The 2022 NCAA Men’s Tournament is down to the Final Four – One of my favorite events on the entire sports calendar. We get some very familiar names – Duke (#2), North Carolina (#8), Villanova (#2), and Kansas (#1). These four programs have combined for an impressive 17 national championships. The storylines are too juicy to break down here, as our only focus is to give our best Final Four betting picks for the two games that will decide who is to compete in this year’s Championship game. Let’s get to our 2022 NCAA Men’s Final 4 betting picks.
KANSAS VS. VILLANOVA
Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 6:09pm EDT
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET | TBS
Spread: Kansas -4.5
Moneyline: Kansas (-191) | Villanova (+166)
Over/Under: 134.0
These two teams know each other well, having met four times in the past five seasons, with Nova winning three of those contests, including a Wildcats win over Kansas in the Final Four in 2018.
Villanova’s celebration after defeating Houston on Saturday to reach the Final Four was tempered by an injury suffered by Guard Justin Moore with just under a minute to play in the game. Moore limped off in what turned out to be a season-ending Achilles injury for the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer. Villanova, in the tournament, has also featured a lineup that only went six deep; thus, coach Jay Wright will need to adjust his lineup and bench usage for this matchup against Kansas.
Senior guard Colin Gillespie leads Nova with 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Forward Jermaine Samuel contributes 11.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per contest. Guard Caleb Daniels adds 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.
These teams play at completely different paces. The Jayhawks push the ball averaging 78.3 PPG, while Nova plays at a slower pace averaging 71.9 PPG. But don’t be fooled by the difference in scoring. Nova runs a calculated offense that limits their turnovers, only 9.9 per game as opposed to the Jayhawks, who average 12.3 turnovers per contest.
The #1 seed Jayhawks forward Ochai Agbaji leads Kansas averaging 18.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. At the same time, forward Christian Braun adds 14.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Sophomore forward Jalen Wilson chips in 11.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game to round out the Jayhawk’s primary offensive options.
With Justin Moore out for Nova, Kansas should be able to squeak out a win and advance to the championship game but expect a close one. Once the line moved up from 4.0 to 4.5, I jumped on Nova.
Pick: Villanova +4.5
DUKE (2) VS. UNC (8)
Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 8:59pm EDT
Time: 8:49 p.m. ET | TBS
Spread: Duke -4.0
Moneyline: Duke (-190) | UNC (+165)
Over/Under: 151.5
We all know by now that this is the first meeting between these two bitter rivals in March Madness. We also know this is potentially Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last career game. Wait, I said no juicy storylines. Oh well, this was just too good to pass up. Ok, back to the capping.
These teams split a pair of regular-season meetings, each winning by double digits on the road. So who holds the edge, and how should we bet this game?
First, let’s look at the Blue Devils. Duke is the eighth-highest scoring offense in college basketball at 80.1 points per game on strong shooting splits of 56.3% from two and 37% from beyond the arc. Defensively, Duke is still well above average, ranking 64th in the country allowing 67.4 PPG.
Forward Paolo Banchero is projected to be a top pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Banchero has impressed all season, averaging 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, garnering second-team All-American honors. In addition, forward Wendell Moore Jr. contributed 13.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while center Mark Williams was good for 11.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.
Duke has won three of their four tournament games by at least nine points.
As for UNC, The Tar Heels are 28th nationally in scoring offense at 78.1 points per game on shooting splits of 50.8% from two and 36.1% from beyond the arc. Defensively, UNC surrenders 71.1 points per game allowed, with opponents shooting 47.5% from two and 34% from beyond the arc.
Forward Armando Bacot led the Tar Heels with 16.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game on 58.6% shooting from the field. Guard Caleb Love adds 15.7 points and 3.7 assists per game, while forward Brady Manek is good for 15.2 PPG.
Even though North Carolina has covered the spread in all four NCAA Tournament games and has put together an inspiring Cinderella run, I feel the Tar Heels’ season is about to end against the rival Blue Devils.
Last week our picks went 3-3, not bad, but certainly not great. However, thanks to the 49ers’ upset win, we did finish + ROI. So let’s keep the cash flow going in this week’s NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Preview and Betting Predictions.
