The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills clash in a primetime Week 1 showdown, pitting two MVP-caliber quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, against each other in a high-octane battle. With a Vegas total exceeding 51.5 points, expect a thrilling, pass-heavy shootout at Highmark Stadium on Sep. 7, 2025.
DraftKings Sportsbook has BAL -1.5 over BUF with the total at 51.5.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (BAL @ BUF)
Captain’s Picks
Josh Allen ($16.500 CP): Which quarterback will shine brightest? With a tight spread and an over/under north of 50, points will pile up, but which field general will score the most? Allen and Jackson both boast cannons for arms and wheels for legs, attacking by land and air. They could probably score by sea if that were an option! Allen gets the slight edge, but not by much. The difference? Derrick Henry. Allen faces less fantasy competition on his own team, while Henry could limit Jackson’s upside.
UTIL Plays
Derrick Henry ($10,200): It’s not unreasonable to consider Henry as a Captain, but it’s not statistically sound from a DFS perspective. Running back Captains hit slightly more often than quarterbacks in DraftKings Showdown lineups in 2024, though both trailed wide receiver Captain picks by a significant margin. The reason to flex Henry is the stack — nearly 70% of winning lineups featured a quarterback and two wide receivers. It’s likely a QB or WR in the Captain slot, and don’t go cheap there; cheap Captains only worked 10% of the time in 2024. King Henry is King Henry — everyone knows his stats and what he can do. But this is all DFS game theory. It’s about numbers, not stats. It’s the DFS numbers, not yards and TDs.
Khalil Shakir ($7,600): There are two very good receivers on the DraftKings SNF Showdown slate and two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Wide receivers tend to be the best Captain picks, as pass-catchers are significantly cheaper for a reason: the quarterbacks are future Hall of Famers and 2026 Super Bowl MVP favorites. Shakir or Zay Flowers? Shakir has the better matchup. The Ravens’ secondary can be exploited, allowing the second-most passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns in 2024. That happens when a defense blitzes heavily but lacks the right DBs in coverage. The Ravens made offseason changes, but they’re unlikely to gel in Week 1. Most critically, Ar’Darius Washington (Safety/Slot CB), who ranked sixth in coverage last season, is out for the season.
DeAndre Hopkins ($4,200): Is there still fuel in the tank? Hopkins has hopped around, no longer elite, but teams letting him walk hasn’t dimmed his productivity at each stop. This isn’t 49ers Jerry Rice, but the question is whether it’s Raiders Jerry Rice or Seahawks Jerry Rice. At this price, a decent game with a touchdown works, and with a healthy game total, a Hopkins TD doesn’t seem like a stretch.
Fades
Mark Andrews ($7,000): Baltimore has a loaded arsenal. Hopkins, their third receiver, is a legit threat for 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. Beyond Rashod Bateman and Flowers, the Ravens’ ground game — led by Jackson and Henry — can siphon points from Andrews. He’s no longer the No. 1 option. Andrews’ skills haven’t diminished, but his role has.
THE OUTCOME
The Buffalo Bills narrowly defeat the Baltimore Ravens in a thrilling, high-scoring affair, with Allen’s late-game heroics outpacing Jackson’s dual-threat efforts. The Ravens’ secondary falters against Buffalo’s passing attack, while Henry keeps Baltimore competitive with a strong ground game.
Final Score: Bills 33, Ravens 30
