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
2024 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, such as Tony Pollard, can push the overall price point of his team stack in the value rankings.
| TEAM | OPP | FD$ | FDpRank | FDvalRank | DK$ | DkpRank | DKvalRank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | CHI | $31,400 | 1 | 3 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| SF | MIN | $27,100 | 2 | 1 | $24,600 | 2 | 1 |
| DET | TB | $30,400 | 3 | 5 | $26,400 | 1 | 4 |
| LAR | ARI | $28,400 | 4 | 2 | $24,400 | 3 | 2 |
| KC | CIN | $29,200 | 5 | 6 | $26,000 | 4 | 6 |
| NYJ | TEN | $28,200 | 6 | 4 | $23,700 | 5 | 3 |
| BAL | LV | $29,400 | 7 | 10 | $25,700 | 6 | 9 |
| MIN | SF | $28,400 | 8 | 12 | $24,800 | 7 | 8 |
| TB | DET | $29,200 | 9 | 15 | $25,700 | 8 | 13 |
| ARI | LAR | $27,200 | 10 | 7 | $25,900 | 9 | 17 |
| IND | GB | $28,400 | 11 | 14 | $25,100 | 10 | 15 |
| CHI | HOU | $26,600 | 12 | 8 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| JAC | CLE | $26,300 | 13 | 13 | $23,200 | 12 | 10 |
| DAL | NO | $28,000 | 14 | 21 | $25,800 | 11 | 20 |
| NYG | WAS | $24,800 | 15 | 9 | $21,200 | 14 | 5 |
| NO | DAL | $27,200 | 16 | 22 | $23,300 | 13 | 16 |
| LAC | CAR | $25,700 | 17 | 16 | $21,100 | 15 | 7 |
| WAS | NYG | $24,400 | 18 | 11 | $21,500 | 16 | 12 |
| CIN | KC | $27,600 | 19 | 23 | $23,500 | 17 | 21 |
| CLE | JAC | $25,500 | 20 | 19 | $22,800 | 18 | 19 |
| TEN | NYJ | $24,500 | 21 | 17 | $21,300 | 20 | 14 |
| LV | BAL | $24,600 | 22 | 20 | $21,900 | 19 | 18 |
| NE | SEA | $23,100 | 23 | 18 | $19,500 | 22 | 11 |
| SEA | NE | $25,300 | 24 | 25 | $21,600 | 21 | 22 |
| GB | IND | $25,400 | 25 | 26 | $22,500 | 23 | 25 |
| PIT | DEN | $24,600 | 26 | 27 | $20,400 | 24 | 23 |
| CAR | LAC | $22,000 | 27 | 24 | $20,100 | 25 | 24 |
| DEN | PIT | $22,000 | 28 | 28 | $18,300 | 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 Week 1 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 the process of creating these groups from week to week. After a large pool of lineups is created utilizing these groups, it is still of critical importance 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 a variety of 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 & FREE Projections
- Week 1 FanDuel & DraftKings Projections
- Week 1 Above/Below – Key Picks
- 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 Week 1 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 there is a situation with an extremely highly projected running back who 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
Key Player: Kyler Murray
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, James Connor, Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Chris Moore (large field), Elijah Higgins (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, Dawson Knox
Lineup Notes: Arizona lands as a middle-of-the-board stacking option in Week 1, landing 12th by points and 19th by value on DraftKings and 12/13 on FanDuel. The Cardinals attack will focus on standout wookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who hauled in 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in college last season. Harrison was drafted fourth overall out of Ohio State to step into an immediate WR1 role in tandem with Kyler Murray who returns to full strength this season. Murray ranks as QB7 by points and QB11 by points-per-dollar value on DraftKings while sitting 7/12 on FanDuel. Running back James Conner remains a productive option from the top of the ground game, though he will be pushed somewhat by the presence of Trey Benson as the season continues. Connor gained 5.0 yards per rush attempt last season, posting 1,040 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, adding two scores through the air. Trey McBride is a premium option at the tight end position, he ranks third by points and eighth by value on DraftKings while sitting fourth in both categories on the FanDuel slate. McBride scored just three touchdowns last season but was a solid 7.78 yards-per-target option in the passing game, totaling 825 yards on 81 catches and 106 targets. Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch sound start on the outside and in the slot respectively, with a group that includes Elijah Higgins, Chris Moore, and Zach Pascal fighting for scrap targets. The priority options in Arizona stacks with Murray are Harrison, McBride, Connor, and Wilson.
Atlanta Falcons
Key Player: Kirk Cousins
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: George Pickens, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III
Lineup Notes: Kirk Cousins was having a strong season over the first eight weeks of 2023 before losing the rest of his year to injury. Over the first eight games of Minnesota’s season, Cousins threw for 300+ yards four times while completing 18 touchdown passes, finishing at 7.5 yards per attempt. Cousins joins an Atlanta team that was rich in skill players who were weakened only by their playcalling and quarterback play last season, this is a very strong match. Cousins will be working with premium receiver Drake London, who slots in as WR12/9 on DraftKings and WR18/19 where he is slightly more expensive on the blue site. London scored just twice last season, despite playing 16 games and seeing 6.88 targets per game. The receiver was extremely limited by the delivery of the ball, a problem that Cousins instantly solves. London has a strong chance at a breakout campaign, he worked to an 11.5-yard ADOT last season while posting 8.23 yards per target and he drew 16 targets in the red zone in a more conservative version of this offense. Similarly, tight end Kyle Pitts should finally be unleashed in full this season. Pitts posted 667 yards and three touchdowns on 53 catches with 90 targets last season, he should dramatically exceed that output on similar or slightly heavier volume this season. Pitts ranks as TE6/2 on DraftKings and TE6/7 on FanDuel. Darnell Mooney is slated to be the true number two on the outside at the wide receiver position while Ray-Ray McCloud has the inside track at a slot role that could make his dynamic skills on the ground an asset. McCloud has bounced around and has primarily functioned as a return man over the past few seasons. Running back Bijan Robinson is ahead of both receivers in the passing game, he drew more than five targets per game last season, scoring four times in the passing game to go with four rushing touchdowns. On the ground, Robinson managed 4.60 yards per attempt while handling 12.5 carries per game to the 10.9 carries that were given to capable backup and potential touchdown vulture Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier is not a priority option for NFL DFS on this slate but he is a name to monitor for situational upside through the season. Atlanta ranks as stack 11 by points and value on DraftKings but lands as just stack 15/23 on the FanDuel slate.
