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Slowly but surely, the NFL is building up these slates; one game last Thursday, two last night, and now three games tonight. Tonight’s slate features well-known names who should get significant playing time. Justin Fields will start the game and get at least a little bit of run for the Steelers, while first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. is slated to get a good look over these next three games. The first-string offense of the Houston Texans will see a series or two, but you won’t find C.J. Stroud written up in this article.
In fact, no Texans quarterback will be featured in tonight’s player pool as the team has four guys who will get in the game, with none of them favorites to get enough work to matter. Instead, use a guy like Philly’s Tanner McKee is in his second year in the league and is fighting for the third-string job on the Eagles. Those are the kinds of roster swaps you can use to separate yourself from the rest of the DFS field.
Here you will be provided daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Friday night three-game slate of Week 1 of the NFL preseason on 8/09/24. These NFL DFS lineup picks can vary from high-end players and elite options to backup and contrarian players on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Thanks for reading, and good luck RotoBallers!
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Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Quarterbacks
Michael Penix Jr., ATL at MIA
Falcons’ coach Raheem Morris said that Kirk Cousins wouldn’t play much of this preseason, but he stated that first-round pick Michael Penix would get a look and insinuated that the look might be an extended one. Penix carried Washington to the college football championship game last year and put up big numbers all season.
Penix has a big arm and he’s got the ability to get outside the pocket and make plays with his feet. Atlanta won’t have their best weapons on the field with Penix, but he does have a hungry group of receivers looking to make a splash on a revamped Falcons’ offense.
It’s not unreasonable to think that Penix has the most pass attempts of any quarterback on this slate, and if he can use his legs to get out of trouble then he should a solid addition to any fantasy lineup. He’s usable in cash games or as part of a stack in tournament lineups.
Michael Penix Jr.’s ball placement is CRAZY 🔥
Penix has reportedly been “on fire” at Falcons training camp and has turned many heads.
Several NFL scouts reportedly believe the Falcons are “following the model” the Green Bay Packers set with Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.… pic.twitter.com/bTFm7phF51
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) August 1, 2024
Tanner McKee, PHI at BAL
Tanner McKee is a second-year player with experience in the Philadelphia offensive scheme. He played extensively in the preseason last year, throwing 72 passes over his three-week audition. While he didn’t win the backup job last year, and he won’t this year with Kenny Pickett on the team, he is fighting for a spot on the roster with Will Grier.
His knowledge of the Eagles’ offense should give him an advantage, and with Jalen Hurts and Pickett as known quantities, he’s likely to see a lot of snaps in this game. He may not match the upside of Michael Penix, but he has a safer floor and would be an acceptable pivot in cash game lineups.
ALSO CONSIDER: Justin Fields (PIT), Skylar Thompson (MIA), Emory Jones (BAL), John Rhys-Plumlee (PIT)
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Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Running Backs
Jaylen Wright, MIA vs ATL
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the debut of Jaylen Wright and with good reason. Last season, the Dolphins leaned heavily on De'Von Achane in their first preseason game. Wright profiles similarly to Achane, especially in the speed department, and he is coming into this game in a very similar spot as Achane last year. Both are third-round rookies with an explosiveness that makes them a threat to take it to the house every time they touch the ball.
That’s not to say that we should expect long touchdowns and seven yards per carry out of Wright right off the bat, but it is to say that the potential is there. Give Wright 30 or more snaps (Achane had 33 last year), and whatever comes of it is fine. If he can match Achane’s presence from last preseason, then Wright is a strong cash game play with slate-breaking tournament upside.
Will Shipley, PHI at BAL
There isn’t much to like at the running back position on this slate, but as we saw with Eric Gray last night, all it takes is one or two big plays to break a slate. Will Shipley is a rookie looking to cement his role in an Eagles’ backfield whose top two players aren’t in question. The real competition is for the third running back on the team with former third-round pick Tyrion Davis-Price being the most experienced competitor for Shipley.
