Ricky Dimon
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Super Bowl LV is just about here, so it’s time to finalize our DFS/DraftKings lineup. In what is expected to be an offensive battle between two incredible quarterbacks and their myriad of weapons, who will shine the brightest from an individual perspective? It’s not just Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady? Also taking the field are the likes of Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski.
Let’s take a look at our six-man daily fantasy lineup for Sunday’s grand finale to the wild and wacky 2020 NFL season, and be sure to check out our full game preview prediction on the side and total.
Captain: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs ($12,000, or $18,000 as captain)
Mahomes is quite simply the best player in football. And in the biggest game in football, I can’t make any other decision except making him my captain. We are talking about the 2018 NFL MVP and even more importantly the reigning Super Bowl MVP. It would be no surprise to see him win a second in a row to go along with another Lombardi Trophy for Kansas City. So far in the playoffs, Mahomes has five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) and no interceptions. Tampa Bay boasts the No. 1 rushing defense in the league by a country mile, so the onus is going to be on Mahomes to an even greater extent than usual.
Flex: Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs ($11,000)
Kelce feels lock a lock to find the endzone on Sunday—and maybe more than once. The Chiefs’ star tight end already has three touchdown receptions through two playoff games after scoring four times in last year’s postseason (once in the Super Bowl). He is coming off a 13-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown performance against Buffalo. As mentioned above, Kansas City is likely to do most of its offensive damage through the air. Expect Kelce to once again get a ton of targets, and he should be able to turn those into plenty of success against a Buccaneers defense that has not been spectacular against tight ends. Depending on the scoring system, they allowed between the 10th-most and 12th-most fantasy points to TEs during the regular season.
Flex: Leonard Fournette, RB, Buccaneers ($7,800)
This season began with a disgruntled Fournette wanting out of Jacksonville. It may end with him winning the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. Maybe it will even end with him being named Super Bowl MVP?!?! Okay, let’s not get carried away—but he can be successful. Fournette has scored eight touchdowns with his new team (six in the regular season, two in the playoffs). The former LSU star is obviously the Bucs’ primary ball-carrier and he has become a huge part of the passing game, as well. It is also worth recalling that Fournette thrives on the big stage. During the Jaguars’ 2017 postseason run, he scored three touchdowns in the divisional round against Pittsburgh and one in an AFC Championship loss to New England.
Flex: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs ($7,000)
Nobody can expect Edwards-Helaire or anyone else to go crazy running the ball against Tampa Bay’s defense. That being said, he should have more than enough opportunities to rack up some big numbers. Having recovered from hip and ankle injuries, Edwards-Helaire was on the field for 32 snaps in the AFC Championship compared to 30 for Darrel Williams—including 26 to 14 on pass plays. CEH has made at least five catches in three different games this season, and Sunday could mark a fourth such occasion. After all, the Bucs can really get after opposing quarterbacks and Kansas City’s offensive line is extremely depleted. Mahomes may have to get the ball out of his hand quicker than he would like, which could result in more than a few dump passes to his RBs. With a game under his belt and two more weeks of rest thereafter, the former LSU standout should only be healthier, more involved in the offense, and generally more productive.
Flex: Harrison Butker, K, Chiefs ($4,000)
We don’t have a ton of money left for the last two roster spots, but it’s enough to snag one of the best kickers in the league on the most dynamic offense in football. Moreover, Kansas City’s red-zone offense has underwhelmed and there is no reason why Tampa Bay’s defense can’t be of the bend-but-don’t break variety on several drives. Through two postseason appearances, Butker has four field goals and six extra-points.
Flex: Ronald Jones II, RB, Buccaneers ($2,200)
The salary cap works out perfectly, as this takes us all the way down to zero dollars and zero cents. And at this cheap price Jones has great value. It is true that Fournette is clearly RB1 in Tampa Bay, but there could be more than enough carries to go around for two on Sunday. After all, as good as the Bucs’ defense is the best way to contain the Chiefs is to keep them off the field for as long as possible. The underdogs absolute have to run the ball effectively—both in quality and quantity. Jones has gotten double-digit carries in each of the past four contests.
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