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FanDuel NFL Lineup Advice: Week 1 (Full Slate)

FanDuel NFL Lineup Advice: Week 1 (Full Slate)

The NFL is back Thursday night. I think we can all agree that’s some of the best news we’ve heard this year.

So I’ll keep the introduction brief. Every week, so long as there’s a season, I’ll give you my weekly FanDuel lineup. And we’re starting the 2020 season with a Philadelphia double stack.

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Quarterback: Carson Wentz (PHI): $7,700 

Wentz lit up Washington for 313 yards and three touchdowns in last season’s opener. I expect him to find some similar success Sunday. The Football Team (I laughed out loud while typing that) added prolific collegiate pass rusher Chase Young with the second-overall pick. But the team didn’t make many improvements to a secondary that allowed 35 passing touchdowns a year ago. Plus, it traded one of its more productive players, Quinton Dunbar, to Seattle in March.

While Patrick Mahomes was certainly a consideration here, I think that Wentz can put up similarly strong numbers at a much lower price.

Running Back: Josh Jacobs (LV): $8,200 

I’m all in on Josh Jacobs this season, and I think he’ll get off to a great start against Carolina. The Panthers allowed an average of 5.2 yards per rushing attempt and surrendered 31 rushing touchdowns last season. And that was with Luke Kuechly on the roster. This is a bad, rebuilding defense that should be manhandled by Vegas’ respectable offensive line. I could see Jacobs having the best day of any running back on the board, aside from maybe his Week 1 opponent, Christian McCaffrey.

Running Back: Austin Ekeler (LAC): $7,700

In a half-PPR setting, Ekeler should provide a solid weekly floor. And while many think that the departure of Philip Rivers will hurt Ekeler’s fantasy prospects, they forget that Tyrod Taylor isn’t afraid to check the ball down either. It also helps that Cincinnati allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL last season. Ekeler is poised to have a strong performance on the ground and in the passing game.

Wide Receiver: Chris Godwin (TB): $7,700

My original lineup included both Michael Thomas and Brandin Cooks. But I was forced to scrap that plan after news got out that Cooks is dealing with a quad injury.

Godwin’s a darn good consolation prize. He caught 10 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns in two contests against New Orleans last season. Mike Evans is $200 cheaper, but I suspect that he’ll draw New Orleans shutdown cornerback Marshon Lattimore more often. Plus, Evans’ skillset as a downfield threat might not mesh as well with Tom Brady as it did with Jameis Winston.

Last season, Brady ranked 23rd among quarterbacks with an average depth of target of 7.6 yards. Evans ranked 4th in the NFL in average yards before the catch (13.6) and ninth in average depth of target (15.1 yards). Meanwhile, Godwin averaged 8.8 yards before the catch and had an average depth of target of 10.4 yards. At 43 years old, I suspect Brady won’t sling it downfield too often, which could benefit Godwin’s fantasy outlook.

Wide Receiver: Stefon Diggs (BUF): $6,600

I’m expecting some big plays out of Diggs in his Buffalo debut. Of course, I’m also banking on Josh Allen to actually connect on a deep ball or two. As erratic as Allen can be, I don’t expect Jets cornerbacks Pierre Desir, Blessuan Austin, and slot corner Brian Poole to offer up much resistance.

Wide Receiver: DeSean Jackson (PHI): $5,600 

Here’s the second half of our Philly Stack Sandwich. I’m not touching Jackson in season-long fantasy leagues due to his durability issues. But Jackson’s explosiveness, the matchup, and the price combine to make this too good of an opportunity to pass up. In last season’s opener, Jackson caught nine balls for 154 yards and two touchdowns against Washington. I’m betting on a repeat performance.

Tight End: Darren Waller (LV): $6,900 

Waller’s another player I didn’t pursue in season-long drafts, but he offers a good floor with some significant upside this week. The Raiders lost Tyrell Williams for the season and could have two rookie receivers starting Sunday in Carolina. I’m expecting Derek Carr to look Waller’s way early and often this week.

FLEX: Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT): $5,900

Monday night could be Diontae Johnson’s coming out party. Ben Roethlisberger is back and has already claimed “the sky is the limit,” for Johnson, who caught 59 passes for 680 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. The Giants’ defense ranked 28th in passing yards allowed last season and surrendered 30 touchdowns. The addition of James Bradberry helps, but it won’t dramatically transform this lousy secondary. I expect the Steelers to make a statement Monday night and love Johnson as a high-upside FLEX.

FLEX ALTERNATE: Kendrick Bourne (WR – SF): $5,700

With Diontae Johnson’s status for Monday’s game in jeopardy, I wanted to provide an alternate option. I’m taking a flier on Bourne because of the likelihood that both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk miss Sunday’s game against Arizona. Bourne managed to score 5 touchdowns last season and could be a sneaky upside play against a Cardinals secondary that allowed 38 passing touchdowns last season.

Defense: Indianapolis Colts D/ST: $3,700

I’ll always look to save some budget on my defense, and the Colts are a great bargain in Week 1. The unit itself wasn’t amazing in 2019, as they ranked 18th in both points allowed and yards allowed per play. However, the Colts racked up 41 sacks and recorded 23 takeaways last season. Oh, and they added DeForest Buckner and his 28.5 career sacks this offseason. Indy’s defense should create plenty of havoc against Gardner Minshew and a depleted Jaguars offense.

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Matt Barbato is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Matt, check out his archive and follow him @RealMattBarbato.

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