Oh thank goodness! We finally have a solid primetime matchup to look forward to. But no matter who is playing, our goal remains the same, acquiring dubs. With fantasy glory and $500,000 on the line, it’s now more crucial than ever to assemble a winning DraftKings lineup that can dominate the competition. This article offers insights on who should take the coveted captain slot, which core player should anchor your player pool, a value gem that can boost your salary cap flexibility, a sleeper pick with breakout potential, and one player to steer clear of – the dreaded bust. Lock in, as we dive into the tactical decisions that could lead you to DFS victory in this SNF primetime game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.
*Disclaimer: These picks have been constructed with the mindset of building a single lineup. When building large field/multi-entry tournaments, if the player sees the field you’ll want to have a piece of him somewhere, my “busts” included.*
SNF NFL DFS Picks
Captain
Christian McCaffrey
DraftKings Captain Salary- $17,700
Let me pose this question. Why wouldn’t you captain Christian McCaffrey? Sure, he’s the highest salaried player on the slate. Sure, rostering him at this price does hamper your ability to get more studs in your lineup. But let me tell you this; CMC is more than worth his $17,700 captain’s price tag. McCaffrey has scored at least 22 DraftKings fantasy points in each of the first four games this season. Most recently CMC put up 51.7 points against the Arizona Cardinals. McCaffrey is on fire, and there are zero signs that he’s about to slow down any time soon.
Four touchdowns for Christian McCaffery 🔥
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) October 1, 2023
Backup running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) has already been ruled out of tonight’s SNF contest. In Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, McCaffrey received 100% of the snaps. That was with Mitchell active. You’ve got to figure that in an important game like this McCaffrey will stay on the field as often as he’s able to. I really shouldn’t have to sell you on Christian McCaffrey. He currently has 13 straight games with a touchdown in a 49ers uniform, a club record. There’s a good chance that CMC makes it 14 tonight against the Cowboys’ DST.
Captain to consider: CeeDee Lamb- $15,000
Core Play
Tony Pollard
DraftKings Salary- $10,200
Thus far in 2023, Tony Pollard has been the engine driving the Dallas Cowboys offense. More than that, Pollard has been the undisputed lead back. Going into SNF tonight, Tony Pollard has 73 carries. Backup running backs Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle have combined for just 37 carries on the season. Pollard has a broad set of skills. He can run outside, between the tackles, and catch the football. With his skill set, there doesn’t exist a game script that would see him phased out.
Just like McCaffrey, I shouldn’t really have to sell you on Pollard. Do you want a solid RB in your lineup? Then roster Tony Pollard. He’s already proven that he can provide you with big games, even without the presence of Ezekiel Elliott. So far this year Pollard has churned out a game of 100+ rushing yards (122) as well as a game with multiple rushing touchdowns. This game is equally important for the Cowboys as it is for the 49ers. I would expect the game plan to revolve around Pollard tonight.
Core play to consider: Brock Purdy- $9,400
Value
Deebo Samuel
DraftKings Salary- $7,600
Only God knows why Deebo Samuel is so darn cheap tonight. Sure, he caught zero passes on zero targets last week, but that was because he wasn’t needed. He wasn’t needed because Christian McCaffrey ran for 3 touchdowns and even caught a touchdown pass. I’m totally cool taking the discount in a SNF matchup that has the potential to turn into a shoot-out. The 49ers-Cowboys matchup currently has the 4th highest over/under of the week at 45 total points. While Deebo took a backseat last week, his prior efforts show that he’s a valued part of the team game plan.
Apart from last week’s win against Arizona, Deebo has at least 5 receptions in each game. He hasn’t been hurting for targets either. 49er’s quarterback Brock Purdy has been a fan of Samuel, targeting him 28 times so far on the young season. That makes him the most targeted player on the team. The next wide receiver is Brandon Aiyuk, who has 20 targets. Deebo has now scored in 2 of 4 games. With Trevon Diggs suffering a season ending ACL injury in his left knee, Samuel might have an easier time finding paydirt.
Value to consider: Jake Ferguson- $5,000
Sleeper
Brandon Aubrey
DraftKings Salary- $4,200
If you haven’t heard Brandon Aubrey‘s inspirational story yet, go ahead and check out the tweet below. Aubrey currently sits atop the NFL’s leaderboard for FGs made at 13. More impressive is the fact that the rookie is a perfect 13 for 13. Aubrey has proven that he also has a big leg. The rookie has already connected on two separate field goals from 55 yards out. We’re talking about a kicker here, so I don’t have much more insight. Aubrey has yet to score less than double digit points in any matchup. The 49ers are going to easily be the best defense that the Cowboys have faced this year. A tougher defense may mean less touchdowns. Our hope is that the Cowboy can get in range often enough for Aubrey to make an impact on SNF tonight.
Brandon Aubrey…top soccer star…turned Cowboys kicker. How did the DFW product become the newest kicking commodity in the NFL? @dallascowboys
Click below to watch his story! https://t.co/vXa3nbbCDV pic.twitter.com/dpp2ZTXI3N— Lidianna Reyes (@_LidiannaReyes) October 1, 2023
Sleeper to consider: 49ers DST
Bust
Dak Prescott
DraftKings Salary- $9,600
It took CeeDee Lamb 4 weeks to finally find the end zone. Michael Gallup still doesn’t have a score. Off-season addition Brandin Cooks has yet to cross over the pylons. What do all of these guys have in common? They all get to catch passes from Dak Prescott. Prescott’s price does not sit well with me on SNF tonight. His salary of $9,600 costs more than Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel, all of whom have had a higher scoring performance than Prescott this season. Dak’s high score on the season is just 19.6 DraftKings points. Purdy has dropped 23.3, Aiyuk has scored 35.9, and Deebo put up 28.1 points in Week 3.
Prescott hasn’t been matched up against the toughest defenses. He’s gotten the Giants, Jets, Cardinals, and Patriots. Dak Prescott will be facing his toughest challenge to date when he meets a San Francisco 49ers DST that has only allowed 14.5 points per game so far this season. Thus far, Dak has kept his word and is only responsible for one interception. However, the 49er’s secondary is red hot and already has five picks on the year. Dak needs to ball out tonight in order to pay off his price, I don’t see how that happens against this defense, even with the home-field advantage.
Bust to consider: George Kittle- $6,400
Week 5 Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End |