Herein is another edition of “Fantasy Draft Dominator” where we will examine the salaries of players at each position on FantasyDraft and make recommendations for both your cash games and tournaments. Below you will find a list of recommended players for both formats. Cash game players are the top overall values of the week and can be used without regard to expected ownership percentage. GPP players generally have high-upside, but are too risky for cash games. Expected ownership levels is also a major consideration in determining the top GPP options. In some instances, the value for a player is so strong, he will fall into both categories.
FantasyDraft Dominator will be posted each Thursday morning, but will also be updated throughout the week as new information becomes available. Should you have any questions or players you want to discuss, hit me up on twitter (@hindery).
Quarterback
Cash-Game Considerations
It always makes sense to pay up for Drew Brees ($14,900) at home. Targeting whichever quarterback faces the Saints terrible defense has also been a strong strategy, bringing Matt Ryan ($14,000) into play. The most bang for your buck may come with Ryan Tannehill ($11,700) or Philip Rivers ($12,600) however. Both have great matchups and come at a discount.
Top Cash-Game Options
Ryan Tannehill (Cash and GPP; $11,700) The Dolphins made a concerted effort in the preseason to take advantage of Tannehill’s ability as a runner and we’ve seen that carry over into the regular season. Tannehill has a 31% market share of the Dolphins rushing attempts. Through two weeks, he has 51 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tannehill has faced two of the league’s toughest defenses on the road and the home game against Cleveland will be a huge step down in competition. Tannehill is projected as a top-6 overall option at the position in Week 3, which makes his QB15 pricing especially attractive.
Matt Ryan (Cash and GPP; $14,000) While ownership levels are going to be high, it still makes sense to target the quarterbacks in the Atlanta-New Orleans game in GPPs. The game total is an astronomical 53.5. Both teams play at a top-10 pace and have skewed pass heavy early in the season. Ryan makes for an especially attractive target. The Falcons pass offense ranks 1st in DVOA according to FootballOutsiders while the Saints pass defense ranks 26th (and even that may be generous, as the Saints were last by a wide margin in 2015). Ryan averaged 314.5 passing yards per game against the Saints last season.
Drew Brees (Cash and GPP; $14,900) In nine home games over the past two seasons, Brees has averaged an insane 365 passing yards and 3 touchdowns per game. The Falcons defense ranks 30th in DVOA against the pass, so the matchup couldn’t be much more attractive. The Saints have the highest team total on the slate at 28.5 points. Brees is the clear top option on the slate. The only questions are whether you can afford to pay up for him in cash games and whether his ownership will be too high in GPPs.
Philip Rivers (Cash and GPP; $12,600) Rivers has put up solid numbers through two weeks, throwing for 463 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Chargers have had the lead for an average of 53:49 per game through two weeks (89%, tops in the league). As road underdogs in Indianapolis, we may finally see Rivers forced to play from behind, where he has historically been one of the league’s most prolific passers. The Colts were torched at home by Matthew Stafford for 340 yards and 3 touchdowns. With the week’s second-highest game total (51.5), this matchup could easily turn into an Andrew Luck-Philip Rivers shootout.
Top GPP Options
Marcus Mariota (GPP; $11,000) The Raiders are dead last in the NFL in pass defense. They’ve allowed 404 net passing yards and 3.5 touchdowns per week so far. Through two weeks, Mariota ranks as QB15 despite surprisingly low rushing output (just 15 rushing yards per game). The near-minimum price (tied for QB25) and stellar matchup makes Mariota a decent cash-game option. He is always in play for GPPs due to his rushing ability and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he breaks off a long run in Week 3.
Running Back
Cash Game Considerations
It is probably worth targeting DeAngelo Williams ($14,100) as an expensive flex over the elite receivers this week due to the $3,900 price difference. Mid-tier options Melvin Gordon ($10,900) and Mark Ingram ($11,000) are strong options as well, especially considering the strong value plays at wide receiver and tight end that give you a little extra leeway with your running back budget.
