Tag Archives: Daily Fantasy Football

Daily Fantasy Football Value Picks For Monday Night Football

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One more game remains for daily fantasy football enthusiasts in week two, with the Chicago Bears hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on the biggest stage in Monday Night Football. There is a lot to take in for this one, as rookie passer and #2 overall pick Carson Wentz makes just his second start ever and numerous fantasy gamers look to hold onto their leads to close out the week.

There is even more DFS goodness at stake here when you consider the MNF/TNF slate, which includes Thursday’s contest between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots. That game is a suggested fade due to Jimmy Garoppolo (shoulder) being out, but the Texans could still be in play and there is a lot to like about tonight’s Eagles vs. Bears battle.

For all fantasy insight, let’s pick apart this slate by pointing out the best values at each position:

Quarterbacks: Jay Cutler – Bears ($5.7k) and Carson Wentz – Eagles ($5.5k)

Brock Osweiler could be OK in week three, but for the most part the Patriots defense has done a solid job against quarterbacks. He’s also the most expensive passer on the slate and he’s not exactly a guy you must pay up for.

We aren’t entertaining the idea of diving for Brissett, either, as he’s not a whole lot cheaper than more attractive options in Wentz and Cutler. That being said, he would be super contrarian on this slate.

You need the top quarterback on the slate to run away with the money here, however, and that’s probably going to be Cutler. Cutler is a very strong performer in prime time games, as he’s specifically 8-2 on Monday Night Football since joining the Bears. He’s also at home and has a solid cast of weapons around him. Philly also did not defend well in 2015 and their elite defensive effort in week one came against RG3 and the Browns. Color us unimpressed.

Wentz can run and looked good in week one, but Cutler might actually be a tad more contrarian. People have been hating on the Bears all summer, yet they actually showed up to fight in Houston in week one. The Bears are a mildly underrated stack on this slate and that’s the direction we’re headed.

Running Backs: Ryan Mathews – Eagles ($5.8k), Jeremy Langford – Bears ($4.6k) and LeGarrette Blount – Patriots ($4.4k)

Lamar Miller leads the way here, but he’s super talented and expensive, so just about everyone will be on him. It’s probably wise to just use two running backs out of this slate, so the key will be figuring out either who to pair with Miller or which two backs you’re choosing (and then fading Lamar). We don’t love the latter idea, however.

All three of these guys have awesome roles, but from a talent perspective, Mathews might be the most explosive. Considering Lamar Miller had a fine yardage day against the Bears in week one, he’ll probably be fine and should score. Langford isn’t very explosive, but the Eagles also can be run on and he is going to get a lot of touches. His price is also tough to beat, so it’s going to be difficult to fade him.

Blount has been solid and awesome the last two weeks and he remains a very nice price. The issue is he does not catch the ball and he probably needs a score to work out. He probably can do that because the Pats have to run and will use him near the goal-line, but his matchup and the obviousness of his role do not bode well.

Because of that, we suggest fading Blount and pairing Miller with one other back. Our pick would be Langford, as he’s cheaper than Mathews and has just as solid of a role.

Wide Receivers: Will Fuller – Texans ($4.8k), Danny Amendola – Patriots ($3.7k), Nelson Agholor – Eagles ($3.5k) and Eddie Royal – Bears ($3.5k)

No one needs to be told that the likes of Alshon Jeffery, DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Matthews and Julian Edelman are the top plays. If you’re looking to differentiate or just need a cheap Flex play, however, this is the group you want to consider.

Fuller has been awesome through two weeks and it’s pretty arguable the Pats will be uber focused on stopping both Lamar Miller and Nuk. It’s very possible he crushes his value for the third week in a row.

Any Patriots receivers are in play just because they could be playing from behind and they’re all pretty cheap, just keep in mind Houston’s defense is quite strong and we have no idea what Jacoby Brissett brings to the table.

Agholor and Royal feel like the best value plays at wide receiver. Both scored in week one and have decent secondary roles. Their matchups also don’t look that tough on paper. The explosive Kevin White could also blow up under the bright lights, but he’s rather raw and may need to work a bit to gain Cutler’s trust.

Tight Ends: Martellus Bennett – Patriots ($4.7k), Zach Miller ($3k) and Brent Celek – Eagles ($2.6k)

Bennett’s value probably depends on the status of Rob Gronkowski ($6.8k), who hasn’t played yet in 2016. The Gronk still isn’t 100%, but if he suddenly is a full go he might deserve some consideration. Then again, with Jacoby Brissett under center for the Pats, neither of these guys look safe this week.

That means you’re saving at tight end tonight, with Miller and Celek as the leading candidates. Cutler loved going to Miller last year, so he certainly is in play, but keep in mind that Philly did blank Gary Barnidge in week one. Chicago, meanwhile, hasn’t been tested by a tight end yet this year and we know the Eagles love using the position. With Zach Ertz (ribs) out for at least week two, Celek should start and be far more active than usual. He’s certainly no lock to pay off, but at this price he’s the play.

