DraftKings Reignmakers | Weekly News & Marketplace Inefficiencies (Week 13)
In this article, we’ll look at the most impactful NFL news of the week, the best weeklong and seasonlong additions to your DraftKings Reignmakers’ squad, and which Superstars are the best value adds to fill out the rest of your team.
What Happened This Week in the NFL?
Staying on top of NFL news is difficult. This section highlights the most important announcements of the week and shows how they’ve impacted DraftKings Reignmakers player card prices.
Damien Harris Doubtful for Thursday’s Game Against the Buffalo Bills
Damien Harris left last week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on crutches, and he missed practice on Monday. He is currently considered “week-to-week,” according to Ian Rapoport, and he is not expected to play on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills. Rhamondre Stevenson is the New England Patriots’ lead running back, and without Harris in the lineup, his average fantasy points scored in a single game jumps by five per.
Elijah Mitchell Out for 6-8 Weeks, Christian McCaffrey Dealing With Knee Injury
The San Francisco 49ers can’t keep running backs healthy this season. Elijah Mitchell is out for the next six to eight weeks following a knee injury. His regular season is over, but he could return for the playoffs, depending on how deep the 49ers advance. Christian McCaffrey is also dealing with “knee irritation,” but it is not expected to keep him off of the field on Sunday. Next in line, if McCaffrey were to sit out, is undrafted free agent running back Jordan Mason, who carried the ball five times for 25 rushing yards last week.
Darnell Mooney’s 2022-23 NFL Season Is Over
Justin Fields is down another offensive weapon with Darnell Mooney’s season-ending ankle injury. Fortunately, the Chicago Bears traded for Chase Claypool, who will line up side-by-side with Equanimeous St. Brown moving forward. Bryon Pringle and N’Keal Harry are also in line for an increased target share. Fields will likely, however, continue to use his legs as his most dangerous weapon.
Joe Mixon Remains in Concussion Protocol, Ja’Marr Chase Expected to Return
Joe Mixon remains in concussion protocol, but is “trending in the direction” of being able to suit up on Sunday, according to Adam Schefter. Prior to his injury, Mixon had a massive 153-rusing-yard, 5-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers. Even if Mixon does sit out on Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense is expected to get back Ja’Marr Chase. Chase has not played since Oct. 23 when he caught eight passes for 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His return is a bonus for everyone on the Bengals’ offense, especially Joe Burrow.
Deshaun Watson Reinstated From 11-Game Suspension
Deshaun Watson is returning this week from his 11-game suspension. In his first game back, he is expected to start and face the Houston Texans, one of the worst pass defenses in the league. He will likely take a few weeks to get adjusted to the game speed again, but his presence on the field helps Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and, especially, Amari Cooper.
Weekly Welcomes
Looking to have some fun this week, but don’t really care about the rest of the NFL season? This section highlights the best value adds at each position based on Week 13 projections and prices. Don’t forget to sell your player cards after the week, if you’re not going to use them again.
Rhamondre Stevenson - RB - ELITE - $445
Rhamondre Stevenson plays this Thursday against the Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots are without their second running back Damien Harris. Harris left last Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on crutches, which means Stevenson will be the workhorse this week. He has at least six receptions in three of his last four games, and at least one touchdown in two of his last five games. He is a big part of the New England Patriots’ offense, and his fantasy production increases significantly without Harris on the field. He is a great play this week and, depending on Harris’ injury, a great play the rest of the season, too.
Deshaun Watson - QB - Legendary - $800
Deshaun Watson is too cheap at the LEGENDARY tier. He is half the cost of Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, Kirk Cousins, and even Kyler Murray. He is cheaper than Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence, and Derek Carr. His upside with Amari Cooper on the field is exceptional, and he returns this week from his 11-game suspension with a top-tier matchup against the Houston Texans. His price will likely adjust soon.
Season-Long Stashes
Looking to add to your DraftKings Reignmakers’ squad for the rest of the year? This section highlights the best long-term value adds for the remainder of the season.
Kirk Cousins - QB - ELITE - $359
Kirk Cousins isn’t the best quarterback in the league, but he does have plenty of offensive weapons, and more importantly, the Minnesota Vikings continue to win games. Cousins threw for 299 passing yards and three touchdowns against the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving Day, and pairing him with Justin Jefferson is a great, high-upside stack. Jefferson had nine receptions for 139 receiving yards and one touchdown. The Vikings are headed to the playoffs (likely), and Cousins makes a good, seasonlong stash for those playoff matchups.
Justin Jefferson - WR - Legendary - $2,499
As mentioned above, Justin Jefferson had a great game last week, and he has had a great season thus far in 2022. He has 81 receptions for 1,232 receiving yards and five touchdowns with six games left in the season and playoffs remaining. It is a heavy investment this late in the season to purchase Jefferson, but he is going to be part of many winning late-season and playoff lineups over the next eight or nine weeks. Pairing him with Kirk Cousins is a moderately-priced stacking option.
Superstar Steals
Looking for the last piece of the puzzle to your perfect DraftKings Reignmakers lineup? This section highlights the best Superstar value adds at each rarity tier.
Saquon Barkley - RB - ELITE - $235
Saquon Barkley had two mediocre performances in a row against the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, but he is still one of the highest-upside running backs in the league and too cheap at the ELITE tier. Barkley has at least 100 rushing yards in two of his last five games, and he has been catching the ball out of the backfield with at least three receptions in eight games this season. He has a touchdown in three of his last four games, and he is always about 50/50 or a little bit higher to score any given Sunday. The New York Giants are fighting for playoffs, also, which means Barkley could be valuable deeper into the NFL season.
