Football is back! And with football returning, NFL DFS also returns. For those of you that were grinding out the NFL preseason, this isn’t new to you. However, for those of you that wait until the games count for real, welcome. It’s going to be a long season, and hopefully, a profitable one. Before we dive into the picks, let’s get a few guidelines and introductions out of the way first.
The “Cash Game Plays” weekly DFS article has been my bread and butter for the past few years. Evolving a little over the years, I now play almost as many tournaments as I do cash game contests.
The goal of the cash game article is to outline some of the safer plays while also, providing options that will help you create the most optimal builds. The whole point of it all is to make some money. Sometimes we won’t, but the most important part is putting ourselves in the best position to do so. That goes without saying, but it can sometimes get overshadowed by the results on a week-to-week basis.
People only want to know how many points a guy scored, and not necessarily the route in which they got there. DFS is not only a science but a math equation. Let’s dive in, put the pieces together, and try to solve it.
With that said, here are the DFS Cash Game Plays for Week 1. Sticking with what I’ve been doing the last couple of years, there will be a lock emoji next to a few of my favorite options. All of the players mentioned in the article are viable for Cash Games, but those with that lock emoji will be fixures in my main lineup(s).
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Quarterback
Kyler Murray ($7,600 DK, $8,400 FD)
Spending up on quarterback is my least favorite thing to do in cash game contests. However, it does present you with a way higher floor. Kyler Murray was on a killing spree to start through the first half of the 2020 season. Through the first 10 weeks, Murray averaged over 31 DK points per game. Murray will face an unproven, mostly young Titans secondary, looking to turn things around from last year. Kenny Vaccaro, Adoree Jackson, and Malcolm Butler are no longer with the team. In 2020, the Titans gave up the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL. With this game being the second-highest Over/Under on the board, Vegas expects a shootout. Fire up Murray with confidence.
Jalen Hurts ($6,400 DK, $7,600 FD)
Jalen Hurts isn’t as great of a value on FanDuel, given some of the other options. However, given his rushing ability, he provides a very high floor, especially with his price on DraftKings. In the four games Hurts started last season, he averaged 68 rushing yards per game. That’s including Doug Pederson’s egregious decision to bench him in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ Week 17 matchup against the Washington Football Team. Hurts gets a Week 1 matchup against one of the worst pass defenses in the league from a year ago, the Atlanta Falcons. Last season, the Falcons allowed the most passing yards per game. They have a new-look secondary and a new defensive scheme under defensive coordinator Dean Peas, which could take some time to mesh. Hurts is in a good spot to produce.
Other Options: Josh Allen, Mac Jones
Running Back
Dalvin Cook ($9,100 DK, $9,400 FD)
Give me a workhorse back to start my lineups off right. I debated on whether I wanted to use Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook for quite some time. The truth is, there is no wrong answer. The way my lineups shaped up made sense to take the slight discount and roll with Cook. The Minnesota Vikings are road favorites against the Cincinnati Bengals, who ranked 31st in yards allowed per carry last season. The Vikings should have their way with this Bengals defense, and a lot of the damage will be done by Cook.
Alvin Kamara ($8,600 DK, FD) – 🔒
Alvin Kamara is priced identically on both of the main DFS sites (DK and FD). The New Orleans Saints aren’t able to begin the season at home in the Superdome because of Hurricane Ida. They’ll play the Green Bay Packers at a neutral site in Jacksonville. The Saints will be without top receiver Michael Thomas due to ankle surgery back in June. Why this procedure wasn’t done much earlier is a different question for another day. Additionally, the team will be without wideout Tre’Quan Smith. That leaves them with Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. I’m guessing Kamara will play a major role in the passing game, much like he always has. Last year, Kamara torched this Green Bay team for 47.7 DK points on 13 catches, 139 yards, and two touchdowns. Take the free PPR points and the nearly $1,000 discount from CMC.
Antonio Gibson ($5,900 DK, $7,000 FD)
Basically, it’s finally time for head coach Ron Rivera to use Antonio Gibson in all facets of the offensive game. Enough of this J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber nonsense. Gibson averaged 4.7 yards per attempt and scored 11 rushing touchdowns last season while catching 81.8 percent of passes thrown his way. I’d like to find the salary to fit James Robinson in my lineup instead because his volume is more trustworthy, but Gibson makes sense from a point per dollar standpoint, and the game script should work in his favor. If Joey Bosa winds up giving rookie offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi problems upfront, the Football Team might need to lean heavily on Gibson with dump-off passes.
