Disclaimer
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.
Macro Level Game View
- Over/Under: 48.5
- Spread: Saints -2.5
- Saints Implied Team Total: 25.5
- Falcons Implied Team Total: 23
Captain Consideration
Relevant Injuries
- Travis Etienne Jr. - OUT
New Orleans Saints Showdown Players
Quarterback
Tyler Shough - Captain/Flex
New Orleans' offense is being carried by Tyler Shough. They rank ninth in Pass Rate Over Expected (PROE), which has led to Shough ranking second in passing yards per game (305.7) and third in passing touchdowns (8). He gets to play at home in this one, and the Saints are 2.5-point favorites.
Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End
Chris Olave - Captain/Flex
New Orleans' offense ranks ninth in Pass Rate Over Expected (PROE) and could be even more pass-heavy in this one with Travis Etienne Jr. out due to injury. Chris Olave ranks at wide receiver: 14th in Route Rate (85%), sixth in Team Air Yard Share (45.4%), second in Targets per Game (11.7), eighth in Team Target Share (26.5%), second in Receiving Yards per Game (125), and sixth in Team Receiving Yard Share (40.9%). Olave is cooking. He's essentially a must-play.
Devaughn Vele - Large Field Captain/Flex
Devaughn Vele is a solid flex play but, in order to get weird, makes sense as a Captain play in large field tournaments as well. Vele ranks seventh out of all wide receivers in Route Rate (89.8%). He's going to be on the field running routes in one of the most pass-heavy and successful offenses in the league. He also ranks 22nd in targets per game (7.3). Juwan Johnson will have more ownership after catching two touchdowns last week, but Vele is running more routes and seeing more targets per game than Johnson.
Juwan Johnson - Flex
Juwan Johnson has three touchdowns in three weeks and ranks fourth out of all wide receivers and tight ends in targets inside the red zone (6). Touchdown receptions are tough to predict, but his usage in the red zone is encouraging. At the tight end position, Johnson ranks sixth in targets per game (6) and seventh in receiving yards per game (57.7).
Alvin Kamara - Flex
Travis Etienne Jr. and his 32.7% target share are out of this game due to injury. Alvin Kamara has the next highest target share (25%) at the running back in this offense, and he already saw a six-target game, even with Etienne in the lineup, in his 2026 debut. He's also seen nine carries in both of his games. Kamara's role projects as safely predictable in this contest.
Kendre Miller - Large Field Flex
However, Kendre Miller projects to play more with Etienne out and share time with Kamara. In Week 1, when Kamara was out, Miller shared time with Etienne; Miller played on 29% of the offensive snaps and carried the ball nine times. Miller makes sense as a contrarian flex in large field tournaments.
Noah Fant - Large Field Flex
I previously noted Juwan Johnson ranks fourth out of all wide receivers and tight ends in targets inside the red zone (6). Noah Fant ranks 30th in that same metric (3). At just the tight end position, Johnson ranks second, and Fant ranks eighth in that stat. This trend shows head coach and playcaller Kellen Moore loves to utilize his tight ends in the passing game near the goal line. The majority of the field will consider Fant's three touchdown receptions through three weeks as "fluky." But perhaps that's not the case!
Atlanta Falcons Showdown Players
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