FOOTBALL is back! Happy Week 1 football fans. The season started with an exciting Thursday night game in which the GOAT led a game-winning drive to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Dallas Cowboys 31-29. Now we turn our attention to the Sunday slate to bring you our weekly look at some of the players we will be rostering in DraftKings GPP and Cash contests. Now, let’s get to our DraftKings NFL Week 1 Picks for the Sunday Main Slate.
TOP STACK
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES @ ATLANTA FALCONS
Given that the game total currently sits at 49, I love this stack for week 1, especially in GPP’s. Both defenses gave up an average of 26 points per game in 2020. Notably, The Falcons owned the worst pass defense in the NFL last season, allowing a whopping 293 passing yards per game.
QUARTERBACK
JALEN HURTS, Philadelphia ($6,400)
Jalen Hurts has been electric since taking over the starting quarterback role back in Week 14 of the 2020 season. In his four career starts, he compiled 919 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and 3 interceptions. However, his real upside came from his legs as he rushed for 272 yards and added another three scores. On top of allowing the most passing yards per game in 2020, Atlanta allowed the seventh-most rushing yards to quarterbacks (344) and the third-most rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks (6). In a game that is expected to be a shootout, Hurts is in a great spot to hit the 300-yard passing and the 100-yard rushing bonus on DraftKings, which is a must if you’re looking at taking down GPP’s.
WIDE RECEIVER
DEVONTA SMITH, Philadelphia ($4,500)
First off, Smith won the 2020 Heisman and now reunites with his former Alabama quarterback after being selected 10th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2021 draft. Secondly, DeVonta Smith was truly sensational last year, breaking SEC single-season records in receiving yards with 1,856 receiving yards and receiving touchdowns with 23. In fact, he also set a new FBS record with 46 career receiving touchdowns. Lastly, his debut begins with a soft match up against a Falcons defense that allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2020.
BRING IT BACK WITH
TIGHT END
KYLE PITTS, Atlanta ($4,400)
Please do yourself a favor and check out Kyle Pitts college highlights on YouTube. Now try to tell me who the Florida product reminds you of. If your answer is Raiders tight end Darren Waller, then congratulations, your vision is not impaired. Both tower at a “measly” 6’6 with 4.4 forty-yard dash times. Talk about a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Pitts should fit in well alongside veteran quarterback Matt Ryan in the Falcons offense. With the departure of Julio Jones this off-season, Matty Ice should call upon Pitts plenty in his first NFL season.
To emphasize, Pitts had a fantastic final year at Florida, catching 43 balls for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns, and was undoubtedly the winner of the John Mackey Award. Fortunately, Pitts debut comes against an Eagles defense that ranked in the bottom ten versus tight ends last season in fantasy points allowed and touchdowns allowed. Don’t overthink this one, play Kyle Pitts in GPPs and Cash contests in Week 1.
RUNNING BACK
DALVIN COOK, Minnesota ($9,100)
The season couldn’t start much better for Dalvin Cook, who receives a glorious matchup with a Bengals defense that allowed 2013 rushing yards in 2020, which ranked 3rd worst in the NFL. Considering the Bengals lost their best defensive lineman Geno Atkins to free agency and didn’t bring in any meaningful replacements, I don’t expect their run defense to be much better. Nevertheless, Cook was dominant last season and set career highs in rushing yards (1,557), yards per rush (5.0), and rushing touchdowns (16). NEWS FLASH for those of you living under a rock, Dalvin Cook is an absolute stud. Play him with confidence this week in GPPs and Cash contests.
DEFENSE
BUFFALO BILLS ($2,500)
The Buffalo Bills’ number one need this past off-season, FIX THE PASS RUSH. And they did just that, drafting defensive ends Gregory Rousseau (Miami) and Carlos Basham Jr. (Wake Forest) with their first two draft picks. Add them to a defensive line already consisting of Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison, Star Lotulelei, Ed Oliver, Vernon Butler, and A.J Epenesa and what was once a weakness appears “on paper” to now be a strength.
The Bills were one of the league’s most greedy defenses in 2020, ranking 3rd in takeaways with 26. They should be able to wreak havoc this week against a makeshift Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line that saw the departures of pro bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (retirement), left guard Matt Feiler (signed with Chargers), left tackle Alejandro Villanueva (signed with Ravens), and right guard David DeCastro (free agent) this spring. My strategy is simple, target opportunistic defenses facing weak offensive lines.
These are some of the players we will have in our GPP and Cash lineups for DraftKings NFL 2021 Week 1 Picks. Good Luck, and may your screens always be green.
Let us know what you think of our DraftKings NFL Week 1 Picks.
