Some exciting news out of simland came down on Friday, as you can now participate in REAL MONEY lineups for these Madden Simulations! For example, the headline contest for this event is a $10 entry with a $1K prize pool. We still offer free contests for you to join as well, so you have no excuse to not get in on the action!

Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $1K Showdown Special (TEN vs BAL)

Note: All salaries will be Flex prices unless noted as Captain’s Pick prices

SHOWDOWN STRATEGY

Tennessee Titans

It hasn’t been a great stretch of games for Ryan Tannehill ($10,800) as of late, averaging just 13 DKFP over his past five games. His recent poor play has dropped his overall passing yards down to 215 with 67 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His 16 DKFP per game pales in comparison to what the opposing quarterback, Lamar Jackson, has but we’ll get into him later. Their styles are vastly different as Tannehill will air the ball out when needed, whereas Jackson mainly relies on his ground work.

With his inconsistent play, it’s led to some fairly average numbers from his receivers. Corey Davis ($6,400) and A.J. Brown ($8,200) are putting up very similar numbers despite being separated by $1,800 in salary. Davis is averaging 3.7 receptions and 52.7 yards per game while Brown is at 3.5 receptions and 52 receiving yards. Both receivers have scored 14 touchdowns, so at this juncture, I’d simply take the savings with Davis. Delanie Walker ($7,600) is seeing the best volume of the bunch with his 4.2 receptions and 46.7 yards per game. He has also scored 14 touchdowns in total, which seems to be the magic number here. I liked Adam Humphries ($4,600) a long time ago when he was severely mispriced in the mid-$2K range. Now that he’s inching closer to $5K, his 2.9 receptions and 38.2 yards aren’t all that attractive anymore.

One player I’m most certainly not paying up for is Derrick Henry ($9,800), who continues to be massively overpriced. Yes, he’s always a threat to reach the end zone but with Dion Lewis ($2,800) as the team’s third-down back and Henry not catching out of the backfield, he’s simply not worth it. Henry is averaging only 55.5 rushing yards per game and has made a total of 20 receptions through 41 games. If he’s not scoring, he’s almost always in single-digit fantasy points.

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Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson ($11,400) is by far the most productive player in this game and it’s not even close. His 22 DKFP per game are on a completely different level than anyone else, as Tannehill is next in line at 16. Jackson’s passing yard average is much lower at 160.8 per game but the insane 69.6 rushing yards with 23 touchdowns is where the fantasy goodness comes from. Not to be forgotten, Jackson has been nailing some of his receivers through the air as well, throwing two touchdowns in two straight games. His ceiling is immense and he’s not someone I would consider fading.

Pairing receivers with Jackson can be difficult, as he relies more on his legs than he does his arm. One of the more reliable players in this offense has been Mark Andrews ($7,200), who is averaging 3.7 receptions, 42 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns scored. I don’t mind his salary either, as he doesn’t feel overpriced relative to his role in this offense. If it’s speed your crave, Marquise Brown ($8,400) is most certainly your guy. His volume is slightly lower than Andrews at 3.3 but he has scored 18 times while averaging 44 yards per game. Amongst everyone in this game, he has the best potential to break a deep shot off. Aside from these two, the rest of the Ravens are a total boom-or-bust bunch with Seth Roberts ($5,200) and Willie Snead IV ($6,200). I can’t say my interest in either play is high, and quite frankly, I think they’re both overpriced for their lack of involvement, especially Snead.

In a game where you have a lot of players you’ll likely ignore, paying for Mark Ingram ($9,000) does make sense. He’s averaging 69.3 scrimmage yards per game, higher than the more expensive Henry and also has 17 touchdowns to his credit. He doesn’t catch a ton out of the backfield, but he’s usually good for at least two in a given sim. He handles almost all the work in this offense as well, unlike Henry who will sit on third down.

THE OUTCOME

The most obvious captain is Lamar Jackson ($17,100 CP) but his salary is so absurdly high that it really limits your remaining roster spots. Taking a shot with someone like Mark Andrews ($10,800 CP), although risky, could be the way to go. I honestly can’t believe I’m saying this but I don’t hate using Justin Tucker ($5,700 CP) in this spot either, as he’s one of the most consistent players at the kicker position and has seen double-digit fantasy points multiple times during these simulations.

Final Score: Titans 17, Ravens 24

Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $1K Showdown Special (TEN vs BAL)

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) 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.