Tony “Jigsaw” Cutillo breaks down his Favorite Props for Sunday Night Football on the Plus Money Prop Train!
Tony Cutillo has been covering and playing Fantasy Football for 25+ years. Not only is it his passion, it’s his job. This passion has allowed me to be featured on networks like VSIN, SiriusXM, NBC, CBS, and various nationwide radio stations. He will be using his experience, unique logic, and unrivaled energy to help you win your league!
Week 1 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 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.
Running Back
Atlanta gave up 186 rushing yards and a TD in Week 2 to the Philadelphia Eagles. About half of the yards the Falcons gave up were to Hurts and not one of the Eagle running backs. The Falcons have been the fifth-best team against running backs in fantasy, giving up 16.2 DK. With the injury to Isaiah Pacheco, the Chiefs don’t have a clear top guy at running back. All signs point to Carson Steele as the running back who will take over most of the touches at running back.
In his first two games, Steele has only seen 19 snaps but has had a carry on nine of those snaps (47.3%). Steele has only 27 yards from his nine carries, 3 yards per attempt. The other running back who will see carries for the Chiefs is Samaje Perine. Perine has not seen a carry in his 17 snaps but has caught two passes for 13 yards.
With how good Patrick Mahomes is, I am not making it a priority to have either KC running back in my lineup. The Chiefs can win this game without either guy having a breakout game. If I use one in bigger contests, I would prioritize Steele over Perine.
Tier 1: Carson Steele
Tier 2: Samaje Perine
Wide Receiver
The Falcons gave up 23 completions to Jalen Hurts, but those 23 only went for 183 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta did an excellent job at keeping everything in front of them and not giving up any big plays in the passing game. The longest completion for the Eagles was 19 yards to DeVonta Smith.
So far, in two weeks, only three KC wide receivers have seen a reception. Of those three, there are two to focus on: Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Rice leads the Chiefs in receptions (12), yards (178), and targets (15). Rice should draw the attention of Dee Alford from Atlanta. This should be a favorable matchup for Rice, as Alford has given the most FP/RR (.24) of all Atlanta CBs.
Xavier Worthy is the other wide receiver from the Chiefs that should be in lineups. Worthy is tied for third in targets (7) and receptions (4) but is second in yards (64). Worthy should see a lot of AJ Terrell on Sunday. Terrell is the fastest corner on Atlanta’s roster, and he should be the one who has to deal with Worthy’s speed. He is giving up .23 FP/RR, and his matchups see a target on 12.7% of routes ran. Worthy is seeing a target on 16.7% of his routes and averaged .39 fantasy points per route.
Justin Watson is the only other receiver from KC that has a reception. Watson has played in 48% of the Chiefs snaps over the first two weeks. He has only seen three targets when he is on the field, averaging a target on 5% of his snaps. Juju Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore saw snaps in Week 2, but neither saw a target in their 18 combined snaps. Both are deep punt plays.
Tier 1: Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy
Tier 2: Justin Watson
Punts/Fades: Juju Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore
Tight End
Travis Kelce is the Chief’s best tight end, but he has had a slow start to the season. He has played 107 snaps but only has seven targets for four receptions and 39 yards and has failed to find the end zone. The Falcons allow 10.4 DK against tight ends in their first two games. The Eagle’s tight ends had five receptions for 57 yards on six targets this past Monday. While Kelce has struggled, we can’t outright fade him as he has the potential to go off in any game, as he has the best connection with Mahomes.
Noah Gray is the backup tight end and can be a punt play. He has played 66 snaps this season and has seen three targets. He failed to have a target last week, which is why I see him as a punt play.
Tier 1: Travis Kelce
Tier 2: Noah Gray
Deep Punt: Jared Wiley
Running Back
The Chiefs have been the fourth-best team against running backs so far, giving up 15.5 DK per game. They have allowed 114 rushing yards and a touchdown. They have given only 65 receiving yards to running backs, but they have allowed the fifth-most yards per reception (9.28).
