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 Saints vs. Rams Showdown
This week’s Thursday night game features two teams that desperately need a win for playoff implications. I don’t see any particular pricing that jumps out to me, so my angle this week is going to be a little different. With so many superstar high-upside players on both sides of the ball, I am planning to fade the quarterbacks at the Captain position.
From a pricing and correlation standpoint, it seems unlikely that Matt Stafford or Derek Carr end up being the Captain you need. This allows me to plug our SimLabs Lineup Generator, which will undoubtedly prove helpful in creating correlated high upside lineups under these conditions.
I will still rank both QBs below, but I plan to limit Captain exposure to primary and secondary targets tonight.
Don’t forget to check out our SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineup using the power of simulation:
Lineup Optimizer Rules to Consider
General
- Max 4 players vs. Opposing Defense.
- Minimum salary cap 90%.
Player Correlations
- Pair Captain Derek Carr with at least one Chargers pass-catcher.
- Pair Captain Matthew Stafford with at least one Raiders pass-catcher.
- Pair Captain pass-catchers with at most one other pass-catcher from the same team.
- Most lineups should also pair Captain pass-catchers with their QB.
Player Groups
- Max 2 kickers and defenses.
- Max 1 Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell.
- Max 1 AT Perry and Lynn Bowden.
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Captain Pool (from highest to lowest priority)
Primary Targets
- Kyren Williams
Secondary Targets
- Puka Nacua
- Alvin Kamara
- Cooper Kupp
- Chris Olave
- Rashid Shaheed
Large-Field GPP Fliers
- Taysom Hill
- Matthew Stafford
- Derek Carr
- Rams DST
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) 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:
