FanDuel DFS Showdown: Best Captain And Value Plays For Eagles Vs. Cowboys

Build winning FanDuel NFL showdown lineups with our Week 1 DFS strategy, salary cap tips, and top value plays as the Eagles take on the Cowboys.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

FanDuel’s showdown events have a $60,000 salary cap for six roster slots. Their captains also rewarded player 1.5 times their fantasy points with the same bump in salary cost for anyone selected. In my first DFS preview for DraftKings, I went more in-depth about these showdown formats and how to approach building your lineups.

This contest is 1/2-point PPR compared to full point PPR at DraftKings, shifting an edge toward the running back position. In addition, FanDuel doesn’t award a three-point bonus for reaching 300 yards passing or 100 yards rushing or receiving.

In the past, I felt FanDuel made it easier to play a deeper nucleus of star players, where DraftKings showdown gamers had to find a hidden crumb at times to take home a big score. 

Based on their scoring system, the goal is to find players that can score more than 1.5 fantasy points per $1,000 invested. 

Captain: Saquon Barkley

Any team built with Saquon Barkley will leave only 64% of their salary to fill out the last five slots in the line, or about $7,680 per player. The options meeting requirements are:

• Eagles’ Defense ($7,800)
• Dallas Goedert ($7,400)
• Javonte Williams ($6,600)
• Brandon Aubrey ($6,200)
• Jake Elliott ($5,800)
• Cowboys’ Defense ($5,400)
• Jake Ferguson ($5,000)

Rostering Brandon Aubrey And Jake Ferguson

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) practices before the 2024 NFC wild card game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

By rostering Aubrey and Ferguson, my final three roster slots have a potential cost of $9,067 each, giving a chance at two higher projected players (Jalen Hurts and CeeDee Lamb) if I want to chase the backend of the player pool for a $3,000 option.

• Jahan Dotson ($3,000) had a minimal role in most games last season after getting traded from Washington just before the first week. He was pretty much a one-to two-catch guy except for Week 18 (7/94). A year in the Eagles system suggested more targets, but game score must favor the pass (against the grain) for him to reach double-digit fantasy points.
• KaVontae Turpin ($2,800) could be a sneaky backend option. He returns kicks, and some believe he will emerge as the Cowboys' WR3 this year.
• Jaydon Blue ($2,400) should rotate snaps with Miles Sanders in this game, but most of the running back action for Dallas should slow through Javonte Williams. 

Shifting Saquon Barkley To The Flex Spot

A shift from caption to a flex lineup spot for Saquon Barkley leaves $10,200 in salary, which puts this team build at the mercy of Javonte Williams ($9,900).

If I move A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, or George Pickens to the captain slot, I will have to remove one of my big three (Barkley, Lamb, or Hurts) in my lineup.

The Perfect Thursday Night Football NFL DFS Showdown Lineup On FanDuel

In the end, the best-looking lineup for me has Jake Ferguson at captain, followed by Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, George Pickens, and Brandon Aubrey. 

Player	Salary
Jake Ferguson (CAP)	$7,500
Saquon Barkley	$14,400
Jalen Hurts	$12,200
A.J. Brown	$11,200
George Pickens	$8,400
Brandon Aubrey	$6,200