We’re just a few hours away from the final game of a wild Week 1 between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, and 365Scores is here to help you with your NFL Daily Fantasy Lineups.
Single-game slates can be difficult to predict and with a limited player pool, the way we approach it differs a bit from multi-game lineups.
Instead of simply giving my lineup, I’ll offer some thoughts on guys I think are worthy of captaining and some value plays (On both DraftKings and FanDuel) to help you create your lineups.
DraftKings
Captain Options- Russell Wilson ($17,700), Javonte Williams ($15,300)
It’s no surprise here that the top two captain options are the top highest-priced players. The Broncos are currently favored by a touchdown and I expect the margin to be even larger than that. Wilson should have plenty of time behind a good offensive line and although Courtland Sutton looks like a No. 1 receiver, I still expect the Broncos to spread the ball around.
I think Wilson will likely throw for a couple of touchdowns but I’d be surprised if they’re to the same guy, so it’s probably a safe bet that he’s the highest scorer.
The other option would be to save the $2400 and go with the clear No. 1 back Javonte Williams, who could end up being a touchdown vulture of sorts for the Broncos this season. He catches enough passes to offer the upside in DK’s PPR scoring (1.5 if he’s captained) and should have a nice game with a rushing yardage o/u of 58.5 and receiving yardage o/u of 18.5.
On DraftKings, I actually like the idea of saving the money here and spending it elsewhere. Of course you should roster Wilson, but if you captain Williams and start Wilson as a flex, you’ll save $800 to use on the other four starters.
Value Plays- Travis Homer ($1400), Albert Okwuegbunam ($5000)
This is a weird matchup in that neither team utilizes many of its third, fourth or fifth options. That being said, I love Homer here as long as Kenneth Walker is ultimately ruled out. Walker hasn’t practiced all week and isn’t likely to play, but there’s always a chance, so watch for the injury report.
Rashaad Penny has a dangerous injury history and overworking him in week one simply because his backup may be out seems unwise to me. Homer is one of those guys who seems to pop every time he gets a chance and should get some run Monday. He’s good out of the backfield and obviously knows the system well so I like him in this awkward slate.
We know Russell Wilson loves to use his tight ends, and with Fant going to Seattle as part of the trade, it’s finally Albert Okwuegbunam’s time to shine. He has a great athletic profile and has played well when given the opportunities. Expect him to get some targets, especially in the red zone and if he scores (He’s +240 to do so), you’ll get more than enough out of a value play.
Other Notes
Watch for KJ Hamler’s status tonight. If he’s active, his $4400 price tag may be too good to pass up. If he’s not, maybe you consider throwing Montrell Washington ($200) into a lineup. He’s a burner and we know Wilson loves to stretch the field, even with guys that aren’t typically his top targets.
I don’t love Melvin Gordon’s price tag ($7400) based on what we’ve heard out of camp in terms of usage. That being said, the veteran back can still produce and if you think he’ll see more action than some have said, don’t be afraid to roster him. That being said, there should be enough money to go around to play both of the top two without having to sacrifice too much.
At receiver, I’m bullish on Jerry Jeudy and think he could outperform Sutton. You’d save $1200 by going with the former, so if you get stuck deciding between sacrificing to get Sutton or starting Jeudy, start Jeudy. For Seattle, Geno Smith hasn’t really shown that he works well with Tyler Lockett, but Lockett has always been a boom-or-bust guy anyway. Metcalf is $1400 more, but I think he’s worth the investment.
My Lineup: Williams (C), Wilson, Homer, Broncos Defense, Jeudy, Metcalf
FanDuel
Captain Options- Wilson ($17,000)
I would consider only Wilson here, unless you have some strange hunch that Geno Smith is going to light it up. I don’t like Williams as a captain because a) you don’t save money, with captains being priced the same as flexes and b) half PPR slightly devaluing non-quarterback skill players.
Wilson is the go to for all the reasons listed above.
Value Plays- Okwuegbunam ($8000), Homer ($7500), Washington ($7000), Dee Eskridge ($7000)
Managing our money is always more difficult on FanDuel than DraftKings. With the latter, we can always seem to build a strong team. On Fanduel, however, we’re going to have to hold our nose and roster a player that could very well put up a big goose egg. If you play Wilson (And you should) you’ll have an average of about $10,750 to spend on the other four with Williams ($13,500), Metcalf ($13,000), Penny ($12,500) and Sutton ($12,000) all significantly above that.
Because of this, I like to go with riskier value plays on FanDuel: Guys that could put up 0 points, but could also haul in a 50-yard touchdown. That guy could be Homer, if Walker ($7000) is out. If he’s not, go with one of the other three (Or walker himself if you think he’ll do more than just get a few touches)
I’ve already spoken about Okwuegbunam and Washington, but Eskridge is interesting. He was hurt most of last season, but a strong camp (and weak depth at receiver) makes him the No. 3 guy on the outside. If he catches a few passes or maybe a long one, he gives you some great value.
If you roster Wilson and one of these guys, you’ll be able to afford Gordon and one of the big four (Williams, Sutton, Penny and Metcalf). If you roster two, you can afford any combination of the rest of the players. In this last scenario, I’d even consider getting some value from Geno Smith ($14,000).
My Lineup: Wilson (C), Williams, Okwuegbunam, Homer, Metcalf ($1000 left over)
