SNF

It’s the Super Bowl!!!

In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Update 1: The Chiefs have one of the highest RedZone trip % in the NFL. The Eagles have the best RZ D in the league. That is good for Harrison Butker.

Update 2: I am moving Kelce up a notch in the rankings above Smith.

Update 3: I am limiting KC receivers (not pass catchers) to two

Update 4: You can consider forcing a TE into your lineups if you need to shrink the player pool. I am going to attempt to be overweight.

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Running Back

• The Chiefs allowed the least number of fantasy points to running backs in the 2024 regular season (16.3) 
• They gave up nine rushing TDs, and no receiving TDs to the position
• In the playoffs, James Cooks and Joe Mixon combined for 3 rushing TDs against them, while neither back broke 100 yards
• They are ranked 9^th in DVOA against the rush 
• The takeaway here is the Chief’s run game is better than the public think

How do you not recommend playing Saquon Barkley in the Super Bowl? This dude has been the best RB in the league, and now gets the biggest game of his life in a very condensed Eagles offense.

The Chiefs are better against the run than people give them credit for, but Barkley is just too good to fade. There are only two ways you could fade him, on a very small number of your lineups. First, you have Jalen Hurts, and hope he vultures the goal line work. Second, you play the Chiefs D. 

Kenny Gainwell will be active, but he is just not a part of the offense, virtually all season. He will not be getting much run at all in the Super Bowl. 

Will Shipley is a fade. He had two big plays in a blowout last game, and his price shot up. No thanks. 

• Tier 1: Saquon Barkley
• Punt: Kenny Gainwell 

Wide Receiver

• The Chiefs gave up 33.5 fantasy points per game to the position, and 19 receiving TDs in the regular season.
• They are ranked 19^th in DVOA against the pass
• Rank 26^th vs WR1, 10^th against WR2, 12^th against WR3

DeVonta Smith is my favorite receiver in the game. He is going to run most (55%) of the slot routes for the Eagles and that has been the best spot to target the Chiefs. He will see Chamarri Conner for the majority of his routes. Conner allows the highest YPRC, out of any starting corner in the game (1.21). The next worst corner, Cooper DeJean, allows 0.92. for reference. The Chiefs are also ranked the worst (in the game) against the WR2, which in this case I am assigning to DeVonta Smith. 

A.J. Brown will be less of a priority, which doesn’t, mean he is a fade in making multiple entries. I think he is going to pull shadow coverage from Trent McDuffie, who only allows 0.70 YPRC, which is the second-best in the game behind Quinyon Mitchell. 

Those are really the only two receivers that are worth writing up. Jahan Dotson will be on the field more than half of the time, however, he is never more than a punt. At only $1,600 on DraftKings, you could do worse. 

Johnny Wilson will see a handful of snaps. Parris Campbell and Ainis Smith probably don’t see the field. 

• Tier 1: DeVonta Smith
• Tier 2: A.J. Brown
• Punt: Jahan Dotson
• Mega Punt: Johnny Wilson

Probably horrible punts who get you a zero: Ainis Smith, Parris Campbell

Tight End

• The Chiefs gave up 15.53 fantasy points per game to the tight end, in the regular season.
• They allowed 5 receiving TDs, in the regular season (less than I expected to see)
• They allowed the third most receptions while giving up the most yardage (1191) to the position.
• They rank 11^th in DVOA against TE.

DeVonta Smith is my favorite receiver on the Eagles, but Dallas Goedert is my favorite pass catcher. The Chiefs are not good against talented receiving tight ends. The numbers above prove it. Goedert is reasonably priced at only $5,800 on DraftKings, which is great for someone we know will get volume in a condensed offense. 

Grant Calcaterra is on the field a lot, but most of that is going to be for blocking assignments. He is $1,000 and might come down with a catch. I don’t mind him in the Milly Maker, but it is not a high-probability play. E.J. Jenkins is the only other active T.E. for the Eagles right now, and he is a fade. 

• Tier 1: Dallas Goedert
• Punt: Grant Calcaterra 

Kansas City Chiefs

Running Back

• The Eagles allowed the second least number of fantasy points to running backs in the 2024 regular season. 
• They gave up only 5 rushing TDs, and no receiving TDs to the position 
• They are ranked 2^nd in DVOA against the Rush

Kareem Hunt has been the lead back recently so I am going to have to assume he retains that role. Last week he got 58% of snaps, compared to Isiah Pacheco’s 29%. Hunt has also been trusted while converting, goal-line opportunities. 

The Eagles rush defense is elite. I would not be surprised if the Chiefs got no rushing scores. This makes me low on Hunt and Pacheco while giving me more confidence in playing Patrick Mahomes. If I have to choose one, it is going to be Hunt. 

Samaje Perine may get a target or two, making him viable in MME. We know Perine as a pass-catching back, but Hunt and Pacheco are as well, and Perine is third on the depth chart. 

• Tier 2: Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco
• Tier 3: Samaje Perine 

Wide Receiver

• The Eagles allowed 31.7 fantasy points per game, and 17 receiving TDs in the regular season
• PHI ranks 2^nd in DVOA against the pass
  • 23^rd against WR1, 1^st against WR2, 7^th against WR3
• The key takeaway, from personally speaking with Darius Slay this week at Super Bowl Media Day, is the Eagles are less equipped to stop a team that does not have a true “WR1”. He told WinDaily Sports that he prefers to cover someone he knows will get 10-12 targets, as opposed to not knowing where the ball is going. That is exactly what the Chiefs do.

This is the position that will win it or lose it for you. The Chiefs rotate through their receivers every week, which all appear to be matchup-dependent.

The only receiver you know will be on the field for the majority of the game is Xaiver Worthy. 

The batch of Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and DeAndre Hopkins will be the next most reliable. Last week Hopkins took a step back with only 18% of snaps, but I don’t trust that will carry over into the Super Bowl. 

Justin Watson will see the field for limited snaps, while Nikko Remigio may find himself on the field for a couple of plays. 

Xaiver Worthy is the Swiss army knife receiver. He moves around the field at basically an equal rate making nailing down a primary matchup impossible. Really what this means is the Chiefs will look to exploit what is working with him, which includes potentially a rush attempt or two. This makes him the top option. 

JuJu makes sense in that he is only $2,000 on DraftKings. Sometimes he is good, sometimes he does nothing. He at least has more speed than Hopkins at this point. He is solid for his value. 

Hollywood Brown will likely be the second-highest targeted receiver, but his price is $5,400. I am shying away from him in my main lineup, solely because we haven’t seen it yet with Mahomes, due to injury. Can he have a big enough game to make the optimal? Absolutely.

DeAndre Hopkins isn’t going to be stretching the field like we have seen in the past, or breaking a huge play. But, I like him a lot to score. He is probably my next favorite pass catcher on the Chiefs, behind Travis Kelce to get a touchdown. This is from a combination of people likely being down on him due to playing time last game and his elevated salary. He still has great hands, and if he gets the red zone target, he is coming down with it. 

Justin Watson would need a big splash play, which isn’t impossible, just unlikely. He should remain in your player pool for MME. 

• Tier 1: Xaiver Worthy
• Tier 2: Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Tier 3: Justin Watson
• Punt: Nikko Remigio

Tight End

• Eagles allowed the second least fantasy points to tight ends (9.3)
• They have allowed 5 receiving TDs to the position
• The Eagles allowed the least number of yards to the position (591), which is about half as much as the Chiefs.
• They rank 3^rd in DVOA against the position.
• It is worth noting Zach Ertz had a great game against them in the Conference Championship. 

The matchup is poor, but Travis Kelce is going to get his shots. I do think the salary is a bit high on DraftKings ($9,000). You are asking for a massive game going against the Eagles, who are elite against the position. Low double-digit points won’t cut it for Kelce. He is going to need 100+ or a TD. 

Update: Coming around on Kelce more due to him seeing plenty of rookie coverage. I also expect Mahomes to have to get rid of the ball quick which helps him.

Noah Gray is the only other consideration and he is a solid punt. He is a talented TE and may benefit the most from two TE sets. When the Eagles are focused on Kelce, he should be able to make an impact. 

