On this Thursday’s slate, the Washington Redskins travel to the Minnesota Vikings in what’s expected to be a lopsided game, with the Vikings a 16-point favorite and the over/under set at 41. That implies oddsmakers are anticipating a score of about 28-13, which means tonight’s cash-game lineups should focus on players from Minnesota, including the D and kickers (and, perhaps, a sneaky receiver in Olabisi Johnson.) In tournaments, you’re often just as well to go contrarian, as a “normal†lineup may split the top prize 500 ways (yes, it happens.)
Here are some players to consider for tonight’s DFS Thursday Night Showdown.
Olabisi Johnson, Vikings WR
Adam Thielen is sitting out tonight with an injured hamstring, which elevates Johnson to the No. 2 role in the Vikings’ wide-receiving corps. The rookie has been in the receiver rotation since Week 4, catching 13 of 17 targets in four games, including four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown last week against the Lions. He’ll likely receive a fair share of targets tonight, at a salary of about half of what you’ll pay for Stefon Diggs on DraftKings.
Johnson is also a smart play if you’re doing the Thursday-Monday slates on the DFS sites, as he is min-priced at $3,000 on DK, and value-priced at $6,000 on FanDuel.
Dalvin Cook, Vikings RB
Cook continues to get a big workload, carrying the ball 25 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions last week. On the season, Cook is averaging 19 rushes and more than three receptions per game. The Redskins’ run defense is one of the worst in the NFL, so we can expect the Vikings to pound the ball tonight.
Terry McLaurin, Redskins WR
McLaurin caught just one of two targets last week as the Redskins lost to the 49ers. But that was in a game in which Washington elected to pass just 12 times due to the rain and interim head coach Bill Callahan’s increased focus on the run. Tonight, we don’t have to worry about the rain in a dome, and the Redskins are likely to be behind in the second half, meaning they will be forced to pass more often.
Wendell Smallwood, Redskins RB
This pick is definitely more of a tournament “dart throwâ€, and shouldn’t be used in cash games. Chris Thompson is out with turf toe and Adrian Peterson has a bad ankle and may not play, leaving Smallwood as a possible starter against the Vikings. At the very least, he’s likely to get a handful of carries if Peterson plays, as Smallwood managed five rushes for 23 yards last week. At a salary of $1,800 on DK and $5,000 on FD, he can help round out a tournament lineup, and possibly get you some decent DFS points in the process.
