Fantasy Football: DraftKings and FanDuel advice for Week 1
By Mike Dente
Running Backs
Start of the Week: Todd Gurley ($6,000 DK/$7,300 FD) vs. Indianapolis
Yes, I am well aware that Gurley averaged 3.2 yards per carry last season and that he had the same amount of fantasy points as Bilal Powell, despite racking up 132 more touches. However, it’s a new year and a fresh start in St. Louis Los Angeles. The Rams brought in offensive guru, Sean McVay as their new head coach to replace Jeff Fisher. McVay brings a spark and sense of excitement to a young offense that struggled mightily in 2016.
Look for Todd Gurley to continue to be the centerpiece of that offense, as he has little to no competition behind him. Expect the third year back to do it all, including staying in to block, catching passes out of the backfield, in addition to handling all of the goal line work. That is a rare trifecta in today’s NFL.
Gurley’s heavy workload will start right away as the Rams face a terrible Indianapolis defense that gave up over 25 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. With Andrew Luck out, the Rams will likely have the opportunity to play with the lead, which should result in even more touches for Gurley.
Value Pick of the Week: Bilal Powell ($4,900 DK/$6,300 FD) at Buffalo
The Jets really don’t have much going for them this season on either side of the ball. Having said that, this is the NFL and every team is going to get yards eventually, and maybe even a garbage time touchdown here and there. A strong percentage of those yards will likely go to their best player, Bilal Powell.
Despite their offensive struggles last season, Powell managed to finish in the top 20 in fantasy production and he did so without seeing more than 10 carries in a single game until Week 14. The 28-year-old went on an absolute terror through the final four games of the season, as he averaged over 23 fantasy points per game in that span. He is also a very effective receiver out of the backfield and could benefit from numerous dump offs from Josh McCown while the Jets play from behind for most of the game versus the Bills.
To make Powell’s case even stronger, consider that Buffalo gave up over 25 points per game to running backs last season.
Deep Sleeper: Darren Sproles ($3,900 DK/$5,500 FD) at Washington
Far less certainty with this pick, but what you are looking for here is a decent floor after stacking your roster with high-end players at other positions. Sproles provides a cheap alternative that compiled nine games of double-digit points last season. His reliable hands out of the backfield makes him a solid sleeper play in any PPR format.
Best of the Rest:
– Christian McCaffery ($5,400 DK/$6,500 FD)
– Isaiah Crowell ($5,300 DK/$6,500 FD)
– Carlos Hyde ($4,600 DK/