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Checkdown x Madden Tournament Semifinals Odds – Derwin James and Tyreek Hill Favored to Meet in Finals

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NFL Football

Updated Mar 9, 2021 · 4:45 PM PST

Tyreek Hill flashes peace sign while running past defender
FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2020 file photo, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) reacts as he beats Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) on a 75-yard touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla. Hill was unstoppable against Tampa Bay in late November. The speedy Kansas City star caught 13 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the Chiefs' 27-24 victory that afternoon. Tampa Bay gets another shot at Hill and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio, File)
  • Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James (-1000) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (-950) are overwhelming odds-on favorites to win their semifinal matches in the Checkdown x Madden NFL Tournament
  • Which of Jones or Hill is the best bet to win the tournament?
  • Analysis of the odds and predictions on the outcomes are listed in the story below

Two things everyone has learned about Derwin James and Tyreek Hill. When it comes to Madden, they talk a good game.

And when it comes to Madden, they also play a good game. A very good game, as a matter of fact.

Sportsbooks have established Los Angeles Chargers’ safety James and Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receiver Hill as prohibitive odds-on favorites to meet in the title game of the Checkdown x Madden NFL Tournament.

Checkdown x Madden Round Semifinal Odds

Player Odds
Denzel Ward +525
Tyreek Hill -950
Player Odds
DeSean Jackson +550
Derwin James -1000

Odds taken April 2nd.

The semifinals are slated to get underway at 6:00 pm EST on Thursday. The championship final of the tournament will commence shortly after the semifinals wrap up.

All of the action will be live streaming at twitch.tv/eamaddenNFL, NFL.com, the NFL app and NFL’s YouTube page. The winner will have a donation made in his name to a COVID-19 charitable cause.

James Edges Allen

James brought an aura of boastfulness with him following his 80-16 drubbing of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick in Sunday’s final of the Esports @EASports Madden Invitational. But that dominance didn’t emerge in his quarterfinal against wide receiver Keenan Allen, his Chargers teammate.

Playing as the Seattle Seahawks, the same team he’d used to throttle Vick, James squeaked past Allen’s virtual Baltimore Ravens by virtue of a 14-6 score.

James will square off against Cleveland Browns defensive back Denzel Ward in one semifinal. The actual Ward has blocked two kicks during his two NFL seasons with the Browns. In his quarterfinal against Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry, virtual Ward, playing as the Houston Texans, blocked an extra point to edge Landry’s Browns 10-9.

Even with the closeness of his win over Allen, it’s going to be difficult to go against James in this one.

Pick: Derwin James (-1000).

Hill Throttles Mathieu

In a matchup of two reigning Super Bowl champions, the offensive star overwhelmed the defender. Hill, who touted himself as a Madden maven, lived up to that billing. The Chiefs wideout annihilated Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu 62-32.

Hill, playing as the Chiefs, fashioned a 42-7 advantage before halftime and cruised to the victory over Mathieu’s Chicago Bears.

He’ll get a matchup of wide receivers in the second semifinal. It’s Hill against DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The reviews of Jackson as a Madden player are mixed. He won his quarterfinal against San Francisco 49ers, WR Deebo Samuel, by default. Samuel encountered connection issues and could never get his game up online. Instead, Jackson played the Eagles against the computer-operated 49ers and lost 30-25.

Pick: Tyreek Hil (-950). 

Odds to Win Checkdown x Madden 2020 Tournament

Player Team Odds
Derwin James Los Angeles Chargers -125
Tyreek Hill Kansas City Chiefs EVEN
DeSean Jackson Philadelphia Eagles +1200
Denzel Ward Cleveland Browns +1200

Hill’s impressive semifinal rout of Mathieu won him a big fan in the Chiefs’ locker room. KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes tweeted out his support for Hill while playfully mocking Mathieu at the same time.

A quick perusal of Hill’s social media timeline exhibits the fact that he spends much of his free time playing a variety of video games.

On the other hand, James has his own twitch.tv mobile stream. So you know he invests much of his disposable time partaking in similar pursuits.

However, based on Hill’s performance – and perhaps even Mathieu’s claim that he usually does much better against Hill when they play Madden – put your money down on the KC receiver recording the ultimate victory in what should be an all-AFC West final showdown.

Perhaps when it’s all said and done, the winner can contest a showdown with Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. He claims he’s the best Madden player among NFLers, and Mixon is quite bitter that he wasn’t invited to participate in this event.

Pick: Tyreek Hill (EVEN).

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