Cowboys vs. Giants Showdown NFL DFS Lineup Advice for DraftKings & FanDuel
Week 1 of NFL DFS is upon us, and although the main slate is over with, the Cowboys vs. Giants Showdown matchup is Sunday’s final chance to take down some cash on FanDuel and DraftKings. Single-game slates require a unique strategy to make money compared to a regular slate. Thankfully, I’ll be providing NFL DFS lineup advice for every Sunday Night Football Showdown slate.
The Giants vs. Cowboys divisional showdown features two of America’s most popular teams with plenty of fantasy goodness between them. On the Cowboys’ side of the ball, new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s scheme should play much quicker and pass-heavy than the previous Cowboys teams that featured Ezekiel Elliott. We will have to decide how to prioritize the Cowboys pass catchers with Brandin Cooks being new in town, CeeDee Lamb being quite pricey but also the clear top option, and Tony Pollard, who will be heavily involved in both the rushing and passing games.
The Giants feature an offense that should be heavily concentrated on Saquon Barkley and the newly added Darren Waller at tight end. It’s going to be tough to know which Giants receivers are going to be featured tonight, so I’ll be focusing on Barkley and mixing and matching different pass catchers in MME formats tonight.
Cowboys vs. Giants Showdown Lineup Advice
Both Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott are interesting options tonight, and I’ll make sure most of my lineups have at least one quarterback. However, neither of them are my main priority on either team. A 3.5 spread suggests a close game between these divisional foes, and I want to concentrate on the top skill players for each team. The strategy will differ from site to site; however, Lamb, Pollard, Cooks, and Barkley will be the main priorities on both FanDuel and DraftKings for tonight’s Showdown slate.
DraftKings Strategy
On a point-per-reception site like DraftKings, I’ll be prioritizing these Cowboys receivers even more than on FanDuel. The 4 players who are projected with the highest ownership percentage at the CPT position tonight are all QBs and RBs. While I have no issue with Prescott, Jones, Pollard, or Barkley in the CPT spot, this is a phenomenal tournament spot to target a receiver in the CPT position. CeeDee Lamb would be my first choice in tournaments at CPT, currently projected to be only 7.5% owned at the position. In larger-field contests, I don’t think it’s crazy to take shots on Brandin Cooks at this spot either. Although he’s new in this offense, Cooks immediately steps in as the #2 receiving option for Prescott and a speedy deep threat. We currently have him projected for 5% ownership at the CPT position. However, I could see Lamb’s ownership rising and Cooks’ being steamed down.
From an optimal perspective and in cash games, I would probably have Prescott as my top projected play. However, Lamb is still the guy I’d be going to in single-entry based on that projected ownership. A Cowboys onslaught stack with Prescott at CPT that fits Lamb, Cooks, and two cheap Cowboys pass catchers with Barkley as a run-back is one of my favorite possible builds.
Favorite CPTs: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Dak Prescott
Favorite Large-Field GPP Shots: Jake Ferguson, Deuce Vaughn, Daniel Bellinger
FanDuel Strategy
On FanDuel, I’ll be making a lot more effort than on DraftKings in getting to as much Tony Pollard as possible. Touchdowns are far more important on FanDuel thanks to their scoring system, and Pollard is the 5th highest-priced player at an affordable $13,500 price tag as opposed to being the most expensive player on the entire Showdown slate on DraftKings. He’s picking up a ton of projected ownership at the MVP position alongside Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott, so although Pollard is my #1 priority at the Flex position, my MVP strategy in large-field tournaments is similar to how I’m playing on DraftKings.
Both CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks project for 8% and 3% ownership respectively at the MVP position tonight. Those numbers are too low for the potential upside both of these players pose as significant deep threats for this offense. It’s by no means outside of the realm of possibility that one of these guys catches two long touchdown bombs and breaks the slate tonight.
The biggest surprise for me on FanDuel is the low projected ownership of Saquon Barkley at the MVP position. He currently stands at only 10% ownership at MVP in projections and is the best option compared to how often he is projected to be rostered on FanDuel’s Showdown slate. While on DraftKings I like the idea of a Cowboys onslaught lineup with Prescott in the CPT and Barkley in the flex, I’d reverse that on FD. Barkley’s low ownership projection makes him my favorite choice for MVP in that build, while stacking up Prescott with two of Lamb, Cooks, Pollard, and a punt. Alternatively, you could save salary and fade Prescott, pair the Giants defense alongside Barkley with some Cowboys top-tier weapons as a way to get different.