2014 Fantasy Football Daily Fix: Week 5 Running Backs
For today’s Daily Fix I’ll list several different options in different price ranges at DraftKings, a great daily fantasy sports site. DraftKings is currently running a special contest with a $100,000 prize pool, which is free to enter with your first deposit. DraftKings will match that deposit up to $600. Otherwise, the entry fee is just $2, with first place winning $10,000. Be sure to check that out. Here are the full NFL scoring and settings rules at DraftKings.
Expensive
Le’Veon Bell – $7,300 at Jacksonville – Jacksonville is the 30th-ranked defense against opposing running backs, and it has allowed five running backs to obtain double-digits in fantasy points. Bell has at least 107 total yards in every game, and he’s averaging almost five catches a game.
Giovani Bernard – $6,700 at New England – New England is getting gashed by Kansas City’s running backs as this is being written Monday night. Gio is averaging 111 total yards, three catches and a touchdown a game.
Reasonable
Andre Ellington – $5,600 at Denver – Denver has allowed the following lines to opposing backs this year: five catches, 70 yards (Ahmad Bradshaw); six catches, 105 total yards, two touchdowns (Knile Davis); 128 total yards, three catches, two touchdowns (Marshawn Lynch). So that’s a start-worthy back in PPR leagues each week; Ellington should be next in line. He has at least 75 total yards in each game, averaging three catches a contest. Whether Arizona’s ahead or behind, Ellington will be heavily involved.
Rashad Jennings – $5,500 vs. Atlanta – Jennings has had three really good games this season, and his clunker last week was due to game flow and the Giants’ huge lead and red zone passing touchdowns. He barely played in the second half, and if not for Larry Donnell he could’ve easily had a much better game. Atlanta just gave up 252 total yards to Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon and is the worst rushing defense fantasy-wise in the league.
Cheap
Fred Jackson – $4,500 at Detroit – Detroit has allowed the 11th fewest fantasy points to running backs this year, but Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory combined for 161 total yards, averaging 5.5 yards a carry Sunday to go with two catches apiece. Fred Jackson is, I think, unarguably better than either of those two backs, and he has at least 74 total yards in three of four games this year. He’s averaging 4.8 yards a carry, 4.75 receptions and 42 receiving yards a game. He’s a better play in 50/50 contests, as he has a really high floor but lower upside than some backs.
Jerick McKinnon – $3,400 at Green Bay – McKinnon looked really good against Atlanta, rushing 18 times for 135 yards and catching one pass for 17 yards. He gained at least five yards on exactly half of his rushes, and while Atlanta is pretty friendly to opposing backs, McKinnon looked explosive and like a starting running back. He had a touchdown overturned from seven yards out, so even with Asiata scoring three times, McKinnon did get a red zone carry. He’s got upside to burn, especially at this price.