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Daily Fantasy Football is back for 2016 and FanDuel offers a variety of cash and tournament contests. Projecting player ownership to build lineups is an integral strategy to long-term success. Here are the key players for Week 4:
THE CHALK PLAYS
Cam Newton, $9.300: This week marks the ultimate 'get well' game for the Panthers offense which was silenced against Minnesota a week ago. Atlanta has allowed an NFL-high 10 touchdowns already through the air and a league-best 71% completion rate and has faced the second-most attempts (131). All signs point to Cam Newton being worth the premium price this week.
Melvin Gordon, $7,600: The Saints are the defense to target across the board. Their rush defense is giving up nearly 150 yards per game, the second-most touchdowns in the NFL (6), and a hearty 5.0 yards-per-carry. Gordon has no competition for carries and the Chargers have the highest Vegas team total of the week at home against the Saints. All signs point to a high floor and ceiling for Gordon.
Jordan Howard, $5,600: Howard is the glaring underpriced running back inheriting a lead role for Week 4. Howard impressed in relief duty of Jeremy Langford (now out at least a month) and now gets a Detroit rush defense leading the league with 5.1 yards-per-carry against, including getting shredded by Eddie Lacy a week ago. Howard is an easy bet as a second running back, allowing for a top quarterback or wide receiver boost.
Cameron Artis-Payne, $5,700: The Panthers are a strong projected favorite and Artis-Payne was the clear preferred back a week ago on early downs between the tackles. Atlanta is in the bottom-5 of PFR Expected Points on the ground plus in fantasy points allowed.
Demaryius Thomas, $7,900: Tampa Bay has allowed an NFL-high seven touchdowns to wide receivers plus 14.2 yards-per-completion, second-highest in the NFL. Thomas has seen at least six targets in each game. Big receivers have performed well against Tampa Bay this season as Julio Jones had 4-66-1, Larry Fitzgerald logged 6-81-1, and even Brian Quick found the end zone with 2-53-1 last week.
Terrelle Pryor, $7,000: Pryor has the benefit of logging production at three positions with the current construction of the Browns offense. Pryor saw snaps as a passer, runner, and receiver last week as Cody Kessler offers little upside as an every down quarterback. Pryor is the lone moveable chess piece for Cleveland with a high floor of snaps and touches. Washington is allowing 9.0 yards-per-attempt through the air, second-highest in the NFL.
Travis Benjamin, $6,600: The Saints struggle to rush the passer and Philip Rivers will take advantage this week. Travis Benjamin is the best blend of floor and ceiling of the Chargers pass catchers. San Diego is the highest Vegas team total of the week. Benjamin has produced 10-197-2 since Keenan Allen left the lineup in two games.
Greg Olsen, $7,900: Atlanta struggles in all facets of defense, especially opposing tight ends. Falcons have allowed the second-most receptions, third-most yards, and second-most touchdowns to tight ends. Coby Fleener looked lost in the opening two games, yet logged 7-109-1 in Week 3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins found the end zone, along with Brandon Myers in Week 1. Clive Walford had 6-50-1 on seven targets in between.
Dennis Pitta, $5,400: The one thing missing for Pitta is getting into the end zone this season. After a warmup game in Week 1 - his first game action since 2014 - he has 20 targets for 15-144-0 in two games. Pitta is a high-floor option and a generally unpredictable position week-to-week. Oakland is also an optimistic matchup for tight ends. The Falcons duo of Jacob Tamme and Austin Hooper combined for 8-159-1 a couple weeks ago and Jace Amaro resurfaced with 3-59-0 last week.
Josh Lambo, $4,500, Graham Gano, $4,800: Both kickers are sturdy options innately and offer the top-2 Vegas team totals of the week, all while saving a few hundred in salary off the top options.
Cardinals, $5,300: The Rams struggle to run the ball, despite Todd Gurley being one of the most talented running backs in the league. Arizona is at home this week and offer a myriad of ball-hawking, quarterback-pressuring options on defense when they can get an opposing offense in long-yardage situations and catch-up mode. Arizona has nine sacks, third-most in the NFL.
THE SNEAKY PLAYS
Jay Cutler, $6,700 or Brian Hoyer, $6,000: The Lions are an ideal matchup play and both Bears quarterbacks are affordable. Cutler is 'day-to-day' by mid-week reports, so monitoring Chicago closely headed into the weekend. How good is the matchup against Detroit? The Lions are the worst pass defense by ProFootballReference.com's Expected Points metric and the second-highest points allowed in fantasy terms. With Kevin White coming along with his best game to-date in Week 3 and Zach Miller awake as another option behind Alshon Jeffery, whichever quarterback is under center this week is a worthwhile value.
Steve Smith, $6,100: Oakland has allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Deeper threats have torched the Raiders thus far with Brandin Cooks (6-142-2) and Julio Jones (5-106-1). After a warm-up effort in Week 1 returning from injury, Smith has logged 11-151-0 the past two weeks on 17 targets, second-most on the Ravens behind Dennis Pitta.
Jamison Crowder, $6,000: Crowder is leading Washington in targets and the Browns are a top wide receiver matchup to target. Slot options Jordan Matthews (7-114-1) and Jarvis Landry (7-120-1) have torched Cleveland this season.
Kevin White, $5,500: White is coming off his career-best performance and looks to be gaining speed and explosiveness as he gets comfortable with game action. White, not Alshon Jeffery, is leading Chicago in targets (27) and the two best performances against Detroit this season have been prototypically-sized receivers (Jordy Nelson, Donte Moncrief).
Coby Fleener, $5,400: Fleener looks to finally be finding chemistry with Drew Brees after an explosive Week 3. The Chargers are a juicy matchup this week for the Saints tight end as San Diego has allowed the most receptions (23) and yards (282) to the position this season.
Dustin Hopkins, $4,500: Washington has the third-highest Vegas team total and Hopkins has been top-scoring kicker this season. At the minimum price, Hopkins is a no-brainer kicker option to mix into lineups.
Colts, $4,500: The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most sacks (9) in the NFL and Blake Bortles offers questionable decision-making with six interceptions. The Colts struggle to get home on their pass rush (4 sacks), but have a reasonable four turnovers forced. Indianapolis in the best of the $4,500 or less defensive options for Week 4.
