When setting your weekly NFL DFS lineups, it can be just as helpful to have an idea of whom you DON’T want to include as whom you do. Every Friday we’ll highlight a few players that you might want to fade. When a player appears here, it mainly refers to fading him in cash games. If you play in a lot of large field, multi-entry tournaments, you might consider just being underweight on these players relative to the field rather than not using them at all.
Players I’m fading for Week 14 include:
Brandon Allen, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Sometimes it just doesn’t matter how good the matchup might seem. The Bengals have struggled with turnovers and QB protection all season. It’s true that you don’t have to risk a lot in terms of salary for Allen, but the Bengals are underdogs at home in the week’s lowest point total game. He may be without Tee Higgins as well, and without a strong run game, this offense has routinely sputtered. They score the fourth-fewest points per game in the league, making any of the Bengals more risk than they’re likely to be worth.
Sam Darnold, QB, NY Jets
Darnold gets a fantastic matchup with the Seahawks, and is coming off one of his best games of the season, a near win. His DraftKings salary is great, but he has come up at FanDuel ($7000). Given the defensive woes of the Seahawks, Darnold could be in line for a big game, along with Jamison Crowder and my favorite play, Ty Johnson. A Jets stack might be a GPP-winner, but I’m keeping this team out of my main lineups this week and every week. The Jets score fewer points than anyone , while allowing the third-most. Expect Seattle to control the clock, the ball, and the scoring this Sunday.
Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
If you’re paying up for a TE this week, spend for Travis Kelce. There are also a number of guys I don’t mind saving with, including Cole Kmet, Logan Thomas, and Irv Smith Jr. Waller faces a tough Indianapolis defense that has held opposing tight ends to the second-fewest fantasy points, and fourth-fewest to QBs. Expect Derek Carr and the entire Raiders’ pass game to struggle as much or more than usual this weekend, and save your salary dollars for WR or RB.
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Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Not only is Washington a better defense than many realize, but this game has one of the lowest totals of the week. The 49ers are modest home favorites (in Arizona) with a mostly healthy offensive roster. That creates the problem I have with Mostert this week, too many backs in the backfield! He and Jeff Wilson handled most of the work in Week 13, but Tevin Coleman and Jerrick McKinnon are lurking and could get the hot hand at any time. I’ll be sticking to backs where volume isn’t an issue and matchup is more favorable.
Melvin Gordon/Phillip Lindsey, RB, Denver Broncos
Some of that applies to the Broncos as well. Carolina started the season as one of the best RB matchups for fantasy, but they’ve toughened up some. Aside from a wildly inefficient game vs. the Bucs, the Panthers have allowed 36, 40, and 96 yards rushing in their last four games. Gordon and Lindsey eat into each other’s value, though Gordon continues to be the most productive option. The final reason I’m fading these two is that I’m pretty high on the Panthers’ affordable D/ST this weekend. The turnover ratio is great, they’re at home, and the Broncos are the second-lowest scoring team in the league (another issue with Gordon and Lindsey).
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
I always put one high-priced wide receiver in this article, and it’s usually not because I actively hate them. That’s true of Metcalf, for sure, one of my favorite guys in the league. He’s not making it into my DFS lineups because 1) I love guys like Calvin Ridley and Davante Adams who are the CLEAR No. 1 on their team, and 2) because I think this could end up being a big Tyler Lockett game, who is much cheaper than Metcalf. I honestly don’t have a problem with anyone using Metcalf, he’s just been a guy I keep passing over this week.
Players I like, but who are expected to have high ownership in Week 14 include: Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, Mike Glennon, Aaron Jones, Derrick Henry, Ty Johnson, Davante Adams, Mike Evans, Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley, Logan Thomas, Travis Kelce, Saints D/ST, Seahawks D/ST. You might consider deviating away from this player pool and pivoting in large GPPs if you’re after a more unique lineup.
