The Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles meet in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 17 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA, and the game will air on the NFL Network.
With both teams featuring a handful of backups that will be motivated to land a spot on the final 53-man roster, we have our recommendations on who presents the best DFS lineup value for Thursday night’s showdown.
Browns vs. Eagles: DraftKings Showdown DFS strategy
Captain’s chair picks
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, Cleveland Browns — $11,400
The rookie quarterback out of UCLA is making a serious case for the No. 2 job in Cleveland after back-to-back strong performances. He completed 72.7 percent of his passes for 7.5 net yards per attempt in the Hall of Fame Game, then followed that up by completing 90 percent of his passes for 10.2 net yards per attempt to go alongside a touchdown.
He also entered the game before Kellen Mond in last week’s preseason contest, speaking to the rookie’s elevated role on the depth chart.
Tanner McKee, QB, Philadelphia Eagles — $11,400
With Marcus Mariota appearing locked in for the backup quarterback role in Philadelphia, it opens the door for McKee to get a handful of the snaps throughout the preseason. Last week against the Ravens, he completed 10-of-20 passes for 148 yards with an average of 7.4 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, Mariota had only 11 attempts and Ian Book had just four himself.
Value Plays
Austin Watkins Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns — $7,600
Watkins led all Browns receivers with eight targets last week, finishing with six receptions for 71 yards and an average of 11.8 yards per reception. While the top of the receiving depth chart is established with Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Cedric Tillman, there remains a battle for the WR4 duties. Expect Watkins to give an inspired effort on Thursday night.
Tyrie Cleveland, WR, Philadelphia Eagles — $7,600
Cleveland had a notable 10 targets last week while no other Eagles receiver had more than five. He finished with five catches for 68 yards and an average of 13.6 yards per reception, with his longest haul of the day coming in at 27 yards. While the five drops leave some to be desired, the fourth-year man should be motivated to put together another strong outing with the hopes of landing a roster spot.