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After back-to-back primetime openers on Wednesday and Thursday, all eyes shift to Sunday’s 12-game slate running from 1 to 4:25 p.m. ET. Week 1 is always a great opportunity to gauge how teams plan to deploy their players and set expectations for the rest of the season.
Here are our best Week 1 DFS picks and lineup recommendations for Sunday’s afternoon games. Be sure to check out our NFL betting trends page as well, for data and odds on every game – along with our parlay picks below.
NFL Week 1 DFS Picks
| Pos | Player | Matchup | FPPG | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB |
 Lamar Jackson |
BAL @ IND | 17.3 | $6,800 |
| RB |
 Saquon Barkley |
WAS @ PHI | 15.4 | $6,900 |
| RB |
 Rico Dowdle |
ATL @ PIT | 12.7 | $5,200 |
| WR |
 Luther Burden III |
CHI @ CAR | 8.6 | $5,500 |
| WR |
 Ladd McConkey |
ARI @ LAC | 11.4 | $5,900 |
| WR |
 Zay Flowers |
BAL @ IND | 15.0 | $6,400 |
| TE |
 Tyler Warren |
BAL @ IND | 11.1 | $4,900 |
| FLEX |
 DK Metcalf |
ATL @ PIT | 12.5 | $5,400 |
| DST |
 Texans |
BUF @ HOU | 10.6 | $2,900 |
Lamar Jackson, BAL/QB ($6,800)
The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson enter the 2026-27 season as one of the AFC favorites. The former league MVP opens the campaign with a favorable matchup against an Indianapolis defense that struggled badly against quarterbacks last season. The Colts finished ranked 31st out of 32 teams in opponents’ passing yards per game at 247.9. Jackson’s dual-threat ability has hurt the Colts in past matchups, including a 400-plus yard passing performance against them in 2021.
The ninth-year QB plays his first game under new OC Declan Doyle, who has hinted at pre-snap motion and play-action passing to create advantages against a secondary that will always look to shade inside against Derrick Henry. Jackson’s ability to extend plays outside the pocket makes him as dangerous as any QB heading into this season.
Saquon Barkley, PHI/RB ($6,900)
After a somewhat pedestrian season for the star RB, Saquon Barkley enters Week 1 with a promising matchup in a division rivalry game. Like Jackson, Barkley and the Eagles offense will operate under new coordinator Sean Mannion, who tends to favor running under center. Last season, 61.4% of his carries came from shotgun, where he averaged 3.5 YPC. In the 38.6% of carries under center, Barkley averaged 4.9 YPC.
The 29-year-old has plenty of history against the Commanders over eight seasons in the NFC East, averaging 1.1 TDs and 137.0 scrimmage yards per game in 12 career matchups. Last season’s lone regular-season meeting saw Barkley carry 21 times for 132 yards and a TD. The Commanders finished ranked 30th against the run last season and are in for a long day.
Rico Dowdle, PIT/RB ($5,200)
Pittsburgh’s newest RB enters Week 1 as one of the best value plays of the week, officially listed as the Steelers’ RB2. Dowdle is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and now joins former HC Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh, where he will operate in a platoon with Jaylen Warren. The two split snaps nearly 50/50 during the preseason and should see similar usage in Week 1.
He faces a familiar opponent in the Atlanta Falcons, a run defense he had some success against last season as a member of the Panthers. The 28-year-old totaled 138 scrimmage yards and a TD across two games against Atlanta, splitting time with other backs. Dowdle has proven he can handle a lead role but has also shown efficiency in a timeshare. His larger frame makes him a strong candidate for goal-line work in this Pittsburgh offense.
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Luther Burden III, CHI/WR ($5,500)
Luther Burden III showed early signs of stardom in his rookie year alongside Caleb Williams. The 22-year-old appears on the brink of a breakout season, and Week 1 against the Panthers could be the start of it. Chicago may also be without WR Rome Odunze, who is battling a foot injury, which would open up even more opportunities for Burden.
The Bears’ slot WR commanded a 20.6% target share from Week 11 onward last season, averaging 4.3 receptions and 60.1 yards per game over the final eight games while emerging as Williams’ primary target alongside TE Colston Loveland. With DJ Moore traded to Buffalo in the offseason, the target share is there for Burden to seize in Year 2.
Ladd McConkey, LAC/WR ($5,900)
Chargers WR1 Ladd McConkey could be in for a career year under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels, who oversaw breakout seasons from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle during his time in Miami. McConkey opens the season as Justin Herbert’s primary target in what looks like an elite matchup against the Cardinals.
The 24-year-old lined up in the slot 64.8% of the time last season and now faces a Cardinals secondary that finished top 10 in targets, catches, and yards allowed to inside receivers. McConkey ranked first on the team in targets, catches, and receiving yards in his sophomore season. Nearly half of those yards came via YAC, and Arizona allowed 12.3 YAC to opposing receivers last season.
Check out our NFL Week 1 Anytime Touchdown Picks
Zay Flowers, BAL/WR ($6,400)
A big-money extension this offseason should have Flowers locked in and ready to deliver as Baltimore’s clear WR1. The Flowers-Jackson stack has already shown its potential on the biggest stage — last season’s Week 1 saw Flowers open with 7 receptions for 143 yards and a TD, the best WR performance of that week.
Indianapolis plays single-high safety looks in 65% of its snaps, and Flowers posted a 27% target-per-route-run rate against that look last season. The Colts also ranked 28th in open-field tackling efficiency last year, and Flowers averages 21.4% more YAC on indoor turf throughout his career. Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday is a perfect fit for him.
Tyler Warren, IND/TE ($4,900)
To counter Jackson and Flowers, the Colts will lean on star TE Tyler Warren, who enters his sophomore season off a strong rookie campaign. Warren led Indianapolis in targets as a rookie and averaged 13.1 PPR fantasy points per game in the weeks QB Daniel Jones was healthy, posting a nearly 31% target share in those games.
With WR Michael Pittman Jr. no longer on the roster, Warren is the primary candidate to absorb the over 100 targets Pittman left behind. His 43.6% slot snap rate last season allowed him to function more as a WR than a traditional blocking TE, giving Jones a reliable option over the middle in what should be a high-volume passing day.
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DK Metcalf, PIT/WR ($5,400)
Our flex belongs to Steelers WR1 DK Metcalf, who is coming off an underrated debut season in Pittsburgh — 59 receptions, 850 yards, and 6 TDs in 15 games. The 28-year-old served as the team’s primary option on offense and drew the majority of defensive attention. That attention may be more distributed this season with Michael Pittman Jr. joining from Indianapolis.
Like Flowers, Metcalf has had success against single-high safety looks, which Atlanta deployed nearly 60% of the time last season. Star CB A.J. Terrell will likely shadow Metcalf for most of his snaps, but Aaron Rodgers has never shied away from testing cornerbacks one-on-one against his physical WR. At $5,400 with an expected 20-plus percent target share, Metcalf is a strong value play in Week 1.
Houston Texans D/ST ($2,900)
Our lineup is rounded out by the Texans defense at just $2,900, despite one of the best matchups on the board. DeMeco Ryans’ unit has consistently given Josh Allen fits — he is 0-4 at NRG Stadium in his career, throwing just one TD in those four games. Houston held Allen to a 51.6% completion rate in his last two meetings and sacked him eight times when the teams met last season.
Ryans’ Cover-1 system limits Allen’s scrambling lanes and keeps him confined in the pocket, where edge rusher Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. can get after him. At $2,900, the Texans’ track record against the consensus QB1 makes them one of the slate’s best values.
Check out our NFL Week 1 Player Prop Picks
Photo Credit: REUTERS
