This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
Before jumping in headfirst into the whirlwind of fun that is Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football, be sure to differentiate from the variety of games offered. Since Head-to-Heads, 50/50s and Double Ups pay nearly half of entrants, your best bet to cashing is to target players with higher floors. Think heavily-targeted number one WRs, RBs who get the bulk of a team's carries and upper echelon QBs in match-ups with a tight Vegas point spread and a high total.
Tournaments / Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs) require a bit more of your inner contrarian – target offensive players with higher ceilings in advantageous matchups. Huge point totals can come from the most unpredictable of places – the most obvious plays are not always the right ones. Though previous week's performances should be noted, each new week of action should be considered its own season. Don't chase last week's stats.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
Philip Rivers (SD, $32) – Rivers is a risky play, but it is the type of pick that can help win the big tournament. Rivers has lost several of his best offensive weapons and has just one multi-touchdown outing over his last five. He looked better last week, playing with the flu against a stout Chiefs defense. The silver lining is that the Chargers are two-point favorites against a flailing Dolphins team that was devoured through the air by the Giants last week. A Rivers – Floyd pairing will be very low percentage and is my sneaky combination of choice that can help take down a GPP.
Jeremy Hill (CIN, $22) – Another option not for the faint of heart. Hill continues to split carries with Giovani Bernard and received just seven last week (16 rush yards) in a lackluster effort. But the Bengals were fighting against a negative game script early on and did not have a chance to establish their running game. Over his previous two outings, Hill averaged 19 carries and 92 yards when the Bengals built early leads against the Rams and Browns. We may have a similar situation this week as the Bengals face a Niners team that is allowing the second-most rushing yards per game to opponents (133.2). Rookie QB AJ McCarron may need to rely on both Hill and Bernard this week. Hill is a solid contrarian option.
Randall Cobb (GB, $21) – Cobb has been a disappointment overall this season, gaining 737 yards on 65 receptions thus far. But the price won't be any lower than it is this week and he is in a great spot against the Raiders and slot cornerback Travis Carrie. Cobb caught eight of 12 targets for 81 yards against the Cowboys last week, seeing double-digit targets for the first time since Week 10. Cobb feels due for one of his big games. Look for Aaron Rodgers to continue to re-establish the connection with Cobb as they fight for playoff seeding over the final three weeks.
Other Against-the-Grainers:
QB: T.J. Yates (HOU, $20)
RB: Lamar Miller (MIA, $24), Eddie Lacy (GB, $24)
WR: DeAndre Hopkins (HOU, $36), Sammy Watkins (BUF, $24), Malcom Floyd (SD, $11)
TE: Antonio Gates (SD, $19)
DEF: New England Patriots ($12)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
Quarterback
Cam Newton (CAR, $35) – Newton continued to make his case for league MVP, throwing for three touchdown passes against the hapless Falcons last week in just three quarters of action. Newton now has 30 total touchdowns in 13 games and has thrown or ran for multiple touchdowns in all but two. He lines up for another fine matchup in Week 15 against a Giants team that allows a league-worst 308 passing yards per game and are the only team that has allowed more than 4,000 passing yards so far this season. The Giants have a big weapon of their own in Odell Beckham Jr., and could keep this one close, which would keep Newton busy for all four quarters.
Running Backs
Denard Robinson (JAX, $14) – The 25-year-old third-year back out of Michigan will be the belle of the waiver wire ball this week, and also makes for a solid value play in daily fantasy. The Jaguars' primary running back, T.J. Yeldon, left last week's game with a sprained knee and is unlikely to take the field in the Week 15 tilt against the Falcons. Nicknamed 'Shoelace', Robinson ran for 75 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries last week and had a nice mid-season four-game stretch as a starter last season, averaging 97 rushing yards per game and scoring four TDs. Should Yeldon miss this one, it will be hard to pass on the obvious bargain.
Brandon Bolden (NE, $10) – With LeGarrette Blount out for the season, Bolden is expected to receive most of the early-down work for the 11-2 Patriots. Bolden has just 174 career rushing attempts in four seasons with the Patriots. He has six career rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns, scoring both of those this season. Bolden isn't a powerful or dynamic runner, but can catch passes and fare well, providing value for minimum salary in a game in which the Patriots are expected to have positive game flow. Plugging in some combination of cheap backs like Bolden, Robinson and David Johnson creates plenty of daily fantasy dollars that can be used to stack top-level wide receivers with Rob Gronkowski.
Wide Receivers
Calvin Johnson (DET, $33) – Recency bias may help keep Megatron's ownership reasonable this week because of an awful game last week. Johnson was shut out until the final two minutes of the game, where he finished with one catch for 16 yards. Johnson has been relatively quiet this season outside of his three-TD, 31.3-fantasy point performance on Thanksgiving and his only 100-plus yard effort – 166 yards and a TD against the Bears in Week 6. A Monday night matchup against the league's worst pass defense may well be the perfect opportunity for Megatron to get off the schneid.
Alshon Jeffery (CHI, $26) – Jeffery has scored just three touchdowns in the eight games he has played, but he has been one of the most consistent cash games receivers in football. Jeffery has triple-digit receiving yards in four of those eight games and has failed to surpass 75 yards just once. Jeffery may see plenty of rookie Trae Waynes in coverage this week if veteran Terrence Newman remains at safety. Waynes was burned by the Cardinals' Michael Floyd on a 42-yard touchdown last week and will likely be making his second career start. In the Bears' Week 8 matchup against the Vikings, Jeffery caught 10 balls for 116 yards a touchdown. Jeffery is due to find the end zone.
Tyler Lockett (SEA, $15) – Lockett has been the league's best rookie wideout and has added an element of consistency to his game recently. With Jimmy Graham out of the picture, quarterback Russell Wilson has been relying heavily on his passing targets, Lockett and Doug Baldwin. Lockett is averaging five receptions over his last four games and has two two-touchdown outings. Still priced reasonably, and with a very suspect Browns secondary to pounce on, Lockett is a strong play this week for both cash games and tournaments.
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski (NE, $25) – Perhaps you did a double take when clicking on the tight end options. Gronk for under thirty bucks? Sign me up. Gronkowski returned to action last week, catching four balls for 87 yards and a touchdown, officially hitting the double-digit TD mark in every season of his career, with the exception of his injury-shortened 2013 season. Expect Gronk to feast against a Titans defense that has allowed 69 points over their last two games.
Defense/Special Teams
Seattle Seahawks ($15) – It will be difficult to skip over the Seahawks as our defensive option this week. The Seahawks have three straight games with at least one interception and have allowed seven points or less in their last two games. Johnny Manziel and company may not stand a chance. Expect several sacks, an interception or two, and perhaps even a shutout.
Honorable Mentions:
QB: Russell Wilson (SEA, $34)
RB: Adrian Peterson (MIN, $35), David Johnson (ARI, $17)
WR: Julio Jones (ATL, $34), Jeremy Maclin (KC, $24), Jarvis Landry (MIA, $24)
TE: Zach Miller (CHI, $13)
DEF: Cincinnati Bengals ($14)
