Starting Week 10 of the action, the 2023 DraftKings showdown slate- Carolina @Chicago. The battle of…..whoever can make the least mistakes? Really feels like that is going to be the game. Both offenses have stalled plenty of time this season, and have defenses you can find weak spots on. The O/U here is 39.5, with the Bears favored by a FG.
DraftKings TNF Showdown 2023 – Carolina @Chicago Captain Picks
Adam Thielen ($17,700 Capt/ $11,800 Flex)
Thielen really IS the Panthers passing offense. His 76 targets is double the guy in second place, and his 62 receptions is more than 3 times anyone else on the roster. Has only really dudded in 2 games this season. Garbage time is a hell of a thing. With DK’s PPR scoring, decent floor.
DJ Moore ($15,900 Capt/ $10,600 Flex)
Moore has a decent floor in any given game, with 6/7 targets and 50-ish yards a game. Not had anything close to a big game (or scored a TD) since his week-winning game against Washington. The Panthers defense has funnelled teams to run against them though, which limits his upside here. Also the whole revenge game narrative, if you are a believer in that.
Cole Kmet ($9,900 Capt/ $6,600 Flex)
Kmet has been having a decent time with Bagent looking his way often. Has 18 targets in his last two games, which makes him the teams leading target over that period. WIth his size combination too, really has a good chance of adding to his 5 TDs for the season. Cheap CPT play, with maybe the most upside and a decent floor.
Khalil Herbert ($6,300 Capt/ $4,200 Flex)
Herbert is priced down here, as he isn’t yet off IR (at the time of writing). But, it looks likely that he is going to be able to play after logging full practice sessions all week. If he is able to play, the obvious question will be workload. But, the Panthers defense have been handing points to the RB position this season, so even in a split of carries he could hit value here. Putting him as your CPT allows you plenty of salary to save for the elite flex plays. EDIT: Early reports are that Herbert won’t be activated in time, in which case D’Onta Foreman is a great CPT option.
DraftKings TNF Showdown 2023 – Carolina @Chicago Flex Picks
Bryce Young ($9,800 Flex)
Let’s be honest. It’s not been a great start to Young’s rookie season. Only had one game with multiple TDs through the air, and not gone over 250 passing yards. With his rushing work not really there either. There isn’t much to get excited about here. The amount of turnovers he has had this season, it’s hard to really trust him- even against this poor Chicago secondary. You don’t need to stack him with his receivers here either. They can get there without him.
Tyson Bagent ($9,200 Flex)
Bagent looks set to be the starter again for the Bears, with Justin Fields listed as doubtful. Hasn’t been terrible, but hasn’t been great. Looked more comfortable last week in the loss to the Saints, but struggled with turnovers. That turnover threat isn’t the same against this Panthers defense. Not sure I’d go for him in too many lineups though, the ceiling just isn’t there in this run-first offense.
D’Onta Foreman ($8,600 Flex)
Foreman has been looking decent on the ground after taking the backfield through injury. Also has the revenge game narrative after playing with the Panthers last season. Getting plenty of carries in this offense, and should be able to have success against the Panthers defensive front. Would normally be a smash CPT play, but the (likely) return of Herbert from IR is going to hurt his upside and impact his ownership. I will mix in some CPT shots, but mainly have him as a flex play. EDIT: With the early reports of Herbert not being activated, Foreman is a great CPT option
Chuba Hubbard ($8,000 Flex)
Hubbard has really staked a claim on this backfield. Has double-digit carries in his last three games, with a decent number (9) targets thrown in too. The Bears defense is one that you can run on, so Hubbard should be able to see some success here just through volume. If he snaps a long run he smashes. Unlike the Bears backfield, Sanders is really starting to become an afterthought.
Darnell Mooney ($7,400 Flex)
Every team has a boom/ bust receiver and Mooney is that guy for the Bears. Had his best yardage and reception game last week, catching 5 passes for 82 yards. The Panthers secondary have been effective against WRs this season, giving up just 29.50DKPts to the position this season, but Mooney has the speed to get downfield and be a problem if given the opportunity.
