Week 1 DFS Cash Game Picks: De'Von Achane And More Safe FanDuel And DraftKings Plays

NFL DFS Week 1 cash game locks include De’Von Achane, Joe Flacco–David Njoku stacks, Trevor Lawrence stacks, plus Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy—safe plays to build winning lineups.

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) celebrates a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders with wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) at Hard Rock Stadium. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Week 1 is finally here, and with it comes the fun and excitement of playing DFS cash games. Whether you’re a fan of DraftKings or FanDuel, cash games are all about minimizing risk. Here’s a breakdown of my favorite plays and stacking strategies to lock into your lineups this weekend.

Cash Game vs GPP: What’s the Difference?

If you’re new to DFS, the first thing to know is that not all contests are created equal. This article focuses on cash game plays and includes the players you can trust to deliver steady production in Week 1. Here's the difference between cash games and GPP.

Cash Games (50/50, double-ups, head-to-heads): You only need to beat about half the field to win. The goal here is safety and consistency—play the “chalk” (popular players with solid floors), grab volume, and avoid unnecessary risk.

GPP (Guaranteed Prize Pools, tournaments): These are large-field contests where you need to finish near the very top to make serious money. In GPPs, you’re chasing upside, stacking QBs with multiple pass catchers, targeting low-rostered players, and swinging for the fences.

Top Running Back Play

In my opinion, De’Von Achane is a Week 1 cheat code. At $6,900 on DraftKings and $8,200 on FanDuel, he’s priced just right for his workload. Achane offers a consistent floor thanks to his usage in the passing game and a ceiling that still works quite nicely for a cash lineup. We should expect plenty of handoffs along with big pass-receiving chances. Despite his injury, he's ready to rock and roll.

Value Stacks

Stacks aren’t just for tournaments. When the price is right, they belong in cash lineups too. Two affordable combos stand out to me this week:

Cleveland Browns: Pairing Joe Flacco with David Njoku is about as inexpensive as it gets for a productive stack. Flacco should pepper Njoku with targets, and playing against a shaky Bengals defense, that connection looks solid.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars: Want a bit more upside? Go with Trevor Lawrence, along with rookie wideouts Brian Thomas Jr. and Tetairoa McMillan. This Jaguars trio is affordable and has a soft defensive matchup in Week 1, making it a great way to feel confident in the ability of your lineup to score points.

International Plays

The NFL is kicking things off with an international matchup, and DFS players should have eyes on Kansas City.

Travis Kelce: Safe, reliable, and still Patrick Mahomes’ go-to guy. For cash games, you want that volume. I'm seeing some managers fading Kelce. That could work in your favor.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Xavier Worthy: With Rashee Rice out, Worthy could be the sneaky Week 1 value play. He’s explosive, he’s cheap, and he’ll have plenty of chances to make some catches.

TLDR:

Top RB play: De’Von Achane – locked into both DraftKings and FanDuel cash builds.

Value stacks: Flacco/Njoku for salary relief, Lawrence/Thomas/McMillan for upside.

International game targets: Kelce ( safe floor) and Worthy ( good value).

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Keep it simple in cash games. Lean on volume, affordable stacks, and players who don’t need everything to go perfectly to pay off their salaries. Week 1 always has a little chaos, but these plays give you the stability to win while others chase the upside.