After what was arguably the best Thursday night game of the season, we present to you what might be the worst, as the Patriots head to Pittsburgh to battle the Steelers. Whatever sport these teams will be attempting to play will probably end up setting the sport back 100 years, so much so that even the biggest supporters of defensive battles will be begging for some offense. The NFL probably didn't envision Mitch Trubisky facing off against Bailey Zappe when the schedule was released back in the spring, but sometimes the worst games on paper also bring the biggest profit opportunities. We're once again building a FanDuel DFS lineup so we have something to root for all night long.
Before we break down our picks and strategy, here are the most notable scoring rules for FanDuel contests: four-point passing TDs and half-point PPR.
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Patriots-Steelers FanDuel Picks Week 14: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
$60,000 budget, at least one player from each team required
MVP (1.5x points) RB Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots ($12,000). It doesn't matter whether Bailey Zappe, Mac Jones, Bill Belichick, or Robert Kraft end up taking snaps on Thursday night -- the Patriots' offense will continue to be tough on the eyes. Points will be at a premium between these teams, and controlling the clock is definitely important. That's where Elliott comes in. He's set to start this game with Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) sidelined for the foreseeable future, meaning New England's offense will be hoping for a vintage performance from the former Cowboy. Expect the RB to be fed a ton. Whether that results in a touchdown remains to be seen, but if anyone is scoring a TD on the Pats roster Thursday night, it's Elliott.
FLEX RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($14,000). Much like the Patriots, this Steelers offense will want to establish the ground game, and that starts with Harris. It wasn't long ago that the RB was the subject of major criticism for looking slow and ineffective, but that narrative has flipped in a big way. With an average of 15 carries per game in the past five, we can expect at least that and maybe more from a Pittsburgh team that is starting Mitch Trubisky on Thursday night. As an added bonus, Harris is also the preferred goal-line back, scoring in three of those games. The Patriots' defense doesn't give up much, making Harris our best bet for success in an old-fashioned defensive struggle between two of the worst offenses the NFL has to offer.
FLEX D/ST Steelers ($10,000). The Steelers can get after the quarterback and force plenty of turnovers in any given game. They're facing an offense that's posted 13 points in the past three weeks -- not exactly encouraging for fantasy purposes. We think there's a good chance of a defensive score here, boosting the outlook for Pittsburgh's D/ST. There will be few yards and even fewer points. Even though the Steelers can be vulnerable against the pass, the Patriots are not a team capable of exploiting that weakness. Don't overthink it.
FLEX D/ST Patriots ($9,000). Much like the Steelers, most of that logic also applies here with the Patriots. Trubisky will have to try to move the ball on a team that hasn't allowed more than 10 points in three straight weeks. We can't envision the Steelers scoring 20 points on offense, leaving us with a low-scoring affair. New England's problem is obviously the offense, so don't overlook the defense that continues to give them chances to win every week.
FLEX K Chris Boswell, Steelers ($8,500). Could we be in for another field goal fest? Last week's contest in New England saw the Chargers kick two FGs en route to a 6-0 victory, so why rule it out here? Pittsburgh is already starting a backup QB and has a tough time scoring against everyone anyway, so it's safe to assume that FGs, not TDs, are on the menu once again.
Best SuperDraft NFL DFS Picks for Patriots-Steelers
This year, we're also listing our favorite weekly DFS plays on SuperDraft.
For those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.
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Here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
MORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft
- Champion (+50% points): RB Najee Harris, Steelers (Multiplier 1.9x)
- Co-Champ (+25% points): RB Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots (Multiplier 1.4x)
- Super FLEX: QB Mitch Trubisky, Steelers (Multiplier 1.15x)
- Super FLEX: TE Pat Freiermuth, Steelers (Multiplier 1.35x)
- Super FLEX: K Chris Boswell, Steelers (Multiplier 1.8x)
- Super FLEX: K Chad Ryland, Patriots (Multiplier 1.8x)
This week's SuperDraft lineup features our first "Co-Champ," which gives us 25 percent more points for our player of choice. With the ground game being a point of emphasis, we're focused on the RBs for those two top spots, while filling in the lineup with both kickers alongside a Trubisky-Freiermuth stack.
