Week 14’s Thursday night NFL Showdown contest on DraftKings features the Dallas Cowboys at the Chicago Bears. The Cowboys are 3-point favorites on DraftKings Sportbook, and the game has been given a total points of 42.5, so it is not expected to be high-scoring. That isn’t a surprise given both the Cowboys and Bears rank among the top eight defenses in points allowed per game, with Chicago ranking fourth best.
Here are some players that fantasy owners can consider using in Showdown contests on DraftKings.
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS
Ezekiel Elliott ($16,800 CP; $11,200 FLEX)
Last season, Elliott ranked first in touches by a comfortable margin, but this season, he has fallen to fifth, something that ESPN’s Ed Werder reported has gained the attention of Jerry Jones. With the Cowboys’ coaching staff on thin ice, it’s possible the team elects to feed Elliott more to appease Jones. A road matchup against a Bears defense that has been weaker against the run than against the pass could be a good week for Elliott to get more touches. Chicago has allowed 10 rushing touchdowns, tied for fourth most, and Elliott leads the NFL in red zone carries, giving him TD upside.
CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS
Dak Prescott ($16,200 CP; $10,800 FLEX)
Prescott carries some more risk than normal given a potentially low-scoring road matchup against a solid Bears pass defense. The Bears have limited opposing QBs to a QB rating of 86.4, ninth lowest, and have limited QBs to the eighth fewest fantasy points per game. In addition, Ezekiel Elliott could be primed for expanded rushing volume due to a combination of factors, including the matchup. However, while Prescott’s fantasy production may play down this week from his season average, he’s still been among the most productive fantasy QBs on the Week 14 schedule, ranking second with 24.1 DraftKings fantasy points per game, and he has the ability to put together a strong fantasy performance despite the matchup.
FLEX MEN
Anthony Miller ($7,000 FLEX; $10,500 CP)
Miller has seen a strong boost in volume recently with Taylor Gabriel (concussion) injured. Miller is averaging a strong 11 targets per game over his last three games, and he is coming off a heavy 13 targets last week. In last week’s game, Miller caught 9-of-13 targets for 140 yards and saw 38% of the Bears’ air yards on targets, the highest on the team. Gabriel has been ruled out again this week, putting Miller in good position to continue expanded target volume. Miller is a solid flex play option given the recent target volume.
Michael Gallup ($8,200 FLEX; $12,300 CP)
Gallup is better served as a flex play than as a Captain’s Pick given a tough matchup against a Bears defense that has limited WR to the fifth fewest fantasy points per game, including the third fewest receiving TDs. That said, Gallup’s skills make him a worthy option despite the tough matchup. By expected run after the catch differential, which takes into account factors such as defender distance, Gallup has been Dallas’ best receiver at getting the most out of the run after the catch. He is averaging 12.5 air yards per target, which is better than average. Gallup’s target volume has also been solid, ranking 26th among WR.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is timfinn521) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.