DRAFT Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Week 1
Just because the NFL season is underway doesn't mean you can't enjoy fantasy football drafts.
Over at DRAFT.com, you can get the experience of a fantasy draft while building your daily fantasy rosters, and the format is quite simple.
You roster one quarterback, two running backs, and two wide receiver/tight ends while drafting against opponents in real-time. That means the typical "value" aspect of daily fantasy is different, as you're not worrying about salary cap and instead just playing your opponents for your preferred picks of the week.
What stands out for Week 1's main slate?
Head-to-Head Rankings
In head-to-head games, just 10 players get drafted, and the biggest advantage this week (and most weeks) will be at running back. According to numberFire's projections, the biggest advantages are had from relying on Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley before the drop to the rest of the field.
Here's how each player grades out compared to the "worst" projected player to be drafted in a head-to-head format (meaning compared to the QB2, the RB4, and the WR/TE4).
1. Saquon Barkley (RB1) - Barkley is expected to outscore the RB4 this week by 3.02 DRAFT points, making him the best "value" and a strong bet for the first overall pick in all formats. The New York Giants do have a worse game script than the Carolina Panthers, but the top-two backs should go off the board first.
2. Christian McCaffrey (RB2)
3. Mike Evans (WRTE1) - Evans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers project for a shootout against the San Francisco 49ers and is our WR1 for the week by a solid margin. The numbers suggest going with
4. Lamar Jackson (QB1) - While the number like Jackson to be this week's top performer, I'd still wait on a quarterback and go with a skill position player in the head-to-head format, as you're guaranteed an elite passing option no matter what.
5. Ezekiel Elliott (RB3) - After Barkley and McCaffrey, every running back has at least a little bit of a question mark, and for Elliott, it's his snap count.
6. Julio Jones (WRTE2) - Jones's health is up in the air for Week 1 all of a sudden, but assuming he plays, he grades out as a top-six option even in a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
7. Tyreek Hill (WRTE3) - Hill had 131 air yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and should have a clear path to targets, making him worthy of a late pick in a head-to-head contest.
8. Patrick Mahomes (QB2)
9. Dalvin Cook (RB4) - Cook sets up in positive game script against the Atlanta Falcons, a team that ranked 31st against the rush last year based on our metrics.
10. Odell Beckham (WRTE4) - Beckham isn't 100% but is set to play and offers leverage over the rest of the WRTE position.
Next on the List: Travis Kelce (WRTE5), Nick Chubb (RB5), Cam Newton (QB3), Keenan Allen (WRTE6), George Kittle (WRTE7), David Johnson (RB6)
6-Entry Rankings
| 6-Entry Rank | 6-Entry Rank |
|---|---|
| 1. Saquon Barkley (RB1) | 16. Odell Beckham (WRTE4) |
| 2. Christian McCaffrey (RB2) | 17. Travis Kelce (WRTE5) |
| 3. Ezekiel Elliott (RB3) | 18. Chris Carson (RB10) |
| 4. Dalvin Cook (RB4) | 19. Keenan Allen (WRTE6) |
| 5. Nick Chubb (RB5) | 20. George Kittle (WRTE7) |
| 6. David Johnson (RB6) | 21. Jameis Winston (QB4) |
| 7. Le'Veon Bell (RB7) | 22. Adam Thielen (WRTE8) |
| 8. Lamar Jackson (QB1) | 23. Joe Mixon (RB11) |
| 9. Mike Evans (WRTE1) | 24. Russell Wilson (QB5) |
| 10. Kerryon Johnson (RB8) | 25. Tyler Lockett (WRTE9) |
| 11. Leonard Fournette (RB9) | 26. Amari Cooper (WRTE10) |
| 12. Patrick Mahomes (QB2) | 27. Brandin Cooks (WRTE11) |
| 13. Cam Newton (QB3) | 28. Stefon Diggs (WRTE12) |
| 14. Julio Jones (WRTE2) | 29. Carson Wentz (QB6) |
| 15. Tyreek Hill (WRTE3) | 30. Austin Ekeler (RB12) |
Next on the List: Kyler Murray (QB7), Robert Woods (WRTE13), Jimmy Garoppolo (QB8), Baker Mayfield (QB9), Todd Gurley (RB13), Kenny Golladay (WRTE14), D.J. Moore (WRTE15), Tyler Boyd (WRTE16), Devonta Freeman (RB14), Mark Ingram (RB15)
10-Entry Rankings
| 10-Entry Rank | 10-Entry Rank |
|---|---|
| 1. Saquon Barkley (RB1) | 26. Brandin Cooks (WRTE11) |
| 2. Christian McCaffrey (RB2) | 27. Cam Newton (QB3) |
| 3. Ezekiel Elliott (RB3) | 28. Stefon Diggs (WRTE12) |
| 4. Dalvin Cook (RB4) | 29. Devonta Freeman (RB14) |
| 5. Nick Chubb (RB5) | 30. Robert Woods (WRTE13) |
| 6. David Johnson (RB6) | 31. Mark Ingram (RB15) |
| 7. Le'Veon Bell (RB7) | 32. Derrick Henry (RB16) |
| 8. Kerryon Johnson (RB8) | 33. Kenny Golladay (WRTE14) |
| 9. Leonard Fournette (RB9) | 34. Jameis Winston (QB4) |
| 10. Chris Carson (RB10) | 35. Russell Wilson (QB5) |
| 11. Mike Evans (WRTE1) | 36. Matt Breida (RB17) |
| 12. Joe Mixon (RB11) | 37. D.J. Moore (WRTE15) |
| 13. Julio Jones (WRTE2) | 38. Tyler Boyd (WRTE16) |
| 14. Tyreek Hill (WRTE3) | 39. Sterling Shepard (WRTE17) |
| 15. Odell Beckham (WRTE4) | 40. Carson Wentz (QB6) |
| 16. Austin Ekeler (RB12) | 41. Kyler Murray (QB8) |
| 17. Travis Kelce (WRTE5) | 42. Mike Williams (WRTE18) |
| 18. Keenan Allen (WRTE6) | 43. Tevin Coleman (RB18) |
| 19. Todd Gurley (RB13) | 44. Chris Godwin (WRTE19) |
| 20. Lamar Jackson (QB1) | 45. Derrius Guice (RB19) |
| 21. George Kittle (WRTE7) | 46. Jimmy Garoppolo (QB7) |
| 22. Adam Thielen (WRTE8) | 47. Baker Mayfield (QB9) |
| 23. Tyler Lockett (WRTE9) | 48. Jared Goff (QB10) |
| 24. Patrick Mahomes (QB2) | 49. Zach Ertz (WRTE20) |
| 25. Amari Cooper (WRTE10) | 50. Marlon Mack (RB20) |
Next on the List: Damien Williams (RB21), T.Y. Hilton (WRTE21), Curtis Samuel (WRTE22), Dante Pettis (WRTE23), Dede Westbrook (WRTE24), Rashaad Penny (RB22), Miles Sanders (RB23), Christian Kirk (WRTE25), O.J. Howard (WRTE26), Justin Jackson (RB24)
