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It's getting harder to gain an edge in daily fantasy football with more research tools and advanced statistics.Similar research processes lead many daily players to the same plays each given week.Last week Denico Autry Jersey Stitched , DailyRoto's Colin Drew won more than $250,000 using a lineup optimizer to identify pivots — key spots to use players who won't be widely owned in large tournaments. Pivoting away from popular players and toward alternatives in a similar price range lets fantasy owners differentiate their lineups, distinctions that become important when trying to break away from the pack in large tournament fields.Drew's highest scoring lineup featured Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers at just 3 percent ownership, stacked with Packers wideouts Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. This trio was a profitable pivot from the more popular stacks in the Steelers-Falcons game.In Week 6, one of the league's top tight ends and a certain defense are being priced reasonably across daily fantasy platforms and will likely prove to be popular. If fantasy owners dig a bit deeper, they can find alternatives that are also enticing.PIVOT: ERIC EBRON TO CAMERON BRATEThus far, the Colts tight end Ebron leads all tight ends with 12 red zone targets and has scored more DraftKings fantasy points than any player at the position over the last three weeks, since teammate Jack Doyle went down. During that span, Ebron has garnered the third-highest target share of any TE and the second most targets overall. This week, he faces a Jets defense that ranks 20th against the TE according to Football Outsiders' defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) metric, although they have only allowed 33.4 yards per game to the position.Due to Ebron's heavy usage, especially down by the goal line, he will inevitably be popular this week. There's a strong case for using Tampa Bay's Cameron Brate instead.Brate is cheaper across the industry and will be squaring off against a Falcons team that has been playing in shootouts — nearly 60 total points have been scored on average in Atlanta's games. Atlanta has a high-powered offense and its already mediocre defense lost safety Keanu Neal and linebacker Deion Jones for the season.The Bucaneers have already switched to Jameis Winston at quarterback, meaning brighter days should be ahead for Brate even before factoring in the injury to O.J. Howard. According to Rotoviz, Brate has averaged 5.21 targets per game, 42.3 yards per game, 3.4 receptions per game, 0.5 touchdowns per game and 10.7 point-per-reception fantasy points per game in games where Winston has thrown at least 15 passes. Brate saw less usage in the five games where Winston did not meet that threshold, due to being inactive or getting hurt.Even with Howard on the team, Brate ranked 17th among TEs in red zone target share and 13th at targets at the position last year. With Howard out of the picture, Brate can reasonably be projected for a similar market share to Ebron — and Winston has shown an affinity for him. The matchup is nowhere near as favorable on paper, as the Falcons rank fifth in DVOA versus the position, but they do not have a single linebacker who grades inside the Top 50 at the position in coverage Youth Skai Moore Jersey , per Pro Football Focus. The combination of cheaper price and increased opportunity trumps the supposedly inferior matchup.PIVOT: TEXANS DEFENSE TO BILLS DEFENSEThe public is undoubtedly going to have interest in targeting a defense against the lowly Bills offense that has averaged fewer yards per game than any team other than the Cardinals. Through five games, the Bills have turned the ball over eight times, and the thought of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney getting after Josh Allen is tough to ignore. Allen has been sacked more than any other QB in the league and his 60.4 QB rating rates worst of all the 35 qualified signal-callers.Even so, defense is a tough position to spend up on in daily fantasy because that leads to skimping on offensive players who possess more upside. The difference between the Texans and the Bills is the equivalent of the pricing difference between Jarvis Landry and Julio Jones or even the difference between Nyheim Hines and T.J. Yeldon this week on DraftKings. There is no need to miss out on a true WR1 or a workhorse back because of a defense when the Bills legitimately find themselves in an ideal spot to succeed, too.Houston's offensive line has allowed a 7.5 percent pressure rate, the fifth highest in the league, and the Bills convert pressures into sacks at a league-average 12 percent rate. However, the last time they faced a bottom-tier offensive line, they sacked Kirk Cousins four times and forced him to fumble twice.Deshaun Watson is battling a chest injury and a total has not yet been released for the game likely due to the uncertainty around his status. Obviously, his absence would enhance the matchup, but even if he were to play, the Bills have yet to allow 300 yards passing in a game and they have played Philip Rivers, Cousins and Rodgers. Since Week 3, Buffalo has allowed exactly one passing TD versus Cousins, Rodgers and Marcus Mariota and they have induced eight turnovers over that time frame. PFF grades the Texans offensive line as the sixth worst run-blocking unit and the Bills defensive line as the ninth best pass-rushing unit. The Texans have passed the ball on about 60 percent of their plays in two of the last three games, and Lamar Miller has been brutal (10th worst Pro Football Focus grade of any back with at least 50 rushing attempts), so there will be plenty of drop-backs for the Bills to get after the QB.If needing salary relief, or just simply looking to be contrarian, look no further than a Bills defense that is greatly underappreciated due to the poor public perception of the team. The Indianapolis Colts are headed to the playoffs so it might seem a little early to consider priority free agents for 2019, but an NFL front office can never sleep on the future of its franchise. What Indy has accomplished this season is certainly worthy of considerable recognition and excitement but the team has to continue building toward a brighter future and one way to make that possible is to retain those “home grown” (current) players who can create a more solid foundation for the next season.While the Colts don’t have monster contracts to concern themselves with as they ponder how to approach the off-season, there are numerous pending free agents who can still play an important role in the team’s future. We will take a look at the list of priority free agents, those who might be on the bubble, and those who may be looking for a new home in 2019.PRIORITY FREE AGENTSK — Adam Vinatieri — Even through a groin injury this year Skai Moore Jersey Stitched , Vinatieri remains a reliable kicker. He is hitting from outside of 50 yards with room to spare. If Vinatieri wants to keep playing, Irsay/Ballard will