FanDuel Fantasy Football: Sunday Preseason Picks

FanDuel Fantasy Football: Sunday Preseason Picks

This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.

Week 1 of the preseason is here, and FanDuel is offering a number of Sunday night contests. You can choose anyone you like, as all players, regardless of position, are $6,000. However, the trick this week is trying to see into the crystal ball to figure out which players will see enough playing time to be useful for DFS. Be sure to check late news reports before finalizing your lineups, as news of playing time may be stated that'll force you to make last-minute changes. Good luck.

QUARTERBACK

Cardale Jones, Chargers vs. Seahawks - Third-string QBs seem to get the most work during the first week of the preseason, meaning Jones should see plenty of playing time. He's a player who has the ability to become an eventual starter, and this is the type of stage that he can start proving himself to the coaching staff.

Stephen Morris, Colts vs. Lions -
Even though the Colts likely will pull most of their better skill position players early in this game, Morris could find himself playing more than half of the game once Scott Tolzien is lifted. He has the potential to see the most playing time of any QB on today's slate, so he's a sneaky option.

RUNNING BACK

Matt Asiata, Lions at Colts - There's one thing that we all know Asiata can do, and that's being a physical presence out of the backfield. Since he's deep on the Lions' depth chart, he'll likely see a lot of work in the second half, and should the Lions get near the goal line, he definitely knows how to get the ball in the end zone.

Josh Ferguson, Colts vs. Lions -
During the 2016 preseason, the hype train was in full force with the thinking that Ferguson would take over for Frank Gore. Well, after a disappointing rookie season, he now finds himself buried on the depth chart. Not only will he need to prove himself this year, but he should find himself getting plenty of snaps with the third string, making him worth a dart throw.

WIDE RECEIVER

Phillip Dorsett, Colts vs. Lions - The former first-round draft choice will need to make a statement this preseason if he hopes to avoid spending most of his time on the bench during the season. As always, it's difficult to know how much the coaching staff will use him, but if he plays more than a quarter, he's capable of making a big play with his outstanding speed.

Amara Darboh, Seahawks at Chargers -
The Seahawks' third-round draft choice this year is a big-play waiting to happen. Darboh could find himself on the field with third-string QB Cardale Jones when the reserves are in the game, and the duo definitely could connect on a big play or two.

TIGHT END

Erik Swoope, Colts vs. Lions - If the coaching staff views this game as a chance to let some of their younger players get some game experience, Swoope could easily capitalize if given time against the deep reserve defenders of the Lions. Although there's no guarantee he plays heavy snaps, his big-play ability makes him an upside TE choice.

Sean McGrath, Chargers vs. Seahawks -
McGrath had a bit of production in 2013, but after being without a team the following two years, he was a bit player with the Chargers last year. While with the Chiefs in 2013, he showed the ability to get open in the red zone, and if he's on the field during the second half, it wouldn't be a surprise if he found the end zone.

KICKER

Matt Prater, Lions at Colts - Since the Colts come into this game with the weakest defense of any of the four teams playing today, Prater is a logical player to use at kicker since the Lions could score plenty of points.

Adam Vinatieri, Colts vs. Lions -
Aside from being without their starting QB, who wouldn't have played much even if he was healthy, it seems unlikely that the team will put many of their high-profile players at risk this early in the preseason. That said, if the offense can move the ball enough to get field-goal range, Vinatieri could find himself in range to knock through a couple three-pointers.

DEFENSE

Seattle Seahawks (at Chargers) - This doesn't appear to be a great slate for defenses, but the Seahawks are the best one of the group. Also, the Chargers won't likely play their offensive starters for long, so they're a reasonable choice on defense.

Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Seahawks) -
It's difficult to imagine that the Seahawks will play their best offensive players for long, and it's possible that the Chargers can pressure the QB and create sacks and takeaways.

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. Jim Coventry plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mvp1986, DraftKings: mvp1986.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim Coventry
Coventry was a finalist for the FSWA football writer of the year in 2022. He started playing fantasy football in 1994 and won a national contest in 1996. He also nabbed five top-50 finishes in national contests from 2008 to 2012 before turning his attention to DFS. He's been an industry analyst since 2007, though he joined RotoWire in 2016. A published author, Coventry wrote a book about relationships, "The Secret of Life", in 2013.
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