Our Lineup Optimizer is an incredibly powerful tool inside our Player Models, particularly when creating a large number of lineups. However, it’s just that — a tool. We still have to make decisions. Otherwise, everyone would have the same 150 DFS lineups in each contest.
This is intended more as a teaching piece than a step-by-step guide. These rules are suggestions that can show you how to translate your read on this game into lineups.
Additionally, this piece focuses on DraftKings Showdown contests, but similar strategies are useful on FanDuel.
For my general Showdown strategy, you can read my Showdown primer.
My Favorite NFL DFS Angle in Vikings vs. Eagles Showdown
With the Eagles missing three key starters on defense tonight, I am expecting a good bit of offense from both teams tonight. I do think the Eagles are the better team, but Minnesota should be able to keep pace. To that end, I really like KJ Osborn tonight as a less popular piece on the Vikings side who figures to be throwing more based on the expected game script.
Despite playing on 91% of snaps to Jordan Addison’s 56%, Addison looks like he is going to be more popular tonight due to the combination of box score watching and excitement surrounding the talented rookie. While I think Addison’s talent will eventually win out and have him dust Osborn, that clearly is not where we stand to start the year. Give me the guy playing more snaps in what figures to be a pass-heavy scheme tonight, and hopefully, we fall on the right side of touchdown variance.
On the Eagles side, no Kenneth Gainwell opens up D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny. My hunch is that neither guy will fly under the radar, but both guys make sense at their depressed prices. I think you could even play them together to capture scenarios where both guys score a touchdown.
My hunch is that Swift operates as the clear lead back, but the Eagles have historically had beat writers who are pretty plugged into the team, so be on the lookout for reports regarding expected playing time.
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Lineup Optimizer Rules to Consider
General
- Max 3 players vs. opposing Defense
- Minimum salary cap 90%
Player Correlations
- Pair Captain Jalen Hurts with at least one Eagles pass-catcher
- Pair Captain Kirk Cousins with at least two Vikings pass-catchers
- Pair Captain pass-catchers with at most one other pass-catcher from the same team
- In lineups with Captain D’Andre Swift decrease Rashaad Penny by 15%
Player Groups
- Max two kickers and defenses.
- Max 2 Eagles RB
Captain Pool (from highest to lowest priority)
Primary Targets
- Justin Jefferson
- Jalen Hurts
- AJ Brown
- Devonta Smith
Secondary Targets (big gap)
- TJ Hockenson
- D’Andre Swift
- Alexander Mattison
- KJ Osborn
- Jordan Addison
Large-Field GPP Fliers
- Rashaad Penny
- Dallas Goedert
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
