Tuesday marks our first playoff foray into Showdown territory on DraftKings. These contests will be the new normal for DFS play moving forward. While some sites allow for two-game slates over multiple days, we will stick to covering the single-game format. If you're unfamiliar with how the format works, I've got you covered.
For DraftKings Showdown contests, participants are given six positions to fill. While five of them are normal (UTIL) spots, the remaining slot allows for a 1.5x multiplier to be given to the selected player. We typically call it the Captain slot. That's a significant bonus for the selected player, but there is a catch. The player's base salary is also multiplied by 1.5x when used in the multiplier spot.
The most common mistake made by DFS players is assuming that finding the game's top scorer and placing them in the multiplier is the key to winning. While that strategy can happen occasionally, it's often not the case. The top scorer will usually have a high salary, and the 1.5x sum will restrict your ability to maximize production in the UTIL spots. If a player's base salary is $10,000, it increases to $15,000 under the multiplier, eating up a third of your available salary.
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SAS - QUESTIONABLE: De'Aaron Fox (ankle)
I can envision a scenario where the Spurs could give Fox a break. Dylan Harper's excellent play off the bench would be an excellent pivot for Fox, and a slight adjustment of Stephon Castle's duties would do the trick. It's imperative to monitor his status.
Captain (1.5x) Selections
Keep in mind that these players are also viable as UTIL selections.
Anthony Edwards, MIN (CPTN $15,000, UTIL $10,000)
Victor Wembanyama, SAS (CPTN $18,000, UTIL $12,000)
Stephon Castle, SAS (CPTN $13,200, UTIL $8,800)
Injury Pivot: Dylan Harper, SAS (CPTN $8,100, UTIL $5,400)
We're offering two strategies for the multiplier, with the first focusing on optimization with the top producers. Edwards and Wembanyama will be very popular options for the multiplier, but the salary gap between the two is significant. Regardless of whom I choose, there's a good chance that the other player will be in the UTIL position at their base amount. The best way to frame the question is: Does the $2,000 salary difference favor Wembanyama or Edwards? If we take Wemby, we are assuming that the $2,000 increase has a point-per-dollar value that outpaces what Edwards would provide for less money. Wembanyama's floor is obviously higher, and the upside potential is explosive.
The other strategy will save us a lot of money for UTIL usage, but it hinges largely on Fox's status for the game. If Fox is out, it's safe to assume that Castle will shift into a larger role that will outpace his usual averages. It would also positively affect Dylan Harper, who would be Fox's direct replacement. Even if Fox plays, he could be a step slower, and there would still be a significant advantage for both players. If reports suggest that he won't be limited, the alternatives become less valuable.
Here's a list of the remaining salary allotment available after selecting each player as the multiplier:
Edwards: $7,000 per player
Wembanyama: $6,400 per player
Castle: $7,360 per player
Harper: $8,380 per player
Utility Selections
Naz Reid, MIN ($6,600)
Julian Champagnie, SAS ($5,000)
Rudy Gobert, MIN ($7,400)
Let's assume the previous multiplier candidates take up three of the UTIL slots. Here are the remaining salary results for various builds:
CPTN Edwards, UTIL Wembanyama, UTIL Castle: $4,733 per player
CPTN Wembanyama, UTIL Edwards, UTIL Castle: $4,400 per player
CPTN Castle, UTIL Wembanyama, UTIL Edwards: $4,933 per player
As you can see, these builds don't mesh well with my top selections. Things look a little brighter when we incorporate Harper.
CPTN Harper, UTIL Wembanyama, UTIL Edwards: $6,900 per player
We would get even more relief if we eliminated Wembanyama or Edwards, but I'm reticent to take that route. Let's try fading Castle. The Harper/Edwards/Wemby build would make Reid, Champagnie, and Gobert accessible and actually leave $900 of wiggle room.
Can we use that extra $900? Possibly, if we determine that going with Wemby or Edwards as the multiplier bears the most fruit. If we take that route, we have to introduce more bargain utility targets into the fold.
Devin Vassell, SAS ($6,000)
Keldon Johnson, SAS ($3,000)
With Wemby as Captain (and Harper in the UTIL), you'd need to eliminate Gobert or Reid and replace with Johnson to stay under the cap. You could also eliminate Champagnie, but that brings you into Mike Conley ($2,400) territory, and I balk at going that low. If you opt for Edwards/Wemby/Harper, eliminating Gobert would give you Vassell, whom I consider a significant upgrade over Johnson.
Ultimately, I settled on a Wembanyama/Edwards/Gobert/Harper/Vassell/Johnson build as my primary option, and made subtle variations with other builds.
Wildcard Builds
Julius Randle ($9,200), Jaden McDaniels ($8,400) and Ayo Dosunmu ($7,000) didn't make the cut for me, but they aren't complete fades. Single-game builds involve trial and error and experimentation, and you may find a combo where one of these players works as a UTIL or even a Captain. I usually fire up a few different combos with significant differences, and I hope I've given you a pathway to find your ideal fit.
Note: In our analysis, we failed to bring Castle back into the conversation. Based on our predictions, the most sensible way to get him involved is to eliminate Wembanyama or Edwards. At present, I think that's a risk-reward move that leans heavily toward risk.
