Well fantasy football faithful, we have made it. The season is upon us. Most if not all drafts have occurred and lineups have been mulled over, pondered, and scrutinized. So it’s time to move on to daily fantasy (DFS) lineups for week one of the NFL season.
This article is going to focus on some of the better values with upside at each position. While this isn’t stating that the players provided should be the entirety of reader’s rosters, it should show some solid picks and their prices for the DraftKings format.
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Week One Picks
Stacking Quarterback and Wide Receiver
A frequently used method of making the most of the possible point total is stacking a quarterback and their projected top target in a good matchup. In this case look no further than Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers ($6,400) and wide receiver Keenan Allen ($7,500). While these two are not part of bargain-bin pricing, they have a great chance of finishing as one of the top available stacks for their initial cost. Squaring off against the Kansas City Chiefs sets them up for immediate success. Sophomore quarterback Pat Mahomes will come out slinging. While he may throw a pick or two, he has the potential to score a lot in a loaded offense, meaning that Rivers and company will look to throttle up their passing attack.
Running Back
Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins ($5,600) could slide in an absolute value pick with high upside. Their matchup against the 31st-ranked run defense of the Buffalo Bills makes him an enticing option at a great price.
James Conner is currently listed as the Pittsburgh Steelers backup running back. Le’Veon Bell is currently still in hold-out mode, possibly thrusting Conner into a starting role for the season opener. At a price point of $4,500 and the kind of volume they seem comfortable giving him, he’s in a good spot to be productive. All of this being said, if Bell shows up for practice, this possible value play may fizzle away into obscurity. Please read up on the most recent news regarding Bell and Conner.
Wide Receivers
The New Orleans Saints open up their season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccanneers and their 30th-ranked pass defense. The beneficiary is Michael Thomas ($7,800) who had 94 yards on six receptions in their 2017 tilt. Again, Thomas does not fall in as a bargain-priced player category but should be able to return the value of his cost in production.
Emmanuel Sanders ($5,000) and his Denver Broncos face off against the Seattle Seahawks. Sanders represents both a great price and a fantastic opportunity to exceed his value in a pretty good matchup. The Seahawks defense is a shell of its former greatness. Quarterback Case Keenum has displayed a proclivity to target the slot receiver and the two showed some immediate chemistry in camp and preseason.
Tight End
When picking players one should asses the matchup as well the player himself. Look no further than the Jacksonville Jaguars new tight end, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He comes with a cheap price tag at $3,200 and a ton of upside. The Jaguars square off with the New York Giants who rank 31st against the pass. No team gave up as many points to the position as the Giants did last season. While the Jaguars are primed to run the football, their stout defense can translate to a good field position. Seferian-Jenkins has shown not only solid hands, but enough athleticism to be a threat in the red zone. Fire him up for a layup at the position.
Defense/Special Teams
This is another layup. The Baltimore Ravens ($3,800) slide in as the top defense this week against a Buffalo Bills squad led by Nathan Peterman. While one wouldn’t expect a repeat of what the Chargers did to Peterman in his one and only start last season, it should still be a positive game script against a team that’s lacking in star talent.
While everyone is excited for fantasy football to start, we encourage all readers to please play responsibly. Good luck.
