DraftKings has officially released salaries for the Week 1 NFL DFS main slate, giving fantasy football players their first opportunity to evaluate player pricing and begin building lineups for the opening weekend of the 2026 season.
Below, you’ll find the highest-priced quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and defenses, plus the top rookie salaries and the most expensive quarterback/WR1 stacks on the slate. Whether you’re searching for early value plays or simply want to see how DraftKings priced every position, rookie and passing stack, here’s a complete breakdown of the Week 1 NFL DFS salaries.
Highest-Priced Quarterbacks for NFL DFS Week 1
| Player | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Allen | BUF | HOU | $7,000 |
| Joe Burrow | CIN | TB | $6,900 |
| Lamar Jackson | BAL | IND | $6,800 |
| Jalen Hurts | PHI | WAS | $6,600 |
| Jayden Daniels | WAS | PHI | $6,500 |
Josh Allen opens the 2026 NFL season as the highest-priced quarterback on the DraftKings Week 1 main slate at $7,000. Quarterback pricing is relatively condensed to begin the year, however, as only $500 separates Allen from the fifth-most expensive signal-caller, Jayden Daniels ($6,500). Joe Burrow ($6,900), Lamar Jackson ($6,800) and Jalen Hurts ($6,600) round out the top five, giving DFS players several elite options without forcing them to spend an overwhelming portion of their salary cap at the position.
Highest-Priced Running Backs for NFL DFS Week 1
| Player | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | NO | $8,000 |
| Bijan Robinson | ATL | PIT | $7,700 |
| Jonathan Taylor | IND | BAL | $7,300 |
| James Cook | BUF | HOU | $7,200 |
| Chase Brown | CIN | TB | $7,100 |
Running back is where DraftKings is asking DFS players to spend in Week 1. Jahmyr Gibbs is the lone back priced at $8,000, while Bijan Robinson ($7,700), Jonathan Taylor ($7,300), James Cook ($7,200) and Chase Brown ($7,100) round out the top tier. Unlike quarterback, there’s a more noticeable gap between the elite running backs and the rest of the position, making roster construction at RB one of the biggest decisions on the opening main slate.
Highest-Priced Wide Receivers for NFL DFS Week 1
| Player | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ja’Marr Chase | CIN | TB | $7,800 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | NO | $7,500 |
| Justin Jefferson | MIN | GB | $7,300 |
| Nico Collins | HOU | BUF | $7,000 |
| Chris Olave | NO | DET | $6,700 |
Ja’Marr Chase leads all wide receivers on the Week 1 main slate with a $7,800 salary, followed by Amon-Ra St. Brown ($7,500) and Justin Jefferson ($7,300). Nico Collins ($7,000) is the final receiver priced at $7,000 or higher, while Chris Olave rounds out the top five at $6,700. DraftKings kept the elite wide receiver tier relatively compact, giving DFS players multiple premium options without a single player separating himself from the field with an eye-popping salary.
Highest-Priced Tight Ends for NFL DFS Week 1
| Player | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Bowers | LV | MIA | $6,900 |
| Trey McBride | ARI | LAC | $6,800 |
| Colston Loveland | CHI | CAR | $5,300 |
| Tyler Warren | IND | BAL | $4,900 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr. | ATL | PIT | $4,700 |
Brock Bowers and Trey McBride sit in a tier of their own to begin the 2026 NFL season, checking in at $6,900 and $6,800, respectively. After those two stars, there’s a significant drop to rookie Colston Loveland ($5,300), followed by Tyler Warren ($4,900) and Kyle Pitts Sr. ($4,700). The $1,500 salary gap between McBride and Loveland is the largest between any two consecutive players in the top five at a skill position.
Highest-Priced DEF/ST for NFL DFS Week 1
| Defense | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | at ARI | $3,500 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | vs. CAR | $3,400 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | at ATL | $3,300 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | at WAS | $3,100 |
| Buffalo Bills | vs. HOU | $3,000 |
The Chargers enter Week 1 as the highest-priced defense on the DraftKings main slate at $3,500, narrowly ahead of the Jaguars ($3,400) and Steelers ($3,300). Unlike the skill positions, DEF/ST pricing remains relatively condensed, with only a $500 gap separating the top five defenses. That gives DFS players flexibility to either pay up for one of the slate’s premier units or save salary without sacrificing much in projected value.
