DFS NFL Love, like, leave – Week 1 – Kerryon, My Wayward Son
By Jacob Zook
DFS NFL Love, like, leave – Week 1
Runningback
Love
Kerryon Johnson (7,000): Kerryon Johnson may be my single favorite play on the entire slate. He gets the best matchup possible against a league-worst Arizona run defense, and Johnson looks like he may be criminally under-owned. Understandable running back chalk looks to be all over Dalvin Cook, Chris Carson, Austin Ekeler, and even Leonard Fournette. With all these players being close to Johnson in price, he may get left under the radar, and the game script could easily turn in his favor. The matchup isn’t all that makes this great, as Johnson showed amazing flashes of burst last year, and in the few chances he got to play a bottom 10 ranked defense, he averaged over 80 YPG and over 5 YPC. Kerryon, my wayward son, Kerryon.
Like
Mark Ingram (6,600 FD): Another player who isn’t getting enough attention this week is Mark Ingram, who projects as the lead back in the ultra run-heavy Baltimore offense. Justice Hill figures to get touches, but Ingram should quickly phase Edwards out, and even if he doesn’t, there are plenty of touches to go around. A 50-60 carry-share is in order for Ingram, and in a plum matchup, that could be enough for him to go gangbusters, allowing you to get even more leverage on the field at a prime position.
Leave
Austin Ekeler (6,400 DK): Ekeler is once again primed to get lead running back usage as Melvin Gordon has declared his intent to sit out week 1. On DraftKings, with the full PPR point system, Ekeler is a good play, but I don’t trust Ekeler to get it going on the ground. Tons of ownership should flock to him, and if I am going to eat chalk in that price range, I would much rather Carson at 6,600, and Mark Ingram figures to be as good a play as either at less ownership.