The anticipation has been building and the time has finally arrived with NFL Week 1 this weekend. The premise of this weekly DFS column will be to provide you with the top Cash game plays to consider at each position. In Cash games, we want to roster a collection of players to maximize opportunities (carries plus targets) and give us the best chance for “Splash” plays (aka touchdowns or big gainers). Combining these two elements gives our Cash game lineups a high-scoring floor with some upside.
Week 1 of the season offers a lot of unknowns, so be sure to minimize the number of unknown commodities you plug into your Cash game lineup and focus on the players and situations with some expected stability for your core. Then look to sprinkle in a couple of those inexpensive unknowns at high variance positions to provide some potential upside for your lineup. Let’s get to the recommendations for the Week 1 main slate!
Create Optimal lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
The players below are ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations for Week 1 main slates:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Kyler Murray (ARI): $7,600 vs. TEN
You should sense a theme at the quarterback position when reading my Cash game articles this season. We typically want a quarterback that offers a combination of rushing and passing ability to heighten our floor and maximize our upside. Murray will often fit that profile this season.
The anticipation has been building and the time has finally arrived with NFL Week 1 this weekend. The premise of this weekly DFS column will be to provide you with the top Cash game plays to consider at each position. In Cash games, we want to roster a collection of players to maximize opportunities (carries plus targets) and give us the best chance for “Splash” plays (aka touchdowns or big gainers). Combining these two elements gives our Cash game lineups a high-scoring floor with some upside.
Week 1 of the season offers a lot of unknowns, so be sure to minimize the number of unknown commodities you plug into your Cash game lineup and focus on the players and situations with some expected stability for your core. Then look to sprinkle in a couple of those inexpensive unknowns at high variance positions to provide some potential upside for your lineup. Let’s get to the recommendations for the Week 1 main slate!
Create Optimal lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
The players below are ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations for Week 1 main slates:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Kyler Murray (ARI): $7,600 vs. TEN
You should sense a theme at the quarterback position when reading my Cash game articles this season. We typically want a quarterback that offers a combination of rushing and passing ability to heighten our floor and maximize our upside. Murray will often fit that profile this season.
Murray averaged 51 yards per game on the ground last season and scored double-digit rushing touchdowns. Couple that rushing production with a juicy passing matchup against the Titans who allowed 287 passing yards (29th) and 2.3 touchdown passes (31st) per game last season and it should be a big Week 1 for Murray.
Jalen Hurts (PHI): $6,400 vs. ATL
If you are looking for the cheaper version of Murray at quarterback this week, then give Hurts a look. During a three-game stretch at the end of last season, Hurts averaged almost 80 yards per game on the ground and over 282 passing yards per start.
The Falcons allowed six rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks last season while giving up 5.29 YPC (27th) to running signal-callers. They were also shredded through the air for 307 passing yards (32nd) and 2.1 touchdown passes (29th) per game.
Other notables: Josh Allen (BUF): $7,400 vs. PIT
FanDuel
Kyler Murray (ARI): $8,400 vs. TEN
See Murray above.
Jalen Hurts (PHI): $7,600 vs. ATL
See Hurst above.
Other notables: Russell Wilson (SEA): $7,800 vs. IND
Running Backs
DraftKings
Christian McCaffrey (CAR): $9,500 vs. NYJ
McCaffrey has been the point-per-reception (PPR) king at the running back position when healthy over the last four seasons. Yet, while he is the most expensive running back on the slate on DraftKings, he is only $400 more expensive than Dalvin Cook. Advantage CMC.
McCaffrey and the Panthers are a small home favorite against the Jets who gave up 6.1 receptions (31st) for 42 yards (25th) per game to pass-catching backs last season. The Jets also ranked 27th Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) against the run according to FootballOutsiders.
Joe Mixon (CIN): $6,200 vs. MIN
Mixon was on his way to being a workhorse back for the Bengals last season before getting injured. Through the first six games, he was averaging over 24 opportunities per game. Now with Giovanni Bernard out of town, the feature role for Mixon should be on full display for an up-and-coming Bengals offense.
Mixon and the Bengals will face a Vikings rush defense that surrendered over 113 rushing yards (27th) and 1.1 touchdowns (29th) per game on the ground to opposing running backs last season. With the Bengals at home as a small underdog with a strong 48-point Vegas total, there should be plenty of opportunities and potential splash plays for Mixon.
Other notables: Alvin Kamara (NO): $8,600 vs. GB, Austin Ekeler (LAC): $7,000 vs. WAS, Antonio Gibson (WAS): $5,900 vs. LAC
FanDuel
Dalvin Cook (MIN): $9,400 vs. CIN
Let’s pivot to Cook over McCaffrey on FanDuel where Cook is $1,000 cheaper and the impact of receptions is lessened with just 0.5 PPR. You know Cook will continue to be the focus of the offense for the Vikings which had the sixth highest run rate in the league last season.
He’ll face a Bengals run defense that ranked 25th DVOA last season while allowing over 125 rushing yards (29th) per game on 5.35 YPC (31st) to running backs. Cook is also heavily used near the goal line as he scored in 11 out of 14 games last year.
