DraftKings Showdown: Start with a narrative, then pick your captain

After a full season of Best Ball, DFS, season-long leagues and player props, we’ve come to the finale, and this week is a little different given that there are only two teams on the slate. That means if we want our Super Bowl fantasy fix, we’ll be putting together a lineup for DraftKings’ Showdown.

Here’s how it works. You still start with $50,000 for your squad, but instead of making a full fantasy lineup like you’re used to in DFS, you instead pick any six players (although you must have at least one player from each team), regardless of position. One of these six players will be your captain, the anchor of your lineup. Your captain costs 1.5x their normal price, but you also get 1.5x their fantasy points. It’s huge decision in crafting a winning lineup. And just like with when assembling any other DFS roster, we’ll need to start by building a narrative of how we think the game is going to play out.

So let’s start with the biggest decision we have to make for this lineup, the captain. In my mind there are two main options and two secondary options. Drake Maye and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are both fantasy superstars that could drop 30 fantasy points on the other squad. They’re the chalky picks this week. My next tier of options is one of Sam Darnold or Kenneth Walker III, and if I don’t use one of them as my captain, I’ll try to pair him with the player I do pick for the role.

The case for Drake Maye

If we go with chalk, we have to start with Maye. I have Seattle winning this game, but as DFS players know, a win on the scoreboard doesn’t guarantee the most valuable fantasy performance. It’s all about positive game script, and if the Patriots fall behind as expected, not only will Maye be forced to pass (against a tough Seahawks defense) but he’ll also be forced to use his legs to keep his team in the game, both on scrambles and at the goal line. We know what he can do as a deal-threat option, but getting 1.5x points while also being an underdog makes this a pretty enticing proposition.

The case for Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Now, if we think Maye is too obvious, or that the stage will be too big for him, JSN is another intriguing play. He has been the best receiver in fantasy football this season. His connection and trust with Sam Darnold was on display as the put up over 1,700 receiving yards this season and he’ll be the focal point of the Seahawks passing game. The great thing about JSN is his ability to lineup all over the field and take advantage of the secondary no matter how they use him. Deep shots, in the slot, at the goal line, behind the line of scrimmage, the dude has the ability to line up anywhere and impact this game in a major way.

What about the running backs?

It’s tough to choose either Patriots RB. With the expectation that this will be a committee approach, it feels like I’m leaving too much on the table by looking at Rhamondre Stevenson or TreVeyon Henderson as captains. Walker is a dark horse candidate for captain purely because of his big-play ability. He could pop two 75-yard touchdown runs and be the MVP of this game given his speed and rushing ability. These defenses are both really good and I’d prefer to have a quarterback or wide receiver as my captain, but KWIII gives you an interesting zig option while others are zagging.

The rest of the lineup

Whomever I choose as my captain commits me to a game narrative. If I take JSN, I’m also taking Darnold, and I’m also probably taking Maye, because I am anticipating fireworks from both offenses. That’ll leave me thin for the rest of the lineup, but it gives me the ability to have three players who will touch the ball an enormous amount on Sunday.

If I make Maye the focal point of my lineup, I probably need to throw a dart at a Patriots pass-catcher. Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry have all had their moments this post-season, so I’d likely be between one of those three.

The lineup I have put together here plays nicely into my Super Bowl narrative. There are a lot of choices and ways to tweak it, like there always are when you’re playing against many other entrant, so keep dialed into the practice reports and don’t be afraid to zig where you think others might zag. Thanks for hanging with me throughout all my written work this year and don’t forget to come back so we can do it all over again with 2026 draft prep right around the corner.