Week 8 Primetime Showdown and Week 9 Thursday Night Showdown Results
Week 9 gives us a top AFC game and a division rivalry. Stars are present on both sides of each game though I think the Monday Night game will be better scoring from a fantasy perspective.
Monday Night: Dallas @ NY Giants
Before I get to this, I'm seeing the number of views for the Sunday Night game and I think this was the highest views I've had this season for a showdown slate analysis. So thank you to all of you who read this on a regular basis and I hope it does help you in some way.
- I think one of the first decisions you have to make with Dallas is what to do with Amari Cooper (10,000). The Giants are 28th in DVOA vs the Pass and 30th against WR1s. However, Cooper has the following DK point performances on the road this season: 14.4, 9.8, and 1.3. He has enough upside to win this Showdown but could also be a decent fade if you want as he should be decently owned.
- Of course, I expect Ezekiel Elliott (11,600) and Dak Prescott (10,400) to be highly owned as well. Zeke only had 13 DK points in the first meeting, but that was coming off of a holdout. Dak had 36 and has been dynamic all season. The Giants are 12th against the pass, but 27th against pass-catching RBs. For me, Dak will definitely be in my lineup, with Elliott or Cooper being my other big priced Cowboy.
- For the Giants, I will be getting Saquon Barkley (11,400) into my lineup as well. He had 21 in the first meeting and without Sterling Shepard, he should be the most frequent receiving target for New York.
- For the rest of the Giants, there is merit in all of them. Daniel Jones (8,000) is cheap for a starting QB and is probably has the biggest boom/bust potential on the team. Matchup wise, Evan Engram (7,800) has the best matchup as Dallas is 2nd worst against the TE position. My only concern here is that Engram hasn't looked the same since coming back from injury. Golden Tate (6,800) has seen 21 targets the past two games and seems way too cheap. I think any of these three can be used as captains if you are trying to fit in 2-3 of the high priced players.
- There are a couple of value plays I can go with. Darius Slayton (5,000) has seen a simlar amount of snaps without Shepard in the lineup and did score twice last week. That may lead to him being over owned. If really digging for value, Cody Latimer (800) has had 3 and 5 targets in the past two games, and has operated as the #3 WR. It's not the best value we've seen in the showdown slates this year, but I think he is viable.
- With DST and Kickers, I think Dallas Defense (5,400) could be in play against Jones, who has thrown at least one interception in four games. If looking at kickers, give me Brett Maher (4,000) who has games of 15 and 14 the past two weeks.
Cowboys Players I will Consider: Elliott, Prescott, Cooper, Maher, Cowboys Defense
Giants Players I will Consider: Barkley, Tate, Jones, Engram, Latimer
Sunday Night: New England @ Baltimore
This feels like it could be a low scoring type of game. Touchdowns will be at a premium and I'm not sure where they will come from on the Baltimore side. New England will be just as tough so I'll take a look at this from a volume perspective and potentially the best TD chances.
- The best matchups lie with the New England side, as the Ravens as slightly below average against the rush, and can be had by tight ends and pass catching RBs. With the other tight ends ruled out, Benjamin Watson (4,500) becomes a decent option. And, as a bonus, it's a revenge game for him!
- The toe injury to James White (7,000) could cause some chaos in this slate. If he goes, his 12-15 point usual output would certainly play in this game. If he's out, this could open some touches for Rex Burkhead (3,200) who would most likely assume the pass catching role. Sony Michel (7,600) continues to have chances at the goal line but is not converting. I would rather take White/Burkhead over Michel in this spot.
- Tom Brady (11,200) is in play, especially with some values in play here. If you're playing him, Julian Edelman (10,400) is probably a must play, as he gone for 20+ DK points in three of his last four games. You can take a flyer on one of the others, but it's hard to know how many more snaps Mohamed Sanu (6,800) will get. If he gets more, it would be at the expense of Philip Dorsett (6,600).
- For the Ravens, I don't have much interest in the running game. Of course, I mean running backs as I am really curious to see how Lamar Jackson (11,400) does against this Patriots defense. His rushing ability gives him such a high floor that even in a tough matchup, he still should produce enough to have one of the higher scores in this slate.
- The Patriots are Top 10 against every position. With Marquise Brown (7,200) likely to be limited if active, we should see Mark Andrews (7,400) and Willie Snead (4,200) be the primary receiving options, though Snead only had one target in their last game. Miles Boykin (2,000) and Chris Moore (200) both did see over 50% of the snaps in their last game, but saw few targets. If we see similar snap counts, both are viable, with Boykin having more upside.
- Maybe my favorite Raven play outside of Jackson will be Justin Tucker (4,000). His ability to hit from 50+ combined with a Patriots defense that traditionally is stingy in allowing touchdowns makes himi in play. The Patriots Defense (7,800) has put up huge numbers and I expect them to be popular. However, this is a lot of money for a defense and Baltimore is the best team they have faced all year. I understand the play but think this will be a fade spot for me.
Patriots I am Considering: Edelman, Brady, White/Burkhead, Watson
Ravens I am Considering: Jackson, Tucker, Andrews, Any one of the cheap WRs
