Sonic’s MME Pool 10.24

Sonic is a Milly Maker winner and large-field tournament mastermind who focuses on mass-multi-entry play

The Obstacle Is the Way

Marcus Aurelius lived almost 2,000 years ago so I’m 90% sure he never played DFS. I mean, they may have rostered some contrarian Green Team chariot racers at the Circus Maximus but those scrolls, much like modern-day FanDuel results, are lost forever. 

His famous quote about how frustration can be the catalyst for achievement was a wise one. This brings us to the Week 10 slate on DraftKings. This week will challenge us. We’ll be forced to click submit on some rosters that are less attractive than the Mona Lisa (overrated, right?), but if we can embrace the chaos and resist the paths of least resistance, we can emerge victorious. 

Are you not entertained?!

These are contrarian moves I’ll be mixing into my rosters to differentiate from the masses. Sometimes we’ll miss, but the ones that do hit will help us lap the field.

Secondary Core-Relations

We’re always hunting for those high-ceiling combinations to add to our existing game stacks. It’s better to aim at getting four things right instead of trying to hit a nine-way parlay. I’ll lean on a handful of core secondary stacks that will be finessed into lineups whenever feasible.

George Pickens/Terry McLaurin

JM made a great point on the Winner Circle podcast this week about how two players from the same game don’t always correlate. That’s why, in this space, I focus on players who could be the catalysts if a game erupts.

Take McLaurin, for example. His game log is filled with solid-but-not-spectacular performances — good enough to stay on your radar but never quite a slate-breaker. A deeper dive shows he’s either racking up catches and yards or scoring touchdowns, but he hasn’t put both together in the same game.

If this matchup turns into a shootout, it might be sparked by Russell Wilson connecting deep with Pickens (6% pOWN), forcing Jayden Daniels and McLaurin to respond. At just 1.1% projected ownership, I’m more than willing to take a few shots and see if this is the week McLaurin finally puts it all together.

*If salary savings are what you’re looking for, try Calvin Austin ($3500 at 1.7% pOWN) instead of Pickens.

Evan Engram/Justin Jefferson

It’s unlikely that Justin Jefferson sees enough volume to post a must-have score unless the Jaguars offense can keep pace. The Vikings boast a formidable defense and aren’t shy about sending the house to speed up the quarterback’s decision-making process. This scenario suggests that Mac Jones, with his limited arm strength, may lean on his tight end, Evan Engram, to make plays. At $5,300, Engram serves as a price pivot in the flex position, offering an alternative to DeAndre Hopkins, who is projected to be three times as owned and is facing Denver with Pat Surtain in shadow coverage. I’m also interested in Brian Thomas and Parker Washington, as both are low-owned and possess the potential to deliver 4x+ value. However, I’m banking on Mac’s Hunter Henry-esque attraction to Engram the most.

Engram is projected for just 4.4% ownership, while Jefferson’s hefty price tag—on a slate starving for reliable cheap options—has him sitting in the 8-9% range.

LOWER-OWNED TREASURES

Running Back