Green Bay and Tennessee will have the benefit of a week’s rest. Last week, Joe Burrow and Matt Stafford picked up their first playoff career wins. The Niners advanced thanks to an upset thriller in Big D, and The G.O.A.T. did what he has done throughout his career, and that was to notch another playoff win. Now to get you prepared for the week ahead, here are our best bets and picks for the Divisional Round.
The Titans are the No. 1 seed in the conference and well-rested coming off a first-round bye. Last week, the Bengals dispatched the Raiders 26-19 in the wildcard round.
In his first career playoff game, Joe Burrow looked like a poised veteran, completing 24 of 34 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns. So much has been made of the Cinicannit offense lately – as it should be. Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Joe Mixon are currently playing at an all-pro level. But I believe this game comes down to line play on both sides. Cincinnati will be without DT Larry Ogunjobi (foot), who ranks third on the team in sacks (7) and is an effective run-stopper. That bodes well for the Tennesse run game, which should havestud RB Derrick Henry back in the lineup for the first time after suffering a foot injury in October. Titans coach Mike Vrabel has been somewhat cryptic about Henry’s availability, but Henry continues to practice this week, so stay tuned.
Thankfully for the Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, who leads the team in sacks (14), is out of concussion protocol. Nonetheless, I believe the Titans’ defensive line will have a massive performance against the lackluster offensive line of the Bengals that surrendered the 3rd most sacks in the league. In addition to a line advantage, the Titans finished the regular season as the sixth-best defense in the league based on points allowed.
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill had another consistent year tossing for 3734 yards, 21 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Furthermore, the veteran QB added 7 rushing touchdowns on a career-high 55 rushing attempts. Wideouts Julio Jones and A.J. Brown only combined for 1300 receiving yards this season, yet they will be ready to go Saturday despite the injuries both suffered this season. A well-rested Titans team, along with the return of King Henry, makes me feel Cincinnati is not leaving here with a W.
These two teams met way back in week 3 of the season, and it was a thriller. Aaron Rodgers led the Packers on a game-winning drive, which ended in a Mason Crosby field goal with no time remaining. However, that was the regular season. However, Aaron Rodgers is currently 0-3 against the 49ers in the postseason with exits in 2013, 2014, 2020.
Speaking of those 49ers, I believe the key will be the status of DE Nick Bosa (concussion) and LB Fred Warner (ankle), who left early in the first round of the playoffs due to injury. If those two guys are healthy and can play, the 49ers’ chances of containing Rodgers increase, therefore their chance of winning. QB Jimmy Garoppolo will again play through a shoulder sprain and a torn thumb ligament in his throwing hand. Garoppolo was effective enough against Dallas last week, tossing 16 completions for 172 yards and 1 INT. The game plan is clear for Coach Kyle Shannahan – get the ball to the dynamic WR/RB Deebo Samuel and reliable TE George Kittle while pounding the run with Elijah Mitchell.
First off, it’s Aaron Rodgers, along with Aaron Jones, Davante Adams, and now a healthy WR Randall Cobb (Core) will be at home in the playoffs, rested with a temperature expected in the single digits. Secondly, The Packers are an impressive 6-1 A.T.S. as home favorites over their last seven at Lambeau. Lastly, I believe Rodgers finally gets the 49ers playoff monkey off his back.
Another matchup of teams who have already met this season. The Rams handled the Bucs 34-24 back in week 3. Bucs QB Tom Brady was 41 for 55 with a whopping 432 passing yards and 1 touchdown. Not to be outdone, Rams QB Matthew Stafford collected 343 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. Should we expect 700+ passing yards combined again? I doubt it, but you never know. Let’s start with the Rams. WR Odell Beckham Jr. has caught six touchdowns in nine games since joining Los Angeles. Cooper Kupp leads the league in every receiving category that really matters. LB Von Miller (6 sacks in the last 6 games) and the formidable DT Aaron Donald are pass-rushing nightmares for quarterbacks. The Rams are also 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games in Tampa Bay.
