Best lineup strategy for Bengals vs. Rams Madden simulation Showdown

The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will face off in a Madden sim Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET. We break down the ideal Showdown lineup strategy for the DFS contest that will be played in the snow. You can set your lineup and play in the DraftKings contest before kickoff.

Captain’s Picks

Brandin Cooks ($10,500)

It’s magical what happens when Cooks can stay on the field. He’s been one of the top WRs in sim land for the Rams, posting some pretty gaudy numbers the past five games. Here’s a look at the numbers:

28 receptions
410 receiving yards
6 TDs
111 total fantasy points

That’s 22.2 fantasy points per game if my iPhone calculator is correct, which it always is. So in this recent stretch Cooks is really underpriced. Like by a lot. This feels like a bargain.

Tyler Boyd ($9,900)

Part of me thinks that this game will be a lopsided one in favor of the Rams. If that’s the case, I’d get on Cooks or someone else at Captain. If you’re not thinking that’s the likely outcome, then Boyd is a good leverage play that could free up more Rams skill position players. You’re going to have to use someone on the Bengals. If it’s Boyd in the Captain, you know it’s low ownership and your lineup will still have the Rams stacked.

FLEX Men

Jared Goff ($10,800)

I hate playing QBs in these Showdowns because most of them don’t have a ceiling. Goff sort of does and part of me believes the Bengals will let L.A. do whatever it wants on offense. Goff has an OK floor with at least two passing TDs in four straight sims. His last one out against a bad defense (WSH) ended up going well — 4 TDs and one yard shy of the 300+ bonus for 27.96 FPTs.

Tyler Higbee ($6,400)

Again, we’re going all out for the Rams in this contest. Higbee is our next target at under $7K. He’s got a great floor with 10.1 FPTs per game and 6 TDs, which is decent for a TE. Three of those TDs have come in the past four games, so he’s getting more red zone looks. Even when you look at Higbee’s box scores without a TD, most of them are double-digit fantasy points. Load up on the Rams people!