X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings NFL DFS Primetime Slate Picks for Week 1

Jorge Pucks offers his advice for the DraftKings Primetime NFL DFS slate on 9/13. Expert Week One daily fantasy football advice for your DraftKings DFS lineups.

We have finally arrived at week 1 of the NFL season and we are excited to see the primetime slate back up over on Draftkings. Below, I will go over my favorite plays from this three-game slate. We have some great matchups with some big-time names and I look forward to breaking this down for you!

All of these options are cash game and tournament viable unless I specifically say otherwise. If you have never played NFL DFS, here are a few thoughts that will help you construct your lineups. Stacking has been a staple in DFS for quite some time now and it is important to consider stacking when it comes to building tournament lineups. When playing NFL DFS, there are a lot of things to consider especially the game script and the overall flow of each game.

If you feel that a certain will be behind in the game, that could mean that there will be more passing plays which result in PPR points and yards. If a team is up early, you could anticipate a heavy dose of the running game in the second-half which means the featured running back could see more touches. Best of luck with your lineups and let's get to it!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

NFL DFS DraftKings Primetime Slate

  • Dallas Cowboys (-134) @ Los Angeles Rams (+125)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (-250) @ New York Giants (+210)
  • Tennessee Titans (-154) vs. Denver Broncos (+140)

 

NFL DFS Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott ($6,900 DK) - Dak carries the highest price point out of all of the quarterbacks on this slate but he also has arguably one of the best-receiving trios in the league. In the off-season, the Cowboys added college stud receiver CeeDee Lamb to their receiving room which already had two young receiving stars in Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. The Rams do have a solid secondary led by Jalen Ramsey but with much of the defense's attention going to Zeke and the ground game, this should allow for Dak and company to take several shots downfield. 

Ben Roethlisberger ($6,400 DK) - Roethlisberger is back for the 2020 season and the Steelers offense as a whole is ready to go. Roethlisberger’s 2019 season was cut short due to an elbow issue but the longtime Steelers QB is ready to show that he is healthy and can still sling it. He is in a very favorable matchup against the Giants as they allowed 30 passing touchdowns in 2019 which was tied for the second-most allowed in the league. 

Jared Goff ($5,600 DK) - While Goff might not carry the highest upside out of all of the quarterbacks on this slate, he is certainly viable for your lineups. He is one of the lower-priced quarterbacks but Goff presents a good floor which could be good for your cash game lineups. In his last five games of the 2019 regular season, Goff averaged 23.3 DK points per game while throwing 11 touchdowns and only four interceptions during that stretch. 

 

NFL DFS Running Backs

James Conner ($6,300 DK) - Mike Tomlin came out and announced that James Conner is the bell-cow back for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. Conner is a do-it-all kind of back that when healthy, excels in both on the ground and in the passing game. Before Conner was injured last season, he recorded over three catches per game and saw double-digit rushing attempts in his first eight games played. The matchup against New York is favorable as the Giants allowed opposing teams to gain 113 yards per game on the ground last season. 

Derrick Henry ($ 7,500 DK) - Derrick Henry could be one of the best overall plays on the slate. Even with him being priced up at $7,500, he has monster upside in this matchup. The Broncos will be without defensive star Von Miller which hurts both their rushing and passing defense. The Broncos allowed 111 yards per game on the ground while Tennessee while Henry averaged 110 yards per game in 18 games played last season. Tennessee is a run-heavy team and with the game script likely being in Henrys’ favor, he could see more touches as they drain the clock late in the game. 

Ezekiel Elliott ($7,700) - If you are looking to spend up at running back, Zeke could be the way to go. He offers a little bit of salary savings compared to Saquon but has one of the higher ceilings on the slate. Zeke totaled over 1,300 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in 16 regular-season games last season. Dallas is more improved on offense by adding CeeDee Lamb to their receiving corps which will now force defenses to make the tough choice of stopping Zeke and the ground game or shift the focus to the big-time playmaking ability of the receivers. The Rams struggled defensively against the run last season as they were the 24th ranked defenses against opposing running backs. 

 

NFL DFS Wide Receivers

JuJu Smith-Schuster ($6,400)- With Big Ben back in the saddle at quarterback, JuJu could have a monster game. In the two games last year that they played together, JuJu was targeted 16 times for over 150 receiving yards. In the 2018 season, JuJu set career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns so the rapport and chemistry with Roethlisberger is there. The Giants secondary really struggled last year as they allowed the second-most receiving touchdowns in the league (22) and the fifth most receiving yards (2,680) to opposing receivers.

