We've got an intense battle for the top of the AFC East Monday as the New York Jets host the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have lost two straight, and the Jets just fired their head coach, so both teams are in need of a win.

That kind of desperation should play a role in how we play NFL DFS on FanDuel tonight.

For those unfamiliar, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to the main slate. However, kickers are included in these contests, and there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5 times his total fantasy points, making this spot crucial.

FanDuel Research's Brandon Gdula has done a deep dive on single-game strategy, and FanDuel Research has NFL DFS projections if you select the game from the slate tab. It's worth checking out both before making your lineups.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Bills at Jets NFL DFS Single-Game Picks

MVP Candidates

It'll be hard to top Josh Allen ($16,500) in the MVP slot on FanDuel.

Allen leads FanDuel Research's NFL DFS projections by 3.7 points as the only player projected for more than 15. With a sputtering offense on the other side and spread-out market shares among Allen's teammates, it's hard to argue with what the projections are telling us.

If you're not using Allen, you should be doing so simply to differentiate yourself from the field. But with other routes to being different, I'd prefer to start with Allen and build from there.

Beyond Allen, only three other players are projected for at least 11 FanDuel points: Aaron Rodgers (14.7 at $13,000), Breece Hall (14.6 at $13,500), and James Cook (12.9 at $14,000). Typically, I'd gravitate toward Cook, but with a toe injury limiting his practice this week, that's a bit tougher to justify.

That leaves it up to Rodgers and Hall, and your preference there lies in how you think new offensive play-caller Todd Downing plays things. If you think he tries to get the ground game going -- which would be my first thought -- then Hall gains appeal. If you think he leans on his veteran signal-caller, then Rodgers holds the edge.

Either way, these options are merely pivots off the obvious choice in Allen. Hall is a great flex option due to the play-calling shift if you decide to use Allen at MVP.

Flex Targets

A lot of the discussion here hinges on the status of Khalil Shakir ($11,500), who is questionable due to an ankle injury.

Shakir missed last week, and the offense cratered without him. However, Shakir had just one limited practice this week, meaning even if he goes, he's not 100%. I'd still be fine with Shakir if he plays, but we shouldn't view him as his full, typical self.

That boosts the appeal of Dalton Kincaid ($11,000). Keon Coleman ($10,000) will have to deal with some tough matchups on the outside, and he hasn't earned targets even in lesser matchups thus far. This is likely part of why Kincaid leads our projections among the Jets' skill players.

Shakir's availability will be the key thing to monitor for those guys. Here are some other flex players to consider where things are more certain.

Garrett Wilson ($14,500) -- Wilson is, objectively, over-salaried, but the team did funnel work to him last week with a whopping 22 targets. Wilson could be in play for an MVP slot, but I think he's better-suited for a flex position and only if you've got salary to spare. I much prefer Hall between the two.

Allen Lazard ($10,500), Mike Williams ($8,000), and Tyler Conklin ($8,000) -- Lazard leads this trio with an 18.5% target share, and that hasn't declined much even as Williams' snap rates have increased. Conklin, though, has 23 targets the past three games, including some downfield work. Thus, relative to salary, I'd rank Conklin highest here followed by Lazard and then Williams.

Braelon Allen ($9,500) -- Similar to Wilson, Allen is over-salaried as he still is playing well behind Hall and isn't getting much work in the red zone. Allen's best suited for lineups where you assume the Jets build a big lead.

Greg Zuerlein ($9,000) and Tyler Bass ($9,000) -- It's worth noting we could see heavy winds tonight, which does lower the appeal in both kickers. Still, with points at a premium in what could be a low-scoring game, neither is a cross-off.

Buffalo D/ST ($8,500) and New York Jets D/ST ($8,500) -- Again, it's a game with a low total, forcing both defenses into the equation. Within each lineup, I'd make an assumption around which team you think wins and give strong consideration to that team's defense due to the low total and high winds.

Ty Johnson ($7,500) -- If Cook plays, we can likely ignore Johnson, who primarily plays on 3rd and long. But if Cook sits, then Johnson gets a boost as he'd likely be the team's passing-game back with the potential for early-down work. Ray Davis ($7,000) would likely be the goal-line back in that scenario and would be expect to be the lead early-down back as part of a committee with Johnson.

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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.