DraftKings is getting into the season-long fantasy sports business. Kind of.
DraftKings ‘Leagues’
The daily fantasy sports operator announced a new feature for its users called “Leagues” that went live on Tuesday, as daily fantasy football gears up in September.
DraftKings has officially entered the season-long fantasy football space. The daily fantasy site launched best ball contests on Aug. 3 with two types. Sit & Go’s: These contests run the duration of the traditional fantasy football season. As the 2020 season-long fantasy football season sees its last light, the dawn of playoff fantasy football is upon us: our rankings and analysis for that are coming soon. Meanwhile, it’s always sunny in the land of DraftKings NFL DFS games, so we focus our attention this week on the DraftKings NFL Week 17 main slate. After promising a big announcement, DraftKings has delivered with the introduction of DraftKings Leagues, its first foray into season-long fantasy territory. Play our new Best Ball season-long fantasy football contests. With our new Best Ball game, you’ve got a new way to crush it this football season. Pick your team in a Snake Draft, which. Who needs season-long fantasy football, anyway? DFS sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo allow you to build new lineups each week, playing the matchups and starting healthy players.
The idea: Allow DraftKings users to get a group of people together to create and play private DFS contests exclusive to the invitees. DraftKings Leagues has a leaderboard function, so you can see how you fare against other players over time.
While you could create private contests with friends or other DraftKings users previously, that functionality was a one-off with no carry-over.
The idea behind Leagues
“We’ve heard a lot of customer feedback, really since we started DraftKings, saying ‘It’s a really cool product, I love daily fantasy, I love what you offer, but it’s really hard to play with friends,’ ” COO and co-founder Paul Liberman told Legal Sports Report. “It took some time to think about how we were going to build it, what does it need. ”
Despite sharing some commonalities with seasonlong fantasy, Liberman says the Leagues product is not meant to compete with its forerunner, but to be complementary to DraftKings’ over-arching product.
“The goal was to create almost a private version of DraftKings, for you and your friends and your colleagues,” Liberman said. “And to make it easier to smack talk amongst a small group.”
Inside DraftKings’ new feature
The Leagues functionality feels a lot like DFS’ seasonlong cousin, giving the league “commissioner” and its players a great deal of freedom in how it works:
- Leagues are not necessarily for single sports, although they can be. You can play and track any of the various sports DraftKings offers in the same league.
- Contests are fully customizable, and can be free or paid entry. The user experience within Leagues is similar to the existing DraftKings lobby, as far as creating and entering contests.
- Anyone within the league can choose to compete in an individual contest or not. Contests are available to enter for anyone who is in the league.
- Recurring contest mode allows a league to run the same contest week after week, without having to set it up again.
- Players can be invited to a DraftKings league via text, e-mail, Facebook or Twitter.
You can watch a video here that breaks down Leagues.
The social DFS game
“Leagues” is a far more social iteration of DFS that has not always been the focus of the industry in its run-up over the past several years, as bigger and bigger prize pools were often emphasized.
But between DraftKings Leagues and FanDuel’s plan to roll out an offering called “Friends mode” that will also go live before NFL season, 2016 looks to be much different. (DraftKings also announced the creation of a “Game Integrity Unit” last week)
“It’s a starting point as both a product and as a technology, for us to continue building on those strong social roots [in fantasy sports], as we see daily fantasy sports continue to evolve,” Liberman said.
Obviously, Leagues is not designed to move the needle immediately in terms of revenue for DraftKings. But it is the continuation of an industry pivot that some might argue is overdue: Emphasizing the social nature of fantasy sports that allowed the seasonlong industry to grow organically.
DraftKings will see how successful it can be in porting that concept to the DFS product during the upcoming NFL season.
The final week of the 2020 NFL season is upon us, and the majority of season-long fantasy leagues have already crowned their champions. But DFS sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo allow you to extend the fantasy fun, and assemble brand-new lineups with healthy players from teams still actively competing for playoff positioning. Before every week of this season, I have provided a list of my favorite DFS sleepers and under-the-radar value plays. I do so with the help of RotoQL, which features up-to-date rankings of every NFL players’ DFS prices, values, stat projections, floors, and ceilings.
If you read this column last week, you would have benefited greatly from our advice to make the following DFS roster picks (all Week 16 prices and fantasy points via DraftKings):
- QB Andy Dalton ($5,500): 30.6 fantasy points
- QB Mitchell Trubisky ($5,700): 24.6
- QB Jalen Hurts ($7,000): 20.6
- RB David Johnson ($6,100): 31.9
- RB JK Dobbins ($6,200): 13.7
- WR Mike Evans ($6,100): 43.1
- WR Brandin Cooks ($6,200): 30.1
- WR Tee Higgins ($4,700): 21.9
- TE Austin Hooper ($3,500): 14.1
- TE Mark Andrews ($5,700): 13.6
- TE Logan Thomas ($4,900): 13.3
- Tampa Bay D/ST ($3,800): 12
- San Fran D/ST ($2,700): 11
- Washington D/ST ($3,000): 9
These players (and defenses) all vastly outperformed their price tiers, with some even leading their positions for the week. By finding such great values at modest costs, DFS managers afforded themselves studs like Deshaun Watson, Travis Kelce, and Jonathan Taylor in other roster spots.
