Welcome to DraftKings Week 1, when everyone pretends to know what is going to happen in NFL games and even puts money on it! The good news is that everyone is in the same boat, so you have as good of a chance as anyone else. The best we can do is make some “educated” guesses based on a mix of last season’s stats and preseason speculation.
The following DraftKings lineup for Week 1 was constructed with GPP play in mind. Check back each week for a new lineup, as well as a recap of how the previous week’s crew did.
QB – Tyrod Taylor (LAC @ CIN, $5,600) —
Bargain hunters, look no further than Taylor, who easily earned the starting quarterback job over future star Justin Herbert this summer. Taylor will should earn points as a rusher and passer in a plus matchup with the Bengals, who allowed the most rushing yards to quarterbacks last season.
RB – Christian McCaffrey (LV @ CAR, $10,000) —
With all the value picks this week, we can afford McCaffrey as a chalk play here. He’ll be doing plenty with his usual 25-30 touches against the Raiders, a weak defense that also allowed the third-most receiving TDs to backs in 2019.
RB – Jonathan Taylor (IND @ JAX, $5,700) —
When it comes to fantasy-relevant rookies to consider in 2020, Taylor is one to monitor closely. He may not be the top name when you look at the NFL rookie of the year odds set by Sports Betting Dime, but consider him a great value play in DFS in Week 1. Yes, Marlon Mack is there to split carries with, but he shouldn’t need too many to make a dent behind the Colts’ excellent offensive line and a weak Jaguars defense (6th worst against RBs in 2019).
WR – Keenan Allen (LAC @ CIN, $6,400) —
Completing the contrarian stack with Taylor. Feels a little risky playing Allen without Philip Rivers in town, but he will lead the target haul for the Chargers no matter who is behind center, and Taylor isn’t only a good running QB, he’s a decent passer.
WR – DK Metcalf (SEA @ ATL, $5,800) —
I really like both Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in this Week 1 matchup, but Metcalf is more affordable and has similar upside. He hauled in two touchdowns in a game against Atlanta last season, and the Falcons’ secondary is in worse shape in 2020.
WR – Emmanuel Sanders (TB @ NO, $5,700) —
Earlier this off-season, we explained in detail why we love Sanders as a Saint, including his tendency to thrive indoors. The matchup doesn’t get much better to start the season, at home (in a dome).
TE – Jack Doyle (IND @ JAX, $3,600) —
Doyle finally has the TE position to himself in Indy (Mo Alie-Cox doesn’t count). Expect Rivers to lean on his new favorite TE against a weakened Jacksonville secondary.
FLEX – DeSean Jackson (PHI @ WAS, $4,900) —
Handing off to 5th Downer Garett Thomas, who highlighted D-Jax in this week’s Start/Sit column: “Jackson is healthy, unlike 2019, and is only behind Zach Ertz as the top pass catcher available in Philly, due to injuries … If you still think I am crazy, allow me to present Djax’s game against Washington in Week 1 of 2019: 8 receptions, 154 yards, and two touchdowns – yeah, just start the guy.”
DST – Jets (NYJ @ BUF, $2,100) —
The Jets do not have a great defense, I will not lie to you. But this game does have the lowest projected total on the DraftKings Sportsbook (39.5), and the Jets averaged 16 DK points in their two games last season against the grinding Bills offense.
