FanDuel NFL DFS Picks – NFL Preseason Week One

FanDuel NFL DFS Picks – NFL Preseason Week One

I know what you’re thinking. “PRESEASON…. ? You have to be kidding.” Surprisingly, I’m not. Would I joke about football? Well, yes. Would I joke about a potential payday for all of you amazing readers? Hell no! Hear me out before you utter the famous words: “who cares, it’s the preseason”

Granted it’s something most casual fans stay away from but in reality it’s the perfect platform to build their fandom even further. It might not seem as predictable as a typical NFL Sunday since the starters don’t see much work until week 3, but preseason DFS is often easier to project than you’d think. When everyone participating is in the same boat, the playing field is just as level as any other week.

A second benefit to doing your homework during the preseason is that some of the public will play lineups just to have a reason to watch, but won’t know much about how NFL teams typically handle these weeks. This gives you an advantage in tournaments and especially cash games since so many people will just throw in lineups without much prep and you can take advantage of it. If you tune into a game on Thursday expecting to see shiny new commodities like Saquon Barkley or Baker Mayfield, unfortunately you’ll be in for a very rough evening.

The three most important aspects of preseason DFS  are as follows:

1. It may seem obvious, but the starters don’t play much. Even if they do, they won’t take many chances or fight for yards and will likely be pulled out of any meaningful situation.
2. Teams with porous defenses typically have less than ideal backups at those positions and will still be predictably mediocre.
3. Look for players truly on the roster bubble but have performed at some point in the NFL. Or look for real young guys that have never had the chance to until now. Rookies who underperformed and were buried on the depth chart last season are some of the best options.

The unpredictability and pace of preseason contests make them the perfect option to get your football fix and still have stake in what happens on the field. It’s fantasy football after all, it’s about having fun and this truly makes the preseason fun.

It’s also one of the few times you will find yourself genuinely caring about how well someone like RGIII slings the rock on a Thursday night. Give it a shot, and pay attention to our picks for week one:

FanDuel NFL DFS Picks – NFL Preseason Week One – Quarterback

DeShone Kizer – Green Bay Packers – $6,000

DeShone Kizer is the fantasy football equivalent to the guy you don’t want your son or daughter to date. He shows up in a motorcycle and a leather jacket with nothing but bad intentions. He chucks the ball down the field and plays by his own rules. For a preseason game that’s great, just make sure you get him home and out of your lineup by 2am.

Kizer was someone who actually played a significant amount of snaps for the Browns last season. He wasn’t the type of quarterback that could carry a franchise and most of the time he looked like he was closing his eyes and hoping Calvin Johnson was still in the league. Although he may not push Aaron Rodgers for his spot in Canton, he’s a capable third string quarterback.

When I say he takes a lot of chances, I mean he takes…. a lot…. of chances. He was in the top five in the league in deep ball attempts, in the top ten for yards per pass, and he lead the league in “danger plays” according to Playerprofiler. This is not a bad thing under these conditions.

He also makes a fair amount of plays with his legs and rush yards are gold in fantasy football. The Packers have a lot of pass catchers fighting for snaps, with a whopping three rookies taken in this years draft, just at the WR position.

He will be surrounded by some talented playmakers compared to a lot of the options on this slate, and he’s the type of QB to spray and pray. Kizer is by far the best option available, and he isn’t far removed from serious game action.

FanDuel NFL DFS Picks – NFL Preseason Week One – Running Back

Jacquizz Rodgers – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $6,000

Rodgers was the darling of waiver wires everywhere at one point, but unfortunately he seems like the odd man out. He’s shown the Bucs organization he can sustain a backup role and handle a large workload so he’s the perfect candidate to see a ton of volume in a preseason game. Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber will definitely sit the bench, which leaves only Rodgers and Charles Sims on the depth chart for an opportunity.

Sims is more of a pass catcher which indicates Rodgers has the best shot at goal line duties. If he finds the end zone at all, he will pay off in your lineups. Rodgers is one of the safer options in week one.

Jaylen Samuels – Pittsburgh Steelers – $6,000

Samuels is a fifth round pick out of NC State and the third RB on the depth chart in Pittsburgh. He doesn’t do much at an elite level but he’s a solid all around back. He averaged 6.1 YPC during his time with the Wolfpack.

He has an outside chance to push James Conner for snaps if anything were to happen to Lev Bell and has something to prove in the preseason. He’s one of the most talented and fresh players on the slate. Most guys with his draft pedigree wouldn’t see the field this early, but when you have a hall of fame running back and a well-known handcuff in front of you on the depth chart, dues must be paid. Preseason DFS is all about big time opportunity for small time players and Samuels is certainly one of them. But trust me, he’s not small.