MORE WEEK 17 DFS: Best stacks Lineup Builder
You can read Week 17 previews and fantasy prediction articles 24/7 on BetQL, find out which side the pros are betting on their NFL expert picks dashboard, follow all the NFL public betting data, and build DraftKings lineups on RotoQL.
Let's break down our top Week 17 DFS value plays, and you can get an idea of why 100,000 DFS players trust RotoQL to build lineups. We constantly monitor pricing and provide the most up-to-date insight and analysis to maximize your lineup success. Optimize, find value plays, and increase your chances of cashing today!
WEEK 17 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings FanDuel
NFL DFS Picks Week 17: QB sleepers, values
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (DK: $6,300 FD: $7,700)
Cousins has enjoyed a fantastic home stretch of the regular season, averaging 23.6 fantasy points since Week 11. Now he faces a Lions defense surrendering the third-most fantasy points in the league. In Detroit’s past five games, QBs have averaged 299.2 passing yards while throwing a combined total of 15 touchdowns. RotoQL has Cousins projected to score 21 fantasy points, easily the highest-projected score for any signal-caller under $7,000 on DraftKings.
Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (DK: $6,000 FD: $7,300)
I’m shocked at how many times I have recommended Rivers in this column this season considering he almost perennially makes my personal ‘Do Not Draft’ list, but the veteran QB’s listed prices have been values more often than not this season and he almost always delivers against poor defenses. Enter the Jaguars, who yield the second-most fantasy points to QBs and tank better than the Jets. RotoQL projects Rivers at 18.4 with a ceiling of 28.7 points.
Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos (DK: $5,700 FD: $7,200)
Aww, we’re getting nostalgic in the last week of the regular season! Carr has also made this list a handful of times this year and for good reason. Like Rivers, the Raiders QB is unspectacular but solid. He doesn’t make too many mistakes, which limits his fantasy floor, and he has play-making receivers who boost his ceiling. Denver ranks 21st in fantasy points allowed to QBs, so he’s a great investment at $5,700.
New Year’s Bonus: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (DK: $5,900 FD: $7,400)
You had me at Carolina. The Panthers have served as many QBs’ 'get-right games’ this season, which should be no different this week for the future Hall-of-Famer -- especially with New Orlerans down its top three RBs because of COVID. Brees averages 24.4 fantasy points in his past three games against the Panthers. If he can’t hit Black Jack against them this week, he might not be physically ready for the playoffs.
WEEK 17 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings FanDuel
Week 17 DraftKings, FanDuel Picks: RB sleepers, values
D'Andre Swift, Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings (DK: $6,300 FD: $7,500)
The rookie has faced quite a few tough run defenses in the second half of the season, but Swift has still averaged17.4 fantasy points over his past five games. He turned 16 touches into 97 yards the first time these teams met in Week 9, and he has exceeded that touch count in three of the past four weeks since. With 4.6 average yards per carry and nine total touchdowns, it will be difficult to stay away from Swift at $6,300 against the Vikings, who rank 27th against RBs in fantasy land.
Video: Week 17 Preview: Chargers vs. Chiefs (NBC Sports)
Melvin Gordon III, Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders (DK: $5,700 FD: $6,800)
The veteran Gordon kicked the turbo boosters on for the home stretch of 2020, accumulating 500 yards on the ground in 93 carries since Week 10 (5.4 yards per carry). Look for him to find paydirt for the 10th time this season, and with 107 yards, he can reach the 1,000-yard mark for just the second time in his career. The Raiders have ceded the fourth-most fantasy points to RBs this season and 6.1 yards per carry to bell-cow backs since these teams last met in mid-November. We’re down with MG3 in Week 17.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (DK: $4,900 FD: $6,100)
While the Ravens have underwhelmed this season, the ‘Gus Bus’ has been rolling like it’s got Sandra Bullock at the wheel. Since Week 13, Edwards has carried the ball 38 times for 277 yards (7.3 yards per carry), and he’s found the end zone twice. He also has 73 receiving yards over Baltimore’s past two games. David Johnson just rushed for 128 yards and a score against Cincinnati, one week after Benny Snell carved the Bengals up for 107 total yards and a score. Ride the Bus to DFS glory at a discount deal this week.
Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (DK: $4,900 FD: $6,000)
Another deal at under $5,000, Hines has very quietly put up 60 fantasy points since Week 12. He serves as one of Rivers’ security blankets, equally capable of doing damage on the ground and through the air. The Jaguars are the gift that keeps on giving, as they rank 30th in fantasy against RBs. RotoQL lists Hines’ ceiling at 28.5 PPR points, a mark he hit in Week 10 against the Titans.
Draftkings Season Long Fantasy Football 2019
WEEK 17 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback Running back Wide receiver Tight end D/ST Kicker
FanDuel, DraftKings Picks Week 17: WR sleepers, values
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (DK: $5,800 FD: $6,300)
Maybe Hilton traded for himself on his own fantasy team late in the season because he’s averaged 18.4 PPR points since Week 12. Now he gets to inflict some pain on a Jacksonville secondary that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to receivers this season. I know, I’m hammering the Jaguars this week, but Hilton will hammer them, too, whether you insert him into your lineups or not.
Keke Coutee, Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans (DK: $5,600 FD: $5,700)
At least somebody benefited from the Will Fuller suspension. Coutee has scored 61.2 fantasy points since Week 13 (15.3 per game), clearly earning the trust of Texans QB Deshaun Watson. Coutee has seen the field for 73 percent of Houston’s offensive snaps since the Fuller suspension, and he’s caught 21-of-24 targets in that span. Tennessee has allowed the third-most points to wideouts this season. RotoQL projects the third-year speedster at 13 PPR points with a 25-point ceiling.
Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DK: $5,100 FD: $5,700)
Another wideout who has benefited from the absence of a teammate, Gage has stepped up since Julio Jones suffered a hamstring injury in Week 13. Since then, Gage has 18 grabs for 224 yards and two scores. He will look to close out the season well against the Bucs, who have been surprisingly generous to receivers in fantasy this year (23rd). The over/under for this game is set at 50 points, and Tampa Bay has scored 78 points total in the past two weeks. Expect Falcons QB Matt Ryan to throw early and often, with Gage once again profiting from the volume.
Marvin Jones Jr., Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings (DK: $5,100 FD: $6,100)
Jones has been a boom-or-bust play this season, with nearly 60 combined PPR points in Weeks 13 and 15 but just 13.7 combined in Weeks 14 and 16. We at RotoQL expect him to boom again in Week 17, not just because he’s an odd-number type of guy but also because the Lions face a vulnerable Vikings secondary ranked 24th in fantasy points allowed to receivers. We have Jones projected at 14.2 fantasy points, with a much higher ceiling if QB Matthew Stafford (ankle) can suit up.
New Year’s Bonus: Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (DK: $5,000 FD: $6,200)
I’ve forgiven Gallup for helping my opponent eliminate me from my fantasy league’s playoffs a few weeks back (I started him in my FLEX spot over Miles Sanders the week Sanders went off against the Saints…gulp). Gallup seems to have forgiven himself, as well, as he scored 11.6 points last week against San Francisco and a whopping 33.1 points last week against the Eagles. Expect double-digits in a huge NFC East battle with the G-Men this weekend.
WEEK 17 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback Running back Wide receiver Tight end D/ST Kicker
Week 17 NFL DFS Picks: TE sleepers, values
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (DK: $5,800 FD: $7,200)
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has recently looked a lot more like he did during his 2019 MVP campaign than he did earlier in the season. Part of the reason is because he has reestablished his healthy connection with Andrews. The 6-5, 256-pound tight end has 77.7 points over the course of Baltimore’s past five games (15.5 per game), and now he travels to Cincinnati to face a Bengals D ranked 28th in fantasy against his position.
Draftkings Fantasy Football Lineup Optimizer
Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (DK: $3,900 FD: $5,600)
Smith reached 15 or more PPR points for the third time in five weeks when he scored 23.3 against a good Saints defense in New Orleans on Christmas. RotoQL sees that 23-point mark as his ceiling against the floundering Lions, who rank 24th against tight ends in fantasy. As a red-zone favorite of the aforementioned Cousins, Smith may very well find paydirt for the third time in two weeks.
New Year’s Bonus: Noah Fant, Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders (DK: $4,400 FD: $5,700)
It’s good to let go of grudges and grievances around the New Year, so I’m willing to forgive and forget about the fact that Fant did next-to-nothing for me in the four fantasy leagues I drafted him this year. Fant has scored 33.3 combined PPR points in Denver’s past two games, and he gets to finish the season off strong against a miserable Raiders defense.
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Week 17 NFL DFS values: D/ST sleepers
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (DK: $3,000 FD: $3,900)
The Seahawks D, which was historically bad in the first half of the season, has been surprisingly good in the second half. The biggest difference-maker has been Carlos Dunlap, who has provided Seattle with an actual pass-rush since coming over via trade. The Seahawks have scored at least nine fantasy points in every game since Week 11, and the 49ers often make mistakes with Nick Mullens under center.
I wish all of our readers a happy and healthy New Year, and hope you all start 2021 with some big-time DFS winnings!