FanDuel Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Week 8

If you've never played daily fantasy football on FanDuel before, it's time to start. Unlike traditional leagues, you're able to select the players you want on that specific day only, giving you a different squad to root for each and every week.

Here at numberFire we offer great tools for premium members. The analysis below is meant to help you understand why some of these players are top picks in our tools and projections because we don't want you going into the weekend completely blind. We want to help you. Keep in mind, however, that things can change drastically if an injury is announced, so make sure you're double checking the tools and projections as close as possible to kickoff.

Let's break down the main slate on FanDuel for this week.

Quarterbacks

Carson Wentz (FanDuel Price: $7,900) - Wentz has a lot going for him this week against the San Francisco 49ers, the first of which is a matchup against the 49ers. San Francisco ranks 31st against fantasy quarterbacks and 28th against the pass, according to our Net Expected Points (NEP) metrics. The team did lose Jason Peters for the season, but the 49ers are just 21st in sack rate. With a slate-high implied total of 29.5 points, Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles are primed to produce, and he's our highest projected passer of the week (24.9 FanDuel points).

Dak Prescott ($8,600) - Prescott has produced 17-plus FanDuel points in every game and at least 22 in his past four and takes on a Washington defense that ranks 22nd against fantasy quarterbacks and 16th against the pass by our metrics. They're no pushover defensively, but Prescott has thrived in every matchup, easy or tough. With a 26.25-point total, Prescott should be a safe play yet again.

Andy Dalton ($7,600) - The Indianapolis Colts rank 25th against fantasy quarterbacks and have allowed at least 295 yards to opposing passers in every game but one so far. In Dalton's only easy matchup since hiring a new offensive coordinator, he put up 28 FanDuel points on the Cleveland Browns. We project him for 18.9 FanDuel points this week.

Tyrod Taylor ($7,600) - You can also consider Taylor at the same price against the Oakland Raiders, who are 19th against fantasy quarterbacks but 31st against the pass by our metrics. We project Taylor for 18.8 FanDuel points, and he could be a tournament pivot from Dalton at the same price, considering Taylor's rushing production and Dalton's potentially high ownership.

Running Back

Le'Veon Bell ($9,400) - Bell is back at it with a huge workload (roughly 47% of their touches this season). The Detroit Lions rank eighth against the rush by our metrics but lost Haloti Ngata for the season and are 29th against fantasy running backs because of their 6.30 yards per target allowed to the position.

Ezekiel Elliott ($9,000) - Bell and Elliott are pricey, but they make for a high floor pairing, as they are two of four running backs with at least 40% of their teams' targets and carries on the season. Washington is 12th against the rush by our metrics, but Zeke has 20-plus carries in five of six games. Play him if you can fit him.

Melvin Gordon ($7,900) - You can play LeSean McCoy for sure here, too, but Gordon is cheaper. Gordon has the third-highest market share at running back in the past three games, and the New England Patriots are 22nd against the rush by our metrics and 28th against fantasy rushers.

Mark Ingram ($7,200) and Alvin Kamara ($6,400) - The New Orleans Saints are 9.0-point favorites over the Chicago Bears and have a total of 28.25 points, second-highest of the slate. Ingram has had 22 and 25 carries in the past two games, and he should be able to do so again provided the Saints lead like the line suggests. Kamara has an 18.5% target market share in the past three games, and he has a receiving floor you can consider still.

Joe Mixon ($5,900) - The Cincinnati Bengals are 10.5-point favorites against the Colts, so that suggests a run-heavy game script. The Colts are 26th against the rush by our metrics and 31st against fantasy running backs. Mixon has seven red zone carries in the past four games, so he's a good bet for a touchdown, even if the upside is capped in this backfield.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown ($9,200) - Brown locks up with Darius Slay this week, but it probably won't matter. Brown has more than half of the Pittsburgh Steelers' deep targets (those traveling at least 16 yards downfield), and no wideout has a higher market share in the past three games. He's the surest bet there is.

A.J. Green ($8,500) - Green is our highest projected receiver this week and is the only player with a higher deep target market share than Brown has. The Colts are 28th against fantasy receivers and are dead last against the pass by our advanced metrics. Plus, they just lost Malik Hooker for the season. Feel free to lock in Green in all formats. On a slate with little in terms of value at receiver, also consider Brandon LaFell ($4,600), who has nine red zone targets on the season.

Kelvin Benjamin ($6,600) and Devin Funchess ($6,500) - The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are the worst defense against fantasy receivers on the season and are 29th against the pass by our metrics, as well. They have identical 21.0% market shares the past three games.

Tight Ends

Zach Ertz ($7,300) - Ertz' Eagles has the highest implied total on the slate, and they play at home. That's great news for any tight end, but Ertz is basically matchup proof right now. His 25.9% market share in the past three games is second at the position, and his 25.3% mark on the full year is tops.

Jason Witten ($5,400) - Witten's 20.7% market share is third on the full season, and Washington is 30th against fantasy tight ends. Washington has allowed 11-plus fantasy points to a tight end in five different games this season.

Kickers

Jake Elliott ($4,800) - Elliott is the kicker for the Eagles, who are a 13-point home favorite with the highest implied total of the slate. Lock him into your cash games.

Randy Bullock ($4,600) - Bullock is also a home favorite (by 10.5 points) over the Colts. The Bengals have a smaller 25.75-point total, but he helps you spend up elsewhere on a slate where value is tough to find.

Defense

Cincinnati D/ST ($4,800) - Bullock stacks well with the Bengals' defense against an offense that just let up 10 sacks last week. The Bengals are sixth among teams in action in pressure rate, according to ProFootballFocus. The Bengals should have a high floor in this spot.

Pittsburgh D/ST ($4,400) - The Steelers' defense is our top value on the main slate against the Lions, who have an implied total of just 21 points. The Steelers are on the road, but they can cause problems for a turnover-prone Matthew Stafford, who will be without Golden Tate. It's not a slam dunk matchup, but if you're not spending up for the Philadelphia D/ST ($5,400) or Bengals, you have to embrace some risk.