DraftKings Showdown-Thursday Night Football Browns vs Steelers

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CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 10: Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) carries the football during the third quarter of the National Football League game between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns on November 10, 2019, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

DraftKings Showdown-High-End Options

Nick Chubb RB CLE-$10,600

Nick Chubb has been one of the most consistent fantasy players all season. He has double digit DraftKings points in every single game he’s played this year. He has also received exactly 20 carries in each of his last four games. The touches are there and the fantasy production is there.

Chubb currently has 921 rushing yards on the season, giving him the chance to be the first player in the NFL this season to reach the 1,000 rushing yards milestone this week against the Steelers. I’d think that 79 rushing yards is a near guarantee for him at this point, and when you add in his nose for the end zone and his effectiveness in the passing game, Chubb is likely to score the most fantasy points of any player in this ball game.

While many people, including myself, were worried that the return of Kareem Hunt would take away some of Chubb’s production, it seems to be doing the exact opposite. Last week, Chubb was incredibly effective when Hunt was out their on the field with him, and they should only be more and more effective as time goes on and Hunt gets his feet under him.

Chubb scored 17.1 DraftKings points last week against a solid Bills defense. This week, he gets a Steelers defense that ranks third against opposing fantasy running backs, but is just 16th in rushing yards allowed per game.

The Browns offense seems to be hitting their stride a bit, and that success is starting with the run game. Chubb has been a monster all season long and I don’t see the Steelers slowing him down. While he would be a bit pricey as a Captain, he isn’t even the most expensive player on the slate. I’ll have a lineup with Chubb as my captain in hopes that he comes through with another monster game, similar to the one he put up against the last divisional opponent the Browns faced (42.3 DraftKings points vs BAL in week 4).

Baker Mayfield QB CLE-$9,000

After getting off to an abysmal start to the season, both in fantasy and in reality, Baker Mayfield seems to be picking things up a bit as of late. With back-to-back games of 17+ DraftKings points against solid defenses in Buffalo and Denver, Mayfield may finally be worth playing again in fantasy.

Although, as I said before, the focus of the Cleveland offense seems to be on the run game, the Browns still throw the ball their fair share and have been finding success when doing so lately. Baker will look to build off of his first multi-passing touchdown outing last week against a Steelers defense that has been stingy against opposing quarterbacks since the addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick.

While it may not be the best matchup and even though Baker has not been consistent with his fantasy production this season, this is a pretty thin slate so the starting quarterbacks are always viable options. If Mayfield can take care of the ball and continue to get his start receivers involved, he should be able to reach his value Thursday night.

James Conner RB PIT-$10,800

I don’t love the situation here for James Conner, but again, this slate is pretty slim so a starting running back is always going to be a top option. Conner is returning to action after missing the Steelers last two games due to a shoulder injury.

Conner has struggled a lot with injuries throughout his short career to this point in the NFL, so you never know when something may flare up or pop up and you’ll see him heading to the locker room. But he should be healthy, or at least healthy enough to garner the start, on Thursday. When he has played, he has been good.

in three of the last four games that Conner has actually played, he has scored 26.5+ DraftKings points. He has done damage both on the ground and as a receiver out of the backfield and gets a Browns defense that is 21st against opposing fantasy running backs.

I would like Conner more if his price was a little lower. He certainly has the potential for a big game, as he always does when he is on the field and healthy. But his health does concern me, and as the highest priced player on the slate, I would avoid building my lineup around him. That being said, I will roster him in a lineup that I take a cheaper option at Captain just in case he does go off for a huge day.

Others to consider: Mason Rudolph QB PIT-$8,400, Odell Beckham Jr. WR CLE-$9,200, JuJu Smith-Schuster WR PIT-$8,600