In week 1, KC allowed Ravens running back Hill to finish with 53 receiving yards. Bijan Robinson is great at catching balls out of the backfield, having the fifth most receiving yards (555) by a running back since the start of last season. Robinson is one of my main targets for Showdown because of his pass-catching abilities, and it doesn’t hurt that he is averaging over 5 yards per carry this season.
Robinson’s backup, Tyler Allgeier, also has a similar skill set that can cause trouble for KC. He is averaging 6.2 yards per carry this season and has over 200 receiving yards since the start of 2023. I will roster him in some lineups, but I am not going overboard since this is still Bijan’s backfield.
Tier 1: Bijan Robinson
Tier 2: Tyler Allgeier
Wide Receiver
The Chiefs have been good against wide receivers so far this season. Through two weeks, they have allowed the 10th fewest DK points (24.7), 190 receiving yards, and two touchdowns to wide receivers.
Drake London is the leading wide receiver for the Falcons. London should play most of the game on the field’s right side, which will see him matched up with Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs. Watson is giving up .25 FP/RR, which is the second most by a Chiefs CB, only behind Chamarri Conner, who is their slot CB. London should see some success against Watson if the offensive line gives Cousins the chance to throw. London is seeing a target on 23.6% of his routes ran and getting .38 fantasy points per route ran.
The second wide receiver is Darnell Mooney. Mooney draws the short straw in terms of matchups, as he should see Trent McDuffie most of the day. McDuffie is allowing the fewest fantasy points per route run (.18) and the lowest percentage of targets (10.9%). I still like Mooney, but I would put him behind London.
Atlanta’s third wide receiver is Ray-Ray McCloud III. McCloud has played in 77.7% of the Falcons snaps this season, leading the team in targets with 12. He is my favorite punt CPT on DK and a solid flex play on FD because of his price.
Tier 1: Drake London
Tier 2: Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud III
Tight End
KC could have had a worse start in stopping opposing tight ends. They give up the most points to opposing tight ends, 30.8 DK. Tight ends have 25 receptions, 276 yards, and a touchdown against the Chiefs in the first two weeks. Last week, the three Bengal tight ends who saw a target had 17 receptions and 151 yards.
Kyle Pitts is the top tight end for the Falcons. He has seen seven targets in the first two games, six receptions, and a touchdown. Pitts is still looking for his breakout performance this season, and this matchup is his best chance.
Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley have had snaps this season at tight end. Neither is in play for me, as only Woerner had seen a target in week 1 when he had two targets and one reception for four yards.
Tier 1: Kyle Pitts
Punt/Fade: Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley
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
FanDuel MVP Tier 1: Bijan Robinson and Rashee Rice
FanDuel MVP Tier 2: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce
FanDuel MVP Tier 3: Kirk Cousins, Drake London, Xavier Worthy
DraftKings
DraftKings CPT Tier 1: Bijan Robinson and Rashee Rice
DraftKings CPT Tier 2: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, Drake London
DraftKings CPT Tier 3: Kirk Cousins, Kyle Pitts
DraftKings CPT Punt: Ray-Ray McCloud III
Flex Rankings Tier 1:
Flex Rankings Tier 2:
Best Rules for the slate:
Favorite prop for the game: Kyle Pitts Over 40.5 Receiving Yards (-115 DK)
Week 1 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the Chicago Bears take on the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. 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.
Running Back
Houston only gave up 48 yards and a TD in Week 1 to the Indianapolis Colts and a talented Jonathan Taylor. The clear number one back for the Bears is D’Andre Swift who they brought in during the offseason. He played in 70% of the Bear’s 56 offensive snaps with no other back having more than 20% of the snaps.
Despite playing the majority of snaps, Swift didn’t get to see many rushing attempts. He only had 10 attempts in his 39 snaps. With how bad the Bears looked in Week 1, I am not prioritizing any of their backs but the main one to target if you want one would be Swift. I can see the Bears using a bit more of Swift to ease the pressure on Caleb Williams as he didn’t look good against the Titans.
The only other two running backs that saw any work were Khalil Herbert and Travis Homer who each had two carries. I would not use either of them as they would need an injury to Swift or a huge run to have any value for fantasy.
