Super Bowl DFS Strategy: Cash Games vs. GPP Contests

With the entire NFL season boiling down to one game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, Daily Fantasy Sports players are flooding into contests. However, treating a "Cash Game" (50/50s, Double Ups) the same as a "GPP" (large tournaments) is the fastest way to lose your bankroll. In a single-game slate, the correlation between players is magnified, making the distinction between "floor" and "ceiling" critical.

This guide explores the specific nuances of Super Bowl 60 DFS cash games versus Super Bowl DFS tournament strategy, helping you build the right lineup for the right contest.

How Cash Game Goals Differ in Super Bowl DFS

In a Cash Game, your only goal is to finish in the top 50% of the field. You do not need the highest score; you just need to beat the "bad" lineups.

• Safety Over Ceiling: You want players with guaranteed touches. Drake Maye (DK $11,000 / FD $12,600) is a lock because he will touch the ball on every offensive play.
• Block the Field: In Cash, you want to play the same guys as everyone else. If Rhamondre Stevenson is 60% owned and he has a mediocre game, it doesn't hurt you because most of your opponents have him too. If you fade him and he scores 2 TDs, you are instantly eliminated from contention.

Optimal Super Bowl Cash Game Builds

Your Cash Game lineup should focus on raw volume projection, ignoring the temptation to get "different."

• The "Volume King" Lock: Rhamondre Stevenson (DK $8,800 / FD $10,400) is the cash game staple. While he isn't cheap, he offers the safest floor of any skill player outside the QBs. In Cash games, you prioritize his guaranteed 15-20 touches over the savings you might get from a riskier backup.
• The "Two-QB" Core: In Cash, you almost always start your build with both Quarterbacks. Drake Maye and Sam Darnold project for the most raw points. While it's expensive, it guarantees you capture nearly all the offensive production from the game.

High-variance GPP Constructions

In Super Bowl DFS GPP contests, your goal is to beat 100,000+ people. To do that, you must embrace volatility and tell a story that others are afraid to bet on.

• Fade the Chalk RB: Fading Stevenson is the ultimate leverage move. If the Patriots abandon the run or split carries, Stevenson will fail to pay off his salary.
• The "Upside" Pivot: TreVeyon Henderson (DK $3,800 / FD $8,200) is the tournament winner's play. He will be far lower owned than Stevenson, yet he possesses the explosive speed to outscore the starter on just 5-8 touches. If Henderson breaks a 50-yard TD and Stevenson grinds out 3 yards per carry, the Henderson lineups will rocket up the leaderboard while the Stevenson lineups sink.

Stacking Rules by Contest Type

How you correlate your players dictates your ceiling.

• Cash Games: Correlation is less important. You can roster Kenneth Walker and the Patriots' defense in the same lineup if they are the two best values. You are just hunting points.
• GPPs: You need heavy correlation.
• Captain QBs: Must be stacked with at least 2 pass catchers.
• Captain WRs: Must be stacked with their QB.
• Onslaughts: A 5-1 stack (e.g., 5 Seahawks) is a great GPP strategy because it profits from a blowout scenario that the "balanced" Cash lineups will miss.

Bankroll Management For One-game Slates

Super Bowl DFS is high-variance. A single touchdown can swing your entire night.

• The 80/20 Rule: If you are a serious grinder, allocate 80% of your buy-ins to Cash Games (Head-to-Heads, 50/50s) and only 20% to GPPs. The Cash games smooth out the variance, protecting your bankroll if your tournament "longshots" don't hit.
• Single-Entry vs. Mass Multi-Entry: If you only have $20 to play, put it all into a single-entry tournament. Playing one lineup in a contest where opponents have 150 entries is a disadvantage. In single-entry, the playing field is leveled, rewarding your superior construction strategy.