The Jets and Steelers are set to jockey for AFC positioning on Sunday Night Football.
DraftKings is offering a primetime DFS contest for the chance to win $300,000. I’ve gone through the contest and highlighted three under-the-radar options that can help give you a crucial advantage.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.2M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (NYJ @ PIT)
DraftKings Showdown Value Picks
Allen Lazard ($7,400)
Okay, okay, everyone, please calm down. These are value plays, which, in my world, are players under the average salary of $8,333. Oftentimes, the best moves are right under the margins and offer tremendous value.
It’s time to admit Allen Lazard is back. The power of friendship with your quarterback can only get you so far. The veteran wideout has proven to be a premier complimentary option and is sneaky consistent. In five of his six contests, he’s surpassed 10 fantasy points, including a pair of 20+ point outings.
With former Green Bay teammate Davante Adams joining the fray, Lazard will see his target share decrease. It also means this offense should elevate to a new stratosphere, and there will be more opportunities to go around. The 28-year-old will have the easiest matchups of the 11 personnel starting receivers and will only have an easier time getting open. Lazard has had too hot of a start to be a non-factor from this point forward.
Tyler Conklin ($4,400)
Tyler Conklin’s time is still approaching. The third-year Jet has had to deal with incompetence and injuries throughout his tenure, but things are finally slotting into place, and his emergence has never been more feasible.
Conklin has struggled to carve out a consistent role as a pass catcher. He has only two performances with five or more receptions but has been battling a nagging hip injury. He projected as a safety valve underneath but is getting overlooked by Breece Hall ($10,400) leaking out of the backfield.
The 29-year-old is matchup-dependent and is against Pittsburgh, who is in the bottom tier in the league in allowing points to tight ends. He’s a viable touchdown candidate in the red zone and should see less attention with the weapons on the perimeter.
Calvin Austin III ($2,400)
Choosing between the Steelers‘ skill position players is more difficult than college biology—even with options, nothing seems to make sense. No one has emerged as the clear-cut WR2 or managed to be fantasy-relevant. It’s hard to imagine the offense is this stagnant throughout the season, regardless of who starts at quarterback. That leaves room for someone to step up, and I’ve got my eye on Calvin Austin III.
A gadget guy at Memphis, the 5’8 speedster, is electric with the rock in his hands. His elite agility makes him tough to wrap up, and he deserves more designed touches. This unit lacks creativity and speed, and looking in-house to better utilize Austin III makes too much sense not to happen.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.2M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (NYJ @ PIT)
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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 skills 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.
