Daily fantasy football continues to climb in popularity as jackpots have risen consistently and more fans are joining sites every week. Our weekly article showcases players to target at three general levels of value: The big dollar talent (Heavy Hitters), the average-priced contributors (Average Athletes), and the guys very questionable players at the bottom of the cost charts (Sneaky Sleepers). Our selected players are based on DraftKings values as that is our daily fantasy site of choice, but the values should translate fairly well to any other sites you may use. We don’t share specific lineups or optimized computer rankings, but we will give you some great candidates for you to consider. We set this breakdown up that way because while winning is great, a big part of the fun draw of daily fantasy is mixing and matching your lineups to see how you can maximize your team. That and the fact that we are trying to win the same way that you are, and quite frankly, we don’t want our readers to all have the same exact lineups.
NFL Week 1
A full slate of games in week one include some potential shootouts and teams showcasing newly acquired talent give us a lengthy roster to explore. Before we highlight our three levels of talent, let’s look at our projected star of the week:
It’s always feasible to list Christian McCaffrey or Michael Thomas as the Star of the Week, but where is the fun in that? Austin Ekeler has a really nice matchup against a Bengals team that really struggled stopping running backs last season. The team announced Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins and safety Shawn Williams will not be able to play. With Melvin Gordon no longer in LA, this is Austin Ekeler’s backfied, and he’s capable as a runner and a pass catcher. With Tyrod Taylor mobile in his own right starting at quarterback, linebackers may need to pause for that split second before attacking, which is all the time Ekeler needs to break some runs. We’re anticipating a huge stat line for him on Sunday and suggest finding a way to get him into your lineup.
Quarterbacks:
Lamar Jackson – $8,100 vs. Browns
Matt Ryan – $6,700 vs. Seahawks
Running Backs:
Dalvin Cook – $7,900 vs. Packers
Austin Ekeler – $7,000 vs. Bengals
Josh Jacobs – $6,800 vs. Panthers
Wide Receivers:
Michael Thomas – $9,000 vs. Buccaneers
Davante Adams – $7,300 vs. Vikings
Chris Godwin – $7,100 vs Saints
Tight Ends:
George Kittle – $7,200 vs. Cardinals
Jared Cook – $5,500 vs. Buccaneers
Defense / Special Teams:
Buffalo Bills – $3,700
Quarterbacks:
Carson Wentz – $6,300 vs. Washington Football Team
Philip Rivers – $6,000 vs. Jaguars
Running Backs:
Todd Gurley – $6,100 vs. Seahawks
Marlon Mack – $5,300 vs. Jaguars
Wide Receivers:
Emmanuel Sanders – $5,700 vs. Buccaneers
Marvin Jones, Jr. – $5,500 vs. Bears
Tight Ends:
Mike Gesicki – $4,500 vs. Patriots
T.J. Hockenson – $4,200 vs. Bears
Defense / Special Teams:
Los Angeles Chargers – $2,800
Quarterbacks:
Jimmy Garropollo – $5,800 vs. Cardinals
Tyrod Taylor – $5,600 vs. Bengals
Running Backs:
Tevin Coleman – $4,200 vs. Cardinals
Chris Thompson – $4,000 vs. Colts
Wide Receivers:
Desean Jackson – $4,900 vs. Washington Football Team
Larry Fitzgerald – $4,500 vs. 49ers
Tight Ends:
Jack Doyle – $3,600 vs. Jaguars
Irv Smith, Jr. – $3,100 vs. Packers
Defense / Special Teams:
New Orleans Saints – $2,400 vs. Buccaneers
If you play Daily Fantasy Football we love talking sports and we’d love to hear your take and who you like each week, find us on Twitter @TheBetCrushers and let us know. Good luck and enjoy the weekend!