Team Defenses: All in Play

None of the defenses are over $3.3k and you can make a strong argument for any of them. Philadelphia put up 11 fantasy points against the Browns in week one and everyone knows Jay Cutler can turn the ball over, the Texans are always solid and get a rookie quarterback, Chicago is at home against a rookie passer tonight and the Patriots are at home against a Texans offense that still hasn’t blown the hinges off.

They all have arguments, but Houston feels like the play. Chicago’s defense just isn’t very talented, so they probably aren’t the way to go even though they’re the cheapest unit, while New England and Philly are both about as expensive as Houston. Whitney Mercilus has been an absolute monster and we know what J.J. Watt can do. If Houston can simply stuff LeGarrette Blount early on, they should rack up some sacks and maybe even a turnover or two, along with allowing 20 points or fewer.

Week 2 Thursday Night Football Preview: Odds, Pick and Daily Fantasy Football Advice

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Thursday Night Football returns in week two, as the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will wage war in an AFC East battle in Buffalo on Thursday night.

At first glance, this is a game where daily fantasy football hopes and dreams go to die, as both teams wield strong defenses, good coaching and will probably be playing things close to the chest against a bitter rival. Adding to the intrigue is a less than 100% Sammy Watkins (foot) and the fact that both of these teams lost a week ago.

Jets vs. Bills Betting

Combine a heated rivalry game with a borderline must-win situation and we likely have ourselves a defensive battle. Bovada figures as much, as tonight’s game is projected to be low-scoring (41 Total) and no one really wants to pick a side (Jets are “favored” with -1.5 spread).

If you plan on betting on this game, we wish you luck. The weak spread makes this virtually a pick’em game and you truly can go back and forth as to which team seems to have the edge. Buffalo might have the more complete defense right now, seeing as they held the Ravens to just 13 points in a road loss in week one. They’re keeping things together even though big man Marcell Dareus is suspended for four games to start the year.

Offensively, the Bills were severely challenged in week one. LeSean McCoy was their lone bright spot, the aforementioned Watkins looked hobbled and Tyrod Taylor couldn’t get anything going. If the Bills are going to win tonight, Taylor naturally needs to be better, but the odds are Shady will need to come up with some big plays and the defense will have to be just as good for a second week in a row.

For the Jets, they have a stacked offense with stars like Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker just waiting to sound off. It’s tough to imagine them busting out in this matchup on the road, but craziers things have happened. Defensively, New York cannot be run on, while their passing defense struggled mightily a week ago.

One other aspect to consider here is the revenge game: Rex Ryan faces his old Jets squad and Ryan Fitzpatrick looks to take down his old Bills team. Odds are the rage and determination of those two lost souls cancels out, but both deserve to be noted. Then again, perhaps the revenge narrative should be cast out to sea, seeing as Tyrod Taylor and Ryan both had reason to deal out payback to Baltimore last week and failed miserably.

If we have to pick a side, we reluctantly go with the Bills. They’re at home, their defense was more impressive in week one and Ryan can’t allow a loss to his former team. That, and Ryan Fitzpatrick was awful against this defense the last time he saw them.

That being said, picking this game straight up or ATS isn’t the way to go. The real path is to bet the Under on the Total. These two teams didn’t even combine for 30 points a week ago, so it’s going to be hard to buy them delivering a shootout on a short week.

TNF Fantasy Help

The other aspect of tonight’s TNF game is what fun finds you can uncover in daily fantasy football – or even just your season long fantasy football leagues. They’re two different worlds, so let’s approach them as such.

Season Long Advice

This is most certainly a game to avoid. Obviously if you can’t help it, you should probably play your normal studs like the guys we already touched on, as well as the quarterbacks and maybe even Sammy Watkins. Not a one of these guys are locks to pay off, however, especially considering most of them were duds a week ago and things only get uglier tonight.

Two guys that stand out above the rest, though, are Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte. Forte has a huge role and especially in PPR formats is going to be just fine. Buffalo’s run defense is good but he didn’t even score last week and was a total monster. He should be one of the top plays in this game. Marshall was awful last week, so I expect a decent bounce back game. The matchup isn’t great, but he’s not the type of guy you bet against in back to back weeks.

There are not a ton of sleepers here for season long purposes. You’re either taking a chance with your normal big name guys here, or you’re fading this game and never looking back.

DFS Insight

Quite honestly, the case is very much the same in the daily fantasy football community. That being said, Forte, Marshall and Eric Decker are all very much in play and as we’ve learned, we need to consider other guys that could be even extra contrarian.

That may keep Shady in play, while both quarterbacks could be worthy GPP tries. If Sammy Watkins suits up, he wouldn’t be a bad try against a Jets pass defense that got absolutely torched last week. Just don’t get upset if he bombs, seeing as he’s operating on one foot these days.

The Watkins injury is what could really open the door for a sleeper in this one. If he’s out or limited, Robert Woods could be a really sneaky play. He was the only other Bills receiver to do anything last week, after all. Buffalo tight end Charles Clay is also banged up, but he figures to start and could have an ehanced role with Watkins not being himself.

This turns us back to McCoy, who probably won’t do much on the ground against a stout Jets run defense, but could be more active than usual as a receiver out of the backfield. He had four receptions last week and doubling that wouldn’t be that insane in this game.

