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Week 13 DraftKings Plays: Zack Moss, Trey McBride, More

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Week 13 DraftKings Plays

It is so exciting to have real, live NFL football back in our lives. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings every week. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 13 DraftKings plays.

READ MORE: Week 13 Streamers

Week 13 DraftKings Plays

Week 12 Recap

It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do and that goes for fantasy football as well. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s good for the readers and helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.

Looking back at Week 12, it was better than Week 11 from a recommendations standpoint. This week only 64% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the quarterback group led the way tied at a 100% success rate. Meanwhile, the wide receiver group brought up the rear at a 37.5% success rate. Personally, it was not a profitable week this week. We’ll look to get it going even better with the picks and get back into the profits in the Week 13 DraftKings plays.

  • Week 12 – $657 → $257 ($400 LOSS)
  • Year Total – $4,968 → $4,034 ($934 LOSS)

Quarterbacks

Brock Purdy (SF) – $6,100 @ PHI

Brock Purdy has had a surprisingly phenomenal season. So much so that he’s entered the MVP conversation as a dark-horse candidate. Purdy has thrown 2,871 yards on the season to go along with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s also rushed for another 122 yards and two scores. All in all, Purdy is averaging 19.6 DraftKings points per game this season. Even still, his salary has remained very low for someone with that type of production.

This week he also gets a juicy matchup as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Both of these teams are two of the best in the league with two of the best offenses as well. The Eagles are much better at stopping the run as they’ve allowed the second-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks this year. This game has the second-highest combined total on the slate as well at 47.5 points. The 49ers also have a very nice implied team total of 25.25 points. Given the matchup and game environment, Purdy looks like one of the very best Week 13 DraftKings plays at quarterback.

Joe Flacco (CLE) – $4,600 @ LAR

Insert “What year is it?” GIF here. I never expected to be talking about Joe Flacco this season, given the fact that he wasn’t even on a roster to start the season, but here we are. Flacco was enjoying his time until a couple of weeks ago when the Cleveland Browns signed him to the practice squad in the wake of Deshaun Watson being out for the season. Since then Flacco moved up to second on the depth chart behind rookie starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who is now in the concussion protocol.

That elevates Flacco to become the starter despite being listed at a backup salary here. There are 15 quarterbacks this week that are the same price or more expensive than Flacco who won’t even play this week. The matchup against the Los Angeles Rams isn’t ideal but it’s not one to fear either. The Rams are middle-of-the-road in terms of DraftKings points allowed to quarterbacks this season. They do a better job stopping opposing running backs than they do quarterbacks. This game is also being played in a dome with the Browns being 3.5-point underdogs. Both of those are boosts for Flacco and the Browns passing game.

Others to Consider: Gardner Minshew II (IND) – $5,300 @ TEN, Russell Wilson (DEN) – $5,700 @ HOU, Baker Mayfield (TB) – $5,500 v CAR

Running Backs

Rachaad White (TB) – $6,300 v CAR

After a bit of a rough start to the season, Rachaad White has been awesome for fantasy for a while now. He scored single-digit DraftKings points in three of his first five games and only scored more than 10.8 DraftKings points just once in those five games. Since then though it’s been a full 180. White has scored at least 15.9 DraftKings points in six straight games now and seems to have one of the highest floors among any running back in the NFL. His involvement in the passing game is elite as well. Only Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara have more receptions this season.

The schedule is also starting to ease up for White as well. This week he gets a juicy matchup as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have allowed the third-most DraftKings points to running backs this year. The game script should also be in White’s favor as the Buccaneers are 5.5-point favorites. With elite usage and an elite matchup, White should be able to keep his streak of good games alive.

Zack Moss (IND) – $4,600 @ TEN

He’s back! He also brings an amazing price tag with him. We’re talking about the one and only, Zack Moss. It’s unfortunate whenever injuries strike and that’s what happened with Jonathan Taylor, who underwent thumb surgery and is out 2-3 weeks. The silver lining is that Zack Moss now becomes a must-start fantasy running back. Earlier this year, Moss got a chance to be the workhorse running back for the Indianapolis Colts and produced in a big way.

During a four-game span in which he had elite usage, Moss scored at least 20 DraftKings points in three of those games. That included a 36.5-point performance against these same Tennessee Titans. The Titans are usually fairly stingy against running backs but that didn’t matter last time. This offensive scheme is simply very running back-friendly. Ultimately, even if the matchup was the toughest in the NFL, this price tag is simply far too cheap for a running back with elite usage. That makes Moss easily one of the best Week 13 DraftKings plays at any position.

