With the NFL schedule getting shuffled, we have Tuesday Night Football. I am not sure if this is the first ever Tuesday NFL game — but it’s the first I can remember — and there is a DraftKings Showdown contest for tonight’s game between the Bills and Titans, which takes place at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Tuesday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (BUF vs TEN)
Showdown Strategy
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen ($19,500 CP/$13,000) is having a fantastic season. Once mocked for his lack of throwing accuracy, Allen is turning into one of the more valuable players in the NFL. In fact, DraftKings Sportsbook lists him at +1100 to win MVP, the fourth best odds in the league. This is also translating to plenty of fantasy upside. Allen averages 33.1 DKFP, by far the most of any player in this game. This makes him a great choice for the Captain’s spot, although fitting him in could be tough because of the salary.
Due to Allen’s rushing upside, he doesn’t have to be stacked with one of his wide receivers. Allen has scored three rushing touchdowns in four games, so he’s one of the better quarterbacks to play naked. With this said, it’s a one-game slate and Allen is averaging nearly 40 pass attempts per game. It makes sense to get some exposure to his receivers in lineups with him. Stefon Diggs ($10,600) is the Bills’ leading receiver, but salary constraints make it hard to jam him into lineups with Allen.
Of the secondary receivers, John Brown ($5,800) and Cole Beasley ($6,800) are good candidates to pair with Allen. I would lean towards Brown, but he’s questionable to play because of a knee injury. The extra time off should allow him to play tonight, but this is just a guess. If Brown is out, Isaiah McKenzie ($800) becomes a strong value play and his salary savings make it much easier to roster Allen at Captain.
There is also a bit of uncertainty in the Bills’ backfield. Zack Moss ($2,600) hasn’t played since Week 2 and is questionable to play tonight. Dealing with turf toe, Moss got in a full practice on Saturday, making it appear he’s more likely to play than sit. If in, he’s a viable source of salary savings since he scored 11.6 DKFP in the only full game we have seen him play this season. If Moss is out, Devin Singletary ($8,000) is in line for most of the snaps out of the backfield and becomes one of the top plays in the mid-range.
Tennessee Titans
Due to a COVID outbreak, it’s been a while since we saw the Titans play a game. The fantasy impact is pretty significant because this has led to both Corey Davis and Adam Humphries getting placed on the COVID list. Without either of them active, there is quite a bit of value at receiver on this side of the game. Kalif Raymond ($4,800) is the name that stands out the most. He is expected to start and he remains pretty cheap.
In some positive news with regards to the Titans’ receiving corps, A.J. Brown ($13,200 CP/$8,800) is expected to play. Due to a knee injury, he hasn’t played since Week 1. Brown looked like a stud during his rookie campaign and I expect a big game from him now that he’s healthy and the Titans are shorthanded at wideout. There is even a case to roster Brown at Captain if you are looking to save money. He figures to draw a ton of targets with Davis and Humphries both out. Either Brown or Jonnu Smith ($7,200) should lead the Titans in receiving.
With the receivers shorthanded, this is probably a spot where we see the Titans give the ball to Derrick Henry ($11,000) a ton. Not that that would be all different from what they normally do. Henry is averaging over 30 touches per game this season. This is what makes me think that Henry is a better option to pay up for than Ryan Tannehill ($9,800). Considering the time off and the COVID situation with wide receivers, I am not sure Tannehill will be asked to throw a ton tonight. It’s hard to prioritize him when we have Allen and Henry on the slate.
If you want to go dumpster diving, Anthony Firkser ($200) could play a role in the receiving game. We don’t need all that much from him at such a cheap salary and he’s gotten as many as four targets in a game this season. The Titans could play more two tight end sets because of the missing receivers.
The Outcome
Both the Bills and the Titans come into tonight undefeated. It sure feels like the Titans have suffered a bunch of loses this season, but those are mostly taking place off the field. Even so, the situation this team is going through off the field could impact the performance on the field. Not only have the Titans lost some key players, their ability to practice was compromised due to COVID protocols. This is what has me leaning towards the Bills winning tonight.
Final Score: Buffalo 27, Tennessee 24
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Tuesday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (BUF vs TEN)
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is gehrenberg) 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.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ (18+ NH). NJ/PA/WV/IN/NH/IA/CO/IL only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.