Devising the perfect Daily Fantasy Sports strategy for the NFL can be a challenge, which is why I'm here to assist.
On DraftKings, it's important to remember you're playing full-point PPR with bonuses if a player surpasses 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards or 100 receiving yards.
Here is my optimal lineup for Thursday's NFL Showdown $2.25 million Thursday Night Millionaire contest featuring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.
All prices listed are courtesy of DraftKings with a $50,000 budget, and you need at least one player from each team.
— Captain: RB Miles Sanders, Eagles ($9,900)
This is the ultimate contrarian/leverage play against a Tampa Bay defense that usually swallows opposing running backs whole. According to Pro Football Focus, Sanders' rate of routes run per drop back increased 18% last week and he was fifth overall in the metric. Philly has to include its dynamic backfield in the pass game if it's going to have a shot here.
— Flex: QB Tom Brady, Buccaneers ($12,400)
Brady's weekly finishes: QB5, QB3, QB4, QB28, QB3. The outlier was his emotional trip to New England against Bill Belichick.
— Flex: QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles ($11,800)
Hurts features one of the safest floors in fantasy football with his rushing upside. Utilizing Sanders as the captain enables me to get both quarterbacks in this lineup.
— Flex: WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($8,800)
Smith hasn't seen the end zone since Week 1, but there's positive regression coming. He has a safe target floor (almost 24% share) and the only way to compete with the champs is to throw the ball.
— Flex: TE Zach Ertz, Eagles ($3,200)
Dallas Goedert will likely miss this game after testing positive for COVID-19. Ertz was already outplaying Goedert and Tampa Bay has allowed three touchdowns to tight ends the last three games.
— Flex: RB Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles ($2,400)
This is a hedge against Sanders. There's a weakness in the Tampa Bay defense against pass-catching running backs (see: Myles Gaskins). One (if not both) of the Philly tailbacks will have to produce with a likely negative game script.
