DraftKings Fantasy Football features the defending Super Bowl Champions facing the new-look Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. The DFS main slate may be in the books, but there is plenty of DFS action available for Sunday Night Football. Check out the NFL Showdown Slate DFS picks for the Week 3 Sunday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (KC @ ATL)
Captain’s Picks
Patrick Mahomes ($15,000 CP): There are game logs and players. Mahomes’ game logs aren’t as great as his record. He does what he needs to do to win. Without a backfield, he’ll need to do a lot. It’s difficult to predict where the ball ends up but it’s easy to know where it begins. Mahomes stirs the drink. There should be a lot of stirring on Sunday night.
UTIL Plays
Samaje Perine ($5,400): The Chiefs are down to a halfback and a fullback — Carson Steele could be a steal. No one knows how Andy Reid will roll. That’s why he wins. NFL coaches can’t figure him out. Good luck DFS enthusiasts. Reid has ruined many showdown lineups by giving touchdowns to third-string tight ends and fullbacks. He does that with full rosters. This is a makeshift backfield where anyone’s number can be called. Perine is less of a question mark. He’ll get carries and play his typical role as a receiving back. It’s very possible the run game struggles and the Chiefs run a one-dimensional pass attack that scripts better for Perine.
Carson Steele ($6,400): The undrafted running back may officially be a full back but that designation may be meaningless. He rushed for 1,500 yards for Ball State in 2022. This is the NFL –– not MAC-tion. This is also an NFL DFS Showdown Slate. It pays to get weird. Andy Reid’s strategy is weird. Steele stole nine carries from Perine last week and gained 27 yards. With a week of practice and game planning, Steele could play a larger role on Sunday night.
Kirk Cousins ($9,000): The value picks make the two-QB build possible. The Falcons offense doesn’t look great. It hasn’t looked great for several seasons despite several playmakers at the skill positions. Cousins is an upgrade for this offense. It will take a while for this offense to acclimate. A prime-time game seems like the least likely time for Cousins to gel with his weapons. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards with two touchdowns in prime time last week. The opportunity is there, the mercurial QB just has to deliver.
Fades
Travis Kelce ($8,200): This isn’t about narratives. The Taylor Swift noise is irrelevant. Kelce is irrelevant. It’s possible that Kelce’s limited output this season has been matchup-determined. Baltimore and Cincinnati are not easy draws to start 2024. However, that has not been a problem for Kelce in the past. He thrived in tough spots and Mahomes often leaned on Kelce. That has not been the case this season. Mahomes isn’t locked on Kelce and the game plan has not funneled to the tight end. With the Chiefs’ backfield being limited, the Falcons can focus more defensive attention toward Kelce.
THE OUTCOME
The Chiefs’ experience and proven track record clash with the Falcons’ desire to establish credibility against a top-tier opponent. The outcome will depend on how well Atlanta can contain Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense while capitalizing on their defensive strengths. The Falcons could win the NFC South but they’re not winning on Sunday Night.
Final Score: Kansas City Chiefs 27, Atlanta Falcons 17
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.25M Sunday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (KC @ ATL)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) 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.
