October 22, 2023
NFL

Hurts Will Win This 'Bama Reunion

Eagle QB will outduel Dolphins' Tua in their first matchup
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

An action-packed Sunday culminates with arguably the best matchup of the season so far. The high-flying Miami Dolphins play at Philadelphia to battle the reigning NFC champion Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins, 8:20 pm ET
Betting Odds (DraftKings)
  • Line: Eagles -3, Dolphins +3
  • Moneyline: Eagles (-155), Dolphins (+130)
  • Over/Under: 51.5
Team Ranks (2023)

Eagles

  • Points for: 25.8 (5th)
  • Points Allowed: 20.7 (15th)

Dolphins

  • Points For: 37.2 (1st)
  • Points Allowed: 26 (26th)
Key Injuries to Watch

Eagles

  • FS Reed Blankensip (Ribs) – Out
  • CB Bradley Roby (Shoulder) - Out

Dolphins

  • CB Jalen Ramsey (Knee) – Out

The injury report for each side during the week was long but it seems both teams are at or near full strength. The Dolphins’ star offseason acquisition on defense, Jalen Ramsey, returned to practice this week in a limited capacity. He underwent knee surgery in July, and he’s likely going to return sooner than many people expected. The Dolphin secondary has been below average, and they will get quite the boost when he makes his Dolphins debut – just not this week.

Captain Prices (DraftKings)
  • Tyreek Hill, WR, $18,000
  • Jalen Hurts, QB, $17,100
  • Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $15,900
  • AJ Brown, WR, $15,000
  • Raheem Mostert, RB, $14,700
  • Jaylen Waddle, WR, $12,900
  • D’Andre Swift, RB, $12,000
  • DeVonta Smith, WR, $11,100
Flex Prices (DraftKings)
  • Tyreek Hill, WR, $12,000
  • Jalen Hurts, QB, $11,400
  • Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $10,600
  • AJ Brown, WR, $10,000
  • Raheem Mostert, RB, 9,800
  • Jaylen Waddle, WR, $8,600
  • D’Andre Swift, RB, $8,000
  • DeVonta Smith, WR, $7,400

According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, Hurts is projected to be the most-owned Captain on the slate at DraftKings by a margin in over 27% of lineups. It's a bit surprising given his performance against the Jets.

Swift is projected to be the next most-owned Captain in Showdown lineups, appearing in 9.5%. Surprisingly, Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa are projected to Captain just over 7% of lineups apiece.

The flex positions are projected to be much more balanced. Tua is the only player projected to appear in over 50% of lineups, meanwhile, Hurts, Hill, Brown, and Swift are projected to be in over 40% of lineups.

The current Vegas total is set at 51.5 points. Each offense plays at a quick pace. The Eagles run first, and the Dolphins pass first. Miami is 8th in neutral pace, and Philadelphia is 13th,, so there should be no shortage of plays.

By now, you have heard the storyline that Hurts and Tagovailoa are former college teammates at Alabama and will square off in the NFL for the first time. Tua was drafted in the first round, Hurts in the second round, in 2020. Each quarterback is in the MVP conversation, and both franchises believe they are Super Bowl contenders coming into Week 7 with 5-1 records. This matchup has the potential to be a Super Bowl preview and should not disappoint.

Captain Option

With this game projected to be a shootout, it would be wise to have one of these star quarterbacks in your captain slot, but which one? The answer is Hurts.

Jalen Hurts, QB, $11,400

The Eagles appear to be a pass funnel defense because it’s so strong against the run. Tua will be under pressure all night against the Eagles’ pass rush. The Eagles’ defense projects similarly to the Bills, and that’s where we saw the Dolphins give their worst offensive performance so far. It will be difficult for Miami to push the ball downfield to Hill and Waddle.

The Eagles’ offensive line is the best in the NFL. Hurts is set up to boom, as Miami has allowed the 7th highest passer rating. The Dolphins are bottom 10 in passing yards allowed. Hurts also provides the rushing upside that Tua doesn’t.

It’s a no-brainer for me to ride with Hurts in a bounce-back spot at home in a matchup where he will play with a chip on his shoulder.

Sneaky Option

DeVonta Smith, WR, $7,400

One thing about the NFL I’ve learned is when everyone zigs, you should zag. Smith has been in the headlines for his struggles, as he’s only eclipsed 20 fantasy points once so far.

But he’s in position to get back on track against a poor Dolphins secondary. He ranks 9th in the NFL in deep targets but doesn’t have much to show for it. Miami runs a ton of zone defense, and Smith’s yard per route run increases against zone coverage.

