4 FanDuel NFL Studs to Target in Week 6

Hitting on high-salary players is the first step to having success in daily fantasy football on FanDuel.

These players take up the biggest chunk of your salary cap, and they need to deliver quality performances for your lineup to reach its ceiling.

Here are four studs to target on this week's main slate.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

FanDuel Salary: $8,300

The top two options at quarterback this week in terms of studs this week are Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. For matchups alone, we're giving the nod to Tagovailoa at signal-caller.

Tagovailoa has been at the helm of football's best offense. The Miami Dolphins are averaging a league-high 36.2 points per game. Even if you take out their 70-point rout of the Denver Broncos, they're still averaging 27.75 points per game in their four other outings.

Miami is an offensive juggernaut, and Tagovailoa has, of course, been a huge reason why. Through five games, the Dolphins quarterback is leading the NFL in passing yards (1,614). He's also thrown for 11 touchdowns, putting together an average of 20.7 FanDuel points per game. What adds to his overall play is the big-play nature of the Miami offense, meaning it can be a big day for Tagovailoa and the offense in mere seconds.

The matchup against the Carolina Panthers isn't an ideal one on paper based on the overall season numbers. Carolina's 925 passing yards allowed ranks as the sixth-lowest in the league, but they are in the middle of the pack on touchdowns allowed through the air (7).

Jared Goff had the best game of his season against the Panthers just a week ago, putting together 27.4 FanDuel points in the winning effort. We've seen what Miami offense is capable of at home, so they should follow the same blueprint that the Lions executed last weekend.

Tagovailoa is projected for the second-most FanDuel points at quarterback this week (20.7), according to numberFire.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $10,300

The best running back in the world plays for arguably the best team in the world. It's a perfect match -- and why Christian McCaffrey needs to continue being the main stud you put in lineups at the position.

McCaffrey is running at a scorching pace to start the season. Over his first five games, he's averaging 24.8 FanDuel points behind rushing for 510 yards and 7 touchdowns. He's added 20 receptions for 168 receiving yards and another touchdown. CMC is on another universe from everyone else at the position -- especially with so many injuries adding up.

Despite the domination on the ground, it goes back much further; the star running back has now scored a touchdown in 14 straight games. That is a pace that feels impossible to keep, but seeing that he's the focal point of the NFL's most loaded offense, it shouldn't be coming to an end at the hands of the Cleveland Browns this weekend.

In terms of what the Browns do right, they've been the best team at stopping the pass. They've limited passers to just 500 yards through the air in their four weeks of action. The Browns have only allowed 287 yards on the ground, but Cleveland did allow 131 rushing yards to the Ravens right before their bye.

As one of the top-ranked defenses, there can be some fear for McCaffrey, but with the way the 49ers are playing right now, it's hard to think anything is going to stop them from finding success -- especially if Deshaun Watson isn't playing, meaning the ball may be in San Francisco's hands more often than not on Sunday.

numberFire's model has McCaffrey as the top projected running back of the weekend slate at 19.0 FanDuel points -- 2.3 more than the second-highest projected runner.

Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

FanDuel Salary: $9,800

Tyreek Hill is the unquestioned top receiver on this slate with Justin Jefferson hitting injured reserve this week. He should feast against the Panthers -- much like we expect Tagovailoa to do.

The connection between Hill and Tagovailoa goes hand-in-hand with their success. What has made the Dolphins quarterback so great is simply getting the ball in the hands of Hill whether it's on a deep ball or a screen pass. Hill can make things happen.

So far this year, Hill has 36 receptions, 651 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns. He stated before the season that his goal is to eclipse 2,000 yards -- something that has never happened for a receiver. If he keeps having big games like he did a week ago, he should be just fine.

When recommending Hill for Week 5, it was an easy one at the expense of the New York Giants. The dynamic wideout finished with 8 receptions, 181 yards, and a score -- one of which came on a 69-yard bomb from Tagovailoa. It's hard to not want at least a piece of this offense in your DFS lineups every week. Now that De'Von Achane was placed on the IR this week, passing is their best way to score yet again.

As highlighted in the Tagovailoa write-up, the Panthers have been good at stopping passing offenses but were beaten on some big plays last week against the Lions. The reason to keep rolling with Miami -- outside of their insane numbers thus far -- is that the Panthers are banged up. Starting safeties Xavier Woods and Vonn Bell are both banged up with different injuries. Woods' hamstring has kept him out of practice, putting his status in some doubt.

If there's no help on the backside of things, as Woods' injury proved last week, then Hill and company should be able to take the top off of Carolina's defense without many problems.

Hill is the top projected receiver this week in numberFire's model, coming in at 19.2 FanDuel points.

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings

FanDuel Salary: $6,700

No Justin Jefferson means that it's next man up for the Minnesota Vikings. While people will look to rookie wideout Jordan Addison and veteran K.J. Osborn, it's T.J. Hockenson that should be the first option for Kirk Cousins moving forward.

Hockenson has been the clear No. 2 option for the Vikings this season. He's up to 30 receptions, 254 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns through the first five games. His target market share sits at 19.8%, averaging 9.6 weighted targets per game when adding proper expected values to downfield and red zone work. Both of these numbers should be going up; Jefferson's absence will free up what was a 26.4% market share and a staggering 14.6 weighted targets.

Seeing that the tight end position is such a struggle to figure out and Travis Kelce plays on Thursday night, Hockenson's potential growth in opportunities makes him all the more appealing.

Out of the first five games this season, Cousins has aired the ball out at least 44 times in four of them. Unless Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers become machines in the running game all of a sudden, that amount of work should continue for Cousins and the receiving corps.

Hockenson should be able to put up some big numbers against the Chicago Bears this week. They've allowed at least six receptions to the position in three of their five games, and they've allowed at least 40 yards in four of the five. Logan Thomas just carved them up for a 9-catch, 77-yard performance, and he added a touchdown.

numberfire's model believes in the opportunity for Hockenson, projecting him for 11.6 FanDuel points. That's 3.1 more than the next tight end ( Sam LaPorta) on the slate, and LaPorta also popped up on the injury report Thursday.

Start this Vikings pass-catcher with total confidence.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.