It will be Throwback Thursday in the NFL when the Steelers host the Patriots in Pittsburgh. The Steelers boast a 7-5 record, good enough for second place in the AFC North despite owning an offense that would be fighting for a top draft pick if it wasn't for their defense. In a way, the Steelers are looking in a mirror when they view their opponent on Thursday, as the Patriots also can't score and have only been somewhat competitive thanks to their defense.
The NFL is essentially broadcasting an Iowa Hawkeyes game on Amazon Prime to open Week 14, meaning defense and special teams are set to be the stars of the show. We're looking to find some diamonds in the rough for our DraftKings Showdown lineup on a night that won't feature many points.
Before we get into our lineup and strategy, here are the key scoring settings for DraftKings Showdown contests: They're full-point PPR and there are three-point bonuses for 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, and 100 receiving yards. The Captain pick costs 1.5 times a player's original price, but he also gets his point total multiplied by 1.5.
MORE THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
FD lineup | ATS pick | Top props | Start-sit | Najee update
Patriots-Steelers DraftKings Picks: DFS lineup for Week 14 Thursday Night Football
$50,000 budget, need at least one player from each team.
Captain (1.5x points, 1.5x salary): RB Jaylen Warren, Steelers ($12,000)
Najee Harris has been the more productive running back in terms of fantasy scoring, but he popped up on the injury report with a knee issue this week. Whether Harris plays or not, Warren could end up seeing some more opportunities. We expect the Steelers to try and establish the ground game in what will probably be a slugfest between two terrible offenses. Unlike Harris, Warren presents some upside in the passing game even though his receiving production has fallen off in recent weeks. With Mitch Trubisky under center, Warren should play a key role regardless of his fellow RB's status.
FLEX WR George Pickens, Steelers ($10,000)
Pickens, like the Steelers, has been consistently inconsistent throughout 2023. He was solid last week, hauling in four-of-five targets for 86 yards, but our preference here is to look for some big-bodied targets who Trubisky can trust in the passing game. Considering that's what Pickens brings to the table, his inclusion in the lineup is likely TD-dependent against a stout New England defense, but since our budget allows it, we'll take a shot at this price.
FLEX RB Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots ($9,400)
Elliott is slated to headline the Patriots' backfield this week with Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) sidelined. New England should continue to lean on the running game thanks to their struggling passing attack, meaning Elliott will be fed plenty on Thursday night. Like most players in this game, a touchdown would bode well for our lineup. However, this matchup likely features very few touchdowns, so we'll trust Elliott's efficiency since he should have the ball in his hands quite often.
FLEX D/ST Steelers ($6,600)
The Patriots offense is hopeless. There is no firepower, no punch, and literally no player that would keep any opposing coach up at night. Even on a short week, Mike Tomlin and his staff should be catching up on their rest. This is very much like the week of school or work before a holiday for Pittsburgh since their defense should dominate just by showing up. With an explosive pass rush ready to wreak havoc, we think there will be some turnovers on the final ledger. The Steelers' defense might end up being the top fantasy point scorer on Thursday night.
FLEX WR DeVante Parker, Patriots ($5,600)
UPDATE: With Parker (knee) ruled OUT, we're pivoting to JuJu Smith-Schuster ($3,800).
Parker turned in his best game of the season last week, catching four-of-nine targets for 64 yards, but he's still searching for his first touchdown of the season. Bailey Zappe has shown a willingness to throw the ball in No. 1's direction, and that's enough for us to put him in the lineup. Pittsburgh does have a weakness defending the passing game, boosting Parker's outlook even if New England isn't well-positioned to exploit it. We can't avoid taking a swing on a receiver who will have enough opportunities to make a big impact.
FLEX K Chris Boswell, Steelers ($5,400)
We hope you like field goals. These defenses will mostly shut down the offenses, likely forcing FG attempts if either team gets in scoring range. Field position, controlling the clock, and winning the turnover battle will be key, meaning a few FGs might be enough to win. Trust Boswell in his home stadium to make the most of his opportunities thanks to an offense that simply has more talent than its counterparts.
MORE DK SHOWDOWN: How to win a Showdown contest
Best SuperDraft Patriots-Steelers DFS Picks
This year, we're also listing our favorite single-game 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.
