Devising the perfect Daily Fantasy Sports strategy for the NFL can be a challenge, which is why I’m here weekly to assist.
On DraftKings, it’s important to you’re playing full-point PPR with bonuses if a player sures 300 ing yards, 100 rushing yards or 100 receiving yards.
Here is my optimal lineup for Sunday’s $5 million Fantasy Football Millionaire contest, but it can be utilized as a foundation in other games and platforms.
All prices listed are courtesy of DraftKings with a $50,000 budget.
QB: Justin Herbert, Chargers ($6,900)
The Dolphins-Chargers matchup is the only main-slate game that projects over 50 points (50.5 implied points), and both offenses operate at a quick pace, which means the over is a good bet. I’m expecting a huge season from Herbert and it’s unlikely you’ll find him under $7,000 the rest of the year.
RB: Austin Ekeler, Chargers ($8,400)
Combining Ekeler with his quarterback is an obvious stack to take advantage of the attractive environment, especially on full-point PPR DraftKings.
RB: Khalil Herbert, Bears ($5,300)
Herbert has had at least 20 touches and produced at least 101 total yards in all three of his career starts. Adding his impressive efficiency (5.7 yards per carry in 2022) to a heavy volume increase could make him a lineup fixture going forward.
WR: Tyreek Hill, Dolphins ($8,200)
The Chargers allowed a league-high 18.7 yards per reception to WR1s in 2022. The explosive Hill is a logical “bring back” option with my Herbert-Ekeler stack.
WR: Chris Olave, Saints ($6,500)
The Titans allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2022 and didn’t do anything significant to fix their secondary in the offseason, meaning Olave could open the season with a bang now that he has a competent QB throwing him the ball in Derek Carr, who is making his New Orleans debut at the Superdome.
WR: Chris Godwin, Buccaneers ($5,900)
Godwin is a target machine, and behind a worrisome offensive line, Baker Mayfield will need to throw some quick es because he may not have time to get the ball deep to Mike Evans against the Vikings.
TE: Hayden Hurst, Panthers ($3,000)
Adam Thielen (ankle), DJ Chark (hamstring) and Terrace Marshall (back) could all be limited or out on Sunday. Frank Reich’s offense has always been tight end friendly and Hurst could get peppered with targets against one of his former teams in Bryce Young’s professional debut for Carolina. The Falcons allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the tight ends in 2022.
FLEX: Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos ($3,000)
Jerry Jeudy sounds like a game-time decision for Denver, which means the dynamic rookie could begin the season as Russell Wilson’s WR2. Mims should see a decent target share based on his field-stretching ability against the Raiders, even if Jeudy is active. Utilizing two low-price options at tight end and flex allow me to stockpile studs almost everywhere else.
DST: Washington Commanders ($2,800)
The first rule of fantasy football in 2023 is streaming the defense playing against the Arizona Cardinals and the Commanders open up at home against the “tanking” Birds. Washington is a 7-point favorite in a game with a 38-point total. That means the Cardinals are the lowest-projected offense of the week.
