The Bears and Texans look to keep their perfect records intact when they square off on Sunday Night Football.
A matchup between two of the game’s most exciting young signal callers warrants DFS Sunday Night contests with massive prize pools. Choosing the right captain is essential since they earn 1.5x fantasy points. Here are my three favorite players who are worthy of claiming the crown.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (CHI @ HOU)
DraftKings Showdown Captain (CPT) Picks
Joe Mixon ($15,300)
Running backs in their late twenties are an endangered species. The position has never had less value, with it being an accomplishment when players make it to their second contract. Despite being 28 and entering the season with over 1500 carries, Joe Mixon looked rejuvenated Sunday when he torched the Colts’ defense in the season opener.
The eight-year veteran started his campaign with 159 yards on the ground, while chipping in a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown. Houston offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik prioritized giving Mixon outside zone runs where he could build up speed heading to the outside and accelerate once heading downhill. The Texans‘ line was able to get a great initial push at the point of attack and create gaping running lanes that Mixon was able to exploit.
Chicago’s defense was the best against the rush in 2023, but they will have difficulty stacking the box and sending an extra man to C.J. Stroud. Even as a rookie, Stroud was an elite quarterback against the blitz, and with the trio of top-flight receivers healthy, sending five or more is a death wish.
Mixon’s volume and opportunity to open up the play-action game against a typically aggressive defense puts him at the top of captain contention.
C.J. Stroud ($14,700)
C.J. Stroud is unequivocally the best young quarterback in the sport. It’s easy to forget he was thrown into a franchise that was a perennial dumpster fire before he got there. The Texans are now at the forefront of the Super Bowl conversation primarily because of the brilliance of number seven.
The team’s elite pass-catching core is not only a headache for the opposition but also for DFS managers looking for an edge. Rather than blindly guessing which receiver will have a big night, the best strategy is to take Stroud, who will get points regardless of who he is throwing to.
Against a middle-of-the-pack secondary at home, I expect the 22-year-old to fill up the stat sheet.
DJ Moore ($13,500)
Despite the addition of Caleb Williams ($13,200), the Bears offense looked as inept as ever last weekend. Lost in Chicago’s unlikely victory was that the passing attack mustered a whopping 93 yards.
With Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze banged up, DJ Moore’s opportunity for a massive bounce-back has dramatically increased. Whether he’s lined up on the outside or in the slot, the seventh-year pro consistently gets open. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will likely try to get Williams some easy completions early to build his confidence, with Moore as the most likely outlet.
Houston was in the bottom five in allowing fantasy points to opposing wide receivers last year, with a back unit susceptible to giving up chunk plays. Moore is an elite vertical threat and will thrive if Williams channels the brilliance that made him a Heisman winner at USC.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (CHI @ HOU)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is 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 do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. 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.