Cooper Kupp ($6,300)- Cooper Kupp must be in good spirits heading into this game Sunday night. He just finalized an extension for three years, $48 million which ensures that Goff will have his favorite pass-catching option for years to come. Kupp had a very strong season last year going for 1,161 receiving yards and hauling in 10 total touchdowns. He was on a hot streak as he closed out the final five games of the season recording a touchdown in every game. The chemistry with Goff is undeniable as he led the team in both receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the 1029 season. 

Jerry Jeudy ($4,300)- Jeudy was one of the top receivers in college at Alabama and could be thrust into the spotlight rather quickly come Monday night. The top receiving option for the Broncos, Courtland Sutton, suffered an injury earlier this week and is questionable for the game so this is a situation that is worth monitoring. Knowing this, Jeudy could be one of the bigger beneficiaries in terms of targets and snaps as he would replace Sutton as the top receiving threat for Denver. 

 

NFL DFS Tight Ends

Evan Engram ($4,300) - Engram is coming off of a Lisfranc injury but was a target monster last season for the Giants. In his nine games played last year, Engram saw 68 targets which means he saw an average of 7.5 targets per game. The Giants will lean on Engram with the lack of true receiving weapons on the outside which makes Engram a great play in all formats. 

Jonnu Smith ($4,300) - With Delanie Walker out of the picture, Jonnu Smith could see a larger role in this Titans offense as he assumes the starting tight end job. Last season, Smith averaged 6.5 DK points per game which isn’t stellar but factoring in that the Broncos Defense allowed the fourth-most receiving yards last season to opposing tight ends (974 yards), he could have a nice week 1 game at his price point.

 

NFL DFS Defense/Special Teams

Pittsburgh Steelers ($3,800)- The Steelers had one of the better fantasy defenses all last season. They averaged 11 DK points per game but a lot of those points came from their ability to create turnovers. They were second in the league when it came to interceptions (20) and were the best defense when it came to generating sacks (54).

Tennessee Titans ($3,000)- At $3,000, the Titans look to look to be in a great spot to use from a fantasy standpoint. While they were an average defense in terms of points allowed and yardage, they square off against a Denver offense that struggled in both the ground and passing game. Denver addressed their needs at the receiver position by drafting Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler but Tennessee added a strong defensive presence in Jadaveon Clowney which should help their pass rush. 



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Week 1 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Myles Garrett

"No Chance" Myles Garrett Gets Traded
Rico Dowdle

to Become Panthers Featured Back in Week 9?
Aidan Hutchinson

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Lions
Joe Flacco

Week 9 Status in Doubt With AC Joint Sprain
Ziaire Williams

Uncertain for Wednesday
Sam Merrill

Out on Wednesday
Santi Aldama

Iffy for Wednesday's Action
Gabe Vincent

Out for Several Weeks
Marcus Smart

in Danger of Missing Another Contest Wednesday
Cam Skattebo

Facing 4-6-Month Recovery Timetable
CFB

Jordyn Tyson Questionable for Iowa State Matchup with Hamstring Injury
Cameron Johnson

Considered Questionable for Wednesday
Jakob Poeltl

Unlikely to Play Wednesday
Ausar Thompson

Battling Illness, Questionable for Wednesday
Jake Oettinger

Collects First Shutout of the Season
Chuba Hubbard

Panthers Don't Want To Move Chuba Hubbard
Connor Bedard

Produces First Career Hat Trick
Victor Olofsson

Has Career Night With Five Points
Thomas Harley

Signs Eight-Year Extension With Stars
Shayne Gostisbehere

Suffers New Injury Tuesday
Conor Garland

Joins Canucks' Growing Injury List
Mikael Granlund

to Miss 2-3 Weeks
Obi Toppin

Expected to Miss One Month
Andrew Nembhard

to Miss Third Straight Game Wednesday
Bennedict Mathurin

Out Week-to-Week
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Iffy for Wednesday
Zaccharie Risacher

Listed as Probable Against Nets
Jalen Johnson

Considered Probable for Wednesday
Dillon Brooks

to Remain Out Wednesday
Jalen Green

Could Make His Suns Debut Wednesday
Anthony Davis

Expected to Play Wednesday
Jaylen Brown

Listed as Probable for Wednesday
Zion Williamson

Uncertain for Wednesday
Alex Caruso

Returns to Thunder Lineup
Gary Trent Jr.

