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DraftKings will continue to crank out Showdown contests this week, as there will be six Madden simulations with kickoff times ranging from 12:00 p.m. ET to 10:00 p.m ET on Wednesday. The Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Washington, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and Minnesota Vikings will be featured in the slate. You can enter your lineups here.
Quarterback
Derek Carr ($6,500) vs. Bengals
Carr has been tearing it up. His 294 passing yards per game leads all signal callers in the slate. He’s also thrown for eight touchdowns. He’s proven that he can be effective without high quality starting receivers. Having a top-notch tight end in Darren Waller has been enough for him.
Russell Wilson ($7,900) vs. Panthers
Wilson is the most expensive and has the most potential. Although he hasn’t had huge game yet, his upside is maximized by the combination of his elite deep ball accuracy and scrambling ability. This could be the game where everything clocks for him.
Other options: Matthew Stafford ($6,600) vs. Giants, Deshaun Watson ($7,000) vs. Eagles
Running back
Saquon Barkley ($6,400) vs. Lions
Barkley is averaging nearly twice as many DKFP per game than the second most expensive running back in the slate. He’s eclipsed 18 fantasy points in three of his four simulations. His value as a pass catcher set him apart from the competition. He’s notched 15 receptions so far.
Chris Thompson ($3,000) vs. Denver
Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson have been non-factors, but Thompson has flourished. The RB3 has led the way in rushing yards and receiving yards. He won’t rack up a ton of yardage on the ground, but he’s amassed 11 receptions in four appearances.
Miles Sanders ($5,100) vs. Texans
Sanders is the cheapest starter from the three later games, but has the third highest average for DKFP per game (9.0) in the group. He’s tallied four receptions in three games. He faces almost no competition from his backups and should get
Christian McCaffrey ($7,700) vs. Seahawks
McCaffrey is the highest rated running back in the game. He’s only had one breakout performance so far but is always a threat to impact games in a major way. His catching (82) is the best at his position, and he won’t be challenged by backups for touches.
Other option: Giovani Bernard ($3,600) vs. Raiders, Dalvin Cook ($6,600) vs. Bills
Wide receiver
Marvin Jones Jr. ($5,200) vs. Giants
Jones has been more productive than Kenny Golladay and is averaging 18.1 DKFP per contest. He’s only second to Courtland Sutton in fantasy points but is the seventh most expensive wideout in the first trio of games. His six touchdowns in four games so far bodes well for his production.
A.J. Green ($7,200) vs. Raiders
Green is the best wideout in the first string of games and will be up against Oakland’s lackluster secondary. The Raiders give up a ton of points, and Green should get his fair share of targets against lesser defensive backs.
DeAndre Hopkins ($8,100) vs. Eagles
Hopkins is a top three receiver in the game. His catching is elite in space and in traffic. Philadelphia’s defensive backs should have a hard time dealing with him and the accuracy of Deshaun Watson.
Adam Thielen ($6,000) vs. Bills
Theilen is a WR2 but has been much more productive than Stefon Diggs, who is $1,600 more expensive. He’s scored three touchdowns in four games. He’s a value play but also has WR1 upside with Minnesota.
Other option: Golden Tate ($6,100) vs. Giants, Curtis Samuel ($4,200) vs. Seahawks
Tight End
Darren Waller ($5,100) vs. Bengals
Waller has scored four touchdowns in four simulations. He’s one of the fastest tight ends in the game, and also has the best catching on Oakland’s team. He should have a lot of upside given how effective Carr has been as a passer.
Zach Ertz ($5,700) vs. Texans
Ertz is the best pass catcher the Eagles have to offer. He has scored two touchdowns in back-to-back games and is a valuable red zone target. Houston isn’t suited to defend the pass well, so Ertz could have a big game.
Other option: Jordan Reed ($4,700) vs. Broncos, Will Dissly ($4,400) vs. Seahawks
Defense/Special Teams
Broncos D/ST ($3,700) vs. Washington
The Broncos have a strong pass rush led by Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. They should also benefit from having Justin Simmons and Chris Harris in the secondary against an underwhelming Washington receiving corps. While Dwayne Haskins has been impressive, I like Denver’s chances to limit Washington.
Panthers D/ST ($3,300) vs. Seahawks
Carolina’s defense has tallied double-digits three times in four games. It has the game’s best linebacker and two quality cornerbacks to cover Seattle’s top wideouts.