Week 14 DraftKings Tournament Picks
Stacks
Jameis Winston ($5,400) + Jerry Jeudy ($5,700) + Elijah Moore ($4,800)
I’m surprised this stack isn’t going to be more popular. We project Jeudy and Moore for ownership in the mid-teens but Winston for just 6%. They’re all top-five values at their respective positions.
To keep us on the 200-point pace we’re aiming for with tournament teams, we need this stack to combine for 63.6 points. Over the last three weeks, the trio has had games of 77.4 and 104.7.
The Steelers are a tough on-paper matchup, ranking eighth in pass defense DVOA. But Winston and Co. just exploded last week against a Broncos team sitting seventh in pass defense DVOA. And Winston completed 67% of his passes at 8.1 yards per attempt against Pittsburgh in the snow two weeks ago.
Also consider:
- Baker Mayfield ($6,400) + Mike Evans ($7,200) + Cade Otton ($4,400)
- Sam Darnold ($6,100) + Justin Jefferson ($7,800)
- Will Levis ($5,000) + Calvin Ridley ($5,700) + Chig Okonkwo ($3,000)
- Aidan O’Connell ($4,800) + Jakobi Meyers ($5,600) + Brock Bowers ($6,500)
Running Backs
This is an interesting week at RB, with two strong plays at the very top end of the pricing and three viable plays under $5,500.
The first decision you’ll need to make with tournament teams this week is whether you’re playing Saquon Barkley ($9,000) or Alvin Kamara ($8,000) … or both.
Barkley is particularly expensive, but he already has five games of 36+ DraftKings points this season and gets the smashiest of smash matchups vs. the Panthers this weekend.
Kamara’s ceiling isn’t quite as high as Barkley’s. But he’s $1,000 cheaper and might be a better bet to reach 25 DK points. Kamara’s already voluminous role should get a boost with Taysom Hill out. And he gets a bad Giants defense that’ll be missing DT Dexter Lawrence and LB Bobby Okereke.
I’ll likely have at least one of these guys in every lineup I make, with a slight lean toward Kamara as the better play.
And, yes, it is possible and viable to play them both in the same lineup.
It’s easier to fit Barkley and Kamara into lineups because of the availability of:
- Isaac Guerendo ($5,400)
- Braelon Allen ($5,000)
- Zach Charbonnet ($4,800)
Guerendo is my favorite of the trio. This is a truly freaky athlete – 221 pounds with 4.33 speed – taking over the lead role in an always-productive running game under Kyle Shanahan.
We don’t know exactly how work will be divvied between Guerendo and RB Patrick Taylor this weekend. But we got a hint back in Week 8 when RB Jordan Mason exited in the second quarter. From that point on, Guerendo tallied 13 carries and four targets to Taylor’s two carries and 0 targets.
Guerendo gets a plus matchup on Sunday against the Bears, who rank 30th in run defense DVOA and 28th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. Chicago has allowed the sixth most rushing yards and 5.0 yards per carry to RBs.
Charbonnet is the top dollars-per-point value on the slate now that RB Ken Walker has been ruled out. In the two games Walker missed earlier this season, Charbonnet:
- Played 95% and 85% of Seattle’s offensive snaps
- Tallied 19 and 22 opportunities (carries + targets)
- Scored 17.9 and 25.7 DraftKings points
I’ll be fading Allen, who projects for 21% ownership. He hasn’t been effective for a while now, the Jets offense is struggling, and Miami’s run defense has been tough.
Braelon Allen since Week 4 among 74 RBs with 20+ carries ...
— Jared Smola (@SmolaDS) December 6, 2024
67th in yards per carry
57th in yards after contact per attempt
59th in @PFF rushing grade
Allen is 24th in our Week 14 RB Rankings, so you're starting him in a lot of cases. But...
— Jared Smola (@SmolaDS) December 7, 2024
* He has not been great
* The Jets offense stinks (19.5-point implied total)
* Dolphins have not allowed a RB to top 62 rush yards since Week 5
* Allen's rushing yards prop is set at 51.5 https://t.co/HQj81c2LSn
Also consider:
- Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($7,500)
- Tony Pollard, Titans ($6,400)
Wide Receivers
Justin Jefferson ($7,800) + Drake London ($6,400)
I like both of these guys as standalone plays. I especially like them as a mini game stack, hoping Falcons-Vikings turns into a back-and-forth shootout.
Jefferson has struggled to find a ceiling this season, with just two games north of 22.5 DK points and none of more than 26.3. But his slate-breaking talent hasn’t disappeared. And Sunday’s matchup is pristine.
The Falcons rank 29th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs and 30th against outside WRs, where Jefferson has run 72% of his routes this season. Atlanta has also allowed the fifth most yards per game to opposing No. 1 WRs.
On the other side of the game, London draws the Vikings’ 30th-ranked WR defense – and one that will be missing starting CB Stephon Gilmore. Minnesota has allowed the fourth most yards per game to opposing No. 1s.
London has racked up 36 targets over his last three games.
DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($5,800)
In lineups without RB Saquon Barkley, consider playing Smith as leverage. Any TD he scores is a TD that Barkley can’t.
Smith was a full-go in practice all week and left off the final injury report, so his hamstring shouldn’t be an issue this weekend. He has added target potential with TE Dallas Goedert out. And the matchup is just as good for Philadelphia’s passing game as the running game. Carolina ranks 29th in pass defense DVOA.
Also consider:
- Mike Evans, Buccaneers ($7,200)
- Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars ($5,800)
- Jerry Jeudy, Browns ($5,700)
- Calvin Ridley, Titans ($5,700)
- Jakobi Meyers, Raiders ($5,600)
- Jordan Addison, Vikings ($5,300)
- Jauan Jennings, 49ers ($5,200)
- Elijah Moore, Browns ($4,800)
- Sterling Shepard, Buccaneers ($4,000)
Tight Ends
As is often the case, this is a week where I’d prefer to just play the TE stacked with my QB. There aren’t any TEs that really stand out as far as price, upside, and ownership.
One TE to consider even outside of stacks …
George Kittle, 49ers ($5,800)
Kittle ranks second to only Brock Bowers in DK points per game among TEs. He’s $800 cheaper than Bowers this week and is projected for less than a quarter of the ownership (4% vs. 18%).
Kittle gets a TE-funnel Bears defense that ranks third in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs but 21st against TEs.
He’s also leverage off the popular Isaac Guerendo.
Also consider:
- Brock Bowers, Raiders ($6,500)
- Trey McBride, Cardinals ($6,100)
- Jonnu Smith, Dolphins ($5,300)
- David Njoku, Browns ($5,100)
- T.J. Hockenson, Vikings ($4,300)
- Juwan Johnson, Saints ($3,400)
- Chig Okonwko, Titans ($3,000)
Defense/Special Teams
- Steelers ($3,500)
- Vikings ($3,400)
- Cardinals ($3,000)
- Saints ($2,900)
- Titans ($2,800)
- Jaguars ($2,600)
- Browns ($2,400)