This article focuses on building lineups with a quality foundation by utilizing the powerful Groups and Rules/Limits tools within the industry’s optimization tools. All of the concepts and pairings included below can also apply to hand-building. The goal is to create lineups with strong correlations among likely point-scorers to maximize the gains from infrequent scoring events within stacks while limiting the likelihood of building inefficient or negatively correlated entries for a full slate of NFL DFS lineups.
This video was made in a former life and features a detailed demonstration of how to apply these concepts in one leading optimizer tool: Fantasy Cruncher – How-To Video
All references to Sims were done via friends of the site: acemind.io
Don’t miss the Above/Below feature article for a few of our top picks, coming Sunday morning
Game notes are updated during the week and initially posted as “work in progress” as they take a long time to create, if teams are missing notes simply check back later in the day/week and they should be updated.
2026 Week 1 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stack Rankings
The following stack rankings were created by pairing each team quarterback with his top three scoring options, whether they are three wide receivers, two wide receivers and a tight end, a wide receiver, tight end, and running back, or any viable combination. In some cases, an expensive running back can push the overall price point of his team stack in the value rankings.
| TEAM | OPP | FD$ | FDpRank | FDvalRank | DK$ | DkpRank | DKvalRank | Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET | NYJ | $32,700 | 1 | 1 | $28,400 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| DAL | BAL | $31,900 | 2 | 8 | $27,800 | 2 | 11 | 6 |
| CIN | PIT | $31,400 | 3 | 6 | $27,400 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| SF | ARI | $31,000 | 4 | 3 | $26,400 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| BUF | LAC | $29,600 | 5 | 2 | $26,200 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| KC | MIA | $29,500 | 6 | 4 | $24,500 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| BAL | DAL | $30,400 | 7 | 10 | $26,500 | 7 | 19 | 3 |
| NO | LV | $28,100 | 8 | 5 | $22,800 | 8 | 2 | 9 |
| MIN | TB | $27,300 | 10 | 11 | $23,400 | 9 | 13 | 11 |
| LAC | BUF | $26,300 | 11 | 7 | $23,400 | 10 | 14 | 15 |
| LV | NO | $26,800 | 15 | 15 | $23,500 | 11 | 16 | 19 |
| SEA | WAS | $26,900 | 9 | 9 | $23,500 | 12 | 17 | 7 |
| IND | HOU | $27,600 | 13 | 17 | $23,600 | 13 | 18 | 19 |
| JAC | NE | $26,900 | 12 | 13 | $21,900 | 14 | 6 | 7 |
| NYJ | DET | $26,500 | 14 | 12 | $21,900 | 15 | 7 | 16 |
| ARI | SF | $25,700 | 17 | 16 | $22,200 | 16 | 12 | 23 |
| CAR | CLE | $27,300 | 16 | 19 | $23,200 | 17 | 23 | 12 |
| NYG | TEN | $26,800 | 17 | 21 | $21,400 | 18 | 15 | 16 |
| NE | JAC | $25,600 | 19 | 18 | $21,800 | 19 | 22 | 14 |
| TB | MIN | $26,500 | 20 | 23 | $23,100 | 20 | 25 | 16 |
| CLE | CAR | $23,600 | 22 | 14 | $18,700 | 21 | 3 | 21 |
| PIT | CIN | $25,800 | 23 | 25 | $20,800 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
| HOU | IND | $25,100 | 21 | 20 | $20,700 | 23 | 20 | 12 |
| MIA | KC | $24,600 | 24 | 22 | $19,000 | 24 | 8 | 25 |
| TEN | NYG | $22,900 | 25 | 24 | $20,000 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| WAS | SEA | $24,900 | 26 | 26 | $20,200 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
Week 1 DraftKings & FanDuel NFL DFS Stacks & Optimizer Groups
Overview
Rules and limits are powerful tools for lineup creation for NFL DFS where our primary focus is creating highly correlated lineups via stacking players from the same game. Lineups will typically be coordinated around the quarterback selection, which informs at least one pass-catcher choice, establishes a budget, eliminates a defense, and sets the tone for the lineup. We will typically look to correlate a quarterback and at least one of his pass-catchers in every lineup, with many of those including a skill player from the opposing team. This player is included to support the stack in a high-scoring game that drives offense on both sides, creating additional correlated scoring potential. Stacking multiple pass-catchers in the same lineup is a sound approach, though there are typically overall ceilings on how much volume is available at any given position. While pass-catching running backs can be prioritized in stacks and group tools, including running backs who are not involved in the passing game is less important at this stage, they will fall naturally into shares as needed. High-volume backs and pass catchers out of the backfield can be included in the groups utilized below, but it is frequently not necessary to do so with the very best players, they arrive in lineups without help.
Rules and limits are typically applied in an optimizer’s Advanced Options menu. Notes are included to illustrate the reasons behind each rule and explain what it does during the lineup creation process. These settings can typically be saved for re-use, which is highly recommended. Saving the groups created below is also a good idea that will save time with updates instead of recreation each week. These groups are created manually, but most optimizers include automated group creators that can help accelerate the curation process.
DraftKings + FanDuel Settings & Advanced Options
Note – Terminology may vary from site to site but these are common functions across most industry tools.
Unique Players Per Lineup– This setting forces the optimizer to utilize at least X new players who were not in Lineup 1 when it creates Lineup 2, and so on. We recommend a setting of at least two unique players, more can be applied depending on the degree of differentiation desired within lineups.
Team Salary– a minimum or maximum salary spend can be applied here as needed, although leaving salary on the table is an easy path toward creating unique lineups while not necessarily making a negative expected value play.
FLEX position– allows restrictions on what positions can be rostered at the FLEX spot. The primary position to restrict is the tight end so that lineups do not include two players from the position. In many industry tools this is a separate option via a checkbox, it can also be handled specifically within groups.
Global Exposure Setting – allows caps on the maximum percentage of lineups a player can appear in within a given pool of lineup construction. This is a powerful tool for shaping lineups but if settings are too low, attempts to build a full set will fall short due to a lack of available players, one of the most common errors in optimizer building. Most optimizers include the ability to calculate ownership caps continuously or at the end of the pool creation process. If caps are calculated continuously, a player with a 25% cap who is utilized in Lineup 1 will not be available for use again until Lineup 5, we recommend turning OFF continuous calculation.
Randomness – provides a random multiplier to each player’s projected point total based on the set values. This valuable tool helps differentiate lineups instead of simply creating them in order of the highest median projected scores. Using some randomness for lineup generation is strongly recommended but the degree to which it is applied is down to personal preference, 15-25% is fine to get started. We suggest heavier randomness to more event-based players like wide receivers while tracking volume-based positions like running backs more toward their median or ceiling projections.
DraftKings + FanDuel Team Stack Rules
This set of rules will force optimizers to build lineups with certain combinations. We are looking to stack at least one skill player, almost always a pass-catcher, with his quarterback while frequently playing a skill player from the opposing team in the lineup. The theory behind this build is that a high-scoring stack will require some response from the opposing team to deliver a ceiling score in most situations. Most optimizers utilize a “complete the sentence” approach for rule creation with selections from drop-down menus following a very straightforward logic. Exceptions to these rules can be added for specific teams and players on most optimizer products.
- QB with at least one WR/TE from Same Team (note: It is fine to set this to two or to utilize two versions of this rule, one with WR/TE and one with RB/WR/TE, but we can also refine this via Groups)
- optional – QB with at least one RB/WR/TE from the Opposing Team (we typically prefer the pass-catchers but high-volume running backs can be effective here)
- QB with at most zero DST from the Same Team (this is a personal preference; high-scoring teams and quarterbacks tend to leave their defenses on the field, exposing them to simple point-scoring negatives)
Limits & Custom Rules and Requirements
Limit rules can be applied to restrict certain combinations from coming together. This is powerful for limiting multiple running backs from the same team or getting overweight to a certain stack within a lineup.
- Limit QB/RB/WR/TE from Same Team to three
- Limit RB/WR/TE from the Same Team to one unless paired with QB from the Same Team OR the Opposing Team (this prevents multiple players from a team that is not a primary quarterback-based stack)
- optional – Limit RB from Same Team to one (we can also do this with WR in a separate rule that adds an “unless paired with QB or opposing QB” but it’s a personal preference for NFL DFS, we typically do not want two pass-catchers from the same team without their quarterback)
We will maintain the list of rules and limits throughout the season, with occasional tweaks. Each week sees another fresh crop of value plays as situations change and injuries create opportunities around the league. These changing roles and emergent value plays are accounted for in creating these groups from week to week. After a large pool of lineups is created utilizing these groups, it is still critical to filter them for factors including ceiling projections and leverage potential. These groups should help ensure that a highly correlated premium set of options that rotates through various combinations is utilized to create the full lineup pool.
Sunday Updates
Any changes and recommended boosts to specific players will be provided in an early morning update each Sunday.
NFL DFS Week 1 Features & Projections
- Week 1 Projections
- Week 1 Above/Below
- Week 1 Quarterback Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 1 Running Back Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 1 Pass-Catcher Scoring & Value Rankings
- Week 1 Defense Scoring & Value Rankings
Construction Concept
Team groups are built by utilizing the quarterback as the KEY player in group settings. The quarterback decision is the driving factor in determining which stack the lineup utilizes and which corresponding plays are made to work within the structured requirements. In Fantasy Cruncher, built to specification, each team will have two groups, a team group, and an opponent group, both of which utilize the same quarterback as the key player. Each game will have a total of four groups. This is the best approach to truly capture the requirement of playing individual “run-back” plays from the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to include all of the skill players from a game in each quarterback’s group and rely on rules and limits to restrict any potential overflow. It is highly recommended to save the early season groups as a foundation that will be updated for the rest of the season. The recommended groups will include skill players who have an active role in their offense and provide significant correlation with their quarterback’s scoring, often bell-cow running backs who do not specialize in the passing game will not be included in groups as they are projected highly and appear on their own in basically correct distributions, while also not always providing the strongest positive correlation plays. Stacking quarterbacks with pass-catchers and allowing running backs to fall into the lanes created by settings, available salary, and randomness should create a well-distributed set of quality lineups. These groups are updated weekly to account for changes in utilization, schemes, injuries, target shares, and more.
Team Groups for DraftKings & FanDuel – Week 1
The goal is to create a large pool of well-built lineups that can be utilized in any large-field GPP contest. Our approach is to build far more lineups than needed and utilize a sorting table or sim process to filter to the best set of entries. The lineups created in these crunches should provide a broad distribution that includes some of the lower-owned high-upside skill players from each stack. Applying boosts is critical in pushing and pulling ownership to individual players within their team’s stacked lineups if they appear too much or too little.
The groups below are designed so that each quarterback will have two groups to create, one with his skill players and another with the opposing team. A more basic approach would be to add them all to one large group with an “at least three” and let rules and limits set things, but there is a more granular level of control in creating them separately.
Utilizing two groups also allows us to place running backs into the “run-back” position in certain teams while not including them in the primary stack for their team. This is useful when a situation has an extremely highly projected running back that does not necessarily fit into his team’s passing game. These players are threaded throughout the following construction recommendations.
Note for all optimizers the rules can be utilized to force bring-back plays in some sets of crunches and turned off for others as a global function instead of changing each group to “exactly one” bring-back play, wherever applicable, but it will apply to all teams.
Arizona Cardinals
Game Total: 47.0 (ARI +10.5 / 18.25)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Jacoby Brissett
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Trey McBride, Jeremiyah Love, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Tyler Allgeier (on/0ff), Kendrick Bourne (large field), Jalen Brooks (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Oronde Gadsden II, Tre’ Harris, David Njoku
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett takes the reins for Arizona with Kyler Murray headed for greener pastures and no one able to overtake the incumbent. Brissett is unlikely to start the entire season, but he has proven to be a “competent enough” option for NFL DFS purposes. In 12 games after taking over as a starter in Week 6 last season, Brissett threw for 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions with an average of 7.0 yards per pass attempt. Brissett had a noteworthy run in a similar sample with Cleveland in 2022 and two similar seasons with the Colts. Given the quality skill options that surround the quarterback, this is a mid-range dart of an option as an individual, but an active component of a playable stack that ranks in the middle of the field.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Jeremiyah Love has been in and out of practice while continuing to deal with a high-ankle sprain. The third overall pick in this season’s draft is heading toward game-time decision territory in his first NFL regular season outing. Love brings an intriguing set of fantasy skills to a wide-open opportunity, posting a 4.36 40-time coming off of back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons at Notre Dame. Love carried the ball 199 times for the Irish last season, posting 1,372 yards (6.9 ypra) and 18 touchdowns while adding another 280 yards and three scores across 27-34 receiving. Love should evolve into a three-down back in the NFL, in fact he must if he is going to pay off his draft capital, but he may not be in prime condition for his debut, if he plays at all. Love is currently slotting as RB15 by points and RB19 by value on DraftKings and RB16 by points and RB12 by value on the FanDuel slate.
Tier 2:
Tyler Allgeier came into the week listed above the rookie on the unofficial Arizona depth chart and is likely to move up the board somewhat going into Sunday. The veteran had a strong season for scoring in his last year poaching touchdowns in Atlanta, posting eight scores with 514 yards on 143 rush attempts, a mere 3.6 yards per rush attempt. Allgeier has not been targeted more than 23 times in an NFL season and has yet to catch 20 passes in an NFL season, he is far more suited to a backup role and a bargain-bin play. However, if he comes into Sunday as the active starter with a clear path to touches, he will created value at fair pricing on both sites.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Bam Knight rushed for 3.3 yards per attempt and put the ball in the end zone four times across 82 carries last season, if he is elevated to the number 2 spot he could provided limited “any given slate” value in very large field contests.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Trey McBride slots in as TE1 by points on both sites in Week 1. Whatever one may think of the Arizona offense as an option, McBride is a premium positional option any week he is available. The tight end put up an 11 touchdown season in 2025, while racking up 1,239 yards on a positional record 126 catches over his 169 chances through the air. McBride is a terrific option in or out of stacks, though he does take a bit of a hit in points-per-dollar rankings as just TE14 on the DraftKings board by that measure; he is TE6 by value on FanDuel.
