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With the 2020 NFL season still a few weeks away, why not fill that football-sized void in your heart with DraftKings’ Madden streams? We’ll be running a featured three-game Classic slate each and every night at 6:00 p.m. ET, and, this evening, we’re making the switch over to Madden 21. That means new rosters, new X-Factors and new DFS strategy.
Here’s who you should be targeting.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $6K Madden 21 Special [$2K to 1st]
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Quarterback
Stud
Patrick Mahomes, KC vs. LAC, $8,200 - Mahomes is over $1K more expensive than any other QB on this slate, but I would argue that he’ll be worth it. We know that the reigning Super Bowl MVP can do some serious damage in the 32-minute simulated format, as evidenced by Mahomes closing out our Madden 20 streams with 17 passing touchdowns in the Chiefs’ final five games. Mahomes is the highest overall rated quarterback in Madden 21 and I expect that he’ll play to that level on Friday.
Value
Tyrod Taylor, LAC at KC, $5,300 - There’s some serious risk in using Taylor — who we’ve never seen take a snap in a Madden simulation before — yet his archetype is one that’s yielded useful DFS results in the past. The first thing to note is Taylor’s 87 speed rating, which ranks as the third-highest mark among all starting QBs. If we’ve learned anything from four months of Mitchell Trubisky’s success, it’s that scrambling quarterbacks can have a massive impact on these slates. Also, Kansas City just tends to play in high-scoring games.
Running Back
Stud
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs. NYG, $6,500 - To me, the key to this slate is going to be balancing your exposure to floor and risk. Well, at running back, there isn’t a safer place to spend nearly $7K than Elliott. The Ohio State product was extremely reliable in Madden 20 simulations and he’s ranked as Madden 21’s third-highest overall RB. Pair that with a good matchup against an underwhelming Giants defense and a positive game script, and it’s easy to see why Elliott will be popular on Friday.
Value
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC vs. LAC, $5,000 - I honestly don’t know if the rookie is going to be chalky on Friday. Considering Edward-Helaire has become a consensus first round selection in redraft formats this summer, his $5K price tag in Madden seems very inviting. Add in the fact that Damien Williams won’t be active in these simulations — just like in real-life — and it’s hard to envision anyone getting in CEH’s way. However, it’s important to note that the LSU product only has an 86 speed rating. Everyone has to pay their dues, I guess.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Tyreek Hill, KC vs. LAC, $7,800 - Considering the underwhelming crop of quarterbacks we have on this slate, I’m going to continue to add exposure to the offense helmed by the aforementioned Mahomes. On top of that, Hill is finally an X-Factor player in Madden 21, as he has the “RAC ‘em Up” ability. Just to jog your memory, without an X-Factor, Hill was still averaging over 20.0 DKFP in DraftKings’ prior simulations.
Value
Sterling Shepard, NYG at DAL, $5,600 - While I could suggest a cheaper asset in this spot, Shepard presents a unique case as we transition into a new version of Madden. In prior simulations, the former second-round pick was listed as the Giants’ WR3. In Madden 21? Well, he’s listed as the WR1. That distinction has come with a bit of a salary bump, but this is a variation that many prospective owners might overlook.
Tight End
Stud
Darren Waller, LV at DEN, $5,000 - Of all the skill-position players available on this three-game Classic slate, Waller has the highest catch rating at 93. It’s unclear if Madden 21 will be the same oasis for tight ends that Madden 20 turned out to be, but Waller is very good and reasonably priced.
Value
Noah Fant, DEN vs. LV, $4,000 - In terms of value, your two options at TE are basically Fant and Blake Jarwin ($4,300). Considering Fant is less expensive and has a higher overall rating (74), I’ll side with the sophomore.
Defense/Special Teams
Chiefs, KC vs. LAC, $2,800 - As we know, we’re looking for turnovers and sacks when purchasing a D/ST. If the trends of Madden 20 carry over, that generally means identifying a team that has an X-Factor player in either a middle linebacker or safety spot. Kansas City has that in Tyrann Mathieu, who is an overall of 93. Add in Chris Jones and Tyrod Taylor’s low awareness rating, and this is a great spot for the Chiefs.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $6K Madden 21 Special [$2K to 1st]
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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.