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Here we go with the Single Game NFL DFS slate for Thursday Night Football of Week 16. Today’s matchup is between the 49ers and Titans with San Francisco checking in as a three-point road favorite. The over/under currently rests at 44.5 total points. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 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
Ryan Tannehill - QB - Tennessee (DK: $10,000 / FD: $15,000 / Yahoo: $26)
Tannehill has been pretty mediocre from a fantasy standpoint over the last month. However, he should get a nice boost with top receiver A.J. Brown expected to return tonight. Tannehill’s rushing upside can be admired as well, given the Tennessee QB has scored six rushing touchdowns in his last nine games. He’s an MVP candidate on this slate while standing in line for a bounce-back effort while gaining a weapon on offense.
Deebo Samuel - WR - San Francisco (DK: $11,600 / FD: $14,500 / Yahoo: $34)
Yes, Tannehill is an MVP option, but I’m leaning towards Samuel or Kittle in that spot - especially on a full PPR site like DraftKings. Samuel has been magnificent lately while racking up fantasy points on the ground and through the air. Sure, his receiving numbers have dwindled in recent weeks, but there’s a good chance he’ll pick things up against a Tennessee defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. The potential for 10 targets and five carries makes Samuel a dangerous fantasy asset on this single-game slate.
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BEST BARGAINS
Jeff Wilson Jr. - RB - San Francisco (DK: $5,200 / FD: $11,000 / Yahoo: $18)
Wilson stands in as a bargain on DraftKings and Yahoo. His salary has been accurately hiked up over on FanDuel. The San Francisco RB is a no-brainer on DraftKings and Yahoo, as he’s in line to start once again with Eli Mitchell doubtful. Wilson came through with 21 carries, 110 yards, and a score against Atlanta last time out. The Titans are solid against the run, but Wilson’s expected volume should push him to fantasy viability.
Dontre Hilliard - RB - Tennessee (DK: $2,800 / FD: $9,500 / Yahoo: $15)
Derrick Henry is still out for the Titans, so they’ll continue to deploy a three-headed monster in the backfield. D’Onta Foreman is the main running back while Hilliard and Jeremy McNichols serve as change-of-pace options. Last week, Foreman had 24 touches compared to 13 for Hilliard and nine for McNichols. Hilliard led that group with six targets, which he turned into four receptions for 10 yards. If Tennessee falls behind, then Hilliard could see more snaps/work in the passing game. He’s an interesting choice for only $2,800 on DraftKings.
TOURNAMENT LOOKS
Jauan Jennings - WR - San Francisco (DK: $3,800 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $10)
Jennings stands in as WR3 for San Francisco. Of course, he’s the fourth receiving option in the pecking order, as TE Kittle will see plenty of targets as well. Still, Jennings is a big target (6’3”) who is seeing nearly a 50% snap rate for the 49ers. That makes him an interesting value prospect while hoping he can come through with a touchdown for the second straight week. It’s nice to see that he has seen five targets in back-to-back games.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
As mentioned earlier, George Kittle (TE - SF) deserves consideration as a captain tonight. He has been remarkable with 93+ yards in three straight. He has seen 12+ targets in two of those while piling up three touchdowns over that span. Kittle has the highest fantasy ceiling of this slate, and he’s right alongside teammate Samuel as one of the best options in the player pool.
Jimmy Garoppolo (QB - SF) is a strong stacking extension of Kittle. Of course, Brandon Aiyuk (WR - SF) is a leverage pick if you are looking to get away from the popularity of Kittle/Samuel in your tournament lineup.
A.J. Brown (WR - TEN) is expected to return tonight. Of course, we’ll need to double-check prior to kickoff while making sure that actually happens. You never know these days. Brown instantly checks in as a viable fantasy pick while going up against a San Francisco team that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to wide receivers.
Julio Jones (WR - TEN) gains merit if Brown somehow misses this game. Other than that, I’m ignoring him. You could look his way in tournaments while hoping for a random breakout, but Jones has been extremely disappointing this season - even in a featured role.
D’Onta Foreman (RB - TEN) is fresh off a 100+ yard game while seeing 24 touches. As mentioned earlier, he’s still in a RBBC, but he’s spearheading that group by a longshot. Foreman is a nice tournament choice with cash game merit in this slate.
Anthony Firkser (TE - TEN) and Geoff Swaim (TE - TEN) are a few dirt-cheap picks that you hope come through with a touchdown. Stacking either of them with Tannehill and crossing your fingers is a reasonable tournament strategy in order to stack the rest of your lineup.
