Early DraftKings Daily Fantasy Week 1 Values

Many people are getting ready for their normal fantasy football drafts, but some hardcore fans are also already looking ahead to values in one-week daily fantasy matchups. A lot will change (injuries, position battles, etc.), but these are among the best early Week 1 daily fantasy values from DraftKings. For unlimited advice on both traditional and daily fantasy leagues, join the pack and subscribe to Fantasy Consigliere.

 

Lamar Jackson @ MIA

Lamar Jackson’s current Week 1 salary of $6000 is in the top-nine for quarterbacks, but he’s still a good value because of the matchup against a Dolphins team the Ravens should handle. The regular season opener will be the first week Baltimore fully unveils a new offense under offensive coordinator Greg Roman that head coach John Harbaugh hopes will change the NFL, so it’ll be difficult for Miami to gameplan for that; and it sounds like Jackson running the football could be a big part of it, which is a boost in fantasy.

 

Carson Wentz vs. WAS

The Redskins are expected to have a tough defense, but it’s still surprising to see Carson Wentz with a $5,700 salary on DraftKings for Week 1. In his career against the Redskins, Wentz has nine touchdowns compared to four interceptions and is averaging 274.8 passing yards per game—that includes his first game against Washington during his rookie season, when he had just 179 yards and no touchdowns. Determined to prove people wrong in 2019, Wentz might be the best overall DraftKings value to open the season.

 

Kerryon Johnson @ ARI

Even if he’s part of a true committee with C.J. Anderson, Kerryon Johnson is set to play a ton of snaps in Week 1 against a Cardinals team that’s expected to run a fast-paced offense that wants to get upwards of 90 plays per game. Also, Arizona was atrocious against the run last season, and that might not change under an offensive-minded head coach—though the addition of veteran talent might help. Overall, at an RB2 cost of $5,800, Johnson offers elite RB1 upside with a nice floor for Week 1.

 

Chris Carson vs. CIN

The Bengals are already getting decimated by injuries this year, and they were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league before injuries hit. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are fully expected to be playoff contenders again in 2019, and they get to play their first game of the season with the homefield advantage at CenturyLink Field. If this becomes a blowout, Chris Carson could be in store for 25 carries and a couple of scores at a cost of just $5,700.

 

Mark Ingram @ MIA

Again, Baltimore’s offense is expected to be something uncommon that might throw defenses off, especially for the first game they see it with only preseason film to gameplan on. It’s probably a good idea to get a piece of the Ravens offense where there’s value for a blow-up week for the entire unit—particularly the running game. Mark Ingram is currently valued at $5,100 on DraftKings for Week 1, and he should have a strong chance to hit pay dirt, along with the opportunity for a few receptions.

 

Dante Pettis @ TB

Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has already given Dante Pettis a rave review this offseason, and the second-year receiver might continue his scorching end to his rookie year in 2018—he certainly has the matchup to do so, as the Buccaneers have struggled against receivers for years, and it might take some time for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to get the group to play well. $5,400 is lower than Jarvis Landry and D.J. Moore, both of whom have tougher matchups and are arguably already below Pettis from a fantasy perspective for 2019.

 

Adam Humphries @ CLE

You want to be careful of buying too much into training camp hype, but Adam Humphries appears to be getting open with ease for Marcus Mariota this summer. Coming off a breakout season with 76 receptions for the Buccaneers, Humphries should have the upside to grab several receptions every week for the Titans, and a Week 1 contest against the Browns, which could turn into a shootout, is an excellent spot to use him at a $4,000 price in your lineup.

 

Trey Quinn @ PHI

Carson Wentz’s success against Washington was already discussed, and if Philadelphia really puts up points, the Redskins might be forced to pass more than they’d like. Redskins head coach Jay Gruden already said Trey Quinn pretty much has the slot job locked up, and at $3,400, Quinn should be one of the better options to place into your lineup while saving money for a top-tier player at another spot.

 

Delanie Walker @ CLE

Veteran tight end Delanie Walker is currently undervalued at $3,500 for Week 1 coming off last year’s season-ending leg injury, so you can take advantage by considering him for your first DraftKings lineup of 2019. The Browns didn’t defend the tight end position well last season, so Walker has considerable upside to go along with what should be a high floor.

 

Greg Olsen vs. LAR

The Rams also weren’t great at defending tight ends last season, and Greg Olsen is another veteran tight end that is probably undervalued in for Week 1 daily fantasy games after dealing with injury in 2018. Olsen is just $3,200 in DraftKings, but he should remain a go-to option for Cam Newton this season.

 

Bills @ NYJ

Defense is tough for Week 1 because we don’t really know how each team will look this season. Spending on the Ravens against the Dolphins is probably worth it, but the Bills at $3,000 present one of the best values among D/STs.

 

49ers @ TB

The Niners would be a better pick if they were playing at home, but they’re worth taking a chance on at $2,200 while facing a turnover-prone quarterback in Jameis Winston. There’s the potential the streaky Winston lights it up at home and you get burned, but the upside at a lower cost allows you to spend more elsewhere in your lineup.