Over in New York, there just isn’t much sleeper appeal beyond the big names. Bilal Powell has a mild role but is way too risky to try even in DFS, Quincy Enunwa was a fun week one surprise and seems to have the #3 role locked down and this team pretty much doesn’t have a tight end. Enunwa is the only guy there to gamble with, but after showing well last week, he probably regresses a bit in week two.

With all this said, both defenses are very much in play at DFS sites like DraftKings. Buffalo is at home and fared slightly better last week, and as our projected winner, they figure to be the superior play again.

Overall, this just is not a game we’d suggest betting on or stacking in fantasy football. This will likely be a boring slug-fest with 30-35 total points. Enjoy.

16 Sleepers to Consider For Monday Night’s Daily Fantasy Football Slate

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If you didn’t cash out in daily fantasy football in week one, your chances aren’t all gone. You can still make up for a bad Sunday with a Monday Night Football double-header, which offers up the potential for thousands to be made if you pick the perfect lineup at DFS sites like DraftKings.

It’s no secret who the top options are and in a slate with just two games (four teams) there are bound to be countless similar DFS lineups unless you find a way to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack. Everyone will be using most of the studs like Todd Gurley, Antonio Brown and one of Kirk Cousins or Ben Roethlisberger, but to win big you may need to switch things up and roster (or fade) players you normally wouldn’t.

For Monday specifically, we’ve picked out some interesting daily fantasy football sleepers you’ll want to think about before finalizing your roster:

Quarterbacks: Case Keenum (Rams) and Blaine Gabbert (49ers)

Everyone will be all over Ben Roethlisberger and Kirk Cousins, so one strategy may be to hope that game is randomly low-scoring and they both are awful. Then you can pivot to Keenum or Gabbert and hope it’s somehow the exact opposite in the 49ers/Rams game.

Logic does not support that, but week one wasn’t high on logic in a lot of spots. You never know, the Niners could focus solely on shutting down Todd Gurley and Keenum could rip them up through the air. Or maybe the Rams stuff Hyde and go up early and Gabbert throws all night and ends with 300 yards and 2-3 scores.

The beauty could also simply be in the value, as both of these guys are over $2k less than Cousins and Big Ben, so if they’re even remotely close to them in terms of production, you’re saving cash at quarterback and spending on explosive skill position players. Again, it’s a tough sell, but to win a GPP it may be what is necessary.

Running Backs: Chris Thompson, Rob Kelley (Redskins), Shaun Draughn (49ers) and Fitzgerald Toussaint (Steelers)

Again, we all know the elites here: Todd Gurley and DeAngelo Williams. A lot of people will even use Matt Jones and Carlos Hyde (if they’re healthy enough to play). If those guys randomly are out or limited, though, it’s really going to open things up for guys like Thompson, Kelley and maybe even Draughn. Those guys could randomly produce regardless, but the starter ahead of them going down or being limited would be huge.

Of those three, Thompson is the best play, seeing as he’s Washington’s main passing down back, no matter what. If the Redskins fall behind, he could be a huge play tonight.

Toussaint may be the best pivot of all, as D-Will is set for a monster role in Pittsburgh but obviously will need a breather here and there. If that comes near the goal-line or in a passing situation, Toussaint could be a surprise DFS hero.

Wide Receivers: Eli Rogers, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey (Steelers), Kenny Britt, Brian Quick (Rams) and Jamison Crowder (Redskins)

It’s Antonio Brown or bust tonight, quite literally. DeSean Jackson and a few other big names are worth cursory glances, but the only guy most people care about is Brown and then how you fill in your other two receiver spots could end up being a pretty huge deal.

You can do one of two things:

  • Use Brown and he goes nuts and your other receivers also do well
  • Fade Brown and hope he sucks and just use three decent WRs

Both are somewhat feasible, but either way, going against the grain with those other two receivers may be smart – largely because the options after Brown are awful, and also obviously because this slate is so small.

Because of that, all the scrubs you see above are in play. Rogers, Coates and DHB all have more upside than everyone else simply because they seem to have a good matchup and their offense is awesome. Individually, they are all terrible plays, but it’s a good bet one of those three Steelers receivers goes nuts. Markus Wheaton is out, after all.

That being said, don’t sleep on Britt and Quick. Tavon Austin is the big name WR in Los Angeles, but he’s pretty erratic and often does absolutely nothing. Britt has scoring upside as a big-bodied receiver and Quick can make big plays down the field.

For the Redskins, Crowder might be worth a glance if you’re not into paying for D-Jax or Pierre Garcon, only to watch them sack you to the moon and back. His role isn’t very clear, but he could surprise.

Tight Ends: Lance Kendricks (Rams), Vance McDonald (49ers) and Vernon Davis (Redskins)

Kendricks and McDonald do not promote much confidence or DFS upside, but let’s face it, pretty much everyone is going for Jordan Reed tonight. If they don’t, and still maybe even if they do, they might also think they’re cute by going for Steelers tight end, Jesse James.

