Week 4 was solid, if not spectacular, for the FanDuel Bargain Buys. The Colts defense led the charge, finishing fourth amongst all defenses despite their $5000 cost. On the offensive side of the ball, five of our eight selections outperformed their cost, but only Ben Roethlisberger placed in the top ten. This brings the Bargain Buys to 55% on the year, a number we'll try to improve on in week five. With four teams on a bye, the pickings get slimmer, and bargains become even more important.
Quarterback
- Highest Priced Player: Peyton Manning - $10,400
- Average Priced Player: Russell Wilson - $8,100
Best Bang for your Buck: Philip Rivers ($7,400) vs. Oakland. Rivers has been outstanding so far this week and now he gets a tasty match up against a suspect Raiders secondary. David Dodds has Rivers as his 8th best option at quarterback this week despite the fact that his cost isn't even in the top half. With Terrelle Pryor back, the Raiders should be able to score enough to keep Rivers throwing.
Bargain Buy: Eli Manning ($6,600) vs. Philadelphia. Yes the Giants have been terrible this year, but everyone has been good against this Eagles defense. Their high tempo means Manning will have plenty of opportunities and I have little doubt that Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks can get open against this secondary. The only real concern is whether Manning's offensive line can give him time to throw.
Running Back
- Highest Priced Player: Jamaal Charles - $9,300
- Average Priced Player: Chris Johnson and Darren Sproles - $7,000
Best Bang for your Buck: Bilal Powell ($6,600) vs. Atlanta. Powell's value has risen quickly, but it still hasn't risen to the level of his performance. Powell faces a Falcons defense that hasn't been great against the run this year. The Jets will do their best to keep the Falcons offense off the field and turn this game into a defensive battle. That means a heavy dose of Powell.
Bargain Buy: David Wilson ($5,600) vs. Philadelphia. Wilson is one of the biggest disappointments of the 2013 season so far, but I believe this is the week he gets it going. We already touched on the Eagles defensive woes but it's important to remember that Wilson is still a very talented back. Always bet on the talented back against a poor defense.
Wide Receiver
- Highest Priced Player: Calvin Johnson - $9,000
- Average Priced Player: Danny Amendola and Larry Fitzgerald - $7,300
Best Bang for your Buck: DeSean Jackson ($7,000) vs. New York Giants. Jackson's an inconsistent option at times but this Giants secondary makes everyone look better. The Giants will have to dedicate most of their resources to stopping Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy in the running game. Expect Vick and Jackson to hook up for at least one long bomb.
Bargain Buy: Denarius Moore ($5,000) vs. San Diego. Moore has been outstanding the past two games. His concentration seems better and his hands have been noticeably better. Moore is a third year receiver so it wouldn't be all that surprising if this transformation is for real. If it is, he'll have another nice game against the Chargers secondary.
Tight End
- Highest Priced Player: Jimmy Graham - $8,400
- Average Priced Player: Owen Daniels - $5,800
Best Bang for your Buck: Jared Cook ($5,600) vs. Jacksonville. Cook hasn't yet matched his outburst in week one, but he doesn't have to to be a productive option at tight end. The Rams have virtually no running game, which means they'll use short throws to Cook and the receivers to simulate one.
Bargain Buy: Sean McGrath ($4,700) vs. Tennessee. Fear the beard. Outside of his outstanding beard, McGrath has also given the Chiefs a solid option at tight end in the absence of their top three options. With Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles drawing the attention, McGrath has an excellent opportunity to put up a top 12 performance.
Defense
New Orleans vs. Chicago. We all know when Jay Cutler is bad, he's real bad. Brandon Marshall is questionable for this one, and that would be huge for the Saints defense. Let's also not forget that this Saints defense has been much improved in 2013.
Kicker
Nick Folk vs. Atlanta. The Jets have an excellent opportunity to move the ball against Atlanta but I'm not certain they'll be able to get it all the way into the end zone. The Falcons should be able to stop them when the field gets shortened, and that should lead to several field goal opportunities for Folk.
Contact Heath at cummings@footballguys.com or on Twitter @heathcummingssr
