FANTASY PLAYS: Week 11 studs worth playing in daily leagues
Winning in daily fantasy isn't always about finding contrarian picks. Yes, you want to differentiate your lineup to increase your odds at winning in tournaments, but you can't ignore the studs that are still worth their high price tags. Here are the studs to consider for Week 11:
ALEX SMITH, QB, Kansas City ($6,700DraftKings/$7,900 FanDuel)
We all know the narrative. Andy Reid's teams come out of the bye like gangbusters. Smith doesn't even need a boost to have value at this price and be a great play even if he had a higher cost. Smith has at least one touchdown in every game this year and has topped 20 Fantasy points in five of his nine starts. He also just so happens to have two or more touchdown passes in five starts, all on the road. Guess where Smith and the Chiefs are playing this week? Oh, just on the road in New York. And that's the New York team (Giants) that's falling apart and has been exposed defensively. Look at what the 49ers just did to the Giants defense and ask yourself if Smith isn't a lock for that and more.
ALVIN KAMARA, RB, New Orleans ($7,500/$7,500)
It doesn't matter what scoring system you play under, Kamara has been great the last four weeks and in five of the last six. At one point last week, the Saints ran the ball 24 straight times. This is not your parents' Saints team. Even at home, the Saints are going to run, and when they do pass, Kamara is often involved. Since their bye, the Redskins let Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott post big games with each scoring twice. That's the potential that lies with Kamara, and yes, Mark Ingram. The point about the two touchdowns is that both Ingram and Kamara can get their share of the value in this matchup and top 2X value.
STERLING SHEPARD, WR, New York Giants ($6,300/$6,500)
It's a bit surprising that after last week's performance Shepard's cost isn't higher. Who else is Eli Manning going to turn to in the passing game? It's Shepard and Evan Engram. the end. Shepard is a near lock for double-digit targets going forward, and as seen last week again, he doesn't need a touchdown to have value. Shepard posted 11 catches for 142 yards after 5 for 70 the week before in his first game back. The 49ers are terrible defensively, but the Chiefs have actually been worse against the pass, especially in defending receivers, allowing a league-high 15 touchdowns. Shepard could blow past 2X value on his way to a 4X return.
VERNON DAVIS, TE, Washington ($4,600/$5,200)
With Jordan Reed likely out again, Davis is a terrific value at this price. It's hard to get away from the big boys at tight end this week (Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Zach Ertz, Engram), but if you do, Davis is your man. Davis has 20 targets, 13 receptions and 148 yards in the past two games without Reed. As mentioned with Kamara, the Redskins head to New Orleans this week. While the Saints are balanced offensively and stronger defensively, they do two things that increase Davis' value. First, they still score plenty of points, which forces opponents to stay aggressive. Second, they still struggle to defend the middle of the field, where slot receivers and tight ends do their work. If you don't want to pay the big bucks for the big boys at tight end, there is no better choice in Week 11.
RAVENS DEFENSE ($3,400/$4,700)
The Ravens defense is a bit more of an investment on FanDuel, giving a team like the Chargers more appeal. Nevertheless, the Ravens are heading to Green Bay to face a Packers offense that has fallen to pieces. Brett Hundley has killed the value of the offense, and now the backfield is down to just Jamaal Williams. Hundley has just two touchdowns to his four interceptions as a starter, and he's failed to top 245 passing yards. He's also failed to throw for a touchdown in two of his four starts, and that three-interception game against a similar tough pass defense, the Vikings, is a blueprint of the Ravens game plan and the upside of their DST in DFS.
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This column was provided to The Associated Press by the Fantasy Sports Network, http://FNTSY.com