DFS Three and Out Week 15 2019

Three DFS players I'm investing heavily in for tournament (GPP) play this week. ... And one I'm not.


If you're looking to fill a mid-range price-sized hole in your rosters, check these out (except that one). ...

I'm In

Patrick Laird, RB, Miami Dolphins

Laird, an undrafted rookie, took his first turn as Miami's fourth starter at running back in last week's game against the Jets. And as the starter, the workload was solid. And it likely will be again this week -- expect this time in a more favorable matchup. As ESPN's Mike Clay pointed out, even if Laird isn't a productive early-down running back, his role as the featured tailback out of the Miami backfield has driven respectable results from scrimmage of late. Laird, after all, was fourth among all NFL backs in Week 14 with a presence on 82 percent of his team's offensive snaps. He totaled 86 yards on 19 touches. As FantasyPros' Mike Tagliere added, he didn't score or have much efficiency, but that was enough for Laird finish as the RB20 in PPR formats last week. That was against the Jets, who are a tough matchup, allowing the fifth-fewest total yards per game to running backs. With a strong share of Ryan Fitzpatrick's targets on passing downs, Laird ($5,500 on FanDuel; $4,100 on DraftKings) should enjoy this matchup with a porous Giants front seven allowing nearly 50 receiving yards per game to backfields. Of some concern, the Giants are one of just two teams who've yet to allow a receiving touchdown to a running back, but the Dolphins were the best red-zone offense in the league (scoring on 80 percent of their trips inside their opponents' 20-yard line prior to hitting a brick wall there last week).
 

Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants

As ESPN's Field Yates wrote, "Slayton has been absolutely electric for the Giants this season," putting on an absolute show on Monday night. He caught five passes for 154 yards and scored the Giants' only two touchdowns in a game when the Giants gained just 276 total yards. He did all that before halftime. Beyond that, Slayton, a fifth-round draft pick from Auburn, has been a pleasant surprise this season, catching 42 passes for 659 yards and seven touchdowns, the most among rookie receivers through 13 weeks. Along with A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin, Slayton can count among his peers one highly esteemed contemporary from the recent past. With Monday's performance, Slayton ($6,300 on FanDuel; $4,900 on DraftKings) became the first rookie to have multiple games of at least 100 receiving yards and two receiving TDs in a single season since 2014, when three players did it, among them one Odell Beckham Jr. Overall, Slayton, who has at least four catches in each of his past four games, has incredible speed and is the kind of upside play who can come up big any given Sunday. Meanwhile, Miami has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the second most over the past month. The Dolphins also have allowed the most fantasy points to perimeter receivers over the past month, which, according to Clay, most benefits Slayton (96 percent perimeter).
 

Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears

As ESPN.com's Jim McCormick framed it, "Would you be interested in a widely available wideout who has averaged 9.3 targets and 78.3 yards per game during the past month?" Miller has become an integral and productive part of the Bears' passing scheme since Week 10 and McCormick believes he merits more attention ahead of this meeting with a Packers secondary allowing a whopping 16.3 yards per catch to receivers on the season, the most in the league and well above the league-average clip of 13.2. For the record, Miller ($6,300 on FanDuel; $4,500 on DraftKings) has scored double-digit fantasy points in each of the last three games and he found the end zone on one of his three Week 14 catches and is an ascending player available at a very reasonable price.
 

I'm Out

Bo Scarbrough, RB, Detroit Lions

Scarbrough has 301 rushing yards in four games since taking over as Detroit's lead back a month ago. He's brought toughness, physicality and production to Detroit's run game. He's averaging just a touch over 75 yards per game on the ground. He was productive even against tough defenses in Chicago and Minnesota the last two weeks. But it doesn't get any easier for Scarbrough this week. Tampa Bay and their No. 1 ranked rushing defense come to Ford Field Sunday and they'll be Scarbrough's stiffest test yet. Adding to the concern, Scarbrough left last week's game a little early due to a rib injury that appears to be a growing concern. But even if he's fully cleared, Scarbrough ($5,900 on FanDuel; $4,500 on DraftKings) won't be one of my bargain plays this week. As Tagliere suggested, "unless Scarbrough finds the end zone, he's going to be a bust in this matchup."