Week one in the National Football League is finally here. The preseason has mercifully passed us by and it is now time to watch meaningful football again. This is a fantastic time of year for Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players. The leaders in DFS, DraftKings and FanDuel have week one NFL contests loaded and ready to go. With so many options from large cash games and tournaments to smaller leagues and head to head games, there will be no shortage of lineups being made this week. Staying under the mandated mythical $60,000 salary cap can be difficult, so let’s look at some players to avoid week one.
Week One Daily Fantasy Spotlight: DFS Players to Avoid
Quarterbacks
Cam Newton (DFS Salary: DraftKings $7,700 FanDuel $8,600)
The reigning NFL MVP and the Carolina Panthers open the season in Denver against their opponents from Super Bowl 50. The Denver Broncos kept Cam Newton and the Panthers in check seven months ago in Santa Clara. The 55.4 quarterback rating posted by Newton was his lowest all season. Denver’s number one team defense sacked the mobile quarterback seven times and never allowed the Panthers high tempo offense to get in a rhythm. Questions are abound about the Broncos offense, however, one thing not to be concerned with is the defense. Expect the Broncos to be chasing Newton all around the field.
Jimmy Garoppolo (DFS Salary: DraftKings $6,200 FanDuel $6,900)
Perennial All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady is suspended for the first four games of the season. So young signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo leads the New England Patriots for the first quarter of the year. Garoppolo is not on this list because of salary, it is very reasonable for DFS lineups. He is on this list because he is on the road against quite possibly the best defense heading into 2016. The Arizona Cardinals defense possesses speed and quickness which could lead to a long night for Garoppolo. Also take into consideration the supporting cast is banged up. Dion Lewis is out, Julian Edelman battled a foot injury and Danny Amendola saw no action in the preseason. Although Rob Gronkowski and newly acquired Martellus Bennett are expected to be leaned on heavily by the young quarterback, the Cardinals should be able to limit their ability to get open.
Running Backs
Eddie Lacy (DFS Salary: DraftKings $6,700 FanDuel $7,100)
Here is one of the biggest fantasy busts of 2015. Eddie Lacy was highly drafted in season-long fantasy leagues and was often used in DFS lineups. Injuries and not being in game shape kept Lacy from performing at the high level we saw in the 2013 and 2014. Lacy and his followers are looking for a rebound in 2016. They may get it, but it might not begin until week two. The Jacksonville Jaguars spent millions of dollars revamping their 24th ranked team defense from 2015. Jacksonville signed Malik Jackson to a six-year $85.5 million dollar contract to help sure up the defensive front. According to playerprofiler.com, Lacy was only on the field for 52% of the Green Bay Packers offensive snaps, 49th in the league for all running backs. James Starks presents a problem for Lacy owners being on the field 48.3% of the time.
Ezekiel Elliott (DFS Salary: DraftKings $7,300 FanDuel $7,900)
Ezekiel Elliott, the first round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys enters his rookie season with high expectations. Elliott was a college standout at Ohio State University, leading many to believe he will be an instant success in the NFL. Elliott is expected to get the bulk of the carries behind the league’s number one offensive line, despite the addition of veteran Alfred Morris. Fellow rookie Dak Prescott takes over as the starting quarterback because of the injury to Tony Romo. This should lead to the New York Giants stacking the box against Elliott. Similar to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Giants also spent millions to improve a defense ranked 24th against the run. On paper, this looks like a dream matchup. However for week one put Elliott in the category of “let’s see one first”.
Wide Receivers
A.J. Green (DFS Salary: DraftKings $8,400 FanDuel $8,200)
Hands down one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, A.J. Green will be used often in weekly DFS contests. Week one Green and the Cincinnati Bengals travel to MetLife Stadium for a meeting with the New York Jets. Boasting the fourth overall defense in 2015 the Jets provide a tall task for the Bengals to kick off the season. Green has struggled at times against star cornerbacks, going back to week 11 last season against Patrick Peterson. Peterson held Green to two catches on six targets for 24 yards. This week Green draws the coverage of Darrelle Revis. In this marquee matchup, look for Revis to prove he is still a premiere shutdown corner. The DFS salary is very high for Green, look elsewhere if you are looking to spend big on a wide receiver.
Alshon Jeffery (DFS Salary: DraftKings $7,900 FanDuel $7,500)
The Chicago Bears and Alshon Jeffery travel to Houston to go up against the league’s third-best defense against the pass in 2015. The oft-injured Jeffery is one of the most dynamic wideouts in the game when healthy. With Matt Forte joining Brandon Marshall in New York with the Jets, Jeffery is now the focal point of the Bears offense. Jay Cutler will be under significant pressure all day with the Texans fierce pass rush led by All-Pro J.J. Watt. Cutler will be forced to look to his check down receivers often, essentially taking Jeffery out of the game. Many experts suggest this game may be a blowout which could lead to the Bears removing Jeffery from the game late to avoid injury.
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