We hope a lot of DFS NFL players jump at the chance to use Derrick Henry (foot) in the Bengals-Titans DraftKings Showdown tournaments because we’re fading the two-time rushing champion. It’s a risky strategy, but when you’re playing in a single-game contest, you have to make some tough lineup decisions. We know that anything can happen in the second round of the playoffs, as teams go to great lengths to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive, and finding the right mix of stars and value sleepers given our limited budget is a challenge. However, we are doing everything we can to get our daily fantasy investments off to a good start in the first game on Saturday.
These are the important settings for DraftKings single game contests: It is Full Point PPR, and here they are three-point bonuses for 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, Y 100 receiving yards. The Captain pick costs 1.5 times the player’s original price, but also gets his point total multiplied by 1.5.
MORE DK SHOWDOWN: How to Win a Showdown Contest
DraftKings Showdown Picks: Bengals vs. titans
Budget of $50,000, at least one player from each team is needed.
Captain: (1.5x salary, 1.5x points): QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($16,500)
Burrow is an easy “Captain” pick here, and while we don’t always like to go with the obvious guy, sometimes it makes sense. Tennessee ranked 25th against the pass this year, and perhaps just as notable, it was second against the run. Cincinnati will be forced to air him frequently, which means Burrow will have ample opportunities to reach the 300-yard bonus. Because of Tennessee’s strong pass rush (and Cincinnati’s leaky offensive line), Burrow will also have plenty of opportunities to contend and score points with his legs.
FLEX: WR Tee Higgins, Bengals ($7,200)
Higgins is coming off his worst game of the season (one catch, 10 yards), so a comeback performance seems in order. Ja’Marr Chase will be the much more popular (and expensive) pick, but we’re fine with Higgins, who had four 100-yard, four-touchdown games in Weeks 12-16. The edge is there for him to come out in a favorable matchup. like this.
FLEX: WR Tyler Boyd, Bengals ($6,400)
Boyd has been a TD machine the past four weeks, and while we don’t like having a fifth straight touchdown from a No. 3 receiver, we think Boyd can rack up receptions and yards if things go well. Given its price, it fits perfectly into our line. If he’s fading Chase, it makes sense to catch several Bengals pass receivers to try to soak up as much of the Bengals’ leftover passing production as possible, so let’s hope the good times keep rolling with Boyd.
FLEX: QB Ryan Tannehill, Titans ($9,400)
By fading Derrick Henry (foot), we only have so many legitimate options for the rest of our picks. We could go up against Joe Mixon or one of Tennessee’s backup RBs, but we’re fine catching the Titans’ shooter, who is not only a solid passer but also one of the best quarterbacks, at least in terms of scoring. Tannehill has a long shot at reaching the 300-yard passing bonus, but with AJ Brown and Julio Jones, he’s always a candidate for multiple touchdowns and a good amount of yardage. If he can run one into the end zone, something he did seven times this year and seven times last year, Tannehill will easily pay his price.
FLEX: WR Julio Jones, Titans ($6,200)
Jones had his only touchdown of the season in Week 18, also setting a season high with nine goals. Is that a sign of things to come in the playoffs? We’re not necessarily counting on that, but we know Jones has a lot of potential when he’s healthy. At this price, it makes perfect sense to stack him with Tannehill and expect most of Tennessee’s passing production to go to him.
FLEXIBILITY: K Randy Bullock, Titans ($4,200)
We could have played by the numbers and taken one of Tennessee’s tight ends here, since Cincinnati has struggled with the position all season, but we went with a “safer” option with Bullock. He’s been a consistent kicker all year, making 26 of 31 field goal attempts and hitting 42 PATs. Tennessee will give him multiple FG tries in this game, and if the offense is a little rusty after a bye week and trying to get Henry back, Bullock could see even more. Obviously, we expect Tannehill to get to the end zone at least twice, but we can also imagine a scenario where Bullock is very busy.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.