FLEX Finder Week 11 did two things for you: It recommended a two-touchdown Christian Watson game after the scripts had been begging for it, and it told you that Michael Wilson would outperform his $3600 tag quite handily as he had one of the weirdest 150-yard games in NFL history. I cannot recommend either of those players this week, sadly, as by the rules of the column they are off the board. But let’s focus on how right I was about that instead of thinking about my Tyler Badie recommendation.
Once again, my rules for this weekly article:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — you’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS Slate — I just figured this was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
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▶ Running Backs
Zonovan “Bam” Knight, ARI — $4,900
With last week’s recommendation, Emari Demercado, lost to the high-ankle sprain mines, Knight managed a 5/24/1 rushing line while adding four catches for 21 yards. The lack of Demercado, I think, will be good for both Knight and Michael Carter ($4,400), who will get to operate without a third back unless Trey Benson gets pulled off injured reserve this week. If the Benson move happens, this entire analysis can be tossed in the trashcan. But if not, I think Knight has outperformed Carter pretty handily this year and can be relied on to get 65-70 percent of the workload here.
Tyjae Spears, TEN — $4,700
This week’s franchise player for the column (guys who I keep writing about because they don’t put up good enough ceiling cases to escape this arbitrary dollar line) runs into an incredible Seahawks defense. Absolutely stellar. It’s hard to understand how the Titans will score points this week.
But Spears finished second on the team in receiving yards last week, and if Seattle has one weakness, it’s that they’ve allowed 41.4 receiving yards to running backs per game, fifth-highest in the league. Put that together with Spears’ ability on screens and baby, we’ve got a stew PPR scam going.
Zach Charbonnet, SEA — $4,900
Welcome back, old friend! Charbonnet, a column fixture in the early season, was handily out-touched by Kenneth Walker last week and has slowly fallen into the No. 2 role and around a 60/40 timeshare over the past three weeks.
But a) he still got 10 carries in two of those three weeks, and b) he is playing the Tennessee Titans. If I were managing Walker’s troublesome legs, as the Seahawks have broadly hinted they are doing this year, I think the last thing in the world I’d want to do is spend some of his carries on the Titans. I’d almost be more worried about George Holani ruining this rather than Walker. Regardless, I expect 10 or more touches from Charbonnet and a high chance of a touchdown given the circumstances.
Bhayshul Tuten, JAX — $4,600
Last week’s foray against the Chargers led to Tuten’s best game of the season, but it was also one he left with an ankle injury. That’s what led to this sort of middling dollar placement, as no one was sure if he’d play in Week 12 or not. But now not only is Tuten an early-week limited practice participant, which broadly augurs well for his availability, but Travis Etienne (shoulder) has also hit the injury report. Arizona’s defense spent heavily this offseason but has allowed 40 points in each of their last two games. If we see anything near last week’s workload split, Tuten is going to deliver value. If Etienne’s shoulder injury is worse than expected, this could be an absolute smash situation.
▶ Wide receivers
Greg Dortch, ARI — $4,300
Lost in the Michael Wilsonsance was the return of being Dortchpilled, a concept that defies all conventional wisdom about NFL receivers needing size. Dortch put up 6/66/1 on the 49ers secondary last week and this week gets an unimpressive Jaguars unit that has allowed plenty of passing yardage. With Emari Demercado also out, as we talked about above in the Zonovan Knight blurb, Dortch should also draw quite a few easy gadget targets.
Tell your neighbors that it’s safe to be Dortchpilled again in 2025. At least until Marvin Harrison Jr. is back from his appendicitis, anyway.
Darius Slayton, NYG — $4,500
Just kidding, I can’t recommend someone when I’m not sure if he’ll play or not. But don’t think It didn’t cross my mind.
Andrei Iosivas, CIN — $4,100
The Patriots have pass-funneled teams all season. Even the Jets, last Thursday night, somehow cracked 105 total yards in the air despite the notable issue of starting Justin Fields. With Ja’Marr Chase suspended for this one, the target vacuum is here. Iosivas should take over as the No. 2 receiver for this game and, with Christian Gonzalez probably drawing as much Tee Higgins as he legally can, I like Iosivas’ chances of delivering good returns.
Oh, also heard Joe Burrow might play. That would help too.
Xavier Legette, CAR, $3,900
Squeaky wheel syndrome hit the Panthers offense as Legette (hip) was singled out by Panthers coach Dave Canales as someone the team is making “a focused effort” to get more targets to. I don’t think the results of more Legette targets are always going to be as good as they are against the Falcons last week, when he somehow produced 4/83/1 on eight targets after three weeks in which he had just seven total targets.
But after how good the 49ers looked last week against Arizona, I have to admit I don’t think the Panthers are going to put up much of a fight on Monday Night on defense. So the opportunity will be there for plenty of Legette throws, and hey, a spike week is in play here. Just do yourself a favor and don’t look at any other Legette stat line from this season as you put him in your lineup this week.
Van Jefferson, TEN — $3,600
Did you know that Jefferson is the third-most expensive Titans receiver this week? Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike cost more. It’s true. And it’s ... a little weird? Both of the youngsters are dealing with injury this week, and Ayomanor missed Wednesday’s session with a hamstring listing. Dike will probably be okay after a chest contusion.
But it was Jefferson who scored the touchdown last week, and it’s Jefferson who is generating the targets in this offense now. Over the last five games, Jefferson has 29 targets for 165 yards and a score. It doesn’t sound very impressive, and that’s because it’s not. But Ayomanor is at 14/165/0 on 30 targets in that same span. Dike is at 16/190/1 on 21 targets. I don’t even want to watch Tennessee’s offense this week, I will pretend I do not see it, but I think Jefferson is a good bet at cost to produce as a punt.
Jerry Jeudy, CLE — $4,100
Here’s a disgusting idea. Jeudy has 19 targets in the last two games and only failed to deliver against the Baltimore defense because it’s actually good. But the Raiders defense? Brother, did you see how they quit on tackling George Pickens during Monday night’s loss? They are one of the last talented cornerback groups in the entire NFL.
And all of that makes a lot of sense for a FLEX play until you realize you’re banking your entire week on Shedeur Sanders actually not being one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks. Whew. I hate it here, but surely they can come up with something easy? Surely he’s not that much worse than Dillon Gabriel, right? And if so, perhaps we can get bailed out by Bailey Zappe, which is a sentence nobody has ever written before, right? Well, at least this is a lower stakes bet on Sanders’ skill level than some takes that have percolated on the pages of NBC Sports. Folks,,,
▶ Tight ends
Hunter Henry, NE — $3,900
See tight end on good pass offense playing the Cincinnati Bengals. Understand that the Bengals have allowed a league-high 85.8 yards per game to tight ends. Accept the fact that the backup tight end might score on the Bengals defense. Click button and resign yourself to your fate.
Noah Fant, CIN — $3,100
All the things I wrote about Andrei Iosivas a few paragraphs above still apply. Fant actually managed 5/36 on six targets in Week 11. We have not seen Mike Gesiciki around to chop up the targets of late for Fant, and Fant has responded with an average of 3.6/35.2 with two touchdowns in the last five games. He feels like a decent bet to score against a Patriots team allowing 65.7 yards per game to tight ends.
May the FLEX be forever in your favor.
