3 Best NFL DFS Studs for Week 1

NFL DFS Stud Picks at a Glance

• Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
• Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
• Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles

Hitting on high-salary players is one the first steps to having success in NFL DFS on FanDuel.

These players take up the biggest chunk of your salary cap, and they need to deliver quality performances for your lineup to reach its ceiling.

With some help from our NFL DFS projections, here are four studs to target on this week's FanDuel NFL DFS main slate.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NFL DFS Week 1: Best Stud Picks

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions

FanDuel Salary: $8,600 (vs. NO)

Amon-Ra St. Brown checks all the boxes this week.

Per our NFL DFS projections, St. Brown is projected for 86.35 receiving yards and 0.71 receiving touchdowns, which translates to 16.7 PPR fantasy points. He’s our main-slate WR1.

The matchup isn't necessarily a slam dunk on paper, as the New Orleans Saints allowed just 179.2 passing yards per game last season. Still, St. Brown's combination of volume and touchdown upside — especially when the Detroit Lions are indoors — give him a huge ceiling.

The Lions are favored by 6.5 points at home in a game with a 48.5-point total, so there’s plenty of shootout potential, giving him a strong path to a ceiling game even against a respectable Saints defense.

Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals

FanDuel Salary: $8,200 (vs. TB)

The best DFS game on the slate — and the one likely to be the most popular game stack — is the Cincinnati Bengals-Tampa Bay Buccaneers matchup, a game with a tight spread (3.5) and high over/under (50.5). That’s exactly what we’re looking for in DFS.

Usually, I wouldn’t love the idea of dropping this much salary on a QB who doesn’t run. In this case, I think it’s worth it.

The matchup is particularly appealing because Tampa Bay ranked 27th in the NFL in pass defense last season, allowing 238.2 passing yards per game. The Buccaneers surrendered at least one passing touchdown to 14 quarterbacks and allowed four quarterbacks to throw for at least three touchdowns in a game last campaign.

We know Burrow has the weapons to take advantage of the matchup, and you could even make a case for double-stacking Burrow with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles

FanDuel Salary: $8,100 (vs. WSH)

Time will tell what the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offense morphs into sans AJ Brown. But early in the year, they may lean on Saquon Barkley pretty heavily while rookie Makai Lemon gets his feet wet.

A Week 1 matchup with the Washington Commanders gives Barkley an excellent opportunity to start the season with a big performance. The Commanders allowed 141.8 rushing yards per game last season, the third-most, and they allowed six opposing running backs to top 100 rushing yards.

The matchup gets even more appealing because Philadelphia is a 5.5-point home favorite, creating a strong game-script scenario for Barkley to see plenty of carries if the Eagles play from ahead. Washington is also dealing with uncertainty on defense under new coordinator Daronte Jones, while Philadelphia’s offensive line remains one of the strengths of the roster.

Barkley had a strong showing against Washington last season, rushing 21 times for 132 yards and a touchdown in Week 16.

With a favorable run matchup, home-field advantage and a strong chance to handle a big workload, Barkley has the ceiling to be the slate’s top-scoring RB.

NFL DFS Studs FAQ

What is an NFL DFS stud?

An NFL DFS stud is a high-salary player who is expected to produce a strong fantasy score in a daily fantasy football contest. These players typically have significant workloads, high ceilings and favorable opportunities to accumulate fantasy points.

How do you choose the best NFL DFS studs?

The best DFS studs are identified by looking at factors such as expected volume, recent production, matchup, touchdown potential and projected roster percentage.

Who are the best NFL DFS plays each week?

The best NFL DFS plays change from week to week based on matchups, injuries, salaries, projected draft percentage and expected usage. High-volume quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are often among the strongest options at the top of the salary range.

What is a good DFS lineup strategy?

A strong NFL DFS lineup typically combines a few high-upside players with lower-salary options who have favorable matchups or increased workloads while also hitting on a player or two who does well but isn’t popular that week. Finding players who can significantly outperform their salaries is one of the most important parts of building a winning lineup.

Interested in playing NFL DFS? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.