Week 1 is finally here! We’ve got 12 games on the main slate (the 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM EST time slots), which means a ton of players to sort through. I’ll be breaking it down one matchup at a time, sharing my thoughts on player prices* and stacking opportunities. As you read, please note that the player names in bold are what I consider my “core” players or guys that I’m sliding into a large percentage of my lineups. Oh, and if you’re new to DFS, you should check out my DFS Tips and Tricks article here. With all of that out of the way, let’s dive in!
*All player prices referenced are from FanDuel.
Jets @ Bills (39.5 O/U)
When I first looked at the slate, this game stuck out to me as a real dud. The Jets likely won’t be able to get much going against the Bills defense, and the Bills will be content to hand the ball off to Devin Singletary and Zack Moss as long as they’re leading. At his price, Stefon Diggs ($6,600) is worth including in some tournament lineups due to his big-play ability and the pathetic state of the Jets secondary, but until we see his role in the offense and he demonstrates some chemistry with Josh Allen, he’s too risky to trust in cash games.
The only other player I would consider rostering in this matchup is Jamison Crowder ($6,000). With Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims banged up, Crowder could see a ton of targets. And in the slot, he should be able to avoid shutdown corner Tre’Davious White.
Packers @ Vikings (45.5 O/U)
Dalvin Cook ($8,700) is one of my favorite plays this week due to his heavy utilization both in the red zone and in the passing game. Against a relatively soft Packers run defense, he has as much upside as Christian McCaffrey, but at a discounted price. With Stefon Diggs out of the picture, Adam Thielen ($6,800) should receive an extremely high target share, offering both a stable floor and a high ceiling. He’s a fixture in my cash game lineups this week.
On the other side of the ball, Davante Adams ($8,000) is a pricey but reliable option if you want to pivot from the more-expensive Michael Thomas. He will continue to be the go-to guy in Green Bay with little target competition on the roster, and he has a juicy matchup against Minnesota’s inexperienced cornerbacks. His TD upside makes him a great option for tournaments, as well. For the money, Aaron Jones ($7,800) also deserves some consideration in tournaments. He’s proven to be capable of massive performances when given the opportunity.
Eagles @ Washington (42.5 O/U)
This matchup has been one of my favorites to stack due to the values on both sides of the ball. For Washington, Terry McLaurin ($6,500) has been a go-to tournament option. He broke out against the Eagles in last year’s season opener, and he’s poised for another strong performance in Week 1 if the “Football Team” gets behind early. Logan Thomas ($4,000) is also an interesting dart throw in tournaments if you want to punt TE to spend up at other positions. He’s been getting real buzz in training camp.
The Eagles have averaged 28 PPG against Washington since Doug Pederson took over in 2016. I’m expecting a similar output in Week 1, which means at least one of these pass-catchers will be a value. At his price, DeSean Jackson ($5,700) seems like the obvious choice. Don’t forget, he posted 8 receptions for 154 yards and 2 TDs against Washington in Week 1 of the 2019 season. He’ll have every opportunity to post similar numbers with Alshon Jeffery out and Jalen Reagor nursing a shoulder injury. Stacking Carson Wentz ($7,700) with Jackson and Zach Ertz ($6,600), Boston Scott ($4,700), or, assuming he’s healthy, Miles Sanders ($6,800) makes a lot of sense.
Browns @ Ravens (48.5 O/U)
We don’t know what the Kevin Stefanski offense will look like in Cleveland, and we likely won’t see its full potential against the Ravens’ ferocious defense. For these reasons, I’m avoiding Browns players across the board with one exception. I think Odell Beckham Jr. ($6,900) is cheap enough to warrant some consideration in lineups. The Browns should be in comeback mode, and Beckham only needs one big play to return value.
I’m expecting plenty of points from the Ravens, so feel free to roster any or all of Lamar Jackson (9400), Mark Andrews ($7,400), or Marquise Brown ($5,900). Brown is my favorite play on the Ravens at his price, but it’s worth noting that the Browns have been particularly susceptible to tight ends over the past few seasons.
Colts @ Jaguars (45 O/U)
There aren’t a lot of pieces in this matchup that get me excited, but there are some cheaper players worth looking at. DJ Chark ($6,600) is one of the cheaper alpha receivers on the slate, and he could see plenty of volume if (or when) the Jaguars fall behind. Chris Thompson ($4,800) should be a high-floor option for cash games. With Leonard Fournette, Ryquell Armstead, and Devine Ozigbo now out of the picture for Week 1, Thompson could play a ton of snaps.
For Week 1, I’ve found myself sticking the Colts D/ST ($3,700) into a lot of lineups. They aren’t the flashiest option, but I think the team can rack up enough sacks and turnovers to pay off their relatively low price. On offense, I’m really only looking at Jonathan Taylor ($5,400) in tournaments. He’s not expected to be the starter, but he’s still an incredibly talented player in a soft matchup. Do you remember when Nick Chubb took 3 carries for 105 yards and 2 TDs in his rookie season? I’m not saying Taylor is going to do that in Week 1, but I’m not not saying it either.
Raiders @ Panthers (47.5 O/U)
In this game, we’ve got two exciting young offenses and two terrible defenses. For the Panthers, you have to like Christian McCaffrey ($10,000) regardless of his price, but DJ Moore ($7,100) is the best value on the team. I expect him to be peppered with targets from the get-go.
