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Every week, the first step of your DFS homework should be to examine the opening Vegas odds on all the NFL games for that week. Through some fairly simple algebra, it is easy to derive a spreadsheet that predicts team totals for every game, thereby allowing you to develop a rudimentary gamescript to help narrow down your decisions for the week. Once the appealing (and unappealing) games have been highlighted, it becomes easier to focus upon those games to help build your core of players for that week; the caveat, however, is that the NFL is a dynamic league and anything is subject to change from Tuesday to Sunday...so keep that in mind as the week progresses and always monitor player injuries, weather conditions, and potential roster moves. Let's take a look.
UPDATED SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20th @ 6 AM (EST)
[Blue font indicates games *not* on the DFS main slate.]
Team | Opponent | Odds | Game Total | Team Total | Passing | Running | Team Defense |
Tennessee | Detroit | -9.5 | 52.5 | 31 | ««« | ««« | |
LA Rams | NY Jets | -17.5 | 43.5 | 30.5 | ««« | ««« | ««« |
Baltimore | Jacksonville | -13 | 48 | 30.5 | ««« | ««« | «« |
Green Bay | Carolina | -8.5 | 51.5 | 30 | ««« | ««« | |
Indianapolis | Houston | -7.5 | 51 | 29.25 | «« | ««« | |
Arizona | Philadelphia | -6.5 | 49.5 | 28 | «« | «« | |
Las Vegas | LA Chargers | -3.5 | 52 | 27.75 | « | « | |
Buffalo | Denver | -6 | 49.5 | 27.75 | « | « | |
Tampa Bay | Atlanta | -6.5 | 49.5 | 28 | « | « | |
Kansas City | New Orleans | -3 | 52.5 | 27.75 | « | « | |
Pittsburgh | Cincinnati | -14 | 40 | 27 | « | «« | ««« |
Seattle | Washington | -6.5 | 43.5 | 25 | « | ||
Cleveland | NY Giants | -6.5 | 44.5 | 25.5 | « | ||
Minnesota | Chicago | -3 | 47 | 25 | |||
LA Chargers | Las Vegas | 3.5 | 52 | 24.25 | |||
New Orleans | Kansas City | 3 | 52.5 | 24.75 | |||
San Francisco | Dallas | -3 | 45 | 24 | |||
Atlanta | Tampa Bay | 6.5 | 49.5 | 21.5 | |||
Houston | Indianapolis | 7.5 | 51 | 21.75 | |||
Chicago | Minnesota | 3 | 47 | 22 | |||
Denver | Buffalo | 6 | 49.5 | 21.75 | |||
Miami | New England | -1 | 41.5 | 21.25 | |||
Philadelphia | Arizona | 6.5 | 49.5 | 21.5 | |||
Carolina | Green Bay | 8.5 | 51.5 | 21.5 | |||
Dallas | San Francisco | 3 | 45 | 21 | |||
Detroit | Tennessee | 9.5 | 52.5 | 21.5 | |||
New England | Miami | 1 | 41.5 | 20.25 | |||
NY Giants | Cleveland | 6.5 | 44.5 | 19 | |||
Washington | Seattle | 6.5 | 43.5 | 18.5 | |||
Jacksonville | Baltimore | 13 | 48 | 17.5 | |||
Cincinnati | Pittsburgh | 14 | 40 | 13 | |||
NY Jets | LA Rams | 17.5 | 43.5 | 13 |
SUMMARY
3-STARS
- Quarterback: Ryan Tannehill (Titans), Jared Goff (Rams), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
- Running Back: Derrick Henry (Titans), Cam Akers (Rams), J.K. Dobbins/Gus Edwards (Ravens), Aaron Jones (Packers), Joanthan Taylor/Nyheim Hines (Colts)
- Receivers: A.J. Brown/Corey Davis/Jonnu Smith (Titans), Robert Woods/Cooper Kupp/Josh Reynolds/Tyler Higbee (Rams), Marquise Brown/Willie Snead/Mark Andrews (Ravens), Davante Adams/Allen Lazard/Robert Tonyan Jr (Packers)
- Defense: Rams, Steelers
2-STARS
- Quarterback: Philip Rivers (Colts), Derek Carr (Raiders), Josh Allen (Bills), Tom Brady (Buccaneers)
- Running Back: Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Devin Singletary/Zack Moss (Bills), Leonard Fournette (Buccaneers), James Conner (Steelers)
- Receivers: T.Y. Hilton/Michael Pittman/Trey Burton (Colts), Henry Ruggs/Nelson Agholor/Darren Waller (Raiders), Stefon Diggs/Cole Beasley/Gabriel Davis (Bills), Mike Evans/Chris Godwin/Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)
- Defense: Ravens
1-STAR
- Quarterback: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Patrick Mahomes II (Chiefs), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
- Running Back: Kenyan Drake (Cardinals), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs)
- Receivers: DeAndre Hopkins/Christian Kirk/Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Tyreek Hill/Sammy Watkins/Travis Kelce (Chiefs), JuJu Smith-Schuster/Diontae Johnson/Chase Claypool/Eric Ebron (Steelers)
- Defense: Seahawks, Browns