He should see plenty of Eli Apple and he can burn him on multiple occasions. I love that Smith and his fellow former teammate at Alabama, Jaylen Waddle, will be on the same field again as well. Smith will want to show up for his quarterback.

Cheap Option

Jeff Wilson, RB, $200

Wilson hasn’t played yet this season, so expectations should be tempered. He practiced fully this week for the first time, and it hasn’t been announced if he will be activated off of IR, but all signs are pointing toward it. With rookie running back De’Von Achane out, the veteran Wilson will slide into backup duties behind Raheem Mostert. Dolphins running backs have exploded this season for 280 fantasy points combined, which is 79 more than any other team!

The SNF matchup isn’t one to get excited about though. The Eagles boast a top-three run defense and have given up just the 2nd fewest fantasy points per game to RBs. The price on Wilson, who can potentially see double-digit touches, is hard to ignore though, and gives you more options on the slate.

Prediction

This is going to be a great matchup. I believe the Eagles defense up front will eventually be too much for the Dolphins. Hurts should pick apart Miami’s zone defensive scheme, and Swift will find room to run on the Eagles zone runs. The Dolphins offense has been historic, and I expect them to keep this interesting, but ultimately, Miami won’t be able to slow down the methodical Eagles offense. Hurts gets the best of Tua in their first NFL matchup.

Final Score: Eagles 34, Dolphins 20

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Weather Report:

There are only three games on the slate today and none should be impacted by precipitation.

Injury Report:

Jorge Soler - Hip - He left Tuesday’s contest against the Rays with right hip tightness. He is considered day-to-day and could be ready to go against the Nationals.

Lane Thomas - Back - He was lifted prior to the seventh inning due to back soreness. It doesn’t sound serious but there is a chance he sits out Thursday.

Mitch Haniger - Rest - Haniger returned from the injured list on Tuesday and sat out against a righty but the team said it was only due to rest. He should be ready to go on Thursday.

Starting Pitchers (DK-FD)

Spencer Strider: 12,500-12,000

Lance Lynn: 8,800-9,500

Braxton Garrett: 8,200-8,700

Pedro Avila: 6,300-6,700

Joan Adon: 5,400-6,400

Sean Manaea: 5,000-7,300

Spencer Strider is the highest-priced pitcher for the slate, which shouldn’t be surprising. He easily leads the slate with a 2.75 SIERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 38 percent strikeout rate. His 1.06 HR/9 is the highest of his career, without taking the two game appearance in the majors late in 2021 into account. His 60 percent HR/Barrel rate is above league average, which indicates that he could be getting a bit unlucky with the long ball. He faces a tough team in the Dodgers which makes the 12K+ price tag a bit steep.

Strider gets to go toe-to-toe with Lance Lynn in the last game in the slate on Tuesday. To say that Lynn has had an up-and-down season is a bit of an understatement. Lynn has a 3.99 SIERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 26 percent strikeout rate on the season but most of the damage was done while he was a member of the Chicago White Sox. Since joining the Dodgers, he has a 4.30 SIERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 21 percent strikeout rate. He faces a very tough task of facing the Braves in Dodgers Stadium. Since both of these pitchers face uphill battles, going cheap on the pitching while loading up on bats, could work tonight.

Braxton Garrett gets to face the Nationals for the second game in a row. Last time out, he allowed three runs over six innings while only picking up three strikeouts. This time around, he will be in the Nationals home ballpark, which has been below league average when it comes to the long ball, especially with the forecast projecting the winds to be blowing into the ballpark.

Batter to Target

Joan Adon is a pitcher that could be easily exploited in this small slate. His 4.44 SIERA is easily the worst of the group ad Nationals Park is a bit hitter-friendly this season. While the Marlins hitters have struggled in the second of the season Jake Burger ($4,100 on DK and $3,000 on FanDuel) could be an option for fantasy managers looking some cheap power.

Stack Attack

Marlins (Braxton Garrett) vs. Nationals:

DK-FD

Lane Thomas: 4,900-3,200

Keibert Ruiz: 4,000-2,600

Joey Meneses: 4,400-2,700

If Lane Thomas is ready to go on Thursday, he is a must add. The 28-year-old is hitting .346/.393/.591 with eight homers and nine stolen bases against southpaws this season. Ruiz and Meneses also have been above league average against left-handed pitching while hitting towards the top of the Nationals lineup.

