NFL DFS Picks for Week 1

NFL DFS Picks in Summary

• Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions — $9,100
• Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals — $8,200
• Tyler Warren, TE, Colts — $5,600

Part of the beauty of NFL DFS on FanDuel is that the slate changes — sometimes drastically — from week to week.

Using our NFL DFS projections as a guide, let's take a look at some of the best daily fantasy football plays at each position — accounting for salary — on this week's FanDuel main slate.

Note: All stats come from NextGenStats or Pro Football Focus unless stated otherwise.

NFL DFS: Best Picks for This Week

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals — $8,200

The Bengals-Buccaneers matchup is one of the best games on the Week 1 DFS slate, carrying a 50.5-point over/under with Cincinnati favored by 3.5 points. That immediately puts Joe Burrow and the rest of the Bengals’ passing game firmly on the DFS radar.

Tampa Bay allowed 238.2 passing yards per game last season, which ranked 27th in the NFL. Our Week 1 projection has Burrow for 255.70 passing yards and 2.19 passing touchdowns, making him one of the strongest combinations of ceiling and matchup among the higher-priced quarterbacks.

The Bengals also have enough offensive firepower to create multiple touchdown opportunities, and Burrow gives us easy access to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins if you want to stack this game.

At $8,200, Burrow is up there in salary, but this is one spot where I'm willing to pay up.

Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions — $7,800

Jared Goff is one of my favorite ways to save some salary at quarterback. His salary is $400 less than Burrow’s and $800 below Lamar Jackson, while Detroit enters its matchup with New Orleans as a 6.5-point home favorite with a 49.5-point total.

Goff threw for 4,564 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2025 while ranking 11th in FanDuel points among all players at 17.5 per game. Our projections call for 251.43 passing yards and 2.12 touchdowns against the Saints.

New Orleans actually had the NFL's fourth-best pass defense last season, so this isn't an obvious matchup play. However, Detroit's implied team total and the concentration of talent around Goff give him a strong path to a multi-touchdown performance.

He's my preferred midrange quarterback if you're looking to spend up at other positions.

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions — $9,100

Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the high-salary players I am most comfortable with this week.

The Lions are favored by 6.5 points at home, and Gibbs brings an elite combination of rushing and receiving ability. We project him for 66.81 rushing yards, 30.24 receiving yards and 0.56 rushing touchdowns, plus another 0.27 receiving touchdowns.

His upside was evident last season, when he posted games of 44.4 and 35.2 FanDuel points. He had 15 carries for 219 yards and two touchdowns while adding 11 receptions for 45 yards in his monster Week 12 performance against the Giants.

The Saints allowed 120.6 rushing yards per game last season, and Gibbs can do significant damage without needing 25 carries because of his role in the passing game.

He's expensive, but I think the ceiling justifies it.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions — $8,600

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s salary is tough to get to, but his combination of volume, touchdown upside and quarterback stability makes him one of the safest premium receivers on the slate.

Our projections give St. Brown 86.35 receiving yards and 0.71 receiving touchdowns, resulting in a projected 16.7 PPR fantasy points. Detroit's 49.5-point game total also gives the Lions offense plenty of scoring potential.

The Saints had a strong pass defense last season, which keeps this from being a perfect matchup. Still, St. Brown is the focal point of an offense projected to score frequently, and his red-zone involvement gives him a strong touchdown ceiling.

He's one of my favorite expensive receivers on the board.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers — $6,500

Ladd McConkey is exactly the kind of value play I'm looking for in Week 1.

He's listed at just $6,500 despite being the Chargers' top option in a game with a 47.5-point total. Los Angeles is also favored by 9.5 points against Arizona, giving McConkey a strong chance to get involved early before the Chargers potentially shift toward the running game.

The $6,500 price tag is particularly appealing because it gives us exposure to Justin Herbert without needing to pay a premium for a receiver. McConkey is also ranked as one of the slate’s best point-per-dollar plays by our projections.

He doesn't need a massive game to be useful at this price, but his target volume gives him legitimate tournament-winning upside.

Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints — $7,400

Chris Olave gives us another midrange receiver who should see plenty of opportunities.

New Orleans enters a difficult matchup against Detroit, but that could actually help Olave from a DFS perspective. The Saints are significant underdogs, creating the possibility that they have to throw throughout the afternoon.

Detroit's pass defense ranked just 20th in the NFL last season, allowing 217.4 passing yards per game, while Olave enters 2026 as the centerpiece of New Orleans' receiving corps.

At $7,400, his salary is substantially less than the elite receivers while still giving us the potential for a double-digit target game. I especially like him in lineups that don't have room for Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts — $5,600

Tyler Warren is my favorite tight end on the slate.

At $5,600, Warren gives us significant salary relief without needing to sacrifice upside. He's the second-highest projected tight end by our numbers, which gives him a strong combination of price and expected production.

The matchup with Baltimore isn't ideal, but Warren's potential workload is what makes him interesting. Indianapolis has Daniel Jones under center, and getting an inexpensive tight end who can operate as a significant part of the passing game is valuable in a FanDuel lineup.

I'd rather use $5,600 on Warren and take the savings to upgrade another position than find room for a high-salary TE.

NFL DFS FAQ

What are the best NFL DFS plays each week?

The best NFL DFS plays can change from week to week based on salary, matchup, expected workload, injuries, projected popularity and game environment. Players with strong opportunities and favorable salaries can offer the best combination of floor and upside.

How do you choose NFL DFS plays?

NFL DFS plays are evaluated using factors such as projected volume, recent production, matchup, touchdown potential, expected popularity, game script and salary. Injuries and changes in player roles can also create new opportunities each week.

What is an NFL DFS value play?

An NFL DFS value play is a player who has the potential to produce strong fantasy numbers relative to his salary. Lower-salaried players can become particularly appealing when injuries or other circumstances lead to increased playing time or usage.

What makes a good NFL DFS lineup?

Matchups, expected volume, salary, lineup correlation, projected draft percentage and game environment are all important factors when building a lineup. You’ll need upside to take down a contest.

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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.