Jared Contestabile 
Tom Brady and Tampa Bay host their kryptonite on MNF with the New Orleans saints coming to town. Brady has had a hell of a time against this defense since his arrival in the NFC South. Regardless, the 5-6 Buccaneers are listed as 3.5-points favorites with a total of just 41 points. Let’s cash in on MNF showdown!
DraftKings and FanDuel each have a slightly different setup for Showdown slates, with DraftKings using a “Captain” spot. Captain earns you 1.5X points, BUT also costs you 1.5X in salary. FanDuel uses an “MVP”, which is ALSO 1.5X points, but salaries are the same, regardless of position. DraftKings uses 5 FLEX spots, and FanDuel uses 4 “AnyFLEX” spots to fill out your roster.
Captain/MVP Plays
Chris Olave, Saints ($12,600 DraftKings, $13,500 FanDuel)
The Saints will need to make plays down the field if they are going to stay competitive in this one. Miraculously, they still have a window to win the South, but this win would be an absolute must if they are going to have a shot. Regardless, Olave has been a revelation for the Saints this season, especially with Michael Thomas out for the season.
Olave saw 13 targets in the first meeting, and hauled in five passes for 80 yards. He has caught 10 of 15 targets over the last two weeks for 164 yards and a score. I’m not expecting a ton of offense in this one overall, but I’m banking on Olave being busy all night long.
Chris Godwin, Bucs ($15,900 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel)
I’m not overly excited about paying top salary for Godwin on DraftKings, but he is the 6th-highest priced player on FanDuel. He has kept Tom Brady and the offense alive the last two weeks, catching 18 of 21 targets for 181 yards and a pair of scores.
Fellow wideout Mike Evans has done very little with his opportunities of late. The offense overall has been a travesty recently, so I’m rolling with Godwin again. His volume is elite here, and Brady will need every bit of yardage he can get out of his favorite target.
FLEX/AnyFLEX Plays
Leonard Fournette, Bucs ($7,400 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel)
Lenny may not be 100% coming into this one, but he is expected to suit up. Both defenses have been solid against the run, and both rushing attacks have struggled. That said, Fournette’s work in the passing game puts him firmly in play here for me. He will undoubtedly cede some work to Rachaad White, but White wasted an opportunity to seize the job.
The Bucs absolutely need this win, and I’m expecting Brady and company to stick with what they know works. I’m willing to be dead wrong here, but I’m expecting Fournette to see more work than White.
Taysom Hill, Saints ($6,400 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel)
Tread lightly here, because I never seem to get Taysom right. However, we all know how well Andy Dalton performs under the bright lights of Primetime. Hill has seen 15 carries and attempted four passes over the last two weeks. He is reasonably priced, and I’m considering a full fade of Alvin Kamara here. Kamara has been remarkably inconsistent, and his usage in the passing game hasn’t paid off. Factor in his salary, and I’m all aboard the Hill train.
Kickers!
Like I mentioned above, I don’t expect this one to be high-scoring, and Vegas agrees. This is a perfect storm for both Willie Lutz and Ryan Succop. The weather looks to be tame in this one, and stay nice and warm down in Tampa. I will be forcing in some legs over arms for this showdown slate.
Other Options
Mike Evans always has elite upside, and now his enemy #1 Marshon Lattimore seems unlikely to play. Brady needs every break he can get in his old age, and his absence would be huge (monitor this leading up to lock). I still prefer Godwin, but Evans could pay off nicely for those who focus on his recent lackluster performances.
Adam Trautman is in play here with Juwan Johnson on the shelf. He is a solid play at near minimum on DraftKings ($1,200). His floor is low, of course, but the risk is almost non-existent.
Rachaad White could be a solid play here as well. The Saints are tough against the run, and he will be splitting work with Fournette. That said, he has 100+ yards in each of his last two games, so he is building some momentum.
If you’re a believer in Brady’s struggles against the Saints (0 or 1 TD in three of his last four vs the Saints), then you need to grab a few shares of the Saints defense. They have had their ups and downs, but may just have a mental arrogance about them in this one.
Julio Jones has 18 targets over his last four games. I like him as a low-mid range option here with a decent floor.
Rashid Shaheed always seems to show out on showdown slates, and he is dirt cheap here. At $1,400 on DraftKings, I’ll take a shot on a trick play or two going for big yardage.
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