Other Options: Christian McCaffrey, Joe Mixon, James Robinson (I have no issues with any of these running backs.)
Wide Receiver
Davante Adams ($8,300 DK, $8,600 FD)
The Aaron Rodgers offseason saga finally came to an end, and now he’ll begin his revenge tour. Rodgers will undoubtedly be looking for his main man Davante Adams, going up against a shaky New Orleans Saints secondary. Adams led the league last year in targets per game (10.6), and he’s been top-two in that category each of the last three seasons. The Saints’ secondary is in an extremely shaky spot right now. They still have Marshon Lattimore, but they traded away Bradley Roby, Ken Crawley will be out with a hamstring injury, and Marcus Trufant just arrived. The Packers do a good job of moving Adams around. He’ll produce even if Lattimore gets the main assignment.
Michael Pittman Jr. ($4,100 DK, $5,300 FD) – 🔒
With the longtime Colts top receiver T.Y. Hilton beginning the season on the IR, Michael Pittman, Jr. will get a ton of run to start the season. Many people, including myself, were already expecting Pittman to take a step forward this season and surpass Hilton as WR1 in Indy. The injury to Hilton only speeds up that process. Pittman has a cheap price tag, and I feel much better using him, knowing Carson Wentz will be healthy and under center.
Other Options: Elijah Moore, Marquez Callaway, Calvin Ridley
Tight End
Travis Kelce ($8,300 DK, $8,500 FD)
Who is this baby face shaved man? By now, you’ve probably all seen Travis Kelce without the beard. And yes, it’s weird. Kelce cut off the face fuzz, and he could cut your chances at making any money this week if you don’t roster him in at least one lineup. Whether it’s a Cash Game or a tournament, make sure you have at least one lineup, including the best tight end in the game—no offense to George Kittle or Darren Waller. My roster construction doesn’t quite fit Kelce this week for cash games, but he’s always in play.
Kyle Pitts ($4,400 DK, $6,000 FD) 🔒
Tight end is one of the most difficult positions to make an immediate impact at the next level. Rarely would a rookie tight end, making his NFL debut, be recommended as a safe option. However, Kyle Pitts isn’t your average rookie tight end. He’s basically a wide receiver, and the Atlanta Falcons should move him around a ton. Playing against a Philadelphia Eagles mediocre pass defense, I expect Pitts to make his presence felt early and often. With the departure of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley is now Matt Ryan’s top option. Expect Pitts to soak up a ton of Jones’ vacated targets. At $4,400 on DraftKings, that’s a steal.
Other Options: Anthony Firkser, Gerald Everett, Tyler Conklin
Defense/Special Teams
When deciding which defense to play, I generally look for the cheapest defense with a decent opportunity to get turnovers or sacks, which could lead to turnovers.
Denver Broncos ($3,300 DK, $4,100 FD)
Whenever Daniel Jones is the opposing quarterback, there’s a good chance the defensive unit will walk away with a few turnovers. After barely addressing their offensive line issues this offseason, turnovers could once again become a problem. Additionally, the Broncos have one of the best defensive units on paper. They only got stronger by adding All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller and former Super Bowl Champion Ronald Darby. Of course, they will also get back Von Miller, who missed all of the 2020 season due to an ankle injury. If you can afford the price tag, the Broncos are a safe option.
Atlanta Falcons ($2,000 DK, $3,900 FD)
Simply put, this is a punt play. Defense is so random and hard to predict in terms of fantasy production. We really should eliminate it, but we don’t have that option right now. Although Jalen Hurts is a cash game quarterback option, playing his opposing defense is fine. The upside might be limited, but we aren’t trying to beat a field of 100,000 other people. Spend down at defense if you can. Remember, while Hurts has a nice floor with a ton of rushing upside, he still fumbled the ball nine times and threw four interceptions last season.
Other Options: Buffalo Bills (On FanDuel, I prefer the BUF over ATL), Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets
That’s all for this week. Let’s get started with a bang! Good luck, and let’s make some cash. Hit me up on Twitter @Theriot326 with any questions or comments.
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