In a battle of the 2017 newcomers, Sunday starts with a duel between two of the most electrifying young stars in the NFL. Deshaun Watson showed to be special in crucial moments last week, but he’ll need to do a lot more to keep this game within distance. A rematch from earlier this season in a game the Texans won in Kansas City, many variables have changed since then and we look to dive into the DraftKings Showdown slate with a few players that can help you bring down a tournament.
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Patrick Mahomes (KC), QB ($12,800/$19,200 Capt.)
The obvious! But how can you stay away on a showdown slate when his ceiling is higher than any others in this game, as will be his ownership. In Cash games, you must have one of the Quarterbacks in this game as your captain, but in large tournament fields, you may want to shy away from as it could give you a big jump on the competition.
The matchup is perfect facing a Texans defense that allowed the 2nd most DraftKings points per game to the QB position while only generating 30 sacks. A leaky defense with Mahomes having time is a recipe for disaster defending the Chiefs, a team that can beat you with speed if the wideouts can get downfield. I expect big plays from the Chiefs offense with the visiting team allowing 56 plays of 20+ yards (6th most) but even more alarming, the Texans allowed the most plays of 40+ yards with 18 on the season.
Mahomes will be highly owned but deserves to be, differentiating your lineup in other spots might be the way to go.
Deshaun Watson (HOU), QB ($11,000/$16,500 Capt.)
Those that fade Mahomes at the captain spot will most likely fall on the opposing team’s quarterback. In a potential shootout, where we stated earlier the Chiefs likeliness to hit big plays, the game script could lead to the Texans playing from behind, chasing points leading to more opportunity for Watson. For the Texans play-caller playing from behind and as an underdog has historically led to better numbers.
Playing on the road might not be the worse thing for the Texans QB where ha averages 8.27 YPA compared to 7.88 at home. Also, look for Watson to use his legs more in K.C where he also averages 7 more rush yards as a visitor.
Watson will carry a slightly lower owner percentage than Mahomes and playing from behind could lead to him being the highest scorer in the game.
Tyreek Hill (KC), WR ($10,400/$15,600 Capt.)
My favorite player outside of Quarterbacks, Hill could be exactly what you need in this game to take down a huge payout. The Cheetah will run wild Sunday and I believe he gives the Texans trouble throughout the game. The Chiefs have shown their desire to keep Hill involved through whether it’s deep balls or even designed wide receiver bubble screens. Hill’s homerun play ability makes him a threat to lead in points while giving you some salary relief.
The matchup is juicy with the Texans allowing the most plays of 40+ yards in the league and ranked in the bottom 3rd in Wide receiver yards and touchdowns this season.
Travis Kelce (KC), TE ($9,000/$13,500 Capt.)
Another way to deviate your lineups at the captain position will be by filling the spot with one of the best tight ends in the game. Kelce has the ability to lead a slate at any moment and with the public gravitating to the QB’s in this game, Kelce could bust it open for you.
The Texans were bottom 12 defending tight ends surrendering 13.1 DraftKings points per game. In the first matchup, Tashaun Gipson was able to hold Kelce to 58 yards on 4 catches. The only problem, Gipson won’t be there this time around. This could lead to a game where Mahomes peppers his tight end with targets leading to a multiple touchdown game. Using Kelce at captain opens up salary to maintain a more balanced roster.
On the season, Kelce owns a 14.9% share of the team’s red-zone targets leading all tight ends on the season.
Damien Williams (KC), RB($8,000/$12,000 Capt.)
Another way to try to separate yourself from the field is to use someone in the ground game in a game that’s expected to have a lot of passing. Not only does Williams give you that option, but he’s also involved in the pass game where last time out he had 7 targets. The Texans allow the 5th most DraftKings points to opposing backs, but they also surrender the 3rd most yards and receptions to the position. Houston allowed the 2nd most receiving touchdowns to running backs with 8, look for Williams to capitalize on both the ground and air.
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