Wednesday's Madden showdown is a single game, LAR @ PIT, with a $50,000 cap and a captain slot that scores 1.5x points at 1.5x salary. The slate locks Wed 10/28 at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT).
Our model's ranking puts Puka Nacua (LAR) at the top. He costs $10,200 and carries a ceiling of 29.1 against a DraftKings average of 17.4. Matthew Stafford (LAR) is next at $11,000 with a 28.4 ceiling and a 14.9 average, while Kyren Williams (LAR) at $8,600 has a 26.9 ceiling and a 15.7 average. On the PIT side, Aaron Rodgers costs $9,800 with a 25.9 ceiling and a 13.6 average.
The value plays are where the ceilings stand out. Roman Wilson (PIT) is priced at just $4,400 yet shows a ceiling of 33.3, the highest among our top plays, against a DraftKings average of 7.7. Jordan Whittington (LAR) costs $4,800 and sports a 31.5 ceiling over a 9.3 average. Michael Pittman Jr. (PIT) adds a cheaper option at $6,600 with a 20.4 ceiling. Cheap players with ceilings this high give a lineup room to afford the expensive captain slot.
The crowd will gather around the quarterbacks and the LAR backfield. Stafford leads projected ownership at 68%, followed by Rodgers at 54% and Williams at 48%. Nacua matches Williams at 48%, and DK Metcalf sits at 39%. Wilson is projected at just 13% and Whittington at 18%, so they offer a way to separate from the field.
Our model's top lineup uses $49,800 of the $50,000 cap. It captains Rico Dowdle at $12,000, then fills the flex spots with Stafford ($11,000), Rodgers ($9,800), Williams ($8,600), Colby Parkinson ($6,200) and Max Klare ($2,200).
Lock is Wed 10/28 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
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