Tier 1: D’Andre Swift
Tier 2: Khalil Herbert and Travis Homer
Wide Receiver
The Texans only gave up nine completions to Anthony Richardson, but those nine went for 212 yards and two touchdowns. The Texan secondary gave up a 60 and 54-yard touchdown pass in their first game.
The Bears have two wide receivers questionable for Week 2. Keenan Allen is dealing with a heel injury and rookie Rome Odunze has a knee injury. Both seem to be leaning toward playing on Sunday Night according to reports. Allen’s availability will be huge for the Bears in this game. If he plays he has a great fantasy matchup against Texan slot corner Jalen Pitre. Allen lined up as the slot WR 61% of the time against the Titans and finished with .4 FP/RR, meanwhile Pitre gave up the most FP/RR with .45 against the Colts. If Allen is healthy he is the best wide receiver option for the Bears.
I like DJ Moore, but he is projected to be shadowed by Derek Stingley for most of the game. Stingley gave up only .21 FP/RR and 13.4% targets/RR which is the lowest of any Texan CB.
The Bears had two other wide receivers who ran routes during Week 1. One of them was Velus Jones Jr. who had more touches as a running back (2) than a receiver (1). The other was DeAndre Carter who had two targets for 1 reception and six yards. Neither played more than 23% of the Bear’s snaps so unless Allen and Odunze get ruled out, I don’t think either is great for showdown.
Tier 1: Keenan Allen
Tier 2: DJ Moore and Rome Odunze
Punts/Fades: Velus Jones Jr. and DeAndre Carter
Tight End
The Texans held the Colt’s tight ends to no receptions on only two targets. While that looks like the Texans are amazing against tight ends, it feels more like a one-time thing as Richardson only threw 19 passes and relied on his legs during the game.
In Week 1 the Bears used three tight ends, but only two saw a target. Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett played at least 48% of the Bear’s snaps, and each saw a single target. While Everett saw seven more snaps than Kmet, I still prefer Kmet. He has been the Bear’s best tight end since 2021 seeing at least 90 targets in all but one season since becoming the starter. But at Everett’s price, he is still very much in play.
I want no Mercedes Lewis who was the third tight end as he saw no targets on his nine snaps.
Tier 1: Cole Kmet
Tier 2: Gerald Everett
Running Back
Chicago gave up 103 yards and a TD in Week 1 to the Tennessee Titans and the talented duo of Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. The clear number one back for the Texans is Joe Mixon who they brought in during the offseason. Mixon had a rushing attempt (30) on 53% of his snaps (57). The only other running back to take a handoff was Dameon Pierce who only had three attempts on nine snaps.
Mixon should have some success on Sunday Night against the Bear’s rush defense as they failed to stop Pollard and Spears throughout Week 1. With no other running back having the confidence of the HC based on Week 1, Mixon should be the running back for all the goal-line carries. He had five carries inside the opponents 10 yard line and scored on one of those rushing attempts.
Like the Chicago running backs, I don’t want much if any exposure to them as they can only be of value if Mixon goes down or they break off a huge run.
Tier 1: Joe Mixon
Tier 2: Dameon Pierce
Wide Receiver
The Bears on paper, looked great against receivers last week as Will Levis only completed 19 passes for 127 yards. The Bears secondary held Levis to a 59% completion percentage and picked him off twice including the pick-six that won them the game. The Texans receiving core and CJ Stroud are a huge step up in talent compared to what Chicago saw last week.
The CB/WR matchups for this game should be Stefon Diggs against Kyler Gordon, Nico Collins against Jaylon Johnson, and Tank Dell vs Tyrique Stevenson. All three matchups should be fun to watch as the game goes along, but the biggest one for me is the Collins/Johnson battle. Johnson didn’t allow a reception last week, meanwhile, Collins led the Texans with eight targets in Week 1.
My lean for favorite WR for the Texans is Tank Dell. Dell saw the third most percentage of snaps of the three Texan main receivers but still saw seven targets which was only behind Collins. He finished Week 1 with .44 fantasy points per route ran. He gets the most favorable matchup of the three as Stevenson, while winning Defensive Player of the Week, gave up the most targets and fantasy points per route run.
