This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
Welcome to the Pro Bowl, where the score is irrelevant and the points don't matter. DraftKings will run a single-game contest with five flex spots and a "captain" for the Pro Bowl, providing different strategical decisions compared to your usual multi-game contest. The player chosen for the Captain will get a 1.5 bonus multiplier and can be any player, meaning you'll want to target players with a greater opportunity for production to benefit from the bonus. This article will focus on the one-game captain format, with an emphasis on selecting said captain to go along with a couple notable flex options.
It's tough to discern much from past Pro Bowls, but I feel comfortable suggesting we are a far cry from the days when playing hard was taboo, as the last two each totaled less than 50 points. Given the 2019 Pro Bowl over/under has stayed at 60 all week, it seems likely we'll see more points than previous years, but just how much is left up for discussion. Vegas oddsmakers also installed the NFC as a two-point favorite, only for that to drop to just a single point later in the week.
CAPTAIN OPTIONS
Tyreek Hill, $14,100 - Hill is the highest-priced player and for good reason, as the third-year receiver figures to be a major factor offensively or on special teams. Hill was only targeted four times total in his previous two Pro Bowl appearances, but you don't have to look too far to see the type of impact a speed receiver can have in this playground setting, as T.Y. Hilton has led the AFC in receiving yards each of the last two seasons. Hill's projected production figures to go up should quarterback Patrick Mahomes get an extended run in his first Pro Bowl appearance, but the opening quarterback only tends to play about a quarter, so there's certainly risk.
Saquon Barkley, $12,000 - Historically, relying on running backs in this type of format has been akin to fool's gold, as the likes of Jordan Howard and Mark Ingram have led the way in terms of rushing in each of the last two years with a whopping 21 yards. However, backs who can catch have had more success, with Alvin Kamara, Le'Veon Bell, Kyle Juszczyk (fullbacks are running backs too) and Darren Sproles catching at least four passes for 25 or more yards in the last two seasons. With the likes of Ezekiel Elliott and Alvin Kamara likely to enter the game first, Barkley should have an opportunity to gain those all-valuable late third quarter/early fourth quarter snaps.
Eric Ebron, $5,700 - I doubt I'll have many RBs in my lineup come Sunday, but you can guarantee I'll have at least one tight end, if not more, when it's all said and done. Simply put, the big-bodied receivers tend to thrive at the Pro Bowl - Delanie Walker and Travis Kelce won the offensive MVP award the last two seasons, while Kyle Rudolph and Jimmy Graham also factored in prominently. Considering I believe the AFC will be passing more, Jared Cook also belongs in this conversation, but Ebron figures to be one of the main red-zone targets when the red side inevitably finds its way down to the red zone.
FLEX
Mike Evans, $7,200 - If you even put one tight end in your lineup, you'll be able to afford just about every other player on the slate, so price point shouldn't be too much of an issue. I am not nearly as comfortable projecting a touchdown for Evans as I do one of the tight ends, but the same type of thought process in terms of a big-bodied receiver applies. He's also not as likely to see a large swath of snaps given the plethora of other WRs on the roster, so while Evans makes for an intriguing flex option, he's not suitable for a captain spot.
Amari Cooper, $5,400 - I'm chalking this entirely up to his repertoire with Dak Prescott, who should be one of the last quarterbacks to enter the game from the NFC, and thus could be in position to pass, and pass often, should the team fall behind. Cooper also has big-play potential, though not in the same vein as Tyreek Hill, which makes him a low-risk, high-reward play compared to some of the other options.
Tarik Cohen, $3,400 - I'd rather have Jared Cook who is priced $600 lower, but in the interest of not repeating myself, Cohen makes a lot of sense as a receiving back who could factor into special teams and figures to be one of the last players to touch the field for the NFC. That's about as guaranteed a recipe for success as it gets for the Pro Bowl, and it seems likely the Bears' gadget weapon will have low ownership amidst a roster full of certifiable stars.
