7 DraftKings Bargains for Week 1

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

DraftKings Price: $5,800

Projected Points: 19.2

Projected Value (points per $1,000): 3.31

So much depends upon a red-haired quarterback, roughened by fantasy neglect beside also-rans on the waiver wire.

Yes, Andy Dalton is on our radar for best quarterback value plays of Week 1. Dalton enters 2018 with a chip on his shoulder, like many of his Cincinnati Bengals teammates. Sure, Buffalo Bills fans will remember the excitement resulting from Cincy's last-gasp win in Week 17 last season, but other than that, the year was often uninspiring for the Bengals.

Dalton may never again reach his lofty heights of 2013, when he was the overall QB3, but he is often serviceable for fantasy owners in the right situation. The Bengals are underdogs to the Indianapolis Colts this week in a game that currently has a total set at 48.5. Dalton has played in nine games throughout his career as an underdog with a total of 48 points or higher. He averages 2.8 more fantasy points in such games compared to his output in other contests.

The Colts gave up the seventh-most DraftKings points per game to opposing quarterbacks in 2017. Our models suggest that they only got worse over the offseason. We have them ranked last against the pass this season, and they are a distant last to boot.

Dalton's projected 19.2 DraftKings points this week may not seem like a lot, but that's enough to make him one of only two quarterbacks with a salary below $6,000 to return a value of over 3.0 points per $1,000. If you're looking to pay up at other positions and eschew the high-end quarterbacks, Dalton should offer a solid floor in a game we expect to go down to the wire.