Daily fantasy picks are as ubiquitous online as the ads are on TV. Read: borderline inescapable.
Recommendations can be helpful. It’s been shown that those who win consistently in DFS are the players who possess both the time and ability to crunch mounds of data down into reliable predictions. Certainly, weekend warriors can and sometimes do win, but picking based on gut instinct doesn’t bring a positive return on investment for most players.
The obvious problem is that a very small percentage of the five million or so who play DFS have either the time or the resources to build dependable predictive models. So taking the word of a self-proclaimed “expert” is a handy shortcut many players rely upon.
That hole in the market has brought forth a booming subsector of the daily fantasy industry. A recent survey conducted by Eilers Research found that nearly half of DFS players spent money on tools to help them build lineups, and more than one-third of those spent over $100 annually on these aids.
But how do players know which pundits to trust? Certainly, there are pros who are well-known within the DFS community who have established track records as winners and supply recommendations via far-reaching platforms. But the biggest, most consistent winners typically play hundreds of lineups per week (or day, depending on the sport). It’s not necessarily in their best interest to divulge all the findings of their research and thereby give away an earned edge by making potential competitors better at DFS.
Even with best intentions, it may be impractical to do so.
What we aim to accomplish here is to bring some small measure of accountability. DailyFantasyTalk will not be supplying DFS picks nor will we offer commentary on the picks of others. Each week we will gather the recommendations, post them here and link back to the original source so that interested readers can investigate the reasoning if they’re so inclined.
At the conclusion of an NFL week, we’ll check back with the picks and measure each pundit’s performance. Each pick will be graded on a points-per-dollar basis.
Here are this week’s picks. Check back Tuesday to see how each pundit scored.
Consensus
Quarterback
- Tyrod Taylor — FanDuel 7,600; DraftKings 5,800
Running back
- Lativius Murray—FanDuel 7,500, DraftKings 6,300
- Karlos Williams—FanDuel 6,300, DraftKings 3,400
Wide receiver
- A.J. Green—FanDuel 8,400, DraftKings 7,600
- Randall Cobb—FanDuel 8,200, DraftKings 7,400
- Jordan Matthews—FanDuel 7,000, DraftKings 6,600
- Amari Cooper—FanDuel 7,200, DraftKings 6,300
Tight end
- Jordan Reed—FanDuel 5,600, DraftKings 4,500
- Greg Olsen—FanDuel 6,300, DraftKings 5,400
Defense
- Raiders—FanDuel 4,500, DraftKings 2,600
Matthew Berry, ESPN
- QB Carson Palmer — DK 6,800
- QB Andy Dalton — DK 5,900
- QB Derek Carr — DK 5,300
- QB Cam Newton — DK 7,000
- QB Tyrod Taylor — DK 5,800
- RB Melvin Gordon — DK 4,900
- RB Karlos Williams — DK 3,400
- RB Joseph Randle — DK 5,500
- RB Arian Foster — DK 7,000
- RB Matt Forte — DK 7,100
- RB Frank Gore — DK 4,700
- WR Jordan Matthews — DK 6,600
- WR Donte Moncrief — DK 5,000
- WR Amari Cooper — DK 6,300
- WR Alshon Jeffery — DK 6,600
- WR A.J. Green — DK 7,600
- WR Randall Cobb — DK 7,400
- WR James Jones — DK 5,300
- WR Allen Hurns — DK 3,900
- TE Martellus Bennett — DK 4,500
- TE Jordan Reed — DK 4,500
- TE Jason Witten — DK 4,400
- DST Panthers — DK 3,300
- DST Seahawks — DK 3,700
- DST Eagles — DK 2,700
K.C. Joyner, ESPN
- QB Derek Carr — DK 5,300
