Already missing fantasy football? Well, we have one last chance to play the DraftKings Showdown slate for Super Bowl LIII between the Patriots and the Rams.
The roster breakdown for a single game on DraftKings is significantly different than constructing a classic lineup. While you’ll still operate under a $50,000 salary cap, we only have six positions to fill. One position will be your “Captain,” which you’ll get 1.5X the fantasy points for, but you’ll also have to pony up 1.5X the salary. The other five positions are all “FLEX” spots, so you can roster as many different positions as you want. Want to play two quarterbacks and four running backs? Go for it, as long as it doesn’t run you over $50,000.
Here are some plays to consider rostering for the Super Bowl (all salaries are for standard FLEX):
Julian Edelman ($10,800) — Edelman’s consistency makes him the most expensive player on the slate. He’s too pricey to use as a captain and fit other good players, but if you use enough value, you can still roster him. The Rams defense dictates throwing towards the middle of the field, which is where Edelman thrives. He’s averaging 18.4 fantasy points this season, and is thriving in the playoffs with 247 yards on 23 targets.
Tom Brady ($10,600) — Brady likely will be the more popular choice at QB. While his yards have been up in the postseason, he still has just two touchdowns in the two games combined. Brady should step his game up on this stage, having surpassed 900 total passing yards in his last two Super Bowls.
Jared Goff ($10,000) — Goff’s been playing pretty poorly in the postseason, averaging just about 12 fantasy points. The reason to roster him is as a pivot play off Brady. You’ll get low ownership here, and we know Goff has a high ceiling. The Patriots did allow Nick Foles to win a Super Bowl MVP …
Todd Gurley ($9,000) — Gurley is the greatest unknown on the slate, but he’s also by far the best overall fantasy player. $9,000 was generally a fair price for him on a classic slate, and he reached as much as $13,000 on Showdown slates this season. Don’t have too much recency bias to his performance against the Saints. He’s had time to get healthy, and he’ll be heavily involved in the game plan. This guy averaged 26.4 fantasy points this season and is worth making your captain at this price.
Robert Woods ($7,800) — Woods is the most consistent of the WR options on the Rams. I do have some concerns that the Patriots may identify him at the player in the passing game to shutdown, but they also don’t want to get burned deep by Brandin Cooks ($8,200) — who they know well from his time in New England. In the end, I see Woods getting the most looks for the Rams.
James White ($7,200) — With all the talent the Rams have on the defensive line, Brady may need to get the ball out quick. White’s the guy Brady looks to in those situations, along with Edelman. White racked up 14 catches against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, and he also caught 15 passes in the playoffs this season about the Chargers. White’s PPR upside is huge, and that’s before factoring in his scoring chances.
Sony Michel ($6,800) — Michel is another captain consideration for me. He’s a nice mid-priced play, but he’s been the best fantasy player in the postseason. The rookie’s pounded out an impressive 242 yards on the ground with five touchdowns, and the Pats haven’t been afraid to feed him — 53 carries. The Rams haven’t been strong against the rush this season, so Michel will have opportunities to keep this momentum going.
Rob Gronkowski ($6,000) — Gronk’s been brutal overall this season, but he showed signs of life with six grabs for 79 yards in the AFC Championship game. Brady showed he still trusts his tight end, targeting him 11 times. If this is indeed Gronk’s final game, he’s going to leave it all out on the field. I believe that narrative gives him a higher ceiling in this game.
Josh Reynolds ($5,400) — Reynolds is a nice way to get some cheap exposure to the Rams’ passing game. Since Cooper Kupp (ACL) went down for the season in Week 10, Reynolds has exceeded 12 fantasy points four times. One of them was in the NFC Championship game, when he caught 4-of-7 targets for 74 yards, and also rushed for another 16. With the Pats blanketing the top options, Reynolds could see a larger role that expected.
Greg Zuerlein ($3,400) — Really, a kicker? Yup. “Greg the Leg” averages about double the fantasy points of anyone in his price range, but gets no love because rostering kickers is boring. He averaged 12.2 fantasy points in the regular season, and has upped that to 15 in the postseason. There’s great value in either kicker, but “Legatron” has been the best in the game this year.
Cordarrelle Patterson ($1,600) — If you want to spend up on too many top-end players, you’re going to need a real salary saver in your lineup. Patterson could be a complete bust, but at least he provides the potential to return a kick, catch a bomb, or break off an end-around and go to the end zone. If Patterson makes one big play, you’ve already well exceeded value here.
