RADIO
Monday Night Football is here, and the Green Bay Packers (11-3) are heading West to take on the Minnesota Vikings (10-4). This is a matchup that could lock up the division for the Packers, or it could make Week 17 a lot more important for each team.
However, we're not here for that. We're here to make some money in daily fantasy lineups. The Packers are fighting for the top spot in the NFC while the Vikings are fighting to host a playoff game rather than being on the road for a month in the playoffs.
Whether you're playing on FanDuel or DraftKings, the slightest lineup constructions can make all the difference. Choosing one player over another is the difference between winning a little or a lot. So, let's look at how we're going to construct our lineups.
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DFS Quarterbacks - Week 16 Picks
Aaron Rodgers, GB - FanDuel $15,500/ DraftKings $10,400
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been far from the elite quarterback that we expect him to be this season. Through 15 weeks, he's quarterback nine, and he's thrown for less than 300 yards in five of the last six games. He has struggled to find consistency with any receiver outside of stud Davante Adams. He is the more expensive quarterback on this slate, but he also has a better matchup with how forgiving the Minnesota Vikings Defense has been this season compared to most.
Kirk Cousins, MIN - FanDuel $15,000/ DraftKings $10,200
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, after a slow start to the year, has turned things on since Week 5. Until the last two weeks, he had scored 18 or more points in all but one game. After starting the year hot, the Packers Defense has been very forgiving in terms of the yardage that they give up, but they tighten up in the red zone. With Cousins, there isn't a huge difference in salary, but, if you need a budget play, he's not a bad option.
DFS Running Backs - Week 16 Picks
Aaron Jones, GB - FD $14,000/ DK $10,800
Thanks to his prowess in the red zone, Packers running back Aaron Jones has been an absolute stud this season. He's second in the NFL with 17 on the year, and he'll be looking to add to that in Week 16. The Packers' offense starts with Jones, and, when he's running well, it makes life easier on everyone else. In the first matchup between these two teams, he averaged 5.0 yards per carry for over 100 yards and a touchdown. He also adds a fair bit of value in the passing game which you love to see in your running back.
Mike Boone, MIN - FD $12,000/ DK $ 9,000
With the two guys ahead of him on the shelf, running back Mike Boone is getting the nod. If he wasn't the most added player in season-long fantasy this week, I would be shocked. He will be getting somewhere between 18-25 touches tonight, and he's doing it against a running defense that is in the bottom 10 of the NFL. Boone isn't starter Dalvin Cook, but he had two touchdowns last week, and he showed that he can be a little bit of something at a cheaper price tonight.
Jamaal Williams, GB - FD $7,000/ DK $5,200
This one is pretty easy. The Vikings are without their top two running backs, and the Packers will regularly run both of their running backs throughout the game. Williams doesn't have the same ceiling that his teammate does, but he does run pretty hard when he's on the field. Additionally, when Jones is struggling, head coach, Matt LaFleur has no trouble giving Williams the bulk of the carries. If that were to happen, Williams could boom for a cheaper price.
DFS Wide Receivers - Week 16 Picks
Davante Adams, GB - FD $14,500/ DK $11,400
If you play Rodgers with a stack at wide receiver, Davante Adams is your man. Adams missed four games, and he still has double the targets of the next wide receiver on the team's roster. Adams has four touchdowns in his last four games, and he has the favorable matchup of cornerback Xavier Rhodes tonight. Rodgers will look his way early and often, and he will capitalize on that opportunity.
Stefon Diggs, MIN - FD $12,500/ DK $9,600
Determining which of the Minnesota wide receivers is a little more difficult. Wideout Stefon Diggs has been healthy, so he has much better counting stats than his teammate Adam Thielen. However, he is typically the secondary target for Cousins. The Packers' secondary has been susceptible to big plays this season, and Diggs took advantage of that in the first matchup. He's cheaper than Adams, so, if you spend up at running back, he would be easier for you to fit into your lineups.
Adam Thielen, MIN - FD $10,500/DK $8,600
In his return from injury, wideout Adam Thielen caught all three of his targets for 27 yards. He's had a significantly less productive year after his statistical explosions over the last two seasons. The Packers have a pretty good slot cornerback in Jaire Alexander which can make life difficult on Thielen, but he's talented. If the Vikings are shut down in the running game early, it could lead to a big night out of Thielen or Diggs, especially with no consistent wide receiver behind those two.
DFS Tight Ends - Week 16 Picks
Kyle Rudolph, MIN - FD $7,000/ DK $6,400
Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph makes me nervous with Thielen back in the lineup. He did the majority of his damage in the short-to-intermediate range where Thielen does his work, and he's relying on touchdowns for his production. He's a little cheaper on FanDuel than his teammate Irv Smith Jr., so I like the value there. However, I can't count on him to give me consistent production.
Jimmy Graham, GB - FD $6,500/ DK $3,200
Unlike Rudolph, Graham has the chance to put up solid production if he connects with Rodgers early in the game. He also doesn't always need a touchdown to guarantee a solid night. He's shown big-play ability this season, and he can generate points up the seam. Plus, with the big discount you're getting, especially on DraftKings, it only takes him a couple of catches or one big one for a touchdown to achieve value on the night.
DFS Defenses - Week 16 Picks
Packers Defense - DK $4,400
I like that I'm getting the cheaper defense on the slate, and I'm getting the one that generates more turnovers. They have 15 interceptions compared to the 17 touchdowns that they've given up through the air. In the first matchup between these two teams, they only got home for one sack, but they harassed Cousins all game. I think they do that again in this matchup.