Miles Sanders ($5,200 Flex)
Sanders started the season as the lead back, but after suffering an injury and being inactive in Week 6, he has struggled to get back to a decent workload. Only has 8 carries and 5 targets in his last two games (since his injury return). He could hit here, just because the Bears defensive line is giving up 24.70DKPts on average to the position, but you need something big to happen on a limited workload. Almost feels like an expensive dart-throw here.
Hayden Hurst ($4,800 Flex)
Hurst has been popping up in the offense, but really hasn’t been able to get enough volume to really be an effective fantasy option. The Bears defense are one of the worst units in the league at defending the position, giving up 13.8DKPts on average to the position. That mark is well above what he has managed in any other game this season though. Such is the stranglehold that Thielen has in this offense for targets.
Jonathan Mingo ($2,800 Flex)
Mingo is the WR2 for the Panthers on the season, and likely going to be here in this one with DJ Chark listed as doubtful. Mingo has shown his ability at times, but is struggling to make an impact with limited looks after Thielen has taken his chunk out of the offense. At the price I don’t mind including him as a flex, but there is limited ceiling in this offense.
Terrace Marshall ($400 Flex)
Marshall was priced on the assumption that Chark was going to be playing, and with his price is going to be a popular play on this slate. Had two games where he saw plenty of targets, but since then hasn’t seen the field all that much. At this price though, with his WR3 role, doesn’t need to do much to hit value.
Dart Throw Plays (Various)
Instead of writing up a line for a few options with their own sections, thought I’d list out a few in one area. Not really worth considering these as core plays, only in multi-entry GPPs:
- Roschon Johnson/ Darrynton Evans (RB, CHI) $3,600/ $1,800 Flex – One of these two could be inactive fro this one, which would (obviously) immediately discount them as a dart-throw. But, against this Panthers defensive line the RB3 (whoever it is) could pop here. Wouldn’t go crazy here though, you’ll be looking for a big gain on a minimal workload.
- Tommy Tremble/ Stephen Sullivan (TE, CAR) $2,400/ $600 Flex – The starting TE for the Panthers only has 28 targets this season, so the TE2 and TE3 in this offense don’t exactly have mass appeal with their combined 15 targets. Really you are hoping one of them falls into the endzone, and Tremble has done that twice this season already. I’d really look elsewhere though, as $2.4k is an expensive TD-dependent punt.
- Robert Tonyan (TE, CHI) $1,400 Flex – at some point the Bears have to realize that they have an effective redzone option at their TE2 spot don’t they? It’s a tough matchup against the Panthers, and would need to fall into the endzone most likely with two targets in a game being his season best.
- Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR, CAR) $200 Flex – With Chark doubtful, the WR3 role is likely to be shared and Shenault at min-price could hit value with little production. Hasn’t had that many targets in the offense, but has run the ball a few times this season. With returning duties too, there a few ways he could get the handful of points to hit value here.
- Tyler Scott/ Velus Jones Jr. (WR, CHI) $200 Flex – Both of these receivers are really seeing one or two targets, and getting a few rush attempts mixed in. They also split return duties. Both of them are the type of min-price player that can hit value quickly and take over a showdown slate. But, they are far more likely to get a zero than a meaningful score.
DraftKings TNF Showdown 2023 – Carolina @Chicago Kickers and DSTs
The kickers here are worth considering in a low-scoring game. Cairo Santos ($5,000) has been solid this season, only missing his first FG attempt last week. Has been given a few attempts each week as the Bears offense struggles in the second half of the field. Eddy Pineiro ($4,400) has missed 2 of his 16 FG attempts this season, but both have been from long range. Not a bad option at the price, as Young has stalled out plenty of times this season. In this type of game, I don’t mind taking both kickers in a single lineup.
The Bears DST ($4,600) have some playmakers, but haven’t really managed to do too much for fantasy scoring. The team have only combined for 10 sacks, but they have forced 13 turnovers. That is where they can be dangerous here against a turnover-prone Young throwing the ball. The Panthers DST ($4,000) feel a little expensive, even in an expected low-scoring game. The team have only combined for 17 sacks this season, and managed to force 7 turnovers. With Brian Burns unlikely to suit up here, this defense feels a little toothless.
So, there are our DraftKings selections for the 2023 Showdown of Carolina @Chicago! Remember any DFS questions, you can check out our articles here. Or you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Image Credit: Jim Dedmon – USA TODAY Sports
