The Bengals and Chargers close out Sunday of Week 11 on Sunday Night Football. While the spotlight will be on the nice matchup between QBs Joe Burrow ($10,600) and Justin Herbert ($9,400), I think there’s a good chance a running back will steal the show. Despite a tough matchup, Chase Brown ($14,400 as Captain’s Pick) is my favorite Captain’s pick play for DFS contests, highlighted by the NFL Showdown $1.11M Sunday Night Showdown [$250K to 1st] (CIN @ LAC). As a high-risk alternative, you could also go with a bargain option and build around the Chargers DST ($6,600 as Captain’s Pick) if you want to go with a more contrarian option.
Here’s why I like those selections:
Chase Brown as a Captain’s Pick
Brown has taken over as the Bengals’ primary running back since Zack Moss (neck) was forced to go on IR. In his two games without Moss, Brown posted massive totals of 29.7 and 23.4 fantasy points.
Last week against the Ravens, Brown caught a career-high nine passes for 52 yards while also running for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also scored a touchdown as a receiver in Week 9 while racking up 120 rushing yards on 27 carries.
The Bengals are obviously comfortable giving the rookie a huge workload and also heavily involving him in the passing game. He has been a goal-line force all season and has seven touchdowns in his 10 games to help him average 14.3 fantasy points per game.
He has performed like a stud running back, especially in the last two weeks, but he’s still priced affordably for this Showdown contest.
His salary may be slightly lower since he does have a tough matchup vs. the Chargers, who have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. However, the Titans’ running backs racked up 91 rushing yards against the Bolts last week and also added seven receptions.
The Chargers DST as a pivot Captain’s Pick
If you are looking for a high-risk lineup construction that could pay off depending on game script, consider building around the Chargers DST. Using them as a Captain’s Pick leaves tons of salary for FLEX spots, and the Chargers’ defense has been very solid all season.
The Chargers have been very strong in their first year under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. They have held their opponent to 20 points or fewer in each of their first nine games this season and are allowing a league-low 13.1 points per game.
In each of their last three games, the Bolts have picked up at least five sacks. Last week, they had seven sacks and 8.0 fantasy points against the Titans, but they were even more impressive with three interceptions, six sacks and 18 fantasy points agianst the Browns in Week 9.
The Chargers have posted at least 8.0 fantasy points in six of their nine games while totaling 13 takeaways and 31 sacks.
If the Chargers can keep the Bengals in check like they have the rest of their opponents, they could end up a top Captain’s Pick if they can force turnovers. If you see the game being low-scoring, the Chargers DST is a solid option to build around.
Lineup Construction Blueprints
With Chase Brown as the Captain’s Pick, you still have plenty of options but likely have to choose between quarterbacks. You can include both Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase ($12,000) if you think the Bengals offense will dominate, but then you’ll have to go cheap with options like Gus Edwards ($3,400), Will Dissly ($5,200) or last week’s hero Tanner Hudson ($3,800).
Going with the Chargers DST leaves you tons of space, especially if you don’t pick against yourself with Burrow-Chase. If you go with Herbert, you can also add his top two receivers, Quentin Johnston ($7,000) and Ladd McConkey ($8,200), or mix in Brown while still having plenty of salary for your final FLEX spot.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) 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.
