Last NFL season, our new SimLabs tool went live to the public. It’s a powerful new feature that allows casual players to build competitive lineups effortlessly — or serious players to leverage their convictions more effectively. This week, we’ve also added the feature of being able to export lineups from SimLabs directly to our models for easy tweaking of lineups.
I broke down some general uses of the tool from an evergreen perspective earlier in the year. Moving forward, we’ll be checking out some suggested starting points for building lineups.
The process is simple: from the SimLabs home screen, first select the field size and desired range of outcomes for your lineups. The field size depends on the contest type, while the “results range” allows you to customize how unique you want your lineups to be.
Then, find the box titled “include players” and type your preferred options — then sit back and let the sims do their thing. You can generate as many or as few lineups as you want, then upload directly to DraftKings to be entered into contests.
For more on what SimLabs is and how it works, check out our user guide.
Bo Nix + Travis Kelce
Nix is currently simming as the best quarterback on the slate in terms of Optimal-Projected ownership. His price tag has come all the way up to $6,000, which should help suppress his ownership, while he and the Broncos will likely be chasing points against the undefeated Chiefs.
He’s somewhat difficult to stack, however. Part of that is due to the relatively wide distributions in targets for the Broncos. Courtland Sutton leads the team with a 21.8% target share, but that ranks a middling 14th in the league.
The other factor is Nix’s rushing production. He’s approached 4x his Week 10 salary twice this season, with both games including a rushing touchdown. That obviously doesn’t help any of his wide receivers.
It does help Travis Kelce, though. The Chiefs tight end has a 32.3% target share the past two weeks and will be heavily involved again — as long as the game stays close. Plus, the tight salary structure on the Week 10 slate should push ownership to cheaper tight ends, none of whom really stand out this week.
Of course, this stack with Sutton (or another Broncos receiver) could work as well. I just want to give SimLabs the chance to build different variations around Nix.
Check out how our SimLabs Lineup Generator works:
Jalen Hurts OR Saquon Barkley + Jake Ferguson
The logic here is similar to the Kelce/Nix stack above, though from the other angle. Ferguson leads all tight ends in Optimal-Ownership score, with all of the top options being more expensive tight ends.
If Ferguson is having a solid game, that hopefully keeps the Cowboys in it enough to keep Philadelphia aggressive. They’ll likely lean on their run game either way, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the answer is to play a running back.
Hurts has looked great as a runner this year while vulturing goal-line touches from Barkley. Barkley has a great matchup but would have a hard time being a week-winner if his quarterback steals the goal-line carries.
Thus, playing one, but not both, of the Eagles backs makes sense here. There’s an outside chance they could hit together — likely through Hurts throwing touchdowns to Barkley — but I’m anticipating a lower pass rate for the Eagles this week, which limits the chances there.
Be sure to check out all the pick ’em Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code LABS1 for a $100 deposit match.
Josh Allen + Jonathan Taylor
Allen’s price tag is keeping his ownership down this week, but it’s a great spot for the Bills quarterback. Buffalo has increased their pass rate in recent weeks and draws a matchup in a dome against the Colts — who both play fast offensively and have a bottom-five passing defense.
On the other side, the Colts’ best offensive weapon is Jonathan Taylor. The star running back has struggled with health this season but has been effective when he plays entire games.
This build works because a close game script benefits both players. Allen’s passing rate will be high unless the Bills pull away, while Taylor should see more reps in a competitive game. Both project as positive values in SimLabs, and there’s obviously some correlation between their ceiling outcomes.
