Well, if you haven’t heard, DraftKings has officially shifted over to Madden 2021. To kick things off, we’re starting off with a play-in divisional round that will be continuing tonight.
Make sure to take a look at our Madden Stream info page where you can find the new depth charts and X-factors for the teams in Madden 21. This page features all the information on these games, matchups and depth charts for each team. You can enjoy watching the game stream on the DraftKings YouTube channel, the DK Live app (download here) or right here in this post.
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Quarterback
Stud
Tom Brady, TB at ATL, $7,300 — We loved using Brady in Madden 2020 and that was with his lackluster offense with the Patriots. Now, he’s with a very dynamic Bucs’ offense and is the highest quarterback on this slate. With so many weapons at his disposal and facing an extremely poor Falcons secondary, who’s highest rated corner is Darqueze Dennard at 77, Brady should be able to carve up the Falcons.
Value
Josh Allen, BUF at MIA, $6,200 — Allen was such a force at quarterback despite his lack of passing in these simulations. He would get so much done on the ground that it would easily makeup for his passing downfall. Allen, as you’d imagine, has the best speed rating amongst all the QBs on this slate at 87, although his 75 awareness leaves plenty to be desired. Nonetheless, this is a great spot for him against the Dolphins.
Running Back
Stud
Le’Veon Bell, NYJ vs. NE, $6,400 — This slate isn’t exactly filled with running backs to get excited about but Bell is the highest rated overall. Despite reports coming out of Jets camp early this season that Bell is “looking slow” he still rocks an overall 87 rating and speed. The Jets do have a strong offensive line but with a completely shutdown secondary, Sam Darnold ($5,600) may be forced to dump the ball off numerous times.
Other Option — Devin Singletary ($5,500)
Value
Sony Michel, NE at NYJ, $3,900 — A forgotten man in Madden 2020, Michel moves up on the depth chart to the RB1 slot, giving him much more appeal than we’d recall. James White ($5,900) will handle the third down work and catch out of the backfield but the RB1 at this price point is worth a look. Michel is an 81 overall with a 90 speed rating, which is amongst the top between the players at this position.
Other Option — Ito Smith ($3,700)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Mike Evans, TB at ATL, $7,300 — If you’re looking to take Brady in this game, you may as well pair him with his top receiver in Evans. As I mentioned, this Falcons secondary is absolutely putrid and should be giving up a ton of points through these simulations. After Dennard, the top rated corners on the Falcons are Kendall Sheffield (73) and Isaiah Oliver (71). My word, this secondary is going to be a fun club to pick on.
Other Option — Julio Jones ($8,000)
Value
Mohamed Sanu, NE at NYJ, $4,300 — Listed as the WR1 on the Patriots, the salary simply hasn’t been adjusted properly. Julian Edleman ($6,700) is the WR2 on this team and yet is priced as the WR1. For now, until salary gets adjusted, we may as well roll with the discount and get Sanu at this price To be fair, it’s not as if Sanu is not rated well in this game either with a 79 overall, an 87 speed and an 85 awareness.
Other Option — Calvin Ridley ($4,900)
Tight End
Stud
Rob Gronkowski, TB at ATL, $6,600 —Was I looking to play Gronk on this slate at first? Not necessarily. However, when you see the massive different in ratings between him and the rest of the field, it’s hard to keep him on the board. At a 92 overall, the next TE1 in overall rating is Mike Gesicki ($4,800) at 79. I mean, it’s not even close. So while the tight end spot was usually one I tried to pay down at, the separation Gronk has created is very tough to fade.
Other Option — Mike Gesicki ($4,800)
Value
Chris Herndon, NYJ vs. NE, $3,500 — Herndon makes the leap to the TE1 position for the Jets, overtaking Ryan Griffin ($4,000) who is now the TE2. Herndon, like many others, still haven’t been properly adjusted in terms of their salary, so it’s worth getting these guys at a discount while you can. While the Patriots have a very tough defense to overcome, the tight end position was one that was able to slip through at times, making this a good spot for Herndon.
DST
Dolphins DST vs. BUF, $2,700 — Taking a D/ST is always a crapshoot but I do like targeting against Allen. It’s not a secret that he can turn the ball over and amongst all the quarterbacks on the slate, he by far has the lowest awareness rating at 75. To make it even worse, some of the backups have a better rating than he does in that category. Take the savings and roll with the Fins
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is steveazors) 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.