Top Cash-Game Options
DeAngelo Williams (Cash and GPP; $14,100) Williams has shouldered a massive load for the Steelers through the first two weeks. He has handled 88% of the teams rushing attempts and also is second on the team with 19% of the receiving targets. The heavy involvement in both the pass and run game makes Williams game script proof. The Eagles defense has been excellent through two weeks, but have faced the 29th (Browns) and 31st (Bears) best offenses according to FootballOutsiders DVOA. While Williams is priced as one of the top running backs, he still comes at a massive $3,900 discount compared to the top receivers.
Melvin Gordon (Cash and GPP; $10,900) The Colts have given up a whopping 79 FantasyDraft points to opposing running backs in the first two weeks (39.5 PPG). The Indianapolis defense has been decimated by injuries at all levels, but especially the defensive line and defensive backfield. Gordon looks like a completely different player in his second season, running with more decisiveness and showing the burst that made him a first-round pick in 2015. He has already found the end zone three times in 2016 after not scoring at all on over 200 touches as a rookie. With Danny Woodhead out after suffering a torn ACL in Week 2, Gordon is going to see the bulk of the snaps and a heavy workload going forward.
Mark Ingram (Cash and GPP; $11,000) Ingram arguably fits more into the GPP-only category due to his slow start, but the favorable matchup, high implied team total (28.5 points) and Ingram’s drop in salary combine to make him a strong cash-game play as well. As a home favorite on a team with an implied team total of 28.5 points, the touchdown upside for Ingram is obvious. Perhaps less obvious is the likelihood that Ingram is heavily involved as a receiver out of the backfield. The Falcons defense has schemed to try take away the deep ball from opposing offenses, leaving running backs open underneath. Through two weeks, Atlanta has given up 18 receptions to opposing running backs. Neither Doug Martin nor Latavius Murray are particularly known for their ability as pass catchers, but caught 5 and 6 passes respectively against the Falcons. Ingram has averaged four receptions per game in 2015-16 (56 receptions in his 14 games) and should catch at least that many balls in Week 3.
Top GPP Options
Theo Riddick (GPP; $9,700) Riddick earns cash game consideration due to the high floor his work as a receiver out of the backfield provides, but the Packers run defense makes him a better fit in GPPs. With Ameer Abdullah placed on IR after suffering a foot injury, Riddick should get the bulk of the snaps for the Lions going forward. He should see double-digit rushing attempts in Week 3, but may not be able to do much with them. The Packers stout run defense has allowed just 1.8 yards per carry this season. After catching 81 passes in 2015, he has picked up right where he left out in 2016. He’s caught all nine of his targets for 91 yards and a touchdown through two weeks. Given the tough Packers run defense and the potential to see 50+ snaps again, Riddick has huge upside as a receiver in Week 3. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he approaches double-digit receptions.
Charles Sims (GPP; $9,700) Sims will be under owned in GPPs due to the tough matchup against the Rams stout defensive front. He has a great deal of upside and enough of a floor given his pricing to make him a strong tournament play. Sims is primarily known for his ability as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. With Doug Martin expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury, Sims is going to see his snaps double. The more he is on the field, the more targets he is likely to receiver. Tampa Bay is also a 5.5-point home favorite this week and Sims should get plenty of chances to run the ball if the the Buccaneers can build an early lead.
Wide Receiver
Cash-Game Considerations
With the possible exception of Stefon Diggs ($10,200), there aren’t any must-play receivers and ownership should be much flatter than normal in GPPs. The toughest decisions this week will revolve around whether to try to squeeze in Antonio Brown ($18,000) and/or Julio Jones ($18,000) or to take advantage of the mid-priced options and pay up at receiver and running back.
Top Cash-Game Options
Stefon Diggs (Cash; $10,200) Diggs will be the chalkiest play of the week across the industry after his monster 9-182-1 performance against Green Bay in Week 2. His 7 catches for 103 yards in Week 1 were also impressive given how slow-paced the game against Tennessee was. With Adrian Peterson out long-term with a knee injury, Diggs is clearly the star of the Vikings offense going forward. He should continue to see double-digit targets, especially in Week 3 with the Vikings expected to be playing from behind as 7-point road underdogs against the Panthers.
