The Chiefs look to stay undefeated when they take on the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.
It’s primetime, which means DraftKings has a premier showdown contest. In this mode, choosing the best captain is critical since they earn 1.5x fantasy points. Below, I’ve highlighted the three top options deserving of leading your lineup.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Monday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (TB @ KC)
DraftKings Showdown Captain (CPT) Picks
Kareem Hunt ($14,700)
The last time Kansas City appeared on primetime, I questioned my decision to give Kareem Hunt the crown. In recent years, the 29-year-old struggled with efficiency and looked like a shell of the explosive back that burst onto the scene in 2017. Although he’s been largely ineffective, his uptick in volume and role as a bell cow on the best team in the sport has propelled his DFS value.
Hunt is mustering just 3.7 yards per carry, but he’s getting over 20 touches a game and has scored four touchdowns in his last three outings. He has no breakaway speed — his longest rush on the campaign went for 13 yards. At this point, he’s a bruiser who can wear out a front seven and punch it in from the goal line. It’s not pretty, but it makes sense, given the number of injuries to the Chiefs‘ skill-position players.
The matchup doesn’t particularly matter, considering the hefty workload. Hunt is dependent on finding the endzone, but against a Tampa unit constantly in high-scoring affairs, that’s a rather likely proposition.
Baker Mayfield ($14,400)
Even with his top two targets sidelined, Baker Mayfield shows little signs of slowing down. Mayfield throws it a ton, surpassing 35 passing attempts in three straight contests, including 50 tosses last week against Atlanta. He’s putting the ball in harm’s way at an alarming rate, but being the centerpiece of the offense negates that risk.
His gunslinger mentality gives him immediate captain consideration because his ceiling is the best among the primary pocket passers. It’s fair to worry about his long-term health — having this much responsibility as a signal caller with so few established targets is difficult to withstand for a prolonged period. Despite his smaller stature, Mayfield has a cannon arm and has been surprisingly durable throughout his time in the pros.
Squaring off with a premier defense is less than ideal, but the only way to knock off Kansas City will be through the air. I like Mayfield to put up respectable numbers in a crucial battle.
Travis Kelce ($13,200)
After being the butt of far too many uncreative jokes, Travis Kelce is slowly getting into Hall of Fame form and quieting the haters in the process. Kelce had a dominant National Tight Ends Day, corralling ten of his 12 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown. As the number one option, he turned back the clock, working the middle of the field and showing juice after the catch.
The superstar must show more consistency, but the talent still shines through when it matters most. The Buccaneers are bottom 10 in the league in fantasy points allowed to tight ends. Kelce will garner plenty of looks as the safety valve underneath and always seems to level up when the lights are brightest. He’s my favorite budget captain play of the showdown.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.25M Monday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (TB @ KC)
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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.
