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It's time to wrap up Week 14 with a game that features major playoff implications in the NFC. Following a fairly wild Sunday (and Thursday) of action, the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks continue jockeying for playoff position when they square off on Monday Night Football. The winner of this game gets a huge boost when it comes to their playoff outlook, so there's a lot on the line.
Both teams would be in the postseason if it began today, as the Seahawks hold a 7-5 record, good for the No. 5 seed, with the Vikings at 6-5-1 just behind in the No. 6 spot. With that said, there are multiple six and even five-win teams who are waiting in the wings just behind both teams for a chance to grab a postseason spot.
As things currently stand, the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins are 6-7 following the weekend. Along with that, the Green Bay Packers (5-7-1), Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants (both 5-8) are trying to hold onto any slim playoff hopes but would need help. Regardless, the winner of Monday's game will distance themselves from this pack and be positioned well to make the playoffs.
Like all primetime games, there are a variety of fantasy football options for this NFC matchup. The daily fantasy players should be in for an enjoyable Monday night slate due to the matchup, but also the single-game options offered across various sites. With season-long fantasy leagues winding down and playoffs currently underway, options covering a primetime matchup are a good way to stay in the game through the year.
I'm going to take a look specifically at the DraftKings showdown slate for this game, and offer a mixture of picks and optimal lineups along the way. I'll provide three lineups – an optimal (well-rounded, mid-level risk), 150-max (more risk, high upside) and single entry/cash lineup (safer, high-floor plays).
There's also the debate over the captain spot in showdown games, as you can really differentiate lineups by choosing the right player there. We'll detail the top captain options and also some insight behind how to best approach choosing captains and utilize additional info to make strong decisions there.
Before we get into that, along with the captain choices, here's a quick look at how showdown games work for those who haven't played. Fortunately, it's all pretty straightforward and easy to build lineups.
– Six total players (one captain, five flex players)
– Captain selection costs 1.5 times standard salary but scores 1.5 times the standard points
– Can choose from any position (QB, RB, WR, TE, K, DST)
– $50,000 salary cap
– You can use more than one quarterback
We'll kick things off by looking at the aforementioned captain for the Vikings vs. Seahawks Monday night. All captains come with a 1.5x price tag but you'll receive a bonus for whichever player you select in that spot.
Following the top captain choices, we'll then jump right into the optimal lineup from that point.
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DraftKings NFL Picks & Optimal Lineups: Vikings vs. Seahawks Showdown