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The beginning of DFS in Week 16 is an NFC matchup with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the New Orleans Saints. These two teams last faced off in Week 11 last season as the Saints won by a 27 - 20 score over the Rams.
New Orleans (7-7) picked up a 24 - 6 victory over the New York Giants last week at home. Los Angeles (7-7) won their Week 15 matchup as they defeated the Washington Commanders by a 28-20 score.
Setting a lineup in this matchup will have its fair share of tough decisions, especially at the skill positions. Let's look at the players who can help make an optimal DFS lineup on DraftKings and FanDuel for this game.
Top NFL DFS picks for Thursday, Dec. 21
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr (Saints) - DraftKings: $5,400; FanDuel: $6,700
The veteran quarterback has six touchdowns to two interceptions over his last three starts. However, Derek Carr has passed for under 250 yards passing in those three starts. Los Angeles' defense has allowed 230.1 yards passing at home thus far. Carr is worth considering to start in a DFS lineup, especially given his value in DraftKings.
Matthew Stafford (Rams) - DraftKings: $6,300; FanDuel: $7,200
Matthew Stafford has been finding his groove in the Rams' passing game as of late. He has at least two touchdowns in his last four starts, three of which he passed for 250+ yards. This matchup versus the Saints' defense might be tough for Stafford, allowing the sixth-fewest passing yards a game. He averages 244.7 yards at SoFi Stadium, so starting him is still a solid choice.
Do you find it difficult to decide between Carr and Stafford? Use Sportskeeda's Lineup Optimizer to set the best possible DFS lineup.
Running backs
Alvin Kamara (Saints) - DraftKings: $7,700; FanDuel: $8,600
The standout running back has over 100 total yards in three of the last four Saints games. Alvin Kamara has at least five targets in all but one game this season and under 10 carries just twice. He is a key player in how this New Orleans offense has looked and is a must-start in both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Kyren Williams (Rams) - DraftKings: $7,800; FanDuel: $9,000
Kyren Williams has rejuvenated Los Angeles' running attack with 100+ yards in four of his last five games. He has found the end zone three times over that stretch. New Orleans allows 126 yards on the ground and just nine touchdowns so far this season. Nonetheless, he can be slotted as a flex option in a DFS lineup if there is salary space available.
Wide Receivers
Chris Olave (Saints) - DraftKings: $6,600; FanDuel: $7,300
The young wide receiver returns to the lineup after missing last week's game with an ankle injury. Olave has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in two of his last three games while having a touchdown in three of the last five games. He has at least eight targets in seven of the Saints' last eight games. Olave is deserving of a wide receiver slot in DFS for this game.
Cooper Kupp (Rams) - DraftKings: $8,000; FanDuel: $8,400
Cooper Kupp has back-to-back games with over 100 receiving yards and three straight with a touchdown. Despite sharing the workload with Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp is getting his numbers and should possibly find the end zone for the fourth consecutive week. Start him if possible in any lineup setup.
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Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson (Saints) - DraftKings: $3,200; FanDuel: $5,100
The Saints tight end has yet to reach 50 yards receiving in a game this season but does have two touchdowns this season. Should the focus of the Rams' defense be on Olave, Johnson might see some action in the passing game. He is a value option given his salary this week.
Tyler Higbee (Rams) - DraftKings: $3,400; FanDuel: $5,100
Tyler Higbee has gone four straight games without a touchdown and less than five targets in three of his last five games. This is a bit concerning but the upside is that Stafford has been slinging it. This makes him an interesting choice to slot as a tight end in either DraftKings or FanDuel.
