NFL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel: Preseason Week 1 (Friday, 8/8/25)

The top daily fantasy football lineup picks for DraftKings, FanDuel -- NFL preseason Week 1 on Friday, August 8, 2025. Doug's NFL DFS analysis and sleepers picks.

We are back at it tonight with our second straight three-game preseason slate. The NFL debut of Shedeur Sanders highlights tonight’s array of games as the Browns head to Carolina to face the Panthers. While Sanders is the primary focus of the media, several offensive players on the Browns should make their way onto your DFS roster tonight.

The Lions will be playing their second game of the preseason after getting thrashed last Thursday night by the Chargers. Hendon Hooker gets the start against the Falcons after playing only mop-up duty last week. The final game on the slate will feature Sam Hartman and the Washington Commanders heading to Foxboro to face the Patriots.

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 8/08/25. 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 - Quarterbacks

Shedeur Sanders (CLE at CAR) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

As I alluded to in the open, Shedeur Sanders is the leading name to keep an eye on for tonight’s slate. He’s likely to carry the higher roster percentage on the slate, and that comes with the expectation that he will see a ton of snaps. Three of the five quarterbacks on the Browns roster won’t play in this game, with former Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley left as the only other active signal caller on Cleveland.

Huntley signed on Tuesday, so he needs time to get caught up on the offense before he sees significant snaps. Sanders has a lot to prove in this game after he slipped to the fifth round in this year’s draft. This is a massive opportunity for him, and he should be given the snap volume to show what he’s made of.

The team has already said that their play-calling will be “vanilla”, but that could help Sanders as he won’t be asked to do anything he can’t handle. There are a few receivers you can stack him with in tournaments, and he’s the quarterback you’ll want to roster for cash games.

Starting at QB for the @Browns on Friday: @ShedeurSanders ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/CSZAx5VjvJ

— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2025

Sam Hartman (WSH at NE) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota won’t play in this game, and Josh Johnson is already a known quantity. That means we should see a lot of playing time for Sam Hartman. The second-year quarterback didn’t see any playing time last year, and the team is going to want to know if he can hold down the third quarterback role for this season.

Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said that Hartman is having “an up-and-down” camp and that he’s “excited to see what he does”, so this will be his chance to show the team what he’s capable of in live game action. He should play at least the entire first half, and that kind of volume is essential to chase when building DFS lineups in the preseason.

ALSO CONSIDER: Hendon Hooker (DET), Easton Stick (ATL), Joshua Dobbs (NE)

Preseason NFL DFS - Running Backs

Carlos Washington Jr. (ATL vs DET) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

The Falcons are set with their top two running backs, but there’s an active competition for the third spot. Carlos Washington Jr. was on the team last season, and he played well during the preseason, especially in the passing game, where he caught six passes for 42 yards in limited work.

That ability in the passing game helps raise Washington’s floor, and he’s a bigger back at 210 pounds, who can be a bruiser at the goal line. The Lions gave up multiple rushing touchdowns last weekend to the Chargers, and that’s something the Falcons will look to exploit in this game.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt (WSH at NE) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been one of the most talked about players for Washington this summer, impressing the team with his play-making ability out of the backfield. He’s currently listed as the fifth running back on the team’s initial depth chart, but there is serious buzz that he could supplant Jeremy McNichols as the team’s third back. Croskey-Merritt was a stud in college in 2023, scoring 17 touchdowns.

He slipped to the seventh round in this year’s draft because he only played one game in 2024 due to a ridiculous paperwork error with the NCAA. This kid has a ton of talent and should see a lot of work against the Patriots. He’s a top cash game option with plenty of tournament upside.

ALSO CONSIDER: Dylan Sampson (CLE), Lan Larison (NE)

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Preseason NFL DFS - Wide Receivers

Luke Floriea (CLE at CAR) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman won’t play in this game, meaning the Browns will have to rely on multiple unheralded receivers to work their passing game. Luke Floriea has developed a rapport with Shedeur Sanders, getting regular targets when the rookie quarterback is on the field. Senior ESPN NFL writer Jeremy Fowler referred to Floriea as his “camp sleeper.”

The diminutive receiver has been compared to Wes Welker, and he’s developed into a top target for Sanders. Given their familiarity, you can expect Sanders to look for Floriea early and often in this game. He’s a cash game lock who should see frequent, easily-convertible targets.<

Local hero Luke Floriea defies odds for Cleveland Browns roster spot with standout performance in training camp

Local Hero Luke Floriea Shines in Training Camp for Cleveland Browns The unmistakable sign of Luke Floriea’s determination to make the Clevelhttps://t.co/Jd91VtQeno

— M Sports (@MSports_all) August 4, 2025

/p>

Efton Chism III (NE vs WSH) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Out of nowhere, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III has raced up the depth charts for New England. To give an idea of how the team plans to use him, Patriots beat writer Patrick Scanlon reported that Chism was tasked with watching film of Danny Amendola. There is real talk that he could make the squad over 2024 draftees Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.

Chism has been a frequent target of Joshua Dobbs, who should see the field quite a bit in this game. He may not have as much upside as downfield threats, but volume is king in preseason, and Chism should be targeted early and often in this game.

Jaylin Lane (WSH at NE) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane has been turning heads at Commanders camp, helping to ease the burden of Terry McLaurin’s contract dispute. That’s not to say that Lane is a direct one-to-one replacement for McLaurin. Still, he’s a player that the team has high hopes for and could be a significant target for starting quarterback Sam Hartman in tonight’s game with the starting wide receivers not expected to play. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury recently said that Lane has been “very impressive” and you should expect to see him on the field plenty tonight.

Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury is a big fan of former #Hokies WR Jaylin Lane, just not Virginia Tech's former offense: https://t.co/ym8DLHQZnD

— Bryan Manning (@BryanDManning) August 7, 2025

ALSO CONSIDER: Casey Washington (ATL), Jamari Thrash (CLE), Javon Baker (NE), Ja’Lynn Polk (NE), Ja’Corey Brooks (WSH)

Preseason NFL DFS - Tight Ends

Harold Fannin Jr. (CLE at CAR) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

This slate is oddly loaded at the tight end position, but Harold Fannin Jr. stands out as the cream of the crop. The Cleveland rookie is making waves in camp after entering the league off the most prolific season ever for a college tight end, racking up 1,555 yards last season at Bowling Green.

The kid knows how to get open, and he’s already starting to get first-team reps when the Browns move to two-tight-end sets. David Njoku likely won’t see the field in today’s game, leaving Fannin as the main security blanket for Shedeur Sanders.

ALSO CONSIDER: Teagan Quitoriano (ATL), Gee Scott Jr. (NE), Ben Sinnott (WSH)

Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!

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