NFL DFS Cash Games – Week One Checkdown

Week One of the football season is finally here! It’s time to start building your NFL DFS cash games (also known as 50/50s) lineups and building up your DFS bankroll. For those of you that do not know what a cash game really means, here is an excellent read from Picks.org to help explain the basics of the different styles of DFS tournaments: https://www.picks.org/daily-fantasy-sports/dfs-cash-games-vs-tournaments

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If you’re just now getting into the Daily Fantasy game, I would highly suggest utilizing at least 70% of your bankroll for cash game usage and the other 30% for GPP’s and Qualifiers. The art of building a lineup for NFL DFS cash games is entirely different than a GPP lineup build, so please be aware that these DFS cash game plays are not always recommended for GPP’s.

My articles will be mainly meant for DraftKings, but you can certainly use this information for other DFS websites.

If you have any questions and would like some further help when building your lineups, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly on Twitter. I’m always available to help DFS players make the most of their investments! Enough talking, let’s get to the plays for Week One NFL DFS cash games.

Quarterbacks

1. Jacoby Brissett ($4,400) – Brissett is simply way too cheap on all DFS formats (thanks to Andrew Luck’s out-of-nowhere retirement). The Los Angeles Chargers’ defense does not impress me on paper at the moment and Brissett is plenty skilled to start his season on the right track with a healthy wide receiving corps. For his price, I’m 100% lock-buttoning Brissett as my Quarterback in NFL DFS cash games for Week One.
2. Kirk Cousins ($5,500) – I’m not quite sure why Cousins’ price is so low this week, but if you don’t trust Jacoby Brissett, Kirk Cousins would be my next best cash game QB play. Rostering Jacoby Brissett or Kirk Cousins offers up a lot of salary relief to afford studs at the running back and wide receiver positions. Do we even need to mention how much the Falcons struggled on defense last year? Cousins is at home on Sunday and should have no problem hitting value for cash game players.
3. Lamar Jackson ($6,000) – Lamar Jackson is the definition of a high-floor DFS Quarterback in his Week One matchup against a very suspect Miami Dolphins’ defense. Once Jackson was named the starting Quarterback in Baltimore last season, he averaged a ridiculous 79 rushing yards per game! Assuming he can pass for at least 180 yards and a touchdown, his legs will make up for the below average passing numbers. Lamar Jackson makes an excellent play for Week One NFL DFS cash games.

Running Backs

1. Saquon Barkley ($9,000) – arguably the best player in fantasy football… Barkley is incredibly valuable in a DFS cash game at this price in a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys’ defense is going to be stout all season long, but Barkley’s volume is probably going to be second-to-none in 2019 (thanks to Todd Gurley not being 100% healthy anymore). I don’t expect Barkley to have a monster game in Week One, but he will get 30+ touches, which is really all I need to be confident in rostering Barkley in cash games.
2. Tony Pollard ($4,500) – just like Brissett at QB, Pollard is just too cheap to avoid when building lineups for your Week One NFL DFS cash games. Assuming Ezekiel Elliott does not sign a contract and suit-up on Sunday, Pollard is going to be a lock-button for me. He allows so much salary relief that you can utilize elsewhere. Lock him in (if Elliott is out)! UPDATE: Ezekiel Elliott has now signed with the Cowboys and is reporting to practice. I do not have a good grasp on how many snaps Elliott will play this week, so I am leaving him off my player pool for NFL DFS cash games this week.
3. Christian McCaffrey ($8,800) – we all know how much of a stud McCaffrey is. Regardless of the matchup, I project his volume is second to only Saquon Barkley. If you don’t like Barkley as your number one running back, plug-in McCaffrey with confidence (maybe even use both, if you can afford it).
4. Dalvin Cook ($6,000) – he is simply way too cheap for an elite, three-down starting running back. Dalvin Cook is finally 100% healthy and should be primed up for a big game against the Falcons. Please note, I do not advise using both Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook in the same lineup for your NFL DFS cash games (I never like to stack the passing and running game for a 50/50 style of DFS tournament).
5. Chris Carson ($5,700) – the Seattle Seahawks are currently a 10-point favorite at home this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. That screams 22+ touches for Chris Carson (and probably a touchdown or two). I love getting shares of Chris Carson this week, especially in cash games.
6. Nick Chubb ($6,400) – similar to Carson, I expect Cleveland running back Nick Chubb, to be quite busy on Sunday at home against the Titans. I do not love his price in comparison to Carson and Cook, so I’m not building many lineups with Nick Chubb in them at the moment. Regardless, he is absolutely a safe play with a high floor and maybe an even higher ceiling. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Cleveland this season, but Chubb should still be their number one option on offense.
7. Leonard Fournette ($6,100) – Fournette obviously comes with a lot of risk. You never know when he’s going to re-injure that ankle and head to the locker room, but when he’s on the field, he is going to be productive (especially against a Chiefs’ defense that will struggle to get stops). I don’t love Fournette in cash games, but he will be on the field for all three downs and heavily active in both the running and passing games. This is an excellent spot for a 150 all purpose yard game, with a touchdown or two.

