The surging Raiders will go on the road to play the reeling Rams to kick off Week 14 on Thursday Night Football. Vegas enters this prime-time matchup as six-point favorites, while the total is set at O/U 44.5, according to BetMGM. Even though the Rams are a shell of themselves on offense, they still have a couple of players who are worth considering for FanDuel lineups. That said, most single-game DFS players will go with Raiders-heavy builds, and we're no different.
Before we get into our picks and strategy, there are the notable scoring settings for FanDuel single-game contests: The point total for the "MVP" is multiplied by 1.5, but he doesn't cost any additional money like the "Captain" in DraftKings Showdown contests. FanDuel's default scoring is half-point PPR and four-point passing TDs, and there are no bonuses for 300-yard/100-yard games like on DraftKings.
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FanDuel Single Game DFS Picks: Rams-Raiders Week 14 Thursday Night Football
$60,000 budget, need at least one player from each team
MVP (1.5x points): QB Derek Carr, Raiders ($15,000)
The veteran quarterback is coming off a solid performance last week against the Chargers, posting 250 passing yards, two TDs, and an INT. Carr has averaged 19.3 FanDuel points per game over the past five contests, and now he'll face the Rams' 22nd-ranked defense that just allowed Geno Smith to throw for 367 yards and three TDs. Carr might not throw for 300-plus yards on Thursday, but he should toss a couple of touchdown passes against a struggling, depleted defense.
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FLEX WR Davante Adams, Raiders ($16,000)
Adams is averaging 25.8 FanDuel points per game and scored seven touchdowns over his past five outings. The veteran wide receiver will likely see a lot of Jalen Ramsey on Thursday, but that will not stop Carr from getting him the ball. The Rams allow the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to WRs (29.9) this season, so expect Adams to post big numbers again.
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FLEX RB Cam Akers, Rams ($12,000)
With uncertainty at the quarterback spot for the Rams, Akers seems to be the one thing we can count on in their offense. He scored a season-high 18.5 FanDuel points thanks to 60 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week, and perhaps just as important, he played 72 percent of the offensive snaps. Rookie Kyren Williams has been playing more snaps in recent weeks, so it was good to see Akers emphatically reclaim the featured role. Akers should be in store for another solid performance, as Las Vegas is allowing the sixth-most FanDuel points per game to RBs (23.7) this season.
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FLEX TE Foster Moreau, Raiders ($8,500)
Even though he had a quiet outing last week against the Chargers (3.7 FanDuel points), Moreau has filled in admirably for star tight end Darren Waller (hamstring). Moreau has recorded at least 30 receiving yards in six-straight games and had two or more receptions four times. Based on those stats, he won't have high ownership on Thursday night. However, Moreau has a favorable matchup against a Rams' defense that has been hemorrhaging points to TEs lately, allowing tight end touchdowns in five of the past six games.
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FLEX K Matt Gay, Rams ($8,500)
Gay should see a ton of action regardless of who is starting at quarterback for the Rams. The veteran placekicker went three-for-three on field goals and hit both extra points, giving him 14 FanDuel points last week. It was the second time in the past four games Gay has scored 10 or more FanDuel points. Most DFS players will use Daniel Carlson, who has been one of the best kickers in the league, but Gay is a solid contrarian option in a game where he should ample opportunities.