This is a slate-specific article. If you haven’t already read my short NFL Showdown Primer, please start there for more general NFL Showdown advice.
Studs
These are the top-projected players on the slate. I'd recommend having at least three of these players in most of your lineups, either as captain or in a flex spot.
Caleb Williams ($9,200) will face a Vikings defense that gave up the 8th-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to quarterbacks last year. New Head Coach Ben Johnson has expressed optimism that Williams will transition easily to playing more under center rather than from shotgun.
J.J. McCarthy ($9,000) will face a Bears defense that gave up the 3rd-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to quarterbacks last year. The Vikings could lean on the run more than usual in McCarthy’s first NFL start.
