Welcome to Week 3 of the FanDuel Salary Cap Guide. In this guide, Jeff Haseley and I will put together the best FanDuel lineups we can craft by using FBG's projections and a metric of Dollars Spent per Fantasy Point. For a better introduction (or if you missed it), check out the Week 1 Version.
Please note that FanDuel did not have a salary for Jason Snelling as of Wednesday at midnight EST, so he is not included in the spreadsheet or this article.
BUILDING THE OPTIMAL LINEUPS
$55k Salary Cap:
Jeff has come up with all of our lineups this week using David Dodds' projections. Here's what Jeff was able to do for the $55k format:
- QB: Blaine Gabbert ($5,000 salary / $382 spent per projected fantasy point)
- RB1: DeMarco Murray ($7,900 / $429)
- RB2: Bilal Powell ($4,700 / $322)
- WR1: DeSean Jackson ($7,300 / $456)
- WR2: Josh Gordon ($6,500 / $474)
- WR3: Eddie Royal ($4,800 / $414)
- TE: Jimmy Graham ($8,400 / $528)
- K: Sebastian Janikowski ($5,000 / $658)
- DEF: Bengals ($5,400 / $474)
The projected points number for this team is a staggering 122.3. The net dollars per point figure is a very efficient $439. Jeff did an amazing job here collecting a team that is both efficient and optimal. If you're not a believer in Blaine Gabbert (which has to be pretty much everyone reading this article not related to Jacksonville's quarterback), here's another option. This next team won't get you too much higher on projected points, but at least you might sleep better at night.
- QB: Blaine Gabbert ($5,000 / $382) Alex Smith ($6,800 / $389)
- RB1: DeMarco Murray ($7,900 / $429)
- RB2: Bilal Powell ($4,700 / $322)
- WR1: DeSean Jackson ($7,300 / $456)
- WR2: Josh Gordon ($6,500 / $474)
- WR3: Eddie Royal ($4,800 / $414)
- TE: Jimmy Graham ($8,400 / $528) Julius Thomas ($6,600 / $569)
- K: Sebastian Janikowski ($5,000 / $658)
- DEF: Bengals ($5,400 / $474)
As said above, the point total hasn't changed much (it increased by 0.1 points), but I feel much happier about this team that the Gabbert-led one.
$60k Salary Cap:
- QB: Tony Romo ($8,200 / $434)
- RB1: DeMarco Murray ($7,900 / $429)
- RB2: Bilal Powell ($4,700 / $322)
- WR1: DeSean Jackson ($7,300 / $456)
- WR2: Josh Gordon ($6,500 / $474)
- WR3: Antonio Brown ($6,500 / $489)
- TE: Jimmy Graham ($8,400 / $528)
- K: Sebastian Janikowski ($5,000 / $658)
- DEF: Bengals ($5,400 / $474)
This is a nice first pass. Our projected point total based on Dodds' projections is 129.8, and this team comes in at $451 per Fantasy Point. Let's see if we can make an improvement.
- QB: Tony Romo ($8,200 / $434) Peyton Manning ($9,900 / $438)
- RB1: DeMarco Murray ($7,900 / $429)
- RB2: Bilal Powell ($4,700 / $322)
- WR1: DeSean Jackson ($7,300 / $456)
- WR2: Josh Gordon ($6,500 / $474)
- WR3: Antonio Brown ($6,500 / $489) Eddie Royal ($4,800/ $414)
- TE: Jimmy Graham ($8,400 / $528)
- K: Sebastian Janikowski ($5,000 / $658)
- DEF: Bengals ($5,400 / $474)
This team looks fantastic. Coming in at 131.8 points, I'd feel extremely comfortable going with this squad. If you want to tweak your roster a little more to pair some big-money stars with some small-money could-be stars, check out what Jeff has for us below.
"SCRUB"-BING FOR VALUE
If you've ever done an auction draft, you've likely heard the phrase "stars and scrubs." For those unfamiliar, it's a strategy in which a team spends the majority of their money on high-dollar players and hopes to fill the rest of the roster with low-dollar "lottery ticket" types. This can be a viable strategy in FanDuel too. Let's see some of this week's low-dollar players who might compliment the "stars" on the roster.
