This article is a data-driven deep dive on strategic decision-making and roster construction for DFS cash games and tournaments. It relies heavily upon FantasyLabs’ extensive suite of analytical DFS tools, as well as advanced metrics and film study. First, I walk through narrowing down the player pool at each position. Then, I lay out how to choose the highest-floor lineup combinations for cash games. Finally, I go game-by-game to present the biggest edges (stacks, pivots, leverage opportunities, etc.) in each.

Week 8 shmoney time.

Quarterback

• Deshaun Watson, Texans ($7,200 DK, $8,400 FD) vs. OAK

Deshaun Watson should have all day to throw against a Raiders defense ranked last in pressure rate (14.0%). QBs like Watson who have a Projected Plus/Minus of at least +3.0 at home have posted a 72% average Consistency Rating and +4.5 Plus/Minus since the start of 2018.

For more on QBs, check out Matthew Freedman’s Week 8 Fantasy QB Breakdown.

Running Back

• Le’Veon Bell, Jets ($6.900 DK, $7,000 FD) at JAC
• Chase Edmonds, Cardinals ($6,200 DK, $6,100 FD) at NO
• Latavius Murray, Saints ($5,800 DK, $6,200 FD) vs. ARI
• Sony Michel, Patriots ($5,200 DK, $6,500 FD) vs. CLE
• Ty Johnson, Lions ($4,900 DK, $5,200 FD) vs. NYG

Ty Johnson got 10 carries and four targets last week and should operate as the feature back in the absence of Kerryon Johnson (knee, IR). Johnson’s projected FD points per dollar is 2.2, and RBs projected for 2.2 or more have delivered a 78% Consistency Rating and +7.1 Plus/Minus since the start of 2018.

The roles of Chase Edmonds and Latavius Murray will depend on the respective statuses of David Johnson (knee, questionable) and Alvin Kamara (ankle, questionable). Last week, Edmonds posted 150 yards and three TDs on 29 touches with DJ limited last week, while Murray hung 150 yards and 2 TDs on Chicago on 32 touches with Kamara out.

If Johnson and/or Kamara suit up, the pivots are Le’Veon Bell and Sony Michel. Bell has played 92% of the snaps this season and goes from a matchup against New England’s eighth-ranked defense in Football Outsiders’ rushingDVOA to matchup against the Jags’ 27th-ranked unit. Michel has punched in six TDs over his last six games and is also beginning to see increased usage in the passing game, with eight targets and six catches over his past three games.

Bell and Michel join Ty Johnson as Tie 1 RBs on DK (2.6-2.9 projected DK points per dollar). RBs who fit that trend have produced 63% Consistency and a +4.3 Plus/Minus since the start of last season. Edmonds is projected for 2.0 FD points per dollar, which puts him among a group of RBs that have collectively averaged 60% Consistency and a +4.2 Plus/Minus.

For more on running backs, check out Matthew Freedman’s Week 8 Fantasy RB Breakdown.

Wide Receiver

• Corey Davis, Titans ($4,400 DK, $5,500 FD) vs. TB
• Kenny Stills, Texans ($4,700 DK, $5,700 FD) vs. OAK
• Chris Godwin, Bucs ($7.100 DK, $8,100 FD) at TEN
• Cooper Kupp, Rams ($7,500 DK, $7,700 FD) vs. CIN
• DeAndre Hopkins, Texans ($8,100 DK, $8,200 FD) vs. OAK

Corey Davis gets a matchup against a Bucs funnel defense that is ranked No. 1 in run-defense DVOA but 25th or worse vs. No. 1 and No. 2 wide receivers. Davis fits a trend of home-favorite WRs projected for between 2.2-2.7 DK point per dollar that has produced an average of 14.5 DK points, 57% Consistency, and a +3.0 Plus/Minus since the start of last season.

Kenny Stills finished with four catches and 105 yards last week and steps into the Will Fuller (hamstring, out) role. Our models have Stills’ projected for 3.1 DK points per dollar, and WRs projected for 2.8 or more have registered 64% Consistency and a +4.5 average Plus/Minus since the start of 2018.

Chris Godwin has the fourth-highest median projection among WRs and the top Projected Plus/Minus of any stud WR on DK. He also gets the benefit of a funnel defense, as the Titans are ranked No. 3 in run-defense DVOA but No. 23 against the pass.

DeAndre Hopkins should tee off against a Raiders secondary that is ranked 30th in DVOA vs. No. 1 wide receivers. Cooper Kupp is in a smash spot as well against a CIncinnati defense that is ranked 29th in overall passing DVOA and 28th vs. No. 1 receivers.

For more on WRs, check out Matthew Freedman’s Week 8 Fantasy WR Breakdown.

Tight End

• Evan Engram, Giants ($5,300 DK, $6,300 FD) vs. DET

Engram is coming off an ugly game but is still projected for the second-most points at his position on both sites. He projects as the only Tier 1 TE on FD (2.5-plus Projected Plus/Minus; 57% Consistency, +2.9 since 2018). On DK, there’s not much separating Engram from Austin Hooper or Hunter Henry, who are viable alternatives.

For more on TEs, check out Matthew Freedman’s Week 8 Fantasy TE Breakdown.