Marvin Harrison Jr. checks in as WR20 on DraftKings and WR21 on FanDuel, prime territory for slightly off-the-beaten-path options for DFS upside. The talented receiver drew 6.1 targets per game across 32 weekly routes run, gaining 1.58 yards per route run. On the whole, Harrison Jr. disappointed with only four touchdowns in 12 games, but the per-route and per-target numbers tell a different story for a receiver who sees a strong 12.9-yard average depth of target as a big play weapon.
Michael Wilson is the third wheel in the Cardinals offense but he warrants upper-tier consideration within the Cardinals stack. Wilson out-scored Harrison Jr. last season, posting seven total touchdowns, though they came in an additional five games played. Wilson had easily his best year as a pro in his third season, cracking 1,000 receiving yards for the first time and nearly doubling his total yardage from each of his first two campaigns. Wilson drew 126 targets and caught 78 of them, but the volume will be impacted by a healthy Harrison Jr.
Tier 2:
Veteran receiver Kendrick Bourne went scoreless in 16 games last season, catching 37 of 53 targets for 551 yards, gaining 1.53 per route run on just 22.5 routes per game. Bourne could see increased involvement as the third wideout in Arizona, but there are three clear-cut options ahead of him and a fourth if Love is active at running back. Bourne is merely WR72/72 and WR72/70 across DraftKings and FanDuel
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Elijah Higgins caught zero touchdown passes and managed just 1.00 yards per route run across 12.2 routes per game in 2025.
Jalen Brooks is WR103/103 and WR100/99 across sites, he only played in six games last season, gaining 51 yards on three catches. He had 177 yards and a touchdown on 12 catches in 14 games in 2024. Brooks is a desperation play who may see one opportunity to catch a pass, barring the unexpected, it is unlikely to come in or near scoring territory.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 12 points/16 value; FanDuel: 14 points / 14 value
Best Stacking Options: Brissett-McBride-Harrison Jr. +/- Love (if active)
Best One-off: McBride
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Harrison Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
Game Total: 42.5 (ATL +3.5 / 19.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Cooper Rush
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts Sr., Zachariah Branch, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus (large field), Brian Robinson Jr. (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Cooper Rush is expected to take the ball for Atlanta on Sunday, despite reports of back pain throughout the day on Saturday. The quarterback is already the third option on the Falcons’ crumbling depth chart, behind Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix, both of whom have already been ruled out. If Rush does not take the field, Jack Strand will be the last man standing for Atlanta. Assuming Rush plays, he slots into Week 1 as QB24 by points and QB18 by value on DraftKings while landing as QB24 across the board on the blue site. Rush is a non-entity at the position, he threw for 303 yards on 34-52 passing last season, tossing four interceptions and zero touchdown passes across four games with Baltimore. The quarterback was better with Dallas in 2024, throwing for 1,844 yards with 12 touchdown passes against five interceptions, but success in 2026 seems like a tall order.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
This is the position where the Falcons truly shine, as long as you make sure to select the correct B. Robinson at running back. Bijan Robinson, the superstar starter, slots in ahead of Brian Robinson Jr. on the Atlanta depth chart for 2026. The every-down back had a strong 2025 campaign, gaining 5.1 yards per rush attempt on 16.9 carrier per game and putting seven rushing touchdowns on the board next to his four receiving scores. Robinson drew an average of 6.1 targets per game last season, he could be heavily involved as a safety-valve, with the second understudy at the helm. Bijan Robinson is RB2 by points and RB3 by value on DraftKings, he is RB2 by points and RB5 by value on the FanDuel slate, and is a strong buy on both sites against a Pittsburgh defense that yielded 4.3 yards per rush attempt but just 6.3 yards per pass while getting to the quarterback aggressively last season.
Tier 2:
Brian Robinson Jr. is the one we are not looking to target. The running back gained 4.3 yards per rush attempt on limited carries last season. Robinson Jr. scored twice on the ground and did not see much involvement in the passing game during his lone season in San Francisco, where there are not many touches to be had. The running back could see a somewhat more significant role in this offense, he did punch the ball in eight times over 187 carries in 14 games in 2024, but has never gained 800 yards in a season, on modest ypa marks. If he picks up a chance or two near the end zone, Robinson Jr. could hit paydirt as a cheap touchdown-dependent dice roll in the way that Tyler Allgeier was in Atlanta.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Drake London is the prime option in the passing game for the Falcons. The receiver managed just 12 games last season, but only missed one across his first three years. London was productive when available, catching 68 of 112 targets for 919 yards and seven scores, gaining well over two yards per route run. London is a playable WR10 by points but slips to WR21 by value on DraftKings, he is WR 12/26 in similar position on FanDuel. This would be a better option with a better quarterback under center.
Kyle Pitts Sr. is another solid tight end option who establishes a presence in the middle of the board as TE5 by points on both sites. He is a better buy on FanDuel as TE4 by value, slipping to TE10 in the points-per-dollar category on the DraftKings slate. Pitts Sr. caught 5.2 passes for 54.6 yards per game with five touchdowns last season, his 1.71 yards per route run across 32.0 routes per game is solid opportunity at the position and there is very little to threaten his status as the team’s third-best option at a skill position.
Tier 2:
Zachariah Branch slightly edges-out veterans Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus on our projections board, but the three options are grouped closely together with a somewhat unclear pecking order in play. Branch is a talented third-round rookie, picked 79th overall this year out of Georgia, and known for his blazing speed. The receiver posted a 4.35 40-time and has strong measurables, but he is dealing with a hamstring issue and has missed a bit of practice time in the run-up to his first game.
Branch is the one to watch, the veterans are less appealing. Dotson gained just 0.63 yards per route run across 24.4 routes per game in 2025, scoring once on the year. Zaccheaus is a gadget player with a significant skill set as a total dart throw who may or may not see chances. The receiver is listed third behind Dotson on the Falcons’ unofficial depth chart, he gained 313 yards on 39 catches and scored twice in 2025, and has never posted more than three touchdowns in an NFL season, though he has hit that mark in three separate seasons.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 9 points/10 value; FanDuel: 12 points / 16 value
Best Stacking Options: Rush-Bijan Robinson-Drake London +/- Kyle Pitts Sr.
Best One-off: Bijan Robinson
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Brian Robinson Jr. (TD dart throw)
Baltimore Ravens
Game Total: 47.5 (BAL -3.5 / 25.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Lamar Jackson
Setting: at most three (this allows for “naked” Lamar Jackson lineups in builds and should be alternated to exclusively stacked versions in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Ja’Kobi Lane, Mark Andrews, Justice Hill (on/off), Rashod Bateman (large field), Elijah Sarratt (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Ashton Dulin
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Season-long teams that drafted Lamar Jackson in early rounds for 2025 are unlikely to have finished atop their leagues as the Ravens’ star quarterback deflated to under 200 yards per contest through the air with 21 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions and a -2.60 completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) mark in his 13 games. Jackson picks up massive value through his rushing ability, he picked up 349 yards and two touchdowns on 67 rush attempts last year but has seen his volume and scoring output dip somewhat over the Derrick Henry years. With Henry posting 16 rushing touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, including a monster 325-carry 1,921-yard campaign in 2024, Jackson has managed just six rushing touchdowns across the same two years, he had five in 16 games the season before Henry came to town and peaked at seven in two separate seasons earlier in the career. The quarterback gained just 5.2 yards per rush attempt last year, slipping from 6.6 ypa in 2025. Jackson is a solid season-long bounce-back bet and Baltimore brought a few new upside options into 2026 at skill positions. Jackson is QB6 by points at high prices on both sites.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
The indefatigable Derrick Henry beat the nay-sayers back once more in 2025, equaling his total touchdown mark from the season before with 16 scores and putting up a 1,595-yard season and gaining 5.2 yards per attempt. The wrecking ball rusher carried the ball 18.1 times per game and rumbled through defenders at will once again last year, he shows little sign of slowing down despite multiple years of calls for his volume-based demise. Until that day comes, Derrick Henry is a rock-solid option in any format. Henry is RB10 by points and RB12 by value on DraftKings, where his lack of pass-catching upside is a minor issue, he is RB 7/14 on the FanDuel slate.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Justice Hill is a solid backup running back with skills. Hill saw just 1.8 carries per game last year but gained 5.2 yards per attempt on the season and scored twice on limited volume. The running back also picks up action in the passing game, drawing 2.7 targets per game last season and turning it into a lone touchdown reception while gaining 6.3 yards per target on the year. Without much chance at touches beyond some here-and-there looks, Hill is no more than a talented dart throw, or a wildcard play against a Henry misfortune.
Rasheen Ali is also a running back on this team. He is RB68/69 and RB66/66 across sites, and is not a playable consideration.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Zay Flowers slides in as the team’s leading receiver from last season. Flowers improved year-over-year in 2025, going from 1,059 yards on 74-116 receiving (9.1 per) to 1,211 yards on 86-118 receiving (10.3 per) with seven touchdowns, increasing his output on essentially unchanged volume. Flowers stands a chance to gain upside through not only another season’s worth of experience, but also if he simply is rewarded with a few added chances in the Ravens’ low-volume passing attack. The primary challenge is that Flowers is an under-sized receiver at just 5’9″, one of the driving factors in Baltimore selecting size at the position in this year’s draft.
Tier 2:
Mark Andrews gets away from Isaiah Likely, with the latter following the Ravens’ former coach out the door for New York in the offseason. Andrews played all 17 of the Ravens’ games last season, though you would hardly know it from the totals. The veteran managed just 422 yards and five scores on 48-70 receiving, gaining a “fine” 1.22 yards per route run across just 20.4 routes per game. Andrews does see a bit of depth on his average target, drawing 16.22% of the team’s air yards on a 7.4-yard average depth of target, but the Ravens still have a crowded room at his position and more mouths to feed among wide receivers in his age-30 season.
Ja’Kobi Lane is an impressive 6’4″ rookie out of USC who saw a fair amount of buzz in camp and season-long drafts throughout the late-Summer. Lane was selected for his combination of size and skill, giving Baltimore a weapon that they did not have and, potentially, leading to an immediate scoring role for the rookie in the red zone. Lane was taken 80th overall in the third round, his draft capital warrants early opportunities and the only thing standing between him and the number-two role in the receiving group is Rashod Bateman and his pending domestic violence trial. Lane is a strong waiver wire addition if available in season-long leagues, he is an intriguing upside option for a sneaky touchdown in or out of Ravens stacks.
Rashod Bateman had two touchdown catches in 13 games in 2025, while he is technically second on the unofficial depth chart, it is very easy to see him getting bypassed by the team’s significant rushing volume, two primary established options ahead of him, and not one but two ready-now rookies looking for targets. In addition to Ja’Kobi Lane, Bateman will have to fend off Elijah Sarratt, a fourth-rounder out of Indiana.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Devontez Walker is questionable with a groin injury, if he is active he is a dart throw at one big play. Walker gained 136 yards and scored three touchdowns on just six catches and eight targets over 12 games with Baltimore last season, he is a total wildcard in a stack of Ravens and will certainly differentiate a lineup if he connects.
Elijah Sarratt is the more interesting player, the fourth-rounder should see action in his debut, though we have Lane solidly above him on the board. Sarratt caught 65 of 85 targets and gained 830 yards on his way to a 15-touchdown campaign in his lone season in Indiana, he comes with limited touchdown-dependent upside but is one to watch going forward as circumstances change around him.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 10 points/15 value; FanDuel: 8 points / 15 value
Best Stacking Options: Jackson-Henry-Flowers +/- Lane
Best One-off: Lamar Jackson “naked” or Derrick Henry
Best Value/Ownership Play: Ja’Kobi Lane
Buffalo Bills
Game Total: 45.0 (BUF -1.0 / 23.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Josh Allen
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: James Cook III, DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox (on/off), Keon Coleman (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: David Montgomery, Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, Kayshon Boutte, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Woody Marks (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Josh Allen leads a mixed-bag of a Bills offense into action in 2026. The quarterback failed to crack the 4,000-yard mark for the second season in a row, falling to just 3,668 passing yards in 2025, his lowest total since his 16-game second season in 2019. Allen’s 25 touchdown passes were also his lowest total since that year, he has not thrown 30 touchdowns since posting 35 in 2022. The quarterback does add fantasy scoring via his legs, Allen gained another 579 yards on the ground in 2025 and mashed his way into the end zone for 14 rushing touchdowns, his third-straight season with more than 10 (15, 12, 14). Allen is a fantastic fantasy asset and a premium touchdown scorer, he ranks as QB2 by points and QB6 by value on DraftKings and is QB2/7 on the FanDuel slate in Week 1 of his age-30 season.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
With a steady 18.2 rushing attempts and 2.4 targets per game, James Cook III clears our standard “20 potential touches” barrier and comes with upside for DFS scoring in Week 1. Cook III gained an excellent 5.2 yards per rush attempt and punched in a dozen touchdowns alongside his quarterback’s 14. The running back provides plenty of potential for individual success, he gained 1.1 yards above expectation per rush attempt last season and posted 3.0 yards before and 2.2 yards after contact per attempt. Cook III added another two touchdowns in the passing game, gaining 7.3 yards per target for the year and posting a 12.62% explosive play rate on receptions.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Ray Davis and Ty Johnson are running backs limited by a lack of opportunity more than talent. Davis saw 3.4 rush attempts per game and gained 4.7 yards per attempt, while Johnson drew 2.9 chances on the ground each week, returning 4.0 yards per chance. Johnson is the more involved receiver, his 1.9 targets per game are more than twice the volume that Davis saw, and they each caught two touchdown passes last year. These are low-cost low-owned low-probability dart throws for the desperate and doomed, and not much more, unless something befalls the man above them on the depth chart.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
DJ Moore joins the Bills after three quick years in Chicago. Moore has been steady but not a star the past few seasons, he last truly hit that level in 2023, his first season with the Bears, posting 1,364 yards with eight touchdown catches in 17 games. He had less than 1,000 yards and exactly six touchdown grabs each of the past two years, cratering to just 682 yards on 50-85 receiving last year. It is unfair to blame skill degradation entirely for the aging wideout, Moore still has upside in the tank but his wings were clipped by target volume that crashed from 136 chances in 2023 and 140 in 2024 to just the 85 last season. DJ Moore is a playable piece as WR22/29 and WR22/25 across DraftKings and FanDuel, but he is probably a better option in stacks than out of them.
