Opening the international series of the 2022 season, Minnesota @New Orleans, here we cover the DraftKings showdown slate. The first international game, and I’ll be attending- so I’m hoping for a good game! Not sure if Sunday Morning Football is what this would officially be called, but I’m going to go with it. This game actually (now) is a rematch of the 2 QBs in London. Kirk Cousins and Andy Dalton met each other in 2016, in a tie that had PLENTY of missed kicks in overtime.
In this slate, I’m avoiding Dalvin Cook. The Saints defensive front is tough to get going against, and Cook is banged up going into the game. Nope.
DraftKings SMF Showdown 2022 –Minnesota @New Orleans Captain Picks
Alvin Kamara ($13,800 Capt/ $9,200 Flex)
Kamara should see an upgrade with Jameis Winston ruled out of the game. There are some concerns over his health, but he should be able to play effectively in this game. Kamara should be able to get a bunch of carries, as well as dump-offs from Andy Dalton. With the DK scoring, he should be a great player on this slate to build around.
Andy Dalton ($9,000 Capt/ $6,000 Flex)
Dalton is worth a consideration at captain, because he wasn’t priced as the starter here. The Vikings secondary isn’t the greatest, and even with Dalton’s arm lacking strength, he should be able to carve up the defense. A nice-cheap player you can add and pick up multiple studs as a result.
DraftKings SMF Showdown 2022 – Minnesota @New Orleans Flex Picks
Justin Jefferson ($11,600)
Jefferson is one of the best WRs in the league, but hasn’t had the performances in fantasy to back that up. The Vikings receiver hasn’t had a decent game since he smashed the Packers’ secondary in Week 1. As a result, combined with his salary, he could be under-owned on this slate. I’m not confident enough to put Jefferson in a lot of lineups, and I can’t justify putting him as the Captain here, but I’ll have some shares this week.
Chris Olave ($8,600)
Olave has impressed to start the season, with targets and yards in the offense. The offense changing from YOLO master Jameis Winston to Andy Dalton hurts Olave. But, with Michael Thomas out of the offense he should see an uptick in targets this week. Olave’s route running should help him get free of the Vikings poor secondary, and Olave has the ability to break a long run.
Adam Thielen/ K.J. Osborn ($7,400/ $6,200)
Jefferson is going to be forcing the Saints to give him double coverage, meaning that there will be a secondary receiver that has a good game. Which one? Honestly, I’m not sure. Thielen isn’t performing as he has in previous seasons with a big target share, especially in the redzone in this new offense. Osborn has the ability to convert a pass for a big gain, with his downfield ability. Osborn is overlooked constantly, with the name of Thielen. Of the two, I’d opt for the cheaper- but I’m going to have a mix of both in GPPs.
Jarvis Landry ($5,600)
Landry has been dealing with an injury, but he should be able to play in this game. Operating out of the slot, close to the line of scrimmage he is going to be getting alot of check-downs from Dalton as he looks to move the team upfield. Has a decent floor with his targets (and receptions), if he were to fall into the endzone, he would become a fantastic value.
Irv Smith Jr. ($5,000)
Smith has been seeing more of the ball as he returns from the injury that forced him to miss the whole of last season. Smith could end up being a release for Kirk Cousins if the Saints bring the heat- perfect for the PPR scoring on DraftKings.
Juwan Johnson ($3,000)
Johnson is my favorite cheaper option on the slate. Dalton has had a propensity towards targetting TEs, and Johnson has the ability to stretch the field. The team also have other TEs (eurgh Taysom Hill), but Johnson should be able to make some plays here. As a big-bodied receiver, he has a decent shot at falling into the endzone too.
DraftKings SMF Showdown 2022 – Minnesota @New Orleans Kickers and DSTs
I’m intrigued with the DSTs here. The Vikings DST ($4,400) are a decent unit, with playmakers upfront. The Saints offensive line has struggled at times, which is why I could see the Vikings getting a bunch of sacks in this one. Dalton has also shown that he can fall apart when put under pressure, which could lead to some turnovers. The Saints DST ($3,400) are great in real life, able to put teams under pressure, but aren’t as appealing in this one. There is of course the narrative that Cousins has struggled with the focus on him in games.
The kickers, again, feel like decent value. Both Greg Joseph ($4,200) & Wil Lutz ($4,000) are solid plays, with both offenses able to move the ball downfield, but may struggle to punch it in reliably. I’d have a mix of both, with slightly more Lutz due to the poorer QB throwing the ball.
Remember any DFS questions, you can check out our articles here. Or you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Image Credit: Chuck Cook – USA TODAY Sports
