Check out the daily DraftKings Madden Stream contests with paid contests for real cash prizes now available alongside free contests. Along with single-game Showdown contests focused on each individual game, there is an early slate of games that includes Madden Stream games at 12 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET, followed by the featured slate, which focuses on the sims at 6 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET. Each simulation will be played out computer vs. computer via an online Madden Stream using Madden 2020 with rosters and ratings from the end of the 2019-20 season. 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.
Wednesday brings us another wild weather day in these sims, which will impact the three-game featured slate that kicks off at 6 p.m. ET. We get things started at the virtual frozen tundra with an NFC North matchup between the Bears and Packers in the snow. At 8 p.m. ET, the Ravens fly west to virtual Los Angeles to face the Rams in the rain before we close out the night with another rain game from virtual Pittsburgh, where the Steelers host the NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers.
All six of those teams provide intriguing fantasy options to check out, and 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.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: Madden Stream $3K Wednesday Night Special and your FREE lineups here: Madden Stream $2K FREE Contest.
Wild Weather Wednesday Forecast
For sports betting in Tennessee, click here.
For sports betting in Pennsylvania, click here.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Quarterback
Stud
Lamar Jackson, BAL at LAR, $7,600 — The Madden 2021 cover athlete hasn’t been the most consistent option in these sims, but his upside is enormous, so you have to at least consider him based on that ceiling. He reminded owners of his dud potential in his most recent contest with just 6.46 DKFP against the Titans but had put up over 29 DKFP in his two previous games. He has actually been significantly better on the road, averaging 23.4 DKFP per sim than at home, where he has just 19.7 DKFP per sim. Since he’ll take on the Rams on the road, he should be able to improve on the 8.22 DKFP he had against them in the first meeting. Overall, he’s averaging 21.5 DKFP per sim with 161.1 passing yards and 68.3 rushing yards per sim to go with 52 passing touchdowns and 23 rushing scores. The rain could hurt his passing potential but could boost his rushing since he may be able to shake defenders that lose their footing. That rushing production is what gives him such a high ceiling, so definitely consider him the top option if you are paying up for a QB.
Other Option — Aaron Rodgers ($7,200), Ben Roethlisberger ($6,600)
Value
Mitch Trubisky, CHI at GB, $5,900 — Trubisky has been excellent in these sims due to his own rushing potential and is the only QB on the slate within 4.0 DKFP of Jackson’s average production. Trubisky has averaged 20.8 DKFP per sim with 62 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns and an average of 187.1 passing yards and 50.9 rushing yards per sim. He has also been very consistent lately with over 22 DKFP in four straight. He did only manage 10.94 DKFP in his first meeting with the Packers, but he usually excels in weather games, like the snow he’ll face on the road in Green Bay. Trubisky comes at a significant savings from Jackson and has been less of a bust risk lately. If you start with him, you get maybe a slightly lower ceiling but plenty of extra salary to pay up in other roster spots.
Running Back
Stud
Tevin Coleman, SF at PIT, $6,300 — One option you definitely need to consider paying up for is Coleman, who has been one of the top RBs in these sims and always gets a heavy workload in weather-impacted matchups. He has averaged 87.0 rushing yards per contest while scoring 32 rushing touchdowns and adding four receiving touchdowns as well. He’s producing an eye-popping 18.7 DKFP per sim, one of the top marks for any non-QB. He had a down game with just 12.7 against Pittsburgh in their first matchup but had posted over 27 DKFP in three straight before settling for 14.4 DKFP against the Rams. Even coming off that game, though, he has too high a ceiling to pass up even in a less-than-ideal matchup.
Other Option — Todd Gurley II ($5,800)
Value
Mark Ingram II, BAL at LAR, $5,500 — Ingram takes on the Rams in the rain as he looks to post his eighth straight game with at least 12 DKFP. He had 19.0 DKFP against the Titans in his most recent contest to raise his average to a solid 11.8 DKFP per sim on an average of 57.2 rushing yards per sim and a total of 18 touchdowns. He loses some rushing scores and production to Jackson but still gets enough workload as Baltimore’s every-down back to be a solid play at just $5.5K. In general, he has been pretty consistent, so he’s a nice option as your second RB if you have the salary to make him and Coleman work under your cap.