Obviously those two are far and away the top tight end choices, but what if the Steelers focus on shutting Reed down (or maybe he gets hurt) and James just doesn’t do much? Perhaps a new, enhanced role is all cheap options like McDonald or Kendricks could need. They seem to be entrenched in defensive battles, anyways, so it’s logical to think safety net tight ends could be targeted a bit in the second game of the night.

Then there is Vernon Davis, who seems to have fallen off a cliff but remains the #2 tight end in Washington. He is probably the worst dart ever, but on paper he’s still a good athlete and the Steelers probably won’t be looking at him as a threat. That could make him the perfect weapon in week one and he costs virtually nothing.

Team Defense: Washington Redskins

The Rams are easily the top unit on tonight’s slate (and also the most expensive). The Niners aren’t very good, but they have a good matchup at home, while the Steelers stink against the pass and are on the road against a good offense but stop the run and get sacks.

Needless to say, there is an argument for and against all of those three team defenses, so swinging for the fences with the Redskins (the cheapest defense on tonight’s daily fantasy football slate) might not be that crazy. For one, Washington can be pretty good when their aggressive blitzing works. It doesn’t hurt that the Steelers are without two key offensive weapons in Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant and that new stud corner Josh Norman might do a decent job on Antonio Brown.

If that’s all to be true, the ‘Skins tend to be quite good at home and could pressure Big Ben into some sacks and/or bad decisions. The good news is they don’t even need to rock your world or completely stifle the Steelers. They just need to be passable and good enough to the point where they’re not leaps and bounds worse than the other three available defenses. None of this says that will be the case, but there is some logic supporting it’s plausibility and if you want to win big, going super contrarian in numerous spots is a good idea.

Daily Fantasy Football Preseason Targets For Thursday Night

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The second week of the 2016 NFL preseason is alive and well on Thursday night, which means now is a good time to figure out who you’re going to use in tonight’s daily fantasy football games over at DraftKings.

Unlike the first week of preseason play, week to should open the door a bit more for the starters, as we’ll see some stars that have so far been absent or limited, and we may see some big names lasting beyond the first quarter and maybe even up until half-time. Keep in mind that is never set in stone, and we still need to stay on top of last second inactives on Twitter and the like.

Also, extra playing time from some regular players doesn’t totally discount the backup options that could have some appeal. You can play the starters at your own risk, but we’ll show you our favorite plays for the night:

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo (Patriots), Brett Hundley (Packers) and A.J. McCarron (Bengals)

We’re looking mostly at backups that should get a good amount of time tonight, but if you want starters who could impress with a little more time on the field, consider Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford. Derek Carr could also be in play if he’s active tonight against the Packers.

This trio makes more sense, however, as they’ve had ample preseason success and they figure to see the field for a good chunk of time. Jimmy G still needs to get ready to start the first four games of the season, so you can safely bet the Pats will play him a quarter or two again tonight. The same goes for McCarron, assuming the aforementioned Dalton doesn’t play too much.

The big play here could be Hundley, who figures to make his 2016 preseason debut. He was a preseason star last year, as he can run the ball and his big arm allows for huge plays down the field.

RB: Daryl Richardson (Steelers), John Crockett (Packers), Zach Zenner (Lions), Duke Johnson (Browns) DeAndre Washington (Raiders), Alex Collins (Seahawks) and Tyler Gaffney (Patriots)

There are even more running backs to consider, as this is without a doubt the most volatile position with so many random guys hitting the field during the preseason.

That being said, Gaffney scored in his debut, D-Rich played well and Duke Johnson may have the most upside in this entire group. Crockett and Zenner were both very good and should once again see strong playing time. Crockett is trying to secure a roster spot in Green Bay, while Zenner is still trying to lock up the third running back role in Detroit.

Alex Collins and DeAndre Washington are two other big name rookies to consider, as they were disappointing in their debuts, but could have big roles as they fight to earn some playing time in year one.

WR: Terrelle Pryor (Browns), Jared Abbrederis (Packers), Sammie Coates (Steelers), Tyler Boyd (Bengals) and Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)

Corey Coleman remains out yet again for the Browns tonight, which should push Pryor into a big role for the second straight game. He is going to be hit or miss, but he and RG3 connected twice in week one and he makes for as good a play as anyone.

Abbrederis was decent in his preseason debut, and he could be in for a bigger role tonight with Green Bay’s main starters (specifically Jordy Nelson) likely out. Jeff Janis (hand) is also done for the preseason, so Abbrederis could get some more chances to secure a roster spot.

Treadwell and Boyd both looked solid enough in their preseason debuts and both will look to improve even more if they hit the field tonight. Boyd had one big play in his first preseason game, and with Brandon LaFell out for a while, he could get a shot at working his way into a starting role.

Coates needs to be considered despite a terrible week one effort, where he did catch three passes but also fumbled the ball twice. If he ends up redeeming himself, however, you’re going to wish you used him.

TE: Martellus Bennett (Patriots), Trey Burton (Eagles) and Jesse James (Steelers)

Tight end is extremely hit or miss during the preseason, so take our favorite three plays with a huge grain of salt. None of these guys have done anything yet this month, but all three have reportedly looked good in camp and could be fighting for bigger roles.

