If you can’t wait for the NFL to be back in action in a few weeks, you can spend your Saturday night catching some simulated football as DraftKings provides another nice slate of Madden streams to fill the evening. The featured slate kicks off at 6 p.m. ET when the Bills take on the Chargers in virtual Los Angeles. The 8 p.m. ET primetime game features the Panthers and the Texans, and we close out the night with an NFC West contest between the Cardinals and the Seahawks.
Check out the daily DraftKings Madden Stream contests with paid contests for real cash prizes now available alongside free contests. Along with single-game Showdown contests focused on each individual game, there is an early slate of games that includes Madden Stream games at 12 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET, followed by the featured slate, which focuses on the sims at 6 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET. Each simulation will be played out computer vs. computer via an online Madden Stream using Madden 2020 with rosters and ratings from the end of the 2019-20 season. In this format, you can enjoy watching the game stream on the DraftKings YouTube channel, the DK Live app (download here) or right here in this post.
The six teams in action Saturday give us some interesting options to consider and I’ve highlighted my favorite stud and value play for each roster spot below. For more data, you can always check out the Madden info page for all the data on player ratings, special abilities and what you can look forward to in upcoming matchups.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $3K Saturday Special [$1K to 1st] and your FREE lineups here: Madden Stream $1K FREE Contest.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Quarterback
Stud
Deshaun Watson, HOU at CAR, $7,000 — Both Russell Wilson ($8,000) and Watson have similar styles and have put up similar numbers in these sims so far. Not only does Watson offer $1K in savings, but he also has a good matchup against the Panthers. He ran for 82 yards in the teams’ first meeting and added 187 passing yards and a touchdown for 19.68 DKFP. He had a little bit of a down game in his most recent sim with just 13.72 DKFP against the Cardinals but prior to that, he had reeled off four straight with over 21 DKFP. He is averaging 208.8 passing yards and 46.6 rushing yards per sim with 79 passing scores and 15 rushing touchdowns helping him to an impressive 21.4 DKFP per contest.
Other Option — Russell Wilson ($8,000)
Value
Josh Allen, BUF at LAC, $6,200 — Allen also brings nice rushing upside, although he hasn’t been nearly as consistent as the two elite options discussed above. He has rushed for a touchdown in three of his past four sims and has 22 rushing scores to go with his 39 passing touchdowns over his first 48 contests. He had 21.02 DKFP in his first meeting with the Chargers, so the upside is definitely there but he only has over 19 DKFP twice in his 13 most recent sims, so he’s very hit-or-miss.
Other Option — Kyler Murray ($6,000)
Running Back
Stud
Christian McCaffrey, CAR vs. HOU, $7,600 — There aren’t many elite RBs on this slate, partly because the rushing QBs take some of their production in terms of both yards and touchdowns. There is one elite play with plenty of potential, though, since CMC is the only RB in all of Madden with a perfect 99 overall rating. He has been very up-and-down in these sims and has been a disappointment at his elevated salary more often than he has delivered. For example, he only had 2.4 DKFP against Houston in the teams’ first meeting. However, he also has an extremely high upside if he breaks free for big runs or gets very involved in the passing game. McCaffrey had over 12 DKFP in three straight before the Bills slowed him up in his most recent sim. He is very boom-or-bust but there aren’t any safe options to go with on this slate, so take the potential upside with CMC if you’re paying up at RB.
Other Option — Lamar Miller ($6,000)
Value
Devin Singletary, BUF at LAC, $5,400 — Singletary is a true RB1 for the Bills and gets almost all the work out of the backfield, but he’s still very affordable. He is the only RB on the slate averaging double-digit DKFP besides CMC but is still the cheapest starting option. He does lose critical goal-line work to Allen at times but has scored 14 touchdowns on the season, including one in his first game against the Chargers when he had 16.5 DKFP.
Other Option — Austin Ekeler ($4,000), David Johnson ($3,800)
Wide Receiver
Stud
DJ Moore, CAR vs. HOU, $6,400 — Moore has been on fire after a slow start to these sims and has shown himself to be a great WR1 play. He has at least six catches in four straight games with four touchdowns over that span, including a massive three-touchdown, 44.1-DKFP performance against the Vikings. Moore had six catches for 85 yards in the teams’ first meeting and he’ll be a good play if he gets similar volume in the rematch with the Texans’ torchable secondary.
Other Options — DeAndre Hopkins ($7,800), Keenan Allen ($7,300)
Value
Mike Williams, LAC vs. BUF, $5,000 — Williams has been outstanding in these sims and piled up a total of 32 touchdowns in 47 games. He has five scores in his past five games and is almost always able to deliver double-digit DKFP. He did the first time he faced the Bills, scoring a touchdown and stacking up 12.9 DKFP even against Buffalo’s strong secondary. He has a high ceiling and has been very consistent, so getting him at $5K is an option worth taking a long look at.
Damiere Byrd, ARI at SEA, $3,300 — Even though he’s a WR3 in an offense that struggles to consistently produce points, Byrd has flashed a high ceiling since he has a high speed rating and the ability to make big plays. He had three catches, a touchdown and 14.8 DKFP the first time he played Seattle and has produced double-digit DKFP in 15 of his 43 games with a catch. He has the potential to go off in any matchup on any catch, and he’s surprisingly affordable if you need to go cheap to round out your WR corps.
Other Options — Will Fuller V ($4,700), DK Metcalf ($4,200)
Tight End
Stud
Will Dissly, SEA vs. ARI, $4,400 — Dissly is very affordable for an entry in this “stud” spot, but that’s because there aren’t any top-shelf TE options on this slate. Dissly is averaging over 10 DKFP per sim and had a busy seven-catch game against the Seahawks in Seattle’s 20-14 win earlier this sim season. Dissly is a solid possession option and racks up PPR points when at his best and I think he’ll be very involved in the rematch since Arizona’s defense has struggled all sim season with passes over the middle.
Other Option — Greg Olsen ($5,300)
Value
Tyler Kroft, BUF at LAC, $3,600 — There hasn’t been much consistency in the Bills’ offense with Allen struggling to control his 99 throw power rating. When he has been good, though, it has often been Kroft who has been on the receiving end of things and he is averaging just under 10 DKFP per sim. He has at least 9.8 DKFP in four of his past six contests and had 9.5 DKFP in his first meeting with the Chargers. He only has eight touchdowns in his 47 sims, which does limit his ceiling, but the volume is there often enough to make him a solid sub-$4K play at TE or in your flex spot.
Other Option — Darren Fells ($3,900)
DST
Stud
Chargers DST vs. BUF, $3,200 — The Chargers’ defense has a very solid pass rush led by Joey Bosa and a hard-hitting secondary led by Derwin James. The unit has forced 29 turnovers in their 47 sims while piling up 96 sacks and scoring five defensive touchdowns. They’re not one of the top-tier DSTs in Madden but they’re just behind that top group and have a great matchup against a Buffalo offense that can look lost. The Chargers have at least 6.0 DKFP in three of the past four games.
Other Option — Seahawks ($3,100)
Value
Panthers DST vs. HOU, $2,900 — Carolina has been one of those top-tier DST due to their ability to force turnovers. In 48 sims, the Panthers have 43 fumble recoveries and 11 interceptions along with 99 sacks and seven defensive touchdowns for an average of 6.7 DKFP per contest. Carolina just put up 20 DKFP against the Bills in their most recent sim and should be able to get pressure on Watson since the Texans’ offensive line is a little bit shaky.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $3K Saturday Special [$1K to 1st] and your FREE lineups here: Madden Stream $1K FREE Contest.
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Z.Thompson) 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.