Choice is good, isn't it?
DFS enthusiasts have some decisions to make in Week 1, with all but a handful of elite options available at prices that won't necessarily break the bank. Here's a look at the top value options for the opening week of the NFL's regular season:
Value Rankings
QB | RB | WR | TE
Top 5
Hill has the best matchup of the week against a porous Oakland run defense, and is priced outside the top-6 on most major daily fantasy sites. Anderson will see plenty of action in Denver's new balanced offense, while Peterson and Charles should run roughshod over the 49ers and Titans, respectively. Lacy is the most interesting pick of the week; will he hit paydirt, or will angry Aaron Rodgers throw seven TD passes and leave his running back in the lurch?
Next 5
Everything sets up nicely for Forsett to become an elite back - he has Marc Trestman as his offensive coordinator, his offensive line is much improved over last season, and the Ravens don't exactly have an elite receiving option at the moment. Lynch and Forte should be solid in Week 1, while Ellington is already facing questions about his job security and Murray will share passing-down time with Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles.
Best of the Rest
| # | NAME | OPPONENT | RISK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | LeSean McCoy (BUF) | vs. IND | Low |
| 12 | Lamar Miller (MIA) | @ WAS | Low |
| 13 | Melvin Gordon (SD) | vs. DET | Low |
| 14 | Jonathan Stewart (CAR) | @ JAC | Low |
| 15 | Joseph Randle (DAL) | vs. NYG | Low |
| 16 | Mark Ingram (NO) | vs. ARI | Medium |
| 17 | Alfred Morris (WAS) | vs. MIA | Medium |
| 18 | Latavius Murray (OAK) | vs. CIN | Medium |
| 19 | Carlos Hyde (SF) | vs. MIN | Medium |
| 20 | Frank Gore (IND) | @ BUF | Medium |
| 21 | Doug Martin (TB) | vs. TEN | Medium |
| 22 | Chris Ivory (NYJ) | vs. CLE | Medium |
| 23 | Alfred Blue (HOU) | vs. KC | Medium |
| 24 | Ameer Abdullah (DET) | @ SD | Medium |
| 25 | Rashad Jennings (NYG) | @ DAL | Medium |
Stewart's return to fantasy relevance coincides with a season-ending injury to Kelvin Benjamin, the departure of long-time backfield mate DeAngelo Williams and a matchup against the woeful Jaguars. Question marks surround a majority of the rest of the group; Hyde could find himself replaced by Reggie Bush if the 49ers fall behind, while Martin, Ivory, and Blue have shorter leashes than most No. 1 backs.
Nothing to See Here
| # | NAME | OPPONENT | RISK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Giovani Bernard (CIN) | @ OAK | High |
| 27 | T.J. Yeldon (JAC) | vs. CAR | High |
| 28 | Tevin Coleman (ATL) | vs. PHI | High |
| 29 | Tre Mason (STL) | vs. SEA | High |
| 30 | Joique Bell (DET) | @ SD | High |
| 31 | C.J. Spiller (NO) | @ ARI | High (OUT) |
| 32 | Darren McFadden (DAL) | vs. NYG | High |
| 33 | Bishop Sankey (TEN) | @ TB | High |
| 34 | Reggie Bush (SF) | vs. MIN | High |
| 35 | Isaiah Crowell (CLE) | @ NYJ | High |
| 36 | Devonta Freeman (ATL) | vs. PHI | High |
| 37 | Shane Vereen (NYG) | @ DAL | High |
| 38 | Charles Sims (TB) | vs. TEN | High |
| 39 | Terrance West (TEN) | @ TB | High |
| 40 | Dexter McCluster (TEN) | @ TB | High |
Some of these names will move up the ladder with strong Week 1 showings, but it's too difficult to suss out the contenders from the pretenders. Unless you're looking at hitting the jackpot with an ultra-low-percentage flyer, you're better off ignoring all of them - even in GPP play.