• Tier 1: Travis Kelce
• Tier 2: Noah Gray
• Fade: Peyton Hendershot 

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks –SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel, like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value.  Since the salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

• FanDuel MVP Tier 1: Barkley, Hurts
• FanDuel MVP Tier 2: Mahomes

• DraftKings CPT Tier 1: Mahomes, Barkley, Hurts
• DraftKings CPT Tier 2: Goedert, D. Smith
• DraftKings CPT Tier 3: Kelce, A.J. Brown, Worthy 
• Punt: Hollywood

Best Value: Goedert

Flex Rankings Tier 1:

• Patrick Mahomes
• Saquon Barkley
• Jalen Hurts
• Dallas Goedert
• DeVonta Smith
• Travis Kelce
• Xaiver Worthy
• A.J. Brown
• Harrison Butker
• Kareem Hunt
• Hollywood Brown
• JuJu Smith-Schuster
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Jake Elliot
• Isiah Pacheco
• Justin Watson
• Chiefs D
• Eagles D
• Jahan Dotson
• Noah Gray

Flex Rankings Tier 2: (Don’t play more than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys)

• Nikko Remigio
• Samaje Perine
• Kenny Gainwell
• Johnny Wilson
• Grant Calcaterra

Fadeable Flex Punts: (Don’t play. More than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys – will probably fade them all)

• Carson Steele
• Will Shipley 
• Ainias Smith
• Peyton Hendershot
• Parris Campbell
• E.J. Jenkins

Best Rules for the slate:

• Highest exposed players: Goedert, Mahomes, D. Smith, Barkley
• Lock in at least one, Hurts, Barkley
  • If fading both you play the Chiefs D
• Play at least one
  • Hurts, Mahomes
• If playing Hurts, pair with at least one pass catcher
• If playing Mahomes pair with at least two pass catchers
• Play at least one
  • Goedert, Smith, Brown, Barkley 
  • If we get a high-scoring game, you are going to want at least two and add Hurts to that list.
  • Remember, this is a highly condensed offense which is great for showdown
• Play at least one KC pass-catcher
  • WR, TE, RB
• Don’t play a Kicker against your defense
• I am high on kickers in this game, over 50% of my lineups will have one
• Stack your kicker with at least one skill player (I am not forcing a kicker)
  • Someone has to move the ball down the field
• Don’t play more than 1 kicker
• Don’t play more than 1 defense
• Don’t play a CPT QB against a defense
• Don’t play a CPT RB against a defense
• Don’t play more than one RB per team, per lineup
• Don’t play more than one TE per team, per lineup
• Don’t play more than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys on the same lineup
• Don’t play more than 1, Brown, Watson
• Don’t play more than 1, Juju, Remigio
• Don’t play more than 1, Brown, Wilson
• Don’t play more than 1, D. Smith, Campbell
• Don’t play more than 1, Dotson, A.Smith
• Don’t play more than 1, Wilson, Campbell, A. Smith, Calcaterra, Jenkins, Gainwell, Shipley
• Don’t play more than 1, Perine, Watson, Remigio, Gray, Hendershot.

The Bills take on the Chiefs in Kansas City for a spot in the title game. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Buffalo Bills

Running Backs

• Kansas City is giving up 16.3 DK per game (Fewest).
• They have allowed 1197 rushing yards (3rd Fewest).
• They have allowed 413 receiving yards (4th Fewest).

I do not like the matchup the Bills running backs have against the Chiefs. KC was in the top five defensively against running backs in yards and fantasy points. KC is coming off giving up the most rushing yards to a running back, allowing 88 rushing yards to Mixon in the Divisional round. Coming into last week’s game the Chiefs had only allowed three running backs to reach the 70+ mark on the ground. In the first meeting between these teams James Cook led the Bill running backs with 20 rushing yards. The only saving grace for Cook that day in fantasy was that he scored twice through the ground. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson both had five carries but only managed to finish with 29 combined rushing yards. 

I am using Cook in a couple of lineups but he is not a priority for me as I think if the Bills want to win it will come down to Josh Allen and the passing game. As for Davis and Johnson, I like them but they are more punt plays that I’ll sprinkle in a couple of lines but they won’t be in my main lineup or single entries. 

Tier 1: James Cook

Tier 2: Ray Davis, Ty Johnson

Wide Receiver

• The Chiefs have allowed 2359 yards to opposing wide receivers (6th Fewest).
• They are giving up 33.5 DK (13th Fewest).

On paper, Khalil Shakir has the best matchup. Shakir plays around 75% of his snaps out of the slot which means he will avoid having to go up against McDuffie who will be on Keon Coleman. Instead, Shakir should see either Chamarri Conner or Christian Roland-Wallace who both mainly play as the slot corners for the Chiefs. Both allow .35 FPRR and Roland-Wallace leads Kansas City in YPRR allowed with 1.38. Shakir will be one of my most used players for the Showdown and is my favorite Bills player, aside from Josh Allen.

As I mentioned above, Coleman should see a lot of Trent McDuffie who is the Chief’s best cover corner. McDuffie allows a Chiefs-low 15.4% target rate and is allowing .22 FPRR and .84 YPRR both are just slightly above Joshua William’s .19 and .8. With McDuffie and Williams both switching between the LCB and RCB spots, both Coleman and Cooper will have to deal with the two best corners which means I am slightly off both compared to Shakir.

Mack Hollins is a solid punt option for a showdown. He has the most snaps played in the playoffs for Bills wide receivers so far and has seen four targets which is only behind Shakir and Curtis Samuel in the two playoff games.

Tier 1: Khalil Shakir

Tier 2: Keon Coleman, Amari Cooper, Mack Hollins

Fade/DeepPunt: Curtis Samuel

Tight End

• The Chiefs have given 1191 receiving yards to tight ends (Most).
• They are giving up 15.3 DK (4th Most).

I like both of the Bill’s tight ends in this game. Both Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox have seen five targets in the first two playoff games which is only behind Shakir’s 13. With Coleman and Cooper, or Hollins if he is in for either guy, having to deal with the best corners KC has to offer, the tight ends are in better positions. 

With Kansas being one of the worst defenses against tight ends, I will try to have at least one of Buffalo’s tight ends in every lineup where I am using Josh Allen.

Tier 1: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox

Kansas City Chiefs

Running Back

• Buffalo is giving up 26.2 DK per game (5th Most).
• They have allowed 1629 rushing yards (16th Most).
• They have allowed 750 receiving yards (Most in the NFL).

I am a big fan of both of KC’s top running backs, Pacheco and Hunt, but there is a lot of uncertainty at the position since the return of Pacheco late in the regular season. Since Pacheco’s return in week 13 against the Raiders both running backs have had 50+ rushing attempts.

Isiah Pacheco: 54 carries, 193 yards, No Touchdowns

Kareem Hunt: 53 carries, 195 yards, 3 Touchdowns

Above is the stat line for the two running backs since Week 13. They have similar numbers outside of the touchdowns, where Hunt has the clear advantage as he has been used near the goal line more than Pacheco. I think both of them are in play for Showdown, but I wouldn’t force them into lineups as I’d rather prioritize the Chief’s passing game.

Tier 2: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt

Wide Receiver

• The Bills have allowed 2519 yards to opposing wide receivers (16th Most).
• They are giving up 34.3 DK (14th Most).

The Chief wide receivers didn’t have the best divisional round with only Worthy having a reception (5) while the other receivers were kept off the stat sheet on only four combined targets. In the first meeting between these two sides, the wide receivers combined for 12 receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown. This game should be a back-and-forth shootout so I’m expecting the Kansas wide receivers to be heavily involved.

There are three main wide receivers to target for Showdown; Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins, and Hollywood Brown. Of those three the main wide receiver I am targeting is Worthy. He is used in both the rush and passing games so even if he is not catching the ball I expect some trick plays for him as a runner. 

Tier 1: Xavier Worthy

Tier 2: Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins

Punt: JuJu Smith-Schuster

Tight End

• The Bills have given 817 receiving yards to tight ends (16th Fewest).
• They are giving up 12.3 DK (16th Most).

You don’t need me to tell you that Travis Kelce is a good play as he is Mahomes favorite target. But his backup is also very much in play for the showdown. Noah Gray has played at least 50% of the snaps in all but two games (45% and 49%) and has seen 50 targets this season. He is clearly behind Kelce on the depth chart but he has more receiving touchdowns which makes him very much playable.

Tier 1: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Josh Allen
• Patrick Mahomes
• Travis Kelce
• Xavier Worthy
• Dalton Kincaid
• James Cook
• Khalil Shakir
• Keon Coleman
• Kareem Hunt
• Isiah Pacheco
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Dawson Knox

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Kansas D/ST
• Buffalo D/ST
• Tyler Bass
• Harrison Butker
• Amari Cooper
• Ty Johnson
• Mack Hollins
• Ray Davis
• Curtis Samuel
• Juju Smith-Schuster

Favorite props for the game:

• Dalton Kincaid Over 32.5 Receiving Yards (-111)/ 40+ (+133)/ 50+ (+226)
• Buffalo Bills ML (+105)
• Xavier Worthy Over 50.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

The Divisional Round weekend concludes with a bang as the Ravens take on the Bills at Orchard Park in Buffalo, New York. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Baltimore Ravens

Running Backs

• Buffalo is giving up 26.2 DK per game (5th Most).
• They have allowed 1629 rushing yards (16th Most).
• They have allowed 750 receiving yards (Most in the NFL).

