Dolphins vs. Raiders caps off a tripleheader of Saturday NFL (and DFS) action, and with so many injury question marks heading into the game, it's a tricky one to peg for DraftKings Showdown purposes. We've left a lot of notes below for you to choose the right players based on the active/inactive report, but there are matchups to exploit either way.
We want a Miami running back as captain, be that Salvon Ahmed or a returning Myles Gaskin. That's simply the most favorable facet of this game for either offense. Beyond that, we're investing in the two top Raiders while otherwise counting on the Dolphins.
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DraftKings Showdown Picks: Dolphins vs. Raiders
Captain (1.5x price, 1.5x points): RB Salvon Ahmed, Dolphins ($12,300)
In Ahmed's fourth career NFL game, he ran for 122 yards and a score in Week 15. Now he gets a matchup with the defense allowing the third-most DK points to running backs this season. That makes Ahmed an appealing option in an offense that's still predicated on establishing the run.
Note: If Myles Gaskin is activated from the COVID-19/reserve list and active for the game, he's at the same price point as Ahmed and is an ideal pivot. (Update: Gaskin has been activated, and we would pivot to him in the majority of our lineups (although Ahmed may still see some work and should see small ownership.)
MORE SATURDAY DRAFTKINGS: Bucs-Lions | 49ers-Cardinals
FLEX: TE Darren Waller, Raiders ($10,600)
Because Miami is a strong defense, we're going to get our Vegas production from the best player in the Raiders' offense. He's seen double-digit targets in three consecutive weeks, and that could continue this week, especially if Marcus Mariota starts. Waller is a matchup nightmare who's worth the price for his consistency relative to the rest of this offense.
SATURDAY FANDUEL LINEUPS: Bucs-Lions | 49ers-Cardinals | Dolphins-Raiders
FLEX: QB Marcus Mariota, Raiders ($10,000)
Mariota showed with his legs in Week 15 that he can be a viable fantasy option in the Vegas offense. For a while, he was dealing, too, before he started to miss on a few passes. This isn't a super fun matchup, but the rushing floor of Mariota makes him worth the price.
Note: If Derek Carr (groin) returns, he costs the same as Mariota and is a fine play in this spot. (Update: Carr is expected to start, so play him if he does.)
SATURDAY FULL-SLATE DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
FLEX: TE Mike Gesicki, Dolphins ($6,600)
Gesicki (shoulder) is lining up to play, but confirm his status before the game to be safe. There's not an obvious pivot if he does, so let's just keep our fingers crossed. Gesicki has proven he can connect with Tua Tagovailoa in the end zone, and he's at a fair price for a potentially high-volume tight end.
WEEK 16 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
FLEX: Dolphins D/ST ($5,400)
Miami's defense has been a pleasant surprise all season long, and even though we've played the two highest priced Raiders, there's upside for the Dolphins on the defensive side of the ball. Las Vegas can move the ball without scoring consistently, and Miami has done a good job generating turnovers all year.
WEEK 16 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
FLEX: WR Lynn Bowden Jr., Dolphins ($4,600)
Bowden is a good play as long as one of Gesicki (shoulder), DeVante Parker (hamstring) or Jakeem Grant (hamstring) is out. He's proven a reliable possession receiver for Tagovailoa, and his 16 total targets across the past two weeks make Bowden useful in DK's PPR scoring.
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