James Robinson (JAC): $5,900 vs. HOU
The loss of Travis Etienne for the season has boosted confidence that Robinson will continue to have a larger volume role similar to last season. Robinson reached double-digit FanDuel points in nine straight games to close out the 2020 season. His salary is based on a timeshare, that shouldn’t be the case for Robinson, making him a value back in Week 1.
On top of the reasonable salary, Robinson also draws a plus matchup with the Jaguars as a slight favorite over the Texans. The Texans ranked 30th DVOA against the run last season while allowing an average of 145 rushing yards (32nd) and 1.3 touchdowns (32nd) per game to running backs.
Other notables: Najee Harris (PIT): $6,500 vs. BUF, Alvin Kamara (NO): $8,600 vs. GB, Antonio Gibson (WAS): $7,000 vs. LAC
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Corey Davis (NYJ): $4,900 vs. CAR
There is a good collection of value wide receivers to chose from on DraftKings which open up a roster build to jam in some higher-priced players at quarterback and running back. Davis had his best season in the NFL last year and signed with the Jets to be their top wideout.
Davis has had a strong preseason and shown a good rapport with rookie quarterback, Zach Wilson. Rookie quarterbacks often lock in on their primary read which should be Davis on most routes which should lead to plenty of double-digit target games. Get him while he is still under $5K.
Marquez Callaway (NO): $3,400 vs. GB
With Michael Thomas out, Callaway has appeared to turn into the top option at wide receiver for the Saints. Jameis Winston getting the starting nod at quarterback also bodes well for the dirt-cheap wideout.
The only concern with Callaway in the opener is how much of lockdown cornerback Jaire Alexander he will see. However, at just $3,400 on DraftKings, I’m willing to take the chance in a game that should feature some scoring.
Other notables: Michael Pittman (IND): $4,100 vs. SEA, Brandon Aiyuk (SF): $5,700 vs. DET (DK), Marvin Jones (JAC): $3,600 vs. HOU (DK)
FanDuel
Calvin Ridley (ATL): $8,100 vs. PHI
Ridley should see all the targets he can handle this season with Julio Jones out of town. Some guys can’t handle becoming the top option after another star receiver leaves, but you could argue that Ridley was already the alpha receiver on the Falcons last year when he piled up 90 grabs for 1,374 yards and nine scores.
Ridley had his biggest games last season at home which is where he will be this week against the Eagles. The Eagles’ aging secondary allowed 15.3 receptions (30th) for 209 yards (32nd) and 1.25 touchdowns (26th) per game to opposing wideouts last season.
Michael Pittman (IND): $5,300 vs. SEA
Pittman will need to step into the #1 role at wide receiver for the Colts to start the season with T.Y. Hilton out. With the Colts a small home underdog against the Seahawks in a game featuring close to a 50-point Vegas total, Pittman should get plenty of targets from new quarterback Carson Wentz.
The Seahawks allowed 17.7 receptions (32nd) for 206 yards (30th) per game to wide receivers last season. Pittman’s cheap price tag is attractive in Cash game lineups when we want to maximize opportunities with the potential for a slash play.
Other notables: Jerry Jeudy (DEN): $5,500 vs NYG, Corey Davis (NYJ): $5,800 vs. CAR, Terry McLaurin (WAS): $6,900 vs. LAC
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Kyle Pitts (ATL): $4,400 vs. PHI
Tight end is a good spot to take a roll of the dice on a player on DraftKings due to the big pricing gap between the top options and the value options. We all know that Pitts has a ton of talent and the potential for big things at the tight end position. How soon that potential is realized is up for debate but at just $4,400 on DraftKings, about half of what Travis Kelce costs, he is worth a roll of the dice even in Cash lineups.
Other notables: Tyler Conklin (MIN): $2,900 vs. CIN
FanDuel
Travis Kelce (KC): $8,500 vs. CLE
The pricing gap on FanDuel at tight end isn’t as steep as it is on DraftKings which makes me more inclined to pay up at the position for an elite option in Cash. There is no one as elite as Kelce who caught at least eight balls in 11 straight games to end the season last year including the playoffs.
Kelce will still be one of the primary looks for Patrick Mahomes this year and starts off the season against the Browns in a game with the highest Vegas total on the board. The Browns struggled to stop opposing tight ends last season giving up 5.6 receptions (28th) for 56 yards (25th) and 0.6 touchdowns (27th) per game to the position. Make Kelce a priority in Cash games on FanDuel.
Other notables: Robert Tonyan (GB): $5,400 vs. NO
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Jets (NYJ): $2,400 vs. CAR
The DST position should be the last spot you fill in your lineup as you take the best cheap option that fits your build. The Jets could fit that profile this week against their former teammate, Sam Darnold.
Other notables: Falcons (ATL): $2,100 vs. PHI
FanDuel
Bengals (CIN): $3,000 vs. MIN
They don’t come any cheaper than the Bengals this week on FanDuel. They are not a bad play since they are at home and face an immobile quarterback who has a history of giving up some sacks and turnovers.
Other notables: Broncos (DEN): $4,100 vs. NYG
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