There are several ways to assemble a daily fantasy roster.
This article intends to focus on players who represent values and or will return on investment.
What is a Return on Investment score?
The Return on Investment (ROI) score is determined by dividing the first two numbers of a player's price tag by the points scored in a given week.
The lower the ROI score is, the more a player has returned on your investment.
An example of a good return on investment, Tua Tagovailoa was priced at $5,600 on DraftKings and scored 43.86 fantasy points in Week 2 of last season.
56 / 43.86 = 1.28 ROI
An example of a poor return on investment, Russell Wilson was priced at $7,200 on DraftKings and scored 12.06 fantasy points in Week 2 of last season.
72 / 12.06 = 5.97 ROI
While you will not always need to use the ROI score to assemble your entire roster, utilizing it on certain players can help you be more cost-effective while assembling the final pieces of your roster.
The Top 10 average ROI among players that finished in the top 25 in scoring last season:
- QB: 3.46
- RB: 5.20
- WR: 5.25
- TE: 5.50
Another indicator of success is a player scoring three times his cost (3X). This is a method that has been used in a variety of daily fantasy circles and will be used here.
In Week 1 last season, Saquon Barkley was priced at $6,100.
- 6.1 x 3 = 18.3 (Goal to hit 3X cost)
- Points scored 36.4 – 18.3 = +18.10
Chart Key:
- Average = Average points scored
- ROI = Average Return on Investment
- 3X = Average of how high a player scores three times their cost
- 30+ = Games with 30 points or more
- 20+ = Games with 20 points or more
- 10> = Games with fewer than 10 points scored
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Quarterback DFS Values
Derek Carr ($5,700)
Saints vs Bears
By no means is Derek Carr the sexiest option on the Week 9 slate, but over the last few weeks, the Saints quarterback has quietly produced.
After having just two games with double-digit points during the first five weeks, Carr has now scored 20+ points in each of his last three games.
During this hot streak, Carr has had three straight games with 300+ yards passing, which in DraftKings formats is an additional three points.
During this strong play, Carr has delivered a top-five return on investment score in two out of the last three weeks.
In terms of scoring 3X his price, which is listed in our charts, Carr has scored three times his weekly cost at an average of 5.15 points over the last three weeks.
Look for the yards and production to continue as the Saints take on a Bears defense that is allowing the fourth most passing yards, 269.8 on a per-game basis.
While the Bears are allowing the seventh-most points to the position, it has been even worse in road games.
In the four games that the Bears have played on the road this season, the defense is allowing an average of 24.9 points per game.
Carr will have his time to throw as the Bears have the lowest sacks (1.3) on a per-game basis and are tenth in hurry percentage with 6.6%.
Lastly, the Bears' defense is one of three teams to allow over 1,000 yards after the catch this season.
Honorable Mention: Baker Mayfield ($5,200)
Running Back DFS Values
Gus Edwards ($5,900)
Ravens vs Seahawks
Much like the previously mentioned Derek Carr, Ravens running back Gus Edwards has been putting together strong performances.
Along with averaging 25.4 points over the last two weeks, Edwards has also posted a top-three return on investment score during that time.
What has helped produce these sorts of numbers is that Edwards had 59% of the team’s rushing attempts during that time and has had 41% over the course of the entire season.
The Seahawks currently ranked 21st in points allowed to the running back position. There is an argument to be made that they haven’t truly been tested.
In the four games that the Seahawks allowed fewer than 20 points to the position, their opponent had an average rushing attempts rank of 18th.
In the two games the Seahawks defense faced an offense that ranked in the top five in most rush attempts on a per-game basis, they allowed an average of 27.65 points.
Headed into Week 9, the Ravens have the second most rushing attempts on a per-game basis with 32.4.
Another aspect of this matchup that bodes well for Edwards is rushing touchdowns.
Headed into this matchup, the Seahawks have the sixth-highest rushing touchdown percentage with 46.67%.
This goes hand-in-hand with the Ravens offense, which ranks first in the league with a rushing touchdown percentage of 60.87%.
Edwards has accounted for 80% of the Ravens rushing touchdowns this season.
Honorable Mention: Chuba Hubbard ($5,000)
Wide Receiver DFS Values
Demario Douglas – $4,000
Patriots at Commanders
Injuries throughout the Patriots wide receiver position have opened a clear path to production for Demario Douglas.
The most notable injury came last week when Kendrick Bourne suffered a season-ending ACL injury against the Dolphins. In the seven games prior to last week, Bourne had a team-high target share of 21%.
If you are wondering who the player is that has the best chance to absorb those targets, look no further than last week.
In the Week 8 matchup against the Dolphins, not only did Douglas play 77% of the team’s offensive snaps, the Patriots rookie saw 25% of the team’s targets.
Douglas had been heating up as of late as well. While Douglas had just 10 receptions in the first five weeks, over his last two games, Douglas recorded nine receptions for 79 yards.
Along with being a talented route runner. Douglas has seen a small sample of rushing attempts. The Patriots potential WR1 has two rushing attempts for 24 yards in the last two games.
With opportunity on the rise, Douglas and Patriots will take on a Commanders defense that has struggled throughout the season.
Along with allowing more points to wide receivers than any other team in the league, the Commanders are one of two teams to allow 50+ points to the position in multiple games.
Allowing the most points in the league, it should come as no surprise that the Commanders are allowing the fifth-highest passing touchdown percentage with 72%.
When looking specifically at the opposing team’s leading wide receiver, in the Commanders' eight games played this season, the opposing team’s top wideout is averaging 27.1 points a game.
What can bode well for Douglas is Mac Jones having more time in the pocket. With Commanders trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young, expect the league’s 14th-highest pressure percentage of 23.2% to drop.
Important to note that in order for Douglas to finish 3X his DraftKings price tag, the rookie will need to score 12 points. Considering what the opposing defense has been allowing to the position, Douglas could be one of the most cost-effective plays in Week 9.
Honorable Mention: Rashid Shaheed ($4,500)
Tight End DFS Values
Dalton Kincaid – $3,700
Bills at Bengals
If you are playing in a slate that includes Sunday Night Football, look for Dalton Kincaid to give you a worthwhile return on investment.
Heading into Week 9, Kincaid has the seventh-best return on investment at his position.
This is due in large part to Dawson Knox’s absence. With the veteran tight end on injured reserve, the Bills rookie’s target share has gone from 10% in the first six weeks, to 19% over the last two games.
During those last two games, Kincaid has scored 15+ points, which includes a total of 140 yards receiving and a touchdown.
The last two games also had Josh Allen targeting Kincaid seven or more times. In the previous five games, the Bills tight end had been targeted five or more times twice.
What is promising is that with the targets increasing, Kincaid has had a high success rate in securing his targets. Heading into this week, he has a catch percentage of 88.2%, the highest of any Bills pass catcher targeted 30 times or more this season.
Even with his price rising by $500 from the previous week, if Kincaid is able to score 11.1 points, he will successfully score 3X his DraftKings price tag. If there is a matchup in which Kincaid can make that a reality, it is against the Bengals.
The Bengals have had just one week in which they allowed fewer than 10 points to opposing tight ends, the only team in the league to not have multiple such weeks.
With five weeks of allowing more than 15 points allowed to tight ends, the Bengals are tops in the league in allowing 16.10 on a per-game basis.
Honorable Mention: Cade Otton ($3,000)