Buffalo Bills
Key Player: Josh Allen
Setting: at most two (this allows for “naked” Allen stacks, change to “at least one” to force combinations)
Team Group: James Cook, Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, Dawson Knox, Mack Hollins (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, James Connor, Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch
Lineup Notes: The Bills remain a high-end stacking option as long as Josh Allen is taking snaps. Allen is among the few truly elite quarterbacks in the league, posting major scoring numbers both with his cannon throwing arm and on the ground with his rushing ability. The signal-caller threw 29 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions in 17 games last season, tossing the ball 34 times per game for 253.3 yards per game and 7.4 yards per attempt. Allen had 8.7 intended air yards per attempt, he is generally firing the ball downfield to deep-threat receivers. The quarterback also stacked up a monster season on the ground with 15 rushing touchdowns on 6.5 attempts per game and 4.7 yards per attempt. Allen is a multi-faceted weapon at the position and he has several interesting skill players to join with in stacks, but his receiving corps took an undeniable hit with the departure of Stefon Diggs and, to a lesser extent, Gabe Davis. The primary holdover in the passing game is Khalil Shakir, who put up just two touchdowns on an 8.9-yard ADOT and 13.58 yards per target last season. Shakir saw a limited 2.65 targets per game over his 17 outings, but he is an early favorite to step into the lead role with Buffalo. The receiver is affordable on both sites but lands as just WR28/25 on DraftKings and WR 30/13, with strong value marks on the blue site. Dalton Kincaid joins Shakir as a prime weapon for Allen’s passing game. Kincaid ranks as TE2/3 on DraftKings and 3/3 on FanDuel, he is a very compelling option atop the positional board and he provides strong correlation with his quarterback in stacks. The tight end drew 5.69 targets per game while posting 7.4 yards per target and scoring two touchdowns last season. Dawson Knox is the team’s second starting-caliber tight end, he also scored twice in the passing game last season, drawing 3.0 targets per game and getting involved in the red zone passing attack. Curtis Samuel will add veteran depth and some skills on the outside, while rookie Keon Coleman looks interesting as a target at 6’4″ 213 lbs. Coleman was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, he scored 11 touchdowns on 50 receptions at Florida State last season with size being a stronger asset than speed. Coleman lands 39/39 on DraftKings and 41/52 on FanDuel, he is a mix-in receiver with touchdown upside. Buffalo is a high-priority stack with a slate-leading quarterback. The team lands 4/5 on DraftKings and 6/2 on the FanDuel slate.
Carolina Panthers
Key Player: Bryce Young
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, Chuba Hubbard, Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Ja’Tavion Sanders
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, Cedrick Wilson Jr. (large field)
Lineup Notes: Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas are both out at TE, Ja’Tavion Sanders is the expected starter, and the 4th-round pick should see a fair amount of volume as a cheap option at the position. Carolina’s passing attack is not a strong option on this slate, ranking 22/22 on DraftKings and 25/22 on FanDuel. This is a bad football team that is not going to see much improvement in year two of the unfortunate Bryce Young experiment. The undersized quarterback started 16 games, completing 315 of 527 pass attempts for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing 10 interceptions, the word “uninspiring” does not do justice to just how bad a season the rookie posted in 2023. Young has weapons in the offense, Adam Theilen is a hit-and-miss WR2 at this point in his career, but he is capable in the red zone and provides a minor amount of cheap scoring potential. The true lead WR in the offense is newly acquired Diontae Johnson, who lands in Carolina after limited 717-yard five-touchdown campaign in Pittsburgh last season. Johnson scored eight times while putting up 1,161 yards on 107 catches just two seasons ago but he famously followed that up with zero touchdowns on 86 catches in 17 games in 2022 before exiting the Steelers’ organization after last season. Johnson should see a ton of volume in the passing game but the quality of those targets and the true ceiling of the play is very much in doubt, he ranks 27th in both categories on DraftKings and 31/30 on the blue site. No other Carolina receiver ranks in the top-40 in either category on either site. Xavier Legette is a 6’1″ 221 lbs. rookie with a 4.39-second 40-time, he scored seven times on 71 catches and gained 1,255 yards on his 97 targets at South Carolina last season. Legette was drafted 31st overall at the end of the first round, he has both draft capital and upside at a fair price to start the season but he will only go as far as Young can take him. Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders are middling options at the running back position in a 60/40 timeshare. Hubbard gained just 3.8 yards per attempt last season while Sanders was at a lousy 3.3, they combined for six touchdowns despite seeing significant time and playing 17 and 16 games respectively.
Chicago Bears
Key Player: Caleb Williams
Setting: at most two (this allows for “naked” Williams stacks)
Team Group: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen (Q), D’Andre Swift, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, Tyler Scott (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, DeAndre Hopkins (Q – expected to play), Chig Okonkwo, Tyler Boyd
Lineup Notes: Favorites of casual football fans and HBO (you may know them as MAX) subscribers, the Bears check into the 2024 season as what should at least be a high-scoring fun fantasy football team. Chicago drafted potential foundational quarterback Caleb Williams first overall this Spring, handing him the keys to the organization’s future immediately. Williams was a superstar in college, he threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns with just five interceptions in 2022, adding another 382 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. In 2023, Williams played 12 games, throwing 30 touchdown passes and just five interceptions while gaining 121 yards on 99 carries and scoring 11 rushing touchdowns. The multi-faceted star will not be asked to do things alone, he is surrounded by talent in every aspect of the game. Williams may be the luckiest rookie starter in recent memory, he gets a strong ground game with three-headed backs in D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson, all of whom were involved in their offenses last season. Swift ranks best in the group, he should be the nominal lead back in this offense and lands as RB17/22 and 20/24 across sites. The running game is not a priority in Bears stacks and they are not particularly appealing standalone options but they should provide real-life quality for Chicago throughout. The appeal with stacking Bears, in addition to Williams, is the quality of their pass-catchers. DJ Moore was a star for this team last season, posting 10.03 yards per target over 17 games for 1,364 yards on 96 catches and 136 targets. Moore is joined by Keenan Allen, who is currently listed as questionable but seems more along the lines of likely to play per Saturday reporting. Allen had five games over 100 yards receiving last season, posting a 215-yard game on 18 catches in Week 3. The receiver came up with seven touchdowns while putting up 8.29 yards per target on a 9.6-yard ADOT in his 13 games in 2023. Allen adds star power that also shines on rookie Rome Odunze, another first-round wide receiver pick. Odunze had a monster 2023 in college, putting up 1,640 yards on 92 catches and scoring 13 touchdowns. The ninth overall pick measures 6’3″ 215 lbs. and runs the 40 in 4.45 seconds. Odunze is the third wide receiver in the offense but given the player’s profile, draft stock, and talent, he should be featured early and often in the Bears’ passing attack. Odunze looks like a gem on the NFL DFS board, landing 31st by points but 2nd by points-per-dollar value on DraftKings for just $4,000 but he is a different option as just another receiver for $5,800 on FanDuel. Cole Kmet is a capable tight end who should see primary action in the red zone. Kmet drew 15 red zone targets last season, posting six total touchdowns on the year while being targeted 5.29 times per game. The Bears are a medium-priority stack with numerous options and several compelling ways to build at low-cost and reduced popularity, they land 8/14 on DraftKings and 11/9 on FanDuel.
Cincinnati Bengals
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 (Q – major status questions), Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, Jermaine Burton, Zack Moss
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Rhamondre Stevenson, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Hunter Henry, KJ Osborn
Lineup Notes: Tee Higgins is doubtful and Ja’Marr Chase is still mired in an ongoing contract dispute. Chase is listed as questionable and has told the media that if he plays on Sunday it will be in a limited form. As of 2:00 AM ET reporting suggests that Chase will not be re-signed before Sunday’s game, with his playing status still in doubt. If the receiver takes the field, it seems increasingly likely to be in a limited role. The absence of the superstar and the doubtful status of Robin to Chase’s Batman, Tee Higgins, the Bengals offense will potentially be severely limited on Sunday. Cincinnati originally rated out as a strong stack but they will be reduced going into tomorrow, dropping from a current 9/3 rating on DraftKings and a 9/15 mark on FanDuel on the assumption that Chase does not play. Andrei Iosivas was taken by sharp players late in season-long drafts this year, he has upside as the third option in the passing game in Cincinnati in general and he could step into the featured role in Week 1 with the absence of Higgins and, presumably, Chase. Iosivas costs just $3,000 on DraftKings, he is already projected for runaway popularity but it may not exceed his potential ROI on the slate with Cincinnati heavily favored in a game with a 40-point total. Iosivas hauled in four touchdown passes last season, working on an 8.6-yard ADOT with just 1.56 targets per game, he was an afterthought for most of the year and a “who?” for less than sharp players in 2024 drafts. Iosivas will benefit from the presence of premium quarterback Joe Burrow, but he is a mid-level talent who may struggle in the absence of any threatening teammates. Jermaine Burton is a 6’0″ 200 lbs. rookie who runs the 40 in 4.45 seconds and was drafted out of Alabama in the 3rd round, 80th overall this season. Burton will immediately see opportunities in the passing game despite earning some early motivation and effort questions through camp. Trenton Irwin is a more familiar commodity, he played 42% of the team’s snaps in 16 games last season, scoring one on 2.0 targets per game with an 8.8-yard average depth of target. Mike Gesicki could see an uptick in quality after an off-year in 2023, he is a touchdown-dependent volume-based TE option who ranks as TE18/14 and TE19/21 on the deep slate. Chase Brown and Zack Moss will split time in the Bengals backfield. Moss rushed 13 times per game while gaining 4.3 yards per attempt and scoring five times last season while Brown did not see the end zone in the rushing game on his limited 3.67 carries per game and 4.1 yards per attempt last season. With the absence of both of their top receiving options or even with a limited version of Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals will look lower-end than they may otherwise appear in this matchup against an effective New England defense that ranked strongly limited pass and rush yards per attempt last season.
