If you haven’t tried DraftEasy and their RapidFire game yet, you are missing out. Last Week our NBA and NFL entries both cashed with four correct picks. In just a few short weeks I have more than doubled my money simply from playing the picks in this article each week.

Obviously I love winning, and I hope to do more of it going forward, but I have noticed DraftEasy has a hidden benefit I hadn’t considered before. I enjoy following my DraftEasy results in real time more than traditional DFS games. Every completion or chunk run seems so much more meaningful when you have two players going head-to-head compared to a lineup of several players going up against several other lineups.

As I noted above, these picks are the ones I am actually playing in my own entries. Each player is listed along with his opponent. My choice is in bold.

NBA Thursday

Match-up 1

DeMar DeRozan (CLE) vs. Lou Williams (@SAC)

Williams’ lowest scoring game in his last 10 contests came against the Kings, which is remarkable because the Kings have the worst defensive rating in the NBA, and Williams still scored 21 points. The Cavs have the second worst defensive rating in the NBA, and DeRozan has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games. Of course, the Cavs are better when they actually try on defense, and Toronto may be playing well enough to have gotten Cleveland’s attention. Williams just feels safer.

 

Match-up 2

Lonzo Ball (SAS) vs. Julius Randle (SAS)

Randle has continued to excel despite Lonzo Ball and Brook Lopez both returning. Randle has averaged 17.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists over the last week, while Ball has averaged 9.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals over that same span. I still don’t trust the Lakers to use Randle consistently when their other bigs are healthy, and I believe the Spurs match up better against him than Ball.

 

Match-up 3

Brandon Ingram (SAS) vs. Willie Cauley-Stein (LAC)

Only the Suns have allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers than the Clippers, which is astonishing because both DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler are considered good defenders. Meanwhile, the Spurs have allowed the second fewest fantasy points to opposing small forwards, which is astonishing because Kawhi Leonard has been out for most of the season. In a neutral matchup I would probably pick Ingram, but it is close enough that I think Cauley-Stein can take advantage of what should be a favorable spot.

 

Match-up 4

Kyle Kuzma (SAS) vs. Zach Randolph (LAC)

I don’t like picking both Randolph and Cauley-Stein, but I don’t know how you can trust Kyle Kuzma right now. Kuzma has scored fewer than 10 points in three of his last five games, and the Spurs have allowed the third fewest three-pointers in the NBA this season. If Kuzma isn’t knocking down threes, how much is he really contributing?

 

Match-up 5

Jonas Valanciunas (CLE) vs. Tyrone Wallace (@SAC)

Wallace just signed a two-way contract last week, and he is averaging 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals in three games. Jonas is averaging 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds over the last week, and he could start with Serge Ibaka serving a one-game suspension Thursday. The problem is Valanciunas is a terrible matchup against the Cavs. He could theoretically stay on the floor for the 20 minutes Tristan Thompson plays, but even that could be a disaster. Wallace may have to play even more minutes if C.J. Williams is out, but I like Wallace either way.

 

NFL Saturday

 

Match-up 1

Drew Brees (@ MIN) vs. Ben Roethlisberger (JAC)

These quarterbacks scored almost the exact same number of points in the regular season, and both struggled in early-season matchups against their respective opponents. Drew Brees gets an A on our consistency report, compared to a B for Ben Roethlisberger, and that is enough to tip the scales in Brees’s favor. Brees will almost certainly get you something, but you can’t say the same for Big Ben.

 

Match-up 2

Tom Brady (TEN) vs. Le’Veon Bell (JAC)

I really like that DraftEasy is venturing into cross-positional matchups. Bell outscored Brady by 45.7 fantasy points in PPR formats despite not playing in Week 17. That being said, Brady has the far better matchup this week. Only seven teams allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season than the Titans. Jacksonville is more susceptible to the run than the pass, but they are still one of the better teams against opposing running backs. Bell scored 19.3 fantasy points in the first meeting with Jacksonville despite rushing for only 47 yards and failing to find the end zone. New England should be able to move the ball against Tennessee, and so long as the running backs don’t get all of the touchdowns, it is hard to see much downside for Brady.

 

Match-up 3

Mark Ingram (@MIN) vs. Devonta Freeman (@PHI)

This might have seemed like a silly matchup a week ago, considering Ingram scored 78 more fantasy points than Freeman in the regular season. Of course, in the divisional round, Ingram had just nine carries and one target for 35 total yards while Freeman rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against the Rams. Only the Vikings allowed fewer fantasy points to running backs than the Eagles this season. Freeman seems like a safe bet to get more touches, so I will go with him.

 

Match-up 4

Michael Thomas (@MIN) vs. Brandin Cooks (TEN)

I think it is possible to scheme to take Cooks away, and several teams were able to do that, especially down the stretch. Michael Thomas is going to get his, almost no matter what. Thomas caught fewer than five passes just twice all season, while Cooks caught fewer than five passes in four of his last five games. Cooks can catch a long touchdown or two and ruin this pick, but Thomas is far more likely to come out ahead.

 

Match-up 5

Alshon Jeffery (ATL) vs. Stefon Diggs (NO)

Diggs has come on of late, catching at least five passes in each of his last four games, with a touchdown in each of the last three. Jeffery, meanwhile, was shut out on just two targets in Week 16 thanks mostly to Nick Foles. Diggs has the tougher matchup, especially since he will probably face some coverage from Marshon Lattimore, but I don’t know how you can trust Alshon Jeffery with Nick Foles at quarterback.