We are in the 20th week of the NFL season, so you do not need me to tell you that Derrick Henry is really good. Henry is one of the best plays on the slate. He ran for 199 yards and a touchdown, including an 87-yard rush, in the first meeting against the Bills. He is priced correctly on both sites, so while he is a priority, I wouldn’t force him into every lineup.

Justice Hill is my favorite value play on the slate. He is averaging just under three receptions per game and is taking on the Bills who allow the most receiving yards to running backs. I will have lineups with Henry and Hill in them as they offer different ways to attack this Bills defense.

Tier 1: Derrick Henry

Tier 2: Justice Hill

Wide Receiver

• The Bills have allowed 2519 yards to opposing wide receivers (16th Most).
• They are giving up 34.3 DK (14th Most).

Before I write up the Ravens wideouts, I will say of the three positions this is the one I am using the fewest of. I prefer to prioritize the running backs and tight ends.

On paper, Nelson Agholor has the best matchup. Unfortunately, even with Flowers being out against the Steelers, Agholor only had one target as the Ravens WR2. At his price, he is still worth a shot as a value play.

Rashod Bateman is the Raven wide receiver that I would use if Flowers is out. His matchup against Rasul Douglas isn’t the best but it’s not the worst either. In his first matchup, he only had 1 target for 23 yards but with no Flowers, he should see a bigger workload. He’s had 19 targets in the past five weeks.

Tier 1: Rashod Bateman

Tier 2: Nelson Agholor

Fade/DeepPunt: Tylan Wallace, Devontez Walker

Tight End

• The Bills have given 817 receiving yards to tight ends (16th Fewest).
• They are giving up 12.3 DK (16th Most).

I like both of the Raven’s tight ends in this game. With Flowers being listed as doubtful and unlikely to play, both tight ends should be two of the top three targets alongside Bateman in the passing game. Neither tight end did much in the first game against the Bills only combining for 1 reception for 23 yards on two targets. I am not worried about a repeat performance for this showdown.

Tier 1: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely

Buffalo Bills

Running Back

• Baltimore is giving up 19.5 DK per game (5th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1085 rushing yards (Fewest in the NFL).
• They have allowed 674 receiving yards (4th Most).

I am a big Cook fan, but this is not the ideal spot for him. Ravens are one of the best defenses in fantasy against running backs. He didn’t have much work in the first game as the game was out of hand late. I will use Cook in some lineups but he isn’t a priority for me. Outside of Cook, I don’t want to use any of the other Bills running backs. 

Tier 1: James Cook

FADE/Punt: Ray Davis. Ty Johnson

Wide Receiver

• The Ravens have given up 2827 receiving yards to wide receivers (4th Most).
• They are giving up 37.4 DK to receivers (5th Most).

All three of the Bill’s top wide receivers are very much in play for the showdown. Of the three my favorite two are Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. There is not much to separate the Ravens corners, but of the three Brandon Stephens who will be on Coleman is the best to attack as he is allowing the most YPRR and is tied for most FPRR allowed.

Tier 1: Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir

Tier 2: Amari Cooper

Punt: Mack Hollins, Curtis Samuel

Tight End

• The Ravens have given up 963 receiving yards to tight ends (9th Most).
• They are allowing 13.1 DK per game (13th Most).

I like both Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid in this spot. Both saw three targets in the Wild Card game against the Broncos and both saw 29+ snaps (38%+). The Ravens have struggled to stop tight ends, allowing at least 50+ receiving yards to tight ends in 11 of their 18 games this season. In the first game against the Ravens, Kincaid had five receptions for 47 yards. 

Tier 1: Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Josh Allen
• Lamar Jackson
• Derrick Henry
• Mark Andrews
• Dalton Kincaid
• James Cook
• Rashod Bateman
• Isaiah Likely
• Justice Hill
• Khalil Shakir
• Keon Coleman

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Ravens D/ST
• Buffalo D/ST
• Tyler Bass
• Dawson Knox
• Justin Tucker
• Amari Cooper
• Ty Johnson
• Mack Hollins
• Ray Davis
• Curtis Samuel
• Nelson Agholor
• Tylan Wallace

Favorite props for the game:

• Dalton Kincaid Over 31.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
• Justice Hill Over 22.5 Receiving Yards (-115)/ 25+ (-105)/ 40+ (+265)

The Wild Card weekend continues with a bang as the Commanders take on the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Washington Commanders

Running Backs

• Tampa Bay is giving up 20.2 DK per game (8th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1238 rushing yards (4th Fewest).
• They have allowed 661 receiving yards (5th Most).

The main guy for the Commanders is Brian Robinson Jr who has been the leader in rushing attempts (187), yards (799), rushing touchdowns (8), and snaps played (505). When these two teams met in the opening weekend of the NFL season, Robinson had 40 rushing yards and was able to find the end zone, while also adding 49 yards receiving. The Bucs run defense has not given up 40 or more rushing yards in the last four games.

Austin Ekeler came back in Week 18 after missing the previous four games and led all running backs with 35 snaps played. I think he is in a great spot here against Tampa. They are allowing 38.9 receiving yards to opposing running backs, and Ekeler leads all Commander running backs with 366 receiving yards (30.5/game). I prefer BRob over Ekeler but I would not be against running both in a lineup or using Ekeler as a value play in a Washington passing attack lineup.

Tier 1: Brian Robinson Jr

Tier 2: Austin Ekeler

Punt/Fade: Jeremy McNichols

Wide Receiver

• The Bucs have allowed 2659 yards to opposing wide receivers (7th Most).
• They are giving up 37.3 DK (6th Most).

On paper, Olamide Zaccheus has the best matchup. He is coming off a decent game, but he has proven throughout the last four weeks that he will be involved in the Commander’s passing game. He should also be on the field for almost all offensive snaps. For a large portion of the game, he will be avoiding Jamel Dean, who is the Buc’s best cover corner.Dean should see Terry McLaurin for the majority of his routes. Terry is the Commander’s best receiver so having to go up against Dean shouldn’t impact his production too much.

After their top two guys, the Commanders have three receivers who have played significant snaps this season. Of the three, Jamison Crowder and Dyami Brown were the two that had the most success when they were in the game. Which ever of the two is in with Zaccheus and McLaurin should see the Buc’s worse corner, Tykee Smith. I won’t force either into my lineups but they are both in play as punts.

Tier 1: Olamide Zaccheus, Terry McLaurin

Tier 2: Jamison Crowder, Dyami Brown

Fade/DeepPunt: Luke McCaffrey

Tight End

• The Bucs have given 1144 receiving yards to tight ends (2nd Most).
• They are giving up 14.6 DK (7th Most).

Zach Ertz is my favorite Commander’s Player for Showdown. Tampa has struggled to contain opposing tight ends, allowing 14 different tight ends to reach 40 receiving yards this season. In his first matchup against the Bucs Ertz had three receptions for 28 yards. At his price, you can easily fit him in almost every lineup.

John Bates and Ben Sinnott both play snaps every game but even though Tampa struggles against tight ends, neither endup on the game log most games so I am not using either unless it is in a 150max.

Tier 1: Zach Ertz

Punt/Fade: John Bates, Ben Sinnott 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Running Back

• Washington is giving up 23.1 DK per game (14th Most).
• They have allowed 1935 rushing yards (4th Most).
• They have allowed 387 receiving yards (Fewest).

I am locking in Bucky Irving into every lineup I can, he is my favorite Tampa Bay player on the slate. He is the top running back on the Bucs roster, leading the team with 1122 rushing yards and right rushing touchdowns. The Commanders are allowing the fourth most rushing yards to running backs and with how Irving closed this season he should be in for a big game. 

Last week in a must win game for the Bucs, Sean Tucker and Rachaad White played a combined 23 snaps and only had two total touches (both by Tucker). Based on that, I am not prioritizing either of these players and would only really use them as deep punts.

Tier 1: Bucky Irving

FADE/Punt: Sean Tucker, Rachaad White

Wide Receiver

• The Commanders have given up 2427 receiving yards to wide receivers (13th Fewest).
• They are giving up 32.7 DK to receivers (10th Fewest).

On paper, Mike Evans has the worst matchup. He is coming off a game where he broke 1000 receiving yards for the 11th straight year. He will be on the field for almost all offensive snaps. For a large portion of the game, he will have to take on Marshon Lattimore, who is the Commander’s best cover corner. These two have a lot of history so I expect both of them to play very physically but I am taking the future Hall of Fame wide receiver to get the better of the corner.

