On Thursday, the DraftKings Dream Stream has four Madden 21 sims throughout the day, which are all on one huge classic slate starting at 12:00 p.m. ET. The contests are headlined by a huge $7K Thursday Special. The first matchup of the day between the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs should be a great one. At 2:00 p.m. ET, the Dallas Cowboys visit the Chicago Bears, followed at 4:00 p.m. ET by the Tennessee Titans welcoming the Washington Football Team to Nashville. The final matchup of the day kicks off at 6:00 p.m. ET and features the Minnesota Vikings visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As you build your lineups, be sure to consider the depth charts for each team. If you’re looking for gameplay details for these sims, along with the upcoming schedule, head over to the Madden Streams Information Page.
Quarterback
Stud
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. New Orleans Saints, $8,200 — Sure, there are eight teams on this slate, but even on a 32-team slate, there wouldn’t be a QB who matches Mahomes’ average production. He has averaged 24.8 DKFP on 291.2 passing yards per sim, along with throwing 272 touchdowns and running for 21 more scores in 113 sims in Madden 21. He posted 34, 38.76, 26.66 and 15.76 DKFP in his four earlier matchups vs. the Saints and produced over 33 DKFP in three of his four most recent sims.
Other Options — Dak Prescott ($7,100), Mitchell Trubisky ($6,700)
Value
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings, $5,700 — Big Ben has been much more inconsistent than Mahomes, but he does have a high ceiling if he gets going vs. the Vikings. He threw for 307 yards and three scores vs. the Vikings in their most recent meeting, flashing his upside with 27.38 DKFP. Despite being boom-or-bust, he is a cheap play that could pay off and allow you to pay up for top RBs and WRs in other roster spots.
Other Options — Drew Brees ($6,000), Ryan Tannehill ($5,800)
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: Madden Stream $7K Thursday Special [$2K to 1st] and your FREE fantasy football lineups here: Madden $100 FREE Contest
Running Back
Stud
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers, $8,300 — There are some great RB options on this slate, but Cook has been the most productive back in Madden with 108 touchdowns in 100 sims while averaging 22.9 DKFP on 81.1 rushing yards and 33.2 receiving yards per contest. While the Steelers’ defense has made plenty of big plays in these sims, it has also given up big games to Cook, who has produced 35.5, 23 and 39.8 DKFP in his three previous contests vs. Pittsburgh.
Other Option — Derrick Henry ($8,500), Alvin Kamara ($7,200)
Value
Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears vs. Dallas Cowboys, $4,400 — Cohen is the third-down back for the Bears and gets plenty of run in his timeshare with David Montgomery ($3,400). In his 101 sims, Cohen has averaged 9.1 DKFP on 25.1 rushing yards, 21.5 receiving yards and 2.9 catches per sim. He has double-digit DKFP in three of his past seven contests and comes with big-play upside while also being very affordable.
Other Option — J.D. McKissic ($6,500), Jaylen Samuels ($4,000)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs vs. New Orleans Saints, $8,300 — Hill is averaging 22.6 DKFP, and only on other WR on this slate is within 5 DKFP per game. He has averaged 6.3 catches for 94.8 yards per sim and has scored a total of 103 touchdowns in 113 games. He has dominated in this specific matchup, as well, posting 25.7 and 56.3 DKFP in two of his four games vs. New Orleans. No one in the game matches his 99 speed rating, and he has an extremely high ceiling in every matchup as a result.
Other Options — Michael Thomas ($6,600), JuJu Smith-Schuster ($6,400)
Value
Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team at Tennessee Titans, $5,200 — The Titans have been a good matchup for opposing slot WRs, and McLaurin had 27.2 DKFP with over 100 yards in his most recent matchup against them. With inconsistent QB play, Scary Terry is a high-risk option, but I love his upside and his matchup on this slate.
Emmanuel Sanders, New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs, $4,600 — Sanders has been a high-volume slot option for the Saints in these sims, averaging 4.5 catches per contest. He had 20.3 and 33.5 DKFP in his two most recent matchups vs. the Chiefs and has produced double-digit DKFP in three of four and in six of his past 10 contests.
Other Options — Allen Robinson II ($5,300), A.J. Brown ($5,100), Tre’Quan Smith ($4,300), Ted Ginn Jr. ($3,400)
Tight End
Stud
Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans vs. Washington Football Team, $4,900 — Smith has averaged 4.3 catches per sim and 47.8 yards per sim, but his touchdowns have been a little inconsistent since Derrick Henry ($8,500) carries so much red-zone workload. Smith has had a lot of success vs. Washington, though, with 21.5, 14.7, 11.3 and 11.2 DKFP in his four earlier contests vs. Washington. Smith has scored two touchdowns in his past three sims, and he has at least three catches in five straight sims coming into this contest.
Other Options — Travis Kelce ($5,600), Eric Ebron ($5,100)
Value
Blake Jarwin, Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears, $4,100 — Jarwin always seems to find a way to get involved in the Cowboys’ offense and has at least three catches in five straight. He had a monster game with 30.2 DKFP vs. the Eagles at the start of that run and had 10.4 DKFP the last time he went head-to-head vs. the Bears.
Other Option — Jeremy Sprinkle ($3,900)
DST
Stud
Steelers DST vs. Minnesota Vikings, $3,100 — The Steelers’ defense has forced 104 turnovers in 106 sims and piled up 203 sacks. While they have had no answer for Dalvin Cook, they still should have opportunities to make big plays. In their past six sims, they have 11 takeaways in their past six contests, averaging 9.5 DKFP over that stretch.
Value
Cowboys DST at Chicago Bears, $2,600 — Mitchell Trubisky ($6,700) has had some big games in Madden, but he also has struggled with turnovers and decision-making. If you’re looking for a cheap DST with upside, the Cowboys are a good place to start since they do have 209 sacks in 104 sims and should be able to put pressure on Trubisky, who has 66 turnovers in his 101 sims.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: Madden Stream $7K Thursday Special [$2K to 1st] and your FREE fantasy football lineups here: Madden $100 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.