Yahoo NFL DFS is a slightly different format for DFS with softer player pricing. Learn the tips and tricks that make successful Yahoo NFL DFS players big money every week.
Jan 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) celebrates after his touchdown during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Yahoo NFL DFS Cash Game Players for the 6 Game Wild Card Slate
In general, when there are fewer games on a slate, cashing in double ups and head to heads will be more difficult than usual as more of the field is concentrated on a smaller pool of players. With that in mind, I would play less cash than usual on a small slate and play more tournaments. For example, if you have to choose between chalk Christian Mccaffrey and Justin Jefferson, on a smaller slate where the field exposure is going to be a lot higher than it would on a 10-12 game slate, that one pay up decision is usually going to be the difference between cashing or not.
With that said, let’s focus our Cash Game Player Pool with some high floor plays in superb matchups and sprinkle in some great fantasy points per dollar plays on this smaller slate.
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen $40
In 2 games this year vs Miami, Josh Allen has averaged 31.2 points. Skylar Thompson is getting the start for Miami so this one doesn’t appear to be as competitive as we thought it might be when we saw both of these teams as playoff bound early in the season, but even in blowouts, Allen has produced this year. He’s the top QB play in all formats and priced accordingly.
Daniel Jones $32
Minnesota is bad against the pass, giving up 3.65 points above average to the QB position and 7.65 points above average to the WR position. Allen is hard to get to this week in cash, but Daniel Jones does come with a solid floor, and he’s in a great matchup in the highest projected game on the slate. The $8 salary savings help balance out your cash lineup.
Running Backs
Christian Mccaffrey $41
Top RB play on the slate and he’s priced to the max. Seattle gives up 6.15 points above average to the RB position and CMC is arguably the best back in the League. He’s a solid cash game play but there is the risk in tournaments that he doesn’t provide GPP winning value relative to his price. The 22 points he scored last time against Seattle likely wouldn’t be enough to win the yahoo baller at his $41 price.
Saquon Barkley $32
Minnesota is a bad Defense across the board and that sets up well for Barkley who gets a lot of carries and receptions out of the backfield. The last time these two teams squared off, Barkley had 14 carries for 84 yards + a Touchdown and 8 receptions for 49 yards. This game projects as the highest scoring on the slate and I want as much exposure to it as possible. However, I would avoid playing both Barkley and Jones in the same lineup as Jones has the ability to vulture touchdowns from Barkley.
Travis Etienne $22
The Chargers give up 3.15 points above average to the RB position, so Etienne gets a much softer matchup than he had last week and he’s one of the top Fantasy Points per dollar plays at his $22 salary. Value is hard to find on this slate and it’s hard to find a better matchup than at this price. Jacksonville has the 2nd rushing projection this week according to the Statsational Power Rankings.
Leonard Fournette $15
Fournette and White ($13) both come in as the top fantasy points per dollar plays at RB via the Domination Station, and I think both are playable as a pay down option that allows you to jam the studs into your lineup and even fit Allen into your Cash lineup with either 1 of CMC or Jefferson.
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Wide Receivers
Justin Jefferson $37
Jefferson is the top play on the slate in this game environment with a 48-point projected game total that could easily hit the over. The last time Minnesota played New York, Jefferson had 16 targets for 12 receptions, 133 yards, and a Touchdown. The Giants don’t have an elite corner to shut down JJ so he’s in line for a big day as long as Kirk can get him the ball.
Ja’Marr Chase $31
Baltimore gives up 2.31 points above average to the WR position. We saw Chase last week vs Baltimore with 8 catches for 86 yards and a Touchdown and we know he’s capable of a lot more, so he’ll be in my tournament mix but I’m probably not getting there in cash. Chase is Cash viable, however.
Ceedee Lamb $27
Lamb should be priced in the $30 range and he’s $27 this week in a decent matchup against Tampa. Tampa has a better Run Defense than Pass Defense so Dallas is more likely to attack them through the air. I like Lamb in Cash games at this price.
Keenan Allen $26
The Chargers pass offense projects quite well this week via the Statsational power rankings and the DS, and Allen is the top guy averaging over 11 targets per game. He has a projection similar to Wide Receivers priced in the $30 range but with at $26 price tag.
Isaiah Hodgins $20
Hodgins, James, and Slayton are all in play in this matchup. In fact, all three produced the last time they went against Minnesota in week 16. Minnesota gives up 7.68 points above average to the WR position and this is the highest projected game total on the slate. You need to have one of these wide receivers in your cash lineup and definitely in Minnesota/New York tournament stacks. P.S. Hodgins has 4 touchdowns in his last 5 games so is my favorite of the group.
