Week 4 DraftKings Plays for MNF

Week 4 presents us with another Monday night doubleheader for DraftKings. These four teams have all had rocky starts to the season. Underperforming expectations and injuries have defined their seasons this far.

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Monday Night Football DraftKings Plays

As far as matchups go, the two big ones are Denver’s offense against the Bengals’ defense, which let up 48 points to the Minnesota Vikings last week, and Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall facing off against a weak Miami defense.

Those players will all receive decent ownership in DraftKings lineups, along with your usual suspects like Ja’Marr Chase and De’Von Achane, players who could potentially break the slate. This one is far trickier to navigate because both games have an exact point total of 44.5 implied points.

In the first go around, the later game in the night was the apparent choice to stack with the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders having a much higher implied point total. The good thing is that there will be more variation between the two games, and that is something to use to your advantage. Below are eight players who could elevate your DraftKings lineups.

Quarterback

Favorite Play: Justin Fields, New York Jets (5.5K)

Through the first three weeks of the season, the Miami Dolphins are the only team to allow three rushing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks. Daniel Jones had two, Drake Maye had one, while Josh Allen had zero, go figure.

Anyway, Justin Fields displayed elite upside against his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Finishing as the QB2 for the week. Fields did not get to complete the whole game in Week 2 as he was placed in concussion protocol. Now, he is fully healthy and ready to start against a weak Dolphins defense.

Fields is the only quarterback who can break the slate with his rushing ability. And we saw the Bills’ offensive line put on a clinic against the Dolphins in prime time. Rushing lanes will be open for Fields, and he will likely find the endzone with his legs in primetime and is QB1 on the night.

Player to Consider: Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals (5.7K)

This pick might raise some eyebrows. Browning and the Bengals looked downright horrendous last week, and there is no other way to put it. However, Denver’s defense has not lived up to its own standards. They are still a good unit, do not get me wrong. Although 18th in yards allowed is not where anyone expected them to be. They are still the best in the league, with the fewest fantasy points given up to quarterbacks.

Nothing has inspired me with Jake Browning, but he has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. With those two, it is impossible to count anyone out. Browning will be the lowest-rostered quarterback on the slate by far, especially given that his salary on DraftKings is higher than Justin Fields. I am not advising it, but these two game slates can be random with the small sample sizes. Browning presents an excellent opportunity to be different. Just understand it can go south in an instant, just like last week.

Running Back

Favorite Play: J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos (5.8K)

If you can not believe that J.K. Dobbins has scored in all three games to start the season, that would make two of us. The veteran has turned back the clock yet again. Dobbins is the locked-in starter in Denver and now gets to go against the Bengals, who have been susceptible against running backs to start the season.

Jordan Mason is coming off a two-touchdown performance against them, and there is no reason Dobbins can’t do the same. The main thing for Dobbins is that this game script should be favorable for him. As if all goes according to plan, Denver should win by at least a touchdown. Dobbins is one of my preferred players at the position because of his matchup and perceived role.

Player to Consider: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins (7K)

Achane has 19 targets in the past two weeks and 23 total for the season. Only second to Christian McCaffrey. So, the workload is still there; the offense just needed to find its footing.

Achane is almost a must-start on this slate. The only reason I say almost is that nobody is a must-start on a two-game slate on DraftKings. He would be my top recommended play at running back. Ollie Gordon’s involvement last week does not yet raise a red flag for me, but it is something to keep an eye on. Regardless, Achane should have the workload to dominate the Jets tonight.

Wide Receiver

Favorite Play: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets (6.2K)

Wilson is the unquestioned alpha in the passing game. Through three games, he has 30 targets, which is good for sixth through three weeks. The next closest receiver on his team has six. And while that is terrible for Jets fans, it is also awful for the passing offense in general. It is excellent for Wilson’s fantasy outlook.

The Dolphins have actually excelled against opposing receivers, allowing the fourth fewest points to the position. However, they have yet to play someone of Wilson’s caliber. Michael Pittman did total 80 yards and a touchdown against them in Week 1. Since then, other positions, such as tight end, have been scoring the points against them. They are still allowing the 12th most passing yards in the league. Start Wilson with confidence in your DraftKings lineups today.

Player to Consider: Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals (5.6K)

Tee Higgins has struggled to start the season. He has averaged 7.8 points per game. And there have been no encouraging signs with him. This section is as close as I can get to a contrarian play without explicitly labeling it as such. However, Ja’Marr Chase should see his fair share of Patrick Surtain tomorrow, which should free things up for Higgins in a game where they are going to have to throw the ball to win. This game feels like a perfect opportunity for the Bengals to bounce back. And getting Higgins going would go a long way towards hopefully getting Burrow back and making the postseason. Proceed with caution with Higgins, as he will not receive the manufactured touches that Chase will. Higgins is the perfect example of boom or bust, and will likely decide who is at the top or bottom of GPPs on this Monday night.

Tight End

Favorite Play: Evan Engram, Denver Broncos ($3.7K)

Yes, the top player at the position does not crack $4,000 on DraftKings. It is not a pretty night for this position, as Darren Waller is second in salary, and he is projected to be on a snap count. Engram has been one of the more disappointing picks in fantasy. He also had to miss last week’s game against the Chargers due to a back injury.

The Bengals give up the 15th most points to tight ends, and this could be a perfect time for Engram to insert himself into the offense. This play is largely speculative, but so is every play on the slate at this position. Whoever scores the touchdown will waltz into the optimal, almost uncontested. Just keep that in mind when crafting your lineups.

Player to Consider: Mason Taylor, New York Jets (2.7K)

Taylor totaled six targets in Week 3. And while that was with Tyrod Taylor, the rookie is still playing snaps even without him. He has played at least 70% of snaps in all three games so far. Dalton Kincaid gashed the Miami Dolphins last week, so they have shown a weakness against the position. Taylor is a great speculative play that might go overlooked with Mike Gesicki starting now, given the absence of Noah Fant. I would not be afraid to look the rookie’s way, especially on this small of a slate.

Conclusion

Two-game slates on DraftKings are tricky. The player pool is so small that it may be beneficial to move away from some of the obvious plays. If you luck into a touchdown from a player that was in 10-15% of lineups, you will have a massive edge on the field. That is just how it goes with there only being two games. The Cincinnati Bengals will likely be the lowest-rostered team on the night. That is outside of Chase, of course, but remember when you build the perfect team up to the salary limit. Someone else has already likely thought of this. Do not be scared to leave salary on the table in these smaller slates; it could just work out in the end.