Available Against Knicks
Adam Gaudette

Could Miss Time
John Klingberg

Ready for Action Tuesday
Warren Foegele

to Miss "Some Time"
George Springer

Not in the Lineup for Game 4 of World Series
Brett Pesce

Expected to Be Out for One Month
Jake Neighbours

to Miss at Least Five Weeks
Hampus Lindholm

Expected to Return Tuesday
Jacob Markstrom

Returns to Devils Crease Tuesday
Quinn Hughes

Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Malik Nabers

Should be Ready for Start of Next Season
Lamar Jackson

Says he's "Ready to Go Now"
Isiah Pacheco

Week-to-Week With MCL Sprain
Tyler Shough

Named Saints' Starting Quarterback
Drake Batherson

Picks Up Three Points in Monday's Win
Sidney Crosby

Becomes Ninth NHL Player With 1,700 Points
Michael Kesselring

Expected to Make Season Debut Tuesday
Shayne Gostisbehere

Could Return Tuesday
K'Andre Miller

Expected to Remain Out Tuesday
Pyotr Kochetkov

Close to Returning
Kareem Hunt

Scores Twice in Monday Night Win Over Washington
George Springer

Pulled Early in Game 3 With Side Injury
Terry McLaurin

Questionable to Return in Week 8 After Aggravating Quad Injury
Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Finalizing Deal to Hire Craig Albernaz as the Next Manager
William Byron

Dominates at Martinsville and Advances to the Championship Round
Kyle Larson

Advances to the Championship Round After Top-Five Finish
Ryan Blaney

Falls Short of the Victory and Title Contention at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

Eliminated From 2025 Title Contention Despite Strong Martinsville Run
Lamar Jackson

Ravens Expect Lamar Jackson to Play on Thursday Night
Michael Carter

Cardinals Release Michael Carter on Monday
Carson Wentz

to Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
CFB

Behren Morton Will Start Against Kansas State
Nico Collins

Trending Toward a Week 9 Return
Puka Nacua

Expected to Practice Wednesday, Play in Week 9
CFB

Lane Kiffin Says Money Won't Impact his Decision-Making
Tony Pollard

Reportedly Available for Trade
CFB

Arch Manning in Concussion Protocol, Misses Practice Monday
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jaguars Not Planning on Trading Brian Thomas Jr.
Justin Fields

Jets Non-Committal on Justin Fields as the Starter Going Forward
Christopher Bell

Eliminated From Championship 4 After a Too Conservative Season
Joey Logano

Lack of Championship-Caliber Speed Leads to Elimination
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Last at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin

Don't Think Denny Hamlin's Engine Failure Affects his Championship Prospects
Cam Skattebo

Out for the Season With Dislocated Ankle
Ciryl Gane

Fight With Tom Aspinall Ends In No-Contest
Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall Vs. Ciryl Gane Ends in No-Contest
Virna Jandiroba

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Mackenzie Dern

Wins Vacant Strawweight Title
Mario Bautista

Gets Outclassed
Umar Nurmagomedov

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jailton Almeida

Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Split Decision At UFC 321
Azamat Murzakanov

Remains Undefeated
Aleksandar Rakic

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher A Playable DFS option for Martinsville?
Ryan Preece

is an Intriguing DFS Option For Martinsville
Daniel Suarez

May be Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville This week?
Christopher Bell

Kyle Larson Should Advance to Championship 4
Joey Logano

Don't Expect Joey Logano to Significantly Contend for Championship 4
William Byron

A DFS Must-Start Due to Lap-Leader Points
Ross Chastain

Hail Melon Nostalgia Masks Ross Chastain's Martinsville Mediocrity
Josh Berry

a Top Contender for DFS Place-Differential Points
Brad Keselowski

an Intriguing Martinsville Option
Shane Van Gisbergen

Now Competent on Ovals, but Don't Start Him Here
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well but Probably Won't Have Staying Power
Carson Hocevar

Lack of Finesse Makes Him a Risky Martinsville Pick
Bryce Harper

Phillies Aren't Planning to Trade Bryce Harper
Bo Bichette

Starting at Second, Batting Cleanup in Game 1 of World Series
Bo Bichette

Makes World Series Roster
Ciryl Gane

Scheduled For A Title Fight
Tom Aspinall

Set for First Official Title Defense
Mackenzie Dern

Can Become The New Strawweight Champion
Virna Jandiroba

Set For UFC 321 Co-Main Event
Mario Bautista

Aims To Extend His Win Streak
MMA

Umar Numagomedov A Favorite At UFC 321
Jailton Almeida

Hopes To Get A Title Shot With A Win
Alexander Volkov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Azamat Murzakanov

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Aleksandar Rakic

In Dire Need Of Victory
CFB

Texas Tech QB Will Hammond Will Start vs. Oklahoma State Saturday
CFB

Kansas State RB Dylan Edwards Out For Sunflower Showdown
CFB

Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson Will Not Play In Week 9
Zack Wheeler

Could be Ready for Opening Day in 2026
William Contreras

Could Need Finger Surgery