NFL

FanDuel Daily Fantasy Football Preseason Helper: Friday 8/18/17

After putting on a show last week, Trevone Boykin looks for a repeat performance this week against the Vikings.

Football is back -- sort of.

It's the preseason, and FanDuel is offering up some DFS slates. You might be thinking that preseason DFS isn't for you, but really, you can have a lot of success if you're tuned into the news and expected workloads for players.

At the very least, it gives you a reason to tack on an extra four weeks to your football-viewing season.

Here's what you should know for tonight's two-game slate, which features a matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks tonight and the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans tomorrow. (Note that in the preseason, all FanDuel salaries are $6,000.)

Quarterback

Trevone Boykin, Seattle Seahawks ($6,000) -- Trevone Boykin picked up right where he left off last preseason, throwing for 189 yards and a score, while adding 31 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground as well last week. He played 56% of the snaps in this game last season, a number that certainly seems attainable with the Seattle Seahawks only carrying three quarterbacks. His rushing ability gives him a unique floor, as he has averaged 4.4 FanDuel points with his legs alone over his past five preseason games.

Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings ($6,000) -- This is an ugly two-game slate, in which we might not see many quarterbacks get a ton of volume. Case Keenum, however, has a chance to see a lot of work in this game. He played 40% of the Minnesota Vikings snaps last week, completing 11 of 16 passes for 121 yards.

If you're not taking Boykin, you're left to take a shot on a starting quarterback, like Marcus Mariota, in hopes that they play more than a quarter, or go with a volume guy like Keenum or Alex Tanney against second- and third-string defenses.

Running Back

Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings ($6,000) -- Latavius Murray is still not cleared to play for Minnesota, leaving Dalvin Cook to assume the bell-cow role for the Vikings, as he did in limited time last week. Despite playing just 27% of the snaps, Cook carried the ball five times for 13 yards and caught four passes for an additional 30 yards.

Terrell Newby, Minnesota Vikings ($6,000) -- With Bishop Sankey suffering a torn ACL last week, there is plenty of playing time to go around, so Cook may not be the only viable Minnesota back. This makes a depth guy, such as Terrell Newby, interesting. The undrafted rookie saw 12 carries last week, a game in which Sankey played 27% of the snaps and logged six touches. He could be looking at even more volume as he is playing for a job in this game, which would definitely put him in play.

Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks ($6,000) -- Seattle's seventh-round rookie carried the rock seven times in their preseason opener, finishing with 19 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He has been the subject of much praise throughout training camp, and with Thomas Rawls and Tre Madden out this week, he should continue to get opportunities to shine.

Wide Receiver

Michael Floyd, Minnesota Vikings ($6,000) -- Michael Floyd is attempting to turn his career around in Minnesota, and all indications this offseason are that he has been taking the right steps. He played 43% of the snaps in last week's game, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him near the 50% mark again this week. Due to a four-game suspension to begin the season, the Vikes will likely use the preseason to see what they have in Floyd. He caught both of his targets for 20 yards last week and should build on that performance tonight.

Damiere Byrd, Carolina Panthers ($6,000) -- Damiere Byrd has been all the rage at camp for the Carolina Panthers and now appears to be a lock to make the roster. In last week's game, he played 49% of the snaps and caught 4 of his 6 targets for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. He should get plenty of looks again this week and his ability to take the top off the defense makes him a tough player to fade on a short slate of preseason games.

Taywan Taylor, Tennessee Titans ($6,000) -- Taywan Taylor has been the star of Titans camp, most recently repeatedly blowing by Carolina defensive backs at joint practice. He played 54% of the snaps last week and hauled in four of nine targets for 56 yards. With Corey Davis, Eric Decker, Tajae Sharpe, and Mekale McKay all dealing with injuries right now, Tennessee's depth chart is looking pretty thin at wide receiver. Don't be surprised if Taylor or Harry Douglas, another camp standout, have a big day.

Kasen Williams, Seattle Seahawks ($6,000) -- Kasen Williams played 40% of the snaps and turned his four targets into four catches for 119 yards last week, showing a clear connection with Boykin. The Seahawks might be without Tyler Lockett, Paul Richardson, and Kenny Lawler in this one, so there might be more opportunities for Williams to seize, following his terrific week one showing.

Tight End

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings ($6,000) -- Picking tight ends in preseason is tough enough as it is, but when you have just four teams to pick from, it becomes nearly impossible. This particular slate of games features few intriguing prospects, so the best course of action is likely to take a chance on a starting tight end like Kyle Rudolph, who we know will be involved near the red zone. Rudolph played just 19% of the snaps last week, but he actually played 37% of the snaps in this game last season.

Neither Greg Olsen or Jimmy Graham played in this game last year, and neither played over 10% of the snaps last week, so the best bet is likely to take a chance on Rudolph or Delanie Walker.

Kicker

Choosing a preseason kicker should be simple simple: take the ones who will get 100% of the opportunities. According to the depth charts, Blair Walsh and Ryan Succop are the two to target on this slate.

Defense

The Tennessee D/ST face the one team that will likely be playing without their starting quarterback -- the Carolina Panthers. The Seattle D/ST is also a viable play, as Minnesota has the lowest implied team total on the slate.