Phillip Dorsett (Cash and GPP; $8,700) A number of factors may be converging to set up a breakout week for Phillip Dorsett. First, the shoulder injury to #2 receiver Donte Moncrief bumps Dorsett up a notch in the pecking order for targets from Andrew Luck. Second, T.Y. Hilton is likely to see a lot of coverage from one of the league’s few shutdown corners, Jason Verrett. While there is some debate as to whether Verrett will follow Hilton into the slot (ESPN’s Mike Clay believes he will not), there’s no doubt that Hilton will still see plenty of the Chargers shut down cornerback. Third, it just feels like Dorsett is due for a big game. He generated absolutely glowing reviews in the lead up to the 2015 season after being drafted in the first round. But then he suffered an early injury, Donte Moncrief emerged and Andrew Luck got hurt; it was a lost season. The talent that Dorsett flashes is undeniable however. He ranks second in the league (minimum 10 targets) with 24.8 yards per reception.
Travis Benjamin (Cash and GPP; $10,200) Benjamin stepped right in for Keenan Allen as Philip Rivers’ top receiver in Week 2 and had a brilliant game. He caught all six of his targets for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He has an outstanding matchup in Week 3 against the Colts injury-riddled secondary. In a game with the weekend’s second-highest total (51.5), expect the Chargers to have to throw early and often to keep pace with Andrew Luck and the Colts.
Terrelle Pryor (Cash and GPP; $6,600) The hits keep on coming for the Cleveland Browns. In the past week, they’ve lost both Josh McCown and Corey Coleman to serious injuries. While the idea of rolling one of Cody Kessler’s receivers out in a cash game is scary, the price point and target projection for Pyror are undeniable. The Browns are likely to be playing from behind and forced to throw. Pryor is the clear #1 with Coleman out and Josh Gordon still suspended. Even if he catches only 40-50% of his targets, if he sees double-digit balls thrown his way, he is going to hit cash game value. In GPPs, Pryor’s freakish size-speed combo makes him a major big-play and red zone threat.
Antonio Brown (Cash and GPP; $18,000) After catching just 4-of-11 targets against the Bengals in Week 2, we might finally be able to get Brown in a GPP without 25%+ of the field also being on him. Brown has topped 100 receiving yards in 10 of his last 18 games. We know what he is capable of and with some strong value options available this week due to the slew of injuries in Week 2, it is less painful than normal to fit Brown’s massive salary into our lineups.
Top GPP Options
Marvin Jones (GPP; $11,600) Through two weeks, Jones is averaging 10.5 targets and 101.5 receiving yards per game. The Packers run defense is formidable (allowing just 1.8 yards per carry) and Detroit top runner is out, so the Lions will have to lean heavily on their passing game. Expect Jones to see double-digit targets for the third week in a row. While his price has slowly creeped up over the past two weeks, he is still underpriced as Matthew Stafford’s #1 receiver in what looks like a very potent passing offense.
Julio Jones (GPP; $18,000) If Julio Jones was fully healthy, he’d be a must-play against the Saints awful pass defense. With injuries slowing him slightly and Matt Ryan spreading the ball around more than he did in 2015, Jones fits better as a GPP option with sky-high upside.
Tight End
Cash-Game Considerations
With three strong options in the $6,000 to $6,600 range, there is little reason to pay up at the tight end position in Week 3. Jacob Tamme, Dennis Pitta and Kyle Rudolph have each averaged at least 8 targets per game, which makes the idea of rostering a second tight end in the flex spot an intriguing option this week.
Top Cash-Game Options
Jacob Tamme (Cash and GPP; $6,300) The Saints struggle defending the pass is the worst kept secret in fantasy football. New Orleans has already allowed 672 passing yards against in 2016 after fielding an historically awful pass defense in 2015. All the Falcons pass-game options are in play this week, but Tamme is the most attractive due to his bargain-basement pricing. Tamme has seen 16 targets through two weeks and has been extremely efficient, posting an 11-126-1 receiving line.
