In Sunday's featured Showdown, we get another Baltimore Ravens game, this time hosting the Indianapolis Colts. For a breakdown of this game, check out Rich Hribar’s Fantasy Football Worksheet.

The Ravens are touchdown favorites, and will likely command most of the roster slots in 4-2 and 5-1 builds. The last time I covered a Ravens Showdown strategy, I mentioned how it was unlikely, but not impossible, for Lamar Jackson to not be on the optimal lineup. For the first time, that did come to pass, but I’m sure the field will have a short memory and overuse him at CPT and flex once again. This is even more likely given that Carson Wentz has been uninspiring and injured.

Strategy

Practice reports and guesswork have projection and optimizers unsure of the roles of multiple Ravens. If you take showdown seriously and want to ship a solo win, I would recommend waiting until an active reports before building your lineups. Players with uncertainty include Le’Veon Bell, Ty’Son Williams, Rashod Bateman, Miles Boykin and Devin Duvernay. Some of these players are priced at or near the minimum and could offer great differentiation, and opportunity to leave salary unspent, if confirmed active. Bell’s and Williams’ roles will take away from each other. The same goes for Bateman and/or Boykin reducing Duvernay’s role.

With the information currently available, it’s clear that Jackson will be the mega-chalk, in over 90% of lineups and near 40% CPT. Jonathan Taylor, Mark Andrews, Marquise Brown and Wentz are expected between 7-10% CPT and 43-51% overall. You can choose any or all of these four players to go over weight on at the expense of Jackson. For easy leverage, build as if the Colts pull off an upset. I also like building for low scoring game-scripts, where any single big play or TD catch can put an unlikely player into the optimal.

Justin Tucker looks to be too popular for a kicker, so him and Jackson would be my top choice is to go under the field with. Michael Pittman Jr. has had an alpha receiver role and would be my top choice to go overweight with. I also like Nyheim Hines, who has shown big play potential and gets valuable touches.

DK Values

  • Marlon Mack ($600) – Risky, inconsistent usage 0-10 carries recently
  • Justin Tucker ($4000)
  • Jack Doyle ($2600)

DK Leverage

  • Zach Pascal ($8200)
  • Mo Alie-Cox ($5000)

DK Build Ideas

  • Max 1 DST, Max 1 K
  • Max 2 depth WR/TE/RB
  • Max 1 dart throw group (or 1 per team if MME)
  • Negative boost same team RBs
  • If CPT QB, include one depth option in stack 
  • If CPT RB, negative boost opposing DST/K
  • If CPT WR/TE boost team QB and force at least 1 QB (either team)
  • Cumulative ownership under 250%
  • Leave salary unspent 

FD Values

  • Sammy Watkins ($7500)
  • Latavius Murray ($10000) – Optimizer likes him, though I’m betting on his yardage unders

FD Leverage

  • Anyone $7000 or less 

FD Build Ideas

  • No K or TE at MVP
  • Focus on 3-2 build construction
  • No solo CPT in 1-4 construction
  • Negative boost opposing QBs (Lineups with both only win 30%)
  • If WR CPT, boost QB
  • QB is overused but RB and WR are underutilized at MVP
  • Don’t stack 3 pass catchers from the same team
  • Don’t force the max salary

For more optimizer build rules to consider, check out the list for each DK and FD here.