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FanDuel offers some of the biggest payouts in all of daily fantasy sports. Among them is the $1.5 million FanDuel Sunday Million contest where a $7 entry has a shot at the $250,000 first-place payout. Each week FanDuel will be running a Sunday Million GPP Contest and we will break it down here at Footballguys.com and see what the keys were to having the top lineup on the week and taking home the top prize.
Here is how Week 12 of the Sunday Million shook out:
|
DFS Screen Name | Points | Prize Money |
1st | ggbman | 221.74 | $250,000 |
2nd | rwgutsch | 217.54 | $125,000 |
3rd | jayadams17 | 217.44 | $75,000 |
4th | festslayer | 216.68 | $50,000 |
5th | canadianbrawlers | 214.64 | $30,000 |
The winning lineup by ggbman featured a superstack of Steelers. With Juju Smith-Schuster notably out of the lineup, ggbman took the plunge on Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Martavis Bryant. All were heartily owned at 9% or more and returned more than 3.5x value as a trio. With the salary savings at running by eschewing top-priced options like LeVeon Bell and Todd Gurley, ggbman was able to afford Julio Jones at WR2 and Rob Gronkowski. Tevin Coleman and Joe Mixon were earmarked for high-level volume and came through with more than 3x value each. Coleman was the chalk pick of the two at 30%, while few were on Mixon (3%) despite a positive game script matchup against Cleveland with which Mixon produced his best performance of the season.
Position | Player | Salary | FanDuel Points | Ownership |
QB | Ben Roethlisberger | $7,900 | 32.5 | 9% |
RB | Tevin Coleman | $6,200 | 21.7 | 30% |
RB | Joe Mixon | $6,200 | 24.0 | 3% |
WR | Antonio Brown | $9,600 | 36.0 | 24% |
WR | Julio Jones | $7,800 | 44.8 | 24% |
WR | Martavis Bryant | $5,200 | 12.1 | 10% |
TE | Rob Gronkowski | $7,700 | 22.7 | 15% |
K | Adam Vinatieri | $4,700 | 11.0 | 6% |
DST | Patriots | $4,700 | 17.0 | 7% |
$60,000 | 221.74 |
WHAT WORKED?
*High ownership with high-value return*
Ben Roethlisberger: The Steelers stack was a common one as Roethlisberger was in 90% of top-10 finishing lineups and teammate Antonio Brown was in all 10 top lineups. Roethlisberger's 9% ownership was solid in the contest overall as he surpassed 4x value with 376 total yards and four touchdowns. Last week and this week marked Roethlisberger's first performances of the season of 3x value of higher.
Tevin Coleman: Another week without Devonta Freeman in Atlanta's backfield and the optimal matchup against Tampa Bay resulted in Coleman being owned by 30% of the contest and coming through with more than 3x value. Strangely Coleman did not catch a pass but found the end zone on two perimeter runs to buoy his DFS day on nearly 100 rushing yards. Coleman was owned on 90% of the top-10 finishing lineups.
Alvin Kamara: For a fourth straight week, Kamara hit at least 3x value. His salary was at a season high of $8,100, not detering 13% of lineups to roster Kamara, who had 188 total yards, six catches, and two touchdowns. With seven touchdowns over the last five weeks and logging at least five catches in the last four games, Kamara is one of the hottest producers in the NFL and his salary is a new season high in Week 13 at a balmy $8,500.
Antonio Brown: With Juju Smith-Schuster out, Brown thrived with 10-169-2 and his second straight week of at least 35 FanDuel points. Despite the sky-high salary of $9,600 Brown still returned tournament quality production at more than 3x value. At 24% ownership, Brown was a chalk play coming through with one of the difference-making performances of the week. Smith-Schuster could be out a few more weeks and Brown's salary actually dropped $500 for Week 13. Brown was owned by 100% of the top-10 finishing lineups this week.
Julio Jones: Death, taxes, and Julio Jones' touchdown regression was a storyline over the past few weeks. The Atlanta receiver had a meager one trip to the end zone on the season entering Week 12. At 24% ownership, Jones torched Tampa Bay early and often to the tune of 12-254-2. On one of his lowest salaries of the season, Jones shattered his regression with more than 5x value and his salary shoots back up $800 in Week 13. Jones was owned by 100% of the top-10 finishing lineups this week.
Cooper Kupp: With Robert Woods out, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp both benefitted with strong games. Kupp, at 18% ownership, was in 30% of the top-10 lineups and nearly hit 3x value, matching his best output since Week 1.
Rob Gronkowski: At 15% ownership, Gronkowski was one of the chalk plays at tight end. Gronkowski had his lowest salary of the season following two games without a touchdown and turned things around with his best FanDuel game in more than a month, returning nearly 3x value.
Greg Zuerlein: At 11% ownership, Zuerlein continued his impressive season with 3.5x value, the fourth time in five games surpassing 3x value.
WHAT FAILED?
*High ownership with low-value return*
Mark Ingram: While teammate Alvin Kamara thrived in Week 12, Ingram struggled at 15% ownership and less than 1x value. Ingram had a receiving touchdown called back by a penalty and logged 36 total yards otherwise. This marked Ingram's worst value showing of the season and only second time with less than 2x value since Adrian Peterson's trade to Arizona.
Kareem Hunt: At 26% ownership, Hunt was a chalk play at a position with a few strong projections. The Chiefs offense looked lost yet again and Hunt continued his string of disappointing outings with 26 total yards and a single reception. Hunt has not hit 2x value since Week 3 and has not hit double-digit FanDuel points in more than a month. Hunt's salary hits by far a season-low $6,900 next week against the Jets.
Michael Thomas: At 10% ownership, Thomas was a disappointment against the Rams. Thomas returned 1x value on 5-52-0, his lowest value return in six weeks. With seven straight games without a touchdown, Thomas is a touchdown regression watch player in the coming weeks.
