Week 13 of the NFL slate and DraftKings Showdown slate will conclude with a matchup between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. The spread currently favors the Patriots by 7.5 points. With the state of each squad, that feels like an appropriate line for this Monday night showdown. The projected total is 46.5, and the weather will be dry, but it will be a cold one with temperatures in the high 20s.
However, the most significant question mark from this game will be how much Jaxson Dart runs the ball after clearing concussion protocol. Dart has been evaluated for a concussion four times this year. In a lost season, it might be wise to ask him to sit in the pocket more than he has. His touchdown odds are a tad lower than usual, coming in at +360 on DraftKings. However, my captain pick will come from the New England side.
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Week 13 DraftKings Monday Night Football Showdown Plays
Captain Play: TreyVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots (12K)
After what we saw Jahmyr Gibbs do against the Giants two weeks ago, Henderson is an obvious pick. Gibbs only scored the most DraftKings and PPR points in a game with 55.4 points. The Giants are giving up the most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in the league. Henderson was struggling to see the field early in the season. Now he is the lead back and keeping Rhamondre Stevenson off the field. Since Week 9, Henderson has been the RB3 in PPR formats. In a game where the Patriots are favored by more than a touchdown, Henderson is a fantastic captain play for this DraftKings Showdown slate, especially at his discounted salary.
Flex Play: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (11.8K)
Drake Maye has been underperforming on DraftKings recently. He has scored under 20 fantasy points in his last four games. Even with those recent struggles, a projected team total of 27.5 is not something we can ignore, especially on a DraftKings Showdown slate. Drake Maye is currently third in estimated points added at the position, while the Giants give up the sixth-most fantasy points to the position. You could easily argue Maye as your DraftKings Showdown captain pick. The seventh-most rushing yards at quarterback make Maye a viable selection. At least I want him in my lineup tonight.
Flex Play: Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants (9K)
Can you believe Wan’Dale Robinson is a WR1 entering this week? Since Malik Nabers was ruled out for the year back in Week 5, Robinson has been WR8. An impressive 27.6% target share on the season will do that. In his last six games, he has seen under nine targets only once. Robinson is operating as the alpha in this Giants offense. And the Giants will have to throw the ball if they want to find success against the Patriots’ defense, which is giving up the fifth-fewest rushing yards to opponents. I expect Robinson to demand another double-digit target game as they attempt to keep up with this Patriots offense.
Flex Play: Mack Hollins, New England Patriots (6.1K)
What a surprise Mack Hollins has been the past couple of weeks. Mack Hollins has been second on the team in targets these past three weeks with 21 targets. He is only one behind Stefon Diggs, who leads the team with 22 targets. The Giants give up the tenth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. And interestingly enough, in Kayshon Boutte’s first game back, the wide receiver coming off the field was Stefon Diggs and not Mack Hollins. Hollins was on the field for 61 of a possible 71 snaps, while Diggs was only on the field for 34 snaps. It is something to monitor, given that Diggs just admitted he has been playing through a fractured finger. Hollins has earned more targets over the past few weeks, and while his DraftKings salary is a tad expensive, he is worth a flier tonight given the situation and matchup.
Flex Play: Isaiah Hodgins, New York Giants (3.6K)
Another wide receiver for the Giants in a game script where they will likely have to come from behind. It appears that Hodgins is a locked-in starter in this Giants offense after logging significant snap shares in these past two games. In those games, he has seen six targets in both contests. And at his salary of $3,600 on DraftKings, his recent production of 12.2 and 10.7 fantasy points would likely crack the optimal lineup on this DraftKings Showdown slate. Hodgins will be in a fair amount of my lineups due to a combination of salary and role.
Kickers & Defenses
The cold weather will give the kickers a slight tick down in projections. Not enough to make me second-guess my decision if I wanted to play one. The gusts will be nonexistent at Gillette Stadium tonight. So both kickers are on the table for this DraftKings Showdown slate.
For the defenses, the Patriots’ defense salary is $5,400. Which means the only way they crack the optimal lineup is by pitching a shutout, scoring on defense, or scoring on special teams. Which I am not entirely confident in. And the Giants at $3,200. I like even less, given the Patriots’ projected 28.5 points. They would need the touchdown on defense or special teams. And I do not like their odds to score. So they are an avoid for me.
Final Thoughts
This DraftKings Showdown slate feels like one of the most unpredictable yet. The Patriots are projected to score a ton of points, but where is the volume going outside of TreyVeyon Henderson? Hunter Henry, Kayshon Boutte, and Stefon Diggs are all in play for that. Mack Hollins and Austin Hooper both could factor in as well. The Patriots’ side is vastly unpredictable. As for the Giants, it is clear where the volume will be going, but will the offense be productive enough to matter? Those are the questions you should form your lineup around. And that provides a challenging Monday night slate. So, I wish you the best of luck navigating this tricky slate, and with your lineups in what will hopefully be a great game to watch.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 13 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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