Top DFS Values for Week 1
No matter the site that you’re playing on, this week will come down to whether Le’Veon Bell reports to the Steelers. If Bell continues to hold out, James Conner becomes the premier value across all sites, opening up salary across all position. If Bell plays, the Steelers backfield is off-limits, and it will be a challenge to roster multiple top-end players.
The following will highlight the most notable values from the 4for4 Lineup Generator for both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Editor’s note: “Value” doesn’t necessarily mean inexpensive, but rather the best bang for your DFS buck. These players, regardless of price tag, project to give you the most production per dollar this week.
FanDuel
Cam Newton ($8,100) vs. Cowboys
4for4 pinpoints Cam Newton as a top-two value at quarterback and the player at his position with the best odds to hit cash-game value, according to Leverage Scores. Newton has rushed for more than 37 yards per game—or nearly a passing touchdown’s worth of fantasy points—over the last three years, and averaged a rushing touchdown almost every other game. That rushing floor makes him one of the safest DFS plays every week. This is the best set of weapons that Newton has had in his career, and he faces a Cowboys defense that surrendered the seventh-highest touchdown rate in 2017. That passing upside makes Cam viable in all game formats.
Fantasy Football Week 1 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em
Alex Collins ($6,700) vs. Bills
The best price-saving option on FanDuel this week is Ravens running back Alex Collins. Favored by more than a touchdown at home, Baltimore figures to find itself in a game script that favors the run throughout the game. Over the final 10 weeks of last season, Collins ranked seventh in the league in touches, and that workhorse role is expected to continue in 2018. With Nathan Peterman starting at quarterback for the Bills behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, the Ravens should see an inflated number of drives, usually in good field position. Those dynamics inflate Collins’ touchdown upside, which is essential on a half-PPR site like FanDuel.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings
DraftKings
Alvin Kamara ($8,500) vs. Buccaneers
Alvin Kamara isn’t just 4for4’s top value at running back—he’s the best overall across all positions on the main slate. The Saints are at home and favored by 9.5 points, the largest margin of Week 1. That potential game script combined with DraftKings’ PPR scoring and 100-yard bonuses gives Kamara the highest floor of any running back on the slate. The only threat to Kamara’s touches is Mike Gillislee, who has only been on the roster since Sunday. Even if Gillislee does cut into rushing work, Kamara could see double-digit targets as the de facto number two pass-catcher behind Michael Thomas.
Week 1 Fantasy Football Sneaky Starts
Keelan Cole ($3,800) at Giants
Keelan Cole is one of the few players that helps unlock the slate with affordable volume. After Marqise Lee’s season-ending injury, Cole ascended to the top of Jacksonville's wide receiver depth chart. Last season, the Giants surrendered the fourth-highest touchdown rate through the air and their primary cornerbacks—Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins—both ranked in the bottom 15 in DraftKings points allowed per target, per SportsInfoSolutions. This all adds up to Cole ranking as a top-five receiver value, according to 4for4.
