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Welcome to Week 1 of the NFL season! Football is finally back and we are setup for a great DFS season. There are tons of contests on both major DFS sites, and this is the time of year to cash in. Below are my DraftKings DFS Lineup Picks for Week 1.
There are some clear top options at every position, but if you are looking to save some money to jam the big guys in, you will want to take note of some players I mentioned. The Bucs vs. Dolphins game may be cancelled or moved due to the hurricane, so be sure to follow that. Sit back, read up, and let's have a successful first week of the NFL.
These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on match ups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more. There are still quite a few great value plays available, so read on to find out which players are the best for Week 1. Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups!
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DraftKings DFS Quarterbacks - Week 1 Picks
Carson Wentz - PHI @ WAS (DK $5,300)
Wentz present himself as a very interesting option in Week 1, as he isn't too expensive, and finds himself in a solid match up. Last season the Redskins had the 24th DVOA vs the pass, and with a game total set at 47.5, we could see this turn into a bit of a shootout. In his last game vs the Redskins last year, Wentz threw for 314 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. He had a decent rookie season, where he showed his upside, but still made plenty of mistakes. Wentz put up 16.9 DraftKings points or more in five of his last seven games, so even with his mid season slump, he was able to rebound with his performance, and hopefully he can grow from that this season. Wentz also had a bit of upside through scoring points when he scrambles out of the pocket, which is never a bad thing. The Eagles added Alshon Jeffery, in the off season, which can make a nice stacking option, that shouldn't be highly owned. If you want to go cheaper, look at tight end, Zach Ertz, as a stacking option with Wentz. The Eagles are a -1 favorite right now, so with this set to be a close game, Wentz makes a strong cash game play, and his savings will allow you to spend up elsewhere.
Carson Palmer - ARI @ DET (DK $6,000)
Palmer is a mid priced quarterback this week, and because of that, he may go overlooked. He isn't on the high end, and isn't on the super cheap end, and this middle ground is where you can find an option where you don't spend too much, and still have plenty of upside, queue Carson Pamer. Any time there is an above average quarterback going against the Lions, in a game where the over/under is set at 48, you want to take a look at him. Last season the Lions were last in the league when it came to DVOA vs the pass. They simply cannot stop the pass, and with Palmer who averaged 282 yards a game, and 18.6 DraftKings points last season, he is in for a productive Sunday. The common stack you may see with Palmer, is pairing him with Larry Fitzgerald. Yes, they are both a year older, but against a defense as bad as the Lions, you should see them have success in this game. Consistency is there for cash games, and the favorable match up, gives Palmer some upside for tournaments.
DraftKings DFS Running Backs - Week 1 Picks
Christian McCaffrey - CAR @ SF (DK $5,400)
Start a rookie running back Week 1? Yes. We all know how electric McCaffrey was in college, and everyone is waiting to see if he can do the same in the NFL. Well he couldn't be in a better spot to get his career underway, since he is up against San Francisco, who had the 31st DVOA vs running backs last season. There is an obvious risk factor that comes along with playing a running back who has no experience, but there have been reports that say McCaffrey has his own separate playbook, and a good portion of the offense will feature him. This is a big showing by the Panthers coaching staff, and after their disappointing season last year, they need a spark to get things going. McCaffrey looked good this preseason, as he saw action in three of their four games. He ended with 14 rushes for 87 yards and 1 touchdown, along with just a few catches out of the backfield. Big time upside with him, and makes a good GPP play.
LeSean McCoy - BUF vs NYJ (DK $8,200)
McCoy may not be considered one of the two top options at running back, but he is certainly worth a roster spot. With all the news surrounding the health of the Bills quarterbacks, and considering the fact they traded away Sammy Watkins, the question becomes, where will the offense come from for the Bills? The answer is McCoy, and a whole lot of him. There are some obvious things to take note of, McCoy is up against the Jets, who had the best defense vs the run last season. McCoy did struggle in his two games vs the Jets last season, but since the Bills may be down to their third string quarterback, they could be in a spot to force feed McCoy the ball, and he can gain points over time. With risk, there can be reward, and pivoting away from the two top running backs, can get you a player at lower ownership, who is looking at a big workload.
DraftKings DFS Wide Receivers - Week 1 Picks
Michael Crabtree - OAK @ TEN (DK $6,000)
While Amari Cooper may be listed as the number one receiver for the Raiders, Crabtree saw the most targets last season, and is just as threatening out wide. The Raiders vs Titans game has the highest over/under of the week at 51 points. You will want to get some exposure to this game, and Crabtree is a perfect option. Not only is he cheaper than Cooper, but last season in their game vs the Titans, Crabtree had 8 catches, 102 yards, for 21.1 DraftKings points. Those are some big numbers for the 15th most expensive wide receiver this week. Crabtree had seven or more targets for the last eight weeks of the season, and against a team who had the 27th DVOA against the pass, it sets him up for a potentially big first week.
Sterling Shepard - NYG @ DAL (DK $4,100)
With both Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall listed as questionable for the season opener, it leaves Shepard as a cheap receiving option. Now, there is still some uncertainty about the health and playing status of the mentioned receivers for the Giants, so be sure to check in on those before rosters lock. But if one or both of those players are out, Shepard is in a good spot to produce some points. The Cowboys do have a good defense against the pass, 8th DVOA, but the targets have to go somewhere for the Giants, and Shepard will be that man. He ended the season last year with 10 or more DraftKings points in three of their final four games, and really seemed to develop as a rookie. He finished with eight touchdowns, which was second highest on the team behind OBJ. Good amount of savings, with a potential for a bump in targets.
Antonio Brown - PIT @ CLE (DK $8,800)
If you are looking to spend up on wide receiver, look no further than Antonio Brown. He is a PPR machine, and playing on DraftKings, getting that full point is huge for your team. Brown is up against Cleveland, who last season, had the 29th DVOA vs the pass. They simply couldn't stop the passing game, which puts Brown in a great spot to really rack up some points. Brown averaged 21.5 DraftKings points per game, which was the best of all receivers. His price can make him tough to fit into some lineups, but his consistency and overall production, make him great in any format.
DraftKings DFS Tight Ends - Week 1 Picks
Delanie Walker - TEN vs OAK (DK $4,300)
Tight end is a spot where a lot of DFS players like to spend down, since the production can vary week to week, but Walker is nearly $2K cheaper than the most expensive option, and is in a good spot. He is up against the Raiders who had the 23rd DVOA vs tight ends last season. This game has the highest over/under of the week at 51 points, and with Walker being the second favorite target of Mariota last season, he is in a prime spot to score big.
Austin Hooper - ATL @ CHI (DK $3,00)
If you are truly looking to spend down at tight end, and almost a punt play, look at Hooper on Atlanta. He is listed as the number one tight end of the depth chart for the Falcons, so at least he will be on the field. The uncertainly comes from the fact he only had 22 receptions in 16 games last year. Not a huge part of the offense by any means, but is up against the Bears who had the 28th DVOA vs tight ends last year.
DraftKings DFS Defenses - Week 1 Picks
St. Louis Rams @ Indianapolis Colts (DK $3,200)
We all know that defense can be one of the more unpredictable plays in daily fantasy, and in searching for a team in a good spot, you will see the Rams as a top option. The Rams had the 15th overall DVOA last season, but the true upside for them comes from their match up vs the Colts. Without Andrew Luck at the helm for the Colts, they are going to be in rough shape on offense, which leaves the Rams the chance to capitalize. The Colts have the fourth lowest implied team total at 19 points, and we should see the Rams as a popular option.
