NFL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel: Preseason Week 1 Fantasy Football (8/11/2024)

The top daily fantasy football lineup picks for DraftKings, FanDuel - NFL preseason Week 1 games on August 11, 2024, Doug's NFL DFS analysis and sleepers picks.

It has been a long weekend, with five “main” slates in four days, but now we’ve come to the culminating slate; a two-gamer featuring the Broncos heading to Indy and the Cowboys facing the Rams in Los Angeles. There is much to like today, with multiple stacking opportunities given the size of the slate. We will also see more well-known players than you’d expect, with Bo Nix, Anthony Richardson, and Trey Lance all expected to see game action. 

The Broncos, Cowboys, and Rams appear to be on track to only play two quarterbacks each, so this slate might bring us something resembling an actual quarterback stat line. The extended playing time also means you can stack these quarterbacks with receivers who may not see the field simultaneously. This will widen your player pool and help to keep your lineups unique. 

Here you will be provided daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Sunday afternoon two-game slate of Week 1 of the NFL preseason on 8/11/24. 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

Trey Lance, DAL at LAR

Can you imagine being Trey Lance? The guy was drafted third overall after the 49ers traded a massive haul of picks, he gets beaten out by Mr. Irrelevant, and now he’s fighting for his NFL career in a backup quarterback battle with Cooper Rush. That is the reality of the situation for Lance, and he’s expected to get a ton of work tonight for the Cowboys coaching staff to truly evaluate if he has an NFL future. His misfortune is our gain because it makes Lance an easy click tonight for our lineups. We know he’s going to get volume, and his ability as a runner should give him the kind of floor we need for a cash-game quarterback. The Cowboys have a deep roster of receivers, making Lance easy to stack in tournaments as well. 

Trey Lance is building some solid confidence in this two-minute drill. Three consecutive completions to Jalen Brooks, Tyron Billy-Johnson and Luke Schoonmaker #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/kyNFgzsyIy

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) July 31, 2024

Stetson Bennett, LAR vs DAL

Neither Matthew Stafford nor Jimmy Garoppolo are expected to play in this game, leaving the Rams with only two quarterbacks on their roster. Dresser Winn is one of those quarterbacks, and Stetson Bennett is the other. Bennett won two national titles at Georgia, and the Rams drafted him last year because of that pedigree. 

Bennett got hurt early in camp last year, so the team hasn’t had a chance to truly evaluate his ability at game speed. He’s going to get a ton of reps, possibly even three full quarters, and that’s the kind of volume we are looking for in the preseason. His low rushing floor takes him out of the cash game conversation, but he’s a perfect tournament option as part of a Rams stack. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Bo Nix (DEN), Sam Ehlinger (IND)

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Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Running Backs

Trey Sermon, IND vs DEN

Trey Sermon is currently listed as the backup to Jonathan Taylor, but Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson are making enough noise in camp that Sermon shouldn’t rest on his laurels. He will get the start tonight and should play about a quarter. With four other running backs on the roster, I want the guy who I know will get some usage. 

Sermon was a dynamic back in college at Oklahoma, and last year he showed what he can do in a high-volume role in Week 15 when he ran for 88 yards on 17 carries. Sermon is playing the role this year that Zack Moss played last year, and we saw how well that worked out. His limited playing time and big play ability make Sermon more of a tournament option. 

Blake Watson, DEN at IND

Blake Watson is getting talked up a lot by the team’s beat writers. Watson’s best asset is his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, as he caught more than 50 passes last year in college; one of only two running backs in the FBS to do so. Denver was so impressed by Watson that he received one of the higher guarantees of any undrafted player this season. He should see a lot of work in this one, with Javonte Williams and Audric Estime relatively cemented in their roles as the top two running backs for the team. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Audric Estime (DEN), Hunter Luepke (DAL)

Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Wide Receivers

Devaughn Vele, DEN at IND

Devaughn Vele has caught the eye of spectators at Broncos camp. He’s a seventh-round, 26-year-old rookie out of Utah who is a major red zone threat with his 6-foot-5 frame. Denver has an open competition for their fifth and sixth receiver slots, and Vele could make a move toward securing one of those spots with a good game today. He probably won’t see any time with Jarrett Stidham and the starters, but that’s okay because we want to stack him with Bo Nix and Troy Franklin for a high-upside tournament combo. 

Jalen Tolbert, DAL at LAR

CeeDee Lamb still isn’t in camp, and that means opportunities for other receivers to step up and make their mark on the offense. Brandin Cooks is the de facto top receiver with Lamb out, but he profiles better as a second option rather than an alpha. That opens the door for Jalen Tolbert, a third-round pick from two years ago. He hasn’t yet been able to secure a starting role, but he’s looked great in camp and should get some run tonight. He won’t see the most snaps among Cowboys receivers, but he’s the most talented of the bunch and he will be playing with the best roster on the field. 

Jordan Whittington, LAR vs DAL

You knew I was going to mention a University of Texas rookie receiver in this article, but you had no idea that it would be THIS UT-wideout. Adonai Mitchell is the stud of the Longhorns draft class, and he’s going to be a fine play on this slate, but Whittington is creating a lot of hype at Rams camp this summer. 

Beat writers are surmising that he will be the fourth wide receiver on the Rams depth chart when camp breaks; all it will take are a few good preseason games to secure that role. Whittington and Stetson Bennett have built a strong on-field connection in camp, making them a great tournament stack along with Davis Allen or Xavier Smith. 

Jordan Whittington continuing to get work done in LA. This time against Tre Tomlinson pic.twitter.com/10tU1VaIRh

— ᴄᴏᴅʏ ᴄᴀʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪᴇʀ (@CodyCarpentier) July 30, 2024

ALSO CONSIDER: Troy Franklin (DEN), Adonai Mitchell (IND), Alec Pierce (IND), Jalen Brooks (DAL), Ryan Flournoy (DAL), Xavier Smith (LAR)

Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Tight End

Greg Dulcich, DEN at IND

Greg Dulcich is coming off a lost year and attempting to reclaim his spot as starting top tight end for the Broncos. He’s currently listed as the backup to Adam Trautman, just as he was around this time last year. That means he will need to prove himself in these preseason games, making him the best option on a slate devoid of any standout tight end. 

He may not see more than a quarter of action, but his downfield ability makes it reasonable to think that he can pay off quickly. He’s the best option for cash games and has the upside to be used alongside Bo Nix in a Denver stack in tournaments. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Jelani Woods (IND), John Stephens Jr. (DAL), Davis Allen (LAR)

Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!

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