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Tuesday January 10, 2017

Chicago Bulls (19-18) at Washington Wizards (18-18)
7:00 EST at Verizon Center
EVEN

Bulls

PG M. Carter-Williams
SG Jimmy Butler (25.6 Pts)
SF Doug McDermott
PF Taj Gibson
C Robin Lopez (7.2 Reb)

Must Start- Jimmy Butler, Doug McDermott

Off the Bench- none

Wizards

PG John Wall (23.1 Pts, 10.1 Ast, 2.3 Stl)
SG Bradley Beal
SF Otto Porter
PF Markieff Morris
C Marcin Gortat (11.9 Reb)

Must Start- John Wall, Bradley Beal

Off the Bench- Marcin Gortat
Game Analysis- The Wizards are money at home and John Wall has averaged a Double Double in his last 10 games. Look for a high pace game with the Wizards getting a lot of steals. Washington is top 5 in steals this season.

 

We will update our Pro Lineup Builder and our Game Previews to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news so please check back with us before tip-off. You can follow our NBA Pro, Colin Kennedy, on twitter at CK@DKLegends for the latest NBA news and notes.

Tuesday, Jan 10, 2017

Cleveland Cavaliers (28-8) at Utah Jazz (23-16)
9:00 EST at Vivint Smart Home Arena
CLE -3  O/U 202.5

Cavs

PG Kyrie Irving
SG DeAndre Liggins
SF LaBron James (26.2 Pts, 8.3 Ast, 1.4 Sol)
PF Kevin Love (10.9 Reb)
C Tristan Thompson

Must Start- Kevin Love

Off the Bench- Kyrie Irving, Lebron James

Jazz

PG Shelvin Mack
SG Rodney Hood
SF Gordon Hayward (22.0 Pts)
PF Derrick Favors
C Rudy Gobert (12.3 Reb, 2.6 Blk)

Must Start- Rudy Gobert, George Hill

Off the Bench- Gordon Hayward

Game Projection- Gobert controls a strong interior defense for the Jazz. Look for Love to stretch the floor with his 3-point prowess. George Hill back in the lineup will help the Jazz going against the defending champs.

 

We will update our Pro Lineup Builder and our Game Previews to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news so please check back with us before tip-off. You can follow our NBA Pro, Colin Kennedy, on twitter at CK@DKLegends for the latest NBA news and notes.

 

Tuesday, Jan 10, 2017

Atlanta Hawks (21-16) at Brooklyn Nets (8-28)
7:30 EST at Barclays Center
ATL -6  O/U 212.5

Hawks

PG Dennis Schroder (17.7 Pts, 6.2 Ast)
SF Thato Sefolosha
PF Paul Milsap (1.6 Stl)
C Dwight Howard (13.3 Reb)

Must Start- Paul Millsap

Off the Bench- Dennis Schroder, Dwight Howard

Nets

PG Spencer Dinwiddie
SG Bojan Bogdanovic
SF Joe Harris
PF Trevor Booker (9.0 Reb)
C Brook Lopez (20.1 Pts, 1.7 Blk)

Must Start- Brook Lopez

Off the Bench- none

Game Analysis- With the Nets having the last ranked defense in the league, Millsap and Howard are starting to hit a little groove playing more games together.  The Hawks could try to get a win early in the season to get a bump in the standings.

 

We will update our Pro Lineup Builder and our Game Previews to reflect any last-minute lineup changes or late-breaking injury news so please check back with us before tip-off. You can follow our NBA Pro, Colin Kennedy, on twitter at CK@DKLegends for the latest NBA news and notes.

Week 16 Thursday Night Football Preview

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

5:25EST at Lincoln Financial Field

36F – 38F Clear with 12mph winds

NYG -2.5 O/U 41

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-9) will host the New York Giants (10-4) in this week’s Thursday Night Football game. This is the final Thursday game and the NFL’s last chance to nauseate us with their ColorRush uniforms. Tonight will be the 168th meeting between these NFC East rivals, with the Giants leading the series 85-80-2. The Giants have won 8 of their last 9 games and can earn a playoff spot with a win tonight. The Eagles have lost 5 straight. In that span they have given up no less than 26 points to their opponents.

The Eagles play the Giants well at home

This is a primetime home game for the Eagles and they would love to play the spoiler on national television. The Eagles have won the last two home matchups against the Giants by a combined score of 54-7. Not only was Eli was sacked 11 times in those two games he has thrown more interceptions (26) and lost more games (15) to the Eagles than any other franchise in his career. The Eagles will get RT, Lane Johnson back from a 10-game PED suspension. A reassembled starting offensive line should help the offense tremendously. The Eagles defense has given up a lot of points and a lot of big plays this season. They have allowed 52 passing plays of 20 yards or more and 13 passing plays of 40 yards or more. Cornerback, Jalen Mills will be covering former LSU teammate OBJ and will try to find a way to contain him. The Eagles will need to find ways to disrupt Manning and prevent big plays if they want a chance to win this game.

