We’re onto Week 7 of the NFL season, starting with Thursday Night Football — a clash between the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. Below, I’ll go over my top DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown picks for the Jaguars vs Saints TNF Week 7 game.
The uncertainty around Trevor Lawrence (knee) and his injury has made this game a huge question mark when it comes to DFS. The Saints are the only team to hit the under in each of their games this season and considering Lawrence may suit up below 100 percent health, this game is setting up to be a low-scoring affair. Can we find some value in tonight’s slate?
It’s going to be a fun one regardless because well, it’s football, so let’s dive into how you should tackle this week’s DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown fantasy football slate. I’ll highlight my favorite Captain’s plays and FLEX plays below.
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NFL DFS Showdown DraftKings Picks for Jaguars vs Saints TNF Week 7
Favorite Captain NFL DFS Picks
Alvin Kamara ($15,600)
Even with Jamaal Williams ($4,200) returning, Alvin Kamara is by far the most appealing (and most expensive) option on the entire slate. Although the Jaguars’ run defense allows just 3.4 yards per carry and the 12th-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, there is one major weakness that Kamara happens to specialize in –– catching the ball out of the backfield. The Jaguars’ defense has allowed the second-most targets (46), third-most receptions (39) and fifth-most receiving yards (243) to opposing running backs so far this season.
While this game will likely be low-scoring, that doesn’t mean Kamara can’t rack up receptions all game long. Since his Week 4 return, he has led the team in both receptions (23) and targets (25) and I’m expecting that trend to continue as Derek Carr ($8,800) attempts to deal with Jacksonville’s pass rush.
Chris Olave ($13,500)
As I said above, Jacksonville’s defense has been relatively stout this season –– ranking 8th in defensive DVOA (2.1%) and 15th in points per game allowed (20.3). The secondary has struggled, however, allowing the eighth-most fantasy points (227.3) to opposing wide receivers this season –– making this a great spot for Chris Olave to build off of his seven-reception, 96-yard performance in Week 6.
Olave has had double-digit targets in four games this season and gone over 100 yards twice but has only found the endzone once this season. Luckily, Jacksonville is tied for the third-most touchdowns (7) allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Olave’s average yards per reception is 12.9 yards, suggesting Carr is looking for him down the field often. The Jaguars’ pass rush is intimidating and Carr may not have much time in the pocket to find him but his big-play ability against a poor secondary is enough for me to roster him tonight.
Favorite Value FLEX NFL DFS Picks
Evan Engram ($5,800)
The matchup isn’t necessarily friendly as the Saints’ defense has surrendered the fourth-fewest receptions (19) and third-fewest yards (171) to opposing tight ends this season but Evan Engram’s consistent volume suggests this could be the game where the Saints falter a bit when covering the tight end position. Engram has been targeted at least eight times and eclipsed double-digit fantasy points in four games thus far and could be looked for often in the short-to-intermediate passing game.
One big issue with Engram is his lack of redzone usage and the fact that he has yet to find the endzone this season despite the volume. The bottom line is if Trevor Lawrence’s ($9,600) knee injury prevents him enough and he isn’t able to push it downfield consistently to his receivers, Engram and likely Travis Etienne Jr. ($10,200) will be targeted often.
Jamaal Williams ($4,200)
While I’m expecting a big Kamara game, Jamaal Williams at just a $4.2K salary is enticing. He is expected to be activated and suit up tonight after missing the last four games. We have yet to see Williams and Kamara play alongside each other this season, so the backfield splits are very unclear, especially with how much rookie Kendre Miller ($1,800) has flashed in limited snaps.
Considering it is his first game back from injury, he likely won’t be at full usage but his nose for the endzone will certainly have him on the field for redzone situations. The game script should be even throughout, too, so while the workload could be limited, his opportunities will be there. We’ve only had two games and 83 scrimmage yards of Williams in a Saints uniform to work with here but I feel confident in him being a regular part of the gameplan.
Look below for a look at my favorite lineup for Thursday’s DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown slate for the Jaguars vs Saints game.
Favorite Lineup: NFL DFS Showdown DraftKings Picks for Jaguars vs Saints TNF Week 7
| Captain’s Pick | Alvin Kamara ($15,600) |
| FLEX | Travis Etienne Jr. ($10,200) |
| FLEX | Chris Olave ($9,000) |
| FLEX | Evan Engram ($5,800) |
| FLEX | Rashid Shaheed ($5,000) |
| FLEX | Jamaal Williams ($4,200) |
| Salary Remaining | $200 |
