The NFL season is officially off to the races with a pair of matchups already in the books. The Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles unveiled the banner and kicked off the season over the Cowboys, and the Los Angeles Chargers upset the Kansas City Chiefs to get the action started. But the rest of the league begins to write its 2025 season story on Sunday with a full slate of games taking place.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action with DraftKings Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports. As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here is a look at a few players in line to outperform their price point to help give you an edge. This article will give my best lineup for the DFS content and the logic behind each selection.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $3.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterback:
Justin Fields ($5,400)
Revenge will be in the air in New York as the Jets host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers have switched locations after it not working out how either had desired in their previous stop. Fields was benched in Pittsburgh after the first six games in which the Steelers went 4-2.
While he still has plenty to work on as a quarterback overall, Fields’ ability with his legs creates a high floor from a DFS perspective. He put up as many as 32.0 fantasy points in his limited opportunities last year based on DraftKings scoring. Fields also finished tied with Lamar Jackson for the fifth-best fantasy points per game in the 2022 season, when he served as the full-time starter in Chicago. Fields may always fall into the category of a better fantasy football quarterback than his impact translates from a team standpoint, but this is all we care about for this article. Expect the Jets to lean on his rushing ability and for Fields to show what he could have brought to this Steelers team as he outproduces his $5,400 price point in the process.
Other Considerations: Kyler Murray ($6,400), Jordan Love ($6,100), Michael Penix Jr. ($5,600), Geno Smith ($5,200)
Running Back:
Ashton Jeanty ($7,000)
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft after he rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season at Boise State. You do not make this type of investment at the position without the intention of using the player, and Jeanty has the talent to command these opportunities. Las Vegas will face off with the New England Patriots to start the season, who ranked 22nd in rushing defense last year by giving up 131.4 yards per game. They made an effort to beef up the trenches this offseason, but Jeanty is an all-around running back who can be effective as a pass catcher and turn any play into a long touchdown. The Raiders have largely been a disaster as an organization in recent years, but they brought in Pete Carroll as head coach and Geno Smith to start at quarterback. Expect a more notable level of competency across the board and for Jeanty to be Carroll’s new version of Marshawn Lynch. Count on the rookie to see plenty of chances and get on the board with a strong opening week performance as the launching point.
TreVeyon Henderson ($5,500)
On the other side of this matchup, another rookie running back also has a chance to shine. The Patriots selected TreVeyon Henderson with the 38th overall pick in this year’s draft. Henderson rushed for 3,761 yards and 42 touchdowns across his four seasons at Ohio State and has shone in his preseason opportunities. Las Vegas was also susceptible to the running game last year, giving up 116.9 rushing yards per game to opponents. While Rhamondre Stevenson still sits at the top of the Patriots’ depth chart, expect both running backs to get some work in the season opener. However, Henderson has a more well-rounded skill set and is poised to play a larger role in the passing game compared to Stevenson’s typical workload. New England is a frisky team looking to leap into contention this season. Count on Henderson to be utilized as a big-play threat and be involved throughout this matchup. While his best games will still likely be a few weeks down the line, feel confident in Henderson outperforming his $5,500 price point.
Other Considerations: Chase Brown ($6,600), James Conner ($6,100), Kenneth Walker III ($5,900), Jaylen Warren ($5,200)
Wide Receivers:
Ja’Marr Chase ($8,100)
The Cincinnati Bengals have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Slow starts have been the driving reason for this, with the hole created from the early-season losses proving too significant to overcome. Expect them to hit the ground running from the opening week, with a great opportunity against the Cleveland Browns. Ja’Marr Chase will be a key part of this attack and led the NFL with 127 receptions for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Chase enters Week 1 as the most expensive wide receiver option, but I am willing to pay the premium. Chase averaged 24.6 fantasy points per game last season based on DraftKings scoring, which led all wide receivers by more than four fantasy points. His 418 total fantasy points were nearly 100 more than Justin Jefferson, the next-highest scorer at the wide receiver position. Count on Cincinnati to enter this matchup with a purpose and for Chase to be at the epicenter of the production. The star wide receiver found the end zone in both matchups with the Browns last year, and Cleveland allowed 212.4 passing yards per game overall. Don’t be shocked if Chase ends the week as one of the top scorers in all of fantasy football, just as was frequently the case last year.
