This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.
Welcome to the new weekly FanDuel strategy column which will cover a variety of topics from tournament strategy to player ownership, and of course, matchups to exploit each and every week. The goal will be to prepare you with an array of tools to help build optimal lineups. Kevin Payne will be providing his excellent value picks each week as well, to help us put together some winning lineups.
Let's start with a general overview and discuss some strategies and tips for each position.
Quarterback
Most new players on FanDuel assume that you need to have a stud like Andrew Luck or Aaron Rodgers at quarterback to be successful, but the position can be a great place to save salary and gain an edge on the competition. Since passing touchdowns are only worth four points each, the difference between a great game at quarterback (300 passing yards and three touchdowns) and an average game (250 passing yards and two touchdowns) is only six points, which can be made up at other positions and will not ruin your team's chances if your quarterback merely has an average game.
Furthermore, since some teams try to run the ball in the red zone, stop passing when they have a big lead or settle for field goals, passing touchdowns require some luck. This can result in a "stud" quarterback having an average game even when they play well. Quarterbacks also receive points for rushing yards, so running quarterbacks can pick up an extra few points each week to help their fantasy score. It is great to have a quarterback put up a big game, but overall it is wise to seek value at the quarterback position and spend your precious salary cap elsewhere.
Running Back
Running backs can score points in multiple ways, both on the ground and through the air, so it is a good idea to spend your salary on running backs who are big parts of their respective offenses. Since good running backs usually touch the ball at least 20 times per week, they are easier to project than wide receivers. Running backs that catch the ball out of the backfield are even more valuable because they can score points when their team is either winning (running the clock out) or losing (hurry-up offense). Since running backs have the most upside in terms of scoring points on FanDuel, it is a good strategy to have at least one stud in your lineup.
Wide Receiver
Wide receiver is the most important position on FanDuel and it is arguably where tournaments are won or lost. Wide receivers are at the mercy of many factors: the opposing defense, their quarterback getting them the ball, their team passing the ball if they have a lead and their team passing the ball in the red zone. Since they cannot control many of these factors, there is a greater variance in wide receiver points from week-to-week than other positions. A stud wide receiver can have a bad game even if he plays well. It is important to look at game flow and targets when selecting wide receivers each week. Look for wideouts that have been getting a lot of targets, as well as those on teams that are likely to pass the ball often. There are usually a few cheap wide receivers to choose from due to injury, so keep an eye on the injury report and look for wide receivers that may get an increase in targets that week.
Tight End
The decision at tight end used to be whether to pay up for Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham, or to go with a cheap option. Now that Graham is playing for the run-heavy Seahawks, the decision is now whether or not to spend your salary on Gronkowski. Since tight ends rarely have big yardage games due to the nature of the position, it is wise to choose a cheaper option with a good matchup and hope they score a touchdown. Look for tight ends that get red-zone targets, especially on teams that will have to pass the ball that week.
Kicker
Kicker can be an important position on FanDuel, and one where you can gain an edge on the competition by choosing wisely. Teams usually kick more field goals when they are winning, so target kickers on teams that are favored. It is also wise to save as much salary as possible, so look for cheap kickers on teams that are favored, especially in high-scoring games. The main thing to avoid is a kicker on a team that falls behind quickly and does not receive any opportunities to kick field goals.
Defense/Special Teams
Defense/Special Teams is another position where you can gain an edge on the competition, since defenses can score points in a variety of ways. Special teams touchdowns are included, as well as how many points the defense allows. Interceptions and fumble returns for touchdowns provide another avenue for scoring points in a hurry, so target defenses that face poor or inexperienced quarterbacks that are likely to turn the ball over. Since there is not a wide margin between the salaries of defenses on FanDuel, it is wise to select a defense based on their matchup, rather than their salary.
