QUARTERBACKS
Russell Wilson $9,000 - With both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees having tough matchups this week along with some enormous price tags it may be the week to look in another direction when selecting your star quarterback. Russell Wilson has one of the best matchups this weekend against a Vikings secondary that continues to get lit up each week. He is very smart with the football and has the ability to beat you with both his legs and his arms and is lined up to do just that this week and a 3 touchdown performance is well within reach.
Nick Foles $8,600 - What Nick Foles has right now is confidence in his receivers and it has shown as he has gone for a 16-0, touchdown to interception ratio. To go along with his confidence this week he has one of the best passing matchups against a Washington defense that gives up yards and points in big chunks. Although his price tag is on the rise and at $8,600 he may be over priced it is hard to argue against him as a top 5 QB option this week with a lot of the other star QB's headed for some tough matchups.
Josh McCown $5,400 - McCown is purely a value pick with a potential to be a top 10 QB on the day. If you are looking for a quarterback that is going to throw for 300+ yards and 3+ touchdowns, McCown is probably not your guy but if you are looking for someone that is priced right and can get you in the 15-20 fantasy point range rather easily than McCown has to be considered. The Ravens defense hasn't looked anything like it has in years past and the Bears have been known to put up some pretty high scoring games so far in 2013.
Value Plays: Case Keenum $6,600, Alex Smith $6,200,
RUNNING BACKS
Marshawn Lynch $9,000 - Having both Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch listed as two of my top plays makes for an interesting idea of pairing the two such as you would with Peyton Manning and Knowshon Moreno to ensure that you are not going to lose out on any points snipped by the other. On the other hand it might be a wise option to choose one or the other and hope that they snipe those touchdowns from the other. It all comes down to the Seahawks putting points on the board and in this game against the Vikings a 30+ point game is well within reach.
Jamaal Charles $8,800 - Charles has to be the top option today at RB as he can do a little of everything on the field and is going to have to be counted on more than ever this week as the Chiefs play their hardest matchup to date against the Broncos. It is hard not to see Charles touching the ball for at least 30 times and with such a high volume of touches his fantasy production will likely increase.
LeSean McCoy $8,700 - McCoy continues to put up huge rushing yards on the season and is falling just short at converting those yards into more touchdowns. The time is coming for him to have a multi touchdown game and a matchup against Washington is the perfect scenario for him. Although Nick Foles is the one that people are talking about over the past two Eagles victories, it is LeSean McCoy that has opened up the field for Foles and bought him more time in the pocket. Teams have to account for McCoy each and every play and last weeks game against the Packers although he never found the endzone, McCoy controlled that game and picked up first down after first down and secured the Eagles victory.
Andre Brown $6,500 - There are a lot of nice mid range RB picks this week and Brown has to be at the top of the list as he is fresh and ready to roll. The Giants can not pass the football this year and have been lacking a running game all season until last week when Brown exploded for 100+ yards and a touchdown. He should be in store for another nice game against the Packers run defense.
Value Plays: Eddie Lacy $6,700, Danny Woodhead $6,500, Andre Ellington $6,000, Ben Tate $5,700
WIDE RECEIVERS
Calvin Johnson $10,200 - It is silly to even have to list Calvin Johnson in a plays of the week article, as he is automatic each and every week. It is simple if you can afford him; make sure you get him in your lineup.
DeSean Jackson $7,900 - DeSean Jackson is having a fantastic season across the board and another game against Washington is only going to expand on his fantasy numbers. With the recent emergence from Riley Cooper and LeSean Jackson's dominance on the ground, things are continuing to open up for Jackson all over the field. He is no longer just a deep threat and has the ability to make plays anywhere on the field.
Andre Johnson $7,500 - Johnson has huge upside each week as he sees a ton of targets and is on a team that has struggled to run the ball this season. He is one of the star receivers in the game that comes at a very modest and fair price of only $7,500. It is hard to pass up his fantasy potential in a game against the Raiders and looks to be one of the safest plays this week.
Antonio Brown $6,900 - The Lions secondary continues to struggle and allow big yards to opposing receivers. Antonio Brown should continue on his excellent season statistically and have plenty of opportunities catching the ball and making big plays especially if the game gets going back and forth.
Larry Fitzgerald $6,400 - For one of the greatest WR's to ever play the game to be listed at only $6,400 on FanDuel, I had to put him on the list this week. He plays Jacksonville in a game that means a lot for the Cardinals to get a win. Jacksonville is coming off their first win on the season and are going to be more competition than people think this week. Carson Palmer looked better last week for the Cardinals and the potential for him and Fitzgerald to connect this week and have a big game is well worth the gamble at only $6,400.
Value Plays: Josh Gordon $6,700, Torrey Smith $6,300, Eric Decker $5,800, Golden Tate $5,300
TIGHT ENDS
Jordan Reed $5,900 - Jordan Reed has broke out over the past 3 weeks and he gets a decent matchup this week as the Eagles have always struggled in defending the TE position. Graham and Gronkowski are the obvious plays at TE this week but come at a premium. If you don't have the salary cap to fit in Graham or Gronkowski, it is hard to pass up on a productive option such as Jordan Reed with his very modest $5,900 salary.
Antonio Gates $5,400 - Gates hasn't had that big game that he has been predicted to over the past couple, but he has continued to see plenty of targets. The Dolphins are a team that he could turn it around and turn those targets into big plays in the redzone this weekend. For $5,400 it might be money well spent and a touchdown seems to be just around the corner for Gates.
Value Plays: Martellus Bennett $5,300
KICKERS
Matt Prater $5,400 - This pick is under the idea that the Broncos have the top offense in the NFL and their opponent the Chiefs have the best defense in the NFL, so naturally that means the Broncos will be able to move the ball but the Chiefs will limit their big plays with their tough defense and force them into more FG opportunities.
Nick Novak $5,000 - In the past few weeks the Chargers have been struggling to punch the ball into the endzone and have had to settle for more FG opportunities then the would like. Novak has been solid over those games, and in a game against the Dolphins should continue to have plenty of opportunities to put points on the board.
Value Play: Jay Feely $5,100
DEFENSE
Seattle Seahawks $5,900 - The Seahawks defense still hasn't put up a huge game in 2013 as we have seen them do last season. Every week it seems like it is the week for them to come up big and put up some ridiculous defensive stats. Well this week at home against a week offensive team in the Vikings could be the game for them to put up 2012 type numbers. The have easily the best matchup defensively this weekend and if you have some money left over they should be in consideration for your defensive choice.
Green Bay Packers $5,400 - The Giants may have won 3 straight games but they have all been ugly wins. The Giants are not a good football team right now and the Packers defense has the opportunity to really expose them this week in a game that could be very ugly as far as offense goes.
Value Plays: Houston Texans $5,000
SUGGESTED ROSTER ($60,000)
- QB Josh McCown CHI $5,400 (vs BAL)
- RB Jamaal Charles KC $8,800 (at DEN)
- RB LeSean McCoy PHI $8,700 (vs WAS)
- WR Andre Johnson HOU $7,500 (vs OAK)
- WR DeSean Jackson PHI $7,900 (vs WAS)
- WR Torrey Smith BAL $6,300 (at CHI)
- TE Antonio Gates SD $5,400 (at MIA)
- K Nick Novak SD $5,000 (at MIA)
- D Houston Texans $5,000 (vs OAK)