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Captain Breakdown for Chargers vs. Chiefs
If Thursday night's NFL game provides a showdown outlook similar to a few of the other recent ones we've seen, then we're going to be in for a pretty wild ride. Just one week ago we watched the Tennessee Titans roll to a 30-9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While that wasn't surprising, the fact that Derrick Henry, who had been quiet from a yardage standpoint all year, ripped off 238 yards and four scores, certainly was.
That game alone proved that anything can happen in primetime and while focusing on the stats and numbers is a key way to build, playing off the situation is important as well. The Chiefs and Chargers boast impressive offenses, but that doesn't necessarily mean the top matchups are the only players to target.
With that said, the bulk of captain choices will come down to key matchups and good spots, but I'll stray a bit from that here. After all, this game comes with a projected total of 53.5 (per Odds Shark), and it's still rising. The Chiefs also sit as 3.5-point favorites at this moment, so oddsmakers are expecting a close game.
A solid way to construct lineups and even pick captains can be by utilizing the odds and projected total to predict your own game script. If you think we're going to see a shootout with a ton of back-and-forth, then targeting boom-or-bust players with touchdown upside makes sense. I'll dig deeper into that, but there are certainly some offensive weapons on both sides worth of captain consideration for this DraftKings showdown slate.
Favorite Captain Choices
I'll lock down on 4-5 (sometimes a one more or less) names who I like in the captain spot. The reason I pick such a high number is that it allows me to remain flexible in the construction of lineups. Below the choices, I'll also lay out the 2-3 names who stand out as my favorite from that bunch (broken down by expensive and inexpensive).
Here's a look at the top targets for game one of the Week 15 slate, all of which feature the 1.5x price tag on Draftkings.
– Patrick Mahomes ($18,600)
– Keenan Allen ($16,200)
– Tyreek Hill ($15,600)
– Justin Jackson ($10,200, if Melvin Gordon out)
– Demarcus Robinson ($6,900)
– Damien Williams ($6,000)
*Philip Rivers ($16,800) is a fine option while Travis Kelce ($15,300) has upside as always.
Favorite expensive/mid-range captains: Keenan Allen, Tyreek Hill
Top value-saving captains: Justin Jackson, Damien Williams
For the most part, I find myself not spending up to nearly $19,000 on a captain, but Patrick Mahomes may very well prove to be the rare exception. There's so much value here, especially if Melvin Gordon is ruled out, that using an expensive captain makes a lot of sense. Obviously, some of the less expensive plays will come with a fair amount of risk, but there are some great spots.
If you're paying down at captain in order to load up on the rest of the roster, it's going to be hard to look past Justin Jackson. If both Gordon and Austin Ekeler are ruled out, Jackson should see a huge workload and have little trouble producing against a Chiefs defense who's struggled against running backs.
The two top wide receivers on both teams in Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill are certainly worth considering and are great mid-range options due to their upside. Hill is currently dealing with a foot injury but is fully expected to play. That aspect alone could drive down his ownership a bit and makes him even more appealing if you believe he can continue playing at a high level.
Let's start things off with the optimal lineup and I'll break down the specific plays along the way.
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DraftKings NFL Picks & Optimal Lineups for Chargers vs. Chiefs Showdown