Week 1 DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Picks, Lineup Tips for Sunday

Week 1 DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Picks, Lineup Tips for Sunday

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The NFL is back, and so is fantasy football. Not only standard leagues, but daily fantasy, too. And that will be even more the case once Sunday afternoon arrives.

The 2023 season began with Thursday night’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs, which the Lions won 21-20. Now, the first Sunday of the new NFL campaign has arrived, with 14 matchups on the day’s slate.

There’s money to be won via daily fantasy contests, and there’s a large pool of available players between the eight matchups in the 1 p.m. ET slot and the five more in the 4:25 p.m. ET window. But it can be hard to pick who’s best to use in the DFS format.

So, here’s some daily fantasy advice to consider when setting your DraftKings lineup to try to earn cash prizes on the first Sunday of the 2023 season.

Consider Building Around a Washington QB-WR Stack

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Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is a bit of an unknown entering the season. After all, he played in only one game and attempted just 19 passes during his 2022 rookie campaign.

But Howell ($4,900) is in a good spot to have a strong 2023 debut, as the Commanders will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. It’s a great matchup for Washington’s offense, and Howell’s low DFS price point makes him an intriguing bargain option.

It could even be wise to pair Howell with a fellow second-year player. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson ($5,000) also has an affordable price, and he’s poised to have a strong sophomore showing in 2023.

Top receiver Terry McLaurin dealt with a toe injury during the preseason, so perhaps Howell could lean a bit more on Dotson in the opener. Plus, Dotson got off to a strong start in 2022, when he scored four touchdowns across his first four career games.

A Howell-Dotson stack could be a strong core to a Sunday DraftKings lineup, as they should connect for some big plays against a beatable Arizona secondary.

Pay Up to Make Jefferson the Captain

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Sometimes, it’s best to pay up big to have a star player in your captain slot of the DraftKings lineup. That role earns more points for your team, so it’s the most crucial one to get right. And it’s hard to go wrong with Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Over his three-year NFL career, Jefferson ($8,800) has only continued to get better. The 24-year-old is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he led the league in catches (128) and receiving yards (1,809) while playing all 17 games for the second straight year.

On Sunday, Jefferson should get off to a strong start, as the Vikings have a favorable matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There aren’t many cornerbacks in the league who can keep up with Jefferson, and he’s likely to have success against the Bucs’ secondary.

With Adam Thielen no longer in Minnesota, quarterback Kirk Cousins could lean even more on Jefferson early in the season while rookie receiver Jordan Addison gets acclimated to the NFL level. So expect a big Week 1 performance to get things rolling for Jefferson early.

Mostert Will Provide Tremendous Value at RB

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If you’re seeking a tremendous value play at running back on Sunday, look no further than the Miami Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert. He’s in a tremendous position to have a big scoring output during Miami’s season-opening matchup vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dolphins typically split up the workload out of the backfield, but Mostert ($5,400) could get a ton of touches early in the season. Jeff Wilson Jr. is on injured reserve due to midsection/finger injuries, and the rest of Miami’s RBs are a bit unproven.

Mostert was effective during his first season with the Dolphins in 2022, rushing for 891 yards in 16 games and averaging 4.9 yards per carry. The 31-year-old should only build on that performance now that he’ll be even more comfortable in Miami.

Sunday’s Dolphins-Chargers matchup could be a competitive one with plenty of offense from both sides. Regardless of how the game goes, Mostert should be heavily involved for Miami, making him a stellar DFS option.