Cleveland Browns
Key Player: Deshaun Watson
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Jerome Ford, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Brandin Cooks, Rico Dowdle, Jalen Tolbert
Lineup Notes: The quality of the Browns offense will likely live and die with the effectiveness of quarterback DeShaun Watson this season. Watson was limited last year and has not played a full season since a 16-game 2020 campaign. That season the formerly elite option threw 33 touchdown passes and gained 4,823 yards through the air in a superstar campaign, he has been nowhere near the same player while dealing with endless issues since. It is a stretch to believe that Watson will return to form four years removed from quality, he played just six games in each of the past two seasons after missing all of 2021. The quarterback threw for 1,115 yards posting seven touchdowns and four interceptions last season, adding 142 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts. Jerome Ford is the lead back in the Browns rushing game, he gained 4.0 yards per attempt last season and scored four rushing touchdowns, adding another five scores in the passing game on 3.71 targets per contest. Ford is a playable running back both in and out of stacks of Browns, he functions well enough on his own that we can forgo minor correlation when not playing other Browns and he is involved enough in the passing game to work in stacks with Watson and a receiver. Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy should form a strong 1-2 punch atop the receiving corps if both are fully healthy this season. Cooper scored five touchdowns in 15 games while gaining 9.77 yards per target on a 14.3-yard ADOT last season, drawing a huge 45.6% air-yard share. Jeudy joins the Browns after several middling and disappointing campaigns in Denver, he scored just two touchdowns last season while gaining 8.71 yards per target on a 12.7-yard ADOT. Both options are capable downfield threats and they should make things easier for one another in the overall passing game. The pair is joined by capable Elijah Moore, who always seems better running with the ball already in his hands than getting open and attempting to catch it. Moore gained 6.15 yards per target on an 11-yard ADOT last season, this team has numerous downfield weapons with only the running backs and tight end David Njoku operating in close. Njoku scored six times in the passing game, gaining 7.17 yards per target despite just a 4.5-yard ADOT, he was targeted 7.69 times per game with 17 looks in the red zone as a focal point of the scoring attack inside the 20. Njoku has strong individual upside at the position, he is an obvious option alongside either Cooper or Jeudy in stacks and he stands alone well as the TE4/7 on DraftKings and TE5/2 on FanDuel. Cleveland is a mid-board stack that ranks 15/12 on DraftKings and 17/11 on FanDuel.
Dallas Cowboys
Key Player: Dak Prescott
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Brandin Cooks, Rico Dowdle, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin (very large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Amari Cooper, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Jerome Ford, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman
Lineup Notes: The Cowboys are slight underdogs on the road in Cleveland, despite having higher-end talents in most spots across the lineup. Dallas features Dak Prescott, who threw 36 touchdowns against just nine interceptions in 2023. Prescott completed 69% of his passes for 265.65 yards per game and 7.7 yards per attempt, slinging the ball for 7.8 intended air yards per attempt. Prescott gains from the presence of superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb in his life. The receiver was in a contract dispute throughout much of the offseason but finally reached a resolution and is fully expected to play at a high level on Sunday. Lamb lands as WR2 by points on DraftKings but just WR30 by points-per-dollar value. On the FanDuel slate, the pricey receiver is similarly ranked 3/24 across points and value. Lamb totaled 12 touchdowns in 17 games last season, drawing 10.65 targets per game and dominating air yards at 35.1% on a 9.5-yard ADOT. Lamb is joined by a capable number two in Brandin Cooks, who is just a mid-ranked option across sites, the true second banana in the Dallas passing game is tight end Jake Ferguson who lands as TE5/4 on DraftKings for $5,200 and TE7/6 on FanDuel for $6,000. Ferguson put up five touchdowns while gaining 7.46 yards per target on a 5.1-yard ADOT and 6.0 targets per game in 2023, he is a premium option at the position for a fair price and he tended to go under-valued by the DFS community despite his production throughout his second year in the league. Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin are mix-in options in an abundance of Dallas stacks or very large field contests. The Dallas ground game is in flux coming into 2024 with Rico Dowdle expected to lead the team in Week 1 but the ghost of Zeke Elliott lingering on the fringes. Dowdle is favored by the coaching staff and he has a compelling skillset for DFS production with involvement on the ground and in the passing game. The running back scored twice in the ground game last year, gaining 4.1 yards per attempt on 5.6 attempts per game, and adding another two touchdowns in the passing attack on 1.38 targets per game with four targets in the red zone. Elliott scored twice in the passing game on 3.82 targets per game last season while gaining just 3.5 yards per rush attempt on 10.8 attempts per game. Dallas ranks as a strong stack by projections but not by price, stacking them requires utilization of value-based one-off plays in other positions. The Cowboys are stack 10/21 on DraftKings and 13/18 on FanDuel, with Lamb, Ferguson, Dowdle, and Cooks joining Prescott as the priority plays.
Denver Broncos
Key Player: Bo Nix
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Javonte Williams, Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims Jr., Greg Dulcich
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett (Q), Noah Fant
Lineup Notes: The Broncos got their man with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft, selecting quarterback Bo Nix out of Oregon. Nix threw for 45 touchdowns and 4,508 yards on 470 attempts in his fifth college season at age 23 last year, he will step in as a Day-1 NFL starter at age 24 on a team with a lot of work to do on offense. Nix ranks as QB24/24 on DraftKings and QB26/26 on FanDuel, he is the bottom of the board on both sites. Courtland Sutton will be limited by his quarterback despite being the clear top option in the passing game. Sutton did score 10 touchdowns last season, he is not absent of upside and he will deliver scoring this season but the reliability will be challenging and he will be a big hit-and-miss option. Sutton is WR33/45 on DraftKings for $5,600 and WR37/32 on FanDuel this week. Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims Jr. do not add much appeal. Mims demonstrated major game-breaking ability in several extremely limited outbursts last season but his volume and actual skills catching the ball remain in question. Denver’s ground game features compelling options as standalone rushers with both Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin in play. Williams is in year two back from a devastating injury, he posted just 3.6 yards per attempt on 13.5 attempts per game last season, scoring just twice on the ground. McLaughlin had several dynamic days, on limited touches he ranked fifth in missed tackles per attempt and fourth in yards after contact while getting strongly involved in the passing game. McLaughlin has an interesting skillset for DFS production, he is a potentially explosive player at a cheap price. Williams lands as RB12/7 on DraftKings and 15/9 on FanDuel as the clear lead back, while McLaughlin is RB34/27 and RB38/35 across sites. Denver ranks as the bottom stack by points on both sites while sitting near the bottom of value rankings, they are not a strong play this week.