Khalil Shakir is WR28/22 and WR31/34 and may provide more upside than Moore when it comes to points-per-dollar DraftKings scoring. Sure-handed Shakir caught 4.5 of 5.9 targets per game last season, gaining a solid 1.70 yards per route-run across 26.4 routes per game, he scored four touchdowns in the process. Shakir’s flaw for DFS is that he does not get down the field, preferring to operate at a 3.7-yard average depth of target that requires the end zone to be nearby, or a big play to break, to create touchdown scoring. When the Bills get in close they tend to call the number of either their stud running back or star quarterback, leaving scant chances for short-yardage receivers to land as reliable, but as an upside play…?
Dalton Kincaid suffers from similar issues, there simply has not been a ton of touchdown-throwing going on in this offense the last few seasons. Kincaid caught five touchdown passes last season, a fair total for a tight end who can also get out into coverage a bit on his 9.5-yard average depth of target. The chances are not robust, however, with just 4.1 targets per game in 2025 and not much chance for more this season.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Dawson Knox is a touchdown-dependent dart throw at tight end who has been on this team for several seasons. Knox hauled in four touchdown passes last season despite seeing just 2.9 targets per game, though his 12 total red zone targets certainly helped. Knoxs’ red zone target total from last season was eclipsed only by Shakir, who had 13 in this offense. This is a dart throw, but it is one with a fine point, premium flights, and a history of hitting the bullseye with a bit more frequency.
Keon Coleman is WR74/78 and WR75/75, he is not a strong option, though he did score four times in 2025 on 4.5 targets per game with nine red zone chances. Coleman is not off the board, but he is a less-than-likely contributor on either site.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 7 points/12 value; FanDuel: 7 points / 9 value
Best Stacking Options: Allen-Cook-Shakir +/- Moore +/- Kincaid/Knox
Best One-off: James Cook III
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Dawson Knox
Carolina Panthers
Game Total: 47.5 (CAR +2.5 / 22.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Bryce Young
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Tetairoa McMillan, Jonathan Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Jalen Coker, Darren Waller, Xavier Legette, Tommy Tremble (on/off), Ja’Tavion Sanders (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: D’Andre Swift, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Kyle Monangai (on/off), Cole Kmet (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Bryce Young is QB16 by points and QB11 by value on DraftKings and QB16/12 on the FanDuel slate. The now fourth-year signal caller is still waiting on his big breakout, 2025 was underwhelming at best with just 3,011 yards on 478 pass attempts (6.3 ypa). Young threw 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions over 16 games, only minor growth after tossing 15 and 9 in 14 games in 2024, and 11 with 10 interceptions in 16 games as a rookie. Young has one good receiver to work with and a limited rushing game, unless Jonathan Brooks can go from hype to true breakout in a healthy season. This is not a strong option at his position, Young is roughly playable but his path to DFS success is very narrow even against a Bears defense that was also less-than-stellar in 2025.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
Jonathan Brooks is RB16 by points and RB6 by value on DraftKings at a cheap price, he is similarly RB15 and RB8 on the respective FanDuel points and value boards, but those value marks carry clear risk as his role and status are undetermined for tomorrow. The running back has seen very little action while dealing with major leg injuries the past two seasons, and he was limited with groin issues the past few weeks. Brooks has played in three NFL games, all in 2024, and carried the ball nine times in regular season action after the team used the 46th overall pick on him in the second round of the 2024 Draft. When healthy, Brooks has explosive upside and should see no problem seizing the number one job from Chuba Hubbard, who is, importantly, listed as this team’s top option at the position. Brooks sits here on talent and a clear opportunity to create more for himself as the team wants him to get involved. He may slide down rankings in the morning but will remain, at worst, a playable dart with upside.
How many times must someone lose their job before losing their job? Chuba Hubbard looks to answer this query in 2026, as he comes into another season atop the depth chart but likely to lose, or at least share, his role with more talented reserves. Hubbard was actually somewhat effective in 2024, posting 1,195 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns but he fell off the edge of the Earth in 2025 with only 511 yards and a lone rushing touchdown over 15 games. Hubbard managed just 3.8 yards per rush attempt last season, down a full yard per carry on average from the season before, but the exact same number as his low-end 2023 season (902 yards and five touchdowns on 238 carries). Hubbard is a lousy option as RB26/28 and RB27/28 across sites.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Tetairoa McMillan is currently the only player on this team that one could even reasonably consider rating as a star. The second-year wide receiver made a strong impression as a rookie in a bad offense, hauling in 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdown catches on 122 targets. With Young delivering a limiting 63.93% catchable ball rate on his targets, McMillan could have had much more go his way in a better spot. The receiver has plenty of upside on a weekly basis, the talent and opportunity are clear, but he is limited by someone else’s poor play. This is the best of a bad group and he is probably better deployed outside of stacks than in them, where his status as WR11 by points and WR12 by value on DraftKings and WR9 across the board on the blue site can make more of an impact.
Tier 2:
Jalen Coker draws a reasonably playable projection, particularly on the full-PPR site, where he slots in as WR30 by points and WR20 by value. On FanDuel he is WR29/19. Coker caught 3.0 of 3.9 targets per game last season, posting a 1.36 yards per route run rate over his 26.3 weekly sprints. Young was able to hit the receiver’s 10-yard average depth of target more accurately, delivering a 76.74% catchable target rate that led the Panthers’ primary pass-catchers.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Darren Waller is a touchdown-dependent TE18/16 on both sites, he holds little-to-no value at this stage of his career while in a bad offense with a bad quarterback.
Xavier Legette is WR66/64 and WR68/66. The receiver caught three touchdown passes and saw 20.30% of the team’s air yards share last season, delivering an awful 0.90 yards per route run in the effort.
Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders are low-end rotational backups at tight end, they drew a combined 4.8 targets per game last year and, while one technically could roster them both in FanDuel lineup, it would simply be faster to set a five dollar bill on fire.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 15 points/ 9 value; FanDuel: 15 points / 8 value
Best Stacking Options: Young-McMillan skinny stacks
Best One-off: McMillan (this is a strong “bring-back” option from the other side of a stack of Bears)
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Jonathan Brooks
Chicago Bears
Game Total: 47.5 (CHI -2.5 / 25.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Caleb Williams
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: D’Andre Swift, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Kyle Monangai (on/off), Cole Kmet (on/off), Kalif Raymond (large field), Zavion Thomas (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Tetairoa McMillan, Jonathan Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Jalen Coker, Darren Waller, Xavier Legette
Game Notes:
Quarterback
It is fair to say that Caleb Williams made a leap in Year Two and could taken an even larger step in the 2026 season. Williams went from a rookie season of 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 351-562 passing to a robust 27 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions while throwing for 3,942 yards on 330-568 passing, taking his YPA from 6.3 to 6.9. Williams also scored his first three rushing touchdowns in 2025, after blanking as a rookie despite 81 rushing attempts for 489 yards. The quarterback actually gained fewer yards on fewer carries last season, dropping his rush YPA from 6.0 to 5.0, but he was a far more valuable overall player with the pivot to scoring plays. Williams gets a terrific matchup in Week 1 heading into Carolina, his Bears rank as Stack 8 by points on DraftKings and 9th on FanDuel, while the quarterback himself rates as QB8 by points on both sites, though he is 14th on DraftKings and 10th on FanDuel when it comes to points-per-dollar value.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
D’Andre Swift was a solid producer for Chicago with 4.9 yards per rush attempt on 13.9 carries per game in 2025, leading to a solid total of nine rushing touchdowns. The running back’s involvement in the passing game amounts to 3.0 targets per contest, and he saw only one red zone target across all of last season, but he did put a touchdown catch on the board. Swift is a steady option at the position, he would be a clear “RB2” in season-long parlance, but for DFS purposes he is merely a mid-pack option as RB18 by points on both sites with a better mark for value on FanDuel than on DraftKings.
Tier 2:
Kyle Monangai gained 4.6 yards per rush attempt on his 9.9 carries per game last season and gained ground on the veteran above him on the depth chart as his rookie season carried on through 2025. Monangai was a buzzy sleeper pick after being taken at the end of the Draft in the seventh round last year, he totaled 783 yards and five rushing touchdowns, and caught 18 of 30 targets for 9.1 yards per catch but no touchdowns. Monangai is the clear number two on the depth chart, but he has a defined role and should get about halfway to our desired number of touches, one could do worse as a wildcard upside play.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Colston Loveland burst on the scene as one of the top options at his position as a rookie last year, catching 58 of his 82 targets across 16 games and scoring six times. Loveland drew 16.35% of the team’s air yards and had a solid 9.0-yard average depth of target that puts him in big play territory more often than the average option at his position. The tight end is a red zone beast as well, picking up 14 targets in scoring territory last season. Loveland could be the team’s number one target in the passing game tomorrow, with Rome Odunze questionable at wide receiver, he is TE2 by points and TE5 by value on DraftKings and TE2 by points and the top option as TE1 by value on FanDuel.
Luther Burden III was yet another premium dynasty option that joined the Bears as a rookie last season. Burden had plenty of pre-draft buzz last fall in knowledgeable fantasy circles and he slowly but steadily made progress toward his tantalizing ceiling as the season carried on. Ultimately, one could easily bounce off of a line that includes just two touchdown catches and 652 yards on 47-60 receiving, but Burden did not even play more than 20 snaps in a game until Week 10, though he did put up 101 yards and a touchdown catch on just three catches and four targets over 17 Week 3 snaps against the inept Dallas defense. The receiver caught 40 of his 47 passes from Week 10 onward, drawing a target on 32.2% of his routes run over that stretch. Burden only scored one touchdown over those games but he averaged a phenomenal 2.99 yards per route run from Week 10 to the end of the season. Burden lands as a monster upside play with Odunze ailing and DJ Moore out of town, he has a chance to grab the top job and never look back as WR15 by points and WR8 by value on both DraftKings and FanDuel in Week 1.
Tier 2:
Were it not for a lingering leg issue that still has him listed as Questionable overnight on Saturday, Rome Odunze would likely be listed here as a Tier 1 player in Bears stacks. Odunze is the nominal top receiver in the offense, but he managed just 12 games played last season and put up 661 yards on 90 targets, scoring six times through the air. Odunze is a strong downfield weapon, drawing a 13.9-yard average depth of target that led to a 28.33% air yards share last year. As long as he suits up, it is fine to include Odunze aggressively in stacks of Bears skill players, in fact he could lose popularity in public lineups due to the injury status, which would add appeal to him as an NFL DFS tournament option. Odunze is WR17 across the board on both sites and is not far removed from Burden in Tier 1.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Cole Kmet is a low-volume cheap option at tight end. Kmet was targeted just 3.0 times per game in 2025. He caught just 1.1 of those per game. The tight end did find the end zone twice as a cheap differentiator last year, and his six red zone targets draw the eye slightly. Kmet is a value dart in a third or fourth stack of Bears, or a differentiation option as a third man in play.
Kalif Raymond and Zavion Thomas slot in as low-end receiver plays. Raymond delivered one touchdown catch while gaining 1.33 yards per route run over just 14.5 routes per game last season and has limited visibility to more chances. Thomas joins the team out of LSU as a third-round rookie, taken 89th overall in this year’s draft. The receiver is a true burner with elite 40-time and reasonable size at 5’10” 190 lbs, at worst he could provide immediate game-breaking dart value as the team’s expected primary return man, and he should see a few chances even in a gadget role that replaces Olamide Zaccheaus’ opportunities from last year. The rookie is another under-appreciated player oozing with potential, but the chances may not arrive in Week 1. In the event that Odunze does not play, it is Thomas who looks to be the more appealing upside option, given the truly elite speed.
Jahade Walker caught six balls for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns as an undrafted rookie last season, he has a long road ahead to pass anyone above him on the depth chart in 2026.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 8 points/11 value; FanDuel: 9 points / 7 value
Best Stacking Options: Williams-Loveland-Burden +/- Swift
Best One-off: D’Andre Swift or Colston Loveland
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Luther Burden III
Cincinnati Bengals
Game Total: 50.0 (CIN -4.0 / 27.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Joe Burrow
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Chase Brown, Tee Higgins, Mike Gesicki, Andrei Iosivas (large field), Colbie Young (very large field), Erick All Jr/Drew Sample (on/off rotation for very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Bucky Irving, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton, Ted Hurst III
Game Notes:
Quarterback
One of the game’s elite passers, Joe Burrow ranks as QB1 by points on both sites in Week 1. The Bengals get what should be a strong matchup for fantasy scoring as four-point favorites at home in a 50-point game. Burrow only played in eight games last season, exiting the Week 2 contest after just 13 pass attempts. The quarterback was absent until Week 13 but still managed to throw 17 touchdown passes and just five interceptions for the season. A fully healthy Burrow nearly hit the 5,000 yard mark in 2024, posting a massive 4,918 yards and 43 touchdown passes with only nine interceptions. Burrow is as elite as it gets and his skill players are everything one could hope for, the Bengals should be a leading NFL DFS stack on a weekly basis if their top-4 are healthy all year.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Chase Brown is a solid multi-dimensional running back who carried the ball for 4.4 yards per rush attempt over 13.6 carries per game while adding another 5.0 yards per target on 5.2 weekly targets. Brown scored six times on the ground and added five more touchdowns in the passing game, making him one of the elite pass-catching running backs for NFL DFS use. The running back is RB6 on by points and RB13 by value on DraftKings where the catches play up slightly more, he is RB8/9 on FanDuel, where he remains a premium play in or out of stacks of Bengals.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Samaje Perine lands as a low-end RB43/42 on both sites. The running back picked up fewer than 10 touches per game last season, averaging just 5.6 carries and 1.4 targets per game for the year, though he did score three rushing touchdowns to provide limited value to a scant few lineups.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
The Bengals passing game can be rocket fuel for DFS scoring with one of the league’s best 1/1A pairings at wide receiver. The clearly separated number one, Ja’Marr Chase, slots in as WR1 across both points and value across both DraftKings and FanDuel for Week 1, giving the team the top positional scoring option at both quarterback and receiver this week. Chase will be deservedly popular, it is no secret that is is very likely to deliver a massive game. The superstar put up 2.23 yards per route run for the full season last year, while running 39.6 routes per game. Chase caught eight touchdown passes, surprisingly just good enough for second behind his running mate for a change.
