NFL

FanDuel Single-Game Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Week 1 Monday Night

Thomas Vecchio  —  @DFS_Tom Sep 9th, 2019
Phillip Lindsay is looking to get his second season off to a hot start and has a fantastic matchup tonight versus the Raiders. Is he a viable MVP option, and who else should we consider?

With plenty of storylines surrounding the Oakland Raiders off the field, there is plenty talk about, but that's not why we're here. They will play their first game of the season tonight, as they host the Denver Broncos in a classic AFC West rivalry.

For those unfamiliar, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to the main slate. However, kickers are included in these contests and there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5-times his total fantasy points, making this spot crucial.

Bookmakers currently peg the Broncos as two-point road favorites, along with the over/under sitting at a very modest 42.5. We could be in for a lower scoring game, but there is still fantasy value to extract from this matchup.

MVP Considerations

Joe Flacco ($13,000) - Flacco will be making his Broncos' debut tonight, and it couldn't come in a better spot, since the Raiders come in dead last versus the pass in our NFL power rankings to start the season. This shouldn't be a surprise since the Raiders allowed the eighth-most FanDuel points per game to quarterbacks last year. Quarterbacks are generally on the easier side to project and often see a smaller range of outcomes, putting them in a position to consistently score points. With the favorable matchup for Flacco, we have him projected as the highest-scoring player on the night, regardless of position. The Broncos have an implied team total sitting at 22.25, and it shouldn't be a surprise when some of their points come via the passing game.

Phillip Lindsay ($13,500) - Lindsay is still at the top of the depth chart for the Broncos and their running backs, so we want to lean on him tonight. The Broncos have three running backs who all saw decent playing time last season, but Lindsay was a clear step ahead, as he played on 42.2% of the offensive snaps, while Devontae Booker and Royce Freeman were both at 29.42% or lower. This also a good spot for the Broncos on the ground since the Raiders are the third-worst versus the rush in our NFL power rankings. Lindsay had 10 carries or more in 13 of his 15 games last season, a trend which should continue tonight. Lindsay is our third-highest projected player tonight and makes a solid option for the MVP, due to his consistent touches and favorable matchup.

Josh Jacobs - ($13,000) - A 2019 first-round draft pick is set to make his NFL debut tonight, but what can we expect from him in terms of fantasy production? Jacobs comes into his rookie campaign as the lead back, and we should expect he sees the ball plenty. His role in the offense was talked up plenty during the offseason, and there are high expectations for his rookie campaign. There is no doubt this is a tough matchup for the Raiders' rushing attack, but with the spread only being two points, we are in for a close divisional game. Jacobs is the rushing down option, which could see him get plenty of carries if the Raiders are able to jump out to a lead.

Value Plays

Tyrell Williams ($8,000) - Finding salary relief options on single-game slate can be tough, but we have Williams, who could be the most popular player on the entire slate. With Antonio Brown departing the team, Williams is now the number one wide receiver and has the most success as a pass-catcher in the NFL. The Raiders' receiving core consists of rookie Hunter Renfrow, rising tight end Darren Waller, who has very limited experience, and J.J. Nelson, who is listed as questionable. Williams is by far the best receiver they have and despite the matchup being tough against the Broncos secondary, they have to throw the ball to someone, and he should benefit from the potential volume.

Noah Fant ($7,000) - The Broncos receiving corp is stronger than you might imagine considering they have Emmanuel Sanders, who looks healthy after his injury, along with Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, who showed some nice upside last season. Lost in that mix could be rookie tight end, Noah Fant. At only $7K tonight, Fant provides a nice bit of salary relief, along with having a very strong matchup since the Raiders allowed the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to tight ends last season. Our projections have Fant as the sixth-best non-QB value option on this slate.

Jalen Richard ($7,500) - If the game script goes in favor of the Raiders, we should see more of Josh Jacobs. If the game script goes against them (which isn't tough to imagine), they will be playing from behind and need to pass the ball to catch up. Cue Jalen Richard. He is the clear passing down back for the Raiders, which is the same role he has last season, finishing with 81 targets in 16 games, just over 5 targets per game. The short dump pass is a (bad) staple of the Raiders passing game, which should allow Richard to continue racking up the targets if they fall behind in this game.