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DFS Three And Out 2018 Week 7

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





I'm In:

Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans ($4,300 on DraftKings; $5,600 on FanDuel)

Yes, he's still dealing with a hamstring issue, the same one he has been working to get healthy since injuring it in the preseason. But as long as he's on the field Sunday, I'll be looking to get a piece of Coutee, who needs 10 receptions to tie Anquan Boldin (30) for the most receptions through a player's first four career games since the AFL/NFL merger. We all know what Jacksonville's defense is capable of when they're in sync. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye remain two of the NFL's top cover corners on the outside. They'll primarily battle DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, who work on the perimeter nearly 80 percent of their snaps, and a battle it will be. Meanwhile, we also saw last week what Jacksonville slot corner Tyler Patmon is. Or isn't. If last week was any indication, the work Dallas receiver Cole Beasley (he caught 9 of 11 targets for 102 yards and two touchdowns) did from the slot should be a welcome sign for those of us investing in Coutee, who's been targeted 33 times (including 15 times against the Colts in Week 4). Expect big opportunities for the rookie in the middle of the field in this one as well.


Willie Snead, WR, Baltimore Ravens ($4,000 on DraftKings; $5,400 on FanDuel)


Revenge game! Okay. ... There's more to it than that. But still. ... Revenge game!! In case you haven't been following along, Snead was hit with a three-game suspension last season in New Orleans for violating the NFL personal conduct policy to start last season. He then suffered a hamstring injury and finished with just eight catches for 92 yards and no touchdowns (after a 69-catch, 984-yard season in 2015 and a 72-catch, 895-yard campaign in 2016). During the offseason, Baltimore signed Snead to a two-year offer sheet that the Saints declined to match. While Snead claims he's not looking for revenge against his former team, he wants to have another big day. He is second on the Ravens with 30 catches for 313 yards and a touchdown. Now, he gets a date with the league's third-worst pass defense and his former team at home. As CBSSports.com's Mike McClure noted, New Orleans has allowed a number of DFS tournament-winning stat lines to receivers this year, including Calvin Ridley (7-146-3), Mike Evans (7-147-1), DeSean Jackson (5-146-2) and Sterling Shepard (10-77-1). All told, the Saints have given up an average of 229 yards and two touchdowns to wide receivers per outing. Joe Flacco has passed for 1,788 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions while making effective use of all of his weapons. Expect more of the same in a game with an over-under of 50, one of the highest totals of Week 7.

Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers ($3,800 on DraftKings; $5,400 on FanDuel)

Philip Rivers didn't really have the day off in the win over the Browns but it's not often he only completes 11 passes. I certainly don't think that will be the case in London, as Rivers will be the focal point to build a lead before the Chargers then dare the struggling Titans to play catch up. Los Angeles has a deep group at receiver, led by Keenan Allen. But they also Tyrell Williams and Mike Williams. Meanwhile, Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, still being paid for his disastrous tenure as Titans head coach, would love nothing better than to find some matchups to exploit down the field for Rivers and his receivers. He won't have to look far. As the Sports Xchange notes, Titans CB Malcolm Butler has been victimized time and again by his own aggressiveness and last week was demoted to third cornerback. After a huge week for Tyrell last week, I'll roll with the other Williams this week. As ESPN's Mike Clay pointed out, Tennessee is allowing a league-high 17.4 fantasy points per game to receivers lined up wide to the left. That's where Butler has been aligned on 78 percent of his routes. Clay went on to explain that receivers lined up across from the former Patriot have scored a league-high 114 fantasy points this season. Mike Williams has lined up wide to the left on 39 percent of his routes, which isn't a huge number, but it is highest on the Los Angeles roster. Clay added: Mike will run roughly 60 percent of his routes against Adoree' Jackson and Logan Ryan, who have been solid, but he gets the biggest upgrade among Chargers receivers because he'll see the struggling Butler most often. Mike is also the cheapest of the three this week.


I'm Out

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,700 on DraftKings; $7,800 on FanDuel)

So Evans has racked up 5,063 receiving yards since 2014. It's the most by any one player in Bucs' history after he passed Mark Carrier in the game against Atlanta for the record. So far this season, Evans has 33 catches for 484 yards and three touchdowns after just five games. I mean, he's super good. And he appears to be locked right in sync with Jameis Winston. Meanwhile, as FantasyPros' Andrew Gould noted this week, after getting right in sync with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Evans received five targets in Jameis Winston's first start of 2018. But Browns CB Denzel Ward is playing well enough to get early consideration for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Ward, who has successfully shadowed Baltimore's John Brown and Allen in consecutive weeks, can play a huge role in what the Browns hope is a rebound win if he can contain Evans. Gould went on to advise readers to beware another game where Evans is closer to 60 yards than 100. At his price, that won't do. By the way, this wasn't an easy call as the Saints' Michael Thomas ($7,900 on DraftKings; $8,600 on FanDuel) was another "Out" candidate. Thomas set an NFL record by catching 38 passes in the first three games of the season, but he has had just four catches in each of the last two games. His remarkable pace didn't figure to be sustainable over the long haul, but the Saints need more from him. The problem this week, is a Baltimore defense that's allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, the fourth-fewest to wide receivers and the third-fewest to perimeter receivers.