WR7 by points and WR13 by value on DraftKings and WR8/10 on FanDuel is as far removed as Tee Higgins falls from Chase. Higgins outpaced his buddy in 2025, posting 11 touchdown catches in just 15 games to the eight that Chase scored in 16 contests, but the opportunity actually pales in comparison. Higgins’ production came on just 98 targets, meanwhile Chase was targeted a massive 185 times last season and 175 the year before. Higgins ended the season with just 846 yards on 59 catches, falling short of 1,000 for the third season in a row despite playing three more games than in either of the two previous seasons. It is fair to look to Higgins for scoring and as an excellent addition to a lineup that includes Burrow and Chase, he is also a reasonable pivot from the superstar in alternate builds.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Andrei Iosivas can be a downfield weapon in spots, though that is also true of everyone in this receiver room. Iosivas drew a 10.3-yard average depth of target last season, picking up 12.51% of the team’s air yards share despite just 3.4 targets per game. He scored twice on the season but did see seven opportunities in the red zone in addition to chances to break big plays on deep looks. Iosivas is a dart throw in the most desirable scoring stack of the week, he is WR64/57 and WR64/63 but can be played a bit more than that for cheap tournament upside.
Believe it or not, tight end Mike Gesicki is only 28-years-old. He just seems like he has been around for a while at this point. The pass-catcher should lead a crowded room for the Bengals, and he will be looking to rebound from just 307 yards and two touchdowns on 28 catches in 13 games with the team last year. This is TE25 across the board on both sites, but there is a bit of touchdown-dependent potential, given the quality of the stack.
Colbie Young is a big-bodied fourth-round pick who stands at 6’5″ 218 lbs. The Bengals selected the receiver out of Georgia with the 140th overall pick and he should compete with Iosivas for any trickle-down opportunities.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 1 points/ 4 value; FanDuel: 1 points / 3 value
Best Stacking Options: Burrow-Chase-Higgins +/- Brown
Best One-off: Ja’Marr Chase
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Mike Gesicki
Cleveland Browns
Game Total: 40.5 (CLE +9.5 / 15.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Deshaun Watson
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Dylan Sampson, Jerry Jeudy
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Bhayshul Tuten, Brenton Strange
Game Notes:
Quarterback
none
We kid the Browns, of course, they will have Deshaun Watson at the helm this week. Watson is QB22/20 on DraftKings and QB23/23 on FanDuel, we are not optimistic about the veteran providing any value. Watson missed all of the 2025 season with another injury, he is just 341-557 passing with 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, good for 6.0 yards per pass attempt… since the year 2020.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
The most likely contributor from Cleveland is probably Quinshon Judkins, but the running back will fling himself headlong into the teeth of Jaguars defense that was stacked against the run in allowing just 3.9 yards per rush to rank fifth in football last season. Jacksonville stacked up well against the pass last year, which should further limit this already terrible offense. The best of a bad situation, Judkins provides workhorse running back potential on early downs but is a limited pass-catcher with a strong option behind him on the depth chart. Judkins gained just 3.6 yards per rush attempt on 16.4 carries per game last year, scoring seven touchdowns.
Tier 2:
A potentially sneaky low-owned angle on the full-PPR site, Dylan Sampson projects as just RB32/31 and RB34/34 across DraftKings and FanDuel, but his role in the passing game is clear. Sampson was targeted 2.7 times per game and five times in the red zone in limited action last season, he delivered a pair of rushing touchdowns and has a bit of “any given slate” upside in scattered usage outside of stacks.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Harold Fannin Jr. gained an impressive 1.67 yards per route run over 27.4 routes per game at tight end last season. His six touchdowns led current Browns pass-catchers and he has an opportunity to exceed that mark as one of the few talented options on this squad. Fannin Jr. will likely be extremely limited by the quality of his team overall, and particularly his quarterback(s). The tight end is TE6 by points and TE4 by value on DraftKings and TE8/7 on the FanDuel slate. There is solid bring-back potential in stacks of Jaguars with this player.
Tier 2:
KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston were drafted within 15 picks of one another this year, with Concepcion going 24th and Boston coming off the board at 39. The duo should be immediate starters for Cleveland, and we have trouble believing that the Browns truly want to see much more of veteran Jerry Jeudy in this role. It should be immediate clear-sailing in terms of chances for both rookies, but the quality of passes they will see on this team leaves much to be desired. Concepcion is WR38/34 and WR38/33, while Boston is WR39/32 and WR40/27, with a touch of value-based upside added on the blue site.
Jerry Jeudy caught just 50 of 106 targets last season, scoring twice and gaining 602 yards in an entirely uninspired effort. Jeudy gained 1.02 yards per route run on 34.8 routes per game, but much of the lack of quality can be directly attributed to an atrocious 57.55% catchable target rate from the team’s quarterbacks. Jeudy is still just 27-years-old and only one season removed from a 90-catch, 1,229-yard season (four touchdowns) in his first year with the Browns.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 23 points/20 value; FanDuel: 24 points / 23 value
Best Stacking Options: don’t
Best One-off: Quinshon Judkins
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Harold Fannin Jr.
Detroit Lions
Game Total: 49.5 (DET -7.0 / 28.25)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Jared Goff
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Isaac TeSlaa, Brock Wright (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Chris Olave, Travis Etienne Jr., Juwan Johnson, Devaughn Vele, Noah Fant (large field), Alvin Kamara (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Jared Goff is spoiled by riches among the skill positions. The quarterback put up a solid year with 34 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions, throwing for 7.9 yards per pass attempt on 6.4 intended air yards per attempt last year. Goff connected with his top wideout for 11 touchdown passes and found his number two for another seven, but scoring via the tight end touchdown pass was a bit more limited with only three. Goff lacks rushing upside even as a concept, but he can be carried to elite NFL DFS scoring levels through the talent of his teammates and the power of friendship. This is QB10 by points on both sites but he is at the helm of Stack 2 by points on both sites, act accordingly.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Jahmyr Gibbs is RB1 by points and RB2 by points-per-dollar value on DraftKings, he is RB1 by points and RB4 by value on the blue sites. Gibbs was a consensus “top-few” pick in season-long leagues coming into the 2026 season, he was a league-winner last season with 13 rushing touchdowns and five more through the air, posting an elite 5.0 yards per rush attempt and 6.6 yards per target across the full season. Gibbs is a high-volume back who cracks through the barrier of 20 potential touches each week, he is a strong option both in and out of stacks of Lions, and makes a fine bring-back consideration in any New Orleans value stack as well.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors are splitting the backup running back job and carry essentially no value barring the unforeseen or unfortunate.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
The second of two top-two skill player options on this team, Amon-Ra St. Brown slots in as WR2 by points on both sites while holding value as WR3 and WR4 in points-per-dollar across DraftKings and FanDuel. St. Brown caught 11 touchdown passes last season, his third-straight year with double-digit touchdown grabs, and his fourth with more than 100 receptions for the season. St. Brown caught 117 passes for 1,401 yards, the second-highest mark of his brief but excellent career. With an average depth of target of 7.9 yards, St. Brown is in medium territory for big plays, letting Jameson Williams handle more of the downfield work, but the scoring potential is elite and the volume is massive. This is an absolute stud of an option on any given slate, and one of the best receivers on one of the best teams of the Week 1 main slate in any format.
Jameson Williams caught seven touchdown passes last season while working at a 12.6-yard average depth of target. Perhaps most importantly, the receiver was finally able to play a full 17-game season, posting a career-high 1,117 yards on 65 catches, another career-best. Williams was over 1,000 yards for the second year in a row, and his touchdown total matched his mark from 2024. There is room to grow, given the opportunity and the tremendous talent in question. As long as he is active, Williams is a premium second-man in stacks, and he can easily swap into builds that look to sacrifice St. Brown upside to the ownership and salary gods. Williams is WR12/18 and WR10/11 across sites, he is a fantastic option in the bring-back role in stacks of Saints players as well.
Sam LaPorta completes the three-headed receiving monster for this team. The tight end was somewhat limited for touchdown catches with only three over nine games last year, down from seven in 16 contests in his second season and a whopping 10 over 17 games as a rookie in 2023. With health on his side coming into 2026, LaPorta could be primed for an upside year that more closely resembles his first chance in the league, at worst he has a terrific chance to see more than four red zone balls and get beyond his short-season marks from last year. The public is almost certainly going to be asleep at the wheel on LaPorta in Week 1, preferring either of the wide receivers or Gibbs in stacks, which would add tremendous appeal if the tight end finds the end zone at low(er) ownership.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Isaac TeSlaa caught six touchdown passes last season in limited action. The output is tremendous if one considers that the receiver was targeted just 27 times all season. TeSlaa caught 16 of those 27 chances, putting nearly a third of his catches in for six points. There is not much volume or reliability, the player is probably more likely to deliver a zero than a ceiling score, but he draws big play chances on a 13.1-yard ADOT that keeps him on the NFL DFS board.
Brock Wright saw just two targets per game and scored two touchdowns last season, he is a mix-and-match backup.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 2 points/ 7 value; FanDuel: 2 points / 6 value
Best Stacking Options: Goff-Gibbs-St. Brown +/- Williams +/- LaPorta
Best One-off: Jahmyr Gibbs
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Sam LaPorta
Green Bay Packers
Game Total: 46.0 (GB +1.0 / 22.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Jordan Love
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, MarShawn Lloyd, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Chris Brooks (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Mason, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones Sr., Jauan Jennings, TJ Hockenson
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The Packers do not grade out well in our Week 1 rankings against a stacked Minnesota defense that gave up just 5.4 yards per pass attempt while racking up 49 sacks and a 28.10% pressure rating last season. This should create a lot for Jordan Love to handle in the absence of his veteran bellcow running back in Week 1. Love will have MarShawn Lloyd in the backfield and a lot of work to do connecting down the field under pressure. The quarterback was good under the surface in 2025, his 23 touchdowns against six interceptions are an OK ratio while delivering 7.7 yards per pass attempt with big play potential extracted from an 8.7 intended air yards per attempt mark. Love overachieved in 2025 with a CPOE mark of 3.90, and he delivers little-to-no value in the rushing game, but he will absolutely have a few high-scoring NFL DFS weeks with room for more. Love is just QB19/23 and QB19/20 in Week 1.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
MarShawn Lloyd’s perceived value should be adjusted going into NFL DFS Week 1 after the running back skyrocketed up season-long draft boards following the placement of teammate Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. Lloyd went from afterthought to over-drafted in a moment, and now he slots into Week 1 at cheap salaries that are going to draw the eye for those not paying full attention. Lloyd is facing a defense that ranked 11th while allowing just 4.0 yards per rush attempt last season. Meanwhile, the running back in question has touched the ball a total of seven times in NFL games, and those times were not during the 2025 season. Lloyd’s last NFL game was in Week 2 of 2024. He carried the ball six times for 15 yards and caught his lone target for another three, and that was it. The running back was drafted in the third round, 88th overall, out of USC going into 2024, but there is not the greatest of track records for backs who fully miss their first two seasons. Lloyd is a 5’9″ 220lbs bruiser who may be operating in more of a timeshare than people envisioned. This is RB27 by points and RB24 by value on DraftKings and RB25 by points and RB18 by value on the FanDuel slate.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
While Lloyd has hardly touched an NFL football, Chris Brooks at least has gained 100 or more yards in three straight… seasons. Not great. Brooks was limited to just 106 yards on 27 carries and failed to score across 17 games in 2025, his second season in Green Bay. His lone career touchdown came in 2024, a season that saw him gain 183 yards on 36 carries. Brooks provides a bit of additional potential in the passing game, he was targeted 13 times and caught 11 passes for 69 yards in 2024 and added 13 more catches for 91 yards on his 17 targets last year. It is not much, but the opportunity could be far more substantial, particularly if Lloyd stumbles or cannot hold up to the physical demands. Brooks is a low-end dart as RB41/40 and RB42/41 but he is one to keep an eye on over the next few weeks against lower-end defenses, as roles shake out in this offense.
The only other running back on the roster is Kaleb Johnson who needed 28 carries to gain 69 yards last season.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Christian Watson is just WR23 by points on both sites and he slips all the way to WR40 by value on the DraftKings slate. The points-per-dollar mark holds a bit better on FanDuel, where Watson remains WR23 in both categories. The receiver caught six touchdown passes last season while playing only 10 games. Watson caught 35 of 55 targets on an substantial ADOT of 17.8 yards, putting him well into big play territory on a regular enough basis. When healthy, Watson is a downfield weapon, he has a chance to put up a great year as the lead option in the Green Bay passing game, but the pressure that will be put on his quarterback may limit their ability to connect on deep balls in Week 1.
Tier 2:
Tucker Kraft is another good skill player in a bad spot in the Green Bay offense, but he is perhaps the mostly playable positional option as TE8 by points on DraftKings and TE7 on FanDuel. Kraft does not measure up well for points-per-dollar on either site, but he would be a better fit against the field at his position than the options at running back or wide receiver with regularity. With six touchdown catches and an excellent 2.26 yards per route run over 27.0 routes per game, Kraft was a productive NFL DFS tight end last year. At worst, this is a probable safety vale option for Love, given the question marks at running back and Kraft’s limited 4.7-yard average depth of target. The tight end gained 2.26 yards per route run, a terrific mark.
