The Bengals and Chargers square off in a Sunday Night Football game filled with AFC postseason implications.
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 honed in on the top three options deserving of leading your lineup.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.11M Sunday Night Showdown [$250K to 1st] (CIN @ LAC)
DraftKings Showdown Captain (CPT) Picks
Ja’Marr Chase ($18,000)
After four straight outings with under 75 receiving yards, Ja’Marr Chase went nuclear. That’s the thing with the superstar wideout — his box score numbers don’t often pop week-to-week, but he has offensive explosions that would register on the Richter scale. In a pivotal divisional matchup, Chase torched Baltimore, recording 11 catches for 264 yards and a trio of touchdowns. It’s one of the most dominant showings in recent history and re-established his position toward the top of the pass-catcher hierarchy.
The Los Angeles secondary has the fourth-best EPA per opposing pass play and has been stifling aerial attacks. Chase will continue to get peppered with targets — he’s had at least 11 in three consecutive contests. This offense works best when Chase is firing on all cylinders, so he’ll get an opportunity to show out regardless.
Joe Burrow ($15,900)
No one fell for the early season Joe Burrow slump this year, right? Cincinnati’s franchise cornerstone is in the midst of one of the hottest stretches of his career — in his last six games, he has 18 total touchdowns and just three turnovers. He’s slinging the rock with confidence, and despite not being a tremendous athlete, he is able to navigate the pocket flawlessly to keep drives alive.
Burrow has the burden of carrying the brunt of the responsibility for the club’s success. The team has no chance to succeed if he’s not an elite signal caller — a fact everyone in the organization is privy to. He’s due to have at least 30 passing attempts, and if he can find some shots downfield, he’s in for a monster evening.
Justin Herbert ($14,100)
No one is carrying their squad quite like Justin Herbert. Despite a lack of weapons around him, a struggling interior offensive line, and vanilla playcalling, Herbert has emerged as a legit MVP candidate. He’s playing the most efficient football of his pro tenure and is picking his spots like a champion prizefighter. Drops have killed his bottom line, but the stats are finally starting to resemble his talents.
Herbert has over 19 fantasy points in three straight weeks as the unit continues to gel. The Cincinnati secondary is vulnerable and has struggled to contain chunk plays. He doesn’t use them much, but Herbert is dangerous with his legs. If his supporting cast comes ready to play, he has all the tools to be a DFS gem yet again.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.11M Sunday Night Showdown [$250K to 1st] (CIN @ LAC)
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and 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.
