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. The format will vary slightly from JM’s Player Grid, as we each see things slightly differently and play in slightly different contests, but should complement his thoughts and content very well for those looking to build their lineups for the week. The format of this article will likely evolve as the season progresses but should provide a lot of value. 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 (which we will also touch on) with the mindset being to find the best plays with big ceilings. Low ownership is a bonus, but not a must. This section will focus primarily on three positions – running back, tight end, and defense – as the other two positions (quarterback and wide receiver) tend to have more dependent tendencies which I try to attack from other angles (which we will get into in the other sections). I like all of these plays on all sites unless otherwise noted:
Checks every box. Talent, volume, matchup, game environment.
One of the most talented backs in the league playing in a dome and the highest game total of the weekend.
Ekeler’s role has been managed a bit down the stretch this season, but in the playoffs with the season on the line I fully expect him to be the focal point of the Chargers offense. Ekeler had six multi-touchdown games this season and nine games with six or more receptions.
If we think the Bills dominate the Dolphins here as the point spread implies, Cook should benefit immensely. Cook averaged 6.7 DK points per game this season, but he averaged 12.5 points per game in the four games the Bills won by 10+ points since their Week 7 bye. Cook has carved out around a 40% role down the stretch for the Bills and if they do dominate a Dolphins team playing without Tua Tagovailoa then Cook has a good chance of 15+ touches and a game in the 15-20 point range.
Mitchell looked healthy and effective last week in his return from injury. The 49ers should have a run-heavy attack and have shown they will lean on Mitchell to ice games and preserve CMC when they have a lead.
In Week 17, the Dolphins trailed most of the game against the Patriots. Wilson and Raheem Mostert combined for 15 targets in that game and 34 Draftkings points. While the matchup is certainly daunting, the potential game flow here could easily lead to Wilson piling up catches and points if Mostert is inactive with his broken thumb.
