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Top DFS Picks & Best Team to Play NFL Week 1 Daily Fantasy

Marcus Mosher for Bookies.com

Marcus Mosher  | 5 mins

Top DFS Picks & Best Team to Play NFL Week 1 Daily Fantasy

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After several months off, the NFL season is back, and that means millions of players around the world will get to play Daily Fantasy Football once again. That means it’s time to start tinkering with lineups and using solid DFS strategy to find the winning combination for the first week of action.

Without further ado, here is our best DFS team to field for Week 1 during the Sunday slate of games:

Top DFS Team for Week 1

Pos. Player Matchup DraftKings
Price
QB Matthew StaffordLions @ Cardinals $5,400
RB Christian McCaffrey Panthers @ Rams $8,800
RB Chris Carson Seahawks vs. Bengals $5,700
WR Dede WestbrookJaguars vs. Chiefs $4,700
WR Kenny Golladay Lions @ Cardinals $6,300
WR Christian Kirk Cardinals vs. Lions $4,700
TE Evan EngramGiants @ Cowboys $4,800
FLEX Chris Godwin Buccaneers vs. 49ers $6,200
D/ST Seattle Seahawks Seahawks vs. Bengals $3,100

Note: Prices from DraftKings are based on a $50,000 salary cap for the week


Week 1 Quarterback Best Bet

Lions QB Matthew Stafford ($5,400 on DraftKings)

Matchup: Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals

Without a doubt, one of the highest owned players in Week 1 will be Arizona Cardinals rookie quarterback Kyler Murray at just $5,600. Fantasy players around the world are eager to see the No. 1 pick playing in Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense. However, it's the quarterback on the opposite side of the field that is the (much) better value.

While Matthew Stafford has not failed to throw more than 30 touchdowns over the last three seasons, look for him to have a big Week 1 performance against Arizona's defense. The Cardinals will be without Patrick Peterson and will be relying on several rookies and young players across the entire unit. Arizona will likely want to turn this into a shootout, and that sets up well for Stafford.

Don’t be scared off from Stafford playing on the road, as he averaged 3.2 more fantasy points on the road than at home last season. At just $5,400, Stafford is an excellent way to fade Murray if you decided to go against the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner.

Week 1 Running Back Best Bet

Seahawks RB Chris Carson ($5,700 on DraftKings)

Matchup: Seattle Seahawks vs Cincinnati Bengals

Top DFS Picks & Best Team to Play NFL Week 1 Daily Fantasy 1

If there is one thing we know about Seattle, it’s that they want to run the football. In 2018, Seattle finished second in the league in rushing attempts at 537, just behind the Baltimore Ravens (547). And the way that they do that is via running back Chris Carson.

Carson had a breakout season in 2018, rushing for 1,151 yards on 247 carries. He was dynamic at home last year, averaging 92.3 yards per game and 17 fantasy points as he established himself as Seattle’s lead back.

Given that he has thoroughly beaten out former first-round pick Rashaad Penny in the preseason, he should be a lock to receive 20 or more touches in Week 1 against the Bengals. Carson should be an easy selection in one of your RB spots at the small price of $5,700.

Week 1 Wide Receiver Best Bet

Jaguars WR Dede Westbrook ($4,800 on DraftKings)

Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars

Ideally, the Jaguars would love to play a low-scoring game, grind-out-the-clock type of game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem very realistic considering just how talented the Chiefs’ offense is. Currently, the over/under for this contest is set at 52 points, which is the most in Week 1.


CHECK OUT: Finding Best DFS Value Picks Using NFL Prop Bets


Look for this game to become a shootout with both teams scoring points at will, as neither side will likely be able to stop one another. That means there will be some DFS value on Jacksonville’s offense. One player who could be the beneficiary of a high-scoring game is their No. 1 receiver this season, Dede Westbrook.

Westbrook averaged over 12 points per game in the final six games of the 2018 regular season, and that was with Blake Bortles under center. New quarterback Nick Foles should prove to be an upgrade and the (high-scoring) game-script on Sunday should allow for several targets down the field to Westbrook. At just $4,800, he is a must-start receiver in DFS this week.

Week 1 Tight End Best Bet

Giants TE Evan Engram ($4,800 on DraftKings)

Matchup: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

Top DFS Picks & Best Team to Play NFL Week 1 Daily Fantasy 2

If you don’t want to spend up for Travis Kelce, George Kittle or Zach Ertz in Week 1, consider playing Giants tight end Evan Engram at just $4,800 in Week 1. With Odell Beckham Jr. gone and Golden Tate suspended for the first four games of the season, Engram could very well become a focal point of the Giants offense early in the season.

Over the final four games of the 2018 season with Beckham, Engram averaged nearly eight targets per game and was able to translate that into an average of 16 fantasy points per game.

Engram should see a lot of work against the Cowboys, who allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to tight ends last season. Look for veteran quarterback Eli Manning to target Engram early and often in Week 1. Check out latest Cowboys vs Giants betting odds.

Week 1 Flex Best Bet

WR Chris Godwin ($6,200 on DraftKings)

Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers

There are several intriguing options for flex players this week, but none is a better value than Tampa Bay receiver Chris Godwin. After the team traded away DeSean Jackson in the offseason, Godwin is firmly planted as the team's No. 2 receiver behind Mike Evans. However, Evans is currently banged up and may be limited in the team's Week 1 matchup against the soft 49ers defense.

With Godwin playing more in the slot in Bruce Arians’ offense, he should be a target hog in Week 1. It also doesn’t hurt that Tampa Bay is playing at home, where Godwin averaged over 16 fantasy points per game last season. Look for the third-year receiver from Penn State to have a monster performance against the 28th-ranked defense from the 2018 season.

About the Author

Marcus Mosher for Bookies.com
Marcus Mosher
Marcus Mosher covers the NFL for Bookies.com. The managing editor of The Raiders Wire is also a contributor to The Athletic DFW, Pro Football Weekly and FanSided.