This article is part of our Showdown/Single Game DFS Breakdown series.
The 5-5 Rams are probably more dangerous than their record suggests, and the visiting 8-2 Eagles might be a tad more fallible than theirs looks at a glance. The Sunday Night Football showdown between the two could turn out to be a competitive game, and given the two offenses in question that might even occur in the form of a decent point total. It's a challenging matchup for both sides, but the Eagles are considered the better team as 3.0-point road favorites and the over/under set at 48.5
QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford ($9000 DK, $12000 FD) is a tough call because he frequently plays better on tape and in real life than his box scores tend to show. There are a number of games in recent years where Stafford plays valiantly and still doesn't throw multiple touchdowns. This Eagles defense is far from friendly, moreover, to the point that it's looking like most quarterbacks would find them challenging.
Jalen Hurts ($10800 DK, $14500 FD) is always a compelling single-game pick especially given his rushing upside, but Hurts' rushing production (A) isn't always necessary for him to post good fantasy numbers and (B) doesn't need to truly occur at the expense of Saquon Barkley. In other words, there's nothing wrong with paying up for both Hurts and Barkley on a single lineup, though you're of course paying for what you get. The Rams defense is likely among the worst in the league, and Hurts can do big damage if so.
RUNNING
The 5-5 Rams are probably more dangerous than their record suggests, and the visiting 8-2 Eagles might be a tad more fallible than theirs looks at a glance. The Sunday Night Football showdown between the two could turn out to be a competitive game, and given the two offenses in question that might even occur in the form of a decent point total. It's a challenging matchup for both sides, but the Eagles are considered the better team as 3.0-point road favorites and the over/under set at 48.5
QUARTERBACK
Matthew Stafford ($9000 DK, $12000 FD) is a tough call because he frequently plays better on tape and in real life than his box scores tend to show. There are a number of games in recent years where Stafford plays valiantly and still doesn't throw multiple touchdowns. This Eagles defense is far from friendly, moreover, to the point that it's looking like most quarterbacks would find them challenging.
Jalen Hurts ($10800 DK, $14500 FD) is always a compelling single-game pick especially given his rushing upside, but Hurts' rushing production (A) isn't always necessary for him to post good fantasy numbers and (B) doesn't need to truly occur at the expense of Saquon Barkley. In other words, there's nothing wrong with paying up for both Hurts and Barkley on a single lineup, though you're of course paying for what you get. The Rams defense is likely among the worst in the league, and Hurts can do big damage if so.
RUNNING BACK
Saquon Barkley ($11200 DK, $16000 FD) is a tough fade against a Rams defense that just doesn't have much at linebacker and isn't built to stop the run in its defensive line. Kenneth Gainwell ($3000 DK, $8000 FD) is the likely RB2, though his grip on that role has slipped slightly in recent weeks, with RB3 Will Shipley ($200 DK, $5500 FD) sometimes popping up to poach some snaps (likely less than 10). Any of the Eagles running backs would project fairly well on a per-touch basis, but the plan is of course to give the vast majority to Barkley.
Kyren Williams ($9400 DK, $11000 FD) might struggle to provide efficiency against the Eagles' tough run defense, but the usage has been locked in all year and at this point it seems like the Rams offense can't function without giving major volume to Williams. If the Rams offense surprises and gets the better of the Eagles defense it could entail a nice showing for Williams, especially in terms of touchdown upside. Blake Corum ($2400 DK, $7500 FD) was apparently drafted in the third round to be an overqualified backup, but that's exactly what the Rams have made him to this point.
WIDE RECEIVER + TIGHT END
Cooper Kupp ($9600 DK, $13500 FD) and Puka Nacua ($9200 DK, $13000 FD) don't always have big games at the same time, but in general the Rams offense is in trouble if either of them go quiet, which is to say neither of them do for very long. The Eagles corners are tough, but so are Kupp and Nacua. Demarcus Robinson ($4400 DK, $9500 FD) is not so tough to stop, by contrast, but his playing time appears locked in and he has a way of finding himself in the right place at times. If Robinson is playing a three-down role then it's not easy to see where there would be any snaps left for the otherwise capable backups Tutu Atwell ($3400 DK, $7000 FD) and Jordan Whittington. At tight end Davis Allen appears to be the new TE1, even with Colby Parkinson scoring a touchdown last week. Hunter Long played 18 snaps last week to Parkinson's 19 and Allen's 33.
A.J. Brown ($9800 DK, $12500 FD) is an exceedingly tough fade in this one. The Eagles offense can do a lot of damage on the ground and someone like Dallas Goedert ($6400 DK, $10000 FD) could certainly step up with DeVonta Smith out, but there will likely be slack left for Brown too and it isn't clear what the Rams can do to stop Brown if the Eagles send the ball his way. Jahan Dotson continues to disappoint as a trade acquisition but his opportunity level should be high here and the Rams corners really aren't convincing. Grant Calcaterra is a punt play option as TE2, albeit a fairly busy one. Rookie Johnny Wilson appears to be the best bet to run routes after those four names, though his snaps rarely translate to targets.
KICKER
Jake Elliott ($5000 DK, $9000 FD) seems to be suffering either from some nagging injury or perhaps even worse yet, a full-blown case of the yips. Elliott is normally good and might bounce back any second, but he missed two field goals and an extra point last week. You couldn't fault the Eagles for ignoring a field goal attempt or two in favor of going for it given Elliott's oddly poor play lately.
Joshua Karty ($4800 DK, $8500 FD) has had some recent struggles of his own – one missed field goal in each of the last two games – but if Karty shakes it off from here he could establish himself as a solid kicker in time. Until then, though, he'll probably be a bit hit-or-miss.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Philadelphia ($4000 DK, $9000 FD) are a tough defense and Stafford isn't above throwing interceptions, but Stafford also tends to show up in big games and this one certainly qualifies. It's a strength versus strength question – either of the two sides could lose, or they could cancel each other out.
The Rams ($3800 DK, $8500 FD) defense does not have an obviously great case here. They have some promising prospects emerging in their front seven, but not of the run-stopping sort, and that could be a problem against the likes of Barkley and Hurts.
