Your Local SEO and Digital Marketing Experts in San Diego County
Joe Burrow is currently playing the position of quarterback as well as any other signal-caller in the NFL ever has. It’s just most people probably don’t notice because the Bengals are 4-8, and their defense is matching Burrow’s historical brilliance with their own historical ineptitude.
This year Cincinnati has lost four games when scoring 30 or more points, tied for the most in a single season in NFL history with the Chiefs in 2002. The Bengals have allowed 27.8 points per game in losses this season, also the most all time. Indeed, Cincy is 1-2 this season when scoring 38 or more points, and the rest of the NFL is 21-0.
Burrow leads the league in both passing yards (3,337) and passing touchdowns (30), and is only the fourth QB to have averaged 275 passing yards with 30 TD passes and five interceptions or fewer through 12 games of a season.
Tom Brady was the first to do it, capturing the 2007 MVP when he led the Patriots to an undefeated regular season. Aaron Rodgers did it three times, winning the MVP in 2011, 2014 and 2020. Patrick Mahomes accomplished the feat in 2020, losing the MVP to Rodgers, and eventually the Super Bowl to Brady.
There’s a good argument to be made for Josh Allen taking home this year’s MVP (he’s the current favorite to win according to Caesar’s Sportsbook). You can say two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is the most dynamic player at the position, and perhaps in the league. And Mahomes is Mahomes, even if he has to sleep on a bed stuffed with rabbit’s feet to keep the Chiefs winning these days.
But they’re all fortunate the best QB in the NFL will likely be in Cabo come January because the only defense in the league that gave him fits this season was his own.
However, we’re unlucky because Burrow will be spinning it at Dallas in prime time on Monday, and we’re forced to navigate the Bye-pocalypse 2.0 on today’s main slate without him.
The Preamble
Devising the perfect Daily Fantasy Sports strategy for the NFL can be a challenge, which is why I’m here weekly to assist.
On DraftKings, it’s important to remember you’re playing full-point PPR with bonuses if a player surpasses 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards or 100 receiving yards.
Here is my optimal lineup for Sunday’s NFL $2.5 million Fantasy Football Millionaire contest, but it can be utilized as a foundation in other games and platforms.
All prices listed are courtesy of DraftKings with a $50,000 budget.
The Optimal Lineup has netted $177.86 this season, so I’m in the red $57.14 with an average score of 127.56 points through 13 weeks.
Year-To-Date Results
Week 1: 90.16
Week 2: 144.38
Week 3: 100.38
Week 4: 180.78
Week 5: 147.14
Week 6: 126.72
Week 7: 132.98
Week 8: 114.84
Week 9: 168.48
Week 10: 97.16
Week 11: 138.58
Week 12: 109.78
Week 13: 106.92
Week 14 Lineup
QB: Josh Allen, Bills ($8,000)
With Jackson and Jayden Daniels on a bye, and Burrows playing on Monday night, that leaves Jalen Hurts and Allen as the only top-five fantasy QBs available on the slate. There’s vomit-inducing chalk developing around Will Levis and Aidan O’Connell, so my decision came down to Hurts vs. Allen. The Eagles are favored by almost two TDs over the Panthers, which could limit Hurts’ upside if it turns into another exciting episode of The Saquon Barkley Show. Buffalo is favored by a field goal with the highest game total (49½) on the slate, and I’m thinking the Rams offense can keep Allen in attack mode all game.
RB: Saquon Barkley, Eagles ($9,000)
Players on this slate have produced nine total games with 36-plus DraftKings points this season. Barkley has five of them.
RB: Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks ($4,800)
Kenneth Walker will miss the NFC West showdown at Arizona with a calf injury. Charbonnet has started four times for Seattle in his first two seasons, and has averaged 19.5 touches for 83.25 yards and a TD in those games.
WR: Calvin Ridley, Titans ($5,700)
Ridley has a 29% target share since DeAndre Hopkins was traded and is the overall WR11 in PPR formats since Week 8, while the Jaguars, his former team, are allowing the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
WR: Amari Cooper, Bills ($5,100)
Cooper stacks with Allen and is a leverage play against Khalil Shakir, who is seeing a projected double-digit ownership percentage. Six players have had more than 100 receiving yards against the Rams, who have also allowed 15 TDs to receivers this season. They’ve also allowed four players to catch multiple TD passes in a game this year.
WR: Darius Slayton, Giants ($4,300)
Slayton would be a great paydown option if Malik Nabers is out against the Saints. Nabers suffered a hip flexor injury in practice on Thursday and didn’t practice on Friday.
TE: Grant Calcaterra, Eagles ($3,500)
Dallas Goedert is sidelined and stacking Calcaterra with Barkley is a pivot off of Hurts-A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith stacks, plus the Panthers have allowed the eighth-most receiving yards and the most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Also, I expect the field to invest heavily in the pricier options at the position this week.
FLEX: Cooper Kupp, Rams ($7,000)
Playing studs off duds is always a viable strategy. Kupp only had three receptions for 17 yards last week at New Orleans. I’m anticipating Los Angeles chasing points against Allen and the Bills, which should boost the volume in the Rams pass attack.
DST: Jacksonville Jaguars ($2,600)
This is another way to leverage against Levis’ chalk, plus the Titans are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season.
Your Local SEO and Digital Marketing Experts in San Diego County
