LONDON CALLING
The second of three London games is finally here and arguably the best, in my opinion (I am a Giants Fan). Both teams currently sit at 3-1. The Packers haven’t looked great, especially on the offensive side, but Aaron Rodgers seems to have found some trust in rookie receiver Romeo Doubs. The Giants continue to overachieve but will be thankful quarterback Daniel Jones has overcome his injury as they look to make it 3/3 in London.
Green Bay has allowed 150+ yards rushing in two games this year with over 125 yards in their third, so expect Saquon Barkley to have a massive role in London for Big Blue. Running the ball will be a priority if the G-men can keep the game close. Daniel Jones has been effective this year, mainly on the ground, so it will be interesting to see how his gimpy ankle could affect this game. If Jones is limited, look for him to target Barkley out of the backfield along with his tight ends. The wideout situation is horrible in New York, with Richie James leading this wideout core in receptions, so it’s pick your poison here.
Aaron Rodgers has struggled to find his rhythm this year, which was expected after losing DeVante Adams this off-season and a rookie wide receiver core. The Packers quarterback has yet to eclipse 260 passing yards and 20 fantasy points in 2022, which is worrying, but he will undoubtedly want to put on a show in London. I Am expecting the Pack to attack the Giants on the ground. The dynamic duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon have been strong this year in what is an actual 50/50 split. The pair have combined for three touchdowns this year, but I’m expecting a major breakout soon. Allan Lazard has returned from injury and is the wideout that Rodgers most trusts. Romeo Doubs could be an excellent salary saver finding the end zone twice and earning eight targets in two different games this year, and it has been nice to see him gain Rodgers’ trust. As always, Robert Tonyan is lurking and getting healthier by the week.
DRAFTKINGS SHOWDOWN
NFL showdown contests are where I did most of my damage last season, and I’m hoping for the same results again this year. I managed to turn $27 into $100 from the first London game and will be hoping to do the same again this week.
Showdown contests are pretty easy to understand. Simply pick six players within a $50,000 budget. Each showdown lineup will feature a captain pick who will cost 1.5 more than the original price but will get his points multiplied by 1.5.
With such a limited player pool, it is worth looking at projected ownership to gain leverage on the field.
With all that out of the way, let’s look at my player pool, shall we?
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Here are my favourite captain options from this slate.
Aaron Jones, Packers-$16,800. Jones has two 100+ yard games and sees a few targets out of the backfield each game. The touchdowns are a concern, but I’m expecting them to come. This is a good matchup for Jones, with the Giants allowing the 10th most fantasy points to the position and giving up, on average, 11.4 yards through the air to opposing backs. The Giants have been stingy on touchdowns allowed to running backs (1), but Jones ability to get it done through the air makes him a must-at captain for me.
Romeo Doubs, Packers-$13,200. The rookie wideout leads the Packers in routes (107) and targets (24) over the last two weeks and has two touchdowns on the season. This is not an easy matchup on paper for Doubs, with the Giants giving up the second-fewest fantasy points, but I’d ask who they have played this year. This is by far the best offense they have faced all year, and Doubs offers salary relief in the captain spot, allowing us to jam in studs around him. Dare I say it, but Aaron Rodgers has a new number one.
Saquon Barkley, Giants-$17,700. Barkley is the offense for the Giants. If he goes down, that’s it for the Giant’s season. Barkley is game-script proof, unlike many backs in the league, so it makes him a must-play here. This matchup is fantastic, with the Packers allowing the 4th most fantasy points to the position of the year. Even if the Pack stack the box, Barkleys ability to get it done through the air should see him get there. With the Giants lacking at the receiver position, I don’t know how you don’t play Saquon here.
FLEX APPEAL
Here are my flex options within my player pool which will have the players above if I’m not using them as captain.
- Saquon Barkley, $11,800
- Aaron Rodgers, $11,400
- Aaron Jones, $11,200
- Allen Lazard, $9,000
- Romeo Doubs, $8,800
- A.J. Dillon, $8,000
- Randall Cobb, $6,200
- Packers DST, $5,600
- Robert Tonyan, $5,400
- Richie James, $5,200
- Christian Watson, $4,600
- Mason Crosby, $4,000
- Graham Gano, $3,800
- David Sills, $3,400
- Daniel Bellinger, $2,400
CORES
Here are my three favourite cores for this game to build around.
- Captain Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and Mason Crosby
- Captain Romeo Doubs, Aaron Rodgers and Saquon Barkley
- Captain Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones and Graham Gano
Thanks, and good luck. I will be back later in the week with a rundown of the Sunday main slate.
Jack Humphrey @JackHumphreyKM
NFL-DFS.com 
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