Jayden Reed got out to a mid-level 8.1-yard ADOT last season, drawing a limited 3.1 targets per game in seven contests. The receiver caught 55 passes for 857 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 and had eight touchdown catches as a rookie, there is potential if the volume and availability increase. Reed is just WR36/39 and WR36/37 this week but there is surefire appeal in the 1.83 yards per route run that he posted last season.
Matthew Golden is WR47/51 and WR48/46 this week, his value is limited as the third or fourth target in the offense against a good defense on all counts. Golden caught just 29 passes on 44 targets in his rookie season after a late first-round draft pick investment by Green Bay, a team that already had a crowded receiver room. There should be more opportunity for the second-year receiver, it would not take much to build on 361 yards and zero touchdown catches. Golden did post one catch of more than 40 yards in his limited work and had an appealing 12.5-yard ADOT and 24.14% explosive play rate on receptions. This will be a good option in better spots in upcoming weeks.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Bo Melton is no more than a wild blindfolded dart throw
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 20 points/ 22 value; FanDuel: 21 points / 22 value
Best Stacking Options: Love-Watson-Kraft
Best One-off: Christian Watson
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Christian Watson
Houston Texans
Game Total: 45.0 (HOU +1.0 / 22.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: CJ Stroud
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: David Montgomery, Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, Woody Marks (on/off), Kayshon Boutte, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: James Cook III, DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
CJ Stroud is an unimpressive option at QB18/15 and QB18/16 across DraftKings and FanDuel. Stroud threw for 7.20 yards per pass attempt with 19 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in 2025. The quarterback hit a 1.0 CPOE mark and provided only one rushing touchdown on the season, he was neither a reliable nor frequent contributor for NFL DFS scoring. With a similar group coming back on offense, Stroud will be hard-pressed to find much new about this season, outside of the stabilizing presence of veteran running back David Montgomery. Given the opponent, a Buffalo defense that was far better against the pass than the run last season, it makes sense to look toward the Texans rushing game, if going to this team at all. Stroud does have one significant weapon in Nico Collins, a receiver he hit for six touchdowns last season, and the team added field-stretching Kayshon Boutte in the offseason.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Veteran David Montgomery comes to Texas after another productive season in a 1A-type role. Montgomery carried the ball only 9.3 times per game but gained a solid 4.5 yards per rush attempt and scored eight times on the ground last season. The veteran picked up a few more chances via 1.7 targets per game but he failed to catch a touchdown pass and only drew two red zone targets during his last year in Detroit. Montgomery is now 29-years-old and three years removed from his last 1,000-yard season, but he has a fair shake at the primary job and an exploitable Week 1 matchup. Buffalo’s defense allowed 5.1 yards per rush attempt last year, ranking them 31st in the league. Montgomery is RB13 by points and RB9 by value on DraftKings, he is RB12 by points and RB1 by value on the FanDuel slate.
Tier 2:
Woody Marks will serve as the understudy and a likely passing downs option this season. Marks only gained 3.6 yards per rush attempt over 12.3 carries per game last year but added 5.8 yards per target on his 2.3 chances through the air, scoring three touchdowns in the passing game. Marks is a low-end DFS play as RB34/33 and RB33/38, he would need to find the end zone to make any value, but he could take a few chances away from Montgomery, depending on gameflow.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Nico Collins is the best option on the team by a wide margin. The wide receiver is easy to deploy in a standalone role, as he is coming off of his third-straight 1,000+ yard campaign. Collins caught 71 of his 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns last season and would have certainly had more were it not for a 60.0% catchable target rate from his quarterback. The receiver peaked with eight touchdown catches in 2023, he lost one off of that total in each subsequent year but still leads the team across the board. Collins saw a 34.15% air yards share last year, though the presence of his new teammate may change that somewhat.
Tier 2:
Kayshon Boutte operated on a 17.0-yard average depth of target while with New England last season. The receiver played in 14 games and posted 551 yards on just 33 catches and 46 targets. The high rate of conversion on his chances made Boutte interesting, but a bit of normalization could knock his scoring off track somewhat from expectations. He scored six times last season but only three times the year before, despite seeing 19 more targets and an additional game. The opportunity to stretch the field should be tremendous, and Stroud is a quarterback capable of delivering the deep ball accurately, making for a potentially dynamic fantasy scoring combination in the right matchup. Boutte is just WR51/70 and WR51/47 this week against the Buffalo pass defense, but he should pop for value in upcoming games at worst.
Dalton Schultz is the next man up in the passing game, though he only scored three times last year. Schultz drew 6.2 targets per game with 11 opportunities in the red zone last year, it is certainly fair to say his touchdown output was an underperformance. The tight end gained 1.54 yards per route run on 29.7 routes per game, a strong level of opportunity and production in the passing game. As TE12 by points but TE2 by value on DraftKings, Schultz pops his head up as a potential one-off consideration at his position in tournament play. He is far less appealing as TE13/14 on FanDuel.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Jaylin Noel gained 1.45 yards per route run on his 11.9 routes per game last year, with two touchdown catches on the season. He is a low-end option who shows a bit of value as WR55/45 on DraftKings but just WR55/55 on FanDuel.
Xavier Hutchinson is WR47/41 and WR58/58, like Noel he has a touch of value on DraftKings but not enough to render him interesting. Hutchinson picked up a 10.2-yard ADOT while drawing 11.44% of the team’s air yards last season, leading to three touchdown catches.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 14 points/ 8 value; FanDuel: 13 points / 11 value
Best Stacking Options: Stroud-Montgomery-Collins +/- Schultz
Best One-off: Nico Collins
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: David Montgomery / Dalton Schultz on DraftKings
Indianapolis Colts
Game Total: 47.5 (IND +3.5 / 22.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Daniel Jones
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Alec Pierce, Josh Down, Keenan Allen, Ashton Dulin (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Ja’Kobi Lane, Mark Andrews, Justice Hill (on/off), Rashod Bateman (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Daniel Jones surprised with some quality early last season, delivering 2,659 passing yards with 15 touchdown passes and seven interceptions while adding five rushing touchdowns to his tally over the team’s first 10 games of the year. Jones played just three games after the team’s bye week, putting up a mere 442 yards on 65 pass attempts in those contests, while throwing four more touchdown passes and an additional interception. The quarterback failed to add any further scoring on the ground. Jones ended the year with a solid 8.10 yards per pass attempt, 19 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. With a robust 8.0 intended air yards per attempt and downfield bombers like Alec Pierce available in the offense, Jones will provide weekly “any given slate” upside for ceiling scoring. Jones is QB12 by points and QB9 by value on DraftKings, he is QB12/14 on the FanDuel slate in a difficult matchup against a Ravens defense that was top-1o against the pass last year.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Jonathan Taylor is the tier, he is the rushing game, and a large chunk of the offense for the Colts. Taylor carried the ball 19.0 times per game for 4.9 yards per rush attempt and a massive 18 rushing touchdowns in the 2025 season. The running back picks up significant scoring potential with another 3.2 potential touches per game added from targets in the passing attack, though he saw only four chances on red zone passes. Taylor added two receiving touchdowns to get to a season overall mark of 20 that will be difficult to replicate, though he did put up the same 18+2 combination in 2021, in just his second season. Taylor is an utterly elite any slate option who ranks as RB3 by points on both sites, he is RB8 by value on DraftKings but does fall to RB13 at a high price on FanDuel.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Tyler Warren is a premium tight end with scoring potential on any slate. Warren found the end zone just four times last year but he drew 6.6 targets per game overall with a team-leading 19 red zone targets. Given the volume and shape of the opportunities, it would be stunning if the tight end did not push that touchdown total by several steps in 2026. Warren picked up a 14.35% air yards share on his 5.4-yard ADOT, gaining 1.60 yards per route run in the process. He rates as TE3 by points on both sites and shows significant points-per-dollar potential on FanDuel as TE2 by value.
2025 was the season that saw Alec Pierce launch from best-kept-secret status to breakout, the deep ball specialist turned in a six-touchdown season on 5.6 targets per game in the Colts offense last year and has a chance to do even more damage in his role this season. Pierce played at an 18.9-yard average depth of target and drew a gargantuan 37.34% air yards share throughout last season, when he catches the ball it is going to be a big play. The receiver ended the year with 1,003 yards, his first foray into four-figure gains. He has 13 touchdown catches on 84 catches over the past two seasons combined. Pierce is now the top wide receiver in the offense, with Josh Downs and Keenan Allen slotting in behind him on the depth chart.
Tier 2:
Josh Downs caught 3.6 of 5.5 targets per game for 1.49 yards per route run on 23.7 routes per game last year, putting the ball in the end zone four times. Downs drew a 15.97% air yards share for the season, doing the dirty work at a 7.2-yard ADOT while his friends run carefree down the field. Downs is WR35/43 and WR37/40 across sites in Week 1, he is a more playable option in stacks of Colts than out of them.
Veteran Keenan Allen lands in Indianapolis after posting a low-end 777 yards and four touchdowns on 81 catches in his return to the Chargers at age 33. Allen does not seem likely to defy age and reverse the visible trends in his output as he ages into his 34th year, a season with more than 500 yards and three touchdowns should be looked at as a win, but if one is throwing darts at this offense the veteran is at worst playable. Allen is WR49/56 and WR50/54 across sites in Week 1.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Ashton Dulin drops into the 80s in all rankings and is an extremely limited option for a deep target or two. The receiver failed to score a touchdown in limited action last year, but his 15.8-yard average depth of target has its appeal.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 11 points/14 value; FanDuel: 10 points / 13 value
Best Stacking Options: Jones-Taylor-Warren +/- Pierce
Best One-off: Jonathan Taylor
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Tyler Warren
Jacksonville Jaguars
Game Total: 40.5 (JAC -9.5 / 25.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Trevor Lawrence
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Bhayshul Tuten, Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Brenton Strange, Chris Rodriguez Jr. (on/off), Travis Hunter (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Dylan Sampson, Jerry Jeudy
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Trevor Lawrence was one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and fantasy contributors over the last third of the season in 2025. The quarterback hit his anticipated breakout season with 29 touchdown passes and a career-best nine rushing touchdowns that inflated fantasy scoring. Many in the industry are concerned about less output in the rushing game, which is reasonable, but Lawrence still had at least three rushing touchdowns in each of the three seasons leading up to last year, including five in 2022. With five years under his belt we are looking at a quarterback entering his prime, Lawrence has plenty of solid weapons at his disposal and he helms a sharp aggressive offense that drops in as just Stack 13/11 and Stack 11/12 across sites. Cleveland is not nearly as bad on defense as they are on the other side of the ball, Jacksonville should win this game handily, but it could be a deceptive NFL DFS spot with the Jaguars carrying just a 25.0-point implied team total despite being 9.5-point favorites. Lawrence himself measures out as QB7 by points and QB3 by value on DraftKings, he is QB7/5 on FanDuel.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Bhayshul Tuten takes over the lead role with Travis Etienne departing for the Big Easy. Tuten has elite speed, he was a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft but only carried the ball 83 times across 15 games with the Jaguars last season. The team apparently saw everything they needed to, as Tuten is now the undisputed lead running back in what is expected to be a contending offense this season. The running back gained 307 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns in the limited action, good for just 3.7 yards per attempt but a solid level of touchdown output. Tuten is just RB17/17 and RB17/19, he is not an overly appealing play in Week 1 against a Cleveland defense that yielded just 4.2 yards per rush attempt last year.
Tier 2:
Chris Rodriguez Jr. is RB 33/34 and RB31/30 across sites, while LeQuint Allen Jr. is RB52/52 and RB55/56, neither has much appeal but Rodriguez will have the larger share of the opportunity and Allen is currently questionable to take the field. Rodriguez gained 500 yards and scored six times in 13 games in his final season with the Commanders, he should see a chance for more in this offense, but is still mostly going to be a touchdown-dependent dart throw.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
The Jaguars offer a deep, capable receiving group for DFS gamers, with a pecking order that is somewhat to be determined. Parker Washington is currently our projected lead option as WR16 by points on DraftKings and FanDuel, while slotting 19th for value on DraftKings and 14th on the FanDuel slate. His 12.5-yard ADOT was a team-leading mark last year, as were his five touchdown catches. Washington enters his fourth NFL season with solid year-over-year growth in each previous campaign, if he can take one more step we are looking at a likely 1,000+ yard season with seven or eight touchdown catches. Washington is a fair play in or out of stacks of Jaguars, despite the mid-level matchup.
Brian Thomas Jr. was one of the league’s biggest fantasy scoring disappointments in 2025, after coming into the year with top-3 rounds season-long draft stock. Thomas Jr. not only failed to make a leap, he regressed badly in his second year in the league. The 6’2″ receiver caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie campaign two years ago, last season he was relegated to just 48 catches on 91 targets, which he turned into just 707 yards and a mere two touchdown catches in 14 games, though he did add one more in the team’s Wildcard playoff appearance in the postseason. Thomas Jr. is WR26/35 and WR25/22 across sites this week with clearer value on the FanDuel slate, it would not surprise to see him beat those marks and gain significant ground in the coming weeks.
Jakobi Meyers is WR27/26 and WR28/24 across sites, giving the team three options in the top-30 positionally, which stretches the combinations in play for the Jaguars and makes them more interesting than the average mid-board stack. Meyers caught 42 of 61 targets for 483 yards and three touchdowns after joining the Jaguars last season, he had another 33 catches for 352 yards but failed to score a touchdown in the Las Vegas offense in the first portion of the season, though the lack of scoring was in no way the receiver’s fault. Meyers worked at a 9.1-yard ADOT overall last season, giving the team three distinct tiers of receiver layering.