Burton is the one that probably is more just worried about a roster spot, but he’s been great in camp and was also a stat-stuffer last preseason. After doing nothing in week one, the Eagles could try to get him going tonight.

You probably will have better luck with Bennett and James, as Bennett likely will play more tonight with Rob Gronkowski sitting out and James should get every chance to win Pittsburgh’s starting tight end gig. LaDarius Green’s career may be over, so the Steelers need to find a starter somewhere.

A strong effort tonight by James could cement his role with the team.

DEF: Patriots, Steelers, Falcons and Seahawks

Defense is a total toss-up in DFS preseason games, as we never know how the first unit will perform or how long it will be out on the field.

Atlanta really isn’t a scary unit, but RG3 did throw a pick in his preseason debut, so perhaps they can sack him and force a turnover early. The Steelers and Pats are easy tries, as they’ve both made some big plays in preseason so far, while the Legion of Boom certainly carry monster upside at home tonight.

Jeff Janis and Friday’s Top Daily Fantasy Football Preseason Targets

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Half the battle when trying to figure out which NFL players to use for DraftKings’ daily fantasy football preseason games is simply figuring out who is or isn’t playing. That can be difficult, as anyone who is remotely injured won’t play in a meaningless game and any starters are subject to either being sat or played for a short amount of time.

The decision-making does start to get a little easier when you hear about specific guys behind held out, other players needing to prove themselves for a role or roster spot and a lack of depth at a position pointing to someone getting a good amount of reps.

On Thursday night, we got some crazy production out of some odd places. It’s preseason daily fantasy football, so that’s to be expected and we can probably bank on the unthinkable again on Friday. We can’t predict any of that, though. Instead, all we can do is go with what we’re told by teams and the media, and hope for the best. With that, let’s take a look at Friday’s NFL preseason slate and see which players might make for interesting DFS options at DraftKings:

QB: Ryan Nassib (Giants), Joe Callahan (Packers), Landry Jones (Steelers), A.J. McCarron (Bengals), Cody Kessler (Browns) and Connor Cook (Raiders)

Two of last year’s best preseason quarterbacks hit the field on Friday, with Ryan Nassib and Landry Jones both likely to see about a half of football. Both passers were solid in August last year, finishing inside the top-5 for passing yardage in preseason play. Neither is actually technically a good player, but the playing time should be there.

Nassib specifically should play a good deal, as the Giants are expected to hold starter Eli Manning out. That does put Nassib against Miami’s first team defense, but he should play a good deal and could make for a solid DFS play. The same goes for Jones, but these guys really only get the initial edge based on what they did a year ago.

There might actually be more attractive options. Green Bay third stringer Joe Callahan, while as unproven and raw as a quarterback can get, could play an entire half or much more, should Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley both sit out. That was the expectation going into last week’s Hall of Fame game, but then that game got cancelled. Callahan was a stat-stuffer at Wesley College, so with some interesting talent around him and a beatable Browns defense across from him, he might be the most fun to be had in daily fantasy football tonight.

He could also be a total disaster. That’s why we need to also consider other rookies like Kessler and Cook, both of which are easily more polished and may play just as long.

It’s McCarron that excites us the most, though. He has experience as a starter now and with Andy Dalton playing little to no time tonight, he could be in for a good chunk of playing time.

RB: Zach Zenner (Lions), Paul Perkins (Giants), John Crockett (Packers), Duke Johnson (Browns) and DeAndre Washington (Raiders)

Zenner stands out without a doubt, as he was a monster DFS preseason asset last year and made the Lions’ 2015 roster because of it.

He’s in heavy contention for a solid role again in 2016, but surely needs another strong August run to stave off Stevan Ridley. You could also add Ridley to the mix here, but he seems a little washed up. I’ll be using Zenner confidently tonight.

Rookis Paul Perkins and DeAndre Washington are going to be fun tries tonight, simply because they’re very talented and should see the field a good chunk of the night. Neither are safe options based on their inexperience, but they can make some noise tonight and will be worth using.

Duke Johnson is probably not running with Cleveland’s first team, but either way he isn’t a safe bet to see a ton of action in Cleveland’s first preseason game. That being said, he’s really explosive and versatile, so forever long he’s playing, he’s a threat to spring some big plays. Even if it’s a quarter, he could be worth rostering.

Crockett is my dark horse, as the Packers aren’t likely to play their top rushers much and they seem to be high on him. He still needs to prove he is deserving of a roster spot, though, and he gets to attempt to do that against a bad Browns run defense. I like his chances to get around 10 touches and maybe find the end-zone.

WR: Jeff Janis (Packers), Jared Abbrederis (Packers), J.J. Nelson (Cardinals), Sammie Coates (Steelers), Sterling Shepard (Giants), Laquon Treadwell (Vikings), Tyler Boyd (Bengals), Terrelle Pryor (Browns), Corey Coleman (Browns) and Max McCaffrey (Raiders)

Wide receiver is all over the place, but I don’t see how you can make a team without Janis, who burst onto the scene the last two preseason and was huge in Green Bay’s playoff loss last year. He still has work to do, but he should get ample playing time and is so explosive that he only needs one touch to pay off.

