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Monday’s three-game featured slate kicks off at 6 p.m. ET with a contest between the Broncos and Giants from virtual MetLife Stadium. In the primetime matchup, the Chiefs host the Cowboys, and we close out the full day of sims with the Titans and Texans clashing in an AFC South divisional contest on “Madden After Dark.”
All six of those teams have interesting fantasy options to check out. I’ll give you my favorite stud and value play from this slate for each roster spot below. For more information, you can always check out the Madden info page for all the data on player ratings, special abilities and what you can look forward to in upcoming matchups.
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Quarterback
Stud
Deshaun Watson, HOU vs. TEN, $7,000 — There are two elite QBs on this slate in Watson and Patrick Mahomes ($8,200) but I’m leaning toward Watson due to matchup and the significant salary savings. Dallas has a very solid secondary and will try to use its run game to keep Mahomes on the sideline, while Watson gets a pretty solid matchup against a division foe that he put up 21.4 DKFP against in the teams’ previous meeting. Watson is averaging 21.5 DKFP per sim thanks to 68 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns along with 209.3 passing yards and 45.9 rushing yards per sim. He had 24.66 DKFP against the Eagles in his most recent sim and has over 18 DKFP in six of his past seven. His rushing ability raises both his floor and his ceiling since he can take off and add fantasy production if passing is difficult.
Other Option — Patrick Mahomes ($8,200)
Value
Daniel Jones, NYG vs. DEN, $5,600 — Jones will take on Drew Lock ($5,400) in a battle of two rookie QBs in the earliest sim on this slate. Jones threw two touchdowns against the Broncos in the teams’ first meeting and had 17.56 DKFP in the Giants’ loss. He has actually been very solid overall, averaging 17.1 DKFP and throwing for 74 touchdowns in his 42 sims while averaging 235.5 passing yards per game. He can do some damage on the ground but doesn’t rely on rushing nearly as much as Watson, who contributes rushing yards in just about every contest. The Broncos have a few elite players in the secondary but lack depth while the Giants have a deep group of pass-catchers, so I think he’s set up in the best spot of the value QB options.
Other Options — Dak Prescott ($6,600), Ryan Tannehill ($6,400)
Running Back
Stud
Ezekiel Elliott, DAL at KC, $6,900 — The Cowboys will likely try to feed Zeke and ride him to the win over the Chiefs or at least try to dominate time of possession. Like in the real season, the Chiefs’ defense has been vulnerable at times to strong, high-volume rushing attacks like Dallas. Elliott had two scores and 18.7 DKFP in the teams’ first meeting and is averaging 76.2 rushing yards per sim to go with his 27 touchdowns overall. He does need scores to hit his ceiling since he doesn’t catch a ton of passes but I think he’ll get plenty of volume to have a good game in this matchup.
Other Option — Saquon Barkley ($6,200)
Value
Phillip Lindsay, DEN at NYG, $5,900 — Lindsay is the third-down back and the RB1 in Denver, getting all the work in a Broncos offense trying to keep pressure off of the team’s rookie QB by calling plenty of run plays. Lindsay has excelled with 60.2 rushing yards per game and 20 touchdowns while also catching 2.5 passes for 15.9 additional yards per sim. New York’s secondary isn’t awful, but it has struggled throughout the sim season against the run and Lindsay took it to them with 140 yards, a touchdown and 23.0 DKFP in the teams’ first contest. He’ll look for similar success in this rematch on the road.
Other Option — Damien Williams ($5,300), Dion Lewis ($3,800)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Tyreek Hill, KC vs. DAL, $7,900 — Hill has one of the highest ceilings of any player in Madden due to his perfect 99 speed rating, which was the only one issued in the Madden 2020 universe. Hill has over 200 receiving yards in two of his past four games and over 100 in five of his past nine. In those nine games, he has scored 12 touchdowns bringing his total for the season to 35 in 41 sims. He beat the Cowboys’ solid secondary for 125 yards and a touchdown in the teams’ first meeting and more importantly had a high volume with seven catches. In rematches, we’re seeing volume for WRs transfer from game-to-game especially for slot receivers like Hill. He should be set up for another good game and always has the potential to totally break the slate.
Other Options — DeAndre Hopkins ($8,100), Courtland Sutton ($6,300)
Value
A.J. Brown, TEN at HOU, $5,200 — Brown is almost always one of the most affordable WR1 options in play and he will be again in this matchup against a very beatable Texans secondary. Brown had seven catches, 65 yards and two touchdowns for 25.5 DKFP in his most recent sim Saturday night against the Ravens. He has the potential to go off like that, although he definitely does come with risk as well, as evidenced by single-digit DKFP in seven of his past 10 contests. His boom-or-bust tendencies make him more of an option for GPP than for cash, but he has both a great ceiling and a great matchup at this salary.
Keke Coutee, HOU vs. TEN, $3,200 — Coutee is always a cheap option with upside in his role as the Texans’ WR4 and slot receiver. He has averaged 2.7 catches for 32.9 yards per sim along with finding the end zone five times. One of those touchdowns came against the Titans when he had six catches, 59 yards and 17.9 DKFP in the teams’ first meeting. He’s a great way to save the salary you need to spend up in other spots while still getting some good production.
Other Options — Sammy Watkins ($4,200), Corey Davis ($4,000)
Tight End
Stud
Evan Engram, NYG vs. DEN, $5,500 — Engram has been a little quiet lately but he always brings such a high ceiling that he’s worth a look. He isn’t nearly as fast as Hill but does have the highest speed rating of any TE and can get open and make big plays as a result. Engram had two touchdowns and 22.6 DKFP the last time he faced Denver, which has been beatable by TEs all sim season. While there are lots of options to consider, Engram almost has to be in either your TE or flex spot since he has such big-time potential in this matchup.
Other Options — Travis Kelce ($6,400), Delanie Walker ($4,800)
Value
Noah Fant, DEN at NYG, $3,500 — The second-fastest TE in all of Madden is on the other side of the early matchup, and Fant can be a “poor man’s Engram” if you’re stretched for salary at other spots. He isn’t quite as consistent as Engram but has racked up 12 touchdowns and 53.1 yards per sim. He produced over 13 DKFP in each of his past two contests and in five of his past nine. He was held without a catch in the first contest between these teams but will look for a better result in this matchup.
Other Option — Darren Fells ($3,700)
DST
Stud
Broncos DST at NYG, $2,900 — Denver gets a good matchup against the Giants and has been a very productive defense, posting 94 sacks in 42 sims along with 24 takeaways and seven defensive touchdowns for 5.2 DKFP per contest. The Broncos had 12 DKFP in the first meeting with New York and should be able to pressure Jones into a few mistakes, even though I do think he’ll also be able to beat them a few times and post solid numbers overall.
Other Options — Cowboys ($3,000), Texans ($2,700)
Value
Titans DST at HOU, $2,500 — The Titans had two picks and two sacks while slowing down Lamar Jackson on Saturday in their most recent sim and will hope for similar success against another mobile QB in Watson for this matchup. The Titans have 93 sacks in 42 sims but only 15 takeaways, which is the reason Tennessee is a more affordable option on this slate. The Titans usually produce a big play or two and had 5.0 DKFP in the first matchup with the Texans.
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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.