Daily Fantasy Football Running Back Values for FanDuel and DraftKings - Week 4  10/2/16

We covered our main cash game plays in our Week 4 Picks where we touched on Melvin Gordon, Lamar Miller, Jordan Howard, David Johnson and LeGarrette Blount. For this piece we will touch on some of the cheaper targets you can use for salary relief and/ or GPP upside.

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RUNNING BACK VALUES

Dwayne Washington FD 4500 DK 3800
Opponent CHI
Proj Points FD - 8.97 DK - 9.33
Theo Riddick FD 6600 DK 5200
Opponent CHI
Proj Points FD - 11.28 DK - 13.79
The Lions had a near impossible time running the ball last week against the Packers with Theo Riddick getting a fat load of nothing going and Washington only banging out less than four yards per carry. Green Bay ranks number one in DVOA against the run this year while the Bears are 26th. It stands to reason things get easier for the Lions. And I think we will see Washington become at least a two-down back, between the tackles guy in this matchup. It’s hard to totally trust the volume as Riddick should be on the field a fair amount. But swapping in one or the other in tournaments on the chance one emerges as the guy in a better matchup is a fair play.

Orleans Darkwa FD 4500 DK 3000
Opponent MIN
Proj Points FD - 10.51 DK - 11.46
The Giants are just decimated at running back right now having lost Shane Vereen for the year and with Rashad Jennings nursing some hand issues which could compromise his ability to handle the rock. That leaves a guy like Orleans Darkwa with a solid opportunity. Darkwa carried the ball ten times for 53 yards last game while also catching a ball out of the backfield. He could be in line for touches in the mid-to-upper teens this Monday against the Vikings. Now the concern here is twofold. One, the G-Men might employ a RBBC with guys like Bobby Rainey and/or Paul Perkins. Additionally, Minnesota is a top notch defense, ranked in the top five in DVOA against the run. Darkwa is a price play if you think he sees the touches though I don’t think he has upper echelon upside.

Jerick McKinnon FD 5800 DK 3900
Opponent NYG
Proj Points FD - 12.9 DK - 13.59
Another Monday night special, McKinnon took the bulk of the carries for Minnesota last week finishing with 16/45. That, of course, sucks. He’s not a particularly good running back, but neither is Matt Asiata and the Vikings have to trot someone out there. The Giants have been able to reasonably control the run so far this season but the Vikings are favorites going in and are incentivized to play a ground and pound possession game. I like McKinnon’s DK price which is sub $4K, but he doesn’t have that supreme touchdown upside because he’s not the goal line back.

Spencer Ware FD 6200 DK 5700
Opponent PIT
Proj Points FD - 13.19 DK - 14.42
I’m putting Ware on here more as a tournament play than a strict value guy. He has a couple of things going in his favor. The snaps are trending the right way for him with Ware emerging as the preferred guy out of the backfield. He saw 20 carries last week, and while the receptions weren’t there, the Chiefs have been willing to throw him the ball at times this year. I see Ware’s value coming in that he’ll likely go unnoticed with some of the other chalkier plays this week. I can see him as part of a stack that includes guys like Antonio Brown going the other way.

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