Jared Contestabile 
Thursday night brings us a matchup that actually matters! The Cowboys are traveling to Nashville to take on the coldest team in the NFL. The Titans have been embarrassingly bad over the last month, and now trail Jacksonville in the AFC South. Rumors are circling that Derrick Henry may be limited, but we will assess that soon. Dallas is favored by 10.5 in this one with a total of just 40.5 points. Strap up. The winning lineup here will undoubtedly be unique.
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
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys ($13,200 DraftKings, $13,000 FanDuel)
Trivia question…when was the last game Zeke played where he didn’t score a touchdown? The answer is October 9th. Yes, almost 90 days ago. The Titans have been stout against the run, but they seem to be tanking for this one. Tony Pollard is one of my favorite players in the NFL, but he is banged-up coming into this one at best.
Zeke will likely see close to 20 opportunities in this one as the Cowboys fight for playoff positioning. Zeke certainly isn’t efficient, but volume is king. Expect him to carry the backfield in an easy win as the Cowboys roll over the Titans.
Hassan Haskins, Titans ($4,500 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)
Hear me out on this one. Yes, Derrick Henry will still play in this one. The Titans also have very little to play for here, as their likelihood of making the playoffs changes very little on TNF. Dontrell Hilliard is on IR, which leaves Haskins as the next man standing.
Malik Willis hasn’t shown the ability to make ANY plays down the field. In the three games where he saw 10+ pass attempts…his TOTAL output is embarrasing.
25/49 for 235 yards, 0 TD and 3 INT. Whether they want to or not, the Titans will be prioritizing running the ball. If the rumors are true that Henry will be limited…Haskins could be the best play on the board. The Cowboys have been among the best against the run in 2022…but that doesn’t matter here. Did I mention potential volume? This whole showdown is a big risk…but Haskins is my favorite one to take a shot on for TNF.
CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17,100 DraftKings, $15,000 FanDuel)
Listen, there is a non-zero chance that this game is competitive. If that happens (I don’t think it will), then Lamb needs to be one of your first clicks. He has been one of the most underrated players in the NFL this season, totaling 91-1207-8 on the season.
The Titans have been one of the worst in the NFL against the pass. Lamb could find a way to hit value on just a few series.
FLEX/AnyFLEX Plays
Derrick Henry, Titans ($10,800 DraftKings, $16,000 FanDuel)
I’ll be honest with you. This showdown slate is one that I absolutely hate. I’d advise you either invest small, or if you think you have an edge, take advantage. Henry would easily be one of the top options in this one during normal circumstances. I still believe he will see a decent amount of work, but if this game isn’t close, he will be the first one off the field.
There is some game theory to fading him completely, but that one is tough for me. The Titans are truly incapable of making plays down the field in the passing game. Malik Willis does NOT look capable of running an NFL offense. The Cowboys are a longshot to make significant moves in the playoff race, but there is a chance. Henry could break the slate with one long run…or a fade could give you an edge over a majority of the field.
Cowboys D/ST ($5,800 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel)
The Cowboys defense is the easiest play of the entire showdown slate. If you’re playing MME, you need some captain exposure. I am 100% aboard the Cowboys train here. Even if Malik Willis tries to make plays down the field, he won’t find success.
Micah Parsons and company are going to dominate this offense, and if the Titans get aggressive? The Cowboys D/ST may the the stone cold nuts of the slate.
Chig Okonkwo, Titans ($4,800 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel)
I’ve already said it, but I will say it again. There might not be a QB in the league LESS ready to face the Cowboys defense than Malik Willis. He looks truly overmatched on the field. He will be looking to complete short passes, and I would be stunned to see Chig not hit value here. I expect him to be busy in the short passing game, but be prepared for the ‘Boys to jump a route and take one to the house.
Other Options
Kickers are always in play, but especially on a slate like this one. I truly don’t believe the Titans are willing (or capable) of keeping this one competitive. As a Bengals fan, I know how much Randy Bullock sucks in the clutch. Fortunately, there won’t be any clutch time here. Brett Maher looks like a very solid play here.
If I’m Malik Willis, I’m taking as many shots as I can in this one. Treylon Burks is still the most talented WR on this roster, and needs to be on your radar for cheap. I’m not a fan of this Titans offense ever, and especially now. That said, someone will have to score a few points. He could break one.
Call me crazy, but I don’t think the Cowboys need to do much in this one to win. Dalton Schultz has been a key part of this offense when healthy. Jake Ferguson has shown some flashes, and I think he is a viable punt option here. We may see some Cooper Rush late in this game. I can’t fathom a game that isn’t a blowout here.
My main advice here is to get creative. I truly think we see a game that ends around 35-9 for this one. The Titans are fighting a losing battle that has no prize this week.
You all know I love Tony Pollard. He was the first player I wanted to write up here. I just think the Cowboys take it easy on him here. He is a fine play, but has been limited at best all week in practice. Tread lightly.
Make sure to join our Discord to jump into our conversations with the team and share your successes (I am “Myrtle Beach Mermen”, if you understand the reference, we will get along right away! We have a TON of great tools for you to check out, make sure you’re taking advantage! You can find projections here and try out the optimizer here.
Good luck on Thursday Night! Make sure to follow me on Twitter if you aren’t already, and let’s meet at the top of the leaderboards!
