DraftKings Sunday Showdown: Week 2

NFL Showdown can be a fickle beast. Success in these contests doesn't come from blindly following median projections, but from creating leverage and building unique rosters. Fading the most popular plays can be risky, yet the biggest edges usually come from identifying the right low-rostered pivots and pairing them creatively with the slate's juggernauts.

With both DraftKings and FanDuel now using similar formats — a multiplier slot (Captain/MVP) that costs 1.5x salary and earns 1.5x points — the nuances between sites come down to scoring systems and contest dynamics. DraftKings' full PPR scoring and larger prize pools reward a slightly different decision-making process than FanDuel's half-PPR and softer fields, but the core principles of Showdown roster construction apply across both.

The advice in this article pertains predominantly to tournament lineups and strategy. For cash builds, median projections remain your best guide. For head-to-head contests, consider projections as well, but when two players have similar projections, side with the lower-rostered option.

GAME SCRIPTING AND ROSTER CONSTRUCTION

In a Week Two game helmed by two quarterbacks still recovering from major offseason surgery, fireworks aren’t anticipated. Driving toward the under here, and all its associated stuff (under the yardages! play the defenses/kickers!), is the clear slant for the public. Even the modest 46.5 Vegas total feels high for a game either team would love to win 20-10.

Based on their respective openers, the first instinct might be to stack Chiefs at 4-2 or even 5-1. But when we look closer into the Chiefs’ offensive struggles, it’s harder and harder to justify that. And that’s before we consider a general public that tends to weight Chiefs a bit heavier than they should.

Thus, I’m more likely to buck the public (or try to, anyway) by playing this one 4-2 Colts. A Colts win, of course, probably helps my stack tremendously. But even an easy Chiefs win would likely force Daniel Jones to dink and dunk relentlessly up and down the field. All stats count, remember, even the boring ones!

INJURY ROUNDUP

The teams are extraordinarily healthy at the skill positions, with only Colts WR Alec Pierce (ankle) likely to be limited snap-wise. A few peripheral injuries (Chiefs LT Josh Simmons and CB Chamarri Conner) could wind up felt in various points of the box score.

CAPTAIN CONSIDERATION

1. Jonathan Taylor
2. Ken Walker III 
3. Rashee Rice
4. Patrick Mahomes II
5. Alec Pierce
6. Xavier Worthy

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Quarterback

Daniel Jones (FLEX)

Jones, in the end stages of recovery from an Achilles tear, looked appropriately blah in the season opener. Injury bounce-back or no, this just doesn't look like the dynamic unit of 2025’s first half. That group scorched the field when play action – and Jones’ mobility – were stressing the defense. But few are afraid of a tentative Jones throwing mostly to low-impact targets Keenan Allen and Tyler Warren. That duo turned 11 Opening Day targets into a combined 45 scoreless yards. Deep threat Alec Pierce is the only dynamic name to be found here, and even he’s on a pitch count.

Running Back

Jonathan Taylor (CPT or FLEX)

The Colts offense may be lost in the woods overall, but Taylor isn’t. Working behind a top-six front line, he’s one of the few truly matchup-proof backs in fantasy. In Showdown, though, we care almost exclusively about his ceiling, which chases many away. Taylor’s receiving usage varies wildly week-to-week, and casual Showdown players tend to chase receiving supplements first and foremost. That’s where the value could live here: Taylor is always capable of a big game, even when he only catches two or three balls. Captaining him does offer slate-busting upside – especially if this game stays low-scoring – and also keeps you insulated in ways a Xavier Worthy or Josh Downs wouldn’t.

Wide Receiver

Alec Pierce (CPT or FLEX)
Josh Downs (FLEX)
Keenan Allen (FLEX)

Pierce continues to work through an ankle injury from the offseason, which is rarely a good sign. It was, however, encouraging to see 32 unexpected snaps (and a 4-61 line) on opening day. Pierce remains limited, and he’s far from the typical high-volume No. 1 receiver anyway. But Pierce can produce big lines as the No. 1, even if the standard efficiency metrics don’t love it. He cleared 18+ DraftKings points 5 times last year, and only once did he draw more than 7 targets.

Allen and Downs share Daniel Jones’ eye, but only in low-impact slot roles. Allen has long since lost his burst; paired with the recovering Jones, he turned 6 catches into just 32 yards in Week One. His 6.3 yards per target since 2024 makes for a solid sample size. Downs carries more theoretical upside, but he hasn’t had the opportunity in quite some time. He broke out somewhat in 2024 with 4 games of 80+ yards, but failed to reach even 70 last year.