The only other two Texan receivers who saw the field were Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson. Both only played 12 snaps and of the two only Hutchinson saw any targets (2). Outside of a milly maker or one of the other 150max contests, I wouldn’t include even a player.
Tier 1: Tank Dell
Tier 2: Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs
Punt: Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods
Tight End
The Bears did a good job stopping the Titans two tight ends. Chig Okonkwo and Nick Vannett combined for four receptions and 26 yards, and Okonkwo scored a touchdown. But as I mentioned above with the wide receivers, the Texan’s offense is a stronger team than what the Bears saw with the Titans.
The main tight end for the Texans is Dalton Schultz. Schultz led the tight end room with 63 snaps played which was 80% of the Texans snaps. His backup Brevin Jordan played in 51% (40) of the snaps. My lead is of course Schultz since he is the main tight end but Jordan is in play as he saw only one less target than Schultz despite playing 23 fewer snaps. Also at Jordan’s price, he opens the door to get bigger named players.
The Texans had a third tight end that saw snaps in Week 1, Cade Stover. Stover is only a super punt play, but with his Ohio St connection with Stroud, he can maybe find his way onto the box score.
Tier 1: Dalton Schultz
Tier 2: Brevin Jordan
Punt: Cade Stover
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
FanDuel MVP Tier 1: Joe Mixon, Tank Dell, CJ Stroud
FanDuel MVP Tier 2: Keenan Allen, Caleb Williams, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs
FanDuel MVP Tier 3: DJ Moore, D’Andre Switft, Cole Kmet
DraftKings
DraftKings CPT Tier 1: Joe Mixon, Tank Dell, CJ Stroud
DraftKings CPT Tier 2: Keenan Allen, Caleb Williams, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs
DraftKings CPT Tier 3: D’Andre Switft, DJ Moore
DraftKings CPT Punt: Cole Kmet
Flex Rankings Tier 1:
Flex Rankings Tier 2:
Punts/Fadeable:
Best Rules for the slate:
Favorite prop for the game: Joe Mixon Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-110 DK)
Week 1 of the NFL season continues with a bang as the LA Rams take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. 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 Rams
Running Back
In 2023, the Detroit Lions were the best team against the run. They gave up 15.7 DK against running backs last season, which was the least amount of points in the NFL.
The Los Angeles Rams are entering this season with their star third-year back, Kyren Williams, leading the way. His 1144 rushing yards put him third in the NFL, and he tied for seventh in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 12. When these two teams met in the NFC Wild Card last season, Williams broke his seven-game 85+ rushing yard streak as he only ran for 61. Williams and the whole Rams backfield isn’t my priority, as I would rather focus on their passing game.
Before we head to the Rams wide receiver room, I want to briefly mention their rookie running back, Blake Corum. Corum finished his career at Michigan strong by setting the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season (27) and most total touchdowns (28). As I mentioned above, Corum isn’t a priority for me, but I will still fit him into some squads.
Tier 1: Kyren Williams
Tier 2: Blake Corum
Wide Receiver
While the Lions were great against running backs, they were terrible against wide receivers last season. In 2023, the Lions gave up 41 DK per game.
The Rams have two great wideouts that can cause damage to the Lion’s secondary. The more experienced of the two is Cooper Kupp. Despite missing five games last season, Kupp still caught 59 balls for 737 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t have a good game against these Lions during their wildcard encounter the previous season. Kupp should draw the attention of Brian Branch when he lines up in the slot. Branch was the DB that shut down Kupp during their playoff game. So for my main Ram wideout, I am going with his partner in crime, Puka Nacua.
Nacua broke out as a rookie last season. He finished with 105 receptions, 1486 yards, and six touchdowns. One of his best games came in the playoff game, where he had 9 receptions for 181 yards and a score. Nacua should see Terrion Arnold for portions of the game. While the rookie CB looked good in college, being thrown into the fire against Nacua should be beneficial for the Rams.
