We are here to cover the 2022 DraftKings showdown slate for Monday Night Football Week 8, Cincinnatti @Cleveland. This game is a critical AFC North matchup as it will help shape the playoff horizon for both teams. Burrow has never won a game against the Browns but looks poised to do so this week as the Browns have been struggling. Vegas has the O/U set to 45.5 and they expect the Bengals to win by 3.5 points. Burrow will rally his team to a win while the Browns score enough points to keep it close.
DraftKings MNF Showdown 2022 – Cincinnatti @Cleveland Captain Picks
Joe Burrow ($17,100 Capt/ $11,400 Flex)
After a rough 0-2 start Burrow has found his groove. In the last 3 games, he has averaged 332 yards and 2+ touchdowns. His offensive line is healthy so the pressure Burrow experienced at the beginning of the season is significantly less. Also, he is doing a better job of not getting sacked. Lately, the Bengals have found success scoring early, so I see them relying on Burrow’s arm and airing it out in the first half of the game. He will miss his favorite WR, Ja’Marr Chase as he is out for four to six weeks due to a hip injury. I don’t think this will hurt his production because he has such a good rapport with Higgins, Boyd, and Hurst that if anything it makes the correlation between his teammates stronger.
Nick Chubb ($15,600 Capt/ $10,400 Flex)
Chubb has officially taken over the backfield and is getting all of the carries. The Browns will look to control the game and prevent the Bengals from holding on to the ball. Chubb should get the bulk of the 3rd down work and red zone opportunities. The Bengals are okay at stopping the run but as of late most teams have been playing from behind. I see the Browns airing it out if they go down early so I’m hoping Chubb can hit value by falling into the end zone a few times.
DraftKings MNF Showdown 2022 – Cincinnatti @Cleveland Flex Picks
Joe Mixon ($9,400 Flex)
Earlier this year Mixon had a player’s only meeting with his offensive line. Immediately after that group started playing better. The Bengals should gain an early lead, giving Mixon the opportunity to run down the clock. With the number of touches he is getting in the offense, his TD numbers need to improve don’t they?
Tee Higgins ($8,000 Flex)
Higgins’s status greatly improves with Chase being out. I expect Burrow to look for him early and to finish with at least 5 catches and a touchdown. The only reason Higgins puts up a goose egg is if Boyd, Hurst, and Mixon gobble up all the targets. I’m more inclined to make lineups with a full Bengals stack. The pricing is really nice too.
Amari Cooper ($7,600 Flex)
Cooper has really struggled to make an impact in road games, but has been able to perform when at home. The Browns offense are going to need to air it out if the Bengals get out to an early lead, or if they struggle to establish the run. Cooper is a sneaky option on the slate, with owners put off his inconsistency.
Tyler Boyd ($6,400 Flex)
Chase’s status has bumped the whole receiver core. The defense will focus on preventing the run and stopping Higgins from getting chunk plays. I like pairing him up with Burrow and Hurst to grab as many points as possible since we know the Bengals offense will score
Kareem Hunt ($5,600 Flex)
This could well be the last game for Hunt with the Browns, as it looks like he is going to be traded. Even before that distraction, Hunt hasn’t been great this season. The ownership is going to be low, and Hunt does still have the ability to score multiple times- especially if Chubb were to be injured during the game.
Hayden Hurst ($5,200 Flex)
Hurst is dealing with a couple of groin and ankle injuries- limiting him in practice this week. If healthy, Hurst could present himself as a nice able body for Burrow to throw. As mentioned before I like stacking him up with the rest of his team.
Donovan People Jones ($5,000 Flex)
DPJ has silently produced and is averaging 6 targets a game while bolstering a 62% completion rate. I figure the Browns will be playing from behind and in their last game against Baltimore, they abandoned the run as soon as the Ravens took the lead. I like DPJ a lot since Cooper should see the bulk of the secondary’s focus.
Harrison Bryant ($4,000 Flex)
David Njoku is out with an ankle injury leaving a huge void in the Cleveland pass offense. Bryant could see an increase in targets, especially if they fall behind early. In his last two games, he has averaged 2.5 catches and 16 yards. Hopefully, Brissett can build off these reps and find solid production from Bryant
Mike Thomas ($1,200 Flex)
Thomas is likely to see the field in three receiver sets, with Ja’Marr Chase ruled out. With the way the Bengals offense has worked, Thomas offers massive savings that can let you fit in multiple studs into your lineup.
Pharaoh Brown ($200 Flex)
The Browns like to run 2 to 3 TE sets, making way for chunk plays through play action. If Brown can get through concussion protocol, he will be a must-add to all my lineups. You get the potential of a TE1 in a game for merely $200- must I say more.
DraftKings MNF Showdown 2022 – Cincinnatti @Cleveland Kickers and DSTs
Kickers: Primetime football seems to be always a slugfest. To fit in the studs and be a bit contrarian I would pick the kicker from the team you think will win. Evan McPherson ($4,600) and Cade York ($4,400) are both reasonably priced since both offenses are dealing with injuries and may have to rely on their legs.
Both defenses are mediocre and I’m not too keen on rostering either of them. Bengals DST ($4,200) and Browns DST ($3,800). If I had to pick one it would be the Bengals, since the Browns will be playing from behind.
So, there are our DraftKings selections for the 2022 Showdown of Cincinnatti @Cleveland! Remember any DFS questions, you can check out our articles here. Or you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Image Credit: Ken Blaze – USA TODAY Sports