Other Options — Tarik Cohen ($3,900), Jaylen Samuels ($3,000)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Davante Adams, GB vs. CHI, $7,000 — Adams has the clear focus of Aaron Rodgers during these sims as the Packers’ No. 1 option on just about every passing play. His high volume has resulted in averages of 4.5 catches for 78.8 yards and 17.1 DKFP per sim while also helping him score 28 touchdowns. He has over 24 DKFP in three of his past four sims and had 25.3 DKFP on six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in his first matchup with Chicago. Adams has big-play potential and gets great volume, and the Bears don’t really have a true shutdown-CB despite their high ratings at many positions. I think Adams should have another big game in store, so pay the $7K to grab him if you can.
Other Options — JuJu Smith-Schuster ($6,900), Allen Robinson II ($6,500)
Value
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB vs. CHI, $4,300 — While he doesn’t get the volume of some of the more expensive WR2 options since so much work goes to Adams, MVS still has great upside and comes at a very affordable salary for a WR2. He has had double-digit DKFP in four of his past five games, dating back to a 37.7-DKFP explosion against the Patriots. He had a sim-season-high eight catches in that sim, breaking the mark he set in his first meeting with the Bears, when he had seven for 94 yards and 16.4 DKFP. He’s a solid play with upside and is extremely affordable.
James Washington, PIT vs. SF, $3,800 — Washington is an even cheaper WR2 than Valdes-Scantling, but he is still averaging over 10 DKFP per sim. He has five catches in each of his past two games and has reached double-digit DKFP in four of his past five. If the 49ers choose to match up CB Richard Sherman on JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ben Roethlisberger may be forced to look to Washington more. In the first meeting between these teams, that was the way it played out with Washington posting 20.1 DKFP with a pair of touchdowns. He’s a little riskier than more expensive options since he doesn’t get the volume but still has great upside at under $4K.
Other Options — Robert Woods ($5,700), Kendrick Bourne ($3,500)
Tight End
Stud
George Kittle, SF at PIT, $6,100 — Kittle is by far the top TE on the board due to his heavy volume when the 49ers do decide to pass the ball instead of handing it off to Coleman. Kittle has piled up an impressive 210 catches for 3,057 yards and 15 touchdowns in his sims, which averages out to exactly 5.0 catches for 72.8 yards per sim. He had eight catches for 87 yards against Pittsburgh in their first meeting. The weather should actually help him a bit as well since rain games tend to force QBs to rely more on short routes or routes over the middle of the field, which are Kittle’s specialty.
Other Option — Mark Andrews ($5,000)
Value
Vance McDonald, PIT vs. SF, $4,400 — For the first time in 42 sims, McDonald was held without a catch in the Steelers’ most recent contest, coming up empty against the Packers. McDonald should be set to bounce back against his former team the 49ers, though, after he burned them for 10 catches, 128 yards, a touchdown and 31.8 DKFP in their first sim meeting. McDonald typically gets plenty of work, averaging 4.4 catches per contest, so hopefully the recent burn may get him lower ownership for what I think will be a bounce-back performance.
Other Option — Trey Burton ($4,600)
DST
Stud
Packers DST vs. CHI, $2,900 — While Trubisky has been excellent in these sims, he does have turnover issues at times with 12 fumbles and seven interceptions. The Packers have forced 23 turnovers in their 42 sims but get most of their fantasy value for their 98 sacks and five defensive touchdowns. They had a solid 7.0 DKFP against the Bears in their first meeting and should be helped out by the snow as well. I do think Trubisky will have a solid game, but that doesn’t mean he won’t take a few sacks and possibly turn the ball over as well.
Other Option — Steelers ($3,000)
Value
Rams DST vs. BAL, $2,800 — The Rams held Jackson and the Ravens to six points while picking up for sacks and 11 DKFP in their first meeting. They have a couple of studs in Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, who have helped them average 4.8 DKFP per sim with 16 turnovers and 91 sacks. Containing Baltimore is definitely no easy task, but the Rams are a solid value play based on their upside. However, I do think the Packers have a higher ceiling due to potential takeaways.
Other Option — 49ers ($2,700)
Set your DraftKings lineups here: $3K Wednesday Night Special [$1K to 1st] and your FREE lineups here: Madden Stream $2K FREE Contest
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
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.