Best DraftKings NFL DFS Plays Week 1: Lamar Jackson, Deon Jackson, Chris Godwin

Quarterbacks

Best Expensive NFL DFS QB Plays

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens ($8,000)

This feels like a good week to be rostering Lamar. The Texans don't really have much of a pass rush, he's playing at home, and he should be good for 20+ fantasy points.

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Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers ($6,900)

My favorite game stack. The Chargers and Miami have the highest game point total, according to Las Vegas. Two passing touchdowns seem like a minimum for Herbert along with about 275+ yards.

Best Mid-Tier NFL DFS QB Plays

Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks ($6,100)

This is a very sneaky game that people are overlooking. The Rams' defense is not nearly what it used to be, and I think Geno will build on last year's success.

Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints ($5,300)

This is Carr's first game in the Superdome, and I think he's going to love throwing deep in this atmosphere. Chris Olave is going to be able to separate himself from the Titans' slower secondary, and I think a Saints stack will be low-owned and very interesting in deeper tournaments.

Best Value NFL DFS QB Plays

Sam Howell, Washinton Commanders ($4,900)

If you're looking to save a buck, the Commanders should go in and play well on the road against the Cardinals. What you're really looking for is 4x, and I would think if Howell can get a rushing touchdown we might be able to get that here.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($4,900)

I think we're looking at one of two possible outcomes for Mayfield in this game: one where the Vikings sack Baker about six or seven times and the other where Baker beats them two or three times for big plays. If you believe the latter, Baker is a solid play.

Running Backs

Best Expensive NFL DFS RB Plays

Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers ($8,400)

Ekeler is clearly the top running back on the slate given that he's playing against the Miami defense which will let up catches out of the backfield.

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons ($8,000)

One of the things that you have to take advantage of in DFS is the misprice of a player. Robinson's the kind of player who should be at $9,500, so to get him at $8,000 is an enormous discount.

Best Mid-Tier NFL DFS RB Plays

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots ($7,000)

Stevenson is clearly the Patriots' best all-around back, and if they're playing from behind like I expect that they will be, he should get about 75% of the touches. I'm not sure if he's going to break any big plays, but I think he should get enough opportunity to be worth about 15 to 20 fantasy points.

J.K Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens ($6,600)

There's no way that Dobbins doesn't get 100 yards and a touchdown. The bigger question will be how the Ravens choose to use him in the passing game. He might be a better play on Half-PPR FanDuel than Full PPR DraftKings.

Best Value NFL DFS RB Plays

Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,500)

White is a PPR stud, and I think in a game where the Buccaneers should be playing from behind there's a really good chance that he gets at least 15 fantasy points.

Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts ($4,100)

I'm not a huge fan of Jackson but at $4,100 he feels like a free square which will allow you to pay up for the more expensive wide receivers.

Wide Receivers

Best Expensive NFL DFS WR Plays

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings ($8,800)

Here's another misprice, because Jefferson should be at least $9,500. The time to take advantage is now by getting him into your lineups.

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins ($8,200)

One strategy is to try to get Jefferson and Hill into lineups together, which I think I might do with some of my teams. They are the best players in two of the better-scoring games, and Hill doesn't have to compete with a lot of other people for the football.

Best Mid-Tier NFL DFS WR Plays

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,900)

Baker Mayfield is going to need to throw some quick passes to Godwin because he may not have time to get the ball deep to Mike Evans. Godwin is a target machine who could have as many as seven or eight this week.

Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers ($5,500)

Deebo might be my favorite one-off play on the slate. I think this may be a lower-scoring game, but he can always break off one big play, and, if it happens, it might be at a very low ownership.

Best Value NFL DFS WR Plays

Marvin Mims, Denver Broncos ($3,000)

Mims should get about 3x value, and his price also allows you to have multiple studs in your lineup.

Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers ($3,000)

Christian Watson did not practice again on Thursday, which means that he might miss this week, which would mean more opportunities for Reed.

Tight Ends

Best Expensive NFL DFS TE Plays

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings ($5,900)

Hockenson just signed a big contract and the Buccaneers occasionally struggle to stop tight ends. I would not be shocked to see him find the end zone.

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles ($5,000)

I'm not sure this is going to be a huge week for Goedert, but if you're trying to get different, a lot of people will have the A.J. Brown/Jalen Hurts connection, while the Goedert/Hurts one will cost you a lot less.

Best Mid-Tier NFL DFS TE Plays

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams ($4,800)

Seattle was awful against opposing tight ends last season, and I'm ready to take advantage of that by starting Higbee.

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns ($4,200)

I'm buying into the hype that the Njoku is ready to take his game to the next level and be the target that Deshaun Watson needs in the red zone.

Best Value NFL DFS TE Plays

Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers ($3,000)

I love a revenge narrative, and this is a game where Hurst is playing his old Atlanta team.

Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers ($2,900)

I'm willing to take a flyer on Musgrave, especially if Christian Watson misses the game with an injured hamstring.