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DFS Guide: Week 1 advice for DraftKings cash games

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 22: Chris Hogan #15 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 22, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The first week of the 2018 NFL season has finally arrived, and when it comes to DFS, there’s truly no week like the first week.

DraftKings released Week 1 prices month ago, and a lot has changed since then. Partly because pricing was released so early — and partly because it felt soft even when it was first released — a ton of value is on the table for Week 1.

Making a lineup you like in Week 1 will not be hard. Deciding which value plays you’ll have to leave on the sideline will be the challenging part.

(The “Top Value” charts in each section show the top values based on projections and salary. However, not all the players included in the charts should be considered cash game options. The charts are meant to show you — at a glance — which players have the most favorable salary-to-projection ratios, but when selecting players for your cash lineup, other factors need to be considered.)

Quarterbacks

Week 1 cash QB strategy in one sentence: Paying down at quarterback is your best bet this week because there are numerous viable options in the $5,000-$6,100 range.

DraftKings – Top QB Values – Week 1
Player Team Matchup $ Projection Value
Matthew Stafford DET NYJ $6,500 26.1 4.02
Tyrod Taylor CLV PIT $5,400 21.5 3.98
Eli Manning NYG JAX $4,700 17.7 3.77
Tom Brady NE HST $7,200 26.4 3.67
Sam Bradford ARZ WAS $5,200 18.7 3.60
Russell Wilson SEA @DEN $6,200 22.2 3.58
Mitchell Trubisky CHI @GB $5,600 19.8 3.54
Case Keenum DEN SEA $5,100 17.6 3.45
Andrew Luck IND CIN $6,100 20.9 3.43
Philip Rivers LAC KC $6,400 21.8 3.41

For cash games, we’re looking for quarterbacks who will provide at least 3x value on their salary, and based on our projections for Week 1, there are a ton of quarterbacks who should do just that.

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