Getty Gallery: 2/5
Captain Choices for Colts vs. Titans
Selecting captains in DraftKings showdown games can be approached a variety of ways, depending on your personal preference. One key focus (aside from picking a high-scoring player) is to differentiate yourself from the field. That's going to be a primary focus here, as there's a good chance that many players could jump on the same names in the captain spot.
There's a lot that goes into deciding who to put into that top spot, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, putting the highest-projected player isn't the best approach to take. That decision will really come down to the actual game itself and how you project the game flow to go between the two teams.
You'll be able to use the captain spot as a way to differentiate DFS lineups and give yourself an edge against the field if handled correctly. Depending on the number of value plays that are available in a game, there are times you'll be better off paying down at captain and finding a mid-range option. Choosing to go this route would potentially allow you to fit another stud into the flex spots and build a stronger core across the board.
For the most part, I'll lock in on 4-6 main players to target as the captain, but that decision will come down to a few different things. Regardless of how many total players I choose, I'll then narrow it down to 2-3 who are my favorite options and typically build primarily around them. Selecting somewhat of a larger number allows me a certain level of flexibility when creating lineups.
A fine way to approach captain selection can be to look at the projected total on a game. While you can use any player at any position on either team, if a game has a high over/under (which you agree with), it can impact your thought process on creating lineups. On the other side, a lower total could also impact the way start the builds.
As Odds Shark shows, the current total for this game is pretty low, sitting at 43.5 and the popular consensus seems to be on the under. With that said, there's some reason to believe that this number has a chance to be fairly accurate consider everything on the line for the two teams. I'll likely approach this with a few solid plays who have high floors, but a few boom-or-bust plays tacked on in spots.
These are the top targets for Sunday's game between the Colts and Titans, each of which features the 1.5x price tag on DraftKings.
– Andrew Luck ($17,100)
– T.Y. Hilton ($16,500)
– Derrick Henry ($16,200)
– Taywan Taylor ($8,100)
– Nyheim Hines ($7,200)
*Marlon Mack ($14,400, upside), Eric Ebron ($11,100, bad matchup) are also both worth considering.
Favorite expensive/mid-range captains: Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton
Top value-saving captains: Nyheim Hines
I decided to narrow down the choices at captain a bit because I simply think there's too much risk and potentially not enough upside to use quite a few of the other potential options there. Obviously, players like Titans wide receiver Corey Davis provide a pretty high ceiling, but with Blaine Gabbert under center, it likely lowers his upside a bit.
Speaking of Gabbert, I did consider him here, and I think there's an argument to be made that at his price ($12,300 as a captain), he's probably worth taking a chance on in 150-max games. As far as why I opted not to list Colts running back Marlon Mack and tight end Eric Ebron as top captains, they just have horrible matchups. Considering the situation and fact that this is a playoff-making game for both teams, I still think both players are in the mix.
Let's jump into the optimal lineup and I'll evaluate top picks throughout the process.