Jayden Daniels squaring off against Joe Burrow in a primetime contest is something we'd all get excited for in a few weeks. We'll at least get a brief taste of that matchup as each is expected to play a few series before giving way to backups for the rest of the game. That will keep things interesting, as will a showdown slate, as the strategy is a bit different from the traditional slates.
Roster Strategy
We have a showdown slate to kick off the preseason. On both FanDuel and DraftKings, there's an MVP/Captain slot followed by five FLEX positions. Given that all players also have the same salary, there is plenty of flexibility to simply pick the players projected to score the most possible points.
Teams typically rest key starters for the entirety or vast majority of preseason games, so the strategy for preseason DFS contests centers on targeting youngsters or fringe roster players that are likely to see extensive playing time and make the most of it. Our RotoWire NFL Optimizer can help you pinpoint top DFS targets, in addition to the players highlighted below.
Quarterback
Though Joe Burrow will only play two to three drives, that might be enough to make him the best quarterback option of the day. Jake Browning and Desmond Ridder split snaps evenly after Burrow departed the first game, and unsurprisingly, neither was nearly as effective as Burrow.
Jayden Daniels is set to make his preseason debut Monday night, and looks to be in line to play a comparable amount to Burrow. Josh Johnson is a very competent and well-traveled backup, so the choice between a couple of quarters of Johnson and two or three drives of Daniels is a closer call.
Overall, we got an idea of how Cincinnati is likely to deploy its starters this preseason. That certainty makes me a bit more inclined to back Burrow over Daniels for this contest. Johnson could end up being a better play than both.
Running Back
Washington is a tricky backfield to project. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been one of the most hyped players of training camp and his performance reportedly has the Commanders shopping Brian Robinson. Croskey-Merritt was limited in Saturday's practice and wearing a non-contact jersey, so we could see more of Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez. The latter duo earned three and six carries last week, respectively.
Cincinnati was more straightforward in their usage in Week 1 of the preseason, with Tahj Brooks leading the way. He is probably the best running back play overall. Brooks is trying to earn a role in the offense behind Chase Brown and Samaje Perine, so he should continue to get plenty of opportunity.
Wide Receiver
Three wide receivers stand out as the best options for this showdown slate. The two in Washington are Tay Martin and Ja'Corey Brooks. Martin has been primarily a practice squad player during his career, but he led Washington skill-position players in snaps and finished second in receiving yards in the first week of the preseason. The leader was Ja'Corey Brooks, who is on the roster bubble but has an intriguing pedigree as an undrafted rookie. He began his collegiate career at Alabama before pairing with Tyler Shough for a standout season in Louisville. Brooks has splash play ability, which stands out particularly during the preseason.
Shifting over to Cincinnati, Charlie Jones is the top option. He led the team in snaps and targets in its first exhibition contest. Of course, we can't forget about Ja'Marr Chase, who posted a 4-77-1 stat line last week.
Tight Ends
Tight ends aren't typically a position to target in the preseason on showdown slates, but Tanner Hudson made such an impact in the opening preseason contest (6-62-2) that he at least needs to be noted as an option.
Kicker/DST
Because each starting quarterback is expected to at least see the field, this isn't the game that I'd specifically target a DST. If forced to choose, I'd opt for Cincinnati, as the projection for the quarterback room is likely worse.
Evan McPherson is a kicker worth considering. He struggled uncharacteristically last season but has gone back to his original technique and made both of his field-goal attempts in the first week of the preseason.