Detroit Lions
Key Player: Jared Goff
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, David Montgomery
Opposing Setting: at most one / at least one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson, Colby Parkinson
Lineup Notes: The late-night Sunday game is only on the FanDuel slate. The Lions rank as stack 2 by points and stack 7 by value on the blue site with premium options in all facets of the game. Jared Goff projects as a high-scoring quarterback who ranks fifth for both points and value in Week 1. Goff threw 30 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions on 35.59 attempts per game last season, gaining 7.6 yards per pass attempt. Star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and premium tight end Sam LaPorta both standout in stacks of Lions players, they will both be deservedly popular on the blue site. Both pass-catchers put the ball in the end zone 10 times through the air last season, with St. Brown gaining 9.24 yards per target on 10.25 targets per game and LaPorta not far behind with 7.41 yards per target on his 5.06 opportunities per game. Jameson Williams is opening the season with the team and a fair amount of positive buzz for a change, the talented receiver has been challenged for playing time by a variety of issues over the past few seasons. Williams is still a strong downfield option who drew a 15.8-yard average depth of target last season, posting 8.43 yards per target but just two touchdowns on 3.5 targets per game in his 12 outings. Williams is a strong third option in this passing game, he will be rostered but not nearly as much as his higher-end teammates, he lands as WR42/47 on the FanDuel slate while St. Brown is WR2/4 and LaPorta is TE1/5. The Lions also feature a dual-threat rushing game with both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery offering significant potential for touches, yardage, and scoring. Montgomery had 13 rushing touchdowns on 15.6 carries per game in the timeshare last season while Gibbs punched the ball in 10 times on 12.13 opportunities per game. Gibbs was more regularly targeted in the passing attack, seeing 4.73 targets per game and gaining 6.1 yards per reception, though he scored just one touchdown through the air. The Lions are a high-end opportunity in the highest totaled game of the week, both teams in the nightcap are strongly in play on FanDuel.
Houston Texans
Key Player: CJ Stroud
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Joe Mixon, Dalton Schultz, John Metchie III (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Kylen Granson, Alec Pierce
Lineup Notes: The Texans are stack 3/9 on DraftKings and stack 4/6 on the FanDuel slate, they are a high-priority option with excellent options in the passing game. Quarterback CJ Stroud had a standout rookie campaign and he gets shiny new toys to play with coming into a 2024 season that should see him take a step forward. Stroud threw for 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions in his 15 games last season, completing 64% of his 33.27 pass attempts per game as a rookie. The quarterback regularly targeted deep options in the team’s robust passing game, posting 9.0 intended air yards per attempt with 8.2 yards gained per attempt and 5.1 air yards per attempt. Stroud is an effective quarterback who will be in year two working with premium options Nico Collins and Tank Dell, who scored 15 combined touchdowns last season. Collins posted eight of those while gaining 11.9 yards per target in 15 games, Dell played 11 games and gained 9.45 yard per target for his shortened season. With both players at full strength and joined by newly acquired Stefon Diggs at the top of the depth chart, this should be one of the best passing games in football in 2024. Diggs ranks as WR5/5 and WR7/3 across DraftKings and FanDuel respectively. The former Bills star scored eight times in the passing game in his last season with Buffalo, gaining 7.39 yards per target while tailing off somewhat as the season continued. Diggs is a strong bet to bounce back this year, he will be helped by the depth of a passing game that also includes top-rated tight end Dalton Schultz and highly capable veteran back Joe Mixon. Schultz put the ball in the end zone five times on 5.87 targets per game in 2023, posting 7.22 yards per target and Mixon gained 4.0 yards per rush attempt on 15 carries per game with nine touchdowns in his last season in Cincinnati. Mixon is RB10/9 on DraftKings and RB12/11 on FanDuel, he rates as a strong option in stacks given his involvement in the passing game, Mixon was targeted 3.76 times per game with the Bengals, scoring three times on 13 red zone targets last year. Dameon Pierce will spell Mixon at times but the veteran remains the priority option when stacking a running back with Houston’s receivers and quarterback. Mixon also functions as a relatively affordable and high-end standalone running back in Week 1.
Indianapolis Colts
Key Player: Anthony Richardson
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Kylen Granson, Alec Pierce, Mo Allie-Cox (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Joe Mixon, Dalton Schultz
Lineup Notes: The Colts get quarterback Anthony Richardson back in action as their primary upgrade coming into 2024, putting them in a similar place as they were coming into 2023. Richardson went down after just four games last year, putting up three touchdowns against just one interception on 21 attempts per game but gaining just 144.25 yards per game passing and 6.9 yards per pass attempt in the effort. Richardson is a high-end threat as a runner, he gained 5.4 yards per attempt on the ground last year, putting the ball in the end zone four time in his limited action and carrying the ball 6.3 times per game in designed runs and scrambling. Richardson has strong weapons to work with, though he will be without Josh Downs in Week 1. Bellcow rusher Jonathan Taylor should play the lead role once again for the Colts this year. He gained 4.40 yards per attempt on 16.9 attempts per game as a high-volume option throughout last year, though that was with Gardner Minshew at the helm. Taylor scored seven times on the ground in 2023, adding one receiving touchdown on 2.3 targets per game, he is not a heavily involved receiver. Despite facing a Houston defense that rated well for limiting rush yards per attempt last season, Taylor gains ground via the 1.12 touchdowns per game that Houston yielded to running backs and by virtue of his talent. The running back is RB1/8 on DraftKings and rates the same on FanDuel. Michael Pittman Jr. scored four touchdowns last season with 9.75 targets per game and 7.38 yards per target. The receiver was highly featured in the passing attack in his fourth season, gaining more than 1,000 yards for the third straight year in a 1,209-yard campaign. Pittman will be joined by third-year man Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell. Pierce gained 593 yards on 41 receptions with a pair of touchdowns in his 2022 rookie season and matched the scoring output with 514 yards on just 32 catches last year. Mitchell is an interesting option who was taken 52nd overall in the 2nd round of this year’s draft. The rookie stands 6’2 and weighs 205 lbs., he should have the opportunity to step into an immediate role given a skillset that includes a 4.34 40-time. The Colts are overloaded with mix-and-match quality tight ends, rendering them all of limited value. Mo Allie-Cox led the group with three receiving touchdowns last season. Indianapolis ranks as stack 13/15 on DraftKings and stack 14/21 on FanDuel.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Key Player: Trevor Lawrence
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Travis Etienne Jr., Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Brian Thomas Jr., Gabe Davis, Parker Washington (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / at least one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Jonnu Smith
Lineup Notes: In his third season, Trevor Lawrence threw for 4,016 yards and 21 touchdowns, with 14 interceptions, and did not take an anticipated major leap forward. While that may be disappointing in some ways, the quarterback was not nearly the lost cause that some may seemingly think, he still averaged 7.1 yards per pass attempt and added another four touchdowns and 339 yards on 70 rushing attempts as a capable runner for the position. Lawrence has the opportunity to make a true leap in year four, he is surrounded by talent on the field and he has a strong system in place with a good opportunity to get out of the gate well against a gettable Miami defense. Lawrence ranks as QB4/2 on DraftKings and rates the same on the FanDuel slate on a Jacksonville stack that lands as number five by points on DraftKings and seven by points on FanDuel while sitting fourth and third for value from site to site. Lawrence is joined by highly skilled running back Travis Etienne Jr. who gained more than 1,000 yards for the second straight year to begin his career, posting 1,008 yards on 267 attempts with 11 touchdowns on the ground and one added in the passing game. Etienne was an involved receiver despite the lack of touchdown catches, he hauled in 58 of 73 targets for 476 yards and 8.2 yards per reception. Evan Engram had the strongest season of his career on by far the most volume he has ever seen as a featured part of the passing attack in 2023. The tight end is somehow already in year eight, last season he caught a whopping 114 of 143 targets while scoring four touchdowns and gaining 963 yards, 6.7 per-target. Engram is a premium option at the tight end position, he ranks as TE1/1 on DraftKings and TE2/1 on FanDuel. Receiver Christian Kirk ranks well on DraftKings where he is WR22/11 but he dips to WR25/28 as a still-playable FanDuel option. Kirk scored three times in his 12 games last season, drawing 7.08 targets per game and putting up 9.26 yards per target on a 9.9-yard ADOT while garnering 30.7% of the air yards share when he was active. The receiver is the clear number one in an offense that also includes rookie Brian Thomas Jr. who ran a 4.33-second 40-time and stand 6’3″ at 205 lbs. Thomas scored 17 touchdowns on 68 receptions, putting up 1,177 yards on 89 targets at LSU while playing in an offense that included star rookie Malik Nabers who was drafted even more highly by the Giants. Thomas has clear talent to clear those numbers with such a high-volume superstar teammate, he is a strong option who could slip by casual gamers in Week 1 in the same way that Xavier Worthy did for the Chiefs on Thursday. At $4,700, Thomas ranks as WR35/17 on DraftKings and WR40/22 for $5,100 on FanDuel. Gabe Davis joined this team in the offseason, he is likely to be heavily included on the outside in tandem with Thomas, while Kirk draws most of his routes from the slot. Parker Washington is a mix-in option who scored two times on 2.33 targets per game last season.
