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  1. What Makes a Strong Super Bowl Captain Play
  2. Quarterbacks vs non-QBs in Super Bowl DFS
  3. Contrarian Captain Options For Super Bowl 60
  4. Captain Builds That Cap Upside
  5. Ownership Dynamics in MVP Slots

The single most important decision you will make for your Super Bowl DFS showdown lineups is who you place in the Captain (DraftKings) or MVP (FanDuel) slot. This player scores 1.5x fantasy points but also costs 1.5x their salary (on DraftKings). Getting this pick right is the difference between a minimum cash and a first-place takedown.

With the Seahawks and Patriots facing off in Super Bowl 60, the pricing hierarchy forces difficult choices. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the most expensive player on the slate, but rostering him as Captain severely limits your remaining salary cap. This guide breaks down the optimal Super Bowl 60 captain picks and how to navigate the multiplier slot strategy.

 

 

 

What Makes a Strong Super Bowl Captain Play

A strong Captain/MVP pick typically needs to fulfill one of two criteria:

  1. The Raw Point Leader: The player who simply scores the most points (usually a QB or a WR with 100+ yards and 2 TDs).
  2. The Value Multiplier: A cheaper player who scores enough to be "optimal" relative to their salary, allowing you to fit 4-5 other studs in the Flex spots.

For Super Bowl 60, Drake Maye (DK CPT: $16,500 / FD MVP: $18,900) offers the safest floor. However, on DraftKings, the salary multiplier makes him expensive. If Maye throws for 250 yards and 2 TDs, but Kenneth Walker (DK CPT: $14,700) rushes for 100 yards and 2 TDs, Walker is likely the optimal Captain because he provided similar production at a $1,800 discount.

Quarterbacks vs non-QBs in Super Bowl DFS

In standard NFL DFS, Quarterbacks are the highest scorers. In Showdown, however, they are often over-owned in the Captain spot.

  • The Case for QBs (Maye/Darnold): They touch the ball on every play. If the game is a shootout (35-31), the QBs are almost mandatory MVPs because they account for all the offense.
  • The Case for Skill Players (JSN/Walker/Stevenson): Skill players have higher ceilings per dollar. A 75-yard touchdown reception for Jaxon Smith-Njigba is worth more fantasy points than the TD pass is for Sam Darnold. In GPPs, the winning lineup historically features a WR or RB at Captain about 60% of the time, compared to just 25% for QBs.

 

 

 

Contrarian Captain Options For Super Bowl 60

To win a large-field tournament, you often need to get weird. Here are two low-owned pivots for this specific matchup:

  1. Hunter Henry (DK CPT: $10,500 / FD MVP: $11,400): The Patriots' tight end is a favorite red-zone target for Maye. If Henry catches 2 TDs, he will outscore the expensive WRs at a fraction of the ownership.
  2. Kickers (Myers/Borregales): If this Super Bowl turns into a defensive grind (e.g., 16-13), a Kicker Captain is a slate-breaker. Jason Myers costs just $8,100 at Captain on DraftKings. Playing him there allows you to roster Maye, Darnold, JSN, and Walker in the same lineup, a "super team" build that is impossible if you pay up for a stud Captain.

Captain Builds That Cap Upside

A common mistake is building a lineup that "blocks" itself from hitting a ceiling.

  • The "Double Defense" Mistake: Do not play a Defense at Captain (e.g., Seahawks DST) and then roster the opposing team's Quarterback (Drake Maye) in the Flex. If the Seahawks Defense scores a TD, it usually comes from sacking or intercepting Maye, which kills Maye's fantasy score.
  • The WR Captain without QB: If you play Cooper Kupp (DK CPT: $7,800) at Captain, you are betting on him having a massive game. It is mathematically unlikely for Kupp to score 25+ points without Sam Darnold also having a good game. Always pair your WR/TE Captains with their Quarterback in the Flex.

 

 

 

Ownership Dynamics in MVP Slots

On FanDuel, the MVP spot does not cost extra salary, only the 1.5x points. This creates massive "chalk" (high ownership).

  • FanDuel Strategy: Drake Maye and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will likely be the MVP in 60-70% of lineups because there is no salary penalty for using them. To be contrarian on FanDuel, you don't need to go deep into the depth chart. Simply playing Kenneth Walker or Rhamondre Stevenson at MVP is enough to get you different from the field.
  • DraftKings Strategy: The salary multiplier forces natural diversification. TreVeyon Henderson (DK CPT: $5,700) will be a popular "punt" Captain because he opens up so much salary. If you fade him at Captain and he fails, you gain a massive advantage over the field.

 

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