A.J. Green: Considering Antonio Brown and Julio Jones were going off as chalk picks and top performers in Week 12, Green was a notable disappointment with a higher salary than Jones. At 14% ownership, Green barely grazed 1x value and has hit 2x value only once over the last six games.
Corey Davis: With Rishard Matthews notably out in Week 12, Davis was a highly-owned option at 10%. However, Davis barely hit 1x value on his $5,400 salary as Davis has yet to hit 2x value in any game this season. Davis has yet to find the end zone with another strong matchup (Houston) on the way in Week 13.
Doug Baldwin: At 15% ownership, Baldwin was one of the true dud performances of the week. Baldwin had only two catches in an invisible performance against San Francisco and his worst fantasy showing of the season. Baldwin's salary only slightly drops to $7,700 against the Eagles in Week 13.
T.Y. Hilton: At 16% ownership, Hilton was a non-factor with 2-15-0 against Tennessee as Jack Doyle and Frank Gore were the lone survivors fantasy-wise for the Colts in Week 12. This week marked the seventh time Hilton has logged less than 1x value on the season and second straight dud outing. With a stingy matchup against Jacksonville in Week 13, Hilton's salary drops to $7,000.
Kenny Stills: Even with DeVante Parker struggling against the Patriots, Stills barely hit 1x value with 3-47-0 on his 13% ownership.
Travis Kelce: At 15% ownership, Kelce was one of the strong projections of the week at tight end. The Kansas City offense floundered, however, as Kelce managed 3-39-0 and was not active early in the home loss against Buffalo. Kelce has yet to hit 3x value in a game this season and his salary falls to an attractive $7,000 in Week 13 against the Jets.
Stephen Gostkowski: As one of the highly owned kickers of the week (12%), Gostkowski hit five extra points without a field goal in New England's comfortable win over Miami.
Steelers Defense: Despite the strong matchup of Brett Hundley and the Packers, Pittsburgh had busted coverage on multiple long touchdowns and failed to log a single turnover against the young quarterback. The Steelers did sack Hundley four times, but their meager showing was a complete bust on 24% ownership and their worst value return (0.6x) of the season.
Finish | QB | RB1 | RB2 | WR1 | WR2 | WR3 | TE | K | DEF |
1 | Roethlisberger | Coleman | Mixon | Brown | Jones | Bryant | Gronkowski | Vinatieri | NE |
2 | Roethlisberger | Kamara | Coleman | Brown | Jones | C.Davis | Doyle | Hauschka | NE |
3 | Roethlisberger | Coleman | Mixon | Brown | Jones | Watkins | Walker | Bryant | CAR |
4 | Ryan | Coleman | Mixon | Brown | Jones | R.Anderson | Doyle | Zuerlein | PHI |
5 | Roethlisberger | Kamara | Coleman | Brown | Jones | Kupp | Walker | Vinatieri | IND |
6 | Roethlisberger | Kamara | Coleman | Brown | Jones | Kupp | Doyle | Boswell | ARI |
7 | Roethlisberger | Kamara | Coleman | Brown | Jones | Bryant | Doyle | Lambo | PHI |
8 | Roethlisberger | Kamara | Coleman | Brown | Jones | Bryant | Doyle | Lambo | PHI |
9 | Roethlisberger | Hyde | J.Williams | Brown | Jones | Kupp | Gronkowski | Lambo | CAR |
10 | Roethlisberger | Coleman | Mixon | Brown | Jones | Bryant | Gronkowski | Bryant | OAK |
While most rostered options in the top-10 were moderate to highly-owned across the contest, here are some of the top performers with low-ownership in this week's tournament:
SHOOTING THE NEEDLE
Joe Mixon: At less than 3% ownership, Mixon was not a common play, despite the positive game script matchup against Cleveland. Mixon doubled his previous bet FanDuel output of the season with 24 points in Week 12, accruing 165 total yards and a rushing touchdown. With a salary bump, Mixon faces the more-stingy Steelers defense in Week 13.
Jamaal Williams: The Packers back faced a stingy Steelers defense, but had no competition for touches with injuries to Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones. Williams hit 5x value on 1% ownership in a career game of 135 total yards, two touchdowns, and four receptions. Despite the strong game and good matchup against Tampa Bay next week, Williams' salary only increased to $5,700.
Frank Gore: The ageless running back came through on 0.4% ownership for nearly 3x value, his best value showing of the season at his lowest salary ($5,200). Gore had 79 total yards and found the end zone in the close home loss to the Titans.
Marshawn Lynch: With Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper out for most of the game, Lynch hit 3x value, just the second time all season surpassing 2x value. Lynch had 111 total yards and found the end zone on 0.5% ownership.
Robby Anderson: The No.4 overall finisher took a shot on Anderson as their WR3, coming through with 4.4x value (3% ownership) on by far his best performance of the season. Anderson torched Carolina with big plays, including a highlight reel touchdown to the tune of 6-146-2.
Ricky Seals-Jones: The Week 11 revelation came through for a second straight week with nearly 3x value on less than 1% ownership. Seals-Jones roamed the seam wide open on two occasions, supporting most of his 4-72-1 line.
Stephen Hauschka: The Bills kicker supplied the offense in the road win over Kansas City with three field goals and an extra point for nearly 3x value on 1.8% ownership.
Panthers Defense: At 2.5% ownership, Carolina came through with two touchdowns, three sacks, and a turnover against the Jets, surpassing 3x value. This week marked their second-best value performance of the season.
Cardinals Defense: Few were on Arizona (0.9% ownership) as they came through with three turnovers and three sacks in the home win against Jacksonville for more than 2x value.
Head over to FanDuel now and catch the action for Week 13.