Others to Consider: Kyren Williams (LAR) – $7,200 v CLE, Javonte Williams (DEN) – $5,700 @ HOU, Jaylen Warren (PIT) – $5,400 v ARI, Christian McCaffrey (SF) – $9,000 @ PHI, Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – $6,000 v LAC

Wide Receivers

Tyreek Hill (MIA) – $9,600 @ WAS

The best wide receiver in the NFL right now taking on the worst secondary in the NFL? Sign me up for that every day of the week. Any week is a good week to play Tyreek Hill but this one is especially good. The Washington Commanders have been getting torched all season by wide receivers and this week they have to try to take on the scorching hot Hill. The Commanders have allowed the second-most DraftKings points to wide receivers this season and it would be the most if teams weren’t already ahead and taking their foot off the gas.

Hill is averaging 27.5 DraftKings points per game this season. That’s the best mark in the NFL at any position. He already has 88 receptions for 1,324 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those would be great numbers for an entire season but Hill still has another six games to add to those totals. This game has the highest combined total on the slate at 49.5 points and the Miami Dolphins’ 29.5-point implied team total is also the highest on the slate. Everything is pointing towards another monster performance for Hill which makes him one of the best Week 13 DraftKings plays at wide receiver despite the expensive price tag.

Greg Dortch (ARI) – $3,700 @ PIT

Greg Dortch entered the season buried on the Arizona Cardinals depth chart. Just like he seems to do every year though, he finds himself higher in the pecking order as the season goes on. After accumulating only one catch on one target for the entire season, Dortch has now caught nine of his 17 targets for 103 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks. Michael Wilson was out for both of those games but he’s put again this week with a shoulder injury.

The Cardinals have wanted Rondale Moore to be a thing for years now but it’s been Dortch who has produced more often when given chances compared to Moore. The matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers is not one to fear either. The Steelers allow the 14th-most DraftKings points to wide receivers this year. The Cardinals are also 6.5-point underdogs so the projected game script should be in Dortch’s favor to see nice target volume once again. At this cheap a price and seeing nice target volume, Dortch is a great salary-saving option at wide receiver this week.

Others to Consider: Diontae Johnson (PIT) – $5,000 v ARI, Josh Downs (IND) –  $5,100 @ TEN, Elijah Moore (CLE) – $3,500 @ LAR, DeVante Parker (NE) – $3,300 v LAC, A.T. Perry (NO) – $3,300 v DET, Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) – $7,100 @ TEN

Tight Ends

Trey McBride (ARI) – $4,900 @ PIT

Until Trey McBride’s salary jumps up, he’s going to continue to be one of the best plays at tight end every single week. He didn’t have a monster game last week but still had 13 DraftKings points last week after catching seven of his nine targets for 60 yards. That marks the third straight week McBride has seen at least seven targets and fourth time in the last five games. All the underlying metrics and usage back up the production as well. Zach Ertz was also just granted his release from the team so it’s the McBride show from here on out. He should be priced around $6,000 every week at this point so take advantage now while you still can.

This week’s matchup against the Steelers is a solid one. They are not a great matchup but they are not one to be afraid of either. As previously mentioned, the Cardinals are projected to be trailing and throwing more often which should be to the benefit of McBride. Ultimately, McBride is being used like a top-three tight end right now and not priced like it. That makes him one of the best Week 13 DraftKings plays at the position.

David Njoku (CLE) – $4,100 @ LAR

David Njoku has been the Rachaad White of tight ends in 2023. He also has a rough start to the season but has turned it around in a big way. Njoku scored single-digit DraftKings points in four of his first five games. He’s now scored double-digit DraftKings points in six straight games. Just two weeks ago Njoku saw a season-high 15 targets. This past week he saw nine targets and has now seen nine targets in three straight games.

Joe Flacco is now likely to start so the dynamic may change but Njoku is a playmaker that the Browns want to feature as he’s a mismatch nightmare. This week he gets a great matchup against the Rams. As previously mentioned, the Rams stop the run much better than the pass. In addition to that, they are much stronger against the perimeter than they are over the middle. It makes sense as the Rams have allowed the eighth-most DraftKings points to tight ends this season. That should play perfectly for Njoku. Surprisingly, he isn’t more expensive given the elite usage he’s seen over the last six games. Njoku is a great play, especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint.

Others to Consider: Juwan Johnson (NO) – $3,400 v DET, Cade Otton (TB) – $3,200 v CAR, Logan Thomas (WAS) – $3,600 v MIA

Defense/Special Teams

In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I aim to target the heavily favored teams as they usually play with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often, which can help lead to extra sacks, turnovers, and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. I advise filling out the rest of your lineup first and then picking your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.

My Tentative Cash Game Lineup

  • QB – Brock Purdy
  • RB – Zack Moss
  • RB – Rachaad White
  • WR – Tyreek Hill
  • WR – Elijah Moore
  • WR – DeVante Parker
  • TE – David Njoku
  • Flex – Christian McCaffrey
  • DST – Atlanta Falcons

Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 13 DraftKings plays and the best picks for Week 14. Best of luck to everyone and let’s enjoy some football and win some money!

Main Photo: Jenna Watson – USA Today Sports

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