The Lions and Vikings battle for the NFC North crown and the top seed in the conference in a premier Sunday Night Football showcase.
DraftKings is offering a primetime DFS contest for the chance to win $300,000. I’ve gone through the showdown contest and identified a pair of under-the-radar options that can help give you a critical edge.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.2M Battle for a Bye [$300K to 1st] (MIN @ DET)
DraftKings Showdown Captain (CPT) Picks
Sam LaPorta ($5,800)
The Sam LaPorta bounceback has been an underrated subplot in Detroit over the past month. After carving out an impressive end to his rookie campaign, the pre-season expectations for LaPorta were Travis Kelce-esque. For a tight end, the 2023 second-round pick has flashed impressive route running and a reliable pair of hands. As a cog in this historically efficient offense, a second-year leap was more assumed than predicted.
For the first half of the year, LaPorta was nothing more than a supplemental player who acted as an extra offensive lineman. He’s since found his rhythm, and his role has become far more consistent. LaPorta’s scored at least ten points in six of his last seven outings, including five scores in that span. His frame has been invaluable in the red zone and has elevated his DFS floor.
LaPorta was invisible in the first meeting, but that was a byproduct of the game script. He’ll be needed underneath as an outlet and is in a prime position to carry his sizzling stretch.
Jalen Nailor ($4,400)
Minnesota having an elite wide receiver tandem opens the door for a third option that draws less attention to emerge and stuff the stat sheet. Jalen Nailor only has 361 receiving yards on the season despite playing around half the team’s snaps each week. The 25-year-old had a decent collegiate stint at Michigan State but landed as a day-three pick. Nailor is quicker than fast but has shown electrifying acceleration and isn’t afraid to get open in the middle of the field.
Last week was one of the best performances of his career, catching all five of his targets for 81 yards and a touchdown in a pivotal win against Green Bay. Nailor benefited greatly from operating in the slot, as his star teammates were operating on the perimeter. The case for Nailor is simple: teams might start to do everything to take out Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson and make the unproven third-year pass catcher play above his averages. Detroit’s secondary has been disastrous, and Nailor can use his place on the depth chart to his advantage.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL Showdown $1.2M Battle for a Bye [$300K to 1st] (MIN @ DET)
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
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.