No doubt the Rams deserve to be here, but the defending champion Buccaneers have QB Tom Brady, whose playoff experience far exceeds Matthew Stafford’s. The Bucs did take two big hits to its offensive line last week in their 31-15 wildcard win over the Philadelphia Eagles with injuries to Tristan Wirfs (ankle) and Ryan Jensen (back), both questionable to play. If they don’t play, expect added pressure on Brady. If Leonard Fournette (hamstring) does not go, running backs Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Giovanni Bernard should split carries with Bernard seeing the passing down work. Even without wide receivers Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin, Brady still has plenty of weapons, including old pal TE Rob Gronkowski, who I believe is guaranteed 8-12 targets in this game. Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and his exotic blitz packages should pressure Stafford, who threw 17 interceptions in the regular season, tied for the league lead.
These teams met back in week 5, with the Bills routing the Chiefs 38-20. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes combined for 587 passing yards and 5 passing touchdowns.
We all know how explosive the Kansas City offense can be, but the Chiefs are playing much better defensively than they did earlier in the season. In their first 7 games, the Chiefs defense gave up an average of 29 points per game. However, over their last 8, they only allowed 12 PPG. Coach Andy Reid has got his team in peak performance at the right time.
Surely the Chiefs’ defense will need to come to play against a Bills’ high-powered offense. Buffalo appears to have caught fire at the right time, winners of 5 straight, and will look to avenge last seasons 38-24 defeat at the hands of these Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. Josh Allen has utilized receivers Stefon Diggs (1225 receiving yards), Cole Beasley (82 receptions), and TE Dawson Knox (9 TD) with efficiency all season. But it’s the running game with Devin Singletary, who has averaged 93 yards on the ground over his last 3 games, that makes this offense well balanced and intimidating to opposing defenses. Moreover, Allen also contributed 122 rushing attempts for 6 rushing touchdowns. This will be a great game and one I think will go back and forth offensively.
I firmly believe the winner of this game will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
The 2021 NFL season will be a third way through after week 6. Fortunately, as the bye weeks begin, we still have some superb betting options that hopefully make all of us some money:
The MNF matchup in week 6 between the high octane Buffalo Bills offense traveling to face the Tennessee Titans and MVP candidate Derrick Henry.
Now, let’s take a look at our top 3 betting Predictions for week 6 of the 2021 NFL season.
Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns (-2.5, 51.5 o/u)
Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
Former No.1 overall picks out of Oklahoma Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray face off on Sunday for the first time in their careers. Mayfield only has 4 passing TDs this season, well behind league leader Tom Bardy with 17. Cleveland will have the services of WR Jarvis Landry, who returns from IR.
Kyler Murray is a top MVP candidate leading Arizona to a 5-0 record to start the season. There is some concern about Murray and his injured shoulder but he was a full participant in Friday’s practice, which is good news for Cards fans. Even so, the banged-up Cleveland defense will need to play exceptional to contain the Cardinals’ wideouts DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, A.J. Green, and Rondale Moore. Arizona is playing as good as anyone in the league, plus the injuries to Cleveland RB Nick Chubb (calf), who won’t play Sunday, is too inviting to ignore. I’ll gladly go with Arizona as a small road dog.
Pick: Arizona Cardinals Money Line +150
Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers (-5, 42.5 o/u)
Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The Seahawks travel to a Hines Field in Pittsburgh with Geno Smith as their starting quarterback due to a finger injury to Russell Wilson. The Steelers rookie RB Najee Harris secured his first 100+ yard rushing game last week and looks to take advantage of Seattles’ rushing defense that currently ranks 3rd worst in the league.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a 253-yard, two-touchdown outing in Pittsburgh’s Week 5 win over Denver. Pittsburgh will be without WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last week. However, Pittsburgh is still at home against a backup QB. There is no way I ignore this betting gift. Take Pittsburgh and the points.
Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers – 5
Buffalo Bills (-5.5, 53.5 o/u) at Tennessee Titans
Monday 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Bills had an emotional win last week in Kansas City and will take their league-leading 34.4 points per game into Tennessee against a Titans’ team that is averaging a respectful 26.4 points per game. In the last four weeks, the Buffalo Bills have outscored their opponents 156-41. Impressive. Besides having the best offense in the league, Buffalo also sports the 2nd ranked passing defense and 3rd ranked defense against the run. If Buffalo can keep Derrick Henry in check, they should secure another W in week 6 .
