Check out some Saturday sims on the DraftKings Dream Stream, where there’s a full six-game schedule throughout the day. Each game has both paid and free showdown contests in addition to a pair of three-game slates that kick off at 12 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET. The three-game classic slate that starts at 6 p.m. ET is the focus of this post and will get underway with a matchup between the Bills and Jaguars in virtual Jacksonville. At 8 p.m. ET, the Titans host the Bears, and we close out the night with the Texans taking on the 49ers at 10 p.m. ET on “Madden After Dark.”
The roster for each team now includes all player movement that occurred prior to Week 1 of this season and you can find the depth charts, abilities and X-factors for Madden 21 along with the upcoming schedule on the Madden Stream info page. The rosters have also been adjusted to get the best players on the field and will not be impacted by any COVID-19 opt-outs or injuries.
Check out the daily DraftKings Madden Stream contests lobby with paid contests for real cash prizes now available alongside free contests. Each simulation will be played out computer vs. computer via an online Madden Stream using Madden 21. In this format, you can enjoy watching the game stream on the DraftKings YouTube channel, the DK Live app (download here) or right here in this post.
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Quarterback
Stud
Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers, $7,500 — Watson has raised his average to over 20 DKFP per contest with a pair of strong showings against the Eagles in his two most recent sims. He had 37.9 DKFP in their first meeting with two passing touchdowns an 260 passing yards in addition to 115 yards and another touchdown on the ground. He followed that monster game up with 25.72 DKFP on 253 passing yards and three touchdowns in his most recent contest. He has totaled 14 passing touchdowns in his 10 sims, but he is a low-risk, high-ceiling play due to his rushing potential. He has averaged just under 70 yards per sim on the ground and the 49ers have not been a stay-away matchup in Madden 21 like they were in Madden 2020.
Other Options — Mitchell Trubisky ($7,000), Josh Allen ($6,700)
Value
Gardner Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills, $6,200 — Minshew has had some bad games, including a run of three straight under 8 DKFP, but he has also put together some nice performances, especially lately. Minshew threw for 304 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Jets in his most recent sim for 24.56 DKFP and also had multiple touchdowns in his previous performance with 18.24 DKFP against Carolina. The Bills have excellent CBs led by Tre’Davious White, but they have been beatable on the ground and with shorter passes to TEs and RBs. Minshew has the highest ceiling of the three cheap QBs even though he does remain a boom-or-bust play.
Other Option — Jimmy Garoppolo ($5,600)
Running Back
Stud
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans vs. Chicago Bears, $8,600 — Henry is coming into this matchup with the Bears off a pair of monster performances against the Bills and Lions. He had 37.4 DKFP against Buffalo with 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns while adding five catches for 66 yards. He had an even more impressive 212 rushing yards in his most recent sim against the Lions and finished with 38.7 DKFP. His expanded role as the Titans’ third-down back has boosted him to an even better play in Madden 21 and he is averaging 4.7 catches per sim in addition to his 83.0 rushing yards and 32.7 receiving yards. He has also found the end zone nine times in nine games, making him an option to consider even though his salary is extremely high.
Other Options — Raheem Mostert ($8,000), Chris Thompson ($6,900)
Value
Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, $5,700 — Even though Zack Moss ($3,700) is healthy in these sims, Singletary is still the primary RB for Buffalo, serving as both the RB1 and the third-down back. Singletary hasn’t had any monster games like the elite options above but has been consistent with over 9.0 DKFP in six of his past seven contests. He is producing 11.2 DKFP on 51.9 rushing yards and a couple of catches per game. He doesn’t have an extremely high ceiling but has scored four touchdowns and is a low-risk mid-priced option in a good matchup against the Jags.
Other Options — Tarik Cohen ($4,700), Duke Johnson ($4,200)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, $7,100 — While Diggs doesn’t have the elite-level volume to keep up with the top WRs in all of Madden, he does have enough upside to be the best option on this slate, especially in this matchup against the Jaguars. Diggs has only averaged 3.4 catches per sim over his first nine sims, but he has scored six touchdowns and been more involved lately with five catches in each of his past two sims and double-digit DKFP in seven straight. His consistency and big-play upside make him a good play in this spot if you can afford his salary.
Other Option — DJ Chark Jr. ($6,400), Deebo Samuel ($6,100)
Value
Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers, $5,600 — Cooks has been hot lately for the Texans but will need to avoid matching up with Richard Sherman to find success in this matchup. San Francisco normally doesn’t shadow Sherman, so it will depend on the Texans’ formations who Cooks goes up against. He has found the end zone five times in his past four games including two games with multiple scores and over 24 DKFP. He hasn’t been getting a ton of volume but has been making his catches count and has posted over 12 DKFP in five of his past seven sims.
Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills, $4,500 — Westbrook is still very involved in Jaguars’ offense in simland even though he has fallen out of favor in real life. He has found the end zone in three of his past four sims and posted over 20 DKFP in each of his past two games with six catches and a score in each contest. If White locks down Chark on the other side, that could mean more work for Westbrook and another solid game.
Other Options — Kendrick Bourne ($4,400), Anthony Miller ($3,600)
Tight End
Stud
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans, $6,000 — The Texans’ secondary has been a great matchup throughout these sims, but the 49ers don’t focus a ton on their WR. When they do throw the ball, Kittle is often the target, averaging 4.1 catches for 59.8 yards per sim in addition to his three total touchdowns. Two of those scores came in a monster 34.6-DKFP performance against the Packers and he also hit the 100-yard bonus with 101 yards in his most recent game against the Seahawks, when he posted 20.1 DKFP. Kittle has a very high ceiling and since there are nice salary-saving options elsewhere, you’ll probably be able to find a way to get his $6K under your cap if you prioritize his ceiling against the Texans.
Other Options— Tyler Eifert ($4,900), Jonnu Smith ($4,600)
Value
Darren Fells, Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers, $3,800 — On the other side of the late matchup, Fells makes sense as a value play based on his continued high volume. He exactly matched Kittle with 41 catches in 10 sims but only has 426 yards and is still looking for his first touchdown. As a result, he’s only averaging 8.3 DKFP compared to Kittle’s 12.8 DKFP, but Fells makes solid sense due to his volume if you have to spend under $4K for a TE or flex play.
Other Option— Lee Smith ($3,000)
DST
Stud
Bears DST at Tennessee Titans, $3,200 — The Bears have racked up 27 sacks across their nine sims and forced four turnovers. They’ve done a good job limiting opponents, allowing under 20 points in four straight games including a shutout against the Rams in which they posted an impressive 16.0 DKFP. While they probably won’t shut out King Henry and the Titans, they should be able to limit the damage and get enough pressure from their pass rush to be a solid DST option if you have the salary to spend.
Value
Texans DST vs. San Francisco 49ers, $2,800 — The Texans have multiple sacks in four straight games and have piled up 20 in their 10 games along with four fumble recoveries. At home, they have averaged 5.3 DKFP per sim in their small three-game sample size. The 49ers like to rely on running and defense, so they typically get involved in low-scoring games. Houston’s DST has some playmakers led by J.J. Watt, and they should be able to produce a solid return as they host San Francisco.
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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 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.