Highest-Priced NFL Rookies for DraftKings Week 1 DFS
| Player | Pos. | Team | Opponent | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiyah Love | RB | ARI | at LAC | $6,400 |
| Carnell Tate | WR | TEN | vs. NYJ | $5,300 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | NO | at DET | $5,100 |
| Makai Lemon | WR | PHI | vs. WAS | $5,100 |
| Fernando Mendoza | QB | LV | vs. MIA | $5,000 |
Arizona running back Jeremiyah Love enters Week 1 as the highest-priced rookie on the DraftKings main slate at $6,400, with Tennessee wide receiver Carnell Tate the only other rookie priced above $5,000. Four of the top five highest-priced rookies are offensive skill players, while Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza rounds out the group at an even $5,000, giving DFS players several first-year options to monitor entering opening weekend.
Most Expensive QB/WR1 Stacks for NFL DFS Week 1
| Team | QB | WR1 | Opponent | Combined Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN | Joe Burrow | Ja’Marr Chase | vs. TB | $14,700 |
| DET | Jared Goff | Amon-Ra St. Brown | vs. NO | $13,500 |
| BAL | Lamar Jackson | Zay Flowers | at IND | $13,200 |
| PHI | Jalen Hurts | DeVonta Smith | vs. WAS | $13,200 |
| MIN | Kyler Murray | Justin Jefferson | vs. GB | $12,800 |
| BUF | Josh Allen | DJ Moore | at HOU | $12,600 |
| NO | Tyler Shough | Chris Olave | at DET | $12,300 |
| WAS | Jayden Daniels | Terry McLaurin | at PHI | $12,200 |
| HOU | C.J. Stroud | Nico Collins | vs. BUF | $12,200 |
| TB | Baker Mayfield | Emeka Egbuka | at CIN | $12,100 |
| LAC | Justin Herbert | Ladd McConkey | vs. ARI | $12,000 |
| CHI | Caleb Williams | Luther Burden III | at CAR | $11,800 |
| GB | Jordan Love | Christian Watson | at MIN | $11,600 |
| JAX | Trevor Lawrence | Brian Thomas Jr. | vs. CLE | $11,300 |
| ATL | Tua Tagovailoa | Drake London | at PIT | $11,300 |
| CAR | Bryce Young | Tetairoa McMillan | vs. CHI | $11,300 |
| IND | Daniel Jones | Alec Pierce | vs. BAL | $11,100 |
| PIT | Aaron Rodgers | DK Metcalf | vs. ATL | $10,700 |
| ARI | Jacoby Brissett | Michael Wilson | at LAC | $10,400 |
| TEN | Cam Ward | Carnell Tate | vs. NYJ | $10,400 |
| NYJ | Geno Smith | Garrett Wilson | at TEN | $10,400 |
| MIA | Malik Willis | Malik Washington | at LV | $9,500 |
| CLE | Deshaun Watson | KC Concepcion | at JAX | $9,300 |
| LV | Kirk Cousins | Jalen Nailor | vs. MIA | $9,300 |
The Bengals boast the most expensive quarterback and WR1 stack on the Week 1 main slate, with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase combining for $14,700 in salary. Detroit, Baltimore and Philadelphia are the only other teams with stacks priced above $13,000, while the Raiders and Browns offer the slate’s most affordable QB/WR1 pairings at just $9,300. The table provides a quick look at how DraftKings values each passing attack entering the 2026 NFL season.
NFL DFS Week 1 Salary FAQ
When were the DraftKings Week 1 NFL DFS salaries released?
DraftKings released its Week 1 NFL DFS salaries on July 31, 2026, giving fantasy football players their first look at player pricing for the opening main slate of the regular season. The salary release allows DFS players to begin researching value plays, comparing salaries across positions and planning their early lineup builds.
Who is the highest-priced player for NFL DFS in Week 1?
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is the highest-priced player on the DraftKings Week 1 main slate at $8,000. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ($7,800) and Falcons running back Bijan Robinson ($7,700) round out the three most expensive players available.
What is the DraftKings salary cap for NFL DFS contests?
DraftKings NFL DFS contests use a $50,000 salary cap. Lineups consist of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one DEF/ST while remaining under the salary cap.
Can DraftKings Week 1 NFL DFS salaries change?
No. Once Week 1 contests are posted, player salaries for that slate are locked and do not change. Salaries are updated for future slates throughout the NFL season based on player performance, injuries, matchups and other factors.
