NFL DFS Tournament Takes & Leverage Points: Week 6 (Fantasy Football)

I like a lot of the same players everyone else likes this week. Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London will be popular, and I get why. The harder part is deciding how to fit them together, which players I am passing over to make that happen, and whether those tradeoffs actually improve my lineup.

That is where I want to spend our time. Davante Adams gives me another way to bet on the Rams’ passing TDs. There are more expensive RBs I want to play than I have room for. CHI/ATL gives us an early game to attack, with some afternoon decisions that can wait until we see the results. Let us talk through the players I keep coming back to and how I want to build around them.

• Which chalk deserves the attention?
• Where are we giving up too much projection just to be different?
• And how can we turn those answers into better tournament lineups?

Slate Overview

DraftKings is going to make us choose which expensive players matter most. Puka, London, Bijan, and Kyren cost $30,600 together, leaving $19,400 for the other five spots. That puts pressure on cheaper WRs and makes saving at TE and DST an easy way to finish the build. I want to compare that approach with lineups that make room for a second expensive RB or spend up for Brock Bowers.

QB gives us some flexibility because Stafford and Allen lead the ownership without either dominating the position. I am comfortable playing them, while Maye and Cousins give me other stacks to build around. At TE, Warren and Kelce let us move away from Likely for a manageable salary increase and lower projected ownership. I want to make those decisions with complete lineups side by side, because saving money at one position only helps if I like what it buys elsewhere.

*Check injury status

Ownership Notes

Quarterback

• Matthew Stafford: I am happy to keep Puka in my Stafford builds and make the second pass catcher the interesting decision. Adams gives me both main WRs, while Higbee leaves more room for an expensive RB. I want that double stack to benefit if LAR does its scoring through the air.
• Josh Allen: Allen is where I am comfortable starting with just one pass catcher. His rushing TDs can drive a huge score without needing two BUF receivers to hit, so that second receiving spot has to earn its place. Keon Coleman is my aggressive partner, with Bowers coming back when I want a bigger bet.
• Caleb Williams: If Caleb is cleared, I like him with Burden and Rome in a bet on CHI/ATL trading scores. His hamstring makes me cautious about assuming his usual rushing contribution, so I want the passing stack to do the work. London or Bijan is my preferred ATL addition.
• Drake Maye: Last week gave me plenty of reasons to revisit Maye, but the pass catchers need a fresh look. Douglas and Hunter Henry remain appealing partners if A.J. Brown stays out. If Brown returns, I am less comfortable assuming those cheaper pieces will get the same opportunity that made last week work.
• Kirk Cousins: I am working backward from Bowers here. If I want to spend up at TE, Cousins helps pay for that decision and gives me points on the same completions. Tucker is the add when I want a double stack, while Cook or DJ Moore can support a bigger bet on this game.

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• Patrick Mahomes: Worthy becomes a different decision for me when I pair him with Mahomes. If I am rostering him for a big receiving day, I want some lineups collecting the passing points, too. Kelce is how I would expand that stack when betting on KC finishing its drives through the air.
• Tyler Shough: I like Shough most with Olave, if he is cleared, and I am comfortable keeping my exposure to that pair. Nabers can come back when I want a bigger bet on the game. Losing Olave would make me reconsider Shough’s ceiling before chasing the cheaper receivers who benefit.
• Michael Penix Jr.: London is already a player I want, so I am interested in bringing his QB along. Penix lets me keep that popular WR while tying another roster spot to his ceiling. Rome is the CHI player I like coming back when I want a less expensive version of this game stack.
• Daniel Jones: Jones/Warren is my way to bet on IND’s receivers finishing the drives Taylor helps start. That can pay off even if IND controls the game, as long as the TDs come through the air. Downs is the second pass catcher I would add when I expect enough passing volume for both to matter.
• Deshaun Watson: In 2026, I cannot believe this is coming out of my mouth. I understand the appeal of buying rushing production this cheaply, but BAL/CLE is still one of my least favorite games to stack. Watson with Concepcion or Fannin is enough of a commitment for me. He gets a small share of my builds when the savings complete a lineup I already like.
• Tanner McKee: McKee/Goedert is my cheap way to bet against CAR DST paying off. DeVonta Smith being cleared helps the passing game, and the savings can open an expensive RB/WR combination. I am keeping this to a small part of my builds because the salary relief still needs to come with points.

Running Back

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• Bijan Robinson: My first RB spend. His goal-line role makes him worth building around, with a cheaper back helping me afford the WRs I want.
• Kyren Williams: I like Kyren with Puka when using another QB, betting on catches for Puka and rushing TDs for Kyren.
• Jonathan Taylor: I will pair Taylor with Bijan and use a cheaper QB stack to make it work. Betz’s three-TD call is the ceiling bet.
• Kenneth Walker III: Walker with KC DST is my bet on KC controlling the game and finishing drives on the ground because the Chargers are a joke. 
• D’Andre Swift: Swift’s FanDuel discount from Kyren is the draw. Monangai is out, although I worry Rochon Johnson is going to annoy us. 
• Chuba Hubbard: Chuba keeps three-RB builds in play. Put him in an RB slot and leave FLEX available for an afternoon player.
• James Cook: Cook/Bowers gives me exposure to BUF/LV around another QB stack, betting that BUF’s TDs come on the ground.
• Ashton Jeanty: My rushing TD and top-five call stands. His receiving work helps if BUF leads, and I like pivoting from Swift on FanDuel.
• Rhamondre Stevenson: If Henderson sits, Stevenson helps fit Puka and Bijan on FanDuel. If Henderson plays, I am reassessing the workload.
• Braelon Allen: With Hall out, Braelon is a cheaper back I trust to get meaningful work, leaving room to spend at WR.
• Derrick Henry: A selective bet on BAL concentrating its scoring on the ground. Losing Lamar can also mean fewer scoring opportunities.
• Dart Throw: Blake Corum: A small DraftKings bet on extra work in a LAR blowout. His FanDuel price sits too close to backs with stronger workloads.