Giants (Manaea) vs. Padres:

DK-FD

Ha-Seong Kim: 4,900-3,100

Gary Sanchez: 3,800-2,600

Garrett Cooper: 2,900-2,400

Trent Grisham: 2,800-2,500

The Giants haven’t officially named a starter for Thursday’s contest against the Padres but Sean Manaea figures to fill in as the bulk reliever. Ha-Seong Kim has been out of his mind in the second half of the season, while posting a season long line of .329/.413/.579 with eight homers and ten stolen bases against left-handed pitching. Sánchez and Grisham have also hit above league average against lefties and can be add at some really low prices. Cooper has moved up to sixth in the Padres batting order after Jake Cronenworth landed on the injured list with a fractured wrist. If the Padres bats come to life at the top of the order, you could pick up some RBIs at a considerably low price point.

It’s another full slate of games Wednesday, and there are more than a handful of interesting options to gander over. Colorado-Atlanta provides some intriguing value, but a ‘lesser’ game like Kansas City taking on Pittsburgh also offers intrigue.

Here are tonight’s Underdog and Prizepicks plays for Wednesday’s MLB slate.

Bobby Witt Jr. 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Underdog)

It’d be hard to overstate just how good the Royals' infielder has been in August, as the young star has hit.327/.379/.626 with eight homers while stealing nine bags and driving in 21 runs even for a weak team. On Wednesday, he’ll go up against the Pirates' Andre Jackson; who pitched decently over his last two starts but offers plenty of opportunity with less-than-spectacular stuff. Don’t be surprised if Witt Jr. offers a combo meal with a homer and a steal, and he’s a good bet to reach the over on that 1.5 total.

Nolan Jones : 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Prizepicks)

Somewhat quietly, Jones has been one of the better rookies in baseball, coming into Wednesday with a slash of .271/.353/.488. He’ll get a chance to place in the friendly confines of Coors Field, and the former Cleveland prospect will also get a chance to face a right-hander who is making his MLB debut in Darius Vines. Jones is hitless in his last three games, and while that makes things a little more nerve-wracking, it also means he’s due for a big game.

Matt Olson: 0.5 RBI - More (Prizepicks)

Olson will be going up against a lefty in Kyle Freeland, and while he is statistically worse against southpaws than he is righties, worse is a subjective term considering he’s posted an .891 OPS with nine homers and 27 RBI over his 125 plate appearances. Add in the fact he’ll be playing in the friendly confines of Coors Field with some elite hitters hitting in front of him, and Olson is as good of a bet for an RBI as any player Wednesday.

Dane Dunning: 4.0 strikeouts - Higher (Underdog)

Dunning has been able to miss bats at much higher rate as of late, with 39 strikeouts over 29.2 innings of work in his five starts thus far in August. The Mets certainly offer a chance for missed bats, and are not exactly in striking distance for a playoff spot. Dunning should be able to hit his mark as long as he can throw enough strikes to do so; something he admittedly struggled with Friday against the Twins.

Brandon Pfaadt : 4.5 Strikeouts - Lower (Underdog)

There’s reason for long-term upside with Pfaadt, as he was one of the best minor-league hurlers in baseball in 2022, and there have been some flashes of brilliance in 2023 despite his ugly 5.91 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 67 innings during his rookie campaign. Asking him to reach this total is asking him to work deep against the Dodgers, a lineup that is as feared as any in all of baseball. There’s just too much risk on betting overs with Pfaadt against this kind of team.

The Houston Astros have terrorized the Boston Red Sox this week, putting up 19 runs over the last two games, both of which started by two of Boston’s best pitchers, Chris Sale and Brayan Bello.

Sale and Bello kept the games close, giving up three and two earned runs respectively, but the bullpen couldn’t contain Houston’s bats. Jose Altuve hit for the cycle in the first game, and Yordan Álvarez homered in both games, hitting seven for nine over the two nights.

Vlad Jr Could Go Off Wednesday

The Contrarian Edge Optimizer likes the idea of doubling down on the Astros stack -- a lineup that tied a franchise record 66 hits in the last four games -- but there are also alternatives to consider. Specifically, take a look at Toronto and Seattle. Both have excellent matchups today, so let’s take a closer look.

The Blue Jays face off against Patrick Corbin and the Nationals at the Rogers Centre this afternoon. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($5000) could be poised for a big day. He’s riding a 10-game hitting streak, during which time he's slashing .302/.333/.438 with two home runs.

If you’re looking for some cheaper options to round out your lineup, keep an eye on both Blue Jays catchers. Danny Jansen ($3600) and Alejandro Kirk ($3000) are each available for less than $4000 on Draft Kings and rostering them should allow you a few extra dollars to roster a top tier bat or one of the three best pitchers on today’s card.

Either Santiago Espinal ($2400) or Whit Merrifield ($4400) could offer hits and runs if the Blue Jays put it together. And don’t sleep on George Springer ($4700), who’s been back in the leadoff spot this series and has put together a really nice run with a five-game hitting streak.

