If you think picking a DraftKings DFS lineup is tricky take a moment to consider the job the Ravens’ head coach has this week. John Harbaugh has the most difficult job in the NFL in Week 18. And it’s got nothing to do with Brad Allen’s crew being in charge of this game (although that might not help). Harbaugh has to decide if protecting his players for the playoffs is more important than beating Baltimore’s most hated rivals. The Ravens do have a Bye week to look forward to in the first week of the postseason, but they have already lost Mark Andrews and Keaton Mitchell to long-term injuries, so this is not a straightforward decision.
Pittsburgh has only lost once in Baltimore since 2017, but a Ravens win this time could knock the Steelers out of the playoffs. Harbaugh has a lot of plates to spin this week. Although, in an improbable scenario the Steelers could lose and still make the playoffs. Got it? Good. Me neither.
Saturday DraftKings DFS Bargains Steelers at Ravens
The Under The Radar Raven DraftKings DFS Pick – Melvin Gordon III
Gordon should get game time in this game, even if Gus Edwards and Justice Hill do most of the heavy lifting. Gordon III costs just $3,600 on this week’s DraftKings DFS Captains Showdown slate too. He’s the fifth most expensive running back in this game.
He had 6 carries last week and only gained 10 yards on the ground, but he did score a touchdown. He wasn’t involved in the passing game for the Ravens in Week 16. But in his previous stint on the active roster, back in weeks 3 and 4, he caught all 3 of his targets.
The Seriously Underrated DraftKings DFS Pick – Allen Robinson II
Robinson II only costs $2,800 in this DraftKings DFS Captains Showdown game. 6 receivers cost more than he does! The Steelers have recently experienced an offensive explosion with Mason Rudolph under center. They have put up 865 yards on offense in the last 2 games! But it’s been a very concentrated offense. Only 4 Steelers caught a pass from Rudolph in Seattle. And he ended that game with 274 passing yards! Two weeks ago, against the Bengals 6 Steelers caught passes.
In Cincinnati Robinson II caught all 4 of the targets. Last week in Seattle he wasn’t even targeted. The good news for him this week is Kyle Hamilton may not play this week. Hamilton is one of 5 Ravens DB’s who appear on their last injury report. Marlon Humphrey could be out too, so the Ravens may be down to their 3rd string nickelback, Arthur Maulet.
Maulet is allowing 13 yards per completion this season. And he’s missed 20.5% of the tackles he’s been asked to make. So, Robinson II should enjoy that matchup.
The Deep Threat DraftKings DFS Pick – Nelson Agholor
Agholor is one of the receivers who are more expensive than Robinson II. But not by much, he’s only $3,000 in this DraftKings DFS game. Agholor is another Raven who should benefit from Harbaugh protecting his stars.
He’s averaging 11.4 yards per touch this season; he’s caught 30 passes this season and 4 have resulted in touchdowns. Only Zay Flowers (who should be wrapped in cotton wool for two weeks) and Mark Andrews have hauled in more scoring passes. Against the Steelers in Week 5 Agholor caught 4 of his 5 targets, recording 64 yards in the process. This week he should be lined up opposite Chandon Sullivan. Sullivan has allowed 63.6% of passes to be completed in his limited time this season. He’s only allowing 8.4 yards per completion, but he’s missed 16% of his tackles and he hasn’t had to defend a deep threat like Agholor this season.
The Depth Guy DraftKings DFS Pick – Charlie Kolar
Kolar is one of a long line of 2023 NFL players who have a lot more talent than their usage suggests. Kolar is usually buried on the depth chart with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but he’s averaging 16 yards per touch this season! And he’s caught a touchdown pass. With Andrews on IR and Likely becoming an increasingly important part of the Ravens offense Kolar gets more opportunities this week.
He’ll cost just $800 on the DraftKings DFS Captains Showdown slate. And the Steelers have allowed 10 yards per reception to the tight end position this season. And tight ends are scoring an average of 12.4 points per game against the Steelers.
The Difference Maker Pick – Calvin Austin III
Austin III is averaging 10.6 yards per reception this season. But he hasn’t caught a pass for 5 games! Austin III has, however, run the ball in those games. If the Steelers want to keep the Ravens’ suffocating defense off balance, they’ll need to try something different. And it doesn’t get much more different than a receiver who doesn’t catch passes!
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