Their rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan has broken out the past five games where he has at least five targets and four receptions in all five games. He gets a much easier matchup than Evans, as he should see Mike Sainristil who has been the worst corner for the Commanders. Sainristil is allowing the most fantasy points (.27) and yards (1.21) per route run. Evans has the higher ceiling but I do like McMillan a lot so I’ll have at least one of them in every Tampa heavy lineup.

Sterling Sheppard is the WR3 for Tampa. He played 63% of the snaps in Tampa’s Week 18 win over the Saints and should see a similar snap percentage on Sunday against the Commanders. While he gets a good matchup against Noah Igbinoghene, I am not overly using Sheppard even at his price. He is clearly the third wide receiver and with Otton returning he becomes the fourth option. Use him if you need salary in a SE/3Max but reserver him for larger contests if you don’t need his savings.

Tier 1: Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan

Tier 2: Sterling Sheppard

Punt: Ryan Miller, Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett

Tight End

• The Commanders have given up 678 receiving yards to tight ends (5th Fewest).
• They are allowing 10.9 DK per game (10th Fewest).

Cade Otton is returning after missing the previous three games. He gets a tough matchup against a Commanders passing defense that has only allowed five tight ends to reach the 50 yard mark. In the first meeting Otton only had one receptionsfor five yards. I will still have some Otton in my lineups but I would rather prioritize using one of the receiver or Irving over Otton as well as using Ertz over him.

With how good the Commanders are I will not be using any other tight end other than Otton. 

Tier 1: Cade Otton

Tier 2: Payne Durham, Devin Culp

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Bucky Irving
• Zach Ertz
• Jayden Daniels
• Mike Evans
• Baker Mayfield
• Terry McLaurin
• Jalen McMillan
• Olamide Zaccheaus
• Austin Ekeler
• Chase McLaughlin
• Cade Otton
• Brian Robinson Jr
• Zane Gonzalez

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Tampa Bay D/ST
• Washington D/ST
• Rachaad White
• Sean Tucker
• Dyami Brown
• Jamison Crowder
• Jeremy McNichols
• Luke McCaffrey
• Rakim Jarrett

Favorite props for the game:

• Austin Ekeler Over 22.5 Receiving Yards (-115)/ 25+ (-105)
• Bucky Irving Over 88.5 Rushing Yards (-115)/ 90+ (-105)/ 100+ (+135)

The final regular season week of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Vikings take on the Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Minnesota Vikings

Running Backs

• Detroit is giving up 19.1 DK per game (5th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1057 rushing yards (2nd Fewest).
• They have allowed 558 receiving yards (13th Most).

Aaron Jones is the leading back for the Vikings. In the first meeting against the Lions, Jones had 14 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown as well as three receptions for 23 yards. Jones has struggled the last two games against Seattle and Green Bay, failing to reach 70 rushing yards in both games. On paper, this Lion’s run defense should be able to contain Jones as they are top 5 in fantasy points and rushing yards allowed to running backs. The Lions have held the last two starting running backs they have faced to under 40 rushing yards. With how good the Lions are, I am not prioritizing Jones for Showdown as I feel there are better options elsewhere to target.

I am also not using either of the backup running backs, Cam Akers or Ty Chandler. Unless you are maxing out an MME, you should not include either in your player pool.

Tier 1:Aaron Jones

Fade: Cam Akers, Ty Chandler

Wide Receiver

• The Lions have allowed 3040 yards to opposing wide receivers (Most).
• They are giving up 40.3 DK (2nd Most).

This is the spot where I want to attack the defense of Detroit. The Lions’ secondary has struggled with the injuries on the defensive line, they are allowing the most receiving yards. The main threat for the Vikings is Justin Jefferson, he is the Viking’s number one wide receiver and has the best matchup against the Lion’s Terrion Arnold. Arnold has allowed the most fantasy points and yards to opposing wider receivers and is going up against the Vikings leader in both of thosecategories. I am locking in Jefferson in every format and in every position on both sites.

The other weapon that the Vikings have in the wide receiver room is Jordan Addison. Addison has four straight games with five or more receptions and has hit that number in five of his last six. In that four-game span, he has 26 receptions for 300 yards and five touchdowns. He gets a tough matchup against Brian Branch who has been the best corner for Detroit. The matchup does make him less of a priority for me, but I would still have a lot of Addison in my lineups.

Jalen Nailor is the only other Viking wider receiver that has seen significant targets. With how bad the Lions are against the pass and his price being low I would definitely take a shot with Nailor.

Tier 1: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison

Tier 2: Jalen Nailor

Tight End

• The Lions have given 640 receiving yards to tight ends (5th Fewest).
• They are giving up 9.2 DK (2nd Fewest).

Outside of a couple of games this season Hockenson has not been able to recreate his success from previous seasons since returning from injury. I am not using too much of him or any other tight end from the Vikings as the Lions are allowing the fifth-fewest receiving yards to tight ends. He is not a complete fade for me in SE and 3max but I will be below his ownership.

Tier 1: TJ Hockenson

Punt/Fade: Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt 

Detroit Lions

Running Back

• Minnesota is giving up 18.3 DK per game (3rd Fewest).
• They have allowed 1168 rushing yards (4th Fewest).
• They have allowed 433 receiving yards (6th Fewest).

With no David Montgomery, the backfield belongs to Jahmyr Gibbs. In the two games since Montgomery’s injury, Gibbs has played 60% of the total snaps, with Craig Reynolds playing the second most with only 25% with some of that coming in garbage time against the 49ers on Monday Night. Gibbs is the highest-priced player on DraftKings and the fourth-highest on FanDuel. Like Justin Jefferson, Gibbs is a lock for me for Showdown. 

The Vikings are one of the best teams against running backs, but in the first meeting, Gibbs had 150 total yards and two touchdowns. He is going to have opportunities to take either a run or a pass to the end zone, all he needs is one to pay for his high price. 

Tier 1: Jahmyr Gibbs

FADE/Punt: Craig Reynolds

Wide Receiver

• The Vikings have given up 2978 receiving yards to wide receivers (2nd Most).
• They are giving up 42.5 DK to receivers (Most).

Just like with the Lions the Viking’s pass defense is their weakness. While Jameson Williams has been the most productive wide receiver on the Lions over the past two weeks, with 229 total yards and three touchdowns, and he is very much in play tonight, I prefer Amon-Ra St.Brown over him for Showdown. In the first meeting, Amon-Ra led the team with eight receptions and 112 yards. Murphy should put up a good challenge for Amon-Ra but I think the Lions receiver will ultimately get the better of him as the game goes on.

Tim Patrick and the returning Kalif Raymond should both be on the field throughout the game, but I prefer the other two wide receivers over them as well as Gibbs. Both will be in some of my lineups but I am prioritizing other spots over them.

Tier 1: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams

Tier 2: Tim Patrick

Punt: Kalif Raymond

Tight End

• The Vikings have given up 817 receiving yards to tight ends (16th Fewest).
• They are allowing 11.4 DK per game (13th Fewest).

Of the two starting tight ends in this game, Sam LaPorta would be the one I use more of. He is having a down year similar to Hockenson but the Vikings are giving up more points and yards to opposing tight ends. LaPorta has started to turn his season around the last few weeks as he has 22 receptions for 272 yards and two touchdowns, one in each of the last two games. I still prefer Gibbs, Amon-Ra, and Williams over him from the Lions but at his price, he is worth rostering.

Tier 1: Sam LaPorta

Tier 2: Brock Wright

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Justin Jefferson
• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Jordan Addison
• Jameson Williams
• Jared Goff
• Aaron Jones
• Sam Darnold
• Jalen Nailor
• Will Reichard
• Jake Bates
• Sam LaPorta
• TJ Hockenson

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Vikings D/ST
• Lions D/ST
• Tim Patrick
• Cam Akers
• Craig Reynolds
• Ty Chandler
• Brock Wright
• Johnny Mundt
• Josh Oliver
• Kalif Raymond

Favorite prop for the game: Jahmyr Gibbs Over 33.5 Receiving Yards (-115) and 40+ (+125)

Week 17 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Falcons take on the Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Atlanta Falcons

Running Backs

• Washington is giving up 23 DK per game (15th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1702 rushing yards (5th Most).
• They have allowed 367 receiving yards (4th Fewest).

Bijan Robinson is the best player on the Falcons and that is why I am locking him in every possible lineup where I can fit him, in both the CPT and Flex spots. While he might struggle to catch passes out of the backfield, Washington allows 2.9 receptions for 24.5 yards to running backs, he should have plenty of room to run as the Commanders are allowing the fifth most rushing yards to running backs. The only lineups where I will fade Robinson in are the ones where I am full-stacking the Falcons passing game.

