ay in the Atlanta Falcons win over the Rams. With Julio Jones (toe) and Mohamed Sanu (groin) out, Gabriel has become a m

The flex position on DraftKings -- or in your season-long fantasy football league, for that matter -- is really just a WR4, RB3 or TE2. But if you view the position as a strategic advantage rather than a leftover slot determined by price or bye-week availability, you could have a leg up on your opponents.I cannot tell you how many owners fill out their lineups only to slot the highest-priced player they can afford with their remaining salary into flex. Sure, we might have ways of justifying these players -- maybe X, Y and Z will all happen and he will score two touchdowns. Anything is possible.But thats exactly the kind of thinking that Im hoping to erase from your lineup-building process. Id like you to know whom you want on your rosters and why before you ever get to the sites salaries. Next, I want you to consider your roster as a whole. Are you competing in head-to-head contests? Double-ups? Huge prize-pool multi-entry tournaments? What is it that you want your lineup(s) to do for you -- beat one other person, or a half million other lineups?With those considerations in mind, here are a few principles I use to fill my flex spot:StackingEveryone knows that quarterback and wide receiver are the highest correlated fantasy point pairing, and you likely build your cash game and tournament lineups around such mini-stacks every week. Adding a running back to that combination might seem counterintuitive (if youre high on the passing game, why roster the running back?), but DFS expert Chris Raybon has shown a trend of three or four main stacks that involve at least QB, WR1 and RB being effective in terms of their potential to exceed the average projections of the positions. I think of it in terms of giving yourself a good chance to gain access to all of a teams touchdowns.So, if youre high on Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, think about using Latavius Murray in the flex. Hes got a reputation for not being reliable, and maybe not even being well liked by his own coaches, but the Oakland Raiders ran the ball 59 percent of the time from inside the 10-yard line last year (and 42 percent in the red zone overall). Thats a lot of opportunity for a running back. Other teams that ran a high percentage in the red zone included Dallas, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Now that people are on a minimum-priced Dak Prescott and Dez Bryant stack (predicted by some to be the highest Week 1 stack), will Ezekiel Elliott be forgotten? Are people afraid that Tevin Coleman will detract from Devonta Freemans production? These are ideal situations to go one step further with your stack than most of your opponents will and put you in position to access all of one teams scoring.ScoringSome weeks I look at my lineup and all I see is risk and upside. These are fun tournament lineups to make, but its important to see both upside and downside in your DFS lineups. Many of us -- myself included -- are optimists and have a much easier time seeing how things could work out beneficially when rostering a Chris Hogan or Brock Osweiler. In a tournament, you need a lot of low-probability, high-upside events to happen simultaneously to find yourself atop a huge field. But even in these big multi-entry games with huge prize pools, there is room for some safety. It goes without saying that cash-game lineups are built on solid ground, and safety starts with opportunities. Touches and targets from a team and quarterback with a track record of moving the ball and scoring are what Im looking for in a safe player, whether Im using him to balance a high-risk lineup or further shore up an already-solid squad.On a PPR site, receptions are obviously extremely valuable and the highest target/reception guys are priced accordingly -- Julio Jones, Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins among them. But someone like Jarvis Landry is affordable. In 2015, he posted nearly identical numbers to Odell Beckham Jr. with over 10 targets and nearly seven catches per game. Landry is a great flex filler. Michael Crabtree and Eric Decker (with around nine targets per game) are players I used a lot to round out my lineups last season and should be in line for similar numbers this year. Crabtree still comes at a significant discount relative to players with similar numbers.UpsideOn the other hand, some lineups emerge that beg for upside. Theyre full of safe, high-floor players but lack the ability to really push your lineup into elite range. This is where I look to big-play guys -- the receivers with great speed, who stretch the field and make 80-yard touchdown catches look routine. There arent many of them, but they often come cheap because those long plays are anything but guaranteed. Players like DeSean Jackson, Travis Benjamin and John Brown could fit the bill once again for 2016, as they all have competent quarterbacks who pass often and can throw deep.Third-down or pass-catching running backs also can provide some upside and are typically priced low. As long as the player is involved in the game plan, and you have a reasonable expectation that the team will score, guys