NFL DFS Lineup Advice - Saturday, August 18th

GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 09: Running back C.J. Prosise #22 of the Seattle Seahawks carries the football against free safety Tyrann Mathieu #32 and defensive back Tramon Williams #25 of the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium on November 9, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Saturday provides us with a full day of football with the first game set to kickoff at 12:00 central time! Unlike last week, these week 2 preseason games should provide more snaps for starters, so many of the big names will actually be in play. The purpose of this article is to try to equip you with some information to help you make those tough lineup decisions for the day’s slate. Be sure to follow me @BenMcD_Sports as I’ll be making updates to this list based upon team updates and breaking news. Thanks for reading NFL DFS Lineup Advice – Saturday, August 18th!

NFL DFS: Quarterbacks

Cooper Rush DAL QB

There are three sure things in life – Death, Taxes, and Cooper Rush playing exceptionally well in the preseason. Rush is once again expected to see the majority of snaps at QB for the Dallas Cowboys which makes him a prime target for DFS lineups. Last week against the 49ers, Rush finished with 15-23/145/1. In fact, dating back to last year, Rush has played in five preseason games and has thrown at least 1 touchdown pass in each game. He’s also yet to throw a single interception. While there might not actually be a sure thing in preseason NFL DFS action, Rush is about as close as it gets.

Jameis Winston TB QB

This one is kind of a hunch. Last week, Winston was on the field long enough to complete 11-13 passes for 102 yards. As of writing this article, I haven’t been able to find any information on his expected playing time for Saturday, but starters almost always see more action in week 2 than in week 1. Definitely keep an eye out for reports between now and kickoff that would affect your decision to roll out lineups with Winston at QB. As always, I’ll be sharing information as I come across it, so be sure to follow me on twitter @BenMcD_Sports!

Cody Kessler JAX QB

The former Browns quarterback was extremely impressive in week 1, finishing with 14-17/139/1. With Bortles expected to receive around a full quarter of action, Kessler should be looking at plenty of playing time against the Vikings 2nd and 3rd string defense. While the Vikings reserves looked dominant against Broncos QB, Brock Osweiler last week, they also allowed Chad Kelly to move up and down the field at will. I’d be surprised if Kessler doesn’t manage to produce at least one touchdown on Saturday afternoon.

NFL DFS: Running Backs

C.J. Prosise SEA RB

The Redskins, Seahawks, Patriots, and 49ers all seem to be in a contest to see who can suffer the most injuries to running backs this preseason. For Seattle’s part, they’ve recently lost Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis. Second year pro, Chris Carson is expected to be the starter heading into the season and I wouldn’t be shocked if the Seahawks are very careful with him moving forward. If so, that should open up plenty of snaps for guys like C.J. Prosise and J.D. McKissic. It wasn’t that long ago that Prosise was supposed to be the next fantasy star in Seattle due to his talents in the rushing and passing game. The only real knock against him to this point has been his durability. However, he appears to be healthy heading into this matchup with the Chargers and could quickly rack up a bunch of points with his involvement in the passing game.

Jeremy McNichols SF RB

The 49ers have also suffered their fair share of injuries at the running back position over the last week or so. With McKinnon and Breida both out for the rest of the preseason, guys like McNichols and Joe Williams have a chance to step up. Brendan Tuma of Fantasypros.com recently reported that McNichols was frequently working with the first team offense during the past week and should be set for an increase in snaps in their upcoming game. I wouldn’t be surprised if San Fransisco tries to showcase his talents to other teams around the league who might be in the market for a running back.

David Fluellen TEN RB

Akrum Wadley and David Fluellen have been locked into a battle for Tennessee’s 3rd running back spot all off-season. Wadley’s 9 rushing attempts in week 1 were 3x as many as any other Titans running back received. He also proved efficient in the passing game, hauling in 3 catches on 3 targets. Fluellen was also effective in limited time, turning 3 carries into 21 yards. Henry and Dion Lewis are expected to see a little more playing time, but I doubt the Titans will have either of them out there past the first quarter. Looking at the carries, it appears that Tennessee gave Wadley a chance to stand out in week 1, and week 2 should be Fluellen’s chance to make an impression. This is definitley more of a GPP play though.

NFL DFS: Wide Receivers

Michael Gallup DAL WR

If Cooper Rush is slinging the ball all over the field on Saturday, there’s a good chance that this guy will be one of the players who benefits. Despite his beautiful touchdown grab on a pass from Dak in week 1, Gallup still isn’t listed as a starter. The rookie wideout received 24 snaps last week and should see a bump on Saturday. With a good chance to log playing time with both Dak and Rush, Gallup is a good bet to make NFL DFS players very happy.

Braxton Miller HOU WR

Miller has struggled to adjust after making the switch from QB to WR, but reports out of training camp say that he might have finally turned the corner. With DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller having the top two spots locked down, it appears that Miller is in the driver’s seat to be 3rd on the depth chart. In limited time last week, Miller was able to catch 3 balls on 3 targets for 28 yards. Houston seems inclined to give him every chance to prove that he belongs in the league as a wideout, but Miller has to realize that teams can’t wait forever. With an increased opportunity, Miller should prove a solid play on Saturday’s 5 game slate.

Courtland Sutton DEN WR

Case Keenum and the Broncos offense looked completely outclassed in their week 1 matchup with Minnesota. Maybe the Vikings were able to stifle Keenum due to their familiarity with one another. Who knows. What I do know, is that the Chicago defense is a much friendlier matchup for Denver’s offense. The reports of Sutton dominating in practice led to a high ownership against the Vikings, but coming off such a poor performance, the hype has somewhat died down. Maybe the best argument for inserting Sutton into your lineup is that with Lynch’s demotion to third string, you shouldn’t have to worry about a grade school level talent QB trying to complete passes to the stud rookie out of SMU.

NFL DFS: Tight Ends

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins JAX TE

Despite playing in week 1, Sefarian-Jenkins failed to receive a single target. Off the field issues plagued his time in Tampa Bay, but he spent last season with the Jets, proving that he can be a dynamic NFL tight end. John Reid of Jacksonville.com spent the last week watching the Jaguars and Vikings during their joined practice and noted that Sefarian-Jenkins made several plays during the 11-on-11 drills during Thursday’s practice. Look for the Jags to try to get the big tight end rolling starting this weekend.

Jordan Akins HOU TE

Last week, Akins was my favorite tight end to target, and he didn’t disappoint. He converted two targets into 2 touchdowns. The starting tight end gig in Houston seems completely up for grabs, and with another strong performance, Akins could land the job. If Akins is able to share the field with DeShaun Watson, look for the two to become well acquainted, but even if they don’t, Akins already proved that he has the trust of backup QB, Brandon Weeden.

NFL DFS: Defense/Special Teams

Seattle Seahawks DST

Chargers quarterbacks, Cardale Jones and Geno Smith really struggled last week against Arizona. Smith threw an INT, and both guys lost a fumble. Honestly, when you’re rolling out quarterbacks of their caliber, it’s a surprise when you only commit 3 turnovers! The Seahawks might not exactly be the Legion of Boom anymore, but they should still be able to generate a few takeaways on Saturday.

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NFL DFS Lineup Advice – Saturday, August 18th

By Ben McDaniel | Aug 17, 2018