NFL DFS picks: Sunday's Week 1 bargain bin for the main slate

The 2024 NFL DFS season, along with the regular season, is here and it is time to get our Daily Fantasy Sports lineups locked for Sunday's slate of matchups. As usual, Week 1 is fraught with challenges, as we just don't know how some players are going to be used yet. The good news is that this game is always hard, so we're used to it! And bargain finds are just too fun to get right!

Week 1 is the opening paragraph of the story of the 2024 NFL season. I'm here to try to Sherpa you through the ups and downs of what will be a crazy plot line that will get lost at times, but always return to two teams trying to get past each other on their journey toward the playoffs and hopefully the promised land, a Super Bowl win. Let's enjoy the ride!

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers vs. Commanders ($5.6K)

The Commanders had the worst pass defense in the league last season statistically and they didn't get much better this offseason. The Buccaneers receivers are getting up there in age, but they should be healthy for Week 1. And this season we will see Chris Godwin spending more time in the slot, where he has done his best work throughout his career. Mayfield will likely have a lot of DFS players on him this week due to the matchup, but there are plenty of stud quarterbacks to help spread that rostership around.

Caleb Williams, Bears vs. Titans ($5.9K)

Williams is making his first-ever NFL start and there is no doubt he'll have growing pains, but those should be mitigated by one of the best receiving groups in the league. D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze are an extremely talented trio, while Williams has the arm and running ability to make something out of nothing on any play. The Titans pass defense got better, but they were below average last year and will have their hands full on the road this week.

Justin Fields, Steelers vs. Falcons ($5K)

Russell Wilson is questionable for this game and his backup is Justin Fields at a very cheap DFS price. If Wilson misses, Fields is going to be a very popular play at his low price. The matchup isn't great, but Fields' ability as a runner would make him extremely hard to pass up for his cost to roster.

Running Backs

Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos vs. Seahawks ($4.3K)

Javonte Williams is the lead back in Denver, but McLaughlin has shown that he deserves touches. And this week, I expect him to see touches. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix is extremely accurate, but will likely be a bit of a check-down passer early on. And Sean Payton is not against those short passes, as his offense uses running backs as receivers a bunch.

Chase Brown, Bengals vs. Patriots ($5K)

Brown has the home-run speed to put up a long touchdown at any time. He's also set to share work with Zach Moss in the backfield this season. He's a useful receiving option for Joe Burrow, and this week the team is hurting at the receiver position. Brown is risky in this matchup, as the Patriots aren't poised to score a lot of points on offense this season. But, I expect Brown to see an uptick in work with Tee Higgins out and Ja'Marr Chase possibly on a snap count coming off his holdout.

Wide Receivers

Andrei Iosivas, Bengals vs. Patriots ($3K)

Iosivas showed well in training camp and won the slot job, which puts him on the field quite a bit in Cincinnati. That's not enough to make him a strong DFS play, but an injury to Tee Higgins moves Iosivas up the depth chart to WR2 this week and at a rock-bottom price. Ja'Marr Chase is also considered questionable since he missed time due to holding out, but I believe he will play, especially with Higgins out.

Curtis Samuel, Bills vs. Cardinals ($4.9K)

Samuel practiced in full on Friday and is ready to go this week in a good matchup at home against the Cardinals. With Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis shipped off, the Bills receivers are hard to navigate for fantasy. Rookie Keon Coleman has plenty of upside, but I much prefer Samuel and Khalil Shakir (5.1k) in this matchup. Samuel has played well under OC Joe Brady in the past and I expect him to get plenty of opportunities underneath. That may not lead to a ton of yards and touchdowns, but his floor should be strong at DraftKings, where you get one point per reception.

Tight Ends

Taysom Hill, Saints vs. Panthers ($4.3K)

Hill is a fantasy wildcard that doesn't always pan out. He's also 34, not exactly Lamar Jackson fast and doesn't have a set role on the team. What I am saying is that there is plenty of risk, but there is also a lot of upside. Hill easily saw the second-most red-zone touches to Alvin Kamara last season, which helped him to six touchdowns. This year with Kendre Miller not stepping up, there should again be plenty of usage for him in the red zone and at his DraftKings cost, a touchdown pretty much gives him value this week.

Jonnu Smith, Dolphins vs. Jaguars ($3.5K)

The Dolphins will be without Malik Washington, who was ready to take on the WR3 role this year. They of course have an amazing set of receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jayden Waddle, and a backfield stacked with talent, but receiver-wise, Jonnu Smith is a wrinkle I expect Mike McDaniels is itching to use this week.

Smith has talent, but injuries, Hunter Henry and a lack of good quarterbacks hurt him in New England. The Dolphins should be able to use him better and in more fantasy-advantageous situations. He's risky, so I'll likely use him in tournaments only, but he's going to be on a lot of my teams.