Week 1 of the NFL season will kick off in full force on Sunday, and DFS operators will crown more millionaires in their biggest tournaments. To afford the Christian McCaffreys and Davante Adams of the world, we’ve got to find the lower-priced value plays. Throughout the 2020 season, I’ll scour for cheap options under $5,000 on DraftKings. Here are five for this week.
Dwayne Haskins, Jr., Washington QB ($5,000)
As expected, Haskins will be the starter in Week 1. The second-year player out of Ohio State will have to develop a rapport with his novice receiving corps, making him a risky play at the position, but he is the best QB option at $5,000 or below this week. It’s a play better made in cash games than in tournaments, where you really need to draft the highest-scoring player at each position to make much profit.
Boston Scott, Eagles RB ($4,800)
Tarik Cohen of the Bears has been touted to death this week, but David Montgomery will likely return from injury on Sunday and take over most of the rushing duties for Chicago. Instead, pivot to a similarly priced Scott in Week 1. Miles Sanders looks likely to miss Sunday’s game, giving Scott a chance to take on most of the workload against a Washington defense that ranked just 31st against opposing RBs in DFS last year.
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers WR ($5,000)
San Francisco provides another opportunity for DFS players to take advantage of injury in Week 1. Deebo Samuel suffered a foot injury and seems poised to miss the game against Arizona. Bourne should see more targets, and could very well be the 49ers’ top receiving option on Sunday.
Quintez Cephus, Lions WR ($3,300)
The rookie from Wisconsin could see unexpected reps in Week 1 due to hamstring injuries to both Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola. As usual, it bears watching the injury reports up until kickoff to determine the status of those other wide receivers. Although Cephus finished dead last among receivers in the 40-yard dash at the combine, he has impressed during training camp with his ability to get open, and with good route running and field visibility.
Hayden Hurst, Falcons TE ($4,300)
Team officials report that Hurst will play nearly all downs for the Falcons, which will be a good sign for the former Raven. The Falcons love to throw the ball to the tight end, as Austin Hooper’s 97 targets in 2019 shows. Now Hooper’s gone, and Hurst will benefit from those targets in a possible shootout with the Seahawks in Week 1.
