DraftKings Showdown MNF DFS Plays: Week 14

Week 14 of the NFL and DraftKings slate finishes off with a matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers. The big news heading into this one is the status of Justin Herbert. He underwent surgery on broken bones in his non-throwing hand this past week. Herbert will likely play tonight. However, he will be limited to mainly shotgun snaps due to the injury. That changes the game plan for both teams. Philadelphia ranks first in opponent completion percentage from the shotgun. Quarterbacks only complete 57 percent of passes against a tough Vic Fangio defense.

More Week 14 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings | Dynasty Risers and Fallers

And after we saw the Eagles get gashed for 281 yards on the ground. Returning rookie Omarion Hampton, along with Kimani Vidal, will play a significant role in the Chargers’ plans. The split between the two will likely decide the slate unless the Eagles’ defense returns to form. My preferred captain pick is a risky one, as the Eagles’ offensive line has been a shell of itself without Lane Johnson. However, they have been average against the run this year.

Week 14 DraftKings Monday Night Football Showdown Plays

Captain Pick: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles (14.4K)

This pick was between Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. And I wouldn’t dislike either one. Especially with how much the Eagles have passed the ball in recent weeks. However, I am going to stick with the stats here, and the Chargers are 19th in estimated points added against the run. And despite being 24th in fantasy points allowed to the position, Barkley still could have a massive night. The Chargers have done a good job limiting explosive runs with only five runs of 20 or more yards on the season. Even with them limiting running backs quite well, they are still giving up 4.6 yards per carry to the position, good for the eighth most in the league. Barkley looked effective in limited work because of the game script and the Bears’ dominant time of possession. Another factor in Barkley’s favor is that the Chargers have given up the tenth most rushing touchdowns to running backs as well. I believe we will see a big night for Barkley against a team that is below average against the run.

Flex Play: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (10.6K)

Considering I was debating Hurts for my captain pick on this DraftKings slate, of course, he is going to make my lineup. The quarterback has too much upside to ignore with the tush push. Jalen Hurts is tied for seventh in the league with eight rushing touchdowns. Now, Hurts is not using his legs nearly as much this season, which has limited his upside a bit. He has only two games of ten or more carries. In 2024, he had eight, and that does not include his two additional games with ten or more carries in the playoffs. Hurts is a different player when he threatens the defense with the run. And look, Eagles’ beat reporter Jimmy Kempski published an article in November saying Jalen Hurts does not like designed quarterback runs. If you examine the season as a whole, there could be merit to that claim. Anyway, Hurts still possesses a ton of upside with the ceiling he has if the offense gets back on track. Will they is the big question, but on a single-game slate, it makes sense from a narrative perspective.

Flex Play: Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers (7.8K)

DraftKings Showdown slates are all about risk, and Hampton is the perfect risk to take. Hampton was a significant factor in the Chargers’ offense before his injury, as he had games with 24.9 and 30.5 DraftKings points. He was well on his way to a monster season before a foot injury derailed his rookie season. And now he will return against a team that was gashed on the ground last week, and will not have Jalen Carter in the lineup. It is also worth noting that his touchdown prop is at +170, while Kimani Vidal’s is at +290. That is a clear indication of who sportsbooks think will get the majority of the high-value touches. Their rushing lines are closer, only being ten yards apart. However, their DraftKings salaries are only $400 apart, so I will take the player who is more likely to score. Vidal could be a great contrarian play on this slate, where he will likely go overlooked. Although being forced to pick one, I will go with Hampton tonight.

Flex Play: Jahan Dotson, Philadelphia Eagles (3K)

Putting Jahan Dotson in your lineups is nothing more than an extremely risky play. He is very clearly the Eagles’ third receiver as he runs the third-most routes by a wide margin. He and Hurts could connect on a deep touchdown as he leads the receiver room in average depth of target with 15.33 yards per target. If I had to choose anyone below Dallas Goedert, not including the defense and kickers, Dotson would be my choice, with Tre Harris second. I would not be excited to play either option, but a touchdown at their salary puts them in the optimal lineup.

Defenses and Kickers

All four of these DraftKings plays are firmly on the table, with the projected total at 41.5 points. This game could turn into a defensive showdown given the Herbert injury and the Eagles’ offensive inefficiencies. With only Cameron Dicker being priced in the $5,000 range, with Jake Elliot and the defenses below him. This game could certainly see multiple of these four options hit the optimal lineup. And with budget salary options being particularly thin for this DraftKings Showdown slate, this would be the game to squeeze those options in. The dome environment provides an excellent opportunity for kicking points as well. So, do not be afraid to put either kicker or defense in your lineups tonight.

Final Thoughts

This game has all of the makings of a low-scoring run the football and battle for field position type of game. That puts almost everyone from the top of the board down to the Chargers’ defense in play. In terms of contrarian plays, Justin Herbert with the injured hand and Kimani Vidal lead the way. DeVonta Smith could go semi-overlooked due to his recent struggles. Overall, a game that has this kind of outlook makes me more inclined to take chances. So do not be afraid to play both defenses if you think the offenses struggle in this one. I wish everyone the best of luck on what appears to be a low-scoring DraftKings Showdown slate.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!