He’s kind ofa  monster. Standing at 6’0″and 225 pounds, he’s not exactly fragile for a running back. If that doesn’t scream “give that kid the ball on the one yard line in a preseason game”, then that’s definitely #NotMyNFL. There’s rarely enough data to support some of these players since they’ve barely touched the field, so it’s important to find the potential men amongst… well, slightly less skilled but certainly just as scary men.

FanDuel NFL DFS Picks – NFL Preseason Week One – Wide Receiver

Amara Darboh – Seattle Seahawks – $6,000

Following the trend here, Darboh enters his second season fighting for a roster spot. He showcased a ton of talent coming out of Michigan but didn’t progress the way they wanted him to as a rookie.

The Seahawks claim that Doug Baldwin is fine, but they also threw away a Superbowl ring instead of giving the ball to a man nicknamed “Beast Mode”, so it’s tough to be confident.

They will likely want to get both Darboh and Jaron Brown a lot of work during the preseason to solidify a third option behind Baldwin and Lockett just in case. Brown is somewhat of a veteran and will likely ease his way into the games later in the preseason as his roster spot is much more solidified. Darboh will have a chance to show he belongs on the field. If he’s able to secure a touchdown or just garner a lot of targets, he’s more than worth the selection.

Oh! I almost forgot – The Colts have the worst secondary in the NFL, and these will be the backups to the worst secondary in the NFL. Are you feeling it now, Mr. Krabs?

Albert Wilson – Miami Dolphins – $6,000

The Bucs secondary is right next to the Colts in terms of the worst in the league, so they already present a strong case for opposing receivers. Albert Wilson is an opposing receiver.

He might not even play this Thursday, but let’s face it…. he’s one of the select few relevant names who certainly could and easily one of the most talented. Wilson and Amendola have reportedly been fighting for snaps in camp and some are predicting Wilson will make the team and serve as the third option behind Devante Parker and Kenny Stills on the outside.

Considering he’s new in Miami, the coaching staff will want to get every look at what they have in an offense lacking playmaking ability. Wilson may only play a half but will demand targets and has the skill set to produce enough to cash and potentially more if he hits a deep play.

Bruce Ellington – Houston Texans – $6,000

Ellington is getting a lot of love from people close to the Texans as someone who has outperformed his expectations. He is competing with both Braxton Miller and potentially Keke Coutee but he already saw some time last season.

The Texans are really desperate for playmakers and Ellington is someone who will get a shot to carve out a decent role. He’s being hyped up in camp and is a good bet to get some snaps on Thursday to see what he’s made of. Ellington could have a strong floor and a decent ceiling if he finds the end zone.

Preseason Week 1 FanDuel Picks – Tight End

Marcedes Lewis – Green Bay Packers – $6,000

Picking a tight end to produce on a weekly basis is difficult. Doing it during the preseason is like trying to make sense of Marvin Lewis‘ coaching decisions while choosing a Packers running back. Terrified? Don’t be. That’s why I’m here, and I don’t come to you empty-handed. I brought with me the gift of a third string tight end.

Marcedes Lewis has proven himself to be a red zone option earlier in his career when he played in Jacksonville, and he’s on the depth chart behind Jimmy Graham and potentially Lance Kendricks.

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He certainly has some talent near the goal line and even made Blake Bortles look good. I certainly wouldn’t recommend him for regular season drafts later this month, but stacking him with Kizer on Thursday is a strong option in a game that could turn into a shootout.

Preseason Week 1 FanDuel Picks – Flex Spot

Nyheim Hines – Indianapolis Colts – $6,000

Apparently this Thursday is the birth of the Wolfpack. Any Hangover fans? How bout that drive in? No? Okay, back to football. 

Nyheim Hines was Jaylen Samuels’ teammate at NC State and provided the lightning to his thunder. He’s a guy that could have an impact in redraft leagues as well so watch him closely during these early contests. He received a surprisingly high draft grade and has drawn some comparisons to Alvin Kamara for his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He will be on the field for a lot of snaps and could be the “I’m terrified so I’ll just throw it to you” guy, also known as a backup QB’s best friend.

He will be going up against the second string linebacking core on a Seattle defense that is brutal against the run in the first place. The Colts backfield is a bit tough to predict, but Hines is someone who has a chance to present his case to be the passing down back, and these games will be his stage to do so.

Preseason Week 1 FanDuel Picks – D/ST

Kansas City Chiefs 

Houston has the worst ranked offensive line in the NFL and they lack the playmaking ability to churn out any offensive fire power without the superhuman duo of Deshaun Watson and Deandre Hopkins.

The Chiefs have as good of an opportunity as any to record a lot of sacks and potentially make some plays in the secondary against an ugly set of backup QB’s. Houston’s offense is mediocre on a normal week, but their offense without those two guys will likely resemble something as strange and uncomfortable as when Jameis Winston told us all to eat a W.

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