This looks familiar…

The Giants have a reputation for sneaking into the playoffs and walking away with a Lombardi. New York’s latest incarnation boasts one of the league’s stingiest defenses, allowing an average of just 17.9 points a game. They have allowed just 13 points in their last two games (vs. the Cowboys and Lions). The defensive front has been effective without Jason Pierre-Paul (sports hernia) and the secondary is playing well, but loosing Shane Vereen for the seasons hurts their already terrible running game. The Giants rank 30th in rushing. New York beat Philadelphia earlier this season by the score of 28-23. Eli threw for 257 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in that game. 28 points is the highest score the Giants have posted this year. The Giants are well into their playoff run and the Eagles are going to have a hard time stopping them.

Injury report

Jordan Matthews (WR-PHI)- Questionable (ankle)

Check us out on Twitter @thedklegends for last minute injury updates.

Week 15 Monday Night Football Preview

Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins

8:30PM EST at FedEx Field

30F Mostly cloudy with 5mph winds

Was -7 O/U 50.5

Injury report

The Washington Redskins (7-5-1) will host the Carolina Panthers in this week’s Monday Night Football game. This will be the 13th meeting between these two teams with the Redskins leading the series 7-5. Last year’s NFC Champion, the Panthers, have been eliminated from the playoffs while the Redskins control their own destiny.

Don’t expect the Panthers to quit

Carolina has been eliminated from the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean they are ready to just roll over and die. In December, the Panthers will have a .792 winning percentage since 2011 and coach Ron Rivera has made it clear that “How you do things at the end really speaks about what you’re going to do moving forward.” LB, Luke Kuechly has passed the NFL’s concussion protocol but his availability is still uncertain. They will need all hands on deck against a high-powered Redskins offense that is ranked second in the league. The Panthers have certainly missed CB, Josh Norman and find themselves starting a pair of rookies at corner. Carolina has won four straight against the Redskins and have held them 20 points for fewer in eight straight meetings.

The Skins are eyeing the playoffs

The Redskins boast one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. Rob Kelly has brought consistency to the running game, Jordan Reed is another week removed from a shoulder injury, and the receiving corps is healthy and benefiting from good QB play. Kirk Cousins is playing for a potentially huge contract and is one of three quarterbacks to surpass 4,000 yards through week 14. Crowder, Jackson and Garcon all have at least 746 receiving yards each while Reed and Davis have combined for 1,138 yards. Washington has trouble scoring touchdowns in the redone and will need to improve against a tough Panthers defense. The Skins defense however is another story. It’s pretty banged up and has allowed 24 points per game this season. They will need to find a way to improve on the defensive side if they hope to make the playoffs. Washington’s remaining schedule is Panthers (5-8), Bears (3-11) and Giants (10-4). And they need to win all of them in order to beat out the Packers (who hold the tie breaker) and the Bucs for the final wildcard spot behind the Giants.

Injuries

Cam Newton (QB-CAR)- Questionable (shoulder)

Kelvin Benjamin (WR-CAR)- Questionable (back)

Jordan Reed (TE-WAS)- Questionable (shoulder)

Mack Brown (RB-WAS)- Questionable (concussion)

Check us out on Twitter @thedklegends for last minute injury updates.

Week 14 Thursday Night Football Preview

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
5:25PM EST at Arrowhead Stadium
21F – 18F Clear with 9mph winds
KC -3  O/U 46

The Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) will host the Oakland Raiders (10-2) for an AFC West showdown on this week’s Thursday Night Football game. This will be the 113th regular-season meeting between these two teams with the Chiefs leading the series 59-51-2. The Raiders have won six straight while the Chiefs have won seven of their last eight. The Raiders sit atop the AFC West but the Chiefs could take control of the division with a win tonight.

The Chiefs have quietly become one of the NFL’s best teams

The Chiefs are a much better team than what the stat sheet shows. The Chiefs’ defense ranks 29th overall (384.9 yards allowed per game), 27th against the run (121.9 yards per game), and 22nd against the pass (263 yards per game). On paper, the Chiefs’ defensive unit looks terrible. But in the win column, they get the job done. So far this season the Chiefs have bested the Falcons’ No. 1 ranked scoring offense; the Saints’ No. 2 ranked scoring offense, the Raiders’ No. 3 ranked scoring offense and the Chargers’ No. 4 ranked scoring offense — all of whom are divisional opponents. Kansas City’s offense has also been quietly effective. Alex Smith has completed 67.4% of his passes for 2,567 yards, 11 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions this season, earning him a passer rating of 92.5. Tight end Travis Kelce leads the team in both receptions (65) and yards (815). Spencer Ware has done a good job replacing Jamal Charles and has amassed 734 yards on the ground and three scores. Rookie, Tyreek Hill, has scored in the run game, passing game and on special teams. This is a team that steps up in critical moments and finds a way to win.