Defense/Special Teams

• New England Patiots ($4,300 DK, $5,000 FD)

Only nine skill players on the slate are averaging more DK points per game than Patriots DST (21.3). Against Baker Mayfield and his NFL-high 11 interceptions, New England is in position to ward off the forces of regression yet again.

Roster Build

On DK, Watson-Edmonds-Murray-Johnson-Godwin-Stills-Davis-Hooper/Engram/Henry-Patriots would be the go-to if both DJ and Kamara sit. If they both play, it’s Watson-Bell-Michel-Johnson-Godwin-Stills-Davis-Engram/Henry-Patriots.

On FD, it’s Watson-Bell-Murray/Edmonds-Johnson-Hopkins-Godwin-Davis-Engram-Patriots unless both of DJ and Kamara play. in which case it’s Watson-Bell-Michel-Johnson-Hopkins-Kupp-Davis-Engram-Patriots.

GPP Edges

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints

With all of the focus on the backfield, Larry Fitzgerald and Kyler Murray will go under-owned. Each project for single-digit ownership in a game which the Cards are expected to lose by double digits.

Michael Thomas could see a lot of Patrick Peterson, but that brings down his floor, not his ceiling. Thomas still has the highest ceiling projection on the slate among WRs. Josh Hill is also a “flow-chart” (h/t Elliot Christ) based option against Arizona’s usually-generous TE defense with Jared Cook (ankle) out.

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers

Christian McCaffrey still has a top-two ceiling projection among RBs but is expected to be outside the five most highly owned players at the position.

George Kittle has the top ceiling of all TEs but is expected to fail to crack the top five in ownership.

Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Rams

Jared Goff‘s ceiling is equal to Watson’s, but Watson is expected to be in 3-4 times as many lineups. Cooper Kupp projects for a top-five ceiling and single-digit ownership.

Tyler Boyd has the top projected ceiling of all WRs under $6,000 on FanDuel.

Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots

The highest-owned Patriots are projected to be Julian Edelman and Sony Michel, which makes Tom Brady, Phillip Dorsett, and Mohamed Sanu more valuable.

Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the highest-leverage plays on the slate, and Nick Chubb is also expected to go under owned relative to his ceiling. The slate-leading projected ownership for Patriots DST makes owning Browns skill players even more high-leverage

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts

Jacoby Brissett and T.Y. Hilton will go under owned against a Broncos defense that got picked apart by Matt Moore and Tyreek Hill last week.

Royce Freeman out-snapped Phillip Lindsay 42-27 last week and is a top GPP play considering he’s expected for minimal ownership. Courtland Sutton projects as a top value, but is better left for GPps than cash games because he struggled in the role of No. 1 receiver at times with Emmanuel Sanders on IR last season.

Los Angeles Chargers at Chicago Bears

Mike Williams and Hunter Henry figure to command too much ownership to be +EV in GPPs. On the other side, Tarik Cohen is a sneaky play. Cohen has 21 targets over the past two weeks and three six-plus catch games on the year.

New York Giants at Detroit Lions

Golden Tate is averaging 5.0 catches on 8.7 targets per game as a Giant but is expected to have sub-5% ownership in his revenge game against the Lions.

For the Lions, Mathew Stafford is a top-six QB play, and both Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones project for single-digit ownership.

New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars

While the Jets defense is ranked sixth in run-defense DVOA, the Jags are ranked 27th, but Leonard Fournette is projected to be in twice as many lineups as Le’Veon Bell.

Against a tougher run defense that is allowing the third-most schedule adjusted yards to No. 1 wide receivers, this is also a get-right spot for D.J. Chark, who projects to clock in with single-digit ownership while his QB, Gardner Minshew, projects to be in fewer than 5% of lineups.

Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans

Carlos Hyde has 90 yards and/or a TD in each of Houston’s four wins and will go overlooked with most of the ownership in this game going to Watson, Hopkins, and Stills. Hyde is currently projected for 2-4% ownership.

Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills

The Bills have allowed just as many rushing TDs to RBs as passing TDs to QBs (four), which could make Jordan Howard a worthwhile investment at what is expected to be 0-1% ownership.

For the Bills, John Brown has been more of a floor play with at least 50 yards in every game, but he has a good shot at a ceiling game against an Eagles defense allowing the most fantasy points in the league to opposing WRs.

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

Devonta Freeman was averaging 4.2 receptions per game before getting ejected last week and has upside beyond what his 2-4% projected ownership implies against Seattle’s 22nd-ranked defense in rushing DVOA.

Jaron Brown is a sneaky play. He’s averaging 5.5 targets and 3.0 catches per game as he essentially replaces much of the targets left behind by Will Dissly.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans

Chris Godwin has a top-three ceiling projection among WRs, but he won’t be owned too heavily as cheap alternatives are available at the position.

Both TEs in this game – Cameron Brate and Jonnu Smith — are cost-driven GP punts with 0 floors but top-five upside.

Chris Raybon is a Senior Editor at the Action Network and a host of “The Action Network” on Sirius XM Fantasy Radio every Wednesday-Friday at 10 a.m. ET. He also hosts the weekly NFL Betting edition of The Action Network Podcast and is featured each week on The Fantasy Flex edition of the pod, as well. He has watched every snap of every NFL game since 2010 — even the kneel downs. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRaybon and read about how he quit his accounting job and got paid to watch sports.