NFL DFS Showdown DraftKings Picks for Saints vs Panthers MNF Week 2

Week 2 is almost over, but there are two Monday Night Football games to watch tonight. We’ll be focusing on the first matchup of the night between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. Below, I’ll go over my top NFL DFS Showdown picks on DraftKings for the Saints vs. Panthers MNF Week 2 game. 

This week’s matchup doesn’t offer a ton of interest from a DFS perspective because the NFC South is a rather weak division, suggesting this could be a low-scoring affair. It should be a fun one still as it features the No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, so let’s dive right into how you 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 Saints vs. Panthers MNF Week 2

Favorite Captain NFL DFS Picks

Derek Carr ($15,600)

You could go either way between Derek Carr and Chris Olave ($17,100), but I’m rolling with Carr for our favorite captain in tonight’s DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown. This is because he’s facing a Panthers defense that wasn’t even tested in Week 1. They faced the Atlanta Falcons, and Desmond Ridder threw for just 91 yards, so Carr can take advantage of a potentially unprepared secondary. Carr scored 18.6 FPTS, completed nearly 70% of his passes and threw for over 300 yards in Week 1, so there shouldn’t be much concern about the Saints’ passing game. 

Stacking both Carr and Olave could pay off big-time, but it’s going to be expensive. Still doable, but at a hefty price. Carolina lost starting cornerback Jaycee Horn to injury as well, so it may be worth scrolling down to grab some cheaper Saints’ pass catchers to build a more optimal lineup. Whichever you choose, Carr remains a great captain play for tonight’s DraftKings NFL DFS Showdown contest for Saints vs. Panthers.

Jamaal Williams ($13,200)

The Panthers got run over by the Falcons in Week 1. As long as the Saints continue to feed Jamaal Williams, he’ll likely do the same. Kendre Miller (hamstring) is trending toward making his NFL debut, which will eat into Williams’ snaps, but he is the obvious starter with Alvin Kamara sidelined due to suspension. He accounted for 18-of-27 rushing attempts and caught two receptions in Week 1 and should be more involved as they look to open up the game plan against a poor secondary. 

Carolina allowed 5.0 yards per carry and two touchdowns on the ground last week, and likely won’t be able to keep up with New Orleans’ downhill running scheme with Williams. As much as I think the passing game will be featured heavily, Williams is probably a safer Captain play for tonight’s matchup. 

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Favorite Value FLEX NFL DFS Picks

Rashid Shaheed ($7,000)

For those who want to stack Saints’ pass catchers with Carr but don’t know if they can afford Olave like I mentioned above, Rashid Shaheed is my favorite pick. Michael Thomas ($8,400) caught 6-of-8 targets for 61 yards last week and will certainly remain in a big role in the passing game, but Shaheed offers some big-play ability. He scored 20 FPTS and is in a gadget role where he’s used in the running game but still hauled in 5-of-6 targets. 

The other players in Shaheed’s price range don’t necessarily wow me and while $7K isn’t that much of a value play, he’s clearly established a role in the offense and should be used in some creative ways tonight against a depleted and untested Panthers’ secondary. 

Hayden Hurst ($6,200)

Bryce Young ($9,600) looked rough in his NFL debut, throwing for two interceptions but found Hurst in the endzone. Hurst caught five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 15.1 FPTS. I expect Young to look more improved and prepared this time around and he’ll likely latch onto Hurst as one of his favorite targets yet again, especially if the Saints’ pass rush gets home often. 

Tight ends are always tough to gauge in NFL DFS, but the target share and production were there in a rookie’s debut and I’d be very surprised if Young isn’t looking Hurst’s way another seven more times tonight. The $6K-7K price range is slim pickings in a game between two developing/middling teams, so pick your poison, but I’m rolling with Hurst. It’s not pretty but it should get the job done. 

Favorite Lineup: NFL DFS Showdown DraftKings Picks for Saints vs Panthers MNF Week 2

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