NFL football is officially back! The preseason got underway with the Hall of Fame game on Thursday, and we’re approximately one month from the start of the regular season. The anticipation is reaching a steady boil, with fantasy leagues getting ready to draft and the final offseason preparations getting made.

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In addition to all the other NFL festivities – best ball, season-long fantasy, and betting – we also have daily fantasy football to look forward to. DraftKings has officially released their Week 1 pricing, and it’s never too early to start working on your “shell” (shout out to Week 18 Peter Overzet, the greatest cash game player the world has ever seen).

Plenty of values can pop up over the next month, but let's take a look at some instant reactions to the Week 1 pricing.

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Quarterback

Anthony Richardson vs. Houston Texans ($6,300)

The first thing that might jump off the page is some of the names that are missing from the Week 1 slate. There are four primetime games that are excluded, which takes away the Ravens, Chiefs, Packers, Eagles, Jets, 49ers, Rams, and Lions. That’s a lot of offensive firepower off the board.

Still, there are plenty of strong options to choose from. From a Vegas perspective, the game between the Jaguars and Texans leads the way with a 49.0-point total, while Texans-Colts (48.5) and Cardinals-Bills (48.0) aren’t far behind.

It’s hard to argue against Richardson at $6,300 in a strong game environment. The Texans were middle of the pack defensively last year, but they allowed the eighth-most passing yards per game.

Richardson remains a special prospect at the quarterback position. He’s arguably the greatest athlete to ever take snaps under center, and we saw him provide massive fantasy value with his legs when on the field last season. He started just four games as a rookie, but he had a rushing touchdown in three of them. In his first three starts, he averaged more than 12.3 fantasy points per game just with his legs.

It remains to be seen if Richardson’s style of play can hold up over a full season, but head coach Shane Steichen has no plans to limit him from running. That should be music to fantasy player’s ears.

Other Options – Tua Tagovailoa ($7,000), Jayden Daniels ($5,700)

Running Back

James Cook vs. Cardinals ($6,900)

Cook is the fourth-priciest runner on the main slate, which might result in a bit of sticker shock. But don’t forget just how good Cook was down the stretch last season. He put together 25.1 and 39.1 DraftKings points vs. the Chiefs and Cowboys in Weeks 14 and 15, and he had 18 carries and at least four targets in both playoff contests.

The Bills’ offense transformed over the second half of last season. They went from one of the most pass-heavy offenses in football to one of the most run-heavy under offensive coordinator Joe Brady. They had a negative Dropback Over Expectation (DBOE) in each of their final six contests. Ultimately, it was one of the biggest developments from the end of last season.

Cook should be able to start his season with a bang. He’s taking on the Cardinals, who were one of the best matchups for running backs last season. They allowed the most PPR points per game to the position, and they aren’t expected to be much better in 2024.

Cook also stands out from a situational standpoint. The Bills are seven-point home favorites, which is the second-largest spread on the main slate. Historically, running backs have thrived in games with a large spread. Running backs with a comparable salary have averaged 18.4 DraftKings points per game when favored by at least a touchdown since 2014-15.

There is normally a strong value play at running back or receiver that pops up due to injury, so there’s typically no need to penny-pinch at RB1. Cook is as good an option as any.

Other Options – Alvin Kamara ($6,700), Rachaad White ($6,300), Chase Brown ($5,000)

Wide Receiver

Mike Evans vs. Commanders ($7,300)

There are some big names available at the receiver position on the main slate. CeeDee Lamb ($8,900) was the No. 1 fantasy receiver last year, but he’s yet to report to training camp and starts the year with a brutal matchup. Ja’Marr Chase ($7,800) is also not practicing while looking for a new contract, while Justin Jefferson ($8,400) has major quarterback question marks.

Fortunately, there’s always Evans. The uber-reliable receiver will turn 31 later this month, but he’s yet to show any signs of decline. He’s racked up at least 1,000 receiving yards in all 10 professional seasons, including 1,255 last year. He added 13 touchdowns, so he appears to be aging like a fine wine.

Dec 24, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates the touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Evans will be entering year two with Baker Mayfield, and their connection was excellent in their first season together. He gobbled up 24% of the team’s targets and 40% of their air yards, resulting in a 65% WOPR.

Evans is in a fantastic spot to pick up right where he left off. The Commanders allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers, and they struggled specifically with defending receivers in the end zone. They allowed an average of 1.7 receiving touchdowns per game to the position, which was the worst mark in football.

Even if Evans does start to show some signs of decline at 31 years old, he should still be a potent red zone threat. I like his chances to find the paint in Week 1.

Other Options – DJ Moore ($6,500), Malik Nabers ($5,900), Christian Kirk ($5,500), Rome Odunze ($4,000)

Tight End

Taysom Hill vs. Panthers ($4,300)

Tight end is a bit of a hodgepodge on the Week 1 main slate. The top two names are Trey McBride ($6,100) and Dalton Kincaid ($5,800), and while they’ve earned that distinction, I’m not sure how comfortable I am paying approximately $6,000 for either player.

Kyle Pitts ($4,600) is someone who could be poised for a massive breakout – stop me if you’ve heard that before – but he starts the year with an extremely difficult matchup vs. the Steelers.

Instead, I’m going to go down to Hill in a juicy matchup vs. the Panthers. They were third-worst in DVOA vs. opposing tight ends last season, and Hill should see more snaps as a traditional tight end in 2024-25. The team is going to be without Juwan Johnson to start the year, leaving just Foster Moreau to compete with Hill for snaps.

Of course, Hill also brings his jack-of-all-trades versatility to the table. You never know when he’ll see snaps at quarterback, running back, or receiver, which gives him upside that most tight ends can only dream of. He cracked 20 PPR points twice last year, and that’s something that’s not typical of a tight end in this price range.

Other Options – Evan Engram ($5,500), Zach Ertz ($3,600)

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