Teammate Abbrederis should also play a ton and although he doesn’t have the same big play upside, he’s been impressive in camp and could see a lot of balls come his way.

I’m also looking at some interesting backups in good offenses, with Coates and Nelson taking the cake. Both guys can spring big plays and will need some time to prove themselves tonight. Tyler Boyd, Sterling Shepard, Laquon Treadwell and Corey Coleman are all uber-hyped rookies that have the talent to kill it tonight, as well.

Pryor seems like a gimmick to this point, but maybe he’ll really start turning heads tonight.

One other guy I’m interested in is Oakland’s Max McCaffrey. He was a solid receiver at Duke and has blazing speed. The difficult part will be trusting his playing time, as he’s reportedly gotten inconsistent opportunities in camp. Still, I’m interested in his speed and he could potentially see the field a good amount to close out the night.

TE: Jesse James (Steelers), MarQueis Gray (Dolphins), MyCole Pruitt (Vikings), Ryan Hewitt (Bengals), Justin Perillo (Packers) and Troy Niklas (Cardinals)

Tight end is one of the worst positions to try to predict during preseason games. James could be a good try with LaDarius Green possibly set to retire, though. The Steelers may need him to be their starter in 2016, so getting him a lot of extra work would probably be a good idea.

Ryan Hewitt and Justin Perillo doesn’t promote a ton of upside (or confidence), but Jared Cook, Tyler Eifert and Tyler Kroft are all banged up. Based on sheer playing time, these guys are in the mix. I’m not overly into Troy Niklas just because Arizona doesn’t properly utilize the tight end position, but he’s actually quite talented and has been drawing “rave reviews” this summer. He should see the field a good amount and isn’t a terrible try at a weak DFS position.

Gray and Pruitt are no more stable than the other guys we touched on, but they both have found some success during past preseason games. With both guys being backups and playing for a roster spot, it wouldn’t at all be shocking to see either (or both) deliver solid performances, possibly out of pure desperation.

DEF: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals

Defense is a total toss-up most weeks even during the regular season, but in preseason play, forget about it. We love the Jaguars yesterday, only to see the first and second team Jets’ units to fare pretty well. Not seeing Christian Hackenberg hit the field also hurt our upside with that particular unit.

Tonight we should just play the initial matchup odds, here, and all of these defenses have some potential. Cincinnati and Arizona are simply good defense in general, so maybe they can get some sacks or turnovers early and put you in a good spot. The Steelers can also do that, plus they’ll be facing a mostly drab Lions offense once the starters leave the field.

Cleveland is the dark horse here, as they’re facing mostly Joe Callahan. Callahan does have weapons and some upside, but he’s also super inexperience and could struggle mightily. You’ll need to pick a side here, but if you get the right one you should be rather pleased.

Got your own daily fantasy football preseason targets to share with us? Tell us all about them in the comments below!

Week 1 NFL Preseason: Daily Fantasy Football and Betting Advice For Thursday’s Games

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The 2016 NFL preseason was supposed to start this past Sunday night, where the Green Bay Packers were slated to face off with the Indianapolis Colts in this year’s Hall of Fame game.

Delayed Preseason

Bad field conditions had other plans, however, and the game was subsequently cancelled.

Football is Back

That pushed on the wait for pro football’s return, but we finally get some real, live NFL action this Thursday night when 12 teams take the field for six entertaining games.

Well, hopefully entertaining. These are still preseason football games we’re talking about, and we’re probably not going to see much (if any) of the star players for the 12 respective franchises.

Still, that’s six games we can scout and potentially even bet on, which could make our Thursday a lot more interesting. Should you plan to watch, bet on or take your hand at DFS fantasy football, we’ve got your full week one NFL preseason guide when it comes to Thursday night’s action. Let’s break it down by game and see what you should consider for NFL betting and daily fantasy football purposes:

Buccaneers @ Eagles

The highlight of this game without a doubt will be rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, who is scheduled to play the entire second half on Thursday night. That makes Wentz a fun DFS play on paper, especially since he’ll be taking on Tampa Bay backups for his first NFL action.

The Bucs look like the poor bet here when it comes to preseason NFL betting, and Vegas agrees, as they come in with a +3 line per Bovada. They’re on the road and Philly (-3) is stacked with competent quarterback play, with Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and Wentz all seeing action. We’d take the Eagles here and try Wentz with maybe Josh Huff and/or Nelson Agholor in daily fantasy football preseason leagues.

Just make sure any and all guys you use in preseason DFS games are active, and keep in mind that not everyone will play normal snaps in an exhibition game.

Redskins @ Falcons

This game offers the same line, with the Redskins hitting the road as the underdog (+3) against the Falcons (-3). This one is a total toss up, as both teams are balanced enough to put up some points early, but neither have an obvious edge in the depth department.