Pick: Buffalo Bills -5.5
We will gladly put our money on these NFL Predictions for Week 6 of the 2021 season. Good Luck and enjoy the games!
The Wimbledon Men’s Singles finals are set: Novak Djokovic is a 5-time Wimbledon champion looking to take the third step towards completing the Calendar Grand Slam and notching his 20 career grand slam title. For Matteo Berrettini, this will be his is a first-time as a grand slam finalist and the first-ever Italian to reach the finals at Wimbledon. Who has the edge and how should we bet this match? Let’s dig deeper in our 2021 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final: Analysis and Betting Prediction.
Berrettini vs. Djokovic
First, Let’s look at the head-to-head career numbers. Djokovic leads the career matchup 2-0, however, they have never met on grass. Berrettini is currently undefeated this season at 11-0 on grass. Djokovic is also undefeated at 6-0 on grass this season so something has to give.
Matteo Berrettini vs. Novak Djokovic Head-to-Head
Year
Round
Tournament
Surface
Winner
Score
2021
QF
French Open
Clay
Djokovic
6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5
2019
RR
World Tour Finals
Hard
Djokovic
6-2, 6-1
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic (34 years old) is currently ranked #1 in the world and sports a 32-3 record in 2021. Novak has cruised to the finals and is looking to go 3-for-3 in Grand Slam Finals matches in 2021. Djokovic won both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year and can claim his 20th career triumph at a major tournament with a victory over Berrettini. That would be a record-tying win for Djokovic, who is one Grand Slam title behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most in men’s singles history. Djokovic has faced only two seeded players (No. 10 Denis Shapovalov and No. 17 Cristian Garin) to this point, and Berrettini, the No. 7 seed, will be the highest-ranked player Djokovic will face at the event. Even though the veteran Djokovic has only dropped 1 set in this tournament he is not taking his opponent lightly.
“It’s finals, it’s really anybody’s game. He’s arguably the guy who has been in the best form on grass courts this year, winning Queen’s. He’s red hot. It’s going to be a great battle.”
Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini (25 years old) is currently ranked 9th in the world and comes in with a 26-6 record for 2021. He is also the first Italian to reach the Wimbledon finals. Berrettini has never made it past the semifinals at a major tournament. But when you are serving as well as Matteo is (leads the tournament in aces) and has only been broken five times in total, three of which came in his quarter-final clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime it is clear he deserves to be here. Even with an impressive tournament so far, he is not satisfied.
“Obviously, the job is not done yet,” Berrettini said. “I want to get the trophy now that I’m here.”
Berrettini has yet to beat a Top 10 player on his way to the final—which unfortunately means he hasn’t faced anyone remotely as prolific as Djokovic.
Prediction
I admire Berrettini and the tournament he has played. His serve has served (pun intended) him well. His forehand is a major weapon and I expect him to go deep in major tournaments moving forward. However, Djokovic is simply on another level and highly motivated to notch his 20th slam title. I believe Berrettini holds most of his serves but Novak will prevail in the end, so give me Over 38 Games -107.
Best of luck. Enjoy the match however you bet.
Let us know what you think of our2021 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final: Analysis and Betting Prediction.
The Buffalo Bills have now made the AFC playoffs for the third time in four years. The 2020 campaign ends with the Bills crowned the AFC East Champions. Buffalo kicks off their quest to raise the Lombardi Trophy on Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts at 1:05 PM EST. The line currently sits at Bills – 6.5 (51). There are a few things that all Champions seem to have in common. So what makes for a good Super Bowl contender? Is it strong defense, an offense that is clicking at the right time? A coach who has big-game experience? Maybe it’s having all your players healthy. No matter what the magic formula, the question we pose is “Are the Buffalo Bills a Super Bowl contender?”
High Powered Offense
Some day #BillsMafia will build a statue in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s honor. Not only has he been able to tailor an offense to QB Josh Allen’s strengths, but he also built a unit that ranks second, only behind the Green Bay Packers, in scoring (31.3 PTS/GM) this season. In fact, the Bills have not had a top-five scoring offense since 1992, when Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas orchestrated the K-Gun offense to four straight super bowls appearances.