Las Vegas Raiders
Key Player: Gardner Minshew
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Zamir White, Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer (large field), Alexander Mattison (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Joshua Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnson, Hayden Hurst, JK Dobbins
Lineup Notes: The Raiders will start the season with Gardner Minshew II at quarterback after a low-end season across 16 games with the Colts last year. Minshew saw regular action, throwing the ball 30.6 times per game but completing just 62% of his passes for 6.7 yards per attempt and 206.56 yards per game with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The quarterback is the picture of mediocrity at the position, he will not be in this role for very long. Minshew mixes in as QB23/23 on DraftKings and QB25/25 on FanDuel, he is not a good option despite fairly interesting teammates. Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are a strong wide receiver tandem, they both scored eight times in the passing game last season, though Meyers did his work on fewer opportunities in fewer games. Adams still drew 10.29 targets per game with 6.54 yards per target but he was bested by Meyers who managed 7.61 yards per target on 4.44 catches and 6.63 targets per game. Brock Bowers is an excellent young tight end who steps into regular action after going 13th overall in the draft out of Georgia. The tight end gained 714 yards on 56 receptions in 10 games last season, scoring six times, he is TE7/5 on DraftKings and TE8/8 on FanDuel in Week 1. Running back Zamir White has explosive ability and should see a significant uptick in volume as the lead back for the first time in his career. In limited action last season, White carried the ball just 6.93 times per game for 4.3 yards per rush attempt and one rushing touchdown but he rated strongly for explosive runs and yards after contact in limited action as the featured back at the end of the season, suggesting the potential for more this year. White is easy to reach at $5,700 and ranks as RB15/16 on DraftKings, he is RB18/22 on FanDuel for $6,400. The Raiders are a limited option, their skill players are better than the quarterback but they could carry him to success from time to time as a value play. They are likely better in pieces along with stacks from other teams than as a unit in Week 1.
Los Angeles Chargers
Key Player: Justin Herbert
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Joshua Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnson, Hayden Hurst, JK Dobbins
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Zamir White, Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker
Lineup Notes: The return of Justin Herbert is the best thing the Chargers have going for them this season. Herbert missed the final four games of last season after throwing 20 touchdowns with seven interceptions on 35 attempts per game over his 13 starts. The Chargers star quarterback lost two major weapons with the departures of receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, he will be working with Joshua Palmer as the expected top option and several question marks down the board this year. Palmer was targeted 5.55 times per game in 2023, putting up 9.52 yards per target on an 11.4-yard ADOT but he saw the end zone just twice in the passing game. Palmer is going to be asked to do a lot to step into a true WR1 role this season, he is joined by rookie Ladd McConkey, who was drafted early in the 2nd round, 34th overall, out of Georgia this year, and second-year man Quentin Johnston who was a first-round pick in 2023. Johnston stands 6’4 and was the 21st overall pick out of TCU, he gained just 431 yards on 38 catches and 67 targets last season, scoring only twice, but the team has plenty of draft capital invested and he is a big-bodied target with touchdown upside for a good quarterback. McConkey ran a 4.39 40 at the combine, he stands 6’0″ tall but weighs just 185lbs, the second-round pick should line up regularly in a slot role, he lands as WR32 by points but WR8 by value on DraftKings while sitting 36/21 on FanDuel. On the blue site, Palmer looks like the better purchase for just $5,000 against the rookie’s $5,300, Palmer is WR5 by points-per-dollar rankings. The Chargers imported both JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards from the Ravens in the offseason, the running backs should be in a straightforward timeshare for the ground game, while Kimani Vidal is expected to handle work in the passing game, rendering all three running backs moderately unplayable and low-ranked. The Chargers are not an appealing stack outside of some limited dart throws but they offer more compelling options in a one-off sense.
Los Angeles Rams
Key Player: Matthew Stafford
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams, Demarcus Robinson, Colby Parkinson, Jordan Whittington (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one / at least one (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Opposing Group: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, David Montgomery
Lineup Notes: This game is only on the FanDuel slate. The Rams and Lions are both excellent options in what has the makings of a late-night-hammer of a shootout at 52 points on the board in Vegas with Detroit favored by four. The Rams come into town with aging Matthew Stafford still steering the ship with several premium skill players in tow. Stafford threw 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 34.7 attempts per game last season, completing 63% of his passes for 7.6 yards per attempt. The quarterback has excellent receivers in Puka Nacua who burst onto the scene with 1,486 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. Nacua overshadowed star Cooper Kupp at times when both were on the field and starred when Kupp was absent, both players are on the board alongside the quarterback in stacks. Kupp managed five touchdowns and 737 yards on 59 catches and 95 targets in 12 games in his age-30 season. Kyren Williams is a high-end running back who is heavily targeted in the passing attack, he is an ideal option at running back for DFS scoring and he can be played in and out of Rams stacks on FanDuel. Williams gained 5.0 yards per attempt on 19.0 attempts per game last season and scored 12 rushing touchdowns, he is RB10/17 on the FanDuel slate this week. Blake Corum will return kicks and punts and serve as the second back in the rushing game, he is a mix-in option at low ownership in very large field contests but he likely will need to break one on special teams to deliver. Demarcus Robinson, Colby Parkinson, Jordan Whittington, and Tutu Atwell provide depth down the lineup for Los Angeles, among them only Atwell and Parkinson were heavily involved last season, combining for five touchdown catches. Robinson had four touchdowns on three targets and 2.0 catches per game while gaining 9.51 yards per target for the season but posting inconsistent low-end numbers overall. Whittington is a 6th-round pick out of Texas with a minimal role, he is not a strong DFS option in Week 1.