Jameson Williams ($5,500)
The Detroit Lions lost coordinators on both sides of the football this offseason to head coaching opportunities. But they still return some supreme talent at the skill positions, with Jameson Williams a key part of this. The Alabama product tallied over 1,000 yards receiving last year and eight total touchdowns. Williams averaged 14.7 fantasy points based on DraftKings scoring, which ranked 24th among all wide receivers. Detroit will be facing off with the Green Bay Packers to kick off the season. The Packers had an impressive defense last year and made a big splash by trading for Micah Parsons just days before the season’s start. The loss of Ben Johnson as offensive coordinator is a huge hit, but Williams’ versatile skill set and usage in the trick play game make me optimistic he will not be as impacted as some other position players. Expect the Lions to continue using the speedster as the big-play threat and find ways to get the ball in his hands. Whether this is through standard route running, in the running game or with some new trick plays, Williams is too talented not to allow him opportunities. Look for him to make the most of these chances and outperform the $5,500 value in the process.
Stefon Diggs ($5,300)
While he tends to wear out his welcome rather quickly, Stefon Diggs continues to perform as a legitimate WR1 even as he progresses into the later stages of his career. The four-time Pro Bowler tore his ACL after playing just eight games with the Texans last season. He averaged 15.2 fantasy points per game before getting hurt, which ranked 22nd among wide receivers. Diggs is no longer on the injury report and is not expected to be limited in Week 1. He will step up as the top pass-catching option for Drake Maye, who impressed in his rookie season. Week 1 is a great chance for a strong start with the Raiders coming off a season in which they ranked 25th in opponent points per game and gave up 216.2 passing yards per game. Maye looked to be the real deal during the final stretch of the season, and expectations are high. Expect Diggs to raise the ceiling of this offense and deliver as his top pass-catching option. Count on Diggs to finish the season in the top 20 for wide receivers from a fantasy football perspective and for this effort to start right in Week 1 in the favorable matchup against the Raiders.
Other Considerations: Drake London ($6,500), Tee Higgins ($6,400), Cooper Kupp ($5,300), Matthew Golden ($4,900)
Tight End:
Evan Engram ($4,500)
The Denver Broncos signed Evan Engram in free agency to step in as an upgrade at tight end. Denver generated just 483 yards from the tight end position last year, and this left a void in its offense. Engram is an impressive pass catcher at the position with 4,922 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns across his eight-year career. Bo Nix opened eyes in his rookie season, leading Denver to a 10-7 record and a postseason appearance. A strong tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend, and utilizing Engram in the middle of the field will provide another dimension to this Denver offense. Engram ranked tied for 10th among tight ends in fantasy points per game with 10.4 per contest last season. He has averaged 10+ fantasy points per game in six of the eight seasons as a professional, and the Broncos’ offensive system will be extremely friendly compared to his time spent with the Giants and Jaguars. Look for Engram to develop into a key part of the Broncos’ attack and for this to be on display as they take on the Titans in the opening week.
Other Considerations: Brock Bowers ($6,500), Tyler Warren ($4,400), Hunter Henry ($3,900)
Flex:
Chuba Hubbard ($6,000)
He may not hold the same name recognition as some of the other standout running backs, but Chuba Hubbard has quietly developed into a really solid performer down in Carolina. The 26-year-old is coming off his best season in which he tallied 1,195 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns. The Oklahoma State product averaged 17.1 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring, which ranked 12th among running backs last year. Carolina enters this season with some momentum after Bryce Young put together his best stretch of play to close the season. It will face a Jacksonville Jaguars team that ranked 24th in opponent rushing yards allowed and 21st in opponent rushing touchdowns with 1.1 per game. Hubbard will continue to serve as the top running back option for the Panthers and will greatly benefit if Young’s development continues. Look for him to get off to a hot start in this favorable matchup and outperform the $6,000 price point in Week 1.
Defense & Special Teams:
Miami Dolphins ($2,700)
Sometimes it is not as much about the defensive unit, but who it is facing that matters more. The Miami Dolphins will open their season with a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, with Daniel Jones serving as the starting quarterback. Jones started 69 career games with the Giants and has 47 interceptions and 50 fumbles across this time. The lack of trust in Anthony Richardson is evident, so much so that he will remain on the bench to start the season. Miami also ranked 10th in opponent points per game last year and fourth in yards allowed. It had some struggles generating turnovers, but Jones will likely give it a few chances. The Dolphins’ pass rush, headlined by Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson, should be in line for a better season than was the case last year, as they finished with the 26th-most sacks on the season. Ultimately, it is difficult to see the Colts putting up enough offense to the point where it will be overly bothersome to the DFS total, and the opportunity for turnovers will be there. Count on the Dolphins’ defense producing a respectable output above the $2,700 price point.
Other Considerations: Broncos ($3,800), Cardinals ($3,500), Panthers ($2,400)
