Another week, another potential million-dollar prize. I didn't win last week (I'm still here writing, obviously, instead of lying on a beach in Cancun), so we'll just call that one a warmup. I want to get this right, because DRAFT KINGS WILL PAY ONE WINNER $1 MILLION THIS WEEKEND. And it may as well be me.
In this game you pick your best starting lineup within the confines of a salary cap. The competition gives participants a chance to win money from a $2.2 million prize pool, including $1,000,000 for first place. Yep, for real.
Here are the contest details:
- $2,200,000 prize pool
- First place wins $1,000,000
- $27 entry fee
- Top 15,500 are paid
- Starts Sunday, October, 5th at 1:00 EST.
- Salary Cap Style Drafting. $50,000 to select 9 spots. 8 players and 1 defense
- Roster Format: 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 Defense
- First time depositors at DraftKings receive a 100% bonus up to $600
Make that first deposit, enter, get a shot at winning some money. (And bear in mind, you can also take advantage of the outrageous promotion that DraftKings has offered: First-time DraftKing players who sign up for the promotion via the Fantasy Index store, can deposit $40 and get the full Fantasy Index Weekly subscription free.
Enter this week's contest at this link: https://www.draftkings.com/gateway?s=265477839.
Here's my team.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning. I've been doing some thinking about strategy in this game. I have tended to use Manning and Jimmy Graham under the thought that, they're the best at their positions, so why not use them. But I realize the ideal is to find the quarterback who in this one week will be as good as Manning but for a lot cheaper. This week, though, no one really stuck out at me, so for now I'm going with Manning. Unless I change it.
Running back: Matt Forte and Branden Oliver.Very pleased with this duo. Forte should be huge in a shootout with similarly defensively challenged Atlanta. Oliver is inexpensive but should be featured (San Diego has no one else healthy/functional) against Oakland.
Wide receivers: Antonio Brown, Percy Harvin, John Brown, Jarius Wright. A work in progress at the bottom, but I like the top couple. Antonio Brown is due for another huge game, facing a team he's done well against. Percy Harvin, after being robbed of multiple touchdowns last week, should get a few extra chances this week (that might not be a provable theory, but surely there's some validity to the idea of cosmic balance or whatnot, if not team effort to getting the guy a touchdown). John Brown faces Washington's lowly secondary. Wright is the best guy I can afford and has a good rapport with Bridgewater. I may or may not switch out one of these guys, but I feel OK with them.
Tight end: Jordan Reed. Obviously I will switch out Reed if he's hurt and unable to return. If he plays, though, he should be productive, and he's a good player at a bargain price. Because he's been hurt.
Defense: Jaguars. Pass rush is the one thing the Jaguars do well, and it sounds like they'll be facing either Charlie Whitehurst or Zach Mettenberger, so I'm intrigued at their potential.
Check out the competition at the above link, and good luck.
