The preseason of the NFL is just getting underway, but DraftKings has released its Week 1 DFS salaries. This gives us an early look at how players are valued, and team defenses are evaluated. We can see which running backs are expected to retain a high usage in their offense. These salaries are just for the main DFS slate, so don’t include any players for the Detroit Lions or Kansas City Chiefs, who play on Thursday, Sept. 7, and likely have their own DFS contest.
As we get into the rankings, one thing to note is that they do not include any free agent running backs at the time this was written. So guys like Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt could all be added later, depending on if they agree to a deal with a team before Week 1.
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey comes into the week with the highest price tag. If you want to add the elusive back, it will cost you $8,700 as he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Austin Ekeler follows him at $8,400, who will face the Miami Dolphins to begin the year. Both of these backs are expected to not only see the bulk of the carries in their offense but are often highly targeted in the passing game.
Atlanta Falcons rookie RB Bijan Robinson has high expectations after being selected as the No. 8 overall pick. Not only is he the most expensive rookie RB in Week 1, but he is the fourth-most expensive option at $8,000 as he takes on the Carolina Panthers.
A training camp battle to watch will be between the Washington Commanders running backs. Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr. are both vying for the starting position, but it could end up being a split backfield. The Commanders have a new offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy, giving upside to the overall offense if he can re-create the success he had with the Kansas City Chiefs. Gibson and Robinson come in at $5,200 and $5,100, respectively and have a great matchup on paper against the Arizona Cardinals. If you are setting an early lineup, I’d give the edge to Gibson.
NFL Week 1 DraftKings DFS RB Salaries
| First | Last | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Last | Team | Opponent | Salary |
| Christian | McCaffrey | 49ers | Steelers | $8,700 |
| Austin | Ekeler | Chargers | Dolphins | $8,400 |
| Nick | Chubb | Browns | Bengals | $8,200 |
| Bijan | Robinson | Falcons | Panthers | $8,000 |
| Jonathan | Taylor | Colts | Jaguars | $7,900 |
| Derrick | Henry | Titans | Saints | $7,800 |
| Josh | Jacobs | Raiders | Broncos | $7,700 |
| Rhamondre | Stevenson | Patriots | Eagles | $7,000 |
| Travis | Etienne Jr. | Jaguars | Colts | $6,900 |
| Joe | Mixon | Bengals | Browns | $6,800 |
| Alvin | Kamara | Saints | Titans | $6,700 |
| J.K. | Dobbins | Ravens | Texans | $6,600 |
| James | Conner | Cardinals | Commanders | $6,500 |
| Aaron | Jones | Packers | Bears | $6,400 |
| Cam | Akers | Rams | Seahawks | $6,300 |
| Alexander | Mattison | Vikings | Buccaneers | $6,200 |
| Kenneth | Walker III | Seahawks | Rams | $6,000 |
| Najee | Harris | Steelers | 49ers | $5,900 |
| Dameon | Pierce | Texans | Ravens | $5,800 |
| Javonte | Williams | Broncos | Raiders | $5,700 |
| Miles | Sanders | Panthers | Falcons | $5,600 |
| Raheem | Mostert | Dolphins | Chargers | $5,500 |
| D’Onta | Foreman | Bears | Packers | $5,500 |
| D’Andre | Swift | Eagles | Patriots | $5,400 |
| Jeff | Wilson Jr. | Dolphins | Chargers | $5,400 |
| Tyler | Allgeier | Falcons | Panthers | $5,400 |
| Khalil | Herbert | Bears | Packers | $5,300 |
| Rachaad | White | Buccaneers | Vikings | $5,300 |
| AJ | Dillon | Packers | Bears | $5,200 |
