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 Friday’s 4:00 p.m. ET Dolphins-Chargers game.
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Showdown Strategy
Miami Dolphins
It hasn’t been the best of times as of late for Ryan Fitzpatrick ($10,800), who is averaging only 13.4 DKFP over his last five games. For a quarterback that really was crushing these simulations, he’s fallen off quite a bit as of late. His matchup today isn’t the best, as the Chargers do boast a good secondary. I’d much rather pay up for the Chargers in this game, so leaving Fitzpatrick on the board feels like the right move.
Despite the recent struggles on Fitzpatrick, DeVante Parker ($9,400) has produced back-to-back games over 20+ DKFP. Scoring in both, Parker combined for 12 receptions and 222 yards. That’s not usually the case for him, as the WR1 had been hovering around the low teens in terms of fantasy production. He has the talent and the speed, they simply haven’t translated in these simulations. Nonetheless, he’s averaging 3.8 receptions and 71.6 yards per game. Meanwhile, you can take someone like Mike Gesicki ($6,800) who is much chepaer and seeing 4.3 receptions, 58 yards and seven touchdowns scored. I like his matchup a lot compared to Parker and will welcome the savings. Albert Wilson ($6,200) is back to struggling as well, posting four-straight games of single digit fantasy points. He hasn’t scored in five-straight either, making him an easy pass at his salary. One of the better values on the Dolphins lies with Jakeem Grant ($4,800) who has the best speed rating in this game at 96. He’s a compete boom-or-bust candidate but at his low salary, it’s much more tolerable than someone like Parker.
The running back you want to target in this game continues to be Patrick Laird ($2,600). His salary is finally starting to creep up but he’s still wayyyyy too cheap for the production he’s been logging. Averaging 7.1 DKFP, Laird is averaging 36 scrimmage yards per game and six touchdowns scored. While it doesn’t sound like much, for someone that is cheap as he is, it’s a very solid return on his low salary.
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Los Angeles Chargers
If I’m paying up for a quarterback in this simulation, it will undoubtedly be Phillip Rivers ($11,200). While this is not a sentence you’ll every see me type during the actual season, Rivers has been a monster in Madden. Through 29 games, Rivers is averaging 247 passing yards, 18 DKFP and 57 touchdowns thrown. I wouldn’t worry about his poor performance against the Raiders the last time out, as he’s truly been solid all throughout the same season.
While Keenan Allen ($11,000) is usually the first receiver that comes to mind to pair with Rivers, it’s actually been Mike Williams ($8,600) who has been producing the most for the Chargers. Entering this game, Williams is averaging 4.3 receptions, 75.1 yards and 21 touchdowns scored, good for a 17.5 DKFP average. The fact that he’s still under $9K, albeit barely, is amazing to me. He did see a massive $2K bump in his salary since his last game but honestly, he still feels worth every penny. Allen, meanwhile, is still seeing the heavy volume, averaging 5.2 receptions, 71.3 yards and 16 touchdowns scored. When using the Chargers, if you can soak up Rivers, Allen and Williams in the same lineup, you’re basically generating almost all the offense they’ll have. For me, that would be my number one priority and then filling out the rest with some of the value pieces this game offers. Travis Benjamin ($4,200) could be one of those guys with his 2.6 receptions, 36.4 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s a very Kendrick Bourne type player where he won’t get a ton of looks but has been very active in the red zone despite his low salary. Hunter Henry ($7,400) is still a bit too pricey for my liking. He’s seeing good volume with 3.8 receptions per game but he’s only scored four times. With that in mind, his 9.3 DKFP average isn’t all that impressive. When trying to get the three top guys in this offense, Henry doesn’t help make that happen.
Melvin Gordon ($8,000) is coming off one of his best games of these simulations, scoring 28.6 DKFP against the Raiders. These type of games from him have been few and far between, as he’s only reached at least 10 DKFP in six of his 29 games. Paying $8K for him is not in the plans. Instead, you could roll with the much less expensive Austin Ekeler ($3,200) who will catch out of the backfield and take a handful of carries.
The Outcome
I really like using the Chargers in this game for my captain. Of course, you can roll with the most expensive player in this game with Phillip Rivers ($16,800) but he really limits you for the rest of your lineup, especially if you pair his top two receivers with him. Personally, I like taking a shot with one of those receivers in the hopes that they outperform the other. Mike Williams ($12,900) receives those deep shots and his the ability to break the slate on one catch, whereas Keenan Allen ($16,500) will see the volume.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Steveazors) 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.