To put a bow on the 2021 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams will face the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Rams beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in the NFC title game, while the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime in the AFC title game.
This game features some great DFS parts that could end up making or breaking your programming. Many DFS players will choose to place starting quarterbacks Joe Burrow or Matthew Stafford as captain, which wouldn’t be a bad idea.
However, where you can really separate yourself from your opponent is with FLEX picks, in which both teams have interesting picks. Let’s review Showdown’s fantastic outlook for the game for contests on DraftKings.
Rams vs. Bengals Strategy DraftKings Showdown
Injuries to watch out for
For the Rams, WR Van Jefferson (knee), TE Tyler Higbee (knee) and RB Cam Akers (shoulder) are all listed as questionable to play on Sunday. However, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay said last week that he expected the second-year running back to play in the Super Bowl. As for Cincy, tight end CJ Uzomah (knee) considers himself day-to-day, but he said Monday he expects to play in the Super Bowl.
Choosing the captain’s chair
Odell Beckham, WR, Rams
If you want to save some captain’s salary, then Beckham Jr. would be a great Super Bowl play. The standout had a terrific NFC title game with nine receptions (11 targets) for 113 yards and a fantastic 23.3 points per game. In three playoff games, Beckham Jr. is averaging a fantastic 17.7 points per game with a touchdown. The veteran receiver should be able to have success against the Bengals starting with outside CBs Eli Apple and Chidobe Awuzie.
Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals
For the Bengals to win on Sunday, they need to run the football with Mixon and make sure they’ve been on the passing game. The veteran running back had his best playoff performance in the AFC title game. He recorded 88 yards on 21 carries and three receptions (three targets) for 27 yards.
The former University of Oklahoma standout posted a fantastic 14.5 points in the overtime victory and averaged a fantastic 16.2 points per game. The Rams’ defensive line is strong and solid up front, but the Bengals can’t become one-dimensional.
Value Games
Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals – $5,400
With the emergence of Ja’Marr Chase and the continued development of Tee Higgins, many fans are forgetting about Boyd. The veteran wide receiver had plenty of big plays, but still managed to record at least four receptions in two of the Bengals’ three playoff games.
Boyd’s best postseason game was in the wildcard game, where he posted four receptions (five targets) for 26 yards and a touchdown (12.9 fantastic points). With Chase and Higgins commanding a ton of attention, Boyd could make some noise in the slot.
Kendall Blanton, TE, Rams – $4,600
Until we find out anything official on Van Jefferson or Tyler Higbee, backup tight end Kendall Blanton is a solid value play on the Rams side. Blanton played well in the NFC title game a few weeks ago against the San Francisco 49ers.
The 26-year-old tight end had five receptions (five targets) for a fantastic 57 yards and 10.7 points. The previous week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he scored his first career touchdown (two receptions for 18 yards and 9.8 fantasy points).
