DraftKings DFS Showdown
Thursday Night Football heads to the Pacific Northwest for one of the new school rivalries in the NFL: San Fransisco and Seattle. It isn’t a must-win for both teams at this early season stage, but it’s crucial after both suffered unlikely losses in Week 5.
The Seahawks still sit at the top of the NFC West despite losing their last two games, now with a 3-2 record. The 49ers are one behind at 2-3 but have an 0-2 divisional record. This will be Seattle’s first divisional game, so they could heap more misery on their rivals with a win. San Fransisco has won the last five meetings between the two but looks out of sorts in their first five games. Here are my best plays for Week 6 of TNF in what should be a close game.
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Captain
RB Jordan Mason ($15,300)
Seattle’s defense has slipped down the rankings against the run after an excellent start to the season. Over the last two games, they have allowed 251 rushing yards to running backs, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. San Fransisco running back Jordan Mason has done a solid job deputizing for the sidelined Christian McCaffrey, second to Baltimore’s Derrick Henry in rushing yards (536). The ground game could be a huge factor for both teams, with Mason a good DFS play.
RB Kenneth Walker III ($14,700)
The Seahawks’ running game has been underused so far this season. However, when they used Kenneth Walker III, he exploded. In the loss to Detroit in Week 4, Walker had two carries for 80 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also has receiving upside, being targeted eight times against the Giants in the last game. Seattle’s offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb owned the blame for not using Walker more in Week 5, so could we see an uptick in his usage on TNF?
WR Deebo Samuel ($13,200)
Deebo Samuel loves playing Seattle. In his last four games, Samuel has totaled 25 receptions for 405 receiving yards while also receiving handoffs several times a game. Samuel didn’t see much production against the Cardinals on Sunday, so could he see plenty more targets on a short week? He has been targeted 27 times despite playing just four games, missing the Rams game through injury. The fact he takes several carries a game on top of his receiving work is also a positive.
FLEX
QB Brock Purdy ($9,400)
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy has seen his fantasy numbers fluctuate this season. However, his best performances have come on the road, both in losses to the LA Rams and Minnesota. Purdy has had two 300+ yard passing games against Seattle and is capable of that again. Due to the average start in fantasy points, he may be a low-percentage owned player, and DFS players could capitalize on that if he hits his ceiling in this game.
QB Geno Smith ($9,200)
Despite sitting with a 2-3 record, the 49ers pass defense has been operating in the league’s top third. They are averaging just 197.0 passing yards per game. With only Sam Darnold throwing more than 250 passing yards. So why would anybody select Geno Smith knowing this? Geno has thrown over 350 passing yards against two of the top 15 teams against the pass (New York Giants and Miami Dolphins). He is also averaging 20.2 fppg while throwing just five touchdown passes—enough to consider him a selection.
WR DK Metcalf ($9,000)
DK Metcalf could not secure his fourth consecutive 1oo-yard receiving game, falling way short with 55 yards. He was the most targeted wide receiver against the Giants, and with a couple of uncharacteristic drops and a fumble, it could have looked a little better. JSN and Tyler Lockett could break out, but Metcalf is more consistent regarding targets and fantasy points.
TE George Kittle ($7,400)
Like Deebo Samuel, 49ers tight end George Kittle enjoys playing the Seahawks. In 12 games against Seattle, Kittle has 51 receptions for 750 yards, including an 181-yard receiving game in 2021. In four games this season, he is TE1, averaging 15.9 fppg. Kittle is questionable as of Wednesday, so keep checking on his status for the game. It’s also rare that Kittle isn’t questionable leading up to the game, so don’t let that put you off if he does suit up on TNF.
TE AJ Barner ($1,600)
A significant differential from other selections DFS players may go with is Seattle tight end AJ Barner. Over the last three games, Barner had seen six targets after zero in the first two weeks. One of those targets was a touchdown against Detroit. It’s a risky play, but with him catching everything thrown his way, he could be used more in the passing game. He is the clear TE2 on the team when it comes to snap count.