Last week at quarterback, we gave you Alex Smith. He had a nice real-life game, but his lack of touchdowns didn't provide much fantasy value. This week, we're living on the edge. Matt Schaub ($6,700) can either be right on or backfire in a big way. It all depends on the way the game vs. Seattle unfolds. Only two quarterbacks have attempted more passes than Matt Schaub this season (Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin). I'm hoping Schaub has to bail his team out with his arm. If so, he's a very good buy at only $6,700.
Last week, our running back of choice was Giovani Bernard. He acquitted himself quite well for a guy with a $5,700 salary. This week, I would not be surprised to see Bill Belichick throw a wrench into the running game with Brandon Bolden ($4,500) seeing more carries than Stevan Ridley. Bolden is more versatile and can bounce out to field a pass as well as be a rushing threat. If he's truly occupying the Shane Vereen role, he should be involved in the offense quite often.
Last week at wide receiver, we had mixed results, selecting Eddie Royal and Nate Burleson. This week, we're going with another Lion in Ryan Broyles ($5,000). The loss of Nate Burleson means Broyles will see more action out of the slot. His involvement should increase dramatically and his cap number has not caught up to his potential yet.
Our other receiver pick is in what should be the highest-scoring game of the week - Philadelphia at Denver. The pick of Jason Avant ($4,800) has more to do with the matchup than the player, though Avant is an underrated receiver in the league. I expect this game at Denver to be filled with fantasy opportunities on both sides of the ball. Avant has been getting some good looks lately and could wind up with 5-6 catches in a game where Michael Vick is forced to keep pace with the Broncos high-powered offense.
In Week 3, we went with Week 2 breakout star Charles Clay. In Week 4, we're going with Week 3 "dud" Charles Clay ($4,600). Clay has at least six targets and four receptions in each game so far this season. I expect New Orleans to win the game, which means Miami will likely be playing from behind. As a result, they will have to pass to keep pace and/or catch up in the second half. It all points to more targets and involvement for Clay.
Last week, our pick of the Bills didn't win any leagues. This week, though Indianapolis ($5,000) is at Jacksonville and will be playing against a rusty Blaine Gabbert, who is coming off an injury to his throwing hand that required 15 stitches. In his first game of the year Gabbert passed for 121 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Indianapolis was able to thwart Colin Kaepernick, so they should be able to throttle Gabbert as well.
THE "D.I.Y." SECTION
Below, you'll find the spreadsheet with which you can customize your own team. Before downloading, here are a few notes and instructions to help make it work effectively:
- Upon opening, enable macros and data connections when prompted.
- If you're unable to sort by name, salary, projections, etc. on any of the positional pages, your macros are not enabled.
- Begin at the "Front Page" tab and follow the instructions listed in each section.
- Use the drop-downs on each respective position tab to select your players. You will NOT be able to type anything in any cells. This entire workbook is protected because it utilizes formulas, macros, and links. Any typing can ruin its functionality.
- If you don't see a player listed, it's because FanDuel didn't have a salary assigned to him as of Wednesday evening. You can't add these players, and even if you could, it wouldn't be helpful since they're not available on FanDuel anyway.
- The "Lineup Page" tab will only add up the salary figures when a full team of nine players is selected.
- You'll notice some "N/A" fields in the sheet this week, particularly on the RB tab. That is because one or both of our projectors did not project points for that player, likely due to questionable playing status.
- Enjoy!
Create Your Own FanDuel Lineup
For any questions on your weekly fantasy decisions, FanDuel teams, or anything else in the world of fantasy, follow and reach out to us on Twitter @JeffHaseley and @footballbrackts. For questions on the spreadsheet, please e-mail Ryan Hester at hester@footballguys.com. We had some very astute readers point out some mistakes in last week's spreadsheet. We appreciate those notes and encourage any feedback that can help us get this thing perfect.