4 FanDuel NFL Values to Target in Week 1

Finding value is a key part of daily fantasy football on FanDuel. We need to identify the low-salary players who have the potential to pay huge dividends, which allows you to play studs elsewhere in your lineup.

As always, we're looking at players on the main slate, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET. All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

FanDuel Salary: $6,700

The Indianapolis Colts are throwing Anthony Richardson right into the firing line, starting the rookie in Week 1. There are some concerns over his passing, especially early on, but he offers enough as a runner to be playable in DFS right away.

Richardson was measured as the most athletic quarterback of all time at the NFL combine. He was a productive rusher in college, rushing for 654 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games in 2022.

We saw him in the preseason a bit, and he did struggle some through the air. But he was able to run for 45 yards on seven carries in limited time in two games. He likely will run a bit more in the regular season, as no one in the Colts' organization would have wanted to see their fourth overall pick get injured in the preseason.

Richardson should benefit from Shane Steichen being his head coach. Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles and helped utilize Jalen Hurts in a way that is great for fantasy.

The Colts will be without star running back Jonathan Taylor, which could lead to Richardson getting more rushing attempts. More importantly, he might get more opportunities near the goal line.

In a solid matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Richardson rates out as the best point-per-dollar value at quarterback, per numberFire's projections. His running ability gives him a high floor as well as a huge ceiling.

Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins

FanDuel Salary: $5,900

Running back seems like the position to use salary on this week, but if you want to save at RB, you can turn to Raheem Mostert.

Mostert joined the Miami Dolphins last offseason and had a career high in rushing yards. He led the Dolphins in carries and was fifth on the team in targets. He didn't grade out well in Next Gen Stats but still averaged 4.9 yards per carry because Miami's running scheme is strong.

In Week 1, he'll face the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that has disregarded run defense under head coach Brandon Staley. They were 31st in run defense last season, according to numberFire's metrics.

The other element that is going in Mostert's favor is that Jeff Wilson will be out for this game. That leaves only rookie De'Von Achane and the seldomly used Salvon Ahmed in the Dolphins backfield alongside Mostert, which could lead to good volume for the veteran back.

The Dolphins-Chargers game has the highest total on the main slate by 3.0 points. Mostert is a great way to get exposure to this game without breaking the bank.

Marvin Mims, WR, Denver Broncos

FanDuel Salary: $4,700

Week 1 salaries were released over a month ago, and some players inherently end up looking like they're set for a bigger role in Week 1 than what it looked like would be the case back then.

Rookie receiver Marvin Mims falls into that category this season. He was an intriguing prospect heading into camp, with a 95th-percentile 40-yard dash and a 91st-percentile burst score, per PlayerProfiler. With the first draft pick under new head coach and offensive wizard Sean Payton, the Denver Broncos traded up to get Mims, so they obviously liked him.

Mims looks set to be, at worst, the number-three receiver for Denver in Week 1. Tim Patrick is out for the season after another training camp injury. Jerry Jeudy also had an injury toward the end of camp, which has his status up in the air for Week 1. If Jeudy isn't able to play or is limited at all, Mims would be the beneficiary.

The Broncos will face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, which was a fantastic matchup for WRs last season. Vegas ranked 31st against the pass last campaign by numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics. Denver is expected to score some points in this game, with a 24.0-point implied total.

In terms of point-per-dollar value, Mims ranks behind only superstars Ja'Marr Chase and Tyreek Hill at receiver, according to numberFire's model, and he is a great play in all formats at a salary that is near the minimum.

Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams

FanDuel Salary: $5,300

Tight end usually doesn't often have the same plethora of options as the other positions do, which makes it a good spot to save some coin. This week, Tyler Higbee is the way to go if you want to save salary at TE.

It's safe to say he's not the most dynamic tight end in the NFL, but he does have some things working in his favor. Last season, he saw a target on 27.4% of the routes he ran and had a target share of 20.5%. Both of these numbers are pretty elite for a tight end.

Higbee's outlook for targets in Week 1 increased when Cooper Kupp was ruled out with injury. This means that Higbee's competition for targets will be the likes of Van Jefferson, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua. There have been reports that Matthew Stafford has had trouble relating with his new receivers, so he could rely on the familiar Higbee in this game.

The Los Angeles Rams are 5.5-point underdogs against the Seattle Seahawks on the road this week. Seattle allowed the second-most FanDuel points to tight ends last season. If the Rams see a negative game script, Higbee could see a ton of targets.

Rating as the premier value at the position in numberFire's model, Higbee checks a lot of boxes and could be a popular play on the Week 1 main slate.

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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.