His backup will be Tyler Allgeier who averages 17.5 snaps played per game. For his price he is worth a punt in lineups, as he has had at least nine touches each of the past four games and at least 11 in the past two. The only other running back that has seen snaps since the bye week is Avery Williams but he is a complete fade for me.

Tier 1: Bijan Robinson

Tier 2: Tyler Allgeier

Wide Receiver

• The Commanders have allowed 2058 yards to opposing wide receivers (9th Fewest).
• They are giving up 32.6 DK (16th Fewest).

Atlanta’s top wide receiver, Drake London, got some good news earlier in the week as Marshon Lattimore was ruled outfor this game. With no Lattimore, London should see a mix of Noah Igbinoghene, Mike Sainristill, and Benjamin St. Juste. The one that should line up across from London the most should be Sainristill who plays 80% of the time at either LCB or RCB. Sainristill has been the worst CB of the three allowing a team high.28 FPRR and 1.12 YPRR, both of which London leads the Falcons in. If you are fading Robinson in a lineup, I would use London.

The Falcons have two other wide receivers that can cause issues for the Commanders. The first one is Darnell Mooney. Mooney has been the WR2 for the Falcons the entire year and is only 24 targets behind London on the year. Over the past three weeks, he has 11 receptions for 224 yards, despite having no receptions in Week 15. At his price, it is hard to fit in since you can get to London for $1000 more, but if you can’t get to London then Mooney is a solid option. The other wide receiver who is getting significant time is Ray-Ray McCloud III. McCloud is on the field almost the same amount of snaps as London and Mooney but he is not seeing the same amount of targets, only seeing a target on 9.1% of snaps played. I wish he was lower so it would be easier to fit him in, but he is still a good option in the midrange.

Tier 1: Drake London, Darnell Mooney

Tier 2: Ray-Ray McCloud III

Tight End

• The Commanders have given 600 receiving yards to tight ends (5th Fewest).
• They are giving up 10.9 DK (11th Fewest).

Kyle Pitts will see the majority of snaps and targets of all of the Falcons tight ends. He is priced as the fourth highest Falcon pass catcher and for good reason. Since the Week 12 bye week, Pitts has only six receptions for 49 yards and has failed to score in all four games. At his price he is worth a shot, but with how hood Washington has been against tight ends this season I am comfortable fading him if he doesn’t fit my lineups. 

Charlie Woerner has served as the backup tight end to Pitts. Over the past two weeks, he has played 21 more snaps than Pitts but hasn’t done much with his snaps. He has one less target than Pitts over the last two weeks and has 28 fewer yards. He is worth a punt in MME lineups but besides that, I wouldn’t use him. 

Tier 1: Kyle Pitts

Punt/Fade: Charlie Woerner 

Washington Commanders

Running Back

• Atlanta is giving up 21 DK per game (8th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1235 rushing yards (8th Fewest).
• They have allowed 514 receiving yards (16th Fewest).

Brian Robinson Jr is the main running back for the Commanders now that Ekeler is on IR. He hasn’t had the best season, only averaging 60.8 rushing yards per game. He is priced a little too high for me in this matchup against the leagues 8th best fantasy defense against running backs. But he is still in play for Showdown as over the past two weeks he has 73.4% of the touches by a Washington running back and has played 69.1% of the snaps.

Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr are the two backups that have seen snaps since Ekeler’s injury. They have 95 combined snaps since Ekeler’s injury and have 32 total touches. McNichols is a better value play than Rodriguez but I won’t have too much of either of them.

Tier 1: Brian Robinson Jr

FADE/Punt: Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez Jr

Wide Receiver

• The Falcons have given up 2328 receiving yards to wide receivers (11th Most).
• They are giving up 38.7 DK to receivers (3rd Most).

There is a clear leader in the Commander’s wide receiver room and that is Terry McLaurin. McLaurin leads Washington in receptions (73), targets (98), receiving touchdowns (12), and yards (1029). He will play most of the game on the left (73% of snaps) which means he’ll see a lot of AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes who both play around 50% of the time on the left. Both corners present a favorable matchup as both are allowing .34 FPRR when lined up on the left. McLaurin leads the Washington receivers in FPRR with .61. He should see a bit more yards when he is lined up across from Hughes (1.01 allowed) but Terrell is allowing .74 which is still a good number for McLaurin.

With no Dyami Brown this week, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey, and Jamison Crowder will be the three behind McLaurin. Of the three Zaccheaus is the best option based on matchup. He plays 54% of the time out of the slot whichmeans he should see a lot of Dee Alford who is Atlanta’s weakest corner. Alford is allowing a team-high.46 FPRR and 1.41 YPRR. McCaffrey and Crowder should split time between Terrell and Hughes when they aren’t on McLaurin, bothare in play for me but I’ll give the edge to Crowder based on his usage last week.

Tier 1: Terry McLaurin

Tier 2: Olamide Zaccheaus

Punt: Jamison Crowder, Luke McCaffrey

Tight End

• The Falcons have given up 665 receiving yards to tight ends (10th Fewest).
• They are allowing 11 DK per game (12th Fewest).

I am not prioritizing the tight-end position for the Commanders this week. Atlanta has a good defense against tight ends and I think even at their price there might be better options. Zach Ertz, John Bates, and Ben Sinnott are all getting snaps, 179 combined snaps over the past two weeks, but they are not seeing targets. The three tight ends have combined for seven targets, a target on 4% of snaps. If I am playing one it would be Ertz since he has proven in the past that he can have good games, but you don’t need to force any of them into a lineup.

Tier 1: Zach Ertz

Tier 2: John Bates, Ben Sinnott

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Jayden Daniels
• Bijan Robinson
• Terry McLaurin
• Drake London
• Michael Penix Jr
• Brian Robinson Jr
• Darnell Mooney
• Zane Gonzalez
• Riley Patterson

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Washington D/ST
• Atlanta D/ST
• Tyler Allgeier
• Olamide Zaccheaus
• Ray-Ray McCloud III
• Kyle Pitts
• Zach Ertz
• Jeremy McNichols
• Jamison Crowder
• Luke McCaffrey
• Charlie Woerner
• Ben Sinnott
• John Bates
• Chris Rodriguez Jr

Favorite prop for the game: Terry McLaurin Over 64.5 Receiving Yards and 70+ (+115)

Week 16 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Buccaneers take on the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Running Backs

• Dallas is giving up 24.7 DK per game (11th Most).
• They have allowed 1331 rushing yards (16th Most).
• They have allowed 543 receiving yards (9th Most).

I am locking in at least one of Bucky Irving or Rachaad White in every lineup. I prefer Irving of the two, but I am making them both a priority this week. The Cowboys have not been good against running backs, giving up over 100 yards six times this season. They have also given up at least 40 receiving yards to opposing running backs seven times this season. The Bucs’ top two running backs are averaging a combined over 40 yards in the passing game this season.

Sean Tucker is the Bucs’ RB3, and while he has had a couple of okay games, I am not looking at using him this week. He has only 15 touches over the past four weeks, which is less than what Irving and White are averaging in those four weeks per game. Unless Irving or White are ruled out for some reason prior to kick-off, I’ll leave Tucker as a 150-max punt only.

Tier 1: Bucky Irving, Rachaad White

Tier 2: Sean Tucker

Wide Receiver

• The Cowboys have allowed 2203 yards to opposing wide receivers (8th Most).
• They are giving up 35.9 DK (10th Most).

Just like with the Bucs running game I am prioritizing at least one of Tampa’s top receivers this week.

The clear WR1 for the Bucs is the future Hall of Famer, Mike Evans. He leads all Tampa wide receivers by a large margin in fantasy points (.59) and yards (2.44) per route ran. He gets a good matchup against the Cowboy’s DaRon Bland. Bland is allowing the second most fantasy points (.26) and yards (.92) per route. But even if he had a great matchup I would like because he is one of the most consistent players in the NFL. 

The Buccaneer wide receiver with the best matchup is Jalen McMillan. McMillan is going to see a lot of Amani Oruwariye who is allowing a league high .5 fantasy points and yards 2.52 per route. The rookie wide receiver has seen 18 targets over the past four weeks which is behind Evans (34) and Shepard (21). 

Shepard is in play as the third Bucs wide receiver but based on his matchup being the toughest of the three he is third on my list of priority. He has seen 49% of the Bucs snaps over the last four weeks so if you need a value play he is a great option.

Tier 1: Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan

Tier 2: Sterling Shepard

Punts/Fades: Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett

Tight End

• The Cowboys have given 602 receiving yards to tight ends (8th Fewest).
• They are giving up 10.9 DK (11th Fewest).

