The NFC East will take center stage with the Giants hosting the Eagles on Thursday. Injuries could play an important role in this matchup, especially on the Giants side. Let's dig into each position for the single-game contests on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Quarterback
Both quarterbacks are appealing for Thursday night DFS lineups. Jalen Hurts ($11,000 DK, $13,600 FD) comes into this matchup having recorded at least two touchdown passes in three straight games, and he has four rushing scores this season. When he played the Giants in Week 7 last season, he had three total touchdowns. His ability to rack up rushing yards and touchdowns in both facets of the offense leaves him with a high floor.
The Giants have their own quarterback who can provide value with his legs in Jaxson Dart ($10,200 DK, $12,200 FD). In his first two starts, he has turned 17 carries into 109 yards and a touchdown. The Giants might need him to run even more in this game with Darius Slayton (hamstring) joining Malik Nabers (knee) on the sidelines. Rolling with both quarterbacks could be ideal.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley ($11,600 DK, $13,000 FD) dealt with a knee injury in the early portion of the week, but he has been cleared to play Thursday. While he hasn't been as dominant as last season, he has four total touchdowns after getting in the end zone 15 times last year. The Giants have allowed 5.61 yards per carry to running backs, so slowing down their former teammate might be a tall order.
The Giants are expected to get back Tyrone Tracy Jr. ($7,000 DK, $5,800 FD) after his two-game absence because of a shoulder injury. When he was out, Cam Skattebo ($10,000 DK, $11,000 FD) was given a heavy workload, combining for 40 carries and nine targets over the last two games, which turned into 138 rushing yards, eight receptions and 56 receiving yards. Skattebo was already starting to see his workload increase when Tracy was healthy, so don't be surprised if Tracy returns in a limited role.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
It's difficult to have much faith in A.J. Brown ($9,800 DK, $10,000 FD) at this point. His talent is not in question, but his usage within the Eagles' offense is. Through five games, he has 19 receptions for 194 yards and one touchdown. In three of the five games, he has produced fewer than 30 receiving yards. His 52.8 percent catch rate puts him in the 18th percentile in the NFL. With a tough matchup against Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo on tap, Brown is awfully risky at his salary. The better Eagles receiving option might be DeVonta Smith ($9,600 DK, $9,600 FD), who is coming off eight receptions for 114 yards against the Broncos last week.
Without Nabers and Slayton, the Giants are down to Wan'Dale Robinson ($7,200 DK, $8,400 FD) as their top wide receiver. After a monster performance against the Cowboys in Week 2 with Russell Wilson at the helm, Robinson has just nine receptions for 70 yards over the last three games. Still, with plenty of targets likely coming his way, he could provide value. Jalin Hyatt ($3,200 DK, $2,200 FD) has struggled mightily in the NFL and should be considered as nothing more than a dart throw. The same can be said of Beaux Collins ($3,000 DK, $1,800 FD), who is also likely to receive increased snaps. Better dart throws might be Gunner Olszewski ($1,000 DK, $1,400 FD) and Lil'Jordan Humphrey ($200 DK, $1,000 FD), who check in at significantly cheaper salaries.
The tight ends in this game stand out as players to strongly consider for lineups. Dallas Goedert ($6,400 DK, $8,000 FD) isn't racking up receiving yards, but he has four touchdowns over the last three games. Theo Johnson ($5,800 DK, $5,200 FD) has developed a nice rapport with Dart, catching three touchdowns over the last two games. The Giants have even given more work to Daniel Bellinger ($2,800 DK, $4,200 FD), who caught all four of his targets for 52 yards last week.
Kicker
The Eagles score a lot of touchdowns, which isn't exactly great news for Jake Elliott ($5,000 DK, $6,800 FD), who has attempted only five field goals all season. On the bright side, he has made them all, including three from at least 50 yards. Last year, he made just one of his seven attempts from at least 50 yards. Jude McAtamney ($4,600 DK, $6,600 FD) has taken over for Graham Gano (groin), making all three of his field goal attempts over the last two games for the Giants. However, he hasn't really been tested, with all three of his attempts coming from under 40 yards.
Defense/Special Teams
The Eagles ($5,400 DK, $7,200 FD) have only allowed a 58.0 percent completion rate this season, which is the second-lowest mark in the NFL, and they have recorded seven sacks, compared to the Giants ($3,600 DK, $6,000 FD) with 10. Meanwhile, the Giants have allowed six rushing touchdowns, which is tied for the fifth-most in the league.
