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Week 1 DraftKings Plays: Mark Andrews, Deon Jackson, and More

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Week 1 DraftKings Plays

We’re so close to the first full slate of the NFL season in all its glory. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 1 DraftKings plays.

READ MORE: Week 1 Streams | Week 1 Running Back Rankings | Wide Receiver Rankings | Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

Week 1 DraftKings Plays

Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert (LAC) – $6,900 v MIA

Justin Herbert had a bit of a down year last year in his third season. After throwing for 38 touchdowns as a sophomore, that number dipped to 25 last year. Subsequently, he dropped from 23.3 fantasy points per game down to 17.1 fantasy points per game on his way to a QB15 finish. Herbert still had 4,739 passing yards on 699 pass attempts. Assuming he throws anywhere near as much this year, we should expect natural regression back to 30+ passing scores once again.

On top of that, the Los Angeles Chargers brought in coveted offensive coordinator Kellen Moore who should increase the tempo and push that ball down the field more. They also drafted Quentin Johnston in the first round of the NFL Draft. This week specifically should be a great matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins allowed the third-most DraftKings points to quarterbacks last year. This game also has the highest combined total on the slate at 51 points with the Chargers having one the highest implied total of any team on the slate at 26.75 points. All of this sets up for a big game for Herbert making him one of the best Week 1 DraftKings plays.

Sam Howell (WAS) – $4,900 v ARI

If you’re looking to save a little bit of salary, Sam Howell is your man. He ended the preseason with a ton of buzz and hype. It wasn’t even a lock he would win the starting job for the Washington Commanders but his play in the preseason cemented it. Now Howell gets an easy landing to open the 2023 season against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals weren’t very good on defense last year and seem likely to be worse this year after trading away some players. Let’s also not forget that Howell scored 19.3 fantasy points in his only start last year. He did so by chipping in 35 yards and a score on the ground. That’s after rushing for more than 800 yards in his final college season too, so it seems likely he’ll be able to chip in some points with his legs this season. This price was likely set well before it was official that he was the starting quarterback and that’s something to take advantage of this week.

Others to Consider: Geno Smith (SEA) – $6,100 v LAR, Anthony Richardson (IND) – $5,600 v JAX, Deshaun Watson (CLE) – $6,000 v CIN

Running Backs

Austin Ekeler (LAC) – $8,400 v MIA

Austin Ekeler is coming off his fourth straight top-ten running back season. It’s also two straight top-two seasons, both of which he averaged at least 21.5 fantasy points per game. Simply put, Ekeler is a true stud and one of the safest running backs in fantasy football due to how involved he is as a pass catcher. It should be more of the same to start the 2023 season.

As previously mentioned, the Chargers brought in a new offensive coordinator, which should benefit Ekeler as well. Also as previously mentioned, this is arguably the best offensive environment on the entire slate too with the highest combined total and the Chargers owning the highest implied team total. There’s no reason to expect Ekeler to score less than 15 DraftKings points with the upside to go for 30+ points. That makes him one of the best Week 1 DraftKings plays, especially if paying up at the running back spot.

Deon Jackson (IND) – $4,100 v JAX

Here’s another case of a player getting priced as a backup and now is in line for much more work than when the pricing came out. Deon Jackson looks to be the main benefactor to start the season because of the Jonathan Taylor v the Indianapolis Colts contract drama. It seems like Zack Moss might be the starter for this team as early as next week but he seems on the wrong side of questionable to play this week. That leaves Deon Jackson and rookie Evan Hull as the main two running backs to open 2023.

Jackson had some success last season when given the opportunity, including an overall RB1 performance against these same Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6. In that game, he had 10 receptions for 121 receiving yards and a score and it’s extremely unlikely he does that again this time around. That being said, he’s a capable pass catcher and also likely to see double-digit carries too which simply makes him way too cheap.

Others to Consider: Jamaal Williams (NO) – $5,100 v TEN, Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) – $7,000 v PHI, Kenneth Walker III (SEA) – $6,000 v LAR, Joe Mixon (CIN) – $6,800 @ CLE, Raheem Mostert (MIA) – $5,400 @ LAC

Wide Receivers

Chris Olave (NO) – $6,500 v TEN

Chris Olave is coming off a phenomenal rookie season in which he caught 72 of his 119 targets for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns in only 15 games. That was good enough for him to be the WR25 and average 13.2 fantasy points per game. Looking deeper, Olave’s rookie season was even more impressive than his surface stats.