The Bucs are going to be without their starting tight end, Cade Otton. For the most part I am fading the tight ends from Tampa, but I will try to fit in Payne Durham into a couple of lines as he is only $200 on DraftKings. He leads all active Tampa tight ends in snaps and targets. At $200 he only need a catch to hit value.

Ko Kieft and Devin Culp have seen snaps this season but neither has a target so even at min price it’s hard to throw them into a lineup outside of a 150max.

Tier 1: Payne Durham

Punt/Fade: Ko Kieft, Devin Culp 

Dallas Cowboys

Running Back

• TB is giving up 22.3 DK per game (12th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1130 rushing yards (6th Fewest).
• They have allowed 599 receiving yards (4th Most).

This is going to be a difficult game for Rico Dowdle to find running lanes, given how good the Bucs have been at stopping the run. But I still like Dowdle for Showdown as over the past four games he seems to have found his form. He is averaging 119.5 yards over the past four weeks, including rushing for over 110 in each of the last three. Dowdle is my second favorite Dallas player on the slate, we will get to my first further below.

Ezekiel Elliott and Hunter Luepke are the two Dallas running backs who have seen the most snaps after Dowdle. Luepke is the one who sees the field the most of the two, but Elliott has had more touches (48:8) since the Week 7 despite playing 57 less snaps. Elliott is the better play of the two, he has been getting the carries when Dowdle heads to the sidelines.

Tier 1: Rico Dowdle

Tier 1: Ezekiel Elliott

FADE/Punt: Hunter Luepke

Wide Receiver

• The Bucs have given up 2156 receiving yards to wide receivers (12th Most).
• They are giving up 36.7 DK to receivers (7th Most).

It’s Week 16 you don’t need me to tell you to play CeeDee Lamb. He is the best wide receiver on the Cowboys and unlessprime Ronde Barber is walking out of the tunnel, Lamb’s matchup shouldn’t matter too much.

Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert lead the rest Cowboy wide receivers in snaps over the past three weeks. Tolbert gets the easier matchup of the two on paper as Zyon McCollum is allowing more FPRR and YPRR than Jamel Dean who will be on Cooks for large portions of this game. I do prefer Tolbert over Cooks based on matchup and price.

KaVontae Turpin who is the WR4 on the Cowboys might be worth a punt for Showdown. He doesn’t get too many snaps per game (15.6) but when he does play they use him in both the running and passing game. He also has the potential to score off of a kick return like he did against the Commanders. His $3000 price on DraftKings makes him slightly more difficult to fit in than other punts but he is worth a look if the salary works.

Tier 1: CeeDee Lamb

Tier 2: Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert

Punt: KaVontae Turpin

Tight End

• The Bucs have given up 974 receiving yards to tight ends (2nd Most).
• They are allowing 15.1 DK per game (6th Most).

I mentioned earlier than Dowdle was my second favorite Dallas play, the player I have ahead of him is Jake Ferguson. His price plus Tampa’s struggles against tight ends makes him one of the better plays on the slate. He hasn’t had the same success the last two weeks since coming back from injury, but that should change this week. Since Week 3 the Bucs have allowed over 50 yards in every game to tight ends. 

Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford are the only other two Cowboy tight ends who have seen a significant amountof snaps. I don’t think either is in play as in the last two games, Ferguson has six more targets than the two combined. Neither should be in your player pool unless you are maxing out large entry contest.

Tier 1: Jake Ferguson

Tier 2: Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Mike Evans
• CeeDee Lamb
• Rico Dowdle
• Jake Ferguson
• Bucky Irving
• Jalen McMillan
• Rachaard White
• Baker Mayfield
• Cooper Rush
• Chase McLaughlin
• Brandon Aubrey

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Bucs D/ST
• Cowboys D/ST
• Brandin Cooks
• Jalen Tolbert
• KaVontae Turpin
• Sterling Shepard
• Ezekiel Elliott
• Sean Tucker
• Luke Schoonmaker
• Brevyn Spann-Ford
• Hunter Luepke
• Rakim Jarrett
• Payne Durham
• Ko Kieft

Favorite prop for the game: Jake Ferguson Over 37.5 Receiving Yards (-120)

Week 15 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Packers take on the Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Green Bay Packers

Running Backs

• Seattle is giving up 24.7 DK per game (11th Most).
• They have allowed 1423 rushing yards (8th Most).
• They have allowed 458 receiving yards (13th Most).

The Green Bay backfield is controlled by one player and that is Josh Jacobs. Jacobs is leading all Packer running backs in snaps (542), touches (273), yards (1313), and touchdowns (12). With Seattle being in the bottom half of the league against running backs in almost every category, Jacobs is one of my favorite plays on the slate. Besides their first game against the Cardinals, the Seattle run defense has struggled to contain opposing running backs.

Jacobs has two backups who have seen the field in the last couple of weeks: Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson. Of the two Brooks has seen the most playing time since their Week 10 bye. He has out-snapped Wilson 64-25 in those four weeks and has had double the touches over the past two weeks, 6:3. But with that being said, I don’t necessarily think you need either guy unless you are playing a lot of lineups. Jacobs will continue to be the workhorse back unless he gets injured during the game.

Tier 1: Josh Jacobs

Tier 2: Chris Brook, Emanuel Wilson

Wide Receiver

• The Seahawks have allowed 1771 yards to opposing wide receivers (8th Fewest).
• They are giving up 32.7 DK (16th Most).

The Packers wide receiver room gets a boost with Romeo Doubs being cleared to play after missing the previous two games. His inclusion will make it tougher to call who will go off this game as over the past five weeks three differentwide receivers have been the best option in a given week. Doubs, Reed, and Watson have all had their moments to shine with each having 90+ games at different points in the season. While all three are in a good spot, my lean is Romeo Doubs as he should get the best matchup of the top three GB wide receivers. He’ll see a lot of Josh Jobe who is giving up slightly more FPRR and YPRR than his teammates. Of the other two I would say Reed should have the better game. He had no receptions last week on only a single target playing 50% of the snaps. GB should try to get him involved a bit more against Seattle including using him once again in the run game. 

Dontayvion Wicks is the only other Green Bay wide receiver I have in my player pool. He has played at least 30% of snaps every game since Week 7 and played 84% of snaps in the two games Doubs missed. He is only $5400 on DraftKings and he is averaging 4.3 targets a game, you can do a lot worse in that midrange than Wicks. 

Tier 1: Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson

Tier 2: Dontayvion Wicks

Punts/Fades: Bo Melton, Malik Heath

Tight End

• The Seahawks have given 763 receiving yards to tight ends (11th Most).
• They are giving up 17 DK (12th Most).

Tucker Kraft is the main guy at tight end for the Packers. He has played 709 snaps this season meanwhile the tight end with the second most snaps played is only at 185 (Ben Sims). The only other active tight end, John FitzPatrick has only 30 snaps played this season. Kraft is going to be on the field almost every snap and has only 2 games with under 80% of snaps played, so I expect him to be able to find some success against a Seattle team that is 12th in fantasy points allowed and 11th in yards against tight ends. Kraft, like Doubs and Wicks, is a great play in the midrange.

Tier 1: Tucker Kraft

Punt/Fade: Ben Sims, John FitzPatrick 

Seattle Seahawks

Running Back

• GB is giving up 30.5 DK per game (10th Most).
• They have allowed 1147 rushing yards (12th Fewest).
• They have allowed 566 receiving yards (4th Most).

At the time of writing this Kenneth Walker has not officially been ruled out, but it sounds like he is going to miss the game so the Seahawks are going to lean on Sophomore running back, Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet has been a solid number two to Walker this season, in the three games Walker has missed he has 369 total yards and five touchdowns. Green Bay has been good at stopping the run, but I think Charbonnet can do some damage in the passing game. He has 263 receiving yards (20.2/game) and the Packers are allowing more than double that amount of yards (43.5/game) so if Charbonnet can get free out of the backfield, it’ll be a long day for Green Bay. 

Kenny McIntosh gets the backup role with Walker out. I don’t like his price ($3K) on DraftKings this week for Showdown based on his workload. In the three games without Walker, McIntosh has averaged nine snaps played for four touches and 13.3 yards and has yet to score. So while I like him if you need a cheap option in MME, I would look at him for SE or 3max. 

Tier 1: Zach Charbonnet

FADE/Punt: Kenny McIntosh, George Holani

Wide Receiver

• The Packers have given up 1730 receiving yards to wide receivers (4th Fewest).
• They are giving up 30.7 DK to receivers (8th Fewest).

