DraftKings NFL: Week 1 Preview – The Dream Team

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Updated on August 18, 2014 1:02PM EST

When playing daily fantasy football on DraftKings, you have a limited budget or salary cap of $50,000. Because of the cap, you will be lucky if you can insert one or two of highest salary players into your lineup. In this article, I am ignoring the salary cap and will select my Dream Team for Week 1.

The Dream Team (Salary - $71,000/$50,000, +$21,000)

QB One

Peyton Manning – Ind@Den ($10,100) – Manning is already the best quarterback in fantasy. Combine that with a matchup against his former team in Denver, and we have a great opportunity for a big game from Manning. In Week 1 of the 2013 season, Peyton had 462 yards and seven touchdowns (49.28 FPTS). Enough said.

QB Alternate:Andrew Luck - Ind@Den ($8,300)

Running Backs

Jamaal Charles – Ten@KC ($9,000) – Like Manning, Charles is also the best fantasy player at his position. Also, Charles gets a pretty good matchup against the Titans in Kansas City. He should be in for a very nice game in Week 1.

LeSean McCoy – Jax@Phi ($8,400) – McCoy gets a plum matchup in Week 1 against my second easiest run defense. There is some concern of a blowout in this game, though. If the Eagles get up big on the Jags, McCoy could find himself on the bench cheering on his second unit during the fourth (maybe even the third) quarter.

RB Alternates:Matt Forte - Buf@Chi ($8,300), Marshawn Lynch – GB@Sea ($6,800)

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson – NYG@Det ($8,800) – Not a great matchup against the Giants pass defense (my 22nd easiest pass D), but this is Megatron we are talking about here. He is always a great option, when you don't consider his very high price tag.

Demaryius Thomas – Ind@Den ($8,100) – I'm not as bullish on Thomas as most other people this year, but I love the matchup in Week 1. If you can somehow get Manning and Thomas into your lineup, make it happen.

Julio Jones – NO@Atl ($7,700) – If Jones stays healthy this year, I like him to finish first in fantasy points among receivers. The stay healthy part is a big if, but this is daily fantasy, so we just need him to stay healthy for one game. Julio will come out strong in Week 1.

WR Alternates:A.J. Green – Cin@Bal ($7,400), Alshon Jeffery– Buf@Chi ($7,100) , Michael Crabtree – SF@Dal ($6,100)

Tight End

Jimmy Graham - NO@Atl ($7,200) – This was the easiest pick. Graham is by far the best tight end going against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. I would be disappointed if Graham didn't put up two touchdowns in Week 1.

TE Alternate:Julius Thomas – Ind@Den ($5,800)

Flex

Matt Forte – Buf@Chi ($8,300) – This was a very close call for me between Green and Forte, but I gave Forte the slight edge because he is playing at home.

DST

Rams – Min@StL ($3,400) – The Rams D gets a prime matchup in Week 1. They get to face either Matt Cassel or a rookie quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) playing his first career NFL game. The Rams are very solid against the run. If they can slow down Adrian Peterson and force Minnesota to throw, interceptions and sacks will surely follow.

DST Alternate: Chiefs – Ten@KC - $4,000

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.