continue signing him to a new contract — and rightfully so.CB — Pierre Desir — Chris Ballard brought Pierre Desir back to Indianapolis on a one-year prove-it contract for just over $1.5 million. Desir responded by producing 79 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 8 passes defensed and an interception. He played a primary role in shutting down DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper during Indy’s late-season push to the playoffs.G — Mark Glowinski — When Chris Ballard selected Braden Smith at the top of the second round in the 2018 NFL Draft, he likely was projecting him to fill the right guard spot. However, Smith looks like he can kick out to right tackle and have a bright future there. Ballard snagged Mark Glowsinski off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks at the end of 2017, and saw him help the offensive line go on a historic sackless streak. Glowinski will be 27 years old in 2019.DT — Margus Hunt — There may not be a bigger underdog player on the Colts roster than Hunt. After he had a productive 2017 season, fans were calling for his job at final cuts in the new 4-3 defensive scheme in favor of veteran John Simon. Hunt has responded by tallying 30 tackles, 5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 2 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. He has been a dominant force for much of the season as a line penetrating defensive tackle. He can play at the nose, at 3-tech or slide out to defensive end depending on down, distance, or offensive front. S — Matthias Farley — Another highly underappreciated player in Indianapolis. Few teams can feel as confident as the Colts if they need a backup safety to come in and make a major impact in a game. Farley is a restricted free agent and will only be 27 years old in 2019. Bringing him back helps maintain depth in the secondary.LS — Luke Rhodes — There are three things to know about Rhodes. First, he snaps the ball a long way and hasn’t made a lot of mistakes. Second, he shouldn’t command a monster contract. Third, he does a nice job in coverage as a former linebacker and has made numerous special teams plays. BUBBLE FREE AGENTSS — Clayton Geathers — While Clayton Geathers has suffered through injuries over the past few seasons, he has also played in a hybrid safety/linebacker role that no other player on the Colts roster can currently fill. Other moves in free agency could change that but fans might be surprised at his production this season. In 12 games, Geathers tallied 89 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss Youth Anthony Walker Jersey , 2 QB hits, 3 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble.WR — Dontrelle Inman — Some thought that Inman had a chance to be a priority free agent before the 2018 season started. He had a history with Frank Reich during his time with the Chargers and seemed like a possible plug-and-play receiver in the system. While he ended up joining the team in the middle of the year, his 304 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, with a catch percentage north of 70%, turned out to be very valuable. WR — Chester Rogers — Early in his career, Rogers flashed tremendous potential. Unfortunately, he has never fully capitalized on his opportunities and spent too much time this season behind players like Zach Pascal. He is a restricted free agent who can double as a punt returner, though, so it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him in training camp again.WR — Reece Fountain — It might seem unlikely that Ballard would give up on a small school receiving prospect so soon but Colts fans know he won’t hesitate to pull the trigger if better options are out there. Fountain has been unable to crack into any meaningful role on the team in 2018, despite a lack of talent at the receiver position. It doesn’t bode well for his future. He is an exclusive right free agent and that could get him a spot on the off-season roster.WR — Zach Pascal — There were times this season that Pascal was a liability, allowing passes to bounce off of his hands for easy interceptions that had a major role in Colts losses. He has settled down in the back half of the season and flashed a bit more of his potential. Is it enough to stay around? He is an exclusive rights free agent so he may find his way back to training camp.WR — Marcus Johnson — There are a whole lot of exclusive rights free agent wide receivers on the bubble. Chris Ballard was going to leave no stone unturned and gave a lot of youngsters a shot to show something. Johnson did show flashes early in the season before suffering a season-ending injury. Was it enough?TE/H Back — Ryan Hewitt — Hewitt serves his purpose and is a reasonably strong blocker. His role will always keep him on the roster bubble, however, as more talented options who play a bigger offensive role may come along.CB — Chris Milton — A liability on defense but one of the best special teams players on the team. If a better defensive corner or safety comes along, Milton is expendable. Otherwise, he is a nasty gunner on the punt team and a key contributor to numerous Colts punts pinned deep inside opponent territory.TE — Ross Travis — Frank Reich loves using tight ends in his passing game. Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron create a devastatingly talented tandem. Mo Alie-Cox is starting to look like a very promising, well-rounded option in his own right. Does the team have room for a receiving specialist at the position? Would he see snaps? Does he need to move to receiver? WE WISH YOU THE BESTDT — Al Woods — While Woods wasn’t quite as important to the 2018 Colts defense as he was to the 2017 version, he is still one of the most consistent nose tackles and run lane cloggers on the roster. What makes him a bubble player is that the Colts defensive scheme asks for gap shooters and penetrators and that isn’t his strong suit. At 32 years old, it won’t be a surprise if Ballard lets him enter free agency.WR — Ryan Grant — Brought in to serve as a reliable possession receiver, Grant never really separated himself from other young options on the team. If there is one veteran receiver worthy of bringing back into the fold, Inman seems like he would get the nod over Grant.S — Mike Mitchell — Mitchell burst onto the scene with an impressive two-game run prior to suffering a calf injury. He is a solid and experienced veteran but if one of Farley or Geathers returns, it won’t be surprising to see Ballard look for a younger prospect.G — Matt Slauson — Slauson fulfilled the role the Colts needed in his short tenure. He solidified the right guard spot prior to suffering a fractured vertebrae and allowed younger players the chance to take over. He has received numerous compliments for his role as teacher on the sidelines but will likely not rejoin the team as a player.LB — Najee Goode — Once considered the front runner to start. Rarely saw the field. We wish you the best of luck.QB — Brad KaayaT — Jamarcus WebbC — Josh AndrewsS — Corey MooreS — Ronald MartinRB — Jonathan Williams