| Antonio | Gibson | Commanders | Cardinals | $5,200 |
| Samaje | Perine | Broncos | Raiders | $5,100 |
| Brian | Robinson Jr. | Commanders | Cardinals | $5,100 |
| Jamaal | Williams | Saints | Titans | $5,100 |
| Rashaad | Penny | Eagles | Patriots | $5,000 |
| Elijah | Mitchell | 49ers | Steelers | $5,000 |
| Tank | Bigsby | Jaguars | Colts | $5,000 |
| Chuba | Hubbard | Panthers | Falcons | $5,000 |
| Cordarrelle | Patterson | Falcons | Panthers | $5,000 |
| Joshua | Kelley | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,900 |
| De’Von | Achane | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,900 |
| Tyjae | Spears | Titans | Saints | $4,900 |
| Zach | Charbonnet | Seahawks | Rams | $4,800 |
| Sony | Michel | Rams | Seahawks | $4,800 |
| Zamir | White | Raiders | Broncos | $4,800 |
| Jordan | Mason | 49ers | Steelers | $4,700 |
| Chase | Brown | Bengals | Browns | $4,700 |
| Devin | Singletary | Texans | Ravens | $4,700 |
| Isaiah | Spiller | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,600 |
| Keaontay | Ingram | Cardinals | Commanders | $4,600 |
| Jaylen | Warren | Steelers | 49ers | $4,600 |
| Ty | Chandler | Vikings | Buccaneers | $4,600 |
| Melvin | Gordon III | Ravens | Texans | $4,600 |
| Tony | Jones Jr. | Broncos | Raiders | $4,500 |
| Roschon | Johnson | Bears | Packers | $4,500 |
| Corey | Clement | Cardinals | Commanders | $4,500 |
| Gus | Edwards | Ravens | Texans | $4,500 |
| Boston | Scott | Eagles | Patriots | $4,400 |
| Ty | Montgomery | Patriots | Eagles | $4,400 |
| Hassan | Haskins | Titans | Saints | $4,400 |
| Kendre | Miller | Saints | Titans | $4,300 |
| Sean | Tucker | Buccaneers | Vikings | $4,300 |
| Chris | Evans | Bengals | Browns | $4,300 |
| Kenneth | Gainwell | Eagles | Patriots | $4,200 |
| Pierre | Strong Jr. | Patriots | Eagles | $4,200 |
| Ke’Shawn | Vaughn | Buccaneers | Vikings | $4,200 |
| Chase | Edmonds | Buccaneers | Vikings | $4,200 |
| JaMycal | Hasty | Jaguars | Colts | $4,200 |
| Zack | Moss | Colts | Jaguars | $4,200 |
| Jerome | Ford | Browns | Bengals | $4,200 |
| DeeJay | Dallas | Seahawks | Rams | $4,100 |
| Kyren | Williams | Rams | Seahawks | $4,100 |
| Ameer | Abdullah | Raiders | Broncos | $4,100 |
| Deon | Jackson | Colts | Jaguars | $4,100 |
| Kenny | McIntosh | Seahawks | Rams | $4,000 |
| Bryant | Koback | Seahawks | Rams | $4,000 |
| Zach | Evans | Rams | Seahawks | $4,000 |
| Ronnie | Rivers | Rams | Seahawks | $4,000 |
| Trey | Sermon | Eagles | Patriots | $4,000 |
| Kennedy | Brooks | Eagles | Patriots | $4,000 |
| Kevin | Harris | Patriots | Eagles | $4,000 |
| J.J. | Taylor | Patriots | Eagles | $4,000 |
| Larry | Rountree III | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,000 |
| Elijah | Dotson | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,000 |
| Tyler | Hoosman | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,000 |
| Zander | Horvath | Chargers | Dolphins | $4,000 |
| Myles | Gaskin | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,000 |
| Salvon | Ahmed | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,000 |
| Chris | Brooks | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,000 |
| Alec | Ingold | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,000 |
| John | Lovett | Dolphins | Chargers | $4,000 |
| Brandon | Bolden | Raiders | Broncos | $4,000 |
| Brittain | Brown | Raiders | Broncos | $4,000 |
| Austin | Walter | Raiders | Broncos | $4,000 |
| Sincere | McCormick | Raiders | Broncos | $4,000 |
| Jakob | Johnson | Raiders | Broncos | $4,000 |
| Tyler | Badie | Broncos | Raiders | $4,000 |