Tier 2:
Brenton Strange is a talented tight end who could be on the verge of a big year, something that will surely be decided by touchdown output. Strange caught 3.8 of his 5.0 targets per game last year and saw nine opportunities in the red zone, scoring three touchdowns. The tight end gained a steady 1.7 yards per route run and was a frequent option in the offense with 26.5 routes per game. Strange is TE10 by points but TE3 by value on the DraftKings slate, putting him firmly on the board positionally. He is more limited and best played in Jaguars stacks on FanDuel as TE10/9.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 13 points/ 13 value; FanDuel: 11 points / 12 value
Best Stacking Options: Lawrence-Thomas Jr. – Washington +/- Meyers +/- Strange
Best One-off: Brian Thomas Jr.
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Brenton Strange
Los Angeles Chargers
Game Total: 47.0 (LAC -10.5 / 28.75)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Justin Herbert
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Oronde Gadsden II (on/off), Tre’ Harris, David Njoku (on/off), Kimani Vidal (on/off, large field), Charlie Kolar (on/off, large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Trey McBride, Jeremiyah Love, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Tyler Allgeier (on/0ff)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
With a matchup against one of football’s most targetable defenses, the Chargers look like a potentially elite stacking option in Week 1. Arizona yielded 4.4 yards per rush attempt and 6.5 yards per pass while largely failing to pressure the quarterback throughout last season, the Chargers elite quarterback should have plenty of time to ply his trade. Justin Herbert is QB3 by points and QB2 by value on the DraftKings board and ranks as QB3 by points and tops the QB value list on FanDuel. Herbert threw 26 touchdown passes but also tossed 13 interceptions in 2025, while delivering a CPOE mark more than 3.0 yards over expectation. The quarterback landed in the end zone twice in the rushing game and posted 6.0 yards per attempt on 5.2 carries per game, in the right season he could find a few more scoring chances on the ground as well. Herbert is at the wheel of one of the top-rated stacks of the week, he is likely to be popular but he is just as likely to lead the QB group in scoring this week.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Another highly-rated Chargers option is running back Omarion Hampton who checks in as RB4 by points and value on DraftKings and RB5/3 on FanDuel. The running back is an involved pass-catcher who hauled in 3.6 of 3.9 targets per game on a -1.5-yard ADOT that turned into 5.5 yards per target last season. Hampton made signficant gains on the ground as well, putting up 4.4 yards per rush attempt on his 13.8 carriers per game with a 12.10% broken tackle rate but only four rushing touchdowns for the year. Hampton seems likely to bust through that total and could get off to a very positive start against a bad rush defense.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal do not offer much potential from outside the top-35 at their position. Neither player is likely to touch the ball more than five times, they would be almost entirely touchdown-dependent.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
The receiving group for Los Angeles provides several strong options, lead by Ladd McConkey, who put up six touchdown catches with 1.40 yards per route run last season. McConkey drew a 23.85% air yards share and 6.6 targets per game, slightly more volume than the team’s excellent second option. McConkey is a premium option in Week 1, he grades out all the way at WR5 by points and WR4 by value on DraftKings and lands as WR5/3 on FanDuel.
Not to be outdone, Quentin Johnston turned his 6.1 targets per game into 1.51 yards per route run over 34.9 routes each week. Johnston was targeted 15 times in the red zone last season and managed to score eight times. The receiver will operate as the team’s primary field-stretcher, a role that puts him in big play territory with regularity. Last season, Johnston saw a 23.40% air yards share on a team-leading 11.8-yard ADOT.
Tier 2:
Oronde Gadsden II is TE 20/21 and TE20/22 across sites this week. Gadsden shares the tight end room with David Njoku, splitting value between the pair with Njoku slightly behind as TE27/24 and TE27/27 on DraftKings and FanDuel. Gadsden scored three times last season, Njoku once, but Gadsden should operate as the primary option after seeing 4.6 targets per game last year.
Tre’ Harris is a playable dart for ownership pivoting and differentiation in what certainly be a popular stack on Sunday. The receiver caught 30 passes for 324 yards but only found the end zone once in 2025. Given a 2nd round draft slot in 2025 and a 6’3″ frame, it would not surprise to see Harris take on a larger more productive role in the offense, he already drew four red zone targets in his low-end opportunity last year.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Charlie Kolar is TE32/29 and TE30/29, putting him in essentially unplayable touchdown-dependent range as the third man up for chances at the position.
Brenen Thompson was picked 105th overall in the 4th round of this year’s draft. The receiver is blazingly fast but lacks size, he is no more than a dart throw at a big play until proven otherwise.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 3 points/ 3 value; FanDuel: 3 points / 2 value
Best Stacking Options: Herbert-Hampton-Johnston
Best One-off: Omarion Hampton
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Tre’ Harris
Las Vegas Raiders
Game Total: 40.5 (LV -3.0 / 21.75)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Kirk Cousins
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Ahston Jeanty, Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: De’Von Achane, Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Greg Dulcich, Chris Bell, Jalen Tolbert
Game Notes:
Quarterback
There’s nothing quite like selecting the Heisman Trophy and National Championship winning quarterback 1-1 and then having him start the season as Kirk Cousins’ understudy. We will not see Fernando Mendoza start in Week 1, though he may take the field at some point. Instead, NFL fans will be treated to more Kirk Cousins, a quarterback who managed just 6.4 yards per pass attempt last season, good for 1.7 yards below expectation per attempt. Cousins ended 2025 with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions in his 10 games, his age-37 season is unlikely to see better results. This is QB 21/22 on DraftKings and QB21/21 on FanDuel, and he helms one of the worst stacks on the board.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
The Raiders spent a first round pick on their running back and he did not deliver exactly to expectations in Year 1. Ashton Jeanty gained a paltry 3.7 yards per rush attempt on 15.6 carries per game as a rookie, with only five touchdowns. The lack of production can at least partly be blamed on others, however, Jeanty was only able to average 1.6 yards before someone from the defense was hitting him last season, which is not much of an opportunity to break free. The running back was involved in the passing game as well, a major part of the skillset that justified the draft spend. Jeanty caught 3.2 of 4.3 targets per game last season and managed another five touchdowns through the air, giving him a total of 10 on the year. Jeanty needs to be more effective in the ground game this year, a large portion of that would come from a more reliable passing game and a better offensive line. The running back is by far this team’s best option for NFL DFS as RB 11/11 and RB11/6, he draws a Miami defense that was awful with 4.8 yards allowed per rush attempt last season.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Mike Washington Jr. could pick up a touch of added volume after Jeanty dealt with injuries in the run-up to Week 1, but there are no promises for the fourth-round rookie out of Arkansas. Washington is just RB37/37 and RB 37/35.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
Tre Tucker should be the team’s leading target in the absence of star tight end Brock Bowers. This does not make Tucker a good option, he is WR44/33 and WR43/44 across DraftKings and FanDuel. Tucker caught 3.4 of 5.4 targets per game last season, delivering 1.20 yards per route run and pulling in five touchdown catches on 29.11% of the team’s air yards. Tucker had a 15.79% explosive play rate on receptions, his 9.4-yard ADOT puts him in big play range, but Kirk Cousins is not entirely likely to successfully deliver the ball to the necessary spots. Tucker is a very low-end dart throw in Week 1 but he is the best this team has to offer.
Michael Mayer caught one touchdown while working at a 4.8-yard ADOT over 3.8 targets per game last season. The tight end did gain 1.46 yards per route run and he should be on the field covering for Bowers through the early part of the season. Mayer is TE17 by points but flies to TE7 by value at a cheap price on DraftKings, he is TE16/13 on FanDuel, where he is much less playable.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Jalen Nailor had four touchdown catches last season, gaining 1.06 yards per route run over 24.6 routes per game, all of which are uninspiring marks. Nailor is a mix-and-match receiver from outsid of the top-50 on both sites.
Jack Bech is also a low-ranked option with limited appeal in this offense. Bech is WR62/62 and WR61/60, he caught no touchdown passes last season but did see four red zone targets in limited work. Bech was a second-round pick, number 58 overall, just last season, it is not far-fetched to think that he could climb this receiver depth chart, there just won’t be much waiting for him when he does.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 22 points/17 value; FanDuel: 22 points / 20 value
Best Stacking Options: don’t
Best One-off: Aston Jeanty
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Jack Bech
Miami Dolphins
Game Total: 40.5 (MIA +3.0 / 18.75)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Malik Willis
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: De’Von Achane, Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Greg Dulcich, Christ Bell, Jalen Tolbert (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Ahston Jeanty, Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The opposite side of the Miami @ Las Vegas game does not get much better, though the explosive running back and potentially talented fantasy point creator at quarterback will have their moments in 2026. Malik Willis comes into the season as Miami’s starter, following up a year in which he played just four games but was effective in completing 30 of 35 pass attempts for 422 yards and three touchdowns against zero interceptions in the limited work. Willis was similarly impactful the season before in seven appearances. The quarterback has a robust skillset with the ability to create points on the ground. Despite his limited chances, Willis has at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown in three of his four NFL seasons, including 123 yards and a pair of scores on 22 carries last season. Willis rates as QB13 by points and QB10 by value on DraftKings and is QB14/8 on FanDuel, he is not off the board on either site.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
De’Von Achane ranks as RB8 by points but falls to RB14 by points-per-dollar potential on the DraftKings Sunday slate. The running back is RB10 by points and drops even further to RB17 by value on the FanDuel board. Achane had a strong season in 2025, putting up 1,350 yards on the ground and another 488 as a pass-catcher. Achane drew 238 rushing attempts and 85 targets, landing him at 14.9 rushing attempts and 5.3 targets per game to put him just over our 20-potential-touch mark. Achane took the rushing attempts to a robust 5.7 yards per carry with a 9.24% broken tackle rate while rumbling for eight rushing touchdowns, he added four more scores in the passing game with a 16.8% explosive play rate on receptions.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Neither of Jaylen Wright or Ollie Gordon II carries much potential in Week 1 from around the RB50 mark. Wright gained 4.1 yards per rush attempt last season but was limited to just 7.0 carries per game, he would be the first man up but there is virtually no potential in rostering him unless one is rooting for an injury to the high-volume starter.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
Malik Washington gained 0.86 yards per route run across 21.6 routes per game in 2025 and he may be this team’s best receiver in the wake of Jaylen Waddle’s departure. Washington drew a 10.66% air yards share while working at a not-at-all-deep 4.9 yard ADOT and gaining 1.0 yards after the catch per reception last year. The receiver was targeted 3.8 times per game and did at least hang onto 2.7 of those for completions, but there is not much evidence that Washington is anything close to a number one option.
Caleb Douglas was picked 75th overall in the third round of this year’s draft. Douglas is a physical receiver with a 6’4″ frame that Miami can put to good use all of the field, with a particular eye toward the red zone. The receiver out of Texas Tech gained just 877 yards with six touchdowns last season but he should see immediate NFL chances in a bad offense. Douglas is WR59 by points but WR38 by value on DraftKings, he is WR59/56 on FanDuel where catches matter less.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Chris Bell and Jalen Tolbert are mix-and-match receivers who rank outside of the top-70 positionally in Week 1. Bell is a third round pick with potential but his reps are being managed as he works his way back from an ACL tear last winter. Tolbert had an outburst with seven touchdown catches in Dallas in 2024, but normalized back to just one in 13 games last season.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 21 points/ 1 value; FanDuel: 20 points / 17 value
Best Stacking Options: Willis-Achane-Washington
Best One-off: De’Von Achane
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Caleb Douglas
Minnesota Vikings
Game Total: 46.0 (MIN -1.0 / 23.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Kyler Murray
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Mason, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones Sr., Jauan Jennings, TJ Hockenson, Josh Oliver (large field), Tai Felton (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, MarShawn Lloyd, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The Vikings unleash their Kyler Murray-led offense on the world this weekend and they rank toward the bottom of the pack across sites in stack rankings for it. Murray is QB11/13 on both sites, a playable range particularly given the skilled pass-catchers he works with in the new offense. The quarterback will be facing a Green Bay defense that limited opponents to just 5.6 yards per pass attempt, ranking them second in football last season in the category. While they were not an elite pass-rushing unit, the ability to limit output through the air should not be disregarded against a lower-end quarterback like Murray. The signal caller finished last year at a -1.20 CPOE while gaining just 6.0 yards per pass attempt with six touchdown passes against three interceptions in his final five games in Arizona.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Jordan Mason may not be the number one running back in this offense in name, but he is the only option with enough talent to hold the role at this point. Mason is second on the depth chart behind veteran Aaron Jones, who gained just 548 yards with two rushing touchdowns on 132 carries over 12 games last year, adding another touchdown and 199 receiving yards on 28-41 receiving out of the backfield in what many expected would be a final season. The running back gained a steady but not good 4.2 yards per rush attempt, while Jordan Mason had a 4.8 yards per attempt mark on his 9.9 carrier per game with six rushing touchdowns in the books. Mason carried the ball 159 times in his first season with the Vikings, his 758 total rushing yards were not strongly complemented by just 51 receiving yards on 14 catches. Jordan Mason is RB24/27 on DraftKings and RB24/23 on FanDuel, his volume is potentially limited and he is not a great DFS investment against a team that landed third against the run at just 4.2 yards allowed per rush attempt last year.
Tier 2:
None
Tier 3:
Aaron Jones Sr. is a limited option who slots in as RB29/30 and RB30/33 across sites coming off of a weak year and playing out his age-32 season. Jones Sr. is no longer worth much at the position, and this is not an appealing matchup. He stands alone in this third tier, above the dart throws, but far below the desirable options.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Superstar Justin Jefferson took a step backward in 2025 but the culprit was largely a 61.70% catchable target rate from Vikings quarterbacks. Jefferson barely managed to claw his way over 1,000 receiving yards for the sixth straight year (every season in his career), getting to 1,048 yards on 84 catches over his 17-game full season. The wide receiver only found the end zone twice last year, he was an extreme bust for his season-long draft slot and did not pay off DFS salaries with much frequency. Still, if Murray can manage to get the ball to even slightly more accurate spots, it is easy to see the receiver’s value skyrocket. Jefferson is WR9 by points on DraftKings and WR11 by points on FanDuel, but he falls far down the board against high price tags as WR36 and WR29 from DraftKings to FanDuel by points-per-dollar.