Wide Receivers

1. Chris Godwin ($6,200) – I hate that Chris Godwin is my number one play at the wide receiver position for Week One DFS cash games, but his price is great and the matchup is even better. This San Francisco/Tampa Bay game is going to be a shootout, and Godwin will have a hefty role in that. As long as Jameis Winston is competent, Godwin should be in-store for a solid season opener.
2. Stefon Diggs ($6,700) – Diggs is better than Adam Thielen, sorry. We have mentioned multiple times that the Atlanta Falcons’ defense is a good one to target in DFS this week, so why not use arguably the best route runner in the NFL, who also happens to be Kirk Cousins’ favorite target in the red-zone? I have Diggs projected for six catches, 110 receiving yards, and a score. I have no problem if you’d rather use Diggs over the chalky Chris Godwin… I may even prefer it. Hamstring injury concerns.
3. Kenny Golladay ($6,300) – Volume, Volume, Volume. Matt Stafford absolutely peppers Golladay with targets when he needs to pass the ball and with a depleted Arizona secondary, the Lions should pass it often on Sunday. Golladay should line up all over the field and take advantage of a cakewalk matchup. Better yet, Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, is starting the season off with a suspension. There is absolutely no reason to fade Golladay in Week One.
4. Keenan Allen ($7,300) – Similar to Golladay, we all know how much Phil Rivers trusts Keenan Allen. This WR is PPR gold and I have him projected for eight catches for 115 yards. He is an excellent cash game and GPP play this week, and it doesn’t appear that many others in the industry are even considering rostering him this week.
5. Dede Westbrook ($4,800) – we need to save money again in at least one wide receiver spot. Westbrook is my number one choice for salary savings at the wide receiver position in my lineups for NFL DFS cash games. He has already built excellent chemistry in the preseason with new Quarterback Nick Foles. Assuming this game shoots out, Foles is going to look to Westbrook early and often in hopes that they can keep up with the prolific Kansas City Chiefs’ offense.
6. Cole Beasley ($3,600) – there is nothing sexy about rostering Cole Beasley in DFS, but he is damn-near free to plug into your cash game lineup. Josh Allen has been targeting Beasley in the middle of the field all preseason, and that should carry into Sunday when the Bills open their season up in New York against the Jets. All you need out of Beasley is five or more catches for 60-75 yards receiving for him to hit value.

Tight Ends

1. Travis Kelce ($7,100) – I don’t have to say much about Travis Kelce… he offers DFS players the highest floor at the tight end position and the highest ceiling. If you can afford him, lock him in.
2. George Kittle ($6,100) – get exposure to this Tampa Bay/San Francisco game! The receiving corps for the 49ers is rather banged up right now so Kittle is going to be incredibly active in the passing game in what should be a high-scoring affair on Sunday afternoon. I love getting shares of Kittle this week. I have Kelce projected slightly higher, but for the $1,000 discount, you cannot go wrong with Kittle, who I have projected as the number two tight-end on the slate (and no, I did not forget about Zach Ertz).
3. Evan Engram ($4,800) – I do not love this play, but someone other than Saquon Barkley has to produce on Sunday… Engram will be that guy. His price is solid, but not great. If you use Saquon, don’t use Engram in your cash game lineup.
4. Hunter Henry ($3,900) – How is he only $3,900? If you need to pay down at the tight-end position, Hunter Henry is your guy.

Defense/Special Teams

I simply play who I can afford and who I think is in a somewhat positive matchup in regards to acquiring fantasy points. These plays are not in any order of preference, just price (high-to-low).

• Baltimore Ravens ($3,800)
• Philadelphia Eagles ($3,600)
• Dallas Cowboys ($3,500)
• Cleveland Browns ($3,400)
• Seattle Seahawks ($3,100)
• Carolina Panthers & Miami Dolphins ($2,100)

Sample Lineup

QB: Jacoby Brissett

RB: Nick Chubb

RB: Dalvin Cook

WR: Chris Godwin

WR: Kenny Golladay

WR: Dede Westbrook

TE: Travis Kelce

FLEX: Chris Carson

DST: Seattle Seahawks

Keenan Allen Featured Image via kevind810