The Raiders are making a statement

The Raiders have won six straight games since loosing to the Chiefs 26-10 in week 6. A seventh win tonight would be the longest franchise single-season win streak since 1976. The Raiders won the Super Bowl in 1976. The Raiders are a young team and they are endeavoring to make their mark. If third-year quarterback Derek Carr completes two passes tonight, he’ll become the fourth player in NFL history with 1,000 completions through their first three seasons. If he throws another game-winning touchdown, he will extend his NFL record mark to six on the season. If he has another 300-yard game, it would be the 12th of his career and would move him into second-most in franchise history. If Amari Cooper records another 100-yard game, it will be his tenth and make him just the third NFL player with ten 100-yard games at 22-years-old. With just 19 more yards and two more receptions, Cooper will become just the third receiver to start his career with 70 receptions and 1,000 yards in his first two season. The Raiders also have a Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner in Khalil Mack. Mack is having an outstanding season and should set a number of franchise records this season. The Raiders are young, talented and seem to be trending up. If the Raiders can beat the Chiefs, they will have firm control of the AFC West and most likely home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Injury report

None

Check us out on Twitter @thedklegends for last minute injury updates.

DKL Pro takes home 1st Place in the 2016 DraftKings – King of the Beach Championship!

Stuckcee was the talk of the Bahamas all Sunday afternoon, and for once it wasn’t about his stylish beard or impeccable beach body! Nope, this time it was because Stuckcee was in a heated battle with fellow King of The Beach qualifiers. After a back and forth grudge match, Stuckcee found himself atop the leaderboard and took home the coveted “Draft Kings – King of The Beach” Trophy.

Congrats Stuckcee on your Championship!

 

Congratulations to our top 3 finishers from the 2016 King of the Beach Championship! 1st- Stuckcee (170.94) 2nd- RotoHobo (170.74) 3rd- ThatStunna (168.46) #DraftKings #NFL #DFS #Atlantis #KOTB

A photo posted by DraftKings (@draftkings) on

And it’s yours too if you used our pro’s picks for Thursday night’s game. Matt Forte had a career-high 30 carries on his way to a 33.90 point outing. He was 30 for 100yds and 3 TD’s on the ground with 2 receptions for 9 yards. Our pros picked him. Did you?

Here are 5 tips from our DK Legends pros for haveing a successful season with your DraftKings leagues.

1 – Understand the type of contest that you are entering

Daily fantasy football sites like DraftKings offer many different types of contests. These contests differ greatly in scope, structure, and cost. In our article titled “Games”, it will better explain the different types of games. It is important that you understand the structure of the contest you choose so that you can draft a team that will give you the best chance to win.

2 – Look for Value DraftKings Players

You want to fit as much elite talent as you can in your lineup and that means you’re going to have to cut corners at some roster positions. Every week there are guys that you can get at relatively low cost that offer great value. The pros at DK Legends will help you identify which guys are salary cap bargains and which guys are salary cap busts. You’re going to want to get some of the low-cost, high-value guys in your lineups so that you can afford to spend your budget on the top tier players you really want

3 – NFL Fantasy Matchups Are Key

This is where it can get a little tricky…you want to roster players that have a favorable match-up. Unfortunately, there is a lot of smoke and mirrors when it comes to determining which are optimal match-ups and which are mirages. To figure it all out you’ll need to watch game film, track teams’ unit play and have a proven matrix to help accurately predict game flow and usage/target distribution. If you don’t have time for all of that, it’s cool, we’ve got you covered.

4 – Is the Fantasy Player Hot or Not

There are a lot of hype trains in the fantasy world.  Before the season everyone talks about the potential of the shiny new rookie that had insane combined numbers, or the guy that’s changing teams and appears to be in a new system that better fits his skill set.  At the same time, some guys can quietly be working their way into a feature role in their offense.

Sometimes players have two-touchdown performances, but they aren’t heard from again. Therefore, you will need experience and discernment to get to the bottom of all the narratives. There is a lot of hype out there, but hype won’t win you money.

5 – Playing Smart

A successful daily fantasy football player chooses his/her games wisely.  Balanced game selection and money management are key. You want to play a lot of low risks, low return on investment games. A good fantasy player should be able to steadily increase bankroll by doubling up on 50/50 style contests. But if you want to make a lot of money, you will have to take some risks and enter a few high risk/high return on investment tournaments. Finding the right balance puts you in a position where you’re always making money and giving yourself the opportunity to make big money.

