This article is part of our King for a Day series.
The $2.2M Millionaire Maker contest on DraftKings is seemingly here to stay, having filled up the last few weeks. The entry fee is just $27, and one lucky person will take home a cool million.
To help you get that million, or perhaps a smaller prize, here are my favorite players for Week 7 on DraftKings…
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan, ATL (at BAL), $6500 – Ryan's price has dropped following back-to-back one-touchdown outings, but he's still on pace for 4,933 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, with both numbers representing potential career-best marks. While a road game in Baltimore won't be easy, the Ravens' vulnerability in the secondary should favor the Atlanta passing game, and with Baltimore's front seven ranking among the league's best, the Falcons will likely stick to their pass-heavy tendencies. The Baltimore pass rush is still cause for concern, but even if Ryan struggles from an efficiency standpoint, he should make up for it with volume.
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (at HOU), $5700 – The Pittsburgh offense has been oddly inconsistent this season, and with things trending in the wrong direction, there's a nice opportunity to take advantage of Roethlisberger's surprisingly low price. While the fantasy results weren't great, Big Ben played pretty well in four of the first six games, only truly struggling in road contests against the Ravens and Browns. The Houston defense, meanwhile, has little to brag about besides J.J. Watt, who will admittedly be tough to handle. The Texans have managed fine against teams with shaky quarterback play, but they struggled against the Giants, Cowboys and Colts. The Roethlisberger-to-Antonio Brown connection should take advantage of a mediocre secondary and one-man pass rush.
other options:Tom Brady, NE (vs. NYJ), $7600; Russell Wilson, SEA (at STL), $6800; Colin Kaepernick, SF (at DEN), $6500
Notes: Brady bounced back in a huge way the last two weeks, and his rivals in New York have been roasted by opposing QBs this season. Though he burned me last week, Wilson is hard to pass on at just $6800; given the huge games he's capable of having. Kaepernick is similarly cheap while also offering a high ceiling in a matchup that will likely require a lot out of him.
Running Backs
Jamaal Charles, KC (at SD), $6700 – Charles will be one of the more popular options this week, as his price has dropped due to some unusual circumstances that resulted in three of his four appearances to date producing fewer than 10 DraftKings points. The other game was a 31.8-pointer in Week 4 against the Patriots, which he followed with 15-carry, 80-yard performance against the 49ers. Coming out of the bye week, Charles and the Kansas City running game should be at full strength against a San Diego defense that finally fell back to earth last week. The Chargers D had been playing well above its talent level, and while the unit really has done some good things this season, it's still allowing 4.7 yards per carry. The Chargers' defensive strength lies in the secondary, which should play right into Charles' hands.
Le'Veon Bell, PIT (vs. HOU), $6600 – Bell was a disappointment the last two weeks because of his failure to find the end zone in favorable matchups. However, he still gained a combined 164 rushing yards on 33 carries (5.0 YPC), adding another 59 yards on nine receptions. He's played 78 percent of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps this season, and is averaging 22.2 touches per game, with at least 16 in each contest. Bell will see plenty of the ball against a shaky Houston run defense that has surrendered 125.7 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry this season.
other options:Giovani Bernard, CIN (at IND), $7800; Ben Tate, CLE (at JAX) $5300; Lamar Miller, MIA (at CHI), $5300; Eddie Lacy, GB (vs. CAR), $4700; Andre Williams, NYG (at DAL), $4400
Notes: Bernard may lose some carries to Jeremy Hill, but he should more than make up for it with his activity in the passing game. Tate has re-established himself as the clear lead back in a run-heavy Cleveland offense. Miller is in for a busy season now that teammate Knowshon Moreno (knee) is done for the year. Though disappointing this season, Lacy still offers a nice ceiling on a weekly basis, and he should eventually find his way to more consistent production. Assuming Rashad Jennings (knee) misses another game, Williams will get most of the touches against a defense that's allowing 5.1 yards per carry.
Wide Receivers
Jordy Nelson, GB (vs. CAR), $8200 – Nelson is on pace for 115 receptions, 1,685 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, numbers that he could very well reach. Aaron Rodgers-to-Nelson has long been one of the league's most efficient connections, and it now ranks among the league's most frequently seen. Finally getting No. 1 wide receiver volume, Nelson is on pace for 181 targets, which would destroy the career-high mark of 126 he recorded last year. He's the lead dog in a passing game that should be both prolific and consistent, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers looking as good as ever. The Green Bay offense will likely light it up in Week 7, playing at Lambeau Field against a Carolina defense that has fallen off massively from what we saw last season. Nobody in the Panthers' secondary is equipped to cover a receiver of Nelson's caliber.