Tier 2:
Jordan Addison also fell off the scoring cliff last season, dropping from 10 touchdowns as a rookie to nine in 2024 and just three last season. Addison caught 42 of 79 targets for 610 yards over 14 games last year, gaining 7.7 yards per target and 1.36 per route-run on a robust 31.9 routes per game. The receiver is highly-involved in the offense, but, as with Jefferson, he is hamstrung by inept quarterback play, given a 60.76% catchable target rate in 2025.
Jauan Jennings is a talented third receiver joining the Vikings after several successful seasons in San Francisco. Jennings caught 55 passes for 643 yards with nine touchdowns last year, he had six scores the season before and fell just shy of 1,000 yards in 15 games in 2024. Jennings will be the third option in the passing attack and he will live and die with Murray’s play, but he offers an appealing 10.1-yard average depth of target that puts him in similar territory to Jefferson and Addison.
Tight end TJ Hockenson caught passes at a strong rate last season with 51 receptions on 66 targets. He found the end zone three times but gained just 438 yards while operating on a 5.2-yard ADOT with 8.26% of the team’s air yards. Hockenson is the lowest-end pass-catcher in a good group of options with a bad quarterback in play, he offers some salary relief as TE14/6 on DraftKings, but is just TE15 across the board on FanDuel.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Tai Felton was picked in the third round last year, 102nd overall. The receiver was active for 17 games last year but only caught three passes for 25 yards on three targets for the season. If he happened to get in a game there is enough draft stock involved to believe in potential production but there are very few avenues to that production from his place on the depth chart.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 12 points/16 value; FanDuel: 14 points / 14 value
Best Stacking Options: Murray-Jefferson-Addison +/- Mason +/- Jennings +/- Hockenson
Best One-off: Justin Jefferson
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Jauan Jennings
New Orleans Saints
Game Total: 49.5 (NO +7.0 / 21.25)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Tyler Shough
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Chris Olave, Travis Etienne Jr., Juwan Johnson, Devaughn Vele, Noah Fant (on/off), Alvin Kamara (on/off), Bryce Lance (very large field), Barion Brown (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Isaac TeSlaa
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The Saints are our favorite value and upside stack of Week 1, largely on the back of talented and unheralded quarterback Tyler Shough, who posted a strong half-season after taking the reins in Week 8 last year. Shough completed 221 of his 327 pass attempts, gaining 7.30 yards per attempt with a 1.40 CPOE and 8.3 intended air yards per attempt while throwing 10 touchdown passes. He did lose six interceptions in the small sample, something that will need to be cleaned up for a full season’s run, but he adds significant value on the ground with 4.1 yards per rush attempt over 4.1 carries per game, and three rushing touchdowns last season. Shough comes into a big Week 1 matchup with Detroit rated as QB9 by points and QB4 by value on both sites and he leads the fifth-ranked stack on the board that rates even better for value. There is a fair amount of spread from boom to bust with this option, but this is a unit that should deliver DFS upside with a fair amount of regularity, given the talent of the skill options in tow.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Travis Etienne Jr. joins the up-and-coming Saints after a successful season in Jacksonville last year. Etienne Jr. finished over 1,000 yards for the third time in his four seasons and scored seven times on the ground and six times in the passing game. The running back was targeted 52 times, matching his total from 2024, and he caught three fewer passes but gained 38 more yards and greatly outpaced the zero touchdown catches he had in 2024. Etienne Jr. has an elite skillset with multi-category ability, as long as the volume is there – which is a question with Alvin Kamara still in town – Etienne Jr. should deliver steady production with ceiling games along the way, and a chance for more reliable upside production. He is RB9 by points and RB1 by value on DraftKings, and RB9/2 on FanDuel.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts:
Alvin Kamara has seen better days, he gained just 3.6 yards per rush attempt and 4.8 yards per target in 2025 and came away with only one touchdown for the season. Kamara is RB45/45 and RB46/48 across sites in Week 1, he is not a premium play but he could easily see 10+ touches given the ongoing involvement in the passing game. It will be an interesting split that could negatively impact both players to star the season.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Chris Olave is one of the league’s most under-appreciated pass-catchers. Olave finished 2025 with 1,163 yards on exactly 100 catches over 155 targets, and he hit the end zone a career-high nine times. The receiver only made it into eight games in 2024, catching 32 passes for 400 yards and a single score, but that is more reflective of the significant injury risk that he carries, given a lengthy concussion history and additional bumps along the way. Olave is spectacular when he is on the field, he gained 1.98 yards per route run over a huge 36.6 routes per game last year and is all-systems-go to start this season. Olave rates as WR3 by points and WR2 by value on both sites in our model this week.
Tier 2:
Juwan Johnson is TE4 by points and TE 1 by value on DraftKings and ranks similarly as TE4 by points and TE3 by value on the FanDuel board. Johnson caught three touchdowns last year while drawing 16.17% of the team’s air yards on a 7.5-yard ADOT. The toolsy tight end picked up 103 targets in this offense last season, he has more upside than his final numbers reveal, though he only had three touchdowns in 2024 and four the season before that. Johnson’s 77 catches and 889 yards were both career highs, but his touchdown peak came in 2022 when he hit paydirt seven times. Johnson is a go-to option in and out of stacks on both sites, he is a strong bring-back play on the other side of Lions stacks as well.
Devaughn Vele is WR40 by points but he leaps to WR7 by value on DraftKings while landing lower on the board as WR39/32 on the FanDuel slate. Vele gains ground simply by virtue of being aligned for targets at such a low dollar amount on the DraftKings board. The receiver gained 1.22 yards per route run in limited action with only 18.5 routes per game last year, he caught a pair of touchdown passes for the season. Vele got out to an 11.1-yard ADOT, he can develop into another big downfield weapon for a growing offense if things go to plan. For Week 1 he is looking like a premium “sneaky” value play at the position.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Barion Brown was drafted 190th overall, in the sixth round, out of LSU this season. The lanky receiver brings limited potential and will struggle for touches, despite technically ranking third on the unofficial depth chart. Brown is joined in the dart throw drawer by teammate Bryce Lane, a fourth-rounder out of North Dakota State who projects slightly ahead of Brown overall, but has lower-end expectations of athleticism and talent. One or both later-round receivers could see added chances and earn a larger role early in the season with Jordyn Tyson sidelined.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 5 points/2 value; FanDuel: 5 points / 1 value
Best Stacking Options: Shough-Olave-Etienne Jr. +/- Johnson +/- Vele
Best One-off: Chris Olave
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Travis Etienne Jr.
New York Jets
Game Total: 39.0 (NYJ +1.0 / 19.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Geno Smith
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, Kenyon Sadiq, OMar Cooper Jr., Braelon Allen (on/off), Mason Taylor (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Tony Pollard, Carnell Tate, Wan’Dale Robinson, Calvin Ridley, Tyjae Spears (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Somehow Palpatine has retur… errr… rather, Somehow Geno Smith is once again the quarterback of the New York Jets. After numerous borderline inexplicable twists of fate, Smith will play his first season with the Jets since 2016, following an awful 15-game stint in Las Vegas last year. Smith bottomed-out with just 3,025 yards on 448 pass attempts, throwing 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions for the season. The quarterback does not show much promise for more in a limited Jets offense that ranks in the bottom-third of stacks for Week 1. Smith is just QB23/19 on DraftKings and QB22/22 on FanDuel.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Breece Hall was slightly better than advertised in a disappointing season, with 4.4 yards per rush attempt on 15.2 carries per game and an additional 7.3 yards per target coming on three targets each week. Hall picked up four rushing touchdowns and made one touchdown catch in 2025, limiting his overall upside and severely hampering his ability to get to a ceiling total in any week. The running back actually did clear the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, posting a total of 1,065 rushing yards on 243 carries, his previous high had been 994 in his best season in 2023, when he scored five times on the ground and four through the air. Hall has multi-category abilities but he is stuck in a bad offense with limited quarterback play. He is talented and sees enough volume to create fantasy scoring, and he lands as RB12 by points and RB10 by value on DraftKings while dropping to RB13 by points and RB11 by value on FanDuel.
Tier 2:
Braelon Allen gained 4.2 yards per rush attempt on 4.5 carries per game and scored once on the ground last year, he was mostly uninvolved in the passing attack. Allen is a low-end dart as RB38/39 and RB38/37.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Garrett Wilson is one of the few premium options on this team. Despite the questionable offense overall, Wilson ranks as WR14/11 and WR14/15 across DraftKings and FanDuel. The wideout gained 1.76 yards per route run on 32.1 routes per game last season but was limited to just four touchdown catches because Jets. Wilson was the most targeted receiver last season with 8.4 targets per game and very little about that is likely to change.
Tier 2:
Adonai Mitchell was another frequently targeted option after joining New York last season. Mitchell has major downfield talent and worked at a 14.9-yard ADOT while drawing a 25.32% air yards share overall last season, but he only got in the end zone twice between the Colts and Jets. Mitchell is a touchdown-dependent WR48/37 and WR46/43.
Kenyon Sadiq was the only tight end drafted in the first round this season but he missed the bulk of training camp and the preseason with injuries and has only just become fully available. Sadiq has an intriguing skillset for fantasy production and could be an immediate contributor at tight end, particularly if his large frame leads to red zone opportunities. For now, this is a monitor and see, while using him in small doses option with upside. Sadiq is merely TE19/23 and TE19/19 across sites and could be out-snapped by Mason Taylor.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Omar Cooper Jr. ranks outside of the top-60 at the wide receiver position. The first round pick was selected 30th overall out of Indiana but he turned in modest combine numbers and did not crack 1,000 yards on the National Title team. Cooper is worth keeping tabs on, but he does not currently feature as a potential breakout option.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 18 points/19 value; FanDuel: 19 points / 19 value
Best Stacking Options: Smith-Hall-Wilson +/- Mitchell
Best One-off: Breece Hall
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Adonai Mitchell
Philadelphia Eagles
Game Total: 44.5 (PHI -4.5 / 24.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Jalen Hurts
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown (large field), Tank Bigsby (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Rachaad White, Terry McLaurin, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo, Antonio Williams
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Now in his seventh year, there is very little that Jalen Hurts has left undone in the NFL. The quarterback is a strong option to begin the season for NFL DFS gamers, drawing a soft matchup against a Washington squad that was worst in the game against the pass with 7.1 net yards allowed per pass attempt on the season. The Commanders were also bad against the run, which should benefit the team’s elite running back and the offense as a whole. This is a very good spot for the Eagles offense to get to work, the team is a top stack this week and Hurts rates as QB5 by points on both sites.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
After his eye-popping 2024 season with 2,005 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 345 carries and another 278 yards on 33 catches with two receiving touchdowns, it should not have surprised much to see Saquon Barkley take a dip in year two in Philadelphia. The superstar running back unfortunately did a bit more than that, while he still rushed for 1,140 yards on the season and added 273 receiving yards with 10 total touchdowns, Barkley was a disappointment by comparison. The running back gained just 4.1 yards per attempt last season, but his volume remains significant and he more than clears the 20 potential weekly touches mark. Barkley is RB5/5 on DraftKings and RB4/7 on FanDuel, he is a prime target both in and out of stacks.
Tier 2:
Tank Bigsby has some explosive potential in the team’s secondary role. Bigsby rushed for 5.7 yards per attempt in limited action last year, posting a 15.87% broken tackle rate while scoring twice. Bigsby is no more than a backup dart, he barely ranks into the top-40 running backs, he is more primed to spoil a ceiling score for Saquon Barkley than provide one of his own.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
DeVonta Smith steps into the lead receiver role in Philadelphia with AJ Brown transplanted to New England (then immediately to the IR). Smith caught just four touchdown passes last season but posted strong marks with an 11.9-yard average depth of target drawing 32.33% of the team’s air yards and gaining 8.9 yards per target and 1.91 per route run. With more opportunities and a fully clarified role, the receiver stands a fair chance at a breakout season. Smith was over 1,000 yards for the third time in his five year career with 1,008 last season but he has not crested 1,200 yards or caught more than eight touchdown balls in a season, he could eclipse both marks in 2026. Smith is WR4 by points and WR6 by value on both sites, he is a significant part of the Week 1 slate in or out of Eagles stacks.
Dallas Goedert is a strong buy at tight end with plenty of touchdown-scoring potential. Goedert hit paydirt a whopping 11 times in 2025, picking up 15 red zone targets in the Eagles’ frustrating passing attack. The tight end caught 4.0 of 5.5 targets per game, gaining 1.37 yards per route run and running 28.8 routes per game. Goedert is an underrated tight end with upside for multiple scores if things break right, but with several mouths to feed and everyone needing that one big opportunity for six, the combinations can get tricky. Goedert is TE9/9 on DraftKings and is working as TE 9-5 on FanDuel.