Miami Dolphins
Key Player: Tua Tagovailoa
Setting: at least one / exactly two (these can be alternated in a variety of lineup builds)
Team Group: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Jonnu Smith, Braxton Berrios (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Travis Etienne Jr., Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Brian Thomas Jr., Gabe Davis
Lineup Notes: Jacksonville and Miami will be battling for Florida’s love in Week 1, this game comes in with a very high 49.5-point total, the strongest option on the DraftKings slate and second only to the night game on FanDuel. The Dolphins extreme skill upside pushes the team stack ranking to 1st on both sites but they sit 6th by points-per-dollar value on DraftKings and 5th for value on the FanDuel slate with their high prices. Superstar receiver Tyreek Hill is an excellent option in any situation, he scored another 13 touchdowns last season and remains one of the fastest players in football both with and without the ball, Hill is WR1/3 on DraftKings and 1/6 on FanDuel. Jaylen Waddle is not far off the mark for a lower price, slotting in as WR10/12 and 11/27 across sites. Waddle had just four touchdown receptions last season but posted 9.75 yards per target on 7.43 targets per game in his 14 outings. Waddle is a strong option who should bounce back for more significant scoring in 2024. The team is supported on the ground by two blazing-fast running backs in Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane who proved definitively last season that stacking two running backs from the same team is not only viable it is occasionally optimal. In Week 3 of last season, Achane rushed 18 times for 203 yards and two touchdowns, adding four receptions for 30 yards and another two touchdowns. In the same game, Mostert carried the ball three times for 82 yards but punched it in three times on the ground while adding 60 yards and a fourth touchdown on seven receptions. For those not doing the math, that amounts to four touchdowns each in the Week 3 game. Incidentally, Hill also scored a touchdown while gaining 157 yards on nine catches and 11 targets in that game. Mostert will see a few more touches while Achane offers massive appeal for a slightly lower cost, both players have explosive any-given-slate potential for scoring along the lines of what they provided last season. Miami is fast as a rule, they are a high-end NFL DFS scoring offense that deserves shares across the industry regardless of popularity and they are capably driven by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who threw 29 touchdown passes and gained 8.3 yards per pass attempt on 32.94 passes per game last year. A potentially sneaky option on what should be a widely owned high-scoring stack is tight end Jonnu Smith, who is in his first season with the Dolphins. Smith split the tight end role in Atlanta last season, ending up with three touchdowns and 582 yards on 50 receptions and 70 targets. His high point was eight touchdown grabs and 448 yards on 41 catches in 2020 but he should have a clearly defined role as the top tight end for the Miami offense. For $3,500, Smith is TE17/20 and TE18/18 across sites, he is not a standout but he could find the end zone at very low prices and reduced popularity.
Minnesota Vikings
Key Player: Sam Darnold
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Johnny Mundt (large field), Josh Oliver (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Malik Nabers, Devin Singletary, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt
Lineup Notes: Despite the presence of Sam Darnold in a leadership position, the Vikings sit as stack 6/13 on DraftKings and 10/14 on FanDuel, they gain significant ground for a matchup against the largely inept and turnover-prone New York Giants in Week 1, though Vegas has them favored by just one on the road. New York should have a fairly strong defense with an aggressive pass rush but a limited secondary this season, which should allow Darnold to get the ball downfield to one of his two premium receiving options. Justin Jefferson is one of the best receivers in football and Jordan Addison adds a highly capable second option to the mix for a cheaper price. Darnold threw just 46 passes in 2023 and 140 in 2022 while with Carolina, his last full season was 2021 in Carolina, he threw 406 passes for 2,527 yards and nine touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Darnold is no one’s idea of a good quarterback, but he has raw skills and the ability to get the ball down the gridiron. Jefferson had a 10.74 yards per target average last season while posting five touchdowns in 10 games while Addison gained 8.44 yards per target on 6.35 looks per game with 10 touchdowns in his 17 games. Both receivers worked effectively as deep options with 12.6 and 12.5-yard ADOTs respectively. Jalen Nailor is a mix-in third option in the receiving game but he and the team’s tight end options and depth receivers largely fall by the wayside behind the two talented wideouts and running back Aaron Jones. Jones had a rough season until the final three weeks and the playoffs saw him suddenly return to form after what he said was a return to full health. Prior to Week 16, Jones had not gained more than 73 rushing yards all season, in Week 16 he rushed for 127 yards on 21 carries. Jones followed that with two more games of more than 20 carries and 100 yards then put up 118 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns in the wildcard round and 108 yards but no score on 18 carries in the divisional round. Jones was all th eway back down the stretch last season, he had regular involvement in the passing game and looks like a good option with his new team, at worst he should be third in touches in the passing game with significant rushing upside. Jones is RB11/14 on DraftKings and RB13/10 on FanDuel in Week 1. The Vikings are a playable stack but their skill players may be stronger considerations as one-off options in other lineups.
New England Patriots
Key Player: Jacoby Brissett
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Rhamondre Stevenson, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Hunter Henry, KJ Osborn, Tyquan Thornton (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Ja’Marr Chase (Q – major status questions), Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, Jermaine Burton, Zack Moss
Lineup Notes: Antonio Gibson is likely to play but the Patriots should feature running back Rhamondre Stevenson as the focal point of their running game and their entire offensive attack in Week 1 regardless of Gibson’s status, but his absence from the passing game would only add potential to Stevenson’s scoring. The running back provided mixed results last year, with only four touchdowns and 619 yards on 156 carries in 12 games. Stevenson added 51 targets and 38 catches for 238 yards but did not score in the passing game. In 2022, the running back carried the ball 210 times in 17 games in his second season, he gained 1,040 yards and scored five touchdowns while adding 421 yards on 69 catches and 89 targets. Stevenson has a bit of a tarnished “letdown” reputation after last year, this hopefully renders him under-owned in quality opportunities including this game against a team that allowed 126 yards per game on the ground and 4.7 yards per attempt last season. Stevenson ranks as RB9/4 on DraftKings and RB11/1 on FanDuel, he is a high-priority rusher on this slate. The Patriots are limited with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback and a relatively low-end receiving group. Brissett played just three games, throwing minimal passes last season, his high point came in 2017 but he had a strong year as recently as 2022 in Cleveland. That season, Brissett threw 2,608 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions on 369 pass attempts. The quarterback will be working with capable DeMario Douglas who rates as WR45/47 on DraftKings and lands as WR49 by points on FanDuel but leaps to WR9 by points-per-dollar for just $4,000 on the slate. Douglas is somehow cheaper than rookie teammate Ja’Lynn Polk, who comes in at $4,800 on the site. Polk is WR20 by value but WR46 by points across town on DraftKings for $3,900, but the appeal is limited. Polk ran a 4.52 40-time and stands 6’1 203lbs, he was pick 37 overall near the top of the second round of the draft. KJ Osborn has five receiving touchdowns in each of the past two seasons and had seven in 2021, he is a mix-in option with a bit of scoring upside on the right day in stacks but he is an unlikely option who does not rate well. The Patriots are stack 21 and 23 by points while landing 10th by points per dollar with some cheap individual receivers and Rhamondre Stevenson’s value on both sites.
