Mike’s Player Grid 1.24

Mike Johnson (MJohnson86) has racked up nearly $500,000 in DFS profit as an NFL tournament player with success in all styles of contests

Welcome back to my (Mjohnson86) Player Grid. I am changing up the format of my Player Grid this year to be more direct about the players I like at each position and keep myself from casting too wide of a net. We have plenty of strategy talk and full game write-ups on every game here at OWS, this year I’m going to use this article to give direct answers on who I think the best tournament plays are each week. Also, note that just because a player isn’t on here doesn’t mean they are a bad play, I’m just intentionally trying to limit the players I list to about 3 QBs, 5 to 7 RBs, 6 to 8 WRs, and 2 or 3 TEs and that means that some plays don’t make the cut – we can’t play everyone. Feel free to drop me feedback in Discord or on Twitter about the new format and if you like this better or last year’s. Enjoy!!

This is a list of players that stand out to me at each position from using my “Checking the Boxes” criteria outlined in my course you can find in our Marketplace. This list is a starting point, from which I build out lineups using game theory and roster construction concepts with the mindset being to find the best plays with big ceilings. Low ownership is a bonus, but not a must. 

(Side note:: You’ll notice at the bottom of this article that Fanduel will have its own Player Grid this year)

Draftkings Player Grid

Quarterback::

• Kyler Murray – This Cardinals team is going to be A LOT of fun this year and they get a potential shootout in Week 1 to kick things off. The Bills defense is also likely to take a step back this year as well.
• Anthony Richardson – Elite rushing ability and another potential shootout. Richardson played a short time in 2023 but was electric in that time. I want to be in on the ground floor before he’s $1,000 more in a month.
• Josh Allen – Plenty of “bargains” from a salary perspective this week makes paying up for Allen relatively easy. The Cardinals defense is likely to be on the weaker side this year and as noted under Murray, they seem likely to be involved in several shootouts.
• Geno Smith – Of the QBs priced under $6,000 I find Geno the most interesting because I believe this spot will go overlooked and people have the Seahawks of the past stuck in their minds. Geno has clear stacking partners and an underrated matchup.
• Salary Savers: Bo Nix, Justin Fields (if Russell Wilson is out)

Running Back::

• Kenneth Walker – The drumbeat out of Seattle the last month has been one of excitement about the new offense and all indications are Walker will be more of a 70-80% RB this year as opposed to the 55-65% RB he was in 2023. An increase in efficiency and usage is everything we can ask for in a running back.
• De’Von Achane – The most efficient RB in the league last year is supposedly going to have a bigger role and be used split out as a wide receiver. 10 to 14 carries and 5 to 7 targets seems very viable in this spot.
• Joe Mixon – Mixon gets a bad rep for his poor efficiency in Cincinnati, but the Texans running scheme should open more holes for him than he has had in past years. The “other” Texans RBs are mediocre at best, meaning Mixon should be a workhorse in a potential shootout. Giddy up.
• James Conner – Conner scored at least 17 Draftkings points in his last five games of 2023, surpassing 20 in four of them and averaging over 25 DK points during that stretch. This Bills defense is not what it has been in past years and Conner is going to resume his workhorse role for as long as he stays healthy.
• D’Andre Swift – The Bears offense is going to be electric this year. At least that’s what I believe. I also believe the Bears staff is going to use Swift in a way that plays to his strengths (pass catching, playing in space, weapon in the red zone) after targeting him in free agency and making him the very first player signed by any team when the free agent period opened. They did that because they had a plan and I can’t wait to see what it is.
• Rico Dowdle – I think there is a very real chance that Dowdle is the lead back for a Cowboys team that was a top-3 offense after their bye week offensive philosophy change in 2023. Dowdle is priced at $4,600 and could be an absolute steal. I’m playing it before I see it.
• Salary Savers: Dowdle, Jaleel McLaughlin, Chase Brown, JK Dobbins

Wide Reciever::