These are just a handful of tips that will help you play smarter. Daily fantasy football is nuanced and can be as much art as it is science.  A successful daily fantasy player knows the stats, watches game film, does homework and develops a system. Our pros at DK Legends have the experience and proven track record to help you become a successful fantasy player.

Do you want to become a better fantasy player? Do you want to make money doing something that you love? We want to help you get there!

Daily Fantasy Contests 101

First and foremost: In all contest structures, on all daily fantasy sites like DraftKings.com, there will always be a percentage that is given to the hosting site. This is known as the “rake”. The rake is around 10% in most contests. The rake percentage will fluctuate depending on the type of contest, number of entries and size of the contest, but 10% is the baseline. Operating a major industry isn’t cheap; plus, how else are DFS sites going to pay for those commercials you see every 14 seconds during football season? But let’s be honest, it’s a relatively small amount to pay when considering all the fun and profit potential that comes from playing daily fantasy.

Before getting into the specific game types, let’s review some basics. Roster structures in DFS sites will vary so we’re going to focus on DraftKings just to keep things easy.

Nine Man Rosters Breakdown:

This is a common set up. Some sites will have 2 WRs instead of 3 and some will include a kicker position. You may also encounter a super flex position that will allow you to play any player including a second QB. Wherever you play, be sure that your strategy accounts for roster positions and values. To determine positional values you will need to pay close attention to your scoring system. Again, let’s use the DraftKings scoring settings as our example:

Scoring Rules For DraftKings 2016 NFL Season

Offensive players will accumulate points as follows:

Defense/Special Teams will accumulate points as follows:

The following scoring plays will result in Points Allowed (PA) by your Defense/Special Teams (DST):

*Note: Points Allowed (PA) only includes points surrendered while DST is on the field – doesn’t include points given up by team’s offense (i.e. points off offensive turnovers). 2 point conversion returns are not included.

Familiarizing yourself with the scoring system is foundational to developing your playing strategy. QBs on average will score more points than the other positions; that’s why they carry a higher salary number. Point per reception (PPR) scoring gives increased value to receivers.  Notice also the significant yardage bonuses. You cannot win in DFS if you gloss over the scoring system. After you are familiar with roster construction and scoring settings, you are ready to choose what type of game you want to play. Here are the basics:

Head-to-Head Matches

It’s as simple as it sounds. Mano-a-mano. You can set up a head-to-head (H2H) match-up with a friend, or enemy, and battle it out. Winner takes all minus the rake. You can browse the H2H listings and pick your opponent or you can host your own game. I would avoid matching up with sharks like danny1234, I hear he’s pretty good.

50/50 and Double-ups Matches

50/50s and Double-ups are basically larger field versions of H2H games consisting of anywhere from 10 contestants to thousands of contestants. The difference between the two is that a 50/50 game will pay out to the top half of contestants minus the rake.  Double-ups will pay out a true double return to the top 45% of players (still a 10% rake). There are some advantages to joining 50/50 and Double-up games instead of a H2H contests – the larger the field, the less likely you are to lose to an uncharacteristically high scoring team.

Guaranteed Prize Pool (GPP) Matches

These are the games that can make you a millionaire. They are called guaranteed prize pool games because the amount of money paid out to winners is guaranteed in advance of the contest. So even if the contest doesn’t completely fill up, the payouts won’t be affected.  The payout structure is tiered so that only the top finishing players will get paid. GPP tournaments vary in size with the larger games having lower buy-ins and the smaller games having much larger buy-ins. The top 10-30% of finishers will get paid.  Large GPP tournaments are long shots but how else are you going to turn $27 into a million dollars in one weekend?

Hybrids Most daily fantasy football games fall into the two basic categories of 50/50 games or GPP tournaments but there are some hybrids of the two. These are a few:

Multipliers are very similar to 50/50 and double-ups, offering Triple-up, 5x and 10x structures.

Leagues are nearly identical to GPP but on a smaller scale and the payouts are not guaranteed. If a league isn’t filled then it is dissolved and the entry fees are returned. The payouts are tiered and usually very top heavy. You can create custom leagues with your friends or join a public league.

Satellites/Qualifiers/Steps are tournaments that, instead of paying cash, pay winners with entries into larger cash tournaments. Satellites are a great way for contestants to win their way into a cash tournament instead of paying the entry fee. Qualifiers and Steps are a little different from Satellites in that Qualifiers and Steps require you to win multiple qualifying tournaments before awarding you entry into a cash tournament.

So those are the basics. All DFS sites do things a little differently. Just make sure that you review the scoring system, the roster structure, and the contest rules before you drop your hard-earned cash. Above all, have fun with it!  DK Legends wants to help you win. It’s what we do.