It’s another wild weather Wednesday on the Dream Stream with six Madden sims coming your way from DraftKings. There are single-game Showdown contests for each game in addition to a pair of three game classic slates that kick off with the games that start at 12 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET. This post focuses on the final three-game classic slate of the day which starts with the Eagles-Bills matchup at 6 p.m. ET, which will take place in the snow in virtual Buffalo. At 8 p.m. ET, two of the most exciting QBs in Madden 21 go head-to-head as the Seahawks host the Texans in rainy Seattle. In the final game of the day, the Saints travel to virtual San Francisco to take on the 49ers by the Bay, but that game will be impacted by wind, so throwing the ball could be challenging, especially for a Saints team that sometimes struggles when playing outdoors in the elements.
The rosters have again been updated, so make sure to take a look at the new depth charts, abilities and X-factors for Madden 21 along with the upcoming schedule on the Madden Stream info page. The rosters have been taken from Week 1 and will not be impacted by COVID-19 opt-outs or injuries, so every team has its best players available in simland.
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
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans, $7,400 — Wilson gets the slight edge for me over Deshaun Watson ($7,700) and Carson Wentz ($7,200), who have both been outstanding in these sims so far. Wilson has been even better, though, averaging 22.8 DKFP over his five Madden 21 sims with 211.8 passing yards and 65.6 rushing yards per sim along with nine touchdowns, all coming through the air. He has a good matchup against a beatable Houston secondary and always seems to find ways to generate offensive production, whether on the ground or through the air. He has piled up over 20 DKFP in all but one of his five contests and has over 25 DKFP in two of his past three. Wilson has plenty of speed available at WR, and has lots of upside every time he takes the field.
Other Options — Deshaun Watson ($7,700), Carson Wentz ($7,200)
Value
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. Philadelphia Eagles, $6,900 — Allen has similar dual-production potential to Wilson’s, but he doesn’t have quite as high of a ceiling. He has averaged just under 20 DKFP per game highlighted by two games over 24 DKFP. He hasn’t thrown for multiple touchdowns in any contest yet, but he has added a pair of rushing scores to his four touchdown passes. Allen’s rushing game is on par with Wilson, but his accuracy holds him back, much like in real life. Even in the snow, I think he and Stefon Diggs ($6,700) can connect for some big plays against an Eagles’ secondary that is still prone to allowing deep completions. Allen is more boom-or-bust than Wilson with a lower floor, but he’s definitely the best option of the three QBs under $7K since the other options will have to contend with the wind in blustery San Francisco.
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Running Back
Stud
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints, $6,200 — Because of that wind, I expect both teams to rely more heavily on their running game, but I trust the San Francisco offensive line against the Saints’ defense more than I trust the New Orleans offensive line against the 49ers’ excellent run defense. Mostert and Alvin Kamara ($7,800) are both expensive, but I’m leaning towards taking the savings and rolling with Mostert. He is coming off a monster game in which he had 120 rushing yards and 90 receiving yards for 39.0 DKFP, almost becoming the first RB in all of our sim history to hit both bonuses. Before that breakout game, he was also productive with at least 11 DKFP in three of four games. The wind should force San Francisco to play to its strength, which is feeding Mostert a heavy workload and allowing him to find space on the edges to break off big plays.
Other Options — Alvin Kamara ($7,800), Miles Sanders ($5,800)
Value
Duke Johnson, Houston Texans at Seattle Seahawks, $3,000 — This will be the Texans’ first game since the latest roster update, which moved Johnson into play as the third-down back for Houston. He has an 81 overall rating, which actually makes him a higher-rated player than his backfield-mate David Johnson ($5,900), who has a 77 overall rating. Duke brings an 89 speed rating, an 88 change of direction rating, an 82 break tackle rating and a 93 juke move rating, which should help him make dynamic plays when he gets the ball in his hands. Since he has yet to score a point in these Madden 21 sims, he will likely have low ownership and comes at such a low price that you can spend your savings to pay up for stars in other spots.
Other Options — Devin Singletary ($5,500), Chris Carson ($5,200)
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Wide Receiver
Stud
Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. Philadelphia Eagles, $6,700 — Diggs has scored touchdowns in three of his four games with his new team in Madden 21 and has averaged 13.7 DKFP per contest. His volume hasn’t been extreme, but his big-play potential is still there, as he showed in his most recent sim when he took just three catches for 89 yards, a touchdown and 17.9 DKFP. He and Josh Allen should be able to find space against the Eagles’ secondary, and the fact that he is such a focus in the red zone makes him a solid play as Buffalo’s WR1.
Other Options — DeSean Jackson ($8,200), Michael Thomas ($7,000), Will Fuller V ($6,000)
Value
Marquise Goodwin, Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills, $3,000 — Goodwin will be making his sim debut after being brought back along with the rest of the COVID-19 opt-outs. He steps right in as the Eagles’ WR3 and primary slot option and should be a straight-up beast in these sims moving forward. Goodwin has a 97 speed rating, which is behind only Tyreek Hill and Henry Ruggs III in all of the Madden 21 universe. He also has a solid 81 catching rating, which is on par with Ruggs, an 89 change of direction rating, and an 84 deep route running rating which is where he should thrive out of the slot for Philly. Like Duke Johnson, Goodwin hasn’t scored a point yet, so he is extremely affordable and will likely have low ownership. However, in his new role he should be set up for success and ready to power your lineup to a win from his $3K minimum salary.
Other Options — Deebo Samuel ($5,500), Tyler Lockett ($4,400), Brandin Cooks ($4,000)
Tight End
Stud
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills, $5,700 — With the other top options playing in the wind, Ertz is the safest top-tier selection, as he and the Eagles take on the Bills, who have been beatable by TEs. Ertz has 16 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns in his four sims to this point and is producing 11.2 DKFP per contest. So far since the switch to Madden 21, Ertz has been out-produced by DeSean Jackson, who has been getting crazy volume, but I expect that to return to normal with Wentz relying more on his TE moving forward, especially in this matchup. Ertz has a sky-high ceiling which he hasn’t reached yet in Madden 21.
Other Options— George Kittle ($5,600), Jared Cook ($5,300)
Value
Lee Smith, Buffalo Bills, $2,500 — Smith is in his second tenure with Buffalo, and he is the highest-rated Bills’ TE in Madden 21. As a result, Smith takes over as their new starter. He is a very skilled blocker but should also put up some decent production with his 73 overall rating, 77 catching rating and 90 toughness rating. He has good ratings for spectacular catches and catching in traffic as well, so look for him to be an option for Allen in the red zone.
Other Options— Darren Fells ($4,800), Greg Olsen ($4,300)
DST
Stud
Seahawks DST vs. Houston Texans, $2,800 — The Seahawks have build their big-hitting defense around Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams, who both have the X-factor of Avalanche, which makes them even more likely to cause fumbles. In their five sims so far, they have five fumble recoveries to go with 12 sacks, a safety and a defensive touchdown. They’re averaging a solid 7.0 DKFP per sim and always have the potential to put up a monster game due to their big-play ability even if they do allow some points.
Value
49ers DST vs. New Orleans Saints, $2,600 — Normally, the Saints are a matchup to avoid going up against with a DST. However, with the wind and how bad the Saints usually look in weather games, I think the 49ers can be a solid value option to consider. They had a pair of fumble recoveries in their most recent game with 4.0 DKFP against the Ravens, and they do have plenty of highly-rated options throughout their formations. While they’re only averaging 4.2 DKFP per sim, I think they make sense if you want a Seattle-alternative on this slate.
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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.