Roddy White, ATL (at BAL), $4100 – I like White for many of the same reasons that I like teammate Matt Ryan, as both players carry depressed prices into a matchup that begs the Falcons to throw. Though he didn't do much the last two weeks, White still appears to be the clear No. 2 option in a pass-heavy offense, one that may be without No. 3 wide receiver Harry Douglas (foot) for a third straight game. I'm also a fan of Julio Jones, but I prefer White at $4100 to his vastly superior running mate at $7900.
Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at DAL), $3800 – Now that Victor Cruz (knee) is done for the season, Beckham and Reuben Randle are the clear top two receivers in New York, heading into a matchup with the surprisingly respectable Dallas defense. The Cowboys have allowed 5.1 yards per carry this season, but they've been surprisingly stingy against the pass, holding quarterbacks to an 8:7 TD:INT ratio and 7.1 yards per attempt. The Cowboys' defense has been the second-best against wide receivers in DraftKings format, and while it's clearly time to start giving the unit some credit, Beckham still makes for a nice option at this price. The rookie was selected 12th overall for a reason, and he'll now get the chance to emerge as the lead dog in what should be a respectable passing game.
other options:Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. SF), $8000; Antonio Brown, PIT (vs. HOU) , $7900; Julio Jones, ATL (at BAL), $7800; Randall Cobb, GB (vs. CAR), $6700; Brandon Marshall, CHI (vs. MIA), $6300; Golden Tate, DET (vs. NO), $5900; Andre Johnson, HOU (at PIT), $5300; Percy Harvin, SEA (at STL), $4100
Notes: Thomas is on a roll, yet he still comes at a reasonable price in a matchup that really isn't so bad for a wide receiver. Brown should fare well against a shaky Houston secondary that was destroyed by another quick, small wideout (T.Y. Hilton) last week. Cobb and Nelson have dominated Aaron Rodgers' attention, and the Carolina secondary is likely in for a long afternoon. After establishing his health in Week 6, Marshall carries a friendly price tag into a matchup with his former team. Tate should once again see plenty of looks, if Calvin Johnson (ankle) doesn't play. Andre Johnson comes at an unusually low price, and while not a great bet to have a big game, he's also unlikely to disappoint. Harvin is still an excellent buy-low target, as he's a key piece in an effective offense, and should eventually start to pile up receptions.
Tight End
Greg Olsen, CAR (at GB), $5400 – Though the defensive matchup would seem to favor Carolina's running game, the team doesn't really have one to speak of, and will likely need to throw in order to keep up with Aaron Rodgers. There should be plenty of targets for Olsen, who along with quarterback Cam Newton and rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin, is being asked to carry the Carolina offense. With the Panthers throwing more often than in previous seasons, Olsen is unsurprisingly on pace for career-best numbers in every major receiving category. The Packers have been tough on opposing tight ends this season, but a quick glance at the schedule explains that one away.
other options:Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. NYJ), $6700; Larry Donnell, NYG (at DAL), $3500; Owen Daniels, BAL (vs. ATL), $3400
Notes: I actually prefer Gronkowski over Julius Thomas, who draws one of the toughest opponents a tight end can face. I'll bail on Donnell if he turns in another dud, but I suspect he'll be much more productive than the player we saw the last two weeks, though probably not as productive as the Week 1-4 version of himself. The big game still hasn't come, but Daniels is an important piece in the surprisingly effective Baltimore offense.
Team D/ST
Cleveland Browns, at JAX, $3000 – When all else fails, just go with whichever team is playing Jacksonville. In this case, the price is a bit high for what the Cleveland defense has done this season, but a strong Week 6 showing against the Steelers provides cause for optimism. The Browns were a decent defensive team last season, and they've played far below their collective talent level this year. If the unit that showed up last week turns out to be the real thing, Cleveland could be a shockingly dangerous and well-balanced team, as the offense has crushed expectations. On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville has no running game, and while Blake Bortles has held up reasonably well behind a shaky offensive line, the Jags are still a miserable team.
other options:Seattle Seahawks (at STL), $3200; Washington Redskins (vs. TEN), $2600
Notes: I don't really like the discount defensive options this week, but am not quite willing to pay $4200 for the Patriots against the Jets. The Seahawks at $3200 is one of the few bargains, though the St. Louis offense hasn't been as dismal as expected. The Redskins' defense may not be very good, but it's at least better than the Tennessee offense.