Darius Slayton $17
Hodgins, James, and Slayton are all in play in this matchup. In fact, all three produced the last time they went against Minnesota in week 16. Minnesota gives up 7.68 points above average to the WR position and this is the highest projected game total on the slate. You need to have one of these wide receivers in your cash lineup and definitely in Minnesota/New York tournament stacks.
Zay Jones $14
Zay Jones projects as the 2nd highest fantasy points per dollar play this week at WR and there is some validity to the play with this game being the 2nd highest projected game total. Furthermore, Zay scored 19.5 points when the Jaguars faced Los Angeles in week 2 of the season.
Tight Ends
TJ Hockenson $23
The Giants are not great at covering tight ends – giving up 2.09 points above average to the TE Position. This was never more evident than when Hockenson scored 29 points against New York in Week 16 on 13 receptions for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hockenson will likely be a great leverage play off of Jefferson in Kirk stacks.
Dawson Knox $19
The weak spot in Miami’s Defense is covering the Tight End as they give up 2.8 points above average to the position. Knox produced 18 points in his last meeting vs Miami and would be a bargain at this price if he followed that up with another solid performance. However, Knox is very hit or miss so I prefer Knox in Allen Tournament stacks.
Cade Otton $10
Top Fantasy Points per Dollar play on the Slate, and I love a good Tight End punt in my Cash game lineups.
Defenses
Bengals $10
The Bengals get a backup Quarterback in the playoffs at minimum pricing. This is a set it and forget it spot as you use the salary savings to fill out the rest of your roster.
Yahoo NFL DFS Tournament Plays
If listed in Cash, they’re tournament viable as well. However, in my GPP player pool, I tend to focus on players who have more variance from week to week and/or might not have the best matchup or game environment but have the talent to exceed projections by a lot and produce a ceiling outcome needed to take down a GPP.
Joe Burrow $35
Burrow has the potential to be the top scoring QB on any slate as we’ve seen time and time again. This game total is low, however, so if you’re doing Burrow stacks, I’m not bringing it back with Baltimore players. Boyd, Higgins, and Hurst are cheap options that double stack nicely with Chase.
Kirk Cousins $27
It’s pretty wild to see Daniel Jones as the high priced QB in this game which is why I like the Cousins side of this game in tournaments; Minnesota’s Defense makes it so that they need to continue to score to win, and that’s the kind of game environment that we want for stacks – as we’ve seen them win shootouts multiple times this year. Cousins can be stacked with Jefferson, Hockenson, and Osborn.
Trevor Lawrence $24
Lawrence stands out as one of the top Fantasy points per dollar plays and he comes with the kind of variance that we want to embrace in tournaments. At his salary, if he scores 25 points, he’ll probably be the Nuts QB. Lawrence can be stacked with Kirk, Zay, and Engram.
Austin Ekeler $38
Ekeler is a great play in all formats, but I especially like him in tournaments where I can use him as a bring back in cheap Trevor Lawrence stacks.
Dalvin Cook $27
We haven’t had a big ceiling game from Cook this year but if Jefferson does fail this week, Cook having a good game is in the realm of possibility. If I’m playing Cook, I’m fading the Vikings passing game entirely.
Joe Mixon $24
Mixon will either crash your lineup or win you a GPP. He’s worth some exposure to based on his upside.
Stefon Diggs $33
Miami had a plan for Diggs this year as he didn’t exceed 11 points in 2 meetings vs Miami. He’s still a stud though and the primary stacking option with Josh Allen.
Gabe Davis $16
Gabe Davis continues to be one of the league leaders in average depth of target and yet doesn’t hit on his opportunities. However, we all remember that playoff game last year vs Kansas City and what he’s capable of. He’s a GPP only play in Allen double stacks.
Tee Higgins $17
When Chase has a big game, Higgins normally doesn’t and vise versa. I like Higgins in Burrow stacks with Boyd or Hust. He’s good leverage off of Chase and at half the price.
Tyler Boyd $14
Every once in a while, Boyd will go off for 20-25 points and at his $14 salary, that’s the top of ceiling play that you need from a low salary player to have tournament winning upside. I like Boyd in Burrow double stacks.
Christian Kirk $18
Prime stacking piece with Trevor Lawrence as he 9 weeks with double digit points and will score 20-30 points every now and then.
KJ Osborn $16
Osborn has averaged 7.6 targets over the last 5 games. In this game environment, he’s a nice stacking option with Cousins as a way to get different and save salary.
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