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Week 17 DraftKings Cash-Game Picks

By Jared Smola | Updated on Tue, 01 Aug 2023 . 2:05 PM EDT

QBs

Trey Lance, 49ers ($4,800)

This one’s easy. At $250 per projected point, Lance checks in as the best QB value of the entire season. And that’s with a modest passing projection of 180 yards and 1.1 TDs.

We have Lance projected for 66 yards and .3 TDs on the ground – which seems more than fair after he ran it 16 times for 89 yards in his Week 5 start. Lance threw for 192 yards in that one, didn’t score a passing or rushing TD and still tallied 15.6 DK points.

That came against a solid Cardinals defense. Lance gets a less-than-solid Texans defense on Sunday that ranks 24th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs.

RBs

Jonathan Taylor ($9,000) is obviously a strong play – but he’s just 7th among RBs in dollars-per-point value. I’ll be prioritizing WR Cooper Kupp and playing these RBs instead:

David Montgomery, Bears ($6,500)

Montgomery is averaging 17.4 carries and 6.8 targets over the past 5 weeks. He’s 2nd among RBs in expected PPR points during that stretch. And he’s averaged 17.7 DK points.

Montgomery is in an excellent spot on Sunday with his Bears 6-point home favorites vs. the Giants, who sit 27th in Football Outsiders’ run defense rankings and 24th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Darrel Williams, Chiefs ($5,800)

In the 5 games Clyde Edwards-Helaire missed earlier this season, Williams averaged 13.8 carries and 5.4 targets. And that was despite just 5 carries and 4 targets in that total dud from the Chiefs in Tennessee. In the other 4 games, Williams tallied 25, 19, 23 and 20 opportunities (carries + targets).

Give me 20 or so opportunities from a Chiefs RB at $5,800 vs. the Bengals’ 23rd-ranked RB defense.

Sony Michel, Rams ($5,800)

This isn’t a great individual matchup for Michel vs. a Ravens squad that’s sitting 6th in Football Outsiders’ run defense rankings and 4th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

But I expect the Rams passing game to have a ton of success on Sunday, which will set Michel up for TD chances.

But, really, he’s just a volume play at this price tag. Michel has racked up 28, 21, 20 and 31 opportunities in his last 4 games and should be looking at a similar workload this weekend. RB Darrell Henderson is out, and RB Cam Akers is not expected to play. That leaves only RB Jake Funk behind Michel.

Also consider: Jonathan Taylor ($9,000), Ronald Jones ($6,300)

WRs

Cooper Kupp, Rams ($9,500)

With a slew of secondary injuries, the Ravens are trotting out 1 of the worst pass defenses in the NFL right now. They’ve allowed 700 yards and 6 TDs to WRs over the last 3 weeks.

Even at $9,500, Kupp checks in as our top dollars-per-point value at WR.

Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($6,700)

Tua Tagovailoa’s college teammate has tallied 10+ targets and 9+ catches in 3 straight games. Dating further back, he’s seen 8+ targets in 8 of his last 9.

So he’s 1 of the best target bets on the slate. And Waddle gets a plus matchup vs. a Titans defense ranked 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.

Christian Kirk, Cardinals ($5,800)

With no DeAndre Hopkins the past 2 weeks, Kirk has racked up 16 catches on 21 targets. More importantly, he’s played 83% of his snaps in the slot. That’ll keep him away from Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs on Sunday. Kirk will instead see a bunch of CB Jourdan Lewis, who ranks among the bottom 21 CBs in catches and yards allowed in coverage.

Also consider: Amon-Ra St. Brown ($6,000), Michael Gallup ($4,800), Courtland Sutton ($4,500), Zay Jones ($3,900)

TEs

Foster Moreau, Raiders ($3,800)

Moreau has averaged a decent 5.5 targets in 6 games without TE Darren Waller. He’s a good bet to top that mark on Sunday against an Indianapolis defense that’s struggled vs. TEs all season.

The Colts rank 20th in Football Outsiders’ TE coverage DVOA and 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to TEs. They’ve allowed a TE to hit 11.7+ DK points in 7 of their last 8 games.

Also consider: Cole Kmet ($3,400)

DSTs

Dolphins ($2800)

Our top dollars-per-point value at DST, the Dolphins rank 3rd among main-slate DSTs in DK points. They get a plus matchup on Sunday vs. a Titans team that’s allowed the 13th most DK points to opposing DSTs. And that’s despite not allowing a defensive TD. Tennessee has coughed up the 4th most sacks and committed the 3rd most turnovers.

Also consider: Colts ($2,900)