This weekly article will focus on Fanduel.com cash games where being above-average is the phrase that pays. With tournaments and low-probability setups, a unique lineup and making bold decisions make for a quality entry. With cash games, the mantra shifts to ‘avoiding the suck’ as the annual David Dodds strategy article outlines. In a 100-player Double-Up game, finishing No.1 or No.45 pays the same. Cash games like this are the mutual funds of daily fantasy games: grind week by week and end the season with a hearty profit, minimizing the risk of losing a bankroll along the way. At a minimum, playing cash games round out a high-variance daily player’s portfolio.
Here are some general player selection guidelines:
HIGH-OWNERSHIP PLAYERS
In the first half of the 2014 NFL season, ownership data was available on FanDuel when Thursday Night Football lineups locked. Now, that is not the case. Fortunately, the high-ownership players aligned with the value plays according to my projection system quite often. Playing highly owned commodities in head-to-head, Double-ups, and 50/50s insulates the scoring floor in relation to other teams to surpass the money line. The ownership data provided below is from various rosters submitted to large 50-50 and Double-Up games at FanDuel prior to Thursday Night Football's lock. Not all players were submitted to gauge ownership, but all of the best values for the week were involved.
HIGH-VOLUME PLAYERS
A rogue long touchdown or goal line carry can propel a tournament player to victory on Monday Night Football, going from a donated entry fee to a big pay day. In the cash games arena, an insulated floor of expected targets, carries, and passes keeps daily players in the hunt by Sunday and Monday night. While the top overall score in the group is unlikely, being above the cash out line is a positive expected value scenario.
BEST MATCHUPS
In addition to high-ownership and high-volume opportunities, the best cash game plays center around the ideal matchups of the week. That is a two-fold proposition as the Vegas lines (point spread and over/under) give an indication of likely game flow and fantasy points allowed can turn typical middling options into top value plays. When combining high-ownership, high-volume, and positive matchups, the optimal plays for the week reveal themselves.
LAST WEEK'S LINEUPS
BY THE OWNERSHIP NUMBERS
- Derek Anderson
- LeVeon Bell
- Justin Forsett
- Antonio Brown
- Odell Beckham Jr/strong>
- Marquess Wilson
- Martellus Bennett
- Cairo Santos
- Chiefs
This roster was a beast with 144.1 points. Justin Forsett was the only bust at just 5.2 points despite the great matchup. Doubling up on the Chiefs kicker and defense was a solid move with 24 points on 9400 in salary between them. The cash line was around 119 points this week, which makes this easily one of the best ownership lineups of the season.
BY THE EFFICIENCY MODEL
- Derek Anderson
- LeVeon Bell
- DeMarco Murray
- Odell Beckham Jr/strong>
- Kenny Stills
- Marquess Wilson
- Martellus Bennett
- Justin Tucker
- Baltimore Ravens
QUARTERBACKS
- 23% - Drew Brees, 9100
- 15% - Mark Sanchez, 7500 *Optimal Matchup*
- 12% - Robert Griffin III III, 6900
- 12% - Matthew Stafford, 8200
RUNNING BACKS
- 28% - LeVeon Bell, 9700
- 28% - C.J. Anderson, 7800
- 19% - Fred Jackson, 6700 *Optimal Matchup*
- 19% - Tre Mason, 6500
- 16% - Joique Bell, 7300
- 8% - Lamar Miller, 6300
WIDE RECEIVERS
- 38% - Kenny Stills, 6100
- 24% - Malcom Floyd, 5400
- 23% - Calvin Johnson, 9200
- 17% - Dez Bryant, 8600
- 16% - Jordy Nelson, 8800
- 15% - Odell Beckham Jr 9000
- 14% - Antonio Brown, 8900
- 12% - Jeremy Maclin, 8000 *Optimal Matchup*
- 12% - Vincent Jackson, 6700
- 11% - Golden Tate, 7400
- 11% - Marques Colston, 6100
TIGHT ENDS
- 31% - Travis Kelce, 5600 *Optimal Matchup*
- 28% - Rob Gronkowski, 7800 *Optimal Matchup*
- 6% - Greg Olsen, 6900
KICKERS
- 28% - Shayne Graham, 4700
- 20% - Mason Crosby, 4900
- 13% - Matt Bryant, 4800
- 10% - Connor Barth, 5000
DEFENSES
- 32% - Bills, 5100
- 14% - Lions, 5200
- 14% - Seahawks, 5500
- 9% - Dolphins, 4800
TOP ROSTER: BY THE OWNERSHIP NUMBERS
- Drew Brees
- C.J. Anderson
- Fred Jackson
- Calvin Johnson
- Kenny Stills
- Malcom Floyd
- Travis Kelce
- Shayne Graham
- Bills
Total Salary: 59700
Avg. Ownership: 27.3%
Alternate ROSTER: OWNERSHIP
- Robert Griffin III III
- C.J. Anderson
- LeVeon Bell
- Dez Bryant
- Kenny Stills
- Malcom Floyd
- Travis Kelce
- Shayne Graham
- Bills
Total Salary: 59700
Avg. Ownership: 26.4%
TOP ROSTER: BY THE EFFICIENCY MODEL
- Robert Griffin III III
- LeVeon Bell
- Joique Bell
- Calvin Johnson
- Kenny Stills
- Malcom Floyd
- Travis Kelce
- Shayne Graham
- Bills
Total Salary: 60000
alternate ROSTER: EFFICIENCY MODEL
- Robert Griffin III III
- C.J. Anderson
- Joique Bell
- Antonio Brown
- Kenny Stills
- Malcom Floyd
- Rob Gronkowski
- Shayne Graham
- Bills
Total Salary: 60000
Sunday-monday Only roster
- Matthew Stafford
- C.J. Anderson
- LeVeon Bell
- Kenny Stills
- Marques Colston
- Vincent Jackson
- Travis Kelce
- Shayne Graham
- Bills
Total Salary: 60000
Dwindling the player pool lowers the efficiency with a cheap Robert Griffin III III and Malcom Floyd out of the mix. Subbing in Fred Jackson to this lineup allows for another strong receiver or boosting Kelce up to Gronkowski as a variation.