals Kamara as one of the highest-upside options of this slate. New Orleans’ defense is coming off a fantastic game, but we have to remember that the Saints have given up the eighth-most fantasy points to receivers this year. DeVante Parker (WR - MIA) is a tournament spin-off from Waddle, as he won’t be as popular despite holding capable upside of his own.
Ian Book (QB - NO) is cheap enough to be considered through all formats. He’s a decent pro prospect who is making his first appearance in the NFL. The Saints should have a nice game plan in place for the rookie, and the relatively low opportunity cost of this slate makes Book a fair DFS acquisition. Marquez Callaway (WR - NO) is a hit-or-miss tournament pick, but he probably has the highest upside of any Saints’ receivers. If Book comes out with poise, Callaway could benefit.
Duke Johnson (RB - MIA) had a fantastic game last week. Now Myles Gaskin (RB - MIA) and the other Miami RB will return to the lineup. Gaskin will probably serve as RB1 with a healthy rotation behind him. For that reason, Gaskin is a fringe cash play as long as you aren’t reaching to get him. Johnson and the other Miami RBs are tournament-only plays with questionable volume in a tough matchup.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR - NO) is your deep tournament sleeper of the night. There’s a chance he does next to nothing, but he will serve as the Saints’ WR3 (or WR2 if Smith is out). Will he see opportunities with rookie QB Book taking snaps? I’m not sure, but Humphrey came through with 5-97-1 total in two contests before falling victim to game flow last week.