New Orleans Saints
Key Player: Derek Carr
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, Cedrick Wilson Jr. (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, Chuba Hubbard, Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Ja’Tavion Sanders
Lineup Notes: Derek Carr was better than he gets credit for in 2023. The aging quarterback threw 32.2 passes per game, completing 25 touchdown passes with only eight interceptions and racking up 7.1 yards per pass attempt, though he was limited with just 4.5 air yards per attempt and 7.8 intended air yards per attempt. Carr was third in the league in passing touchdowns from Weeks 12-18 last season while rating eighth in points per dropback over the same stretch, and he has legitimate downfield weapons when he does take shots. A significant amount of the receiving volume operates in the short game with elite running back Alvin Kamara who is one of the most popular players on both sites this week. Kamara checks in as RB2/2 on DraftKings and RB2/2 on FanDuel, but he is likely to be a bit over-exposed on both sites even with the quality and the fair pricing. Kamara caught 75 passes in just 13 game last season while still rushing the ball 13.85 times per game and gaining 3.9 yards per rush attempt with five rushing touchdowns. On pass-catching alone, the running back has significant upside, particularly in PPR formats. Kamara can regain a bit of quality in a full season in the ground game as well, he is extremely popular for a reason this week, he can be played as heavy chalk in short sets of lineups but across 150 we recommend a bit of an undercut on a large slate. The Saints have Jamaal Williams who can provide scoring upside from in close but only managed one touchdown across his 13 games in 2023. The depth at receiver comes into play for New Orleans with options including high-end Chris Olave who had a 13.3-yard ADOT in 2023 and Rashid Shaheed who checks in with a 14.6-yard average depth of target. Both receivers scored five times through the air and should have the opportunity for more going forward, Shaheed is potentially going underowned though he rates at just WR43/28 and WR45/41 this week. Olave is interesting for WR8/19 and WR14/18. Swiss-Army Knife option Taysom Hill should be doing some throwing, some running, and some catching in this one, he is going to contribute and potentially win a slate this year but the downside waiting for that to happen can be very rough to carry. Hill is a mix-in option positionally with a better receiving tight end in Juwan Johnson pressing him for opportunities in the passing game. Cedrick Wilson Jr. could get involved as a low-end mixer for $3,700/$4,300 but he does not rate well on either site and the overall stack for the Saints sits just 14th by points on DraftKings and 16th on FanDuel. The Saints offer more value options than quality this week, they may be another source to mine individuals rather than stacks.
New York Giants
Key Player: Daniel Jones
Setting: at most one/at least one (at most will allow for “naked” Jones lineups)
Team Group: Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Devin Singletary, Darius Slayton, Jaylin Hyatt
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor
Lineup Notes: The Giants gained a potential superstar in the offseason, drafting elite receiver Malik Nabers in the first round, but the team also lost a definite superstar with Saquon Barkley departing for the division rival Eagles (and scoring three touchdowns in his debut!). The Giants are an extremely limited team on offense, they do not have a good quarterback, though Daniel Jones can rush for yardage and the occasional touchdown to pad NFL DFS and season-long fantasy scoring, making him look like a much better player than he truly is. It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that Jones was given an extension in New York in the first place. The quarterback managed to play just six games last season, throwing two touchdowns with six interceptions as an underline to his awfulness. Jones may run for a few yards but his biggest impact is likely to be limiting and frustrating Nabers over and over again. Nabers had 1,569 yards on 89 catches with 14 touchdowns at LSU last season, he is a star in the making and he rates as WR15/7 on DraftKings and WR17/10 on FanDuel despite the quarterback limitations. Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Theo Johnson, and Daniel Bellinger are at best mix-and-match depth options, Slayton led the group with four touchdowns last season. Hyatt had a 21-yard ADOT but he only saw a handful of targets and failed to do anything with them in 2023. The running game is no better, the Giants replaced Barkley with Devin Singletary who gained 4.2 yards per attempt on 12.7 attempts per game with four touchdowns last season. Tyrone Tracy Jr. is a rookie with a bit of talent, his utilization level remains to be seen but he will be no better than a backup to spell Singletary for a few plays in Week 1. The Giants rank as stack 18/16 on DraftKings and 21/20 on FanDuel, they are not a strong option outside of Nabers one-offs and limited shares of Jones pairings with a few receivers.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Player: Justin Fields
Setting: at most one/at least one (at most will allow for “naked” Fields lineups)
Team Group: George Pickens, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Cordarrelle Patterson (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney
Lineup Notes: Quarterback Russell Wilson is listed as questionable and is reportedly not expected to play Week 1, putting the reins of the Steelers in the hands of Justin Fields, a formerly somewhat high-caliber NFL DFS option who has lost his way and lost his way out of Chicago. Fields was relevant for DFS scoring as recently as last year. In Week 4 the quarterback beat the Broncos with 335 yards passing and four touchdowns (everyone crushed Denver last year) and he threw another four touchdown passes with 282 yards and added 11 carries for 57 yards the following week against an also-gettable Commanders squad. Fields was unable to throw more than one touchdown in a game the rest of the way and only managed to crack 200 yards twice more all season. For the year, the quarterback had 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns with nine interceptions on 370 attempts for 6.9 yards per pass attempt, adding 657 rush yards and four touchdowns. In 2022, Fields ran for 1,143 yards on 160 carries with eight rushing touchdowns to go with 17 passing touchdowns and 2,242 yards through the air. The quarterback can still run and he can (sort of) sling it, he is in play whenever he is on the field and if he has no believers and low ownership we only become bigger fans of the DFS angle, succeed or fail. Fields has at least one talented receiver to work with in George Pickens, but the biggest threat to his upside potentially comes from the team’s propensity to lean into a ground and pound style that heavily features their two premium running backs, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, both of whom can mix in for mid-range shares on either site. Warren is the more highly involved in the passing game, while Harris sees more opportunities on the ground, both players have explosive play ability and rate strongly in advanced metrics. In the passing game, Pickens scored five times on 6.24 targets per game with 10.75 yards per target on a deep 13.5-yard ADOT in 2023, he is WR23/24 and WR24/33 across sites in Week 1. Tight end Pat Freiermuth had one big week last season and was otherwise disappointing but he is still a capable option at the position who should be a fixture in this offense and a safety valve for Fields. Freiermuth scored seven times on 60 catches in 2021 but hauled in just two scores each of the past two seasons. Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, and Darnell Washington are at best mix-in positional options. The Steelers rate as stack 23/20 and 24/26 across sites, they are not overly playable but Fields has slate-breaking ability and he can be paired at least with the ground game, Pickens, and the tight end.
