Daily Fantasy Football Correlation Plays for FanDuel and DraftKings - Week 5  10/9/16

We are heading into week 5, and have already seen a ton of crazy things this year. From AP getting hurt again, to Julio Jones coming down with a 300 yard performance just last week. We are going to take a look at a few correlation plays. These are a combination of players that when performing, will complement each other. For example, a team that is behind will be forced to pass more, while the team that is ahead will run more. That makes the WR1 on the behind team and the RB1 on the ahead team correlative. There is a higher chance that they will perform well if the other does as well. Let's get into my favorite combos of the week!

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Correlation Plays

Eli Manning & Odell Beckham Jr.

The first correlation combo is going to be a simple one, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham. Sure, Beckham has been a mess, but he did the same exact thing last year, and as we all know, he ended up just fine. As a Cowboys fan, I hope he does struggle all year, but my objectiveness tells me that isn't the case. Beckham is still one of the best receivers in the league and this defense is not one that scares me. They are the 31st ranked team in the league against WR1, though it has only been 4 weeks. Sam Shields is also out with a concussion, so Beckham will be covered by the Packers 2nd corner. Manning has thrown for over 300 yards over the last 3 weeks, but has ran into some tough luck. The Packers are also a top 5 team against the run, which will force Coughlin and the Giants to rely on the pass game. I expect this game to be very up and down, with a ton of receiving yards to go around. You could also throw a Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb on this team, as they are correlated as well.

Jerick McKinnon & Vikings D/ST

You may wonder, how does a defense and a running back correlate. Well, if the Vikings defense is performing well, the Vikings are likely winning. If they are winning, they will rely on the run more which will give McKinnon a lot more opportunities. While the Texans are thought of as a solid defense, they have actually struggled quite a bit against the run. Through 4 games, they have given up 125 rushing yards per game, which is 6th worst in the league. The Vikings D is also in a great spot, as they have been a top 3 defense this year and will be taking on a very lackluster offense in the Texans. I assume Xavier Rhodes will shut down DeAndre Hopkins and if he does, the Texans will have a ton of trouble moving the ball. With Floyd and Joseph up front, Lamar Miller will also have a ton of trouble. All in all, I think this is a way you can go in both your cash games and tournaments.

Le'Veon Bell & Brandon Marshall

The Jets and Steelers will face off this Sunday in a game with a 48.5 over/under, with the Steelers favored by 7.5. I do epect the Steelers to be ahead all game and if that is the case, there is a ton of opportunity here. The Steelers showed their willingness to lean on Bell last week, even tough it as just his 1st game back from suspension. If the game script goes that way, Marshall also gets a huge upgrade. The Jets will be forced to throw the ball and Fitzpatrick trusts Marshall more than any other receiver, though Quincy Enunwa is interesting as well. The Steelers have a few good talents on defense, but struggle as a whole. There starting corner is William Gay, who probably shouldn't be anywhere close to an NFL defense. Marshall has a huge height and weight advantage over Gay, so should be able to bully him around in the red zone.

Brian Hoyer & Jordan Howard

Yes, this one is definitely tough. Howard and Hoyer are both guys that are hard to trust, as one is a lifelong journeyman and the other is a rookie that we dont know much about. With all of that being said, I am very excited to play this combo on Sunday. Hoyer has been terrific as of late with over 300 yards in 2 straight games. You may wonder how a QB and RB are correlated, which is fair. Howard was on the field for over 90% of the plays, which is high even for an every down back. Howard has caught 9 passes on the year with 77 yards, and only started playing considerably 2 weeks. Having Hoyer and Howard gives you every Bears TD, who will be taking on a team that has given up 30 points in 3 of 4 games. They are also both very cheap, which will let you pay up anywhere else you would like.

Derek Carr, Amari Cooper & Dontrelle Inman

We are now going to look at a stack that can win you a tournament or send you to the bottom. You have 2 guys that are directly correlated in Derek Carr and Amari Cooper. Carr and Cooper have a special bond and Cooper is almost guaranteed to have a pretty nice game, at least. Presumably, if Carr and Cooper are doing well, the Raiders will be scoring some points. If the Raiders are scoring a bunch of points, the Chargers will likely be behind. What do you do more if you are behind? Pass. You pass it to Dontrelle Inman, hopefully. Inman was a monster last week and led the team in receiving yards. He looks to be Rivers new favorite guy and was also targeted multiple times in the red zone, which is always fantastic. Vegas expects this game to be high scoring as well, as it has the highest over/under on the week.

Again, you can sign up for our NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users crush it this daily fantasy NFL season.

Sign up now for our new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format.