Super Bowl LX DFS FanDuel & DraftKings Debate: Drake Maye vs. Sam Darnold
The final game of the year is nearly upon us. With the Conference Championship Round now behind us, the Super Bowl is set, and fantasy owners have one last chance to get their fantasy football fix before the season concludes. On Sunday, February 8, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks, will face off against the No. 2 seed in the AFC, the New England Patriots, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
At the end of the day, most of the focus usually turns to the quarterbacks. In this game, we have the MVP candidate Drake Maye of the Patriots going up against the polarizing Sam Darnold of the Seahawks. However, if you are choosing between the two, which quarterback should be in your DraftKings lineup on the Super Bowl slate?
QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
The Case For Drake Maye
Maye was clearly the superior quarterback this season. Despite three brutal matchups in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos in a snowstorm, he has still managed to lead his team to the Super Bowl. We aren't overly concerned with his lack of production in the AFC Championship game because of the matchup and the weather. While this is another tough matchup, we have seen the Seahawks give up big games to quarterbacks. DraftKings ranks the Seahawks as the 10th-toughest matchup against quarterbacks, which is the better of the two matchups. He also gives you a lot more value on the ground. Already in the playoffs, he has rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown.
The Case Against Drake Maye
The Pats proved last week that they can win the game without a big passing day from Maye. He threw for just 86 yards and no touchdowns last weekend. New England still lacks any true high-end weapons. Stefon Diggs is their top option in the passing attack, and he has totaled just 74 yards and a touchdown in three playoff games so far this season. He is also the slightly more expensive option at $11,000 on DraftKings.
QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The Case For Sam Darnold
While everyone was waiting for Darnold to falter in the NFC Championship Game, he had a massive performance, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. He has momentum on his side. Darnold also has the best weapon in this game with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. If anyone is going to overcome a tough matchup in this game, it's JSN. On DraftKings, Darnold is also a cheaper option at $10,800.
The Case Against Sam Darnold
Darnold is the less talented quarterback in this matchup and has the tougher matchup with the Patriots, being ranked as the seventh-toughest matchup for quarterbacks on DraftKings. There is also always a looming concern that Darnold is going to crumble under the pressure of a big game. We have seen things spiral for him when he gets off to a shaky start. If the Patriots stick Christian Gonzalez on JSN with safety help, Darnold might have to get it done with subpar secondary weapons, which could become an issue.
Drake Maye vs. Sam Darnold Super Bowl DFS Verdict
We are going with Maye on this one. He's simply the better player and has much more upside. With the matchups and price both being close, Maye is an easy choice for us.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News:
-0e06b43c57ceb063781f337e307e72d4.png "Mark Morales-Smith")
Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more.
Follow CoolCutter21