Wide Receiver

• Puka Nacua: Puka is the chalk I am most comfortable building around. Betz pointed out that he has been targeted on more than 35% of his routes since returning, and I want that workload in my lineups. I am willing to come down at RB to keep him in the build.
• Drake London: London and Bijan are a combination I am willing to play together. If CHI keeps forcing ATL to answer, both can produce the kind of score we need. I like adding Burden or Rome to that build because I am committing enough salary to ATL that I want a competitive game.
• Davante Adams: Adams and Taylor cost the same as Puka and Jeanty on DraftKings. That is the comparison I want to make: Adams catching the LAR TDs while Taylor makes the extra RB salary count. This is a bet on where the TDs land, with a real projection cost attached.
• Malik Nabers / Garrett Wilson: Nabers is my preference when I want a receiver from this range to stand on his own. Wilson makes more sense to me in Maye stacks, where I am betting on NYJ having to answer. Gonzalez returning to the NE secondary keeps me selective with Wilson outside those builds.
• Chris Olave: Olave interests me in lineups where I can afford to pay above London for a different WR ceiling. If he is cleared, I want to bet on him commanding the NO passing game. I would be more cautious if the illness news leaves any concern about his workload.
• Xavier Worthy: I am with Betz on being more selective with Worthy on DraftKings. The cheap salary makes him a natural last click, but that does not guarantee it is a good one. This may be bad chalk. I am willing to come down at RB to make room for Nabers instead. The ownership is less concentrated on FanDuel, so the case for fading him is weaker there.

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• Luther Burden III / Rome Odunze: Burden is my first choice if I want one CHI receiver. Rome helps when I need the DraftKings savings or want the second WR in a Caleb stack, provided Caleb is cleared. On FanDuel, their salaries are almost identical, making Rome more of an ownership decision than a budget fix.
• Germie Bernard / DK Metcalf: Bernard is a useful budget piece with PIT missing other receivers. If Metcalf is cleared, I also like paying up for him in a few builds and betting that Rodgers looks his way for the TDs. The ownership gap is useful, but the extra salary makes this a real lineup decision.
• Tetairoa McMillan / Jalen Coker: McMillan and Coker are my way to bet on CAR’s passing TDs while Chuba and CAR DST draw attention. Coker is easier to fit, while McMillan is the bigger salary commitment. I want Bryce attached when I play both because that lineup needs the passing game to have a big day.
• Tre Tucker: Tucker is an afternoon option I want available if my lineup needs a bigger swing. He costs slightly more than Worthy, so I need to leave room for that swap. I am accepting less projected production for another piece of BUF/LV, with the hope that the big plays land on Tucker.
• Zay Flowers: Flowers remains my fade with Huntley running the offense. Eight catches for 53 yards last week show how the targets can arrive without the explosive production I need. I am more comfortable moving that salary toward Nabers or Adams and betting on a better receiving outcome.
• Dart Throw: Jalen Nailor: Nailor is the small shot I would attach to Cousins and Bowers in larger fields. He makes that double stack cheaper than using Tucker, but I need a TD or a big play to make up for his modest projection.

Tight End

• Brock Bowers: I will give up a second expensive RB to make room for Bowers. I want to compare that build before automatically saving at TE.
• Isaiah Likely: Likely is chalk I can live with when my QB stack is already different. He keeps more of my preferred RB/WR combinations available.
• Trey McBride: McBride is my afternoon pivot from Bowers when I need a less popular finish. The larger FanDuel discount also gives me more flexibility.
• Tyler Warren: Warren interests me in builds that pass on Taylor, betting on IND finishing drives through the air. I am comfortable playing him on his own.
• Travis Kelce: I like Kelce with Mahomes when fading Worthy. On FanDuel, he costs less than Likely, making him easier to use as a standalone play.
• Colston Loveland: I like Betz’s call if Caleb is cleared. Loveland gives me another way to bet on CHI receiving TDs when I pass on Burden.
• Dallas Goedert: Goedert helps me keep my preferred RBs intact. I can use him alone or pair him with McKee when building around multiple expensive players.
• Dalton Kincaid: Kincaid lets me stack Allen while keeping my WR spots available for Puka and London. I am comfortable making him my only BUF pass catcher.
• Tyler Higbee: My preferred DraftKings salary saver for Stafford doubles. On FanDuel, his price sits close enough to Kelce that I would usually find the extra money.

DST

• There is no point in breaking down DST. It is such a crapshoot.
• If the Panthers come in this high, I will be underweight. The field is much too confident, and that is usually bad process in DFS at that position. I will likely run them between 10-15% in hopes of getting that leverage. After all, maybe McKee can sling the ball better than this version of Jalen Hurts?

Late Swap

Final Thoughts

• Favorite Stack: Caleb Williams + two of Burden/Odunze/Loveland. If Caleb is cleared, this is my favorite way to attack CHI/ATL. I want CHI doing its damage through the air and Bijan finishing ATL’s drives, with a WR spot still available for Puka. Plus, if it hits, I can ride the chalk
• Judge the whole lineup: Puka and Bijan being popular individually does not tell us how often they will appear together, so I am evaluating the complete build before fading either.
• Change where the money goes: I want to compare Puka/London builds with lineups that spend on two premium RBs or Bowers at TE, because that changes which positions I need the biggest scores from.
• Use the noon information: As CHI/ATL plays out, I will compare my lineup and its remaining players with the field before deciding how much risk to take in the afternoon.