NFL football is finally back. And yes, the preseason counts as real football. The news. The stories. The starters playing one series. The backups vying for roster spots. The veterans clinging to their football lives playing deep into games. The rookies getting their first taste of real action. It’s all so beautiful. And when it comes to preseason DFS, all of that stuff matters. As DBro says, “preseason DFS is gawd’s game.”
Preseason DFS may be for the true degens, but it’s also for those trying to cash in on soft lines from DFS sites. And if you’re following our NFL News Desk and chatting with experts like DBro in the FantasyPros Discord, you’ll have all the information you need to gain an edge over the other degens. In this series of articles, we’re providing our top targets from every team, for every matchup throughout the preseason. In addition to the picks we’re providing, be sure to check out DBro’s Guide to NFL Preseason DFS for help determining your overall strategy.
- How to Approach NFL Preseason DFS
- 2023 NFL Training Camp News for Every Team
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
Lions vs. Panthers NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Detroit Lions Targets
QB Jared Goff seems unlikely to play much, if at all, on Friday night, and behind him, the Lions only have two viable quarterback options in Teddy Bridgewater and Nate Sudfeld. Bridgewater is also doubtful to play more than a series or two, leaving Sudfeld by default to be in for the majority of the game.
Sudfeld has had a dreadful preseason so far, completing just north of 50% of his passes with a 1:3 TD:INT ratio. This will likely lead DFS casuals to steer clear of him on Friday night, which we know could be a huge mistake. The name of the game in preseason DFS is playing time, and Sudfeld is in line to see a huge portion of it. He also knows he will need to play much better in the finale if he wants a