The curtain raiser of the 2023 DraftKings showdown slates- Dallas @New York. The O/U in this one has been set at 46.5 points, with Dallas favored by around a field goal. This divisional game has been an interesting one in the past few seasons, and with playmakers on offense and defense this should be another tight game. The Cowboys won both games last season, by a combined 15 points.
DraftKings SNF Showdown 2023 – Dallas @New York Captain Picks
Tony Pollard ($16,500 Capt/ $11,000 Flex)
Pollard had his best season last year, and was so effective that the team let veteran Ezekiel Elliott leave during the offseason. There aren’t really volume concerns here. Pollard has shown that he has the ability to shoulder a heavy workload out of the backfield- both on the ground and through the air. With new OC Brian Schottenheimer, I imagine plenty of carries in this one too. He is going to be a popular choice at CPT, but with the workload and scoring opportunity, it’s hard to pass up.
Saquon Barkley ($15,900 Capt/ $10,600 Flex)
Barkley is a big part of this Giants offense. Barkley led the Giants last year in carries and targets, and tied in receptions. He only had one game where he didn’t get double-digit carries, and had six with 20 or more. Combined with his receiving ability, he is by far the safest Giant to roster on the slate. He was a little boom-or-bust considering his volume of work in the offense. If Waller is out, he will be in lineups as my only Giants play in a good number or lineups.
CeeDee Lamb ($15,600 Capt/ $10,400 Flex)
Lamb is one of the most elite receivers in the league. He commands a healthy target share, and has the ability to be productive with every target. In his two games against the Giants last season, he had 23 targets which led to 14 receptions, 193 yards, and 1 TD. The Giants have struggled to defend the lead receiver historically, and I can’t see a strong reason why that would change. Lamb is a nice pivot from Pollard as a CPT choice.
DraftKings SNF Showdown 2023 – Dallas @New York Flex Picks
Dak Prescott ($10,000 Flex)
Prescott was ok last year, with some nice performances mixed in with some weaker ones. Prescott didn’t manage to really light it up on any individual games. But, if this offense is able to take a step forward through the air with a great WR2 addition, then Prescott is a nice stack with Lamb and another receiver. I don’t have enough confidence in him to really recommend a CPT play, but I’ll sprinkle him in a little.
Daniel Jones ($9,400 Flex)
Despite continuing to look like Bambi one ice when in the open field, Jones had a career-best season for yardage through the air, with only 5 INTs- as well as increased work on the ground. Jones has a nice ceiling week to week with his ability to break off a big run and potentially get into the endzone. Getting a QB like him for less than $10k in as a flex is nice. I’d have more shares of him as CPT if it wasn’t for my love of other plays on the slate. I’d mark him as an honorable mention as a CPT truly.
Darren Waller ($8,400 Flex)
All offseason Waller has been touted as the lead receiver in this offense. Against the Cowboys, he was going to be a big part of my player pool until he appeared on the injury report. With his long-term issues with his hamstring, this could be a case where Waller is put on a snap count or removed from the lineup entirely. At the price, I’m going to avoid him in my player pool- it’s too big of a risk.
Brandin Cooks ($7,200 Flex)
Cooks comes into the Dallas receiving room in what is projected (and should be) the WR2 role in this offense behind Lamb. Cooks has long shown his talent in the league, despite being bounced around. If the Giants attempt to take away Lamb’s production through the air, Cooks is going to pop. A solid flex play.
Isaiah Hodgins ($6,400 Flex)
Hodgins profiles as the leading WR for the Giants, and could be the target leader if Waller were to be forced to miss time. Hodgins is likely to be given attention from Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs, but should have enough speed to break coverage. He is my preferred Giants pass-catcher on the slate, even if Waller were to suit up in this one.
Michael Gallup ($5,800 Flex)
Gallup looks to be relegated to the WR3 role with the team bringing in Cooks as the WR2. But, with that ‘demotion’ he could still be productive. It’s where he has had production in the past when Lamb and Amari Cooper were ahead of him in the depth chart. Has nice upside, and the price takes into account his lack of floor- great GPP flex option.
Darius Slayton ($5,400 Flex)
Slayton has big-play ability, shown by his average 15.7 yards per reception on the 2022 season. As a result, is a great GPP play, but doesn’t have the floor you are looking for in cash games. Slayton is likely to need a TD to hit value. I prefer Hodgins as more likely to do that, so Slayton is slightly out of my main player pool, but worth mixing in a little.