| Jaleel | McLaughlin | Broncos | Raiders | $4,000 |
| Michael | Burton | Broncos | Raiders | $4,000 |
| Patrick | Taylor | Packers | Bears | $4,000 |
| Lew | Nichols III | Packers | Bears | $4,000 |
| Tyler | Goodson | Packers | Bears | $4,000 |
| Emanuel | Wilson | Packers | Bears | $4,000 |
| Henry | Pearson | Packers | Bears | $4,000 |
| Travis | Homer | Bears | Packers | $4,000 |
| Trestan | Ebner | Bears | Packers | $4,000 |
| Robert | Burns | Bears | Packers | $4,000 |
| Khari | Blasingame | Bears | Packers | $4,000 |
| Chris | Rodriguez Jr. | Commanders | Cardinals | $4,000 |
| Jonathan | Williams | Commanders | Cardinals | $4,000 |
| Jaret | Patterson | Commanders | Cardinals | $4,000 |
| Alex | Armah | Commanders | Cardinals | $4,000 |
| Ty’Son | Williams | Cardinals | Commanders | $4,000 |
| Emari | Demercado | Cardinals | Commanders | $4,000 |
| Tyrion | Davis-Price | 49ers | Steelers | $4,000 |
| Ronald | Awatt | 49ers | Steelers | $4,000 |
| Khalan | Laborn | 49ers | Steelers | $4,000 |
| Jack | Colletto | 49ers | Steelers | $4,000 |
| Kyle | Juszczyk | 49ers | Steelers | $4,000 |
| Anthony | McFarland Jr. | Steelers | 49ers | $4,000 |
| Jason | Huntley | Steelers | 49ers | $4,000 |
| Alfonzo | Graham | Steelers | 49ers | $4,000 |
| Darius | Hagans | Steelers | 49ers | $4,000 |
| Monte | Pottebaum | Steelers | 49ers | $4,000 |
| Eno | Benjamin | Saints | Titans | $4,000 |
| Ellis | Merriweather | Saints | Titans | $4,000 |
| Jake | Bargas | Saints | Titans | $4,000 |
| Adam | Prentice | Saints | Titans | $4,000 |
| Julius | Chestnut | Titans | Saints | $4,000 |
| Jonathan | Ward | Titans | Saints | $4,000 |
| Patrick | Laird | Buccaneers | Vikings | $4,000 |
| Ronnie | Brown | Buccaneers | Vikings | $4,000 |
| DeWayne | McBride | Vikings | Buccaneers | $4,000 |
| Kene | Nwangwu | Vikings | Buccaneers | $4,000 |
| Zach | Ojile | Vikings | Buccaneers | $4,000 |
| C.J. | Ham | Vikings | Buccaneers | $4,000 |
| D’Ernest | Johnson | Jaguars | Colts | $4,000 |
| Snoop | Conner | Jaguars | Colts | $4,000 |
| Qadree | Ollison | Jaguars | Colts | $4,000 |
| Derek | Parish | Jaguars | Colts | $4,000 |
| Evan | Hull | Colts | Jaguars | $4,000 |
| Jake | Funk | Colts | Jaguars | $4,000 |
| Demetric | Felton | Browns | Bengals | $4,000 |
| John | Kelly Jr. | Browns | Bengals | $4,000 |
| Nate | McCrary | Browns | Bengals | $4,000 |
| Hassan | Hall | Browns | Bengals | $4,000 |
| Trayveon | Williams | Bengals | Browns | $4,000 |
| Jacob | Saylors | Bengals | Browns | $4,000 |
| Calvin | Tyler Jr. | Bengals | Browns | $4,000 |
| Justice | Hill | Ravens | Texans | $4,000 |
| Keaton | Mitchell | Ravens | Texans | $4,000 |
| Owen | Wright | Ravens | Texans | $4,000 |
| Patrick | Ricard | Ravens | Texans | $4,000 |
| Ben | Mason | Ravens | Texans | $4,000 |
| Mike | Boone | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Dare | Ogunbowale | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Gerrid | Doaks | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Xazavian | Valladay | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Troy | Hairston | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Andrew | Beck | Texans | Ravens | $4,000 |
| Raheem | Blackshear | Panthers | Falcons | $4,000 |
| Spencer | Brown | Panthers | Falcons | $4,000 |
| Camerun | Peoples | Panthers | Falcons | $4,000 |
| Tiyon | Evans | Panthers | Falcons | $4,000 |
| Carlos | Washington Jr. | Falcons | Panthers | $4,000 |
| Avery | Williams | Falcons | Panthers | $4,000 |
| Keith | Smith | Falcons | Panthers | $4,000 |
| Clint | Ratkovich | Falcons | Panthers | $4,000 |
| B.J. | Baylor | Falcons | Panthers | $4,000 |