The Packers have been one of the better teams against opposing wide receivers this season. This is going to be a tough matchup for Seattle’s top two wide receivers this season, DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Those two wide receivers have combined for 41.2% of the total targets this season with JSN leading the team with a 21.8% target share while Metcalf is second with 19.4%. For this showdown, I think you need to play at least one of these two wide receivers. My lean of the two would be JSN as he gets a slightly more favorable matchup against Javon Bullard of the Packers who is giving up the most fantasy points and yards. 

Lockett is very cheap this week at $4000 on DraftKings. He plays enough snaps every game to exceed value but he hasn’t been involved in the passing game this year. In 2023 he led the team with a 21.2% target share, but that number is down to 13.1 with the emergence of JSN who has become the main threat for Seattle. If you need a value play he is worth a shot at his price since he does average 4.8 targets a game, but he is not someone I am forcing into my lineups.

Tier 1: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DK Metcalf

Tier 2: Tyler Lockett

Punt: Jake Bobo

Tight End

• The Chargers have given up 812 receiving yards to tight ends (7th Most).
• They are allowing 14.2 DK per game (7th Most).

The main tight-end threat for Seattle is Noah Fant. He is in a good spot this week against a Green Bay defense that has struggled to contain tight ends this year. Fant has five straight games with at least four targets and has had that number in five of the last seven. Despite missing three games, Fant came back and took over the same workload he had pre-injury. Since returning two weeks ago he has played 63.2% of snaps and has seen eight targets for six receptions and 44 yards. 

AJ Barner had been solid while Fant was injured, but he has seen a drop-off in the two games with Fant back. He’s only played 39% of the snaps and has only seen three targets. With Fant being only $3600, I can’t see myself going Barner over him even at $2000.

Tier 1: Noah Fant

Tier 2: AJ Barner

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Zach Charbonnet
• Josh Jacobs
• Jordan Love
• Geno Smith
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• DK Metcalf
• Romeo Doubs
• Jayden Reed
• Christian Watson
• Noah Fant
• Tucker Kraft

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Dontayvion Wicks
• GB D/ST
• Seattle D/ST
• Jason Myers
• Brandon McManus
• Tyler Lockett
• Kenny McIntosh
• Chris Brooks
• AJ Barner
• Bo Melton
• Jake Bobo
• Emanuel Wilson

Favorite prop for the game: Tucker Kraft Over 34.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

Week 14 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Chargers take on the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Running Backs

This is a stay-away spot for me this week. With JK Dobbins being placed on IR last week, Gus Edwards and Kimani Vidal take over as the stars of the Chargers backfield. Last week against the Falcons the two only combined for 10 carries for 52 yards and neither were able to find the end zone. That was against a Falcon’s run defense that is allowing 87.5 yards per game on the ground. This week, they take on a KC side that is allowing a league-low 57.5 rushing yards per game.

The only exposure I will have of either guy will be in the 20max or higher contest. In SE and 3max I am going to fade this matchup. But with that said if you do want to play one of these backs, I would use Edwards, he played twice the amount of snaps Vidal played, 24:12

Tier 2: Gus Edwards, Kimani Vidal

FADE: Hassan Haskins

Wide Receiver

• The Chiefs have allowed 1602 yards to opposing wide receivers (7th Fewest).
• They are giving up 31.9 DK (13th Fewest).

The Chiefs have been great against opposing wide receivers in fantasy this season. But this is a spot where I would target to attack Kansas City’s defense. The Chargers wide receiver room is led by rookie Ladd McConkey. McConkey was a quarterback’s best friend while in Georgia and has become one in Los Angeles as well. McConkey is leading the Chargers in targets (81), receptions (58), yards (815), FPRR (.54), and YPRR (2.38). He gets a good matchup against Chamarri Conners. Conners is giving up the most fantasy points (.29) and the second most yards (1.34) per route. McConkey should have plenty of opportunities this game as he is a target on 24.9% of his routes and Conners is allowing a target on 18.9% of routes defended which is the seventh highest percentage. 

The number two and three wide receivers for the Chargers are Quentin Johnston and Joshua Palmer. Palmer has played 39 more snaps than Johnston but Johnston has seen five more targets. Of the two my second receiver for Showdown will be Johnston. He sees more targets per snap played and route ran than Palmer who is only seeing a target on 8.9% of his snaps and 16.3% of his routes. Johnston should also get a softer matchup against Nazeeh Johnson, meanwhile, Palmer should see a lot of Trent McDuffie who has been KC’s best corner allowing the fewest FPRR and YPRR on the team. 

Tier 1: Ladd McConkey

Tier 2: Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer

Punts/Fades: Jalen Raegor, Derius Davis, DJ Chark

Tight End

• The Bills have given 942 receiving yards to tight ends (Most in NFL).
• They are giving up 17 DK (2nd Most).

Will Dissly is my second favorite play on the Chargers behind Ladd McConkey. For how good the Chiefs have been statistically against running backs and wide receivers, they have surprisingly been the worst team against tight end this season. On DraftKings he is the best play under the 5K range and is almost a lock for me in every lineup. He is averaging 4.7 targets per game if we take out last week’s game where he was not really involved.

The only other tight end that has played any role for the Chargers offense over the past three weeks is Tucker Frisk. He has 62 snaps played (34%) over the past three weeks which is only behind Dissly in snaps by a tight end. He is a complete fade in SE and 3max but if you are running a lot of lineups then I would include him in a few.

Tier 1: Will Dissly

Punt/Fade: Tucker Fisk 

Kansas City Chiefs

Running Back

• LA is giving up 20.1 DK per game (7th Fewest).
• They have allowed 1132 rushing yards (16th Fewest).
• They have allowed 365 receiving yards (13th Fewest).

The Chargers have been good against running backs this season, but that is not going to stop me from rostering Pacheco this week in Showdowns. Pacheco made his return last week after missing almost three months of football. He played 37% of the Chiefs snaps and played only one less snap than Hunt who had taken over for him as the starter. Pacheco looked good in his return but it didn’t really show up on the stat sheet. But this is a game where we can see him become the back he was coming into the season prior to the injury. 

I still like Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine a bit for Showdown this week. Both running backs should continue to get touches throughout the game, but I am reserving them for multiple-entry contests since they are not the featured backs. The one running back that might see his touches taken away is Carson Steele. He saw a career-low three snaps last week, and with a healthier Pacheco, I can’t see him regaining his touches unless someone gets injured.

Tier 1: Isiah Pacheco

Tier 2: Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine

FADE/Punt: Carson Steele

Wide Receiver

• The Chargers have given up 1750 receiving yards to wide receivers (15th Fewest).
• They are giving up 31.9 DK to receivers (12th Fewest).

On the Chiefs, there are only two wide receivers that I like for this showdown slate. The first is their rookie wideout, Xavier Worthy. Worthy has had a solid start to his career, he is leading all KC wide receivers with 407 yards and 33 receptions. He gets a good matchup against LAC’s Tarheeb Still who is allowing the most yards per route ran (1.05) of all LAC DBs and the second most fantasy points (.23). With how KC uses him in both running plays, averages 1 carry per game, and the passing game he has multiple opportunities to have a good DFS day.

The other wide receiver I am targeting for the Chiefs is DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins has led the Chiefs in targets since joining them back in Week 8. He has 36 targets in six games (6/game) and is leading the team in receiving yards with 325 yards in those six games. 

Tier 1: Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins

Tier 2: Juju Smith-Schuster

Punt: Justin Watson

Tight End

• The Chargers have given up 546 receiving yards to tight ends (12th Fewest).
• They are allowing 10.5 DK per game (8th Fewest).

Everyone knows how good Travis Kelce is and I will not say no to anyone who wants to roster him this week. But his number two Noah Gray has been one of the best tight ends over the past month. In the past three weeks, Gray has 12 receptions for 147 yards and four touchdowns. He has three fewer receptions than Kelce in that span but has more receiving yards and touchdowns. He is still clearly the number two tight end since he has 10 fewer targets in that span as well, but he is still averaging 5 targets a game and at $4400 on DraftKings, you can do a lot worse.

Tier 1:Travis Kelce

Tier 2: Noah Gray

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Ladd McConkey
• Isiah Pacheco
• Justin Herbert
• Patrick Mahomes
• Travis Kelce
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Xavier Worthy
• Will Dissly
• Noah Gray
• Cameron Dicker
• Matthew Wright
• Quentin Johnston

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Chargers D/ST
• Chiefs D/ST
• Joshua Palmer
• Kareem Hunt
• Justin Watson
• Gus Edwards
• Tucker Fisk
• Kimani Vidal
• Same Perine
• Jalen Reagor
• Juju Smith-Schuster

Favorite prop for the game: Ladd McConkey Over 60.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

Week 13 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the 49ers take on the Bills at Orchard Park in Orchard Park, New York. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.

