Week 13 Flex Targets DraftKings 2017

By Armando Marsal
Armando Marsal Using the flex position wisely can allow you to differentiate and create unique lineups. Every week calls for different situations, sometimes pricing favors having a receiver at the flex, while other times it favors having a running back. Then there are weeks where playing two tight ends makes sense. It is really dependent on how you construct your rosters, but as usual, I will talk about players from each position that can be plugged into your flex spot.



Running Back


Jordan Howard $6,500 vs. San Francisco 49ers

Howard rushed just seven times last week for six yards and also caught two passes for 13 yards, scoring a measly 3.9 fantasy points. However, the Bears had to abandon the run early in that contest as the Eagles took an early lead and never looked back. This week the Bears host the 49ers, which come into this game as the worst run defense in the league. They are allowing 112 rushing yards and over 27 fantasy points per game to running backs, while yielding 4.1 yards per carry. Aside from last week’s game, Howard’s volume has been pretty consistent over the course of the season and he is also receiving 66.7 percent of the red zone carries for the Bears, so the opportunities are there for him. This is an exploitable matchup for Howard and he is fairly priced considering the situation, making him an appealing option this week.

Alex Collins $4,500 vs. Detroit Lions
Collins is on a nice stretch, scoring a touchdown in back-to-back games and eclipsing 13 fantasy points in three of his last four games, including two 17+ fantasy point games. The volume has been consistent since Week 8, as he is averaging 19 touches per game during that span. He draws a very nice matchup this week against a Lions defense that has allowed at least one rushing touchdown in six consecutive games and has surrendered over 140 rushing yards in three games during that stretch. Considering the volume Collins is receiving in recent weeks and how poor this Lions run defense has been since losing Haloti Ngata, this appears to be a prime spot for him at a price that is way too cheap. It is worth noting that he is dealing with a calf injury which is something to monitor, but there is no reason to think he can’t give it a go.


Wide Receiver


Davante Adams $6,500 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Adams has clearly emerged as Brett Hundley’s favorite receiver. He has been peppered with 36 targets in his last four games, catching 25 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns. He has over 80 receiving yards in each of his last three games, while averaging 20+ fantasy points per game during that stretch. He gets a nice matchup against the Bucs who have surrendered 169 receptions for 2,285 yards and 14 touchdowns to opposing receivers this season, with a 67 percent catch rate. This is also a defense that is yielding over 40 fantasy points per game to the position. He is expected to line up against Robert McClain who grades out poorly on Pro Football Focus and a matchup that Adams has a 22 percent advantage rating against. This is a reasonable price tag for Adams, so aside from potential high ownership, there is not much to dislike about him this week.

Demaryius Thomas $5,300 at Miami Dolphins

Thomas comes into this week at the lowest price he has been all season, despite being one of the better matchups he has had all year. He is set to face off against Xavien Howard who grades out well below average on Pro Football Focus and a matchup that Thomas has a 30 percent advantage rating in. The quarterback play for Denver has really held Thomas back from being a dependable receiver on a weekly basis and has hampered his ceiling, however, he has still produced decent numbers and has topped 20 fantasy points twice this season so there is still some upside here. In addition, he is averaging 8.7 targets per game and has been peppered with no less than eight targets in five consecutive games, so the volume has not been affected. Thomas is too cheap considering the matchup and the caliber of receiver he is, making him one of my favorite receivers this week.


Tight End


Jared Cook $5,400 vs. Cleveland Browns

Cook is priced up this week, but I am ok with that as he could be in for a ton of targets with Michael Crabtree suspended and Amari Cooper unlikely to play. As it is, Cook is averaging 5.9 targets per game. He draws a very nice matchup against the Giants who are giving up the most fantasy points per game to tight ends, allowing 62 receptions for 768 yards and a league-high 10 touchdowns, as well as a 63 percent catch rate. The Giants have allowed a tight end to find the end zone in all but two games this season. Cook accounts for 22.5 percent of the red zone targets, so this matchup certainly bodes well for him. We saw his 20+ fantasy point upside several games ago and this is one of those matchups where a ceiling game is possible. Hopefully the increased price keeps people off of him, but I doubt that will be the case.


Good luck to all this week. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me on the Twitter machine: @Armando_Marsal