On the other side of the ball, Josh Jacobs ($8,200) is a smash play in any contest. He is going to carve up this Panthers defense that was 32nd in the league against RBs in 2019. With two rookie WRs set to start in their NFL debuts, Jacobs might get some looks in the passing game too. Feel free to take shots at Hunter Renfrow ($5,200), Henry Ruggs ($5,100), or Bryan Edwards ($4,500) in tournaments as well. One of those guys will produce against this soft Panthers secondary.
Bears @ Lions (43.5 O/U)
Before Mitchell Trubisky was named the starter, I was more excited about Allen Robinson ($7,200) against Detroit’s questionable secondary. However, he’s still a viable option in cash contests, as is Tarik Cohen ($5,200).
Marvin Jones Jr. ($6,200) is an interesting option now that Kenny Golladay has been downgraded to “doubtful” for Sunday’s game. He could operate as the focal point of the offense. Danny Amendola ($5,100) and TJ Hockenson ($5,300) become interesting dart throws as well.
Seahawks @ Falcons (49 O/U)
When it comes to building stacks, this matchup is the best on the slate. Matt Ryan ($7,800) is my favorite value at QB this week, and Hayden Hurst ($5,200) is my favorite value at TE. A ton of my lineups feature those two along with either Julio Jones ($8,200) or Calvin Ridley ($6,600). If you need to save some cash, you can even take your chances with slot receiver Russell Gage ($4,800).
I also love stacking Russell Wilson ($8,400) with one or both of his top receivers, Tyler Lockett ($6,800) and DK Metcalf ($6,400). Given the Seahawks’ propensity to run the ball in neutral and positive game scripts, Chris Carson ($7,200) also makes some sense as a contrarian play in tournaments.
Dolphins @ Patriots (42.5 O/U)
I’m not really interested in any Dolphins for Week 1. I’m willing to throw a dart at Mike Gesicki ($5,400) or Jakeem Grant ($4,500) in large, multi-entry tournaments, but I’m not expecting Miami to put up a lot of points in Foxborough.
For the Patriots, it’s the usual suspects: Julian Edelman ($6,700) and James White ($5,300). We don’t know exactly what to expect from Cam Newton ($7,300) in his first start with the team, but Edelman and White should easily see enough work to pay off on their relatively low prices. If you’re feeling a little frisky, you could even throw Rex Burkhead ($5,000) into a tournament lineup. He could see a decent workload on the ground with Sony Michel and Damien Harris battling injuries.
Chargers @ Bengals (42.5 O/U)
I’m not excited about any Chargers in Week 1, which is odd because they have such a great matchup. Unfortunately, I’m expecting the Chargers to lead early and take a slow, conservative approach with Tyrod Taylor at the helm. I am, however, willing to play the Chargers D/ST ($4,200) if I can afford them. They’ve got a great pass rush with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, and rookie QBs are often turnover-prone.
For the Bengals, it’s just Joe Mixon ($7,300). The Chargers have a loaded secondary and a relatively soft rush defense. Fresh off his new contract extension, I expect Mixon will be fed in both the rushing and receiving game as Zac Taylor tries to ease his rookie QB into the NFL.
Cardinals @ 49ers (48 O/U)
In his two games against the Cardinals in 2019, Jimmy Garoppolo ($7,400) threw for a combined 8 TD passes and 741 yards. He’s a great option against those same Cardinals in Week 1. He’s reasonably priced, and I don’t expect his ownership to be terribly high. Unfortunately, the only player I’m comfortable stacking him with is George Kittle ($8,000). He’s the most expensive tight end on the slate, but he’s one of the team’s only healthy pass-catchers and he’s up against 2019’s absolute worst TE defense. Get him on your roster if you can find the cap space.
It’s hard to trust any Cardinals against this stout 49ers defense, even though Kyler Murray played well against them last season. At their respective prices, I like Christian Kirk ($5,800) the most. Kenyan Drake ($6,600) could see enough work in the passing game to pay off his relatively-low price, but he’s got a very tough matchup on the ground.
Buccaneers @ Saints (49 O/U)
Tom Brady against Drew Brees indoors. Two tough run defenses. Is there a more obvious shootout on the slate? We could legitimately see 800 combined passing yards in this one. There are a lot of stacking options here, but I really like Tom Brady ($7,600) with Chris Godwin ($7,700), especially now that Mike Evans is expected to miss the game. I’m also willing to take the chance on Scotty Miller ($4,500) or Justin Watson ($4,700), both of whom should see increased snaps with Evans out.
On the New Orleans side, I don’t mind spending up a bit for Drew Brees ($8,100) and Michael Thomas ($8,800). But I prefer to fade Thomas in favor of Tre’Quan Smith ($4,700). He’s not going to be highly owned, so there’s some asymmetrical upside there if he happens to have a big game. Alvin Kamara ($8,300) is always a threat to have a big game, but he’s got a tough matchup on the ground, and there are other guys I prefer at his price.
Thanks for reading this article! Look me up on Twitter at @fantasyfreezer if you’d like to hear more from me. I love answering fantasy questions, discussing trades, and engaging in friendly debates, so be sure to drop in and say hello.
