DraftKings Fantasy Football is back. The Week 1 DFS main slate may be in the books, but there is plenty of DFS action available for Sunday Night Football. DraftKings is kicking off the 2023 Sunday night season with an NFL Showdown Slate that pays $500K to first place. Check out the NFL Showdown Slate DFS picks for the Week 1 Sunday Night Football matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Sunday Night Showdown [$500K to 1st] (DAL vs NYG)
SHOWDOWN STRATEGY
Captainās Pick
Daniel Jones (CP $14,100)
Year five could be a huge season for Daniel Jones. He might not have been ready coming out of Duke. He definitely wasnāt ready for a Mike Shula offense with limited weapons and little support. It only got worse under Jason Garrett. Last season, Brian Daboll ā the coach that made Josh Allen ā took over and along with the promising offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, turned around the career of Daniel Jones. He set career marks in passing yards (3,205), completion percentage (67.2%), quarterback rating (92.5), rushing TDs (7) and rushing yards (708). While his 15 passing TDs leave a lot to be desired, his legs make up the difference in DFS. His matchup with the Cowboys will not be easy, but he did improve from his first matchup (48.4 quarterback rating) to his second matchup (88.7 quarterback rating) two months later. Now, in his second season with Daboll and Kafka, along with an improved and healthy receiving corps, Jones should be poised to put up large fantasy totals every week.
FLEX Plays
Tony Pollard ($11,000)
The Giants run defense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2022. They surrendered 146.3 rushing yards per game. Don āWinkā Martindale is in his second year with New York after an impressive 10-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens. This defense will improve, but it will take time and better players. The Giants have added depth, but theyāre far from being elite. Pollard will have a green light on Sunday night. Heāll have more than a green light with the exit of OC Kellen Moore. The Cowboys new OC Brian Schottenheimer and head coach Mike McCarthy are expected to lean more on the run this season. With Ezekiel Elliott no longer poaching valuable carries, Pollard is primed to have an enormous season, and an explosion is expected Sunday evening. Pollard eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark and scored nine rushing TDs with just 193 carries in 2022. The Cowboys handed the ball to Zeke 231 times last season. Imagine what Pollardās numbers will be if he only gets one-third of the carries and one-third of Elliottās work through the air. Now imagine if he gets half of that.
Parris Campbell ($4,400)
The former second-round pick out of Ohio State failed to live up to expectations with the Colts. His first three seasons were disappointing, but most of his failures were due to injuries. Last season he was able to stay healthy, and he managed to catch 63 passes for 623 yards despite poor quarterback play and an organization in disrepair. The change of scenery could not get any better. Campbell could be the Giants No. 1 wide receiver this season, and heāll be flanked by new acquisition TE Darren Waller ($8,400). The Giantsā receiving roles remain uncertain, but Daboll and Kafka are two highly respected offensive minds that should be able to get the most out of Campbell while heās on the field.
Jake Ferguson ($4,800)
Dalton Schultz averaged 94 targets per year over the last three seasons. Fergusson isnāt Schultz but QB Dak Prescott ($10,000) and the Dallas offense clearly like to target the tight end position through the air. Kellen Moore is no longer the offensive coordinator, but Mike McCarthy is expected to take over the play calling and itās unlikely he strays too much from what has been working. The Cowboys will likely run more, but theyāre not going to abandon the tight end position. McCarthy believes the tight end position is a key part of the west coast offense that he employs. Dak Prescott needs a reliable pass-catcher on the quick routes that move the ball in this system. Second-round pick TE Luke Schoonmaker ($600) missed most of training camp with plantar fasciitis. Fergusson didnāt do much as Schultz back-up last season, but he has more experience and a better relationship with Prescott. Itās a risk, but this is a showdown slate. Fergusson provides value and an opportunity to differentiate from other DFS lineups.
Fades
Brandin Cooks ($7,200)
This is a risky fade. The soon to be 30-year-old wide receiver could still have plenty left in the tank. His last year in Houston may not be a great representation of his abilities. Cooks managed to catch 90 passes for 1,037 yards in 2021 with Davis Mills as his QB, so it doesnāt appear that Cooks has lost too much. While the talent may not have dropped off, the talent around him is clearly a step up. Cooks is not the head honcho anymore. WR CeeDee Lamb ($10,400) is No. 1 and WR Michael Gallup ($5,800) is healthy. Dallas also has the propensity to target tight ends through the air, so TE Jake Fergusson could step into a larger role this season. Finally, this is a running team with a good running back. Cooks big-play potential might make up for his lack of volume, but his target share is very much a concern this early in the season.
THE OUTCOME
The Cowboys are a more complete and experienced unit. The Giants have a lot of heart, but that compliment is reserved for teams that lack talent. The AFC East is a strong division. The Giants have improved their roster, but so have the Cowboys. New York will put up a fight, but the Cowboysā solid offense and top-tier defense will be too much on Sunday night.
Final Score: Dallas Cowboys 24, New York Giants 20
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Sunday Night Showdown [$500K to 1st] (DAL vs NYG)
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