Cooper Kupp or Matthew Stafford Should Anchor Your Super Bowl LVI DFS Lineup
Super Bowl LVI is here! Time to get in on the action with some DFS plays.
For those who can’t wager on the color of the Gatorade shower, DFS is a great way to get in on the action.
There’s only one big game, so let’s build a showdown slate!
First, let’s talk about the captain or MVP spot. This spot will tally 1.5 times the points of your other spots, and there will be a premium on that player’s salary.
Here are my favorite options for cash games:
Spend up:
Cooper Kupp ($17,400): As far as I can tell, Cooper Kupp is in a smash spot this weekend. I’m pretty confident Kupp can get the best of Eli Apple, and even if they double-team him, let’s face it: Kupp will find a way. He’s logged more than 100 yards in eight of his last 11 games, including 325 yards in the last two.
Jason Behnken/AP
Matthew Stafford ($16,200): If I believe in Kupp, I’m also buying into Stafford. A total of 80% of the Rams scoring has come through the air, and Stafford has averaged 289.5 yards and more than two TDs per game this season. In the postseason, he’s passed for an average of 302 yards per game with a 72% completion rate, and he has thrown only one interception.
Joe Burrow ($15,900): We’ve seen Joe Burrow throw for more than half a thousand yards in a single game this year. That’s what I like to call “upside.” SISB has Burrow’s passing yards at 276.5 and his TDs set at 1.5. That’s essentially the same as Stafford, but you can save a little salary. Oh, and did I mention, Joe Cool has a 70% completion rate for the season?
Mid Tier:
Tee Higgins ($11,400): I’m fading Ja’Marr Chase. Yep, With a salary almost as high as Burrow’s, I don’t see how Ja’Marr Chase could return as much value. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Besides, we know Jalen Ramsey is going to be all over Chase – and sure, Chase is excellent vs. man coverage, but Sean McVay knows that, too. I can’t see the Rams allowing Chase to run free. So guess what? The door could be wide open for the OTHER 1,000-yard Cincinnati wide receiver, Tee Higgins. In the last six games of the regular season, Higgins had four games with over 100 receiving yards.
Odell Beckham Jr. ($12,600): O.K., let’s say Cincinnati does have some success limiting Cooper Kupp. It’s going to take double coverage, or maybe they move Eli Apple over to cover OBJ … either way, I like OBJ’s chances. Beckham has seen 19 targets across the last two postseason games, and he’s seen 11 red-zone targets in 11 games with Los Angeles.
Bargain Tier:
For GPP play, I like to also look at the bargain tier. Here are my favorite Captain/MVP plays that allow you to spend up elsewhere.
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Evan McPherson ($6,000): Here’s a stat for you: Of the 72 points the Bengals have scored in the postseason, 40 of them were scored by Evan McPherson. Yes, 40. That’s not a typo. McPherson has successfully kicked four field goals in every postseason game. That’s 12 field goals in total, and a whole lot of fantasy points. At only $6,000, you can afford to roster Kupp and Stafford, and you could be laughing your way all the way to the bank.
Los Angeles Rams defense ($5,100): Joe Burrow led the league this year in a lot of categories. Unfortunately, one of those was sacks. Burrow was sacked a whopping 51 times in the regular season, and he was sacked a record nine times in a single game in this postseason. Enter: Aaron Donald and Von Miller. The Rams could easily rack up some points here. Burrow has also thrown 14 regular-season interceptions and has two in the postseason.
After choosing a captain, here are some other players I like to fill out a lineup.
Joe Mixon ($9,600): Though the Rams have only allowed 44 yards per game to opposing RBs in the postseason, they have allowed three touchdowns. The Rams are also allowing a 72.6% catch rate to opposing RBs and an average of 47.6 receiving yards per game. Mixon will get the volume, and I am betting he also finds the end zone on Sunday.
Cam Akers ($6,400): The reason I can’t put Akers in my MVP spot despite the Bengals allowing 104 yards per game to opposing RBs in the postseason is because Akers has been highly inefficient – averaging only 2.6 yards per attempt since returning from injury. I do think Akers will be involved in the passing game even if he can’t get a lot going on the ground, so I will use him in at least one lineup – just not as the MVP.
Tyler Boyd ($5,400): Four of Boyd’s six touchdowns this season came in the last six games. He sees an average of 5 targets per game, and should the Rams be able to limit Chase, Boyd could put up some nice numbers.
Kendall Blanton ($4,600): If Tyler Higbee goes, Blanton is a strict fade. However, if no Higbee, this is some good value so you can spend up elsewhere. It’s essentially a dart throw, but after Higbee left the NFC championship game witn an injury, Blanton was targeted five times for 57 yards, and the previous week he caught his first career touchdown pass.
C.J. Uzomah ($4,400): if he’s back, this is outstanding value for a TE that had seen an average of six targets per game in the seven previous games before leaving early with an injury in the AFC championship match.
Remember, a single game slate is a lot like a lotto ticket. It’s a small player pool, and it could be worth throwing a few lineups into the same contest to maximize your return. So, throw a few in, then sit back and enjoy the game!
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