His 26.7% target share was 15th-best in the NFL among all wide receivers. His TPRR (29.3%) and YPRR (2.57) were both top-ten marks in the league. The most impressive was his 40.8% air yards share, which was third-best in the NFL. All of those are good signs that Olave should be even better in his second season. The New Orleans Saints acquired Derek Carr this offseason which should be another nice boost for him.

The matchup to start 2023 is about as ideal as it gets too. The Tennessee Titans‘ secondary was horrible last year and allowed the most DraftKings points to wide receivers. The Saints are also playing at home, in a dome which is another boost to passing offenses. Add it all up and Olave looks like one of the best Week 1 DraftKings plays.

Elijah Moore (CLE) – $3,800 v CIN

Elijah Moore is one guy who took massive steps in his sophomore season, they just happened to be in the wrong direction. After a promising rookie season, Moore seemed to clash with coaches in New York, leading to his eventual trade to the Cleveland Browns. Hopefully, he can get back to looking more like his rookie self in 2023.

The Browns and fantasy managers are certainly hoping so and hoping for a fast start to 2023 as they open the season facing the Cincinnati Bengals. Assuming Joe Burrow suits up for the Bengals, the Browns will likely need to move the ball and put up points to keep up. This game currently has the second-highest combined total at 47.5 points and the Browns are currently two-point underdogs. That’s an ideal setup for a possible shootout and boost to passing offenses, and if that happens, Moore could be a big beneficiary.

Others to Consider: Brandon Aiyuk (SF) – $4,900 @ PIT, Amari Cooper (CLE) –  $5,800 v CIN, Jayden Reed (GB) – $3,000 @ CHI, Tutu Atwell (LAR) – $3,000 @ SEA, Tyreek Hill (MIA) – $8,200 @ LAC, Jahan Dotson (WAS) – $5,000 v ARI

Tight Ends

Mark Andrews (BAL) – $6,200 v HOU

With Travis Kelce off the slate, Andrews becomes the go-to pay-up option at tight end this week. He had a rough season last year but is looking to return to his elite form in 2023. The Baltimore Ravens replaced Greg Roman with Todd Monken and it seems likely that the offense will be more pass-happy and even more tight end friendly than before. That’s great news for Andrews who will be looking to return to his previous elite form in 2023.

The landing spot is soft against a bad Houston Texans defense. They were middle-of-the-road against the tight end position specifically last year but were not good overall. On top of that, the Ravens are the biggest favorites on the week at 9.5 points and have a very nice implied team total of 26.5 points, the second-highest on the slate. Andrews should start his 2023 campaign in a strong fashion.

Luke Musgrave (GB) – $2,900 @ CHI

Luke Musgrave became everyone’s favorite sleeper tight end by the end of the preseason. The Green Bay Packers used a second-round pick on him in this year’s NFL Draft. He’s a receiving tight end with a nice athletic profile and playing on a team that has plenty of other young, unestablished pass-catching options.

Rookie tight ends are tough to bet on but it’s usually because they don’t see the field enough to run enough routes. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Musgrave if his preseason usage is any indication moving forward. The matchup isn’t anything special against the Chicago Bears but he’s simply priced as if he’s not going to play much. If Musgrave is able to continue his route participation from the preseason, that makes him far too cheap and makes him one of the best Week 1 DraftKings plays.

Others to Consider: David Njoku (CLE) – $4,200 v CIN, Kyle Pitts (ATL) – $4,500 v CAR, Hayden Hurst (CAR) – $3,000 @ ATL

Defense/Special Teams

In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I look to target the heavily favored teams as they usually are playing with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often which can help lead to extra sacks and turnovers and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.

My Tentative Cash Game Lineup

  • QB – Anthony Richardson
  • RB – Jamaal Williams
  • RB – Deon Jackson
  • WR – Tyreek Hill
  • WR – Jaylen Waddle
  • WR – Amari Cooper
  • TE – Luke Musgrave
  • Flex – Austin Ekeler
  • DST – Washington

Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 1 DraftKings plays and to see the best picks for Week 2. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!

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Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports

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