No August swoon for Seattle bats

The Mariners bats were momentarily silenced at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night, but they’ve been red hot this month, leading the team to a 20-6 record in August. They should stack up nicely against Zach Neal, who’s starting for Oakland for the first time since 2016.

The Mariners have been excellent against right-handed pitchers this season, hitting .240/.323/.419 with a team wRC+ of 108 this season. During their hot streak this August, those numbers are even more impressive -- .279/.363/.486 and a wRC+ of 138 against right-handed pitching.

The Optimizer likes Seattle's Teoscar Hernandez ($4500) as one of your outfielders, and you could do worse than supplementing his production with leadoff man JP Crawford ($4300). Third baseman Eugenio Suarez ($4600) offers some nice pop and while you should avoid Julio Rodriguez, who is day-to-day after a late scratch on Tuesday night, Dominic Canzone ($3000) is a very cost-effective option who’s been on a nice run over the last 10 days, hitting .306/.306/.500.

Pitchers to consider

As for pitching, the wind is blowing in at Wrigley Field, and the Brewers' Brandon Woodruff ($10200) has looked every bit like the ace we know he can be since coming back from the injured list. He’s thrown 22.2 innings across four starts with 29 strikeouts, and only the Rangers scored more than two runs against Woodruff since his return.

Another pitcher to consider is the Giants' Logan Webb ($9500), who has gone five or more innings in 18 of 19 starts this season – including a seven-inning start with seven strikeouts against the Reds at Great American Ballpark in July.

Oracle is a much more pitcher-friendly environment, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Webb surpass that strikeout total from July with a free-swinging Reds team that ranks 25th in MLB with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate.

There are 15 MLB games on tap for Tuesday and a ton of opportunities to cash. The Seattle Mariners-Oakland Athletics game is very intriguing on both sides, and the Mariners have been one of the hottest hitting teams in baseball over the last few weeks. Here are tonight’s Underdog and Prizepicks plays for Tuesday’s MLB slate.

Teoscar Hernandez: 1.5 Total Bases - Higher (Underdog)
Hernandez has been excellent against left-handed pitchers and Ken Waldichuk has let up six hits or more in three of his last four starts, and he’s sporting an earned run average over six.

He’s hit the over on one and a half total bases in seven straight games. He’s homered three times in his last three contests. Hernandez is scorching hot hitting the ball in August, and he sits with a .371 batting average this month. Waldichuk has been a weaker pitcher on the road than at home, and tonight’s game is in Seattle.

Ty France: 0.5 Singles - Higher (Underdog)
France has singled in five of his last seven contests, and he hits way better against lefties, hitting .309 against them. France is having one of his better hitting months as he’s batting .284 in August. Waldichuk is more of a groundball pitcher, and France hits over 42 percent when it comes to ground balls. Between the amount of hits Waldichuk has given up lately, his struggles on the road and France having a strong month at the dish, he should be able to get on base this evening.

Ken Waldichuk: 5.5 Hits Allowed - More (Prizepicks)
With Waldichuk giving up at least six hits in a few starts recently, it’s hard to think that he’ll be able to shut down the Mariners who have been the best hitting team by average in the MLB over the last two weeks and third best over the last seven days. Waldichuk has a 7.43 earned run average, and opponents hit .303 against him when he’s starting on the road. Seattle hits .262 against left-handed pitchers which is the 8th highest in the majors.

Jose Altuve: 2.0 Hits+Runs+RBIs - Higher (Underdog)
Altuve has crossed the plate nine times total over his last three games. During that span he hit the ball seven times and produced five RBIs. Altuve hits .335 against right-handed pitchers, and even though Boston Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello hasn’t given up a ton of runs in his starts recently, he’s allowed six hits or more in five straight starts. Last week in this exact matchup, Bello gave up nine hits against Houston, and since then, Altuve has heated up. Altuve has also been a better hitter on the road than at home, and this game is in Boston.

Manny Machado: 0.5 Singles - Higher (Underdog)
Machado has been reaching base a lot lately. Tonight, he faces St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Zack Thompson who is not only a lefty, but he’s surrendered six hits in both of his last two outings. Machado hits .327 against left-handed pitchers and he’s hit a single in three of his last five games.

Marcus Semien: 0.5 Singles - Higher (Underdog)
Semien hits better against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers. He’s hit singles in four of his last seven games, and the Rangers' bats have woken up a bit in the last week. Semien has a good history against New York Mets pitcher Jose Quintana, hitting the ball six times in 13 at-bats against him. He has the most hits for the Rangers this season.