Getty Gallery: 5/5
Single Entry/Cash Lineup
– CAPTAIN: Mohamed Sanu ($7,500)
– Michael Thomas ($11,400)
– Julio Jones ($10,400)
– Drew Brees ($10,000)
– Tre'Quan Smith ($6,400)
– Wil Lutz ($3,400)
Lineup if Tre'Quan Smith is out:
– CAPTAIN: Mohamed Sanu ($7,500)
– Michael Thomas ($11,400)
– Julio Jones ($10,400)
– Drew Brees ($10,000)
– Mark Ingram ($8,000)
– Ito Smith ($2,600)
I fully plan on having quite a bit of Tre'Quan Smith if he plays, but we need to plan accordingly for the possibility he sits. With the "safe" lineup here, I chose to pay down a bit at captain and go with Falcons wideout Mohamed Sanu. While most will flock to the other Falcons pass-catchers, this is where we can find some exceptional value with big upside.
As Rotoworld's Evan Silva detailed, Sanu runs 76 percent of his snaps out of the slot, meaning he'll ace P.J. Williams, who's had some legitimate struggles this season. He has the best matchup of any Falcons wide receiver and the potential to post a big game and even top the 100-yard mark while finding the end zone.
Sanu's value in the captain spot lets us add on two of the NFL's top pass-catchers with him in Julio Jones and Michael Thomas. Both players should have little trouble pushing for a least one score and should each see double-digit targets. With the potential for this game to turn into a shootout, I'm a fan of getting top pass-catchers on each side and this handles that perfectly.
The Drew Brees play doesn't need a ton of explanation, but there's a reason why he's pushing towards the NFL's Most Valuable Player award. He's thrown 25 touchdowns with just one interception all year and is completing 76.9 percent of his passes. The Falcons have been brutally bad against both quarterbacks and wide receivers (and running backs, for that matter), so it's like the perfect storm.
Brees should torch a Falcons defense that's allowed 2,959 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. Putting him together with Thomas and Smith, especially if the Falcons are able to keep this game close, makes for a great way to construct lineups. It all depends on the way you believe game flow will go, but there's both safety and upside with this lineup.
Finally, my push to play more kickers in this game continues. I simply think Wil Lutz's floor is safe and that he's a solid single entry/cash play. There's not a ton of risk and I'm not going to try to bet that the Falcons defense suddenly comes to life and finds a way to hold one of the NFL's best offenses in check. Especially not in a national game on their own home field.
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DraftKings NFL Picks & Top Optimal Lineups for Falcons vs. Saints Showdown