It will be interesting to see how long the starters stay out, but it’s tough to imagine guys like Jordan Reed, DeSean Jackson and Julio Jones playing much. We’ll have to give ATL the mild edge here, simply because they’re at home and maybe partially because Ric Flair got them going recently in practice:

For daily fantasy football purposes, keep your eye on Rashad Ross, who is Washington’s primary return specialist, but also destroyed opposing defenses as a wide receiver last preseason.

Panthers @ Ravens

Since it’s the first preseason game of the year, we can’t expect to see much out of the starters from either side. Cam Newton is a historically slow starter, too, so even if he stayed out there a bit, I’m not sure I’d be enamored with him against a healthier Baltimore defense.

It may be about the backups in this one, and Baltimore may have the depth edge under center and in the offensive backfield. The Ravens are also playing in front of their home crowd, so we like them as the -1.5 favorite.

Due to Baltimore’s deep running back stable, you could pick and choose one to use out of their lineup. Terrance West has had a great camp and could be worth a look.

Jaguars @ Jets

This could be a nightmare game for the Jets, who probably won’t push Ryan Fitzpatrick out with the starters for too long. If that’s the case, we may see way more of Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg that we ever wished to. They haven’t exactly torn it up and camp and Hackeberg has been specifically brutal, so you’ll want to avoid Jets passers entirely in this one.

Matt Forte has also been banged up, so New York will be operating well under 100% offensively in this one. This all could give the Jaguars (+3 underdogs) a shot at pulling off the mild preseason upset (is there such a thing?), while their defense could be the one to target in daily fantasy football games due to the matchup.

Saints @ Patriots

This may be the best preseason game on Thursday night, as we may see Drew Brees and we’ll definitely get a decent dose of Jimmy Garappolo. The rest of the Pats’ top offensive players are either going to sit or be limited, while #1 receiver Julian Edelman just got hurt again in practice.

Needless to say, as attractive of a DFS flier as Jimmy G figured to be for Thursday night, he may be a tough sell. Still, New England could offer some DFS upside on the ground, where Brandon Bolden could see a solid amount of touches. Aaron Dobson is also still trying to carve out a spot with New England, so he’s another guy to consider.

New England plays host and comes in as the -3 favorite, but with injuries and possibly inactives, we like the Saints as an upset pick in week one.

Broncos @ Bears

The last game of the night pits the Broncos against the Bears in a true pick’em at Bovada. That figures, since we know very little about a Super Bowl champ that has a shaky quarterback situation and a Bears team that keeps getting rid of star offensive talent with each passing year.

A lot of questions should begin to be answered on both sides, as Chicago looks for a new starting running back, a new starting tight end and hopes second-year receiver Kevin White can rise up and snag a big role. That could put Bears tight ends, White and any of their running backs in play against Denver in daily fantasy football leagues.

The real interest for DFS purposes is on the Broncos’ side, however. Paxton Lynch is locked into the entire second half, which gives us certain playing time.

If he can connect with guys like Cody Latimer and Jordan Taylor – two able bodied receivers – he could be a fun DFS play. We’re also interested in Denver tight end Virgil Green and running backs Devontae Booker, Juwan Thompson and Kapri Bibbs.

Overall, Denver has the more interesting talent and the deeper roster (other than quarterback) so we’ll take them on Thursday.

Got a different take when it comes to preseason daily fantasy football or Thursday’s preseason bets? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

NFL Preseason Week 1: Fantasy Football Options to Use at DraftKings

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Fantasy Football is back. Sort of. We’re still over a month away from regular season action and true daily fantasy football as we’ve grown to know it, but DraftKings know how much we love it, so they’ve pushed out some daily fantasy football leagues for NFL preseason games.

It’s a glorious thing, indeed. Week one is the toughest week to gauge in NFL preseason play, whether it be due to injuries, which players are even active, how long players play and the list goes on. We may see starters for one series, or we may not see them at all. Other teams are crazy and push their starters out there for a quarter or longer right away in week one.

Those are things we can’t really bank on, so at least for the first week, the best thing to do is target guys we are assuming will at least be active and then probably will get several opportunities out on the field to show what they can do.

The first week of preseason fantasy football includes a solid 7-game slate, starting with this Saturday’s Hall of Fame game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. From there we get six Thursday night games, and then we’re sure to get more DFS leagues for games later in the weekend.

For now, we’ll help you warm up with that initial 7-game slate. Let’s see who could be worth targeting in your DFS lineups at each position at DK this week:

Quarterback

With most of the starters seeing little to no action, we’re probably going to see a lot of time on the field from second and third string quarterbacks. Some could see more time than others, of course, as they need to be evaluated as they learn/run the offense and face NFL defenses.

The list of competent options is actually fairly long, but the guys we’re eyeing the most are Brett Hundley (Packers), Scott Tolzien (Colts), Mike Glennon (Buccaneers), Chase Daniel (Eagles), Carson Wentz (Eagles), Ryan Mallett (Ravens), Jimmy Garoppolo (Patriots) and Paxton Lynch (Broncos).

Narrowing that list down, we would imagine Jimmy G is near the top of the list, as he needs to prepare to start for the Patriots for the first four weeks of the season due to a Tom Brady suspension. He’ll likely see a lot of playing time throughout the preseason and a good chunk of it could come here in week one.

