Monday Night Football DraftKings Picks: NFL DFS lineup advice for Week 1 Ravens-Raiders Showdown tournaments

The Ravens and Raiders put a bow on Week 1 with a Monday Night Football matchup in Vegas. Sportsbooks listed this game with an over/under of 52 and the Ravens as 5.5-point favorites, which implies there is no shortage of worthwhile picks for DraftKings Showdown lineups. While most NFL DFS players will focus on the Baltimore offense, we think Vegas offers some intriguing plays, as well. Remember, the Raiders finished No. 10 in scoring offense last season.

It’s been a brutal preseason for Baltimore, which lost three of its top-four RBs to season-ending injuries and first-round WR Rashod Bateman (core) for at least three games. Look for Lamar Jackson to heap more onto his shoulders and for the offense to lean on its bread and butter. Naming Jackson your captain requires roster sacrifices, but it’s worth the risk-reward. 

Here are the most notable scoring setting of DraftKings Showdowns: It’s full-point PPR, and there are three-point bonuses for 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, and 100 receiving yards. The Captain pick costs 1.5 times a player’s original price, but he also gets his point total multiplied by 1.5.

MORE DK SHOWDOWN: How to win a Showdown contest

DraftKings Showdown Picks: Ravens vs. Raiders

$50,000 budget, need at least one player from each team. 

Captain (1.5x value, 1.5x points): QB Lamar Jackson, Ravens ($18,600)

Whew, (projected) production comes at a price. Given the circumstances surrounding Baltimore’s offense, though, and Jackson’s 11 performances of 30-plus DraftKings points over the past two seasons, it’s worth force-feeding him into your lineup(s). The Ravens should rely on him more than ever, and we know the kind of monster performances he can have against anyone.

SNF DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel single game | DraftKings Showdown

FLEX: TE Mark Andrews, Ravens ($9,000)

The offseason chatter suggested the Ravens were exploring a more balanced attack for 2021, but a rash of injuries have thrown those plans into flux. If they’re forced to revert to their tried-and-true offense, look for Andrews to resume his co-starring role as Jackson’s top option, particularly in the red zone. He’s scored 17 touchdowns over his past 29 games.

MORE MNF DFS: FanDuel single game lineup

FLEX: WR Marquise Brown, Ravens ($7,600)

Familiarity is the theme for the Ravens and this lineup. Brown missed the majority of camp nursing a hamstring injury, but chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for the speedy third-year receiver and his signal-caller. Brown isn’t just a deep threat, but he’s certainly capable of stinging the Raiders for a long score, perhaps even two — a feat he’s accomplished three times in his career.

FLEX: WR Bryan Edwards, Raiders ($5,600)

We know that Darren Waller ($10,800) is the Raiders de facto “WR1,” but absent a veteran wide receiver for head coach Jon Gruden to lean on, Edwards will have a chance to claim the next rung on the ladder. The Ravens secondary will be without starting cornerback Marcus Peters, who tore his ACL in practice this week.

FLEX: WR Henry Ruggs III, Raiders ($5,000)

Ruggs is in a similar boat as Edwards, heading into Year 2 with a chance to take a substantial leap forward. A depleted Ravens secondary should loosen things up a bit for Ruggs, but we’re still likely praying for a deep shot. The betting odds suggest Las Vegas should be active in the scoring department, though, so we’re willing to take a shot on both of Vegas’ second-year receivers.

FLEX: K Justin Tucker, Ravens ($4,000)

Apologies for closing this lineup with such a whimper. We have to make compromises in order to afford Jackson as our captain and complement him with some worthwhile pieces. As far as kickers are concerned, the options don’t get much better than Tucker, who has scored double-digit fantasy points on 11 occasions since 2019. There is some optimism that new Las Vegas defensive coordinator Gus Bradley can help the defense tighten up in 2021. If that comes to fruition, Tucker could find himself lining up for several field goal attempts.