David Jones 
Week 7 of the NFL season starts with the Denver Broncos traveling to New Orleans to take on the injury plagued Saints. In this article, I’ll share my top DFS showdown picks and strategies for DraftKings and FanDuel, helping you build winning lineups.
I prefer a correlated lineup build that tells a compelling game story – a strategy that has proven to
win more often than not. For a deeper dive into my general showdown rules, make sure to check
out my “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 To Strategy Article: https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-football-showdown-strategy/
Note on Quarterbacks:
I tend to not write up the quarterbacks because the wide receiver and tight end section tends to
cover the matchups. The QB rankings are at the bottom of the article.
Running Back
– The Saints allow the 7th most fantasy points to the position (28)
– They have allowed five rushing TDs and one receiving TD to RBs
Javonte Williams is going to get the majority of the carries, but that has been anywhere from 5 to
16 this year. He is not trustworthy at all. But he will touch the ball more than any other Bronco
not named Bo Nix tonight. I have no issue rostering him, and he is a borderline priority on this
Broncos team simply because the other options are so, so bad. If he can get you ten fantasy
points, that really should be enough. He has accomplished that in half of his games this year.
Jaleel McLaughlin makes some sense due to his pass-catching ability. He is somewhat script-
proof, but he also comes with an unreliable volume. I prefer Williams over McLaughlin.
Audric Estime is getting some hype but for no reason. I will be fading him. I don’t think you
need the 3 rd string RB for the Denver Broncos tonight.
Denver Broncos
Wide Receiver
– The Saints allow the 7 th most fantasy points to the position (29.4 per game)
– They have only given up three passing touchdowns
Courtland Sutton is going to be shadowed by Marshon Lattimore, who is easily the best cover
corner in the game. He allows just 0.32 YPRC. If Sutton were to hit the optimal, it is going to be
off a big play or an endzone look that he converts because it will not be coming off the volume.
Devaughn Vele runs out of the slot on 86% of his routes, which lines him up with Alonte Taylor.
Taylor has given up 1.20 YPRC, which is the second-highest on the Saints. Troy Franklin will
line up on the outside, opposite Marshon Lattimore, putting him on Paulson Adebo for the
majority of his routes. This is, on paper, the softest spot of the three corners.
Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele are the best-starting receiver plays for the Broncos, not
Courtland Sutton. I imagine Sutton is still very highly owned simply because salary will not be a
factor for DFS builds tonight.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey is worth a dart throw in the milly maker in his “revenge game” in the
Super Dome. He was on the field for 35% of the snap last week. He is a big play threat, not a
volume threat. Marvin Mim had three targets last week and was on the field just as much as
Humphrey, but I am ranking him as the worst Bronco receiver on the roster.
Tier 1: Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele
Tier 2: Courtland Sutton
Tier 3: Lil’Jordan Humprey
Punt: Marvin Mims
Tight End
– The Saints allow 9.1 fantasy points per game to the position
– They have given up just one receiving TD
– They have allowed the 6 th most yards in the league, but a lot of that has been game-
script-dependent
Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, and Greg Dulcich will all see time on the field tonight. Trautman
(31%) was outsnapped by Krull (60%) last week, but it seems to flip-flop with all of these tight
ends depending on the matchup. Dulcich, although listed as the TE3, could see anywhere from
25% of snaps to 65% of snaps. This position is a true dart throw, and I don’t have much
confidence in it, no matter which name I choose.
The ball should be forced to a couple of these guys, at least, especially with Sutton having a
difficult matchup. If I have to choose a guy that could make a “big play,” it is Dulcich, but he
wouldn’t be my first lean as a red zone target, which is probably all you need tonight.
Tough position to find any real gem to play with confidence.
Tier 2: Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, Greg Dulcich
New Orleans Saints
Running Back
I am going to save you the reading and just let you know I am locking Alvin Kamara in 100% of
my lineups.
Jamal Williams has been a nonfactor this season and has dramatically lost playing time. I will
likely fade him and hope he doesn’t get a goal-line carry, which he won’t because there will not
be many of those tonight.
Lock: Alvin Kamara
Punt: Jamaal Williams
Dog House Fade: Kendre Miller
Wide Receiver
– The Broncos allow just 23 fantasy points per game to receivers
– They have given up 1 passing touchdown
It is a bad matchup for all Saints receivers, but they only have three you can consider tonight,
and they are all super cheap, so yes, we are going to be playing some. All three, in short sample
size, move all over the field. No one is primarily occupying the slot enough to encourage a hard
take on what coverage they will see.
Bub Means showed the “second-team” connection with Spencer Rattler in the last game. He got
decent volume and hauled in his first TD. He is going to be my first choice. Mason Tipton is
going to be next. This is just an “eye-test” call, which is what this slate has given us. Cedric
Wilson has looked relatively checked out recently, but hey, he did catch two balls last week!
That is it for the Saints, but I don’t know who they will be calling up from the practice squad.
Whoever it is, I will not be rostering them.
Tier 1: Bub Means
Tier 2: Mason Tipton, Cedrick Wilson
Tight End
– The Broncos allow 12 fantasy points per game to the position
– They have given up two receiving touchdowns
Juwan Johnson is my favorite TE for the Saints. The big-body converted wide receiver should be
an intriguing part of the offense tonight due to how tough it is to throw on the Bronco’s corners
and the lack of pass-catching options for the Saints. He is the main lineup worthy. Foster Moreau
played almost half the snaps last week and should get a few targets here. He ripped up a 41-yard
reception last week that helped pad the stats. He is fine at the salary. I likely don’t play both TEs
in the same lineup.
FanDuel MVP Picks –TNF 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 MVP Tier 1: Alvin Kamara, Bo Nix – heavy focus
FanDuel MVP Tier 2: Spencer Rattler, Javonte Williams
DraftKings CPT Tier 1: Alvin Kamara
DraftKings CPT Tier 2: Bo Nix
DraftKings CPT Tier 3: Javonte Williams, Spencer Rattler, Bub Means
Punts: Wil Lutz, Denver D
Feel free to punt with guys like Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Juwan Johnson, and Mason Tipton
– but I don’t think they score twice or have “big yard” games, pushing me toward their QBs
more.
Flex Rankings Tier 1:
Alvin Kamara
Bo Nix
Spencer Rattler
Wil Lutz
Javonte Williams
Bub Means
Blake Grupe
Juwan Johnson
Courtland Sutton
Denver Defense
Troy Franklin
Devaughn Vele
Mason Tipton
Adam Trautman
Foster Moreau
Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Cedric Wilson
Saints Defense
Flex Rankings Tier 2: (Don’t play more than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys)
Lucas Kroll
Greg Dulcich
Jamaal Williams
Marvin Mims
Fadeable Flex Punts: (Don’t play. More than 1 Tier 2 or Tier 3 guys)
Audric Estime
Kendre Miller
Best Rules for the slate:
There are two ways this slate goes tonight. The first is the chalkiest lineup you have ever seen
takes it down. The second is someone who leaves a TON of salary on the table wins.
- Lock in Alvin Kamara
- Lock in a Saints receiver (all underpriced), Means is the preference
- Lock in a kicker (prefer Lutz, but both viable)
- I will have a defense on over half my teams, prefer Denver
- Bo Nix > Spencer Rattler
- Leave a ton of salary on the table
- Don’t play your MVP QB against the opposing defense
- Stack your kicker with at least one skill player
- Someone has to move the ball down the field
- Don’t play more than 1 TE per team, per lineup