Jake Ferguson ($4,800 Flex)
Ferguson is set to start at the TE position, filling in for veteran Dalton Schultz who left a number of targets behind. He has decent athletic ability, which should help make each target count, and should see plenty of the field- even with the other TE options. Should be able to take advantage of the space left underneath as the receivers stretch the field of play.
Jalin Hyatt/ Parris Campbell ($4,600/ $4,400 Flex)
The WR3 is up for grabs and is a role likely to be won by one of these two (although you can’t fully discount the role of a fully healthy Sterling Shepard). Rookie Hyatt has gotten some hype in the preseason and has massive speed. But this mix with him/ Campbell out of the slot means he will need to catch a long pass to hit value.
Campbell moves over from the Colts and is the veteran presence for the slot position. With the way that the Cowboys’ defense pass rush works, the slot is a nice check-down for Jones if he feels the pressure. The issue with Campbell and Hyatt are both going to eat into each other, and the price tag makes it hard to really trust either of them.
Deuce Vaughn/ Rico Dowdle ($3,000/ $1,800 Flex)
We haven’t seen what the Cowboys backfield looks like without Ezekiel Elliott, so either of these is going to be a punt play with no idea on overall workload. With the offseason stories around Vaughn I’d expect him to have people lean to him.
Of the two I’d go for Dowdle who should see more touches/ receptions in this one having established himself in previous seasons as a reliable runner. But, don’t misunderstand me- outside of multi-GPP lineups I’m not grabbing either.
Sterling Shepard ($2,400 Flex)
It’s been two seasons since Shepard managed to play in ten or more games, after being hit heavily with injury in the past two seasons. But, to start the season, it seems like he is healthy. If Waller were to miss time, then he could see more targets in this game. With kick and punt returning duties too, Shepard has a chance to break off a big play. There is next to no floor for Shepard though with the other receivers on the depth chart, and he realistically struggles to make it onto the field.
Matt Breida ($1,600 Flex)
Breida has no value, unless Barkley were to suffer an injury. I suppose he could get a random goal-line carry and score a TD, but that’s what it’ll take to have him hit value- something random. Can’t really trust him in the player pool.
Peyton Hendershot/ Luke Schoonmaker ($800/ $600 Flex)
Hendershot has only ever been a bit-part player in this offense, and only scored twice in his career. With only 16 targets in his career too, he has mainly only seen the field during special teams plays. Even at this low price it’s hard to trust him to hit value.
Schoonmaker is the unknown here. He was selected in the second round of the draft, which should mean the Cowboys have some type of plan for him. Schoonmaker missed time in the offseason with injury, but has the receiving ability to be used in the redzone. If he falls into the endzone, at this price, he will immediately hit value.
Daniel Bellinger ($400 Flex)
Bellinger becomes a nice cheap play on the slate, depending on the status of Waller. Waller appeared on the injury report with a hamstring issue. If Waller’s injury is worse than thought, or he aggravates it during the game, Bellinger becomes a great play. At the price, he won’t need to do too much to hit value here.
DraftKings SNF Showdown 2023 – Dallas @New York Kickers and DSTs
The kickers are in play, as ever, in what should be a relatively even game. If that holds then both Brandon Aubrey ($4,200) and Graham Gano ($4,000) are good floor options. Aubrey missed a kick in preseason, but looks like the team are sticking with him. Gano has been a solid kicker throughout his career and should be able to convert when/ if the Giants stall out on offense. Also be prepared to hear every time that Aubrey takes the field that he is an ex-MLS player.
The Cowboys DST ($5,200) are priced highly, but with Micah Parsons leading the pass rush sacks are going to happen. The secondary for the Cowboys can be beaten over the top, but with the aggressive nature of Trevon Diggs, they can take any INTs in for a TD. I’ll have some lineups with them, but think they will be a popular play on the slate. The Giants DST ($3,400) is harder to judge. The defense has playmakers in it, and Prescott can turn the ball over, but outside of something big happening- like a turnover taken for a score, it’s hard to think too much for them in this one.
So, there are our DraftKings selections for the 2023 Showdown of Dallas @New York! Remember any DFS questions, you can check out our articles here. Or you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Image Credit: Tim Heitman – USA TODAY Sports