Tight End

Tyler Warren (FLEX)

Warren remains a tremendous all-around TE prospect in the George Kittle mold, but still awaiting his fantasy breakout. A heavily-limited Daniel Jones is the main culprit, with this offense kept close to the vest at the moment. Even last year, though, Warren’s production tailed off massively down the stretch. Rookie Warren notched 60+ yards in 5 of his first 7 NFL games, but only once over 11 games since. The target share is relatively strong; the true opportunity is not (yet).

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Quarterback

Patrick Mahomes II (CPT or FLEX)

Mahomes’ 2025 debut was far from perfect; thankfully for the Chiefs, he wasn’t needed much against a rudderless Broncos offense. Most importantly, though, it showed that his run-and-gun mentality remains intact. Mahomes threw aggressively while the game was in doubt, and he ran plenty, including a red-zone touchdown early on. We may be well past the days of 300-yard averages for Mahomes, but against this leaky Colts defense, that may be the baseline. Lamar Jackson (17 of 25, 324, 1 touchdown) and Zay Flowers played pitch-and-catch for much of their Week One date with the Colts.

Running Back

Ken Walker III III (CPT or FLEX)
Emmett Johnson (FLEX)

Sure, play him in either slot. Play him twice if you can. The Chiefs’ new centerpiece chewed the Broncos in both facets – the six targets were lovely – and projects well in every matchup going forward. In Showdown, though we’re playing contrarian, so we have to think a step or two forward. Few would benefit much from a big Walker game, since most will have him on roster. Thus, there’s definitely something to be said for fading the seemingly-obvious monster in the room. Imagine the landscape of leagues in which Walker goes 77% rostered, but underwhelms in a 16-13 loss.

Credit the rookie Johnson for snatching the No. 2 job, and for making two big catches in the efourth quarter of opening day. Still, there was nothing in his usage to suggest more than handcuff work.

Wide Receiver

Rashee Rice (CPT or FLEX)
Xavier Worthy (CPT or FLEX)

It’s fair to wipe Rice’s season debut (2 catches, 19 yards, 1 touchdown) from our memory banks. The Chiefs are clearly skewing run-heavy to ease Patrick Mahomes II back, and they finally have a runner worth leaning on. Thus, Rice was barely used in the opener, but there’s little reason to worry. He remains unquestionably the top weapon here, with 120 catches and 1,377 yards over his last 18 games. Any successful Mahomes day will almost surely go through him.

Worthy, who’s still seeking his first 100-yard day (or even 90-yard day) as a pro, seems like an oddball play at Captain. But the Week One usage (a team-high six targets) was encouraging; it’s clear the team views him as the No. 2 option, if an unconventional one. He may never be much of a deep threat, but a Wan'Dale Robinson-like route tree could produce plenty of 8-catch, 90-yard statlines out of nowhere. He’s attractive paired with Rice, to gobble up most of the Kansas City yardage, and those drawn to risk will think about flip-flopping the Captain spot.

Tight End

Travis Kelce (FLEX)

Don’t let Kelce’s 59-yard catch-and-run from opening day fool you. It was a solid run, but also exceptionally well-blocked through open grass. Overall, nothing that happened last Sunday was indicative of an intriguing role. His 5 targets were thrown exclusively underneath, and they were spread across just 49 snaps. Those 71 yards feel like his high-water expectation for this retirement tour.

Under the Radar

WR Tyquan Thornton (FLEX)

Talk about a specialized role: Thornton is valued for his long-striding speed, but he’s gone catchless in 6 of his last 10 games. With Patrick Mahomes II’ deep ball especially wobbly right now, there’s little reason to bet on Thornton… which is why, at rostership likely under 8%, a 3-80-1 line would be a true differentiator.

Kicker & Defense

The Chiefs aren’t shy about leaning on Harrison Butker when the offense is struggling to crack the 30. Of course, the public is much more clued into Butker and his dynastic Chiefs than his Colts counterpart Spencer Shrader. But Shrader has long impressed the Colts with his accuracy, and they’ve landed back on him after numerous injuries. He’s hit 19 of his 20 career attempts – including a 58-yarder last week. Those looking to play the kickers in hopes of a 19-16 slugfest can differentiate with Shrader.

All those “fade the offense” principles make the defenses attractive, too, but only to a point. The Chiefs struggled to pressure Bo Nix up front, despite ample blitzing, while the Colts looked thoroughly unable to get Lamar Jackson off the field. It’s easy to envision an ugly-ish game that lacks in touchdowns, but still produces catches, yards, and even a splash play here and there.