Tier 2:
Rookie Makai Lemon was selected in the first round, 20th overall, with the Eagles knowing they were going to need to replace a big receiver in the offense. Lemon went to USC, where he had a breakout 2025 with 1,156 yards on 79-109 receiving and 11 touchdowns in 12 games. The rookie will be competing with the next two options for looks, but the talent and draft capital should be enough to demand chances, and he has the skills to separate with a few touchdowns early in the season.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown give the team downfield weapons, Wicks had an 11.2-yard ADOT on the season last year but scored just twice, he would be the preferred option, with Brown operating as much more of a wildcard.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 4 points/ 6 value; FanDuel: 4 points / 4 value
Best Stacking Options: Hurts-Barkley-Smith +/- Goedert +/- Lemon
Best One-off: Saquon Barkley
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: DeVonta Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
Game Total: 41.0 (PIT -6.0 / 23.5)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Aaron Rodgers
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson (large field), Germie Bernard (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts Sr., Zachariah Branch, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus (large field), Brian Robinson Jr. (on/off)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Veteran Aaron Rodgers takes the field one final time, for some reason, and enters Week 1 as QB20/21 on DraftKings and QB20/19 on FanDuel. Rodgers threw for just 6.7 yards per pass attempt last season with a -0.90 CPOE and 6.0 intended air yards per attempt. Rodgers threw 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions, respectable enough marks for the limited offense. The quarterback added marginal value with one rushing touchdown and 2.9 yards per attempt on 1.3 carries per game. Rodgers was done with his career four or five years ago, people just haven’t told him yet.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are both talented running backs, either of whom would probably have landed in tier 1 if this were a clear-cut 1-2 situation, rather than more of a 1/1A setup. Warren, the incumbent, is the nominal lead option, but expectations should be far closer to an even split with the talented Dowdle joining the team in the offseason. Warren gained 4.5 yards per rush attempt on 13.2 carries and added 7.4 yards per target on 2.8 targets per game in 2025, while Dowdle posted 4.6 yards per rush attempt with 5.9 yards per target on 2.9 targets per game. The running backs provide plenty of upside, they each scored six rushing touchdowns last season to further cloud the issue. Either option is a likely contributor in any given lineup, neither option is a complete package in Week 1. Warren is RB19/16 and RB19/21, Dowdle is RB22/18 and RB22/22.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
DK Metcalf gained 1.83 yards per route run for the season, a strong mark considering the offense in question. The receiver drew a 31.61% air yards share and scored five touchdowns for the second season in a row. Metcalf leaves something to be desired when it comes to putting the ball in the end zone, though he saw 13 red zone targets last year, he picks up value from his skills after the catch, averaging 7.6 yards after the catch per reception last year.
Michael Pittman Jr. is the newcomer who could shake this passing game up somewhat by giving Rodgers another upside option. Or, he could just give the ancient quarterback another pair of hands to miss. Pittman Jr. rates as WR32/31 and WR33/38 across sites, with diminished value on the FanDuel slate. The receiver caught 80 of 111 targets for 784 yards and seven touchdown catches in his final season with the Colts, he has not been over the 1,000-yard mark since 2023.
Tier 2:
Pat Freiermuth is a tight end with talent but only limited opportunities. The tight end was targeted just 3.2 times per game last season, but saw an uptick in scoring territory with nine total red zone targets on the year. Freiermuth caught four touchdown passes in 2025, gaining 1.46 yards per route run in the process. There is any-given-slate potential for cheap scoring from the lower-middle of the positional board and the chance of situational upside but the tight end looks like a mix-and-match play in Week 1 and seems likely to lose some volume in the new mix of pass-catchers.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Roman Wilson drew 1.5 targets per game and picked up a pair of touchdown catches last season, he is a limited depth option as WR76/67 and WR71/69.
Rookie Germie Bernard slots in as WR69/73 and WR73/74, the second-round pick was taken 47th overall and adds a bit of physicality to the Steelers receiver group. Bernard is simply competing for touches as, at best, the fourth target on the passing chart, he is not a good Week 1 option in a limited-looking stack.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 19 points/ 21 value; FanDuel: 17 points / 21 value
Best Stacking Options: Rodgers-Metcalf-Pittman Jr.
Best One-off: DK Metcalf
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Rico Dowdle
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game Total: 50.0 (TB +4.0 / 23.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Baker Mayfield
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Bucky Irving, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton, Kenny Gainwell (on/off), Ted Hurst III, Tez Johnson (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Ja’Marr Chase, Chase Brown, Tee Higgins, Mike Gesicki, Andrei Iosivas (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield leads his Bucs into action as one of the top stacks of Week 1 on the other side of the most desirable spot on the board, creating significant NFL DFS lineup potential. Tampa Bay is a slight underdog in a 50-point game that could easily turn into a shootout with two capable passing attacks and limited defenses in action. Mayfield is a competent passer who threw for 6.80 yards per attempt with 26 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions last season. The Buccaneers passing game looks different with the departure of longtime fixture Mike Evans, but the team can still throw several good pass-catchers and a premium running back into the mix. The skill players are strong Week 1 options on the other side of Cincinnati plays or connected with Mayfield in Tampa stacks that “bring-back” the Cincinnati option.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
As RB14 by points but RB7 by value on DraftKings and RB14/20 on the FanDuel board, Bucky Irving has a chance to contribute to the slate in a big way in Week 1. Irving gained just 3.4 yards per rush attempt on 17.3 carries per game last season, adding 7.9 yards per target on 3.5 chances in the passing game each week. The running back only managed one rushing touchdown while catching three touchdowns in the passing game in his 10 appearances. Irving was better in his rookie season, putting up 5.4 yards per rush attempt with 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns for the season on the ground, and another 277 yards and three scores in the passing game. If he can get back to those levels of involvement and explosiveness, Iriving can greatly surpass expectations this season. At worst, he is a significant value option on the DraftKings board this week.
Tier 2:
Kenny Gainwell brings his talents for the secondary running back role to Tampa Bay after gaining 4.7 yards per rush attempt with 537 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns last season in his best year on the ground. He had an outstanding season in the passing game, putting up 486 yards and three touchdowns on 73 catches drawn from 85 targets in his final season in Pittsburgh. Gainwell is a lower-end option from this offense but he is on the board as RB23/23 and RB23/24 across sites, and he provides more value in full-PPR formats.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Sean Tucker falls mostly off the board after 3.7 yards per attempt on 5.1 carries per game last season. He is a mix-and-match option at best.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Emeka Egbuka had an inconsistent rookie season with major bright spots along the way. Egbuka gained 1.75 yards per route run over 31.5 routes per game in 2025, turning in six touchdown catches on a 12.1-yard ADOT and a 35.51% air yards share. The wide receiver was not helped in the slightest by his quarterback, he saw just a 57.48% catchable target rate that should embarrass the veteran signal-caller. Egbuka could have had a far more significant rookie season, he stands to play up as a bit of an underappreciated option, though he will be popular overall on the Week 1 slate.
Chris Godwin Jr. played in just nine games last season and seven the year before, but he starts 2026 in health and the upside could be significant with a top role waiting to be seized. Godwin Jr. will play his age-30 season chasing a 1,000 yard threshold that he has not hit since 2023, he has never scored double-digit touchdowns. As WR19/14 and WR19/16 across sites, there is plenty of visible potential for the veteran both in and out of stacks in Week 1.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Jalen McMillan is doubtful to play in Week 1
Cade Otton is a limited target at the tight end position, he rates as TE13/12 and TE12/10 despite the quality of the matchup overall. Otton caught 59 passes on 81 targets last season, averaging a sturdy 9.7 yards per catch, but he only scored once. The touchdown total was down from four in each of the two previous seasons but Otton has never been over that total. There is mix-and-match potential or a cheap price with touchdown dependence but not much more.
Ted Hurst III or Tez Johnson should see a nudge with McMillan out. Hurst III was drafted 84th overall in the third round out of Georgia State and brings a big 6’3″ frame to the table for Tampa Bay. Hurst could carve out a quick red zone role if things break in his favor early. Johnson caught 28 passes on 44 targets in his rookie season last year, scoring five times for a bit of surprise breakout value in DFS lineups.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 6 points/5 value; FanDuel: 6 points / 5 value
Best Stacking Options: Mayfield-Irving-Egbuka +/-Godwin Jr. +/- Kenny Gainwell
Best One-off: Emeka Egbuka
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Ted Hurst III
Tennessee Titans
Game Total: 39.0 (TEN -1.0 / 20.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Cam Ward
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Tony Pollard, Carnell Tate, Wan’Dale Robinson, Calvin Ridley, Gunnar Helm, Elic Ayomanor (large field), Chimere Dike (large field), Tyjae Spears (on/off)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr. (large field), Mason Taylor (large field)
Game Notes:
Quarterback
Cam Ward checks into Week 1 as QB15 by points but QB8 by value on DraftKings, he is QB15/9 on the FanDuel slate. Ward threw for just 3,169 yards with 15 touchdown passes and seven interceptions over 17 games in his rookie season. The Titans invested the first overall pick in Ward, he has a very long leash and a new “offensive guru” with Brian Daboll calling plays, but there was not much to like about the quarterback’s 5.90 yards per pass attempt or limited rushing upside for DFS purposes. Ward is one of those plays that shows points-per-dollar value in the raw mathematical sense because he is so cheap, but he remains an unlikely contributor with a weak supporting cast.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
Tony Pollard is a playable option at running back on either site, he may be the best bet for production in this offense because he does not rely on Ward for upside. Pollard gained 4.5 yards per rush attempt on 14.2 carries per game, with excellent efficiency marks as a straight-line rusher. The running back picked up five rushing touchdowns but failed to score on a reception, hauling in just 1.9 catches on 2.4 targets per game. Pollard will be pushed a bit by the ongoing presence of Tyjae Spears, who is more likely to act as spoiler than replacement. Pollard is RB20/20 and RB20/15.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Spears is RB30/29 and RB32/29, he does not pull much potential on the Week 1 slate. The running back gained just 3.9 yards per attempt on a limited 5.5 carries per game in 2025, and 5.3 yards per target on 3.8 targets. The running back should not be considered as more than a mix-and-match piece with a bit more value in full-PPR play.
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
Carnell Tate is one of the top rookie skill players in this class. Tate was taken fourth overall in this season’s draft after a solid season at Ohio State. Tate put up 875 yards on just 51 catches in 11 games, hauling in nine NCAA touchdowns during the regular season. The wide receiver is a leading candidate to be the top receiver on the Titans this season, there is not much competition from Wan’Dale Robinson in any category other than raw receptions. Tate stands 6’3″ and gives Ward a good target in scoring territory, he is WR18/16 on DraftKings and shows interesting value as WR18 by points and WR7 by value on the blue site.
Wan’Dale Robinson gained 1.87 yards per route run on 33.8 routes per game last year, drawing upside from 8.8 targets per game his last year in New York. The receiver is a volume-based player who needs to see a significant target share to find relevance. Robinson exited the 2025 season with a mediocre four touchdown catches, though that is a fair total in the terrible Giants offense. The receiver has potential, but he will need an uptick in quarterback play to deliver anything at all.
Tier 2:
Calvin Ridley ran just 22.9 routes per game last season but was excellent with 1.89 yards per route run. Ridley caught just 2.4 of his 5.1 targets per game, but those passes came with a 58.33% on-target rate that left much to be desired, a better quarterback would have connected with the receiver more frequently. Ridley did not find the end zone in 2025, he played in just seven games overall, gaining 303 yards, and will struggle to find much more relevance in his age-31 season.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Gunnar Helm is just TE21/19 and TE21/20, he does not offer much potential outside of unnecessary “any given slate” dart throws at cheap prices.
Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor are mix-and-match plays who both rank outside of the top-70 at the receiver spot.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 17 points/ 18 value; FanDuel: 18 points / 10 value
Best Stacking Options: Ward-Tate-Robinson
Best One-off: Tony Pollard
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Tony Pollard
Washington Commanders
Game Total: 44.5 (WAS +4.5 / 20.0)
Offense:
oppDEF:
Key Player: Jayden Daniels
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Rachaad White, Terry McLaurin, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Stefon Diggs, Chig Okonkwo, Antonio Williams, Luke McCaffrey (large field), Dyami Brown (large field), Treylon Burks (large field), Jaylin Lane (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / exactly one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks
Game Notes:
Quarterback
The Commanders play as a low-end option with just a 20.0-point implied team total against a high-quality Philadelphia defense in Week 1. The collision of factors has the Commanders ranked as the bottom team on our stacks board on DraftKings and next-to-last on the FanDuel slate, which does not favorably impact the rankings for the team’s star quarterback. Jayden Daniels is just QB14/24 and QB13/18 across sites in Week 1. Daniels had a -3.70 CPOE while throwing eight touchdowns and three interceptions in his seven games last season. The quarterback was outstanding in a more complete rookie season with 3,568 yards with 25 touchdown passes against just nine interceptions. Daniels added major upside with 891 rushing yards on 148 carries, 6.0 YPA rushing, with six touchdowns. Those marks dipped in the partial season in 2025, Daniels gained just 4.8 yards per attempt and scored twice in his seven games.
Running Backs
Tier 1:
none
Tier 2:
As just RB31/32 and RB29/31 in a murky timeshare, Jacory Croskey-Merritt does not warrant much Week 1 attention for NFL DFS play. “Bill”, as he is known, gained 4.6 yards per rush attempt with eight rushing touchdowns as a rookie last season, he is a talented running up against a tough defense that is weaker against the run than the pass. The Commanders could feed the ball to the ground game, depending on gameflow, but this could be an almost even timeshare with Rachaad White added to the squad in the offseason.
Rachaad White gained 4.8 yards per attempt last season while running the ball 8.3 times per game and scoring four rushing touchdowns. The running back has always been known for work in the passing game, he caught 2.4 of 2.6 targets per game but did not score a receiving touchdown out of the backfield. White is RB25/25 and RB26/26 across sites in Week 1, he is a playable piece in stacks but looks less interesting as a standalone player.
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
none
Receivers & Tight Ends
Tier 1:
The Commanders receiver group is led by Terry McLaurin, who gained 2.22 yards per route run on 26.2 routes per game last year. McLaurin scored three times in his 10-game season. Now, already, 30-years-old, the receiver gets a bit of help in the form of Stefon Diggs, and whatever he has left in the tank in his age-32 season. The Commanders are going to war with ancient receivers but there is still talent in both and they could deliver any-given-slate potential. McLaurin is WR34/48 and WR34/41, while Diggs is just WR42/54 and WR47/49.
Tier 2:
none
Reserves/Very Large Field Darts
Chig Okonkwo will likely lead the tight end group in opportunities in 2026. The capable pass-catcher brought in a pair of touchdown catches last season while drawing 4.6 targets per game with five red zone targets on the year.
Antonio Williams, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane represent a grab bag of mediocrity, none of whom currently rank above WR67 on either site.
Stack Ranks: DraftKings: 24 points/24 value; FanDuel: 23 points / 24 value
Best Stacking Options: Daniels-White-McLaurin +/- Diggs
Best One-off: Terry McLaurin
Best Value/Upside/Ownership Play: Rachaad White
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