He has a nose for the end zone, scoring 33 touchdowns, and he’s a skilled receiver out of the backfield, catching 85 passes in three seasons at Clemson. In just three games so far this preseason, we’ve seen running backs be relied on as outlets for inexperienced passers, exactly the kind of role Shipley will have on the Eagles this weekend. He’s a cash game option with a higher floor, given his pass-catching ability.
ALSO CONSIDER: Rasheen Ali (BAL), Jawhar Jordan (HOU), Jonathan Ward (PIT), Owen Wright (BAL), Jace McClellan (ATL)
Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Wide Receivers
Malik Washington, MIA vs ATL
Malik Washington is turning into a camp favorite down in Miami. There hasn’t been a single beat report that I’ve read that didn’t include some mention of how Washington is turning heads at the Dolphins’ camp. Odell Beckham Jr. hasn’t been near a football field since the start of camp, giving unheralded players a shot at the third wide receiver spot in Miami.
Right now, it looks like Washington has the inside track, and he’s poised for a big game to back up the hype. He’s a lock for cash game lineups, given the talk surrounding his play, and he should be the first receiver you click if you’re using Skylar Thompson and a Dolphins stack in tournaments.
#Gofins Mike White to Malik Washington who made a couple nice plays out there today ! pic.twitter.com/fafelhBky3
— Fins Faithful podcast (@FinsFaithfulPod) August 7, 2024
Johnny Wilson, PHI at BAL
Another player who is making noise this preseason is Johnny Wilson in Philadelphia. He comes with a stronger pedigree than sixth-rounder Washington, as Wilson was a fourth-round pick out of Florida State for the Eagles in May. The talk around Wilson this year sounds a lot like what we heard out of Rams camp last summer about Puka Nacua.
While this may sound enticing, let’s not forget that Nacua didn’t play in the preseason, as he’d been deemed too important simply from his camp play. Philadelphia isn’t Los Angeles, and Wilson isn’t Nacua, but the fact that he’s a higher-round pick who is already making strides does give me a little bit of pause in cash games. He’s a full go for me in tournaments as part of a stack with McKee (or Pickett if you were so inclined).
Xavier Hutchinson, HOU at PIT
Before I talk about Hutchinson, I want to give a quick shout-out to Casey Washington in Atlanta. He’s a guy who is standing out in camp and should be a favorite target of Michael Penix in tonight’s game.
Xavier Hutchinson gets this spot because of what we’ve seen him do so far this summer. He caught five passes in the Hall of Fame game and was the best receiver on the field for Houston. He’s a second-year player who is fighting for a roster spot in a loaded Texans’ wide receiver room. The top three guys have their spots locked down, and with Noah Brown, Robert Woods, and Ben Skowronek all bringing a veteran presence to the roster, there’s no guarantee any other receiver can find their way onto this team.
If Houston wants to carry another receiver, it will likely come down to Hutchinson and John Metchie. All of this is to say that, despite last week’s success, Hutchinson still needs to ball out to earn a spot on the Houston roster this season. He’s a top priority if you’re stacking Texans and makes for a strong one-off pick in tournaments.
ALSO CONSIDER: Devontez Walker (BAL), Casey Washington (ATL), Anthony Schwartz (MIA), Scotty Miller (PIT), Britain Covey (PHI), John Metchie (HOU), Ainias Smith (PHI),
Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Tight End
Cade Stover, HOU at PIT
We got a look at Cade Stover last week in the Hall of Fame game, and he was, as advertised, pulling down two catches on three total targets. He’s likely to see extended playing time this weekend, with Teagan Quitoriano being sidelined with an injury. Quitoriano scored a short touchdown in last week’s game, but his absence should give those looks to Stover.
Both Davis Mills and Case Keenum looked capable of managing the Houston offense last week, and it’s unlikely that Stover will have to deal with Tim Boyle with Stover not likely to play into the fourth quarter. There is no safe tight end play on this slate, but at least we’ve seen Stover produce this preseason, making him an ideal option for cash games and an option in tournaments as part of a Texans’ stack.
ALSO CONSIDER: Julian Hill (MIA), Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. (PHI), MyCole Pruitt (PIT), Charlie Kolar (BAL), Darnell Washington (PIT), Jody Fortson (MIA), EJ Jenkins (PHI)
Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!
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