Best Chiefs-centric strategy for Chiefs vs. 49ers simulation Showdown

NFL DFS is back on DraftKings! With the sporting world suspended due to coronavirus outbreak, our usual respite from the real world has been taken from us. DraftKings is rescuing us with Simulated NFL contests. Here are the rules, so be sure to go over them before making a lineup. I’ll pull the part about how scoring works, since that’s most important:

All RB/WR/TE will receive points for their performance in a specific game from the 2019/20 season. Each individual player will be randomly assigned stats from a single game in the 2019-20 season prior to the contest going live. QBs will receive passing yards and passing TD stats based on their teammates’ receiving performances and the remainder of the QBs stats (rushing yards, rushing TDs, interceptions and fumbles) from a specific game in the 2019-20 season. Points will be revealed per player as the game moves along. Players will receive points in accordance with our single-game NFL Showdown Captain Mode rules and scoring.

We’ve offered a best overall lineup strategy for this free Simulated Football Showdown contest, but let’s consider a Chiefs-specific lineup for this rematch of the Big Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

Captain’s Picks

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs ($19,500)

Looking back at the 2019 season, we want to find the most consistent and/or high upside players for the Captain’s slot. For quarterbacks, we want those with the best chance for rushing points, as their DK scores are calculated by their receivers random stat lines but the QB’s random rushing lines are thrown in for good measure. In this matchup, Patrick Mahomes has the best rushing stats and easily the best receiving lines from his receivers.

Damien Williams, Chiefs ($12,300)

Williams run in the the last two regular season games and the playoffs was epic and helped boost a fairly poor overall season. Injuries kept him out of five games, which is good for the simulation. He had eight big fantasy games and six duds on the year. But, for the Captain’s slot, those big games are what we’re looking for. In the postseason he had one three touchdown game and another two touchdown game and another two touchdown game in the final regular season game. All together, he had 13 touchdowns in 14 games played.

FLEX Options

Travis Kelce, Chiefs ($10,200)

Kelce was one of the most consistent players of 2019, as he topped double-digit DK points in all but two regular season games and one postseason game. His blow up, three-touchdown game against the Texans in the playoffs is one you’d like to see randomly pop up as his score and one that you’d want him in the Captain’s seat for, so he’s worth a look there, but other than that game, he never had another game with multiple touchdowns. His big reception numbers and consistency make him a no-brainer flex.

Tyreek Hill, Chiefs ($10,800)

Hill missed four games last season and scored zero DK points in another, so those won’t be games that can randomly pop up for the simulation. When you take those games out of the equation, only the first game of the season, when he was injured, and his playoff game against the Texans were true duds. He didn’t have as many smash games as 2018, but he was consistently in double-digit DK points and had five blow up games out of 14.

Mecole Hardman, Chiefs ($2,800)

After the top players for Kansas City, it’s tough to find any that were somewhat consistent, as the team was good at pushing the ball into their playmakers hands. Hardman didn’t get a lot of touches, but he was so explosive with the ball, that he did manage some decent fantasy games, as he topped double-digit DK points in eight games. His postseason run was awful, as the team went to its proven players, so overall, he had eight down games and three with zero or negative points. The good news is that the rules say, “Players will only be randomly assigned games in which they played and scored more than 0 FPTs.” That knocks out those three games ang gives us a 50 percent chance to get a decent score from a super cheap option.