Franchise QB in the making
Of course, Josh Allen has a lot left to prove. But I think it is safe to say that he is heading in the right direction. On the season, Allen ranks top five in passing yards (4,544). He also collected an impressive 46 total TDs (37 passing TD, 8 rushing TD, and 1 receiving TD). Allen has already broken single-season franchise records in passing yards (4,544), passing touchdowns (37), and 300-yard games in a season (8). More importantly he has increased his completion percentage to 69%, which ranks fourth-best in the league.
Wide Receiver Weapons
It feels weird to say, but the Buffalo Bills are a legit passing offense this season. Much of that can be attributed to the success of newly acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Seriously though, all he has done is lead the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) while amassing eight touchdowns. The last time the Bills had a wide receiver post similar numbers was in 2002 when Eric Moulds had 100 receptions for 1,292 yards and ten touchdowns.
Adding Diggs to the fold has also paid dividends for slot receiver Cole Beasley. Cole also set career highs in his second year with the Bills. Before leaving late in week 16 versus the New England Patriots due to a knee injury, Beasley was on pace for his first 1,000-yard season while snagging a career-high 82 receptions. Beasley is considered week to week with the injury. Nonetheless, the Bills signed bonafide slot receiver Kenny Stills as insurance.
John “Smoke” Brown is the number three receiver, which means absolutely nothing in this Bills offense as they find ways to utilize everyone in their offense (how many of you played Isaiah Mckenzie in DFS week 17?). Brown had injury issues this season, posting a 33-458-3 receiving line in only nine games played. However, he is still a guy who can take the top off any defense with an elite 4.34-second 40-yard dash. Lastly, rookie receiver Gabriel Davis has been a hidden gem for the Bills. He hauled in 35 passes for 599 yards and finished the season T2 amongst rookie wide receivers with seven touchdowns.
As discussed, gone are the days of pounding the rock and relying solely on a dominant defense for the Bills. Buffalo ranks in the top ten in passing percentage this season, after ranking in the bottom ten last year. Running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combined for 1,168 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2020. Although they were not asked to do much, they still averaged an admirable 4.4 yards per carry.
If they can open their running game up during the postseason, Buffalo could be the team in the AFC that can match up well with the Super Bowl favorites Kansas City Chiefs. Furthermore, with Josh Allen running around and Stefon Diggs “toying” with defensive backs, the Bills can put up points on anybody, as evidenced by the 56 points they put up against a good Miami Dolphins defense in week 17.
Opportunistic Defense
Typically, when your casual fan thinks of the Bills, they think of a team led by a dominant defense. Buffalo boasts a rather opportunistic defense, ranking 3rd in total turnovers (26) and 13th in sacks (38). This season they have allowed 23.4 PTS/GM, which ranks 16th in the league, after only allowing 16.2 PTS/GM last year, which was second-best in the league. Injuries at linebacker and cornerback are certainly a contributing factor but also inconsistent play from a newly formed interior defensive line has plagued Buffalo at times.
Playing Well at the Right Time
When defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson left via free agency, they brought 36% of Buffalo’s total sacks in 2019 with them. General Manager Brandon Beene elected to sign former Carolina Panthers Mario Addison and Vernon Butler while also bringing in former Seattle Seahawks Swiss army knife Quinton Jefferson. The stats may not be there, as the trio only accounted for 8 of 38 (21%) sacks this season. But before their week 17 game against the Dolphins, in which they rested most starters at halftime, the defense only allowed 20+ points in one game since week 11. Simply put, the Bills defense has taken its time, but it may begin gelling at the right time. Super Bowl contenders always play exceptional defense.
CB Tre’davious White is an elite shut down player who typically shadows opposing teams No.1 WR. LB Tremaine Edmunds is a tackling machine and Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer have formed one of the NFL’s elite safety tandems. But one player, in particular, is vital to the defense’s success, linebacker Matt Milano. Milano missed close to half the season due to pectoral and hamstring injuries. But when he has been on the field, he is one of the best coverage linebackers in the league. In only ten games played this season, he allowed the 11th fewest yards per completion (7.2) amongst ALL defensive players. Fortunately, Milano played 88% of the snaps in week 16 and 49% last week. Milano is heading into the playoffs with a clean bill of health, which makes this Bills defense dangerous.
