The Kansas City Chiefs put their undefeated start on the line when they square off with the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
DraftKings is offering a Monday night DFS contest with the chance to win $500,000. I examined this showdown and chose three under-the-radar options that can help give you a crucial edge.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Monday Night Showdown [$500K to 1st] (NO @ KC)
DraftKings Showdown Value Picks
Justin Watson ($3,400)
The theme of these entries is simple: someone else will have opportunities—just identifying who can be rather tricky.
If the phrase “next man up” means anything, Justin Watson is the best place to start. The 28-year-old has more Super Bowl rings (three) than memorable moments in the league (zero) but has managed to stick around elite teams with Hall of Fame quarterback play. Across stints in Tampa Bay and Kansas City, he’s never caught more than 30 passes in a season, but his tantalizing speed and special teams prowess have helped secure his place on a roster.
Once Rashee Rice went down last week, Watson trailed only rookie Xavier Worthy ($9,000) in snaps among wide receivers. It’s not the first time the group has been thin on the outside, but with no moves on the horizon, Watson will have his best chance to make an impact since turning pro in 2018.
Without a clear-cut WR1, Patrick Mahomes ($11,000) should spread the rock, and Watson’s athleticism could garner a few designed touches.
Noah Gray ($2,600)
Yes, I am pitching the case for a backup tight end.
A Day 3 pick in 2021, Noah Gray has remained a steady presence behind Travis Kelce ($8,600) on the depth chart. He has a smaller frame than his superstar counterpart but compensates with surprising agility after the catch. The former Blue Devil is always due for a few looks per contest, but that workload could see an uptick given the hole at pass catcher.
One way to improve the Chiefs’ woeful run game and give Mahomes some flexibility could be to increase their usage of 12 personnel sets. At this point, Gray is a better receiver than JuJu Smith-Schuster ($2,800) and can help set the edge for rushing lanes.
It’s an unconventional move to go with Gray, but those picks win major contests.
Juwan Johnson ($2,200)
In a limited sample size, New Orleans has shown they might have something with Juwan Johnson. A 6’4 WR at Penn State and Oregon, the Saints converted the 2020 undrafted free agent into a tight end. On the surface, it made sense, but he struggled to find the field in his first two years because his large stature never translated to blocking prowess.
In 2022, he seemed to negate that hole in his play and emerged as a high-end red zone threat, amassing seven touchdowns in a breakout campaign. A foot injury cut short a promising follow-up in 2023, but so far this year, he’s been nearly invisible.
Johnson is the most talented guy in his position room, and sooner rather than later, he’s going to prove his worth.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.5M Monday Night Showdown [$500K to 1st] (NO @ KC)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is xaiver-aguiar 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.
