FanDuel Locks and Values
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By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Posted Dec. 31, 2017.
Of course, “Locks” is a relative term, and in this case, means that these plays are locks for my FanDuel cash teams this week. These are plays I feel would be big disappointments if they didn’t pan out, whereas “Values” are plays that are riskier, but the price of the player makes the risk not as impactful due to the savings you get to upgrade to more consistent players, like the ones you’ll find in the “Locks” section!
Locks
Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions
In his seven home games this season, Stafford has 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions, while the Packers have allowed 17 passing touchdowns to six interceptions in their seven games on the road. Green Bay has been especially bad of late, surrendering 14 touchdown passes in their past six games. Stafford already threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay and now gets to finish the season on a probable high-note in the heated dome.
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 49ers
The Rams will rest Aaron Donald this week and likely other top defensive players, but we know Donald is out for sure and that is a big plus for Garoppolo, who doesn’t need Donald in his face all game. And unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have seen how well Garoppolo has been playing, with the pinnacle of his short season coming last week when he took his talent deficient team into Jacksonville and finished as QB4 in fantasy and produced the most fantasy points the Jaguars have allowed to a quarterback all season.
Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
Both Alvin Kamara and Ingram are strong plays, as the Saints need this win to assure themselves a home-dome game. Ingram is slightly cheaper and continues to find the end zone with eight touchdowns in his past seven games and with a five-point spread, I like him to see good work with a lead late in the game.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers
McCaffrey gets the Falcons, who have allowed the most receptions to running backs in the past two years. McCaffrey has the eighth-most fantasy points for running backs this season in PPR leagues and put up 20 fantasy points against the Falcons in Week 9. Cam Newton’s receiving targets haven’t been exactly setting the world on fire and this game is meaningful to both teams for the playoffs, so I expect Newton to target McCaffrey early and often.
Marvin Jones, WR, Lions
Jones has destroyed the Packers in their last three meetings for a combined 18 receptions for 388 yards and four touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who won’t be with the team next season, doesn’t seem likely to figure out a way to stop Jones this week.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Redskins
Crowder gets a great matchup against the Giants, who are without safety Landon Collins, their best defensive back. The Giants have been killed by slot players of late, including Crowder himself, who put up a 7/141/1 line in Week 12 when they last met.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
Gronkowski continues to dominate and is the Patriots best fantasy player and it doesn’t appear like Bill Belichick is going to let off the gas this week. Gronk also owns the Jets, with 21 receptions for 277 yards and three touchdowns in his last three games against them.
Value Plays
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Colts
Brissett gets a Texans team that he threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns against in Houston in Week 9. He is, of course, just a GPP play, but he does have good upside, with four rushing touchdowns on the season and a strong matchup against a team that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Browns
Crowell has been playing and gets a Steeler defense that has been torched by Jamaal Williams, Gio Bernard, Alex Collins, Javorius Allen, Dion Lewis, and Alfred Blue on the ground since Ryan Shazier was injured.
Malcolm Brown, RB, Rams
Brown will get the bulk of the work this week with Todd Gurley out, and even though the 49ers have played better run defense of late, they still can be beaten. At the minimum of $4,500, Brown can help you get some of the top players.
Roger Lewis, WR, Giants
With Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Tavarres King out against Washington, Lewis should lead the team in targets in a game where the Giants will likely be trailing and needing to pass to stay close. Eli Manning was dreadful last week, but sheer volume should help Lewis give us value.
Kenny Golladay, WR, Lions
With T.J. Jones done for the year, Golladay played on the majority of the snaps and saw eight targets against the Bengals last week. He caught four for just 28 yards, but he gets a much easier matchup this week against the Packers at home, and I could see Stafford highlighting Golladay’s talent to finish off the season.
Charles Clay, TE, Bills
Xavien Howard has been playing well, shutting down Brandin Cooks, Demaryius Thomas and Kelvin Benjamin over the Dolphins last three games, so I expect Benjamin to have trouble in Miami. That should also help funnel targets toward Clay, who gets a strong matchup, as the Dolphins have allowed the third-most fantasy points to the position.
Some other plays I like in no particular order: Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, Kirk Cousins, LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, Kenyan Drake, C.J. Anderson, Alex Collins, Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Doug Baldwin, Marquise Goodwin, T.Y. Hilton, Tyrell Williams, Delanie Walker, Antonio Gates, Eric Ebron, Jack Doyle.
More 2017 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/6 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 8/28 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 8/18 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 8/18 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/12 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/12 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/12 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/31 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB, PPR - 8/25 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/24 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/17 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/10 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/3 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 7/27 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/26 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/20 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/14 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 7/13 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football PPR Rankings - 8/16 (Chet)
2017 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Articles:
2017 Fantasy Football Stock Report: OTAs, Training Camp - 9/6 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/2 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Busts - 9/2 (Walt)
2017 NFL Preseason Game Recaps - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Preseason - 9/1 (Walt)
2017 Fantasy Football: Running Backs with the Most Carries - 1/31 (Walt)
NFL Picks - Dec. 13
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
