NFL DFS Showdown Lineup Optimizer Values: Cowboys-Chargers DraftKings Picks
NFL Showdown season continues with the Chargers vs. Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Our expert analysts are breaking down DraftKings Showdown picks with our in-house NFL DFS lineup optimizer. Sign up for RotoGrinders Premium for full access to our NFL lineup optimizer and fantasy football projections all season long.
This is a big game for both teams, as the Cowboys are 3-2 and likely fighting for a wild card spot, while the Chargers are 2-2 (had their bye last week) and are also likely playing for a potential wild card spot down the road. Dallas is coming off an embarrassing 42-10 loss to SF last week, and the Chargers are coming off back-to-back wins after losing their first two games by a combined five points. After last night’s ugly 14-9 game hopefully we can get a more high scoring showdown slate tonight, and the return of Austin Ekeler should help that come true.
NFL DFS Showdown Picks: Cowboys at Chargers Week 6
Currently, this game is sitting at a 50.5 total, with the Cowboys favored by 1.5 points. I was pretty surprised to see Dallas favored on the road here, as the Chargers are more rested coming off their bye week, are playing at home, and get their best player back from injury in Ekeler. This line is putting a lot of faith in the Cowboys bouncing back in a big way after getting blown out, and they should be able to put up points against the last-ranked Chargers pass defense. The Chargers will be facing the 3rd-ranked pass defense and the 22nd-ranked rush defense, so I’m expecting Ekeler to play a big role if LAC comes out with a win.
Quarterback
Justin Herbert has gone for 20+ FP in every game so far with a 9:1 total TD/turnover ratio. Even against one of the best pass defenses on paper so far (who will now be without Vander Esch), I’m siding with Herbert in this spot. Dallas has faced Purdy, M. Jones, Dobbs, Wilson, and D. Jones so far, so I think their pass defense numbers are a bit skewed, and they did allow 70 combined points to Purdy/Dobbs. Herbert will be by far the best QB they have faced, and as a slight home underdog with a 24.5 team total I’m expecting Herbert to throw it 35+ times, and even a short pass to Ekeler could really boost his stats if it goes for a long TD. At $10,800 he’s a cash game must-play, and I’m strongly considering him in the captain spot.
If Dak Prescott doesn’t put up a strong line in this spot, then I’d be extremely worried about his prospects the rest of the year for fantasy. The Chargers have faced Tua, Tannehill, Cousins, and O’Connell, and are ranked dead last in pass defense, allowing 299.8 pass yards/game. They’re allowing 26 points/game, which is exactly what Dallas is projected for this game, so I’m expecting at least 20+ points from this Cowboys offense with a lot of it coming through the air. I would do my best to fit both Dak and Herbert in your main build, but if I only went with one, it would be Herbert. However, Dak should be in plenty of GPP lineups at both captain and flex.
Running Back
Austin Ekeler went off in Week 1, going for almost 30 FP against Miami, but hasn’t played since with an ankle injury. He is set to return tonight against a Cowboys defense allowing over 123 rush yards/game, so we should see a steady dose of him. He is the priciest player from this game at $11,200, so it’s going to be hard to fit him with both QBs in a lineup, so I like stacking him with Herbert to cover all of the Chargers scoring, and if they can connect on a couple of pass TDs, then one of them in the captain spot will almost certainly be the optimal lineup construction.
Tony Pollard started the year strong with three straight games over 18 FP, but has gone for around 9 FP in each of the last two weeks. I’m expecting Pollard to score closer to 20 FP than 9 FP this week as he’s much more involved in closer games (two blowouts the last two weeks), and he’s my favorite bring back from Dallas if you go heavier on Chargers players.
Wide Receiver
Keenan Allen is coming off a down game of just 3 catches on 5 targets, but still managed to find the endzone and score over 12 FP. He’s averaging 11 targets/game now with 3 TDs on the year, and with Williams out for the year and Palmer not at 100% (groin), I would absolutely stack Allen with Herbert if you don’t go with Ekeler. Josh Palmer is officially questionable with a groin injury but expected to play, so if you’re doing MME (mass multi-entry) I would certainly have plenty of exposure to him at $7,000, but he’s not someone I’m excited about for cash games. Quentin Johnston at $4,200 is someone I’m looking at for cash games, especially if you go with Herbert at captain, as there’s a good chance he continues to see an expanded role, and he may even see a big bump in usage if Palmer aggravates that groin or is somewhat limited at all.
CeeDee Lamb only has one game with more than 7 targets this season, and after seeing just 5 targets last week, I think Dallas makes it a priority to get him involved early and often, especially against the worst pass defense in the league. Either he or Pollard should be your main bring backs on Chargers stacks, and I would have plenty of Dak/Lamb stacks in GPPs with a variety of each in the captain spots. Brandin Cooks has been a big disappointment so far with just one game over 5 FP, and at $5,400 he’s nothing more than a GPP play for me. Michael Gallup is much more intriguing at $2,800 as he’s seen 5+ targets in each of his last three games, so I’d make sure to have some GPP Dallas stacks that include him, and I don’t mind filling your final cash game flex spot with him.
Tight End
Jake Ferguson ($5,200) and Gerald Everett ($4,600) are priced very similarly, and with both having wide ranges of target and FP outcomes, I’m not looking to use either in my main build. If you are set on using one, I’d side with Ferguson as his matchup is better, he’s seen more targets on the year than Everett, and he has less TE competition around him. Donald Parham ($2,200) is the only other TE I’d even consider on a couple GPP lineups.
Defense / Special Teams
Both DSTs are priced below $4k, so if you are dead set on your other five players in a lineup, I don’t mind punting the final flex spot with one of them. I do prefer finding the salary for either Dicker ($4,400) or Aubrey ($5,000), as I think they are much more likely to outscore both DSTs assuming they don’t get a random touchdown.
Monday Night Football NFL DFS Strategy
My favorite builds are either Herbert or Ekeler in the captain spot, Johnston for a value WR, at least one kicker, and either Pollard or Lamb as the main Dallas bring back. Dak/Gallup are my favorite contrarian stack, while Allen should be on any lineup that doesn’t include Ekeler and vice a versa.
DraftKings DFS Showdown Rankings
1. Justin Herbert – I’m not buying this Dallas pass defense based on who they’ve faced so far and now they’re missing Vander Esch. Herbert has the highest ceiling from this game, as he could rush for a TD or two along with throw two or three TDs.
2. Keenan Allen / Austin Ekeler – Both are excellent stacks with Herbert but it will be hard to fit both. Pretty much every lineup you build should have at least one of them.
3. Tony Pollard / CeeDee Lamb – I would have at least one of them on almost every lineup, and I’d have plenty of both as captains in GPPs. Pollard is my preferred cash game play.
4. Quentin Johnston – Excellent value at $4,200 to stack with Herbert, and he could see an expanded role if the groin injury hampers Palmer at all.
5. Michael Gallup / Both Kickers – I think both Dicker and Aubrey will be heavily involved this game and should have 10+ FP floors each. Gallup is by far the cheapest skill player I would consider for cash games.
NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer for Monday Night Football
Check out LineupHQ for this Showdown slate! It’s your one-stop shop for all of the tools you need to build and edit multiple lineups with one click, such as excluding certain players, adjusting your ownership and stack preferences, and doing any mass late-swap edits.