The Rams have a few other wide receivers that will see the field throughout the game. Of those, the best is Demarcus Robinson. He is entering his ninth season in the NFL but has yet to break out as a top wide receiver. I don’t expect him to break out this year, but with all the attention on Kupp and Nacua, he should see some space.
Tier 1: Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp
Tier 2: Demarcus Robinson
Punts: Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington (Super Punt Play)
Tight End
The Lions gave up the thirteenth most points to tight ends on DK. They gave up 12.5 DK per game.
With Tyler Higbee being placed on the PUP list, the Rams will be without their starting tight end for the foreseeable future. In his place, the Rams will be using Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen to fill his role. Of the two, I prefer Parkinson for Showdown. While Allen should be more familiar with the playbook after being with the Rams last season, Parkinson has looked like a better tight end during his time in Seattle.
Tier 1: Colby Parkinson
Tier 2: Davis Allen
Detroit Lions
Running Back
Similarly to the Lions, the Rams were one of the better teams against running backs last season. They gave up 16.8 DK, which was only 1.1 more than the Lions did.
The Lions have two good running backs in their backfield. I’ll start with their sophomore back, Gibbs, who had a good rookie season. During his rookie season, Gibbs showed that he can have production in both the run and passing game. He had 1261 total yards (945 rushing and 316 receiving) and 11 total touchdowns. With how good the Rams were last season against running backs, Gibbs will need to use both sides of his game for the Lions to have a shot at winning. During last season’s wild-card game, Gibbs caused more damage to the Rams in the receiving game than the running game.
The other good running back that the Lions have is David Montgomery. In his first season with the Lions last year, Montgomery led the Lions in rushing yards and total touchdowns. He is the better runner of the two running backs, as he is not heavily involved in the passing game. While I think both backs are in play, I am giving the slight edge to Gibbs since even without Aaron Donald, the Rams should still be tough to run on.
Tier 1: Jahmyr Gibbs
Tier 2: David Montgomery
Wide Receiver
The Rams did not do a good job last season at preventing big fantasy games from opposing wide receivers. They gave up 38.2 DK, which was the 8th most in the league.
The Lions have a top-five WR in all of football. Amon-Ra St. Brown had a breakout season last year, finishing the season with 1515 yards and 10 touchdowns on 119 receptions. St. Brown is in a great spot to have a successful start to his season. He should see a lot of Quentin Lake during the game. The two matched up against each other during the wild card game, in which St. Brown got the best of him late in the game to secure the win for the Lions. We should see more of the same on Sunday, which makes St. Brown one of the best plays on the entire slate.
The number two and three receivers for the Lions are Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond. Of the two, I would lean toward Jameson William because he has a safer floor. I like Kalif Raymond more as a punt play that has a shot to go off.
Tier 1: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Tier 2: Jameson Williams
Punt: Kalif Raymond
Tight End
The Los Angeles Rams gave up the 6th most DK points (13.6) to opposing tight ends. They gave up the 2nd most receiving touchdowns by tight ends last season.
On the Lions, there is only one tight end I want any exposure on my team, and that’s Sam LaPorta. LaPorta played in at least 75% of snaps in all but one game last season. With his high number of snaps played, LaPorta was able to average six targets per game. Like I said, he is the only Lion tight end I am looking at, and in terms of pass catchers, I would put him only behind Amon-Ra St.Brown.
Tier 1: Sam LaPorta
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
FanDuel MVP Tier 1: Amon-Ra St.Brown, Puka Nacua
FanDuel MVP Tier 2: Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp
FanDuel MVP Tier 3: Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta
DraftKings
DraftKings CPT Tier 1: Amon-Ra St.Brown, Puka Nacua
DraftKings CPT Tier 2: Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp
DraftKings CPT Tier 3: Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta
DraftKings CPT Punt: Kalif Raymond
Flex Rankings Tier 1:
Flex Rankings Tier 2: (Don’t play more than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys)
Punts/Fadeable: (Don’t play. More than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys)
Best Rules for the slate:
Favorite prop for the game: Demarcus Robinson Over 2.5 Receptions (+100 DK)
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