We have a nice of games to cover for today’s preseason action. As usual, it is difficult to gauge how much playing time everyone will get, but with the performances of these players last week and what coaches have hinted, here are some players to target in your DFS lineups for today.
Many believed Willis could have been the first quarterback taken in this past draft and possibly a top-five pick. Neither happened, but he silenced critics and the 31 other teams that passed on him in his preseason debut. He shows off his dual-threat ability by passing for 107 yards and adding 38 yards on the ground, including a rushing touchdown. He may not be the starter in Week 1, but he’ll continue to prove his worth and make Ryan Tannehill‘s leash a little shorter.
The first quarterback taken this past draft was, in fact, Pickett, and he excelled in his first NFL game, throwing for 96 yards and two touchdowns, and overall looked great. Mike Tomlin rewarded his first-round pick by moving him up on the depth chart, and he will be the primary backup for the Steelers. We’ll likely see him for most of the first half, and he will want to continue to impress and make a threat for that starting role.
Pickens could become one of Pickett’s favorite targets this season. He’s been impressive in training camp and pulling off highlight catches almost daily, and he was productive in his debut by grabbing a touchdown. Playing in just two games for Georgia last year due to an ACL tear and some off-the-field issues sent him down the draft boards, but the value is returning as he looks like a WR1 option. Stacking Pickett and Pickens could pay off big tonight.
Patrick Mahomes praised the development of the young receiving core, and Moore’s amazing plays in training camp have been well documented. Last week he led the receivers by taking 43% of the snaps and finished with three catches for 23 yards. We likely won’t see Mecole Hardman or JuJu Smith-Schuster in this game, so Moore could get a high target share for this game.
Kenjon Barner was placed on IR this week, and Giovani Bernard has been dealing with an ankle injury, so this could mean White gets an increase in carries. Last week he led the backfield with 32 rushing yards and 4.6 yards per carry, and the rookie looks poised to earn that RB2 role behind Leonard Fournette. He can be used in multiple roles as he is an efficient blocker and can catch passes. He should see a very good snap share today.
Another rookie that looked great in his NFL preseason debut was Haskins. He was effective on the ground and in the air totaling 58 yards on nine touches. Another rookie back with dual-threat abilities should get him plenty of opportunities.
Dalton Shultz is the leading tight for the Cowboys, but the coaching staff also likes Ferguson. He took 40% of snaps in Week 1, finished last week with 29 receiving yards, and averaged 9.7 yards per reception. The Cowboys lost a few pass catchers in the offseason, so Ferguson getting a prominent role is not out of the question.
Punt Plays
Former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said he didn’t need to look at Kellen Mond in a game situation, but Kevin O’Connell did and should be impressed as he threw for 119 yards and two touchdowns. He outperformed Sean Mannion last week and could lock down the backup role with another impressive performance.
There are some sizable expectations for Palmer this season as the third-round pick is expected to be the WR3 for the Charger. He didn’t have an impressive debut coming away empty-handed on four targets, but the coaching staff still likes him and wants to see him cement a role. Expect him to continue to get targets this week.
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