- RB C.J. Spiller — DK 3,900
- RB Isaiah Crowell — DK 4,100
- WR Amari Cooper — DK 6,300
- WR Jamison Crowder — DK 3,200
- TE Jimmy Graham — DK 6,000
- TE Charles Clay — DK 3,300
- DST Broncos — DK 3,300
- DST Packers — DK 2,700
Jerry Donabedian, RotoWire
- QB Andrew Luck — DK 7,800
- QB Tyrod Taylor — DK 5,800
- RB Jamal Charles — DK 7,600
- RB Latavius Murray — DK 6,300
- WR Odell Beckham — DK 9,100
- WR T.Y. Hilton — 6,700
- TE Jordan Reed — 4,500
- DST Raiders — 2,600
RotoWire Lineup Optimizer — FanDuel
- QB Aaron Rodgers — FD 9,200
- RB Karlos Williams — FD 6,300
- RB Ryan Matthews — FD 5,900
- WR A.J. Green — FD 8,400
- WR Emmanuel Sanders — FD 7,900
- WR Jordan Matthews — FD 7,000
- TE Greg Olsen — FD 6,300
- DST Raiders — FD 4,500
RotoWire Lineup Optimizer — DraftKings
- QB Andy Dalton — DK 5,900
- RB Ryan Matthews — DK 3,800
- RB Karlos Williams — DK 3,400
- WR A.J. Green — DK 7,600
- WR Randall Cobb — DK 7,400
- WR Deandre Hopkins — DK 7,300
- WR Mike Evans — DK 6,400
- TE Greg Olsen — DK 5,400
- DST Raiders — DK 2,600
RotoGrinders Lineup Optimizer — FanDuel
- QB Tyrod Taylor — FD 7,600
- RB Karlos Williams — FD 6,300
- RB Latavius Murray — FD 7,500
- WR Jordan Matthews — FD 7,000
- WR A.J. Green — FD 8,400
- WR Larry Fitzgerald — FD 7,400
- TE Jordan Reed — FD 5,600
- DST Cardinals — FD 5,000
Jeff Mans, Fantasy Alarm
- QB Cam Newton — FD 8,300; DK 7,000
- QB Derek Carr — FD 7,000; DK 5,300
- QB Aaron Rodgers — FD 9,200; DK 7,900
- RB Karlos Williams — FD 6,300; DK 3,400
- RB Latavius Murray — FD 7,500; DK 6,300
- RB Le’Veon Bell — FD 8,900; DK 7,700
- RB Matt Forte — FD 8,300; DK 7,100
- WR A.J. Green — FD 8,400; DK 7,600
- WR Randall Cobb — FD 8,200; DK 7,400
- WR DeAndre Hopkins — FD 7,900; DK 7,300
- WR T.Y. Hilton — FD 7,600; DK 6,700
- WR Amari Cooper — FD 7,200; DK 6,300
- TE Greg Olsen — FD 6,300; DK 5,400
- TE Jordan Reed — FD 5,600; DK 4,500
- TE Travis Kelce — FD 6,400; DK 5,300
- DST Panthers — FD 4,800; DK 3,300
- DST Broncos — FD 4,700; DK 3,300
- DST Raiders — FD 4,500; DK 2,600
Thomas Emerick, Sporting News
- QB Andy Dalton — FD 7,600
- RB Latavius Murray — FD 7,500
- RB Devonta Freeman — FD 7,200
- WR Randall Cobb — FD 8,200
- WR DeAndre Hopkins — FD 7,900
- WR Larry Fitzgerald — FD 7,400
- TE Charles Clay — FD 5,200
- DST Colts — FD 4,400
Brad Pinkerton, Sporting News
- QB Andy Dalton — FD 7,600
- QB Derek Carr — DK 5,300
- RB Lance Dunbar — FD 5,600
- RB Karlos Williams — DK 3,400
- WR Allen Hurns — FD 5,300
- WR Marvin Jones — DK 3,800
- TE Martellus Bennett — FD 5,500
- TE Jason Witten — DK 4,400
Justin Baily, RotoWorld
- QB Aaron Rodgers — FD 9,200
- QB Tyrod Taylor — FD 7,600
- RB Latavius Murray — FD 7,500
- RB Karlos Williams — FD 6,300
- WR Jordan Matthews — FD 7,000
- WR Amari Cooper — FD 7,200
- TE Greg Olsen — FD 6,300
- TE Jordan Reed — FD 5,600
Jonathan Bales, DraftKings Playbook
- QB Michael Vick — DK 5,000
- QB Matt Ryan — DK 6,900
- QB Tyrod Taylor — DK 5,800
- QB Aaron Rodgers — DK 7,900
- WR Randall Cobb — DK 7,400
- WR Demaryius Thomas — DK 8,100
- WR Emmanuel Sanders — DK 6,400
Ryan Noonan, DraftKings Playbook
- RB Le’Veon Bell — DK 7,700
- RB Matt Forte — DK 7,100
- RB Karlos Williams — DK 3,400
- RB Latavius Murray — DK 6,300
- RB Eddie Lacy — DK 6,900
- RB Jamaal Charles — DK 7,600
Benny Ricciardi, DraftKings Playbook
- TE Greg Olsen — DK 5,400
- TE Jordan Reed — DK 4,500
- TE Jimmy Graham — DK 6,000
- TE Travis Kelce — DK 5,300
- DST Seahawks — DK 3,700
- DST Broncos — DK 3,300
- DST Cardinals — DK 3,400