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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.
[Blue font indicates games *not* on the DFS main slate.]
UPDATED SUNDAY, JANUARY 2nd @ 8 AM (EST)
| Team | Opponent | Odds | Game Total | Team Total | Passing | Running | Team Defense |
| Tampa Bay | NY Jets | -13.5 | 45.5 | 29.5 | «« | ««« | «« |
| Buffalo | Atlanta | -14.5 | 44 | 29.25 | «« | ««« | ««« |
| Dallas | Arizona | -6.5 | 52 | 29.25 | «« | «« | |
| New England | Jacksonville | -16.5 | 41.5 | 29 | «« | ««« | ««« |
| San Francisco | Houston | -12.5 | 44 | 28.25 | «« | ««« | ««« |
| Green Bay | Minnesota | -13 | 42.5 | 27.75 | « | « | ««« |
| Kansas City | Cincinnati | -4 | 51 | 27.5 | « | « | |
| LA Chargers | Denver | -7.5 | 45.5 | 26.5 | « | «« | « |
| Indianapolis | Las Vegas | -8 | 45 | 26.5 | « | «« | « |
| LA Rams | Baltimore | -6 | 46.5 | 26.25 | « | « | |
| Philadelphia | Washington | -4.5 | 44.5 | 24.5 | |||
| Seattle | Detroit | -7.5 | 41.5 | 24.5 | «« | ||
| Cincinnati | Kansas City | 4 | 51 | 23.5 | |||
| Arizona | Dallas | 6.5 | 52 | 22.75 | |||
| Cleveland | Pittsburgh | -3.5 | 41.5 | 22.5 | « | ||
| New Orleans | Carolina | -6.5 | 37.5 | 22 | ««« | ||
| Tennessee | Miami | -3 | 40.5 | 21.75 | « | ||
| Chicago | NY Giants | -6 | 36.5 | 21.25 | ««« | ||
| Baltimore | LA Rams | 6 | 46.5 | 20.25 | |||
| Washington | Philadelphia | 4.5 | 44.5 | 20 | |||
| Denver | LA Chargers | 7.5 | 45.5 | 19 | |||
| Pittsburgh | Cleveland | 3.5 | 41.5 | 19 | |||
| Miami | Tennessee | 3 | 40.5 | 18.75 | |||
| Las Vegas | Indianapolis | 8 | 45 | 18.5 | |||
| Detroit | Seattle | 7.5 | 41.5 | 17 | |||
| NY Jets | Tampa Bay | 13.5 | 45.5 | 16 | |||
| Houston | San Francisco | 12.5 | 44 | 15.75 | |||
| Carolina | New Orleans | 6.5 | 37.5 | 15.5 | |||
| NY Giants | Chicago | 6 | 36.5 | 15.25 | |||
| Minnesota | Green Bay | 13 | 42.5 | 14.75 | |||
| Atlanta | Buffalo | 14.5 | 44 | 14.75 | |||
| Jacksonville | New England | 16.5 | 41.5 | 12.5 |
SUMMARY
3-STARS
- Quarterback: None
- Running Back: Devin Singletary (Bills), Ronald Jones II (Buccaneers), Damien Harris/Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), Elijah Mitchell/Jeff Wilson (49ers)
- Receivers: None
- Defense: Patriots, Bills, Packers, Bears, Saints, 49ers
2-STARS
- Quarterback: Josh Allen (Bills), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Mac Jones (Patriots), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Trey Lance (49ers)
- Running Back: Ezekiel Elliott/Tony Pollard (Cowboys), Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Austin Ekeler (Chargers)
- Receivers: Stefon Diggs/Cole Beasley/Emmanuel Sanders/Dawson Knox (Bills), Antonio Brown/Mike Evans/Tyler Johnson/Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers), Jakobi Meyers/Kendrick Bourne/Hunter Henry (Patriots), Amari Cooper/Michael Gallup/CeeDee Lamb/Dalton Schultz (Cowboys), Deebo Samuel/Brandon Aiyuk/George Kittle (49ers)
- Defense: Buccaneers, Seahawks
1-STAR
- Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes II (Chiefs), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Carson Wentz (Colts), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Matthew Stafford (Rams)
- Running Back: Darrel Williams (Chiefs), Aaron Jones/A.J. Dillon (Packers), Sony Michel (Rams)
- Receivers: Tyreek Hill/Byron Pringle/Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Davante Adams/Marquez Valdes-Scantling/Allen Lazard (Packers), Michael Pittman/T.Y. Hilton/Zach Pascal (Colts), Mike Williams/Keenan Allen/Stephen Anderson (Chargers), Cooper Kupp/Odell Beckham/Tyler Higbee (Rams)
- Defense: Colts, Titans, Browns, Chargers