like Theo Riddick, Giovani Bernard, Shane Vereen and, of course, Danny Woodhead make great fill-in flex options.DiversificationThe chalk plays are the chalk plays for a reason. Theyre good players in good defensive matchups, probably in what Vegas expects to be high-scoring games. Plus, there is plenty of content from expert analysts telling you whom to play every week, which leads to high rates of ownership. You know you need to use game theory to win big games (game theory is the approach of making your decisions based on what others are doing, not merely doing what appears optimal). But that doesnt mean you have to fade every good player.One way to diversify your lineups at the flex position is to use a teams best player when that team is in what seems to be a bad matchup. The crowds wont be on Keenan Allen vs. Seattle, or Sammy Watkins vs. the Jets. Todd Gurley figures to remain the Los Angeles Rams primary offensive weapon, even when hes facing Arizona or Seattle, situations when most people will be looking elsewhere at running backs in better matchups. Top players often find their way to abundant fantasy points due to their own talent and their teams reliance on their playmaking regardless of defensive scheme.Another option for diversification is to pay up for the top position player when there is significant and obvious value at that position. This typically works for tight ends or running backs (or quarterbacks) when a starter is injured. What doesnt work is to use a player with no opportunity or little talent -- regardless of the matchup.Above all, dont let circumstances like remaining salary dictate which player fills this slot on your roster. Make it work for you to gain an edge on your opponents with a more thorough stack, higher upside, increased security or that unique player with low ownership. How you design and arrange your lineup should vary from week to week. Thats the beauty of DFS; what works best one week wont be the answer the following week. So dont take any one strategy as a strict rule of thumb. Be flexible and on the lookout for that weeks winning formula.Mel Stottlemyre Yankees Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Alex Rodriguez Yankees Jersey . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. https://www.cheapyankees.com/1931g-dj-lemahieu-jersey-yankees.html New York Yankees Gear . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Don Mattingly Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay.You advance if you win in the fantasy football playoffs, and hopefully you did just that! The second round of the playoffs is? here -- lets go!Week 14 injuries to monitor heading into the weekend:WR Michael Crabtree -- fingerWR Donte Moncrief -- hammyWR Julio Jones -- toeRB Melvin Gordon -- hip and kneeRB Matt Forte -- kneeRB Darren Sproles -- concussionQB Ryan Tannehill -- knee (out)QB Aaron Rodgers -- calfNews and notes:WR Sammy Watkins -- wants to play the remaining three gamesWR A.J. Green -- expected to practice this weekWR Michael Floyd -- DUI on Monday morningWR Alshon Jeffery -- comes off of suspension to play the Green Bay PackersHead coach Jeff Fisher -- fired from the Los Angeles RamsWaiver Wire Tuesday has arrived, and this is whom you need to target:QBTyrod Taylor vs. Cleveland (owned 58.8 percent)Taylor will start against the Browns on Sunday, and the Buffalo Bills quarterback will be playing to prove he is worthy of being among the starting 32. Clevelands pass defense has allowed 30 passing touchdowns in 2016, which is last in the NFL, and has given up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.(Others to target = Colin Kaepernick @ Atlanta)RBKenneth Farrow vs. Oakland (owned .07 percent)Melvin Gordon suffered a hip injury last week and Farrow could receive a number of snaps if Gordon misses time. Farrow became the San Diego Chargers lead back after Gordon went down Sunday and totaled 16 carries for 55 yards and six receptions for 23 yards.dddddddddddd. If you own Gordon, its imperative you grab his handcuff immediately. #RunDontWalk(Others to target =?Bilal Powell vs. Miami, Kenneth Dixon vs. Philadelphia)WRTaylor Gabriel vs. San Francisco (owned 50.7 percent)Gabriel had three receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown Sunday in the Atlanta Falcons win over the Rams. With Julio Jones (toe) and Mohamed Sanu (groin) out, Gabriel has become a must-own in fantasy. Gabriel has five touchdowns in his past six games, and in Week 15 he will take on the 49ers, whose defense has given up the eighth most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.(Others to target = Alshon Jeffery @ Green Bay, Tyreek Hill vs. Tennessee, Dontrelle Inman vs. Oakland, J.J. Nelson vs. New Orleans))TELadarius Green @ Cincinnati (owned 53.9 percent)Green had a subpar Week 14 due to winter conditions that impacted the mojo of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Green has an opportunity to rebound in Week 15 against the Bengals. Cincinnati has allowed three tight ends to post almost 80 yards in its past five games and its giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to these overgrown receivers in 2016.(Others to target = C.J. Fiedorowicz vs. Jacksonville)Good luck in the postseason! ' ' '