We’re all in need of some entertainment during these times of the unknown. DraftKings is doing its part by offering Madden simulations with a variety of teams going at it. For this piece, we’ll focus on the three-game late slate on Tuesday, which starts at 6:00 p.m. ET.
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Quarterbacks
Stud
Drew Brees, NO at HOU ($7,800)
We know the upside Brees has in almost any matchup, scoring more than 27 DKFP in consecutive sims entering this slate. Playing at Houston has been a favorable matchup for most QBs in the sims, including for Brees back in the Saints’ first sim. Brees scored over 20 DKFP, and that was with shorter quarters and a slower-paced game. Deshaun Watson ($7,500) is a very strong play on the other side of the matchup. It’s a tough decision for which one to pay up for, but I expect very high ownership for both.
Value
Dak Prescott, DAL at TEN ($6,600)
Going away from NO/HOU could be contrarian at QB, so it’s worth considering going in another direction. These teams met before in a 13-10 sim, but Dallas does have a lot of upside on offense. Rostering one of the two cheapest QBs on the slate is a way to differentiate yourself and afford skill position targets. This slate is actually a pretty expensive one with limited value.
Other value options: Ryan Tannehill ($6,500)
Running Backs
Stud
Tevin Coleman, SF vs. NE ($6,800)
Coleman’s been one of the top overall RB plays since the sims began, but has finally taken a leap in salary to become fairly priced — up $1,200 since his last sim. The boost in price really tightens up the slate, but it doesn’t change the fact that Coleman’s still the best play. He’s relatively consistent, given he takes all the carries for the 49ers, and comes with elite upside. Coleman’s scored 29-plus DKFP in five sims, including near 50-DKFP upside.
As far as RB value plays go, there’s only four RB plays I’d be comfortable playing on this slate, and it’s the four most expensive plays. Normally, we get some combination of teams where a starter is significantly overpriced, and a lot of the extra work falls to a cheaper RB2, but that isn’t the case here. Dion Lewis ($3,600) is the closest thing you could consider, but I’d try as hard as I could to find a build that works with Coleman and one of the other three top plays.
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Wide Receivers
Stud
DeAndre Hopkins, HOU vs. NO ($8,100)
Just like the QB situation, there’s really two WR plays that deserve mention here. The difference is that we have to choose between Brees and Watson, but we can play both Hopkins and Michael Thomas ($8,500). However, like I said, this slate is pretty loaded with priced up plays, and limited value at positions like QB and RB make it tough to double down on stud receivers. Hopkins burned the Saints’ secondary for 26 DKFP in that limited Week 1 sim. Thomas has been obliterating secondaries in recent sims, exceeding his 18.2-DKFP average in six of his last seven sims, including four straight with 28-plus. I’d love to play both studs, but I’m just not sure it’s possible.
Value
Corey Davis, TEN at DAL ($4,100)
WR is finally a spot where we can save some salary and almost certainly slot another one of those values into the FLEX position. Davis is the one value that I find the toughest to fade, hitting his stride over the last 11 sims. Davis maxed out at 16.8 DKFP in the first 24 weeks of sims, still making for decent value, but he’s gone to another level without a salary adjustment. Davis has scored 19-plus DKFP in six of his last 11 sims, but his worst game of that stretch was 8.6 DKFP against Dallas. Looking past that result, the Dallas defense is still worth targeting.
Other value options: Ted Ginn Jr. ($4,700), Mohamed Sanu ($4,400)
Tight Ends
Stud
George Kittle, SF vs. NE ($6,200)
Kittle’s the safest TE play on the slate, and at 14.9 DKFP per sim, he is the top scorer at his position, although not by much compared to the other plays. Kittle has shown a high ceiling, but the question is if the price difference is worth rostering Kittle. Normally it might be, but with how tight pricing is on this slate, paying down probably makes more sense.
Value
Ben Watson, NE at SF ($4,900)
Watson saves $1,300 off Kittle, and at extremely similar production, there’s no reason not to take the savings. Jared Cook ($5,200) is another consideration if you’re stacking NO/HOU, but Watson’s proven capable of 20-DKFP games, getting back to that plateau in his last sim with a 6-119-0 line.
Other value options: Jason Witten ($4,200)
Defense/Special Teams
Stud
Cowboys DST vs. TEN ($2,900)
Despite what we saw on the field last season, the Cowboys have actually had a good defense in the sims. There’s good touchdown upside here, with five scores this season, and facing an offense with a low floor like Tennessee also helps provide upside.
Value
Titans DST at DAL ($2,000)
The Cowboys have a very good offense, but the Titans’ DST has proven capable in certain situations. The big outputs are few and far between, but their 4.9-DKFP average is solid compared to other options. Tennessee managed 12 DKFP in their previous matchup against Dallas.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jedlow) 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.