NFL DFS Showdown: Lineup Optimizer Rules and My Favorite Angle in Raiders-Rams

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 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 Raiders vs. Rams Showdown

The Rams must have felt like they were a little too competitive last week, leading them to go out and sign Baker Mayfield while threatening to start him immediately. Decimated by injury, the Rams seem genuinely uninterested in staying competitive. The angle I’m using on Thursday will be to use my most condensed Captain pool of the season.

In 20-max builds, I am very strongly considering building lineups that only have Josh Jacobs or Davante Adams at Captain, as it is hard to see anyone else on the slate even coming close to the upside that these two possess. Derek Carr has only topped 20 points 3 times this season, and it is hard to trust any options on the Rams to generate a ceiling.

It is going to be very important to follow injury news and inactives leading up to kickoff. There are currently a lot of unknowns, including who will even be starting at QB for the Rams as of this writing. Brandon Powell is projected as a great value around the industry but also looks like he has a chance to miss due to illness.

Lineup Optimizer Rules to Consider

General

• Max 3 players vs. opposing Defense
• Minimum salary cap 90%

Player Correlations

• Pair Captain Derek Carr with at least two Raiders pass-catchers
• Pair Captain John Wolford with at least two Rams pass-catchers
• Pair Captain pass-catchers with at most one other pass-catcher from the same team

Player Groups

• Max two kickers and defenses.
• Max one Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah
• Consider max 2 Rams receivers regardless of build

Captain Pool (from highest to lowest priority)

Primary Targets

• Davante Adams
• Josh Jacobs

Secondary Targets (Big Gap)

• Derek Carr
• John Wolford (if healthy)
• Cam Akers

Large-Field GPP Fliers

• Van Jefferson
• Raiders Defense
• Daniel Carlson