The first completed DraftKings (DK) CFL contest of the season came with last night’s Riders/Lions Showdown style contest. The first contest to start this season was a four-game classic that started with the season opener in Winnipeg and completes with tonight’s games.
The Riders/Lions Showdown is in the books. Showdowns are single-game entries and often have a “captain mode” that allows for picking a player at 1.5 times the standard salary who will also get 1.5 points for every standard point. So far, for this season at least, the Showdown offerings for CFL games have been non-standard in that they have not included the captain option.
If you are familiar with DK take note that, as of now, CFL Showdowns are without this feature.
At the beginning of the season, especially after a year off, I thought it wise to play a few entries because, especially with new players in starting roles, you just can’t be sure of what you will get. I played a total of three lineups in 3 separate contests.
The CFL Showdown mode allows for five players that must be picked while staying under the salary cap. In Showdown mode you can choose available position players, essentially backs and receivers, as well as quarterbacks and either team’s defence/special teams unit.
Unlike in the classic mode, you will have no limits other than salary cap, meaning you can take as many (or few) QB’s and/or DSTs as you’d like.
In the three contests I entered, the highest-scoring roster was comprised of Cody Fajardo (18.8 fantasy points), Bryan Burnham (41.6), Shaq Evans (13.9), Lucky Whitehead (27.6) and James Butler (18.2). Those totals equal 100.7 fantasy points.

My best entry contained Fajardo, Burnham and Butler as well as the Riders DST (14) and Michael Reilly (12.12) for 85.32 fantasy points and 4th place in a 23 entry contest.
Full disclosure, my worst entry was a dismal 25th in a 25 entry contest — yep last — it consisted of Fajardo and Reilly, Evans (13.9) and William Powell (13.5), along with Lions reserve back Jamel Lyles (0 fantasy points). Lyles was a pick necessary to stay under the salary cap as Evans’ salary was high for week one. Although he had a respectable game, he needs majors to be a value when his salary is high as suggested, the four-game classic set will end with tonight’s play. There are also two other plays available today, a two-today classic set including today’s games and a Showdown for the late game between the Redblacks and Elks.
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