Best lineup strategy for Falcons vs. Steelers Madden simulation Showdown

The Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers have a Madden sim set for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. ET. DraftKings will have a Showdown contest for the game, and we break down ideal lineup strategies here.

Captain’s Picks

Neither team in this matchup has a spectacular pass defense, so both Matt Ryan ($16,500) and Ben Roethlisberger ($15,900) seem like reasonable options. I’d opt for Ryan in this case though because of his better receiving corps and overall numbers this sim season. Although the Steelers have a strong defensive line, Atlanta should be able to counteract that with Devonta Freeman on the ground.

If you don’t go with a quarterback as your captain, Freeman ($13,200) and Calvin Ridley ($10,800) are cheaper options worth having a look at. Freeman has mean among the cream of the crop in PPR among running backs. Ridley could get the nod over Jones because of price, as the WR1 hasn’t scored like a top option this sim season.

Flex Men

Slot man Russell Gage ($3,400) has put up some solid numbers for a non starter and is a bargain compared to Atlanta’s starting skill players. His touchdown numbers are even comparable to Jones’. Pittsburgh’s top value play could be Jaylen Samuels ($1,200) because of his dirt cheap price and PPR upside, but James Washington could ($5,400) could also be part of the conversation because of his ability to get into the end zone.