The same should go for rookies Lynch and Wentz, who actually could be playing with a few talented receiving options and just as importantly, could see 1-2 quarters of action. Lynch has also specifically been improving at a rapid pace in Denver’s camp, so he could potentially have a big first showing.

My favorite pick of the lot here could be Green Bay backup Brett Hundley, however. The Packers shouldn’t play Aaron Rodgers much (if at all), so we should see a ton of Hundley, who was a bit of a sensation last year during the preseason. He’s big, athletic and can chuck the rock, plus he’ll have some solid receivers like Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis to work with.

Just make sure Hundley (and everyone you use) is active, as he has an ankle injury and the preseason is the most difficult time of year to trust NFL injury news.

All of these guys could be suitable picks, but if you want some real upside, roll with one of Lynch, Wentz, Jimmy G or Hundley.

Running Back

Running back is similar, but there are way more bodies and you don’t know what level of defense some of these guys will be facing or what situations they’ll be in. That makes any of them risky plays, but the first trick is to steer clear from the main starter and maybe even his top backup. Teams aren’t going to risk the health of their best two running backs very deep into the first preseason game – at least not normally.

Instead, you’re looking for young, unproven backs who bring some solid talent to the table and/or should see the field a good amount as they try to win a role or roster spot.

That is going to put a ton of guys on the radar, but the backs we like the most for week one are John Crockett (Packers), Storm Johnson (Buccaneers), Terrance West (Ravens), Jonas Gray (Jets), Daniel Lasco (Saints), Jordan Howard (Bears), Juwan Thompson (Broncos) and Devontae Booker (Broncos).

Booker is a mild question mark as he continues to rehab a February knee surgery, but he’s super talented and could get some good run here if active. Thompson and maybe even fellow Bronco Kapri Bibbs could be worth a longer look if Booker is held out.

Chicago’s running game appears pretty fluid behind expected starter Jeremy Lanford, so we could see a lot of rookie Jordan Howard. He’s one of our favorite week 1 preseason plays and Ka’Deem Carey could even be worth a look, although he’s failed to impress in the past.

Jonas Gray has routinely impressed in camp and preseason play in the past, and we all remember him for his insane 200+ yard and 4-score game with the Pats a couple years back. He could be worth a cursory glance, while Terrance West has really turned heads as a slimmed down, productive options in camp with the Ravens.

Storm Johnson is close to flaming out of the league, but he gets a crack with Tampa Bay and could see the field a bit to try to prove himself. The same goes for Green Bay’s Crockett, who has impressed in camp in the past and should see a ton of field time with Eddie Lacy either limited or out.

Our favorite plays are Howard, Crockett and Booker (if he plays), and you could package all three in the 2RB and Flex spots.

Wide Receiver

Once again, we’re staying away from the star names, as we can’t have any clue how much they’ll play – or if they’ll play at all. In other words, use the Randall Cobb’s and Julio Jones’ at your own risk.

With that said, there are a lot of solid secondary options to consider, with guys like Jeff Janis (Packers), Phillip Dorsett (Colts), Josh Huff (Eagles), Ryan Grant (Redskins), Charone Peake (Jets), Michael Thomas (Saints), Cody Latimer (Broncos), Kevin White (Bears) and Jordan Taylor (Broncos) leading the way.

There is some very hit or miss talent here, but Janis, Dorsett, Huff, White and Latimer offer major big play upside. Taylor has also been a camp hero, making insane catches like this look normal:

We like all of these guys, but Janis has been a huge preseason guy in the past and is playing for a bigger role. It’d be shocking if he didn’t play a good amount to get the preseason started and if he’s on the field, he’s likely to produce. It’s unclear how much Kevin White (a projected starter) would play, but if he’s set to knock the rust off, he could be a fun try. We also don’t mind using Thomas, Huff and Taylor, as they’re all talented and still need to prove themselves within their respective offenses.

Tight End

This is an impossible position to gauge during preseason play. Tight ends don’t light it up during preseason and the starters never seem to stay on the field long or make a big impact. You’re firing in the dark here, but a few guys stand out.

Trey Burton scored twice last year, rookie Austin Hooper brings upside to the table for the Falcons, Ed Dickson could see some playing time in Carolina with Greg Olsen limited or out and Denver’s Virgil Green could be prepping a breakout season with a nice run in August. He’s already been crushing it in camp, so he may be the top tight end to consider on this 7-game slate.

Defense

Defense is even worse than tight end, as you don’t know how long the starting unit will play or how long the opponent’s starting unit will play. Beyond that, it’s virtually impossible to predict how backups will fare against each other. All you can do is gauge a team’s backup talent and try to use a solid defense against an opponent that looks weak on paper.

For this 7-game slate, the Packers, Redskins, Panthers, Ravens, Jaguars, Patriots and Broncos all feel like decent tries. Jacksonville may lead the way for us, just because New York’s quarterbacks are dreadful. It’s tough to imagine the Jets generating a ton of interest with such flawed passers.

Got your own favorite options for this first slate of preseason DFS action? Tell us all about them in the comments below!