Wild Card Preview: Indianapolis Colts
The Bills will be hosting the Indianapolis Colts in their first home playoff game since 1996. This game features two of the NFL’s top-scoring offenses thus Vegas currently has the total set at 51. The second-highest of this weekend’s games. Keep a close eye on Buffalo WR Cole Beasley who has been dealing with a knee injury.
With the Colts defense running much more zone this year, having Beasley available for the Bills is paramount, as he is a master in finding the soft spots in the zone. Colts LT Anthony Castonzo, who has been battling knee/ankle injuries all season will not play this week. His spot will be manned by veteran LT Jared Veldheer. Jared just came out of retirement and saw his first game action of the season last week. Veldheer held his own, albeit against a Jacksonville defense that is second-worst in yards (418) and points (31) allowed per game this season.
So, Are the Buffalo Bills a Super Bowl contender?
If the Bills can shut down rookie RB Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for a sensational 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, as well as force QB Phillip Rivers to beat them through the air, they should come out with the win and solidify their status as a Super Bowl contender.
Wager
If QB Josh Allen continues to fire on all cylinders I feel comfortable taking the Bills -6.5 to start their Super Bowl title run and solidify them the Buffalo Bills as Super Bowl contenders.
Let us know what you think about the article Are the Buffalo Bills a Super Bowl contender?
The NFL has made it clear it was determined to finish the season regardless of Covid-19. We are now days away from completing a season that at times seemed in doubt. The number of NFL coronavirus updates over the season has been at times overwhelming to process as DFS players and Sports Bettors. I believe we owe thanks to the league for bringing football to us during a difficult time. We also want to thank all our loyal readers who stuck with us through great weeks and some weeks that were forgettable. We now look forward to the playoffs and continuing to offer our analysis in DraftKings but now we bring you our DraftKings NFL Week 17 Picks.
The Tennessee Titans can clinch the AFC South title with a win over the Texans or if the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. While the Titans rely heavily on their running game, the Texans unfortunately have been plagued by inconsistencies throughout 2020. Unquestionably both these defenses are quite inefficient. Both squads rank near the bottom of the league in points allowed per game and total yards allowed per game. As both teams head in opposite directions this game represents the perfect example of the conundrum that is in making DraftKings NFL Week 17 Picks. However, with a 56.5-point game total and the Titans in a must-win game, Tennessee is my favorite stack this week on DraftKings.
We all know Derrick Henry is the star of this offense. Therefore, I simply elect to use the good old QB-RB stack this week. In particular, I want exposure to ALL the Titans points scored in week 17. Therefore what better way then playing both Ryan Tannehill and his stud running back. As I mentioned before, the Texan’s defense has been abysmal on all fronts. Houston has allowed a whopping 32.3 DKFP to opposing backfields this season. No surprise that is the worst in the league. Furthermore, they surrender a hefty 19.4 DKFP/GM to opposing quarterbacks as well. See why I love this stack?
First off, Derrick Henry leads the league with 1,777 rushing yards. Henry needs only needs 223 yards to become the eighth member of the 2,000-yards in a season club. Secondly, there is no doubt that Henry will be the offensive focus for Tennessee this week. The DraftKings price is high on him, but when is it not? Henry averages an impressive 21.7 DKFP/GM. Lastly, he has rushed for 100+ yards in nine games and has over 200 yards in 2 games this season. No need to overthink this, use Henry in your GPP and Cash lineups this week.
Ryan Tannehill is the wild card here as I fully expect the Titans to run Derrick Henry into the ground. If the Texans can put up some points (more on that below), both Tannehill and Henry can easily hit value. On the season, Tannehill has thrown for 3,601 yards with 32 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions, resulting in 22.2 DKFP/GM. However, what stands out most is his sneaky rushing upside. Tannehill ranks 13th in rushing yards (228) and tied for 6th in rushing touchdowns (5) amongst quarterbacks this season.
