Week 8 DraftKings Tournament Picks
Stacks
Jameis Winston ($5,200) + Cedric Tillman ($3,300) + David Njoku ($5,100)
This stack gives up super cheap access to strong volume.
Winston is taking over a Browns offense that already ranks sixth in pass rate over expected. Now they’re 8.5-point underdogs to a pass-funnel Ravens defense that ranks first in pass rate over expected against.
Baltimore also ranks:
- 29th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs
- 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs
- 21st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs
Plus, the Ravens will be without starting CBs Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey for this one.
Njoku is one of the best target bets at TE right now. He’s totaled 20 looks over the past two weeks – second at the position to only Brock Bowers. And that’s despite being limited to a 67% route rate in his return from injury in Week 6. Last week, fully healthy and with no Amari Cooper, Njoku registered an 84% route rate and 27% target share.
Tillman might be the best price-considered target bet at WR on the main slate. Taking over Cooper’s starting job last week, he finished second to Njoku with 12 targets on a 23% share. And, per Fantasy Points Data, Tillman matched Njoku with a team-high 31% first-read target share. The 2023 third-rounder goes 6’3, 213 pounds with a 69th-percentile vertical.
RB Derrick Henry is obviously a strong runback on Winston stacks.
Tua Tagovailoa ($6,100) + Tyreek Hill ($7,000) + Jaylen Waddle ($5,400)
This stack is on sale. It cost $22,000 back in Week 1 but just $18,500 this week.
It has just as much upside now as it did then.
Tagovailoa is back and shouldn’t have any lingering effects from his concussion. Remember that this Dolphins offense averaged 27.9 points per game with Tua last year. They’re implied for 25.25 points this week – tied for sixth most on the 26-team main slate – against a Cardinals defense that ranks:
- 26th in passing yards allowed per game
- 32nd in yards per attempt allowed
- 31st in Pro Football Focus coverage grade
- 29th in pass defense DVOA
Tagovailoa + Hill + Waddle combined for 68+ DraftKings points in four of their 13 games together last season.
Also consider:
- Jordan Love ($7,100) + Jayden Reed ($6,700) + Romeo Doubs ($5,700)
- C.J. Stroud ($6,900) + Stefon Diggs ($7,500) + Tank Dell ($6,300)
- Aaron Rodgers ($5,700) + Davante Adams ($7,100) + Garrett Wilson ($6,700)
Running Backs
D’Andre Swift, Bears ($6,200)
There are a handful of really strong RB plays this week, which has Swift flying under the radar. He’s projected for just 8% ownership.
That’s an attractive number on a guy who ranked second among RBs in expected PPR points per game from Week 4 to 6. Swift averaged 18.0 carries, 4.3 targets, and 23.8 DraftKings points across those three games.
His Bears are 2.5-point favorites with a 23.5-point implied total vs. the Commanders, who rank 20th in run defense DVOA and 19th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. And ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out that it’s an excellent schematic matchup for Chicago’s running game.
"Twenty-six percent of the Bears' runs are duo plays ... They execute those plays at the fifth-highest rate in the league, per ESPN/NFL Next Gen Stats tracking. That looks ideal against the Commanders, who have allowed 5.1 yards per carry against duo runs this season."
De’Von Achane, Dolphins ($6,200)
Achane is projected for 17% ownership. It should be twice that considering his price tag and upside.
In two games with QB Tua Tagovailoa to open the season, Achane scored 23.0 and 29.5 DraftKings points. Neither game featured a huge play, either. Achane delivered on awesome usage: 32 total carries and 14 targets.
We also saw him last year have monster games of 54.3, 30.0, 26.7, 26.5, and 25.3 DK points.
The Cardinals have been better than expected against the run so far this season, ranking 10th in run defense DVOA and ninth in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. But Achane’s big-play ability can strike in any matchup.
Also consider:
- Saquon Barkley, Eagles ($8,300)
- Ken Walker, Seahawks ($7,800)
- Joe Mixon, Texans ($7,700)
- Breece Hall, Jets ($7,300)
- Kareem Hunt, Chiefs ($6,300)
- Javonte Williams, Broncos ($6,000)
Wide Receivers
Jayden Reed, Packers ($6,700)
The Packers’ pass offense vs. the Jaguars pass defense is the biggest mismatch on this slate. Jacksonville ranks dead last in both pass defense DVOA and adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.
QB Jordan Love is a little too pricey to prioritize Packers stacks. But I like playing Reed as a one-off. Although a loaded Green Bay pass-catching corps gives him a relatively low floor, he’s once again shown the ceiling this year with games of 36.1 and 30.1 DraftKings points
Tank Dell, Texans ($6,300)
What’s more classic than playing a guy coming off a goose egg in DraftKings tournaments the following week?
Nothing survived in Houston’s passing game with QB C.J. Stroud throwing for 86 scoreless yards in the loss to the Packers. But Dell still drew a 19% target share in that one – after a team-leading 28% target share in Week 6. That gives him a 25% target share in two games without WR Nico Collins, who remains out this weekend.
It’s a bounce-back spot for the Texans against a Colts squad that ranks 26th in pass defense DVOA and 21st in Pro Football Focus coverage grades. Stroud has racked up 882 yards and six TDs in three career games against Indianapolis.
Also consider:
- Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($8,500)
- Tyreek Hill, Dolphins ($7,000)
- Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($5,400)
- Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars ($6,400)
- Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers ($3,700)
- Andrei Iosivas, Bengals ($3,600)
- Cedric Tillman, Browns ($3,300)
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers, Raiders ($6,100)
Bowers has topped 16 DraftKings points in four of his last six games. Despite scoring just one TD and coming up less than 10 yards short of the 100-yard bonus three times.
There’s obvious 25+ point upside here.
Sunday’s likely return of WR Jakobi Meyers adds some target competition. But the Raiders get a TE-funnel Chiefs defense that ranks fifth in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs but 31st against TEs.
I like Bowers’ chances for another 10+ targets in this one. You can use him in your TE or Flex spot.
Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($4,900)
Kincaid has been a major disappointment so far this season, failing to top 13.1 DK points in any of his seven games.
The biggest problem is that he’s scored just one TD. His usage has been solid, though. Kincaid ranks sixth among TEs in both targets (37) and target share (19%).
There’s still upside here – especially in Sunday’s matchup against the Seahawks’ 32nd-ranked TE defense.
Kincaid is $900 cheaper than he was back in Week 1 and projected for just 2% ownership.
Also consider:
- David Njoku, Browns ($5,100)
- Sam LaPorta, Lions ($4,800)
- Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($4,400)
- Cade Otton, Buccaneers ($3,500)
Defense/Special Teams
I’m trying to pay up at DST this week if possible. Lots of teams in high-upside spots.
- Lions ($3,800)
- Broncos ($3,700)
- Chiefs ($3,600)
- Jets ($3,500)
- Ravens ($3,400)
- Chargers ($3,300)
- Packers ($3,200)
- Bears ($2,700)
- Falcons ($2,600)