If you’re looking for early Week 13 bargain Sunday Night Football DFS picks before crafting your fantasy football lineups, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve analyzed each Sunday Night Football team’s highest-probability game scripts to assess which player on each team has a great shot at outproducing expectations.
Cowboys vs. Colts Considerations
The Dallas Cowboys are flying high, while the Indianapolis Colts cling to postseason hopes. These DFS considerations assume the Cowboys will prevail roughly 30-17.
You don’t need to hear about big names like Jonathan Taylor, Dak Prescott, or CeeDee Lamb. Even Michael Pittman Jr. seems obvious — in that if you’re going to spend a lot on a high-upside player, Pittman will cost you a lot.
This column is about the true bargains — players who might be priced 50% or less than guys like Taylor and Lamb. Some might even cost 90% less. Picking the right bargain could transform a competitive lineup into a tournament winner.
Top Early NFL DFS Picks for SNF
Michael Gallup
A Michael Gallup breakout looms. It’s inevitable. The former 1,000-yard receiver has worked his way back from a season-ending injury to assume the unquestioned WR2 role alongside Lamb.
However, Gallup hasn’t scored since his first game back in Week 4. And this past Sunday marked modest season highs in targets (8), catches (5), and yards (63). Is there room for more? Essentially, can Gallup return to 1,000-yard form and deliver enough 15+ point performances to merit regular usage in DFS slates?
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Short answer: of course. As Dallas looks ahead to an increasingly likely playoff appearance, they’ll need vintage Gallup to step up as a more consistent No. 2 wideout.
Noah Brown has faded somewhat, while Dalton Schultz has been a de facto No. 2 receiver. Gallup’s Week 12 improvement likely will be closer to his floor than his ceiling this coming Sunday night and going forward.
Dalton Schultz
Speaking of Schultz, each week, I remain shocked at how cheap he is in DFS contests. OK, in some ways, I get it.
He’s ranked 10th in points per game. Pricing is based largely on expectations, and Schultz’s 2022 body of work doesn’t come close to rivaling his 2021 breakout.
Still, Schultz’s occasional struggles are easy to rationalize. Cooper Rush’s time at the helm stalled the passing attack. Schultz sprained his PCL in Week 5, forcing him out for Week 6, and then he reaggravated the injury in Week 7.
The key though is that in five full games with Dak Prescott — their previous five games — Schultz has 29 receptions for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Across a 17-game season, that would project to a 99-782-10 receiving line.
Last year, Schultz had 78 receptions, 808 yards, and eight touchdowns, and finished as the No. 3 fantasy TE.
Ignore everything Shultz did before Prescott returned. It’s meaningless from a DFS standpoint. He’s averaging better numbers these last five weeks than he did last season and should be priced among the near-elites. Instead, he’s frequently priced like a top 10-12 TE. Invest while you can.
Brett Maher
We don’t always consider kickers in DFS lineups. Although they’re always relatively cheap, they don’t offer the uber ceiling of higher-priced playmakers.
Still, some kickers bring 16+ point potential at a reasonable fee. Brett Maher is one of them. He’s No. 5 in kicker DFS points per game and an exceptional 7 of 9 from 50+ yards. He’s hit a 60+ yarder in three of his four seasons.
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The opposing Colts have been fairly strong on defense. Assuming Dallas contains Indy’s offense, the Cowboys shouldn’t feel pressure to go for first downs on 4th-and-short in Colts territory. Instead, they can entrust Maher to put more points on the board and extend their lead.
If you’re going to take a DFS kicker, make sure (a) his team is expected to win, (b) his team’s defense is at least above-average forcing turnovers and limiting yardage, and (c) he’s accurate from long range. Maher fits the bill.
Alec Pierce
Alec Pierce has slipped well behind Pittman and Parris Campbell in the WR pecking order. However, that doesn’t mean he’s irrelevant in DFS slates. I like the rookie continuing to develop as a possession receiver.
He’s also an underutilized red-zone target, and that might change as this season progresses. Seven of Pierce’s eight TDs as a college senior came from inside the 21-yard line. Anytime the Colts go away from Taylor, Pierce is a threat to deliver.