For a deeper dive into general showdown rules, make sure to check out David Jones’s “Daily Fantasy Football Showdown: Strategy for Building Winning Lineups” article. It’s essential reading for anyone crafting MME lineups, as player salary and team dynamics can impact each game’s approach.

Link: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/

Note on Quarterbacks:

I will not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tend to cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article. 

San Francisco 49ers

Running Back

• The Bills have given up 1069 rushing yards (16th Most in NFL)
• They have given up 558 receiving yards to running backs (Most)
• Giving up 28.5 DK to running backs (3rd Most)

I am locking in Christian McCaffrey in all my lineups for Showdown this week, he is my favorite non-quarterback on the slate. With Purdy dealing with an injury and being listed as Questionable for the game, I expect the Niners to use McCaffrey more this week. The Bill’s defense is set up for McCaffrey to be successful, they are allowing the most receiving yards which is something McCaffrey excels at as he has the fifth most receiving yards by a running back the last two years even with missing portions of the year with injuries. In his three games back from injury McCaffrey has 132 receiving yards and 149 rushing yards. The only worrying part about McCaffrey is his struggles finding the end zone, hehas failed to score in his last four regular season games.

Before Week 10 Jordan Mason would be an amazing play as he was near the top in rushing yards while McCaffrey was out. But now that CMC has returned I want nothing to do with Mason. He has played a total of 14 snaps (8%) since McCaffrey has returned and I can’t see any route for him to see an uptick in workload unless CMC suffers another injury or this game gets ugly early.

The one “running back” I would think about using from the Niners besides CMC is Kyle Juszczyk. He is not a player I would force into a lineup but if you have the salary to plug him in as a last man I would strongly consider it. He has played at least 37% of the snaps every game this season and has found the end zone once. He is a clear punt but someone I would have if playing a lot of lineups.

Tier 1: Christian McCaffrey

Tier 2: Kyle Juszczyk

FADE: Jordan Mason

Wide Receiver

• The Bills have allowed 1441 yards to opposing wide receivers (4th Fewest).
• They are giving up 29.8 DK (8th Fewest).

The Bills have been great against opposing wide receivers in fantasy this season. So while I do like two of the Niners wide receivers, they are behind McCaffrey in my list of who I want to build with. My main wider receiver target for the Niners is going to be Jauan Jennings. He leads the Niners with 65 targets (7.2/game) and is only behind tight end Kittle for the team lead in receptions and yards. With Aiyuk being out he has stepped up as a solid receiving option for Purdy. Jennings will also get the easiest matchup of the top three Niner wide receivers. He should see Taron Johnson for the majority of the game. Johnson is getting up a team-high in yards (1.5) and fantasy (.33) per route defended. Jennings is the leader for both on the Niners with 2.49 yards and .53 fantasy points.

The other Niner wide receiver that I like for Showdown is Deebo Samuel. Samuel is averaging 6.1 touches per game thanks to being used in the run game as well as the passing game. He has struggled to reach the end zone which is why I do prefer Jennings over him. He should have to deal with Rasul Douglas during the game who has been ok this season, heis allowing .22 fantasy points and .9 yards per route defended, meanwhile, Samuel is averaging 1.86 yards and .33 fantasy points. 

I am just about fading Ricky Pearsall. He has had some good games this season but his matchup against Christian Benford is not one I want to attack. Benford is tied with Patrick Surtain for the lowest fantasy points allowed with .12 per route and is only behind Surtain in yards allowed only allowing .02 more. There are better options in the lower midrange than Pearsall.

Tier 1: Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel

Punts/Fades: Ricky Pearsall, Chris Conley

Tight End

• The Bills have given 491 receiving yards to tight ends (9th Fewest).
• They are giving up 14.6 DK (7th Most).

George Kittle is one of my favorite Niner players for Showdown. He leads the team in every stat except for targets where he is only six behind Jennings. With the weather looking like it will be an issue for deeper shots Kittle can make use ofshorter routes to help move the ball down the field. He’ll act as the wide receiver three with Pearsall having such a difficult matchup. 

The only other option for the Niners at tight end is Eric Saubert who isn’t viable for fantasy. Saubert has only seen seven targets this season with only two coming after Week 3. Unless you are maxing out the 150s he is a complete fade.

Tier 1: George Kittle

Punt/Fade: Eric Saubert 

Buffalo Bills

Running Back

• SF is giving up 24.5 DK per game (12th Most).
• They have allowed 948 rushing yards (10th Fewest).
• They have allowed 379 receiving yards (14th Most).

Despite playing fewer snaps than Ty Johnson against the Chiefs in their last game, this is still the James Cook show in Buffalo. Cook played six fewer snaps than Johnson against the Chiefs but he was still the most productive running back rushing nine times for two touchdowns. SF has been good against running backs this season, but just like the Bills, they have struggled to stop running backs from catching the ball out of the backfield. They are allowing 4.6 receptions for 34.5 to running backs and Cook is averaging 2.5 receptions for 18.2 yards. I’m expecting a lot more check-downs with the potential of terrible weather.

As for the other two running backs for Buffalo, I am not the biggest fan of either for Showdown. Johnson was given the most snaps last game and he did nothing and Ray Davis doesn’t play enough snaps when Cook is active. He has not played above 31% of the Bills snaps when Cook is playing. But if you are looking for a punt under 3K Davis can work. Like I said he doesn’t get too many snaps but at that price, he doesn’t need too much.

Tier 1: James Cook

FADE/Punt: Ray Davis, Ty Johnson

Wide Receiver

• The 49ers have given up 1501 receiving yards to wide receivers (6th Fewest).
• They are giving up 31.1 DK to receivers (10th Fewest).

Just like with the Niners, there are two main wide receivers that I want to focus on for Showdown. The first one and my favorite is Khalil Shakir. He leads the Bills in every statistical category except touchdowns where he is only one behind leaders Hollins and Coleman. On top of being the best wide receiver for the Bills, Shakir is also getting the best matchup against Deommodore Lenoir. Lenior has given up a team-high YPRR of 1.12 and an FPRR of .23, both of which Shakir leads the Bills in with 2.34 YPRR and .5 FPRR. 

The second Bills wide receiver that I am targeting is Amari Cooper. There is not much difference between his matchup against Yiadom and Coleman’s matchup against Charvarius Ward, but I have more faith in Cooper than I do the rookie Coleman. Cooper is only averaging 3.3 targets in his first three games since being traded from Cleveland but with the bye week, he should see an uptick with his extra week of practice. 

I still like Coleman this week, his price being the third lowest of the top Bills wide receivers is great. He has been averaging four targets and 2.4 receptions per game so he is a good midrange play if you can’t get to Cooper. 

Tier 1: Khalil Shakir, Amari Cooper

Tier 2: Keon Coleman

Punt: Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins

Tight End

• The 49ers have given up 384 receiving yards to tight ends (2nd Fewest).
• They are allowing 9.6 DK per game (6th Fewest).

The Bills will be without their starting tight end Dalton Kincaid against the Niners so Dawson Knox will get his second start of the year. Before the bye, Knox started against the Chiefs where he saw six targets and finished the game with four receptions for 40 yards. I like Knox at his price, but he is not a priority for me. With how good the Niners have been against the tight ends I would rather prioritize players like Cook and Shakir instead. But that is not to say I wouldn’t have lineups with him, he is priced just below the kickers who might have difficulty kicking if the weather forecast stays the way it is projected. 

Backup tight ends; Quintin Morris and Zach Davidson are a complete fade for me. Neither has had any significant work this season even in the game Kincaid was out. In SE and 3max they shouldn’t be near your lineups.

Tier 1: Dawson Knox

Punt/Fade: Quintin Morris and Zach Davidson

FanDuel MVP and DraftKings CPT Picks—SNF Showdown 

I want a high-usage player at MVP on FanDuel like a quarterback or a workhorse running back. You need the highest-scoring player, not the best value. The salaries do not change from flex to MVP on FanDuel, so the value at the MVP is not a priority. Take the points up top. 

On DraftKings, you look for the best “value” in the mid to high price range. 

FanDuel

DraftKings

Flex Tier 1:

• Josh Allen
• Christian McCaffrey
• James Cook
• Jauan Jennings
• Brock Purdy
• Deebo Samuel
• George Kittle
• Khalil Shakir
• Amari Cooper
• Keon Coleman

Flex Tier 2/Punts:

• Kyle Juszczyk
• 49ers D/ST
• Bills D/ST
• Jake Moody
• Tyler Bass
• Ricky Pearsall
• Curtis Samuel
• Mack Hollins
• Ty Johnson
• Ray Davis
• Jordan Mason
• Quintin Morris

Favorite prop for the game: Christian McCaffrey Over 33.5 Receiving Yards (-120)