Seattle Seahawks
Key Player: Geno Smith
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett (Q), Noah Fant
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Javonte Williams, Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims Jr., Greg Dulcich
Lineup Notes: As stack 7 by points and stack 2 by value on DraftKings and stack 8/4 on the FanDuel slate, the Seahawks are going to be a big part of the Sunday main slate on both sites this week. Seattle has capable options at every key spot, Geno Smith is no one’s idea of a star quarterback, but he is a capable thrower and he has excellent targets and a solid ground game in a familiar offense. Smith threw 20 touchdown passes in 15 games with a 7.3 yards per attempt average and 7.0 intended air yards per attempt in 2023, he was better with 4,282 yards and 30 touchdown passes in 2022. Smith works in stacks with DK Metcalf, who put up a 9.36 yards per target on a 12.8-yard ADOT with eight touchdown receptions last season. Metcalf is WR14/13 and WR15/16 as a high-priority option across sites this week. He is joined by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who worked mostly in short passing last season but still managed a 6.75 yard per target average with five touchdowns over his 17 games. The receiver came on for both volume, depth of target, and overall production as the season carried on, he is an option to overtake the production of aging teammate Tyler Lockett this season. Lockett had an off year with five touchdowns and a 10.8 yard ADOT that resulted in 7.33 yards per target. All three receivers are on the board and Seattle features a cheap low-owned fourth option as a complete dart throw that even deep tournaments will be unlikely to include frequently. Jake Bobo is locked into the fourth receiver role, he scored twice last season on one target per game and a 6.0 yard ADOT, peaking at 61 yards and a touchdown on 4-5 receiving in Week 7 last year. Bobo is not nearly a high-priority option, even at $3,000 he rates as just WR86/84 and 92/90, he is simply in the mix for a few completely unowned lottery ticket targets in a popular stack. Seattle features bellcow back Kenneth Walker III who ranks as RB8/3 on DraftKings and RB8/4 on FanDuel. Walker ran for 4.1 yards per attempt on 14.6 attempts per game, scoring eight times on the ground in 2023. The running back was threatened in theory by Zach Charbonnet, but the competition amounted to just 6.75 attempts per game and one touchdown, Walker is the clear top option for touches in the Seattle backfield, he is playable as a standalone option with limited appeal in the passing game in stacks. With a Denver team that was allowing 5.0 yards per rush attempt and 137.12 yards per game on the ground last season as the only thing standing between him and paydirt, Walker could be geared for success early this year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key Player: Baker Mayfield
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rachaad White, Cade Otton, Jalen McMillan, Bucky Irving (large field), Trey Palmer (Q) (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Luke McCaffrey, Zach Ertz, Dyami Brown, Austin Ekeler
Lineup Notes: The Buccaneers are one of our Week 1 favorites with a great matchup against a rough Washington pass defense that coughed up 7.5 yards per pass attempt to rank 31st of 32 teams last year. Baker Mayfield is highly projected this week, competing with all but the extreme top of the board at the quarterback position and providing the slate with a significant piece of medium-owned value. Mayfield helms a stack that lands as stack 2/1 on DraftKings and stack 3/1 on FanDuel, Tampa Bay should be a high priority building block with quality one-off standalone plays and excellent multi-way stacking ability across sites. Mayfield is QB3/1 on both sites, he is a high priority play at $5,600/$7,200 across sites and is coming off of a moderately successful campaign that saw him throw 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions for 7.1 yards per pass attempt. Mayfield’s 2023 was his strongest season for both touchdowns and yardage, though his yards per attempt was slightly lower than his 2018-2021 numbers. The quarterback has several premium weapons in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at the wide receiver position and high volume running back Rachaad White who is a regular in the passing attack as well. Mike Evans is entering year 11 of his outstanding NFL career, he has not yet failed to crack 1,000 receiving yards in a season and he returned to his previous scoring form in 17 outings last year, ultimately posting 1,255 yars and 13 touchdowns on 79 receptions. Evans remains a high-end high-priority number one receiver until he truly fails to make his numbers, he is WR6/31 on DraftKings and WR8/26 with a little more value in play on FanDuel. Godwin is WR17/6 and 19/2, he is a high-end value play on both sites for just $5,800 and $5,600. Godwin caught just two touchdown passes last season despite playing 17 games and seeing a significant target share. The receiver has a strong chance to bounce back for quality if he simply sees the same 7.65 targets per game and particularly if he is involved in red zone work after seeing 16 red zone targets last season. Cade Otton is a mix-and-match quality tight end who was targeted 10 times in the red zone and scored four touchdowns last year. Jalen McMillan is a 3rd round pick who should see some action in Week 1, he ran a 4.47 40 and stands 6’1″, the Washington alumn posted 559 yards and five touchdowns in 9 games in his final college season. Rachaad White carried the ball 16 times per game last year and added 4.12 targets as one of the league’s most affordable high-touch options all season. White scored three times in the passing game and nine times overall, posting 3.6 yards per rush attempt and 8.6 yards per reception. The running back remains a good volume play but if his per-carry output continues to scuffle he could get pressed for time by rookie Bucky Irving, who brings a similar talent to the passing game. Irving will be mostly a bystander with White in the prime spot in Week 1 but the spot is one to watch if White gets out on a bad foot going forward. The Bucs are a top-end stack, in addition to Mayfield, both Evans and Godwin are priorities along with White, while the other options are better as mixers. The three primary players can also be used aggressively in one-off situations as standalone mixers in other lineups.
Tennessee Titans
Key Player: Will Levis
Setting: exactly one
Team Group: Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, DeAndre Hopkins (Q – expected to play), Chig Okonkwo, Tyler Boyd, Treylon Burks (large field)
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen (Q), D’Andre Swift, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet
Lineup Notes: The Titans are another team that will only go as far as their quarterback will allow. Will Levis currently has his more talented teammates ranked as just stack 16/18 and 18/17 across sites coming into Week 1. The second-round rookie last season worked his way into nine games, throwing eight touchdowns and four interceptions with a 7.1 yard per attempt average and 1,808 passing yards on 255 attempts. Levis had several deep looks of more than 40 yards, he is a capable deep ball thrower and he added a touchdown on 25 carries for 57 yards. With strong veterans Calvin Ridley and Deandre Hopkins in the mix at wide receiver and a highly talented running back room, Levis has the tools to succeed but his output could be limited early. Ridley put up 7.47 yards per target on a 13.2-yard ADOT last season, he was outmatched by Hopkins’ 14.1-yard ADOT and 7.72 yards per target but beat his new teammate eight touchdowns to seven for the year. The Titans can support two volume receivers as deep threats in the passing game, both players can thrive if Levis can hit them in stride. The team also features depth in Tyler Boyd, who had successful years as a mid-level option in Cincinnati, Treylon Burks, who has upside and posted a ridiculous 18.2-yard ADOT but managed just 7.37 yards per target and zero touchdowns in limited action last season, as well as tight end Chig Okonkwo, who rates as TE14/13 and TE15/14. The Titans are playable but not high-priority in stacks, they likely offer more as parts than as a whole. Two of the top options on the team come from the ground game, Tony Pollard disappointed last season but could roar back to life now that the weight of expectations has been lifted and backup Tyjae Spears is a highly skilled 1A to Pollard’s 1. The ball carriers land as RB16/18 and 19/19 for Pollard and RB19/11 and 23/12 for Spears going into Week 1, both are in play for value.
Washington Commanders
Key Player: Jayden Daniels
Setting: at least one
Team Group: Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Luke McCaffrey, Zach Ertz, Dyami Brown, Austin Ekeler
Opposing Setting: at most one
Opposing Group: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rachaad White, Cade Otton, Jalen McMillan
Lineup Notes: The Commanders are a low-end stack on this slate, they rank 20th on DraftKings and 22nd on FanDuel by fantasy points, one can only hope that they stay viable enough to support the upside of a Tampa Bay stack on the other side. The Commanders brought in rookie Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick. The LSU product threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions on 327 attempts in 2023, he is a high-end prospect with significant expectations but he has Terry McLaurin and not much else to work with in the passing game in his first season. McLaurin is a very talented receiver who scored four times on an 11.5-yard ADOT and 7.59 yards per target last season, he ranks as WR19/10 and 21/14 but looks more like a standalone one-off player at the position than a piece of a high-priority stack. Rookie Luke McCaffrey is the presumptive number two option along with veteran tight end Zach Ertz. McCaffrey was drafted in the 3rd round out of Rice but did not stand out in the preseason, he is getting the role somewhat by default but could see competition from the likes of Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Noah Brown down the depth chart. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will share duties in the backfield with Robinson acting as the slight lead but Ekeler posing a direct threat to touchdown upside. The mix is not a good one for DFS, both backs are only loosely playable on this slate in a low-end stacking opportunity. Washington is more of a target for Tampa Bay quality stacks than they are a go-to option for offense, but McLaurin should at least provide a competent run-back option if desired.
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