Broncos vs. Rams NFL DFS Showdown Picks and Strategy for Sunday Night Football

The Rams (1-1) and Broncos (1-1) meet Sunday night at Empower Field at Mile High at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, a matchup plenty of analysts pegged as a Super Bowl preview back when the schedule came out. The Rams are favored by 2.5 with the total sitting at 44.5. On DraftKings, this is a Captain Mode Showdown slate — one player at 1.5x salary and points in the Captain spot, five more at standard salary in the UTIL spots, $50,000 cap total.

Build your lineups for Broncos vs. Rams on Sunday Night Football here: NFL Showdown $1M Sunday Night Showdown [$250K to 1st] (LAR @ DEN)

Broncos vs. Rams DraftKings Showdown Captain Picks

Matthew Stafford ($15,600 CP): He threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 10.5 yards per attempt against the Giants last week, and the production wasn’t limited to one target. Davante Adams and Terrance Ferguson both cashed in during that same game. This offense can hurt a defense in more than one way. The likely absence of Puka Nacua will hurt production, but it will lower Stafford’s ownership. Denver’s defense is real, but this is a showdown slate. The options are limited. Let the field be scared. Stafford is the player who touches every yard this passing game produces, and a quiet season opener against the 49ers Down Under already looks like an outlier after that response.

Broncos vs. Rams DraftKings Showdown UTIL Plays

Davante Adams ($10,200): He caught 8-of-10 targets for 195 yards and two touchdowns last week. He’s not just a red-zone target like last season. Pat Surtain II will press him at the line and has been excellent in this matchup before, but Adams has still managed 2.55 yards per route run across their head-to-head history. That’s real production against this exact cornerback.

Jaylen Waddle ($9,600): He broke out for eight catches on 10 targets and 138 yards in Week 2 after Denver used him more as a decoy in the opener. The catch is Trent McDuffie, who has allowed just one reception on eight targets with an interception this season. That’s about as tough a draw as a receiver can get, but it’s a showdown. If everything looks great, then why play? These are the slates where you rely on talent and ignore the warts.

Kyren Williams ($8,600): He’s not the workhorse, but he turned 14 touches into 97 yards and a touchdown last week. Blake Corum is trendy and a legitimate pivot. Williams will be faded by too many to make room for other stars with the hope that Corum is the better point-per-dollar player. Williams is the better player. That matters more in this matchup. Denver is allowing more than 157 rushing yards. The Rams sans Puka will rely on the run. Kyren could be captain, but Corum will carry enough to keep Kyren from being an ideal GPP pick.

Broncos vs. Rams DraftKings Showdown Fades

Puka Nacua ($11,600): He’s the highest-priced player on the entire slate and he’s doubtful. Case closed. The Rams’ offense proved it doesn’t need him to produce. Adams and Ferguson combined for the bulk of last week’s damage with him off the field. Paying a premium for name value when the numbers say someone else is the better bet at a lower cost isn’t a good use of Showdown salary.

Broncos vs. Rams DraftKings Showdown Strategy and Prediction

The Rams have the more proven quarterback and a passing game that’s shown it can win without their best receiver. Denver’s best path is leaning on Surtain and its pass rush to slow this down, but that’s a lot to ask.

Final Score: Rams 26, Broncos 20