Fun Fact
In their first meeting versus the Texans this year both Tannehill and Henry had monster games. Henry rushed for 212 yards and 2 TDs to finish with 43.4 DKFP. Tannehill threw for 366 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, finishing with 33.6 DKFP. I’ll take my “chances” we can get a repeat performance in week 17.
Although the Houston Texans (4-11) have had a disappointing season, QB Deshaun Watson has had a remarkable year. He has thrown for more yards (4,458) and touchdowns (30) than he has in any other season. And since wideout Will Fuller has been out of the lineup, Brandin Cooks has stepped into the wide receiver No. 1 role in Houston. Cooks has filled in admirably, catching 18 of 25 targets for 265 yards and one touchdown over that three-week span. In addition, Cooks is coming off a giant 30.1 DKFP game last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. This week Cooks gets a Titans defense that has allowed the third most DKFP/GM to opposing wide receivers (44 DKFP). Cooks will be well represented in my GPP lineups in week 17.
The Los Angeles Rams running back by committee approach has been tossed out that window. Darrell Henderson (ankle) is out and Cam Akers (ankle) is questionable this week in their finale versus the Arizona Cardinals. The opportunity to shine could not be any greater for Malcolm Brown. He is slated to start at running back in a critical win-and-you’re-in game. The match-up with Arizona is certainly enticing. Over the last four weeks, Arizona has allowed the 8th most rushing yards per game (113.3) and the 5th most DKFP/GM (28.7 DKFP/GM) to opposing backfields. Furthermore, with quarterback Jared Goff (thumb) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (COVID 19) out this week, the Rams should rely heavily on their running game.
The only time Brown has seen at least 15 touches this season came in week one versus the Dallas Cowboys where he rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns while hauling in three passes for an additional 31 yards, finishing with 26 DKFP respectively. At $4,300 Malcolm Brown is simply too cheap given the situation. Brown will be a really nice GPP option this week.
The Seattle Seahawks are still in play for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but first, they need to take care of business versus the San Francisco 49ers as well as have both the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints lose this week. With that said, Seattle should be rolling out all their starters on Sunday and the first thing that stands out to me is how cheap DK Metcalf is. Although Metcalf has not hit the 20 DKFP mark in the last four weeks, he makes for a great buy-low option this week in GPP’s versus the 49ers.
On the year, Metcalf ranks in the top five amongst wide receivers in receiving yards, touchdowns, and air yards. Moreover, San Francisco has allowed the 8th most DKFP/GM to opposing wide receivers (41 DKFP) over the last four weeks. Metcalf went off in the first meeting versus the Niners, catching 12 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, good for 43.1 DKFP. If he can even produce half of those results he makes for a great play in week 17 cash lineups.
The Minnesota Vikings placed tight end Kyle Rudolph (foot) on injured reserve yesterday, which means Irv Smith Jr. should be in line for the bulk of tight end snaps again this week versus Detroit Lions. The Lions have been a disaster on the defensive side of the ball all season. Detroit currently allows the most points scored per game (32.1) and the second-most yards allowed per game (414). Add that to the fact that they have allowed the second-most DKFP/GM to opposing tight ends (18.4 DKFP) over the last four weeks and Smith Jr. makes for a fantastic cheap tight end play. RB Dalvin Cook (personal) has been ruled out, leaving more target shares to distribute among the Viking’s offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has already stated that QB Ben Roethlisberger will sit out this weekend. That means backup Mason Rudolph will be getting the start at quarterback for the Steelers. Rudolph’s start comes a year after DE Myles Garrett tried to knock his head off in a full out melee towards the end of a Thursday night game in 2019. The difference this year is that the Browns have a lot to play for. Cleveland wins and they clinch their first playoff berth in 18 years. Yes, the Steelers have allowed the fewest sacks this season, but much of that can be attributed to Ben Roethlisberger’s lightning-quick release. However, with Rudolph starting, the Browns should be able to find more success with their pass rush than against Roethlisberger.
In ten games last year, Rudolph was sacked 15 times while throwing nine interceptions, which is exactly what we like to see when rostering the Browns defense this week.
These are some of the players we will have in our GPP and Cash lineups for DraftKings NFL 2020 Week 17 Picks. Good Luck, and may your screens always be green.
Let us know what you think of our DraftKings NFL Week 17 Picks.