Dennis Pitta (Cash and GPP; $6,600) Through two weeks, Pitta leads all tight ends with 12 catches and ranks second with 141 yards. He saw a whopping 12 targets (9 catches for 102 yards) last week and the chemistry with Flacco is obvious. The Jacksonville matchup is neutral; the Jaguars have already allowed six passing touchdowns but have been middle of the pack against the tight end (12th fewest fantasy points allowed). The volume of targets Pitta has been seeing makes him a no-brainer cash game option as long as he remains under $7,000.
Kyle Rudolph (Cash and GPP; $6,000) Rudolph is the clear second option in the Vikings offense and has seen eight targets each of the first two weeks. After the breakout performance of Stefon Diggs in Week 2, expect him to garner extra attention from the Panthers defense. Rudolph would be the go-to option should Carolina scheme to take away Diggs, which makes him an intriguing GPP option. The Diggs-Rudolph duo is also a nice pairing in cash games to lessen the risk of an off day from Diggs.
Top GPP Options
Jared Cook (GPP; $5,600) The results have been abysmal for Cook so far; just 5 catches and 38 yards through two weeks. But there are reasons for optimism. Cook played a healthy 46 out of 71 snaps in Week 2. The Lions struggles defending the tight end are well known. After allowing yet another passing touchdown to the tight end last week, the Lions have now allowed 16 touchdowns in their last 18 games to the opposing tight end. At a near-minimum price, Cook is a good bet to find the end zone in Week 3.
Jordan Reed (GPP; $12,400) Reed is an interesting GPP play for a few reasons. First, his ownership is likely to be extremely low for a player of his talent level and upside. Reed has had a quiet start to his season and there is a great deal of value under $7,000 this week. Second, rostering Reed will automatically lead to a very unique lineup since over 90% of the field will end up spending $9,300 or less at the position (with most coming in around $6,000 less). Third, Reed has a nice matchup against the Giants in a game that could easily turn into a shootout. He averaged 7 catches and 97 receiving yards in two games against the Giants last season.
Defense
Cash-Game Considerations
The Seahawks ($8,100) are a potential option, but the $2,100 price difference between Seattle and Miami ($6,000) is too steep to justify. The implied team total for Miami’s opponent (Cleveland) is less than one point more than Seattle’s opponent (San Francisco).
Top Cash-Game Options
Dolphins (Cash and GPP; $6,000) The Dolphins stout defensive line, led by Ndamukong Suh, should have a field day against the Browns offense. Rookie 3rd-rounder Cody Kessler makes his NFL debut after taking 7 sacks on just 35 pass plays in the preseason. The Browns most electric playmaker, Corey Coleman, is out with an injured hand. Vegas has Cleveland pegged for an exceptionally low team total of just 16.25 points.
Bengals (Cash and GPP; $5,600) The Bengals allowed the fewest touchdowns in the NFL last season. Denver enters the game with a team total of just 18 points and Trevor Siemian making the first road start of his career. Right tackle Donald Stephenson is out with an injury, causing Denver to have to shuffle the right side of their line. Starting RG Michael Schofield will slide out to RT, where he struggled mightily in 13 starts last season. He will face Bengals Pro Bowl DE Carlos Dunlap. Next to Schofield, backup Darrion Weems steps in at RG, where he will face one of the game’s best defensive tackles, Geno Atkins.
Top GPP Options
Cowboys (GPP; $4,900) The Bears implied team total of just 18.5 points is tied for 5th lowest on the slate, while the Cowboys defense is priced as just the 23rd most expensive. Jay Cutler is out with a hand injury, leaving Brian Hoyer to make his first start since a 5-turnover debacle in the playoffs caused Houston to lose faith in him.
Steelers (GPP; $5,600) Carson Wentz has faced two of the worst teams in the league so far (Cleveland and Chicago). He has been able to play from ahead against bad defenses. All that changes in Week 3. The Steelers are road favorites and could ride their high-powered offense to an early lead. The Steelers stout run defense funnels opposing offenses towards the pass and Wentz will likely be forced to take the game on his shoulders. The Steelers have more takeaways (4) than touchdowns allowed (2) so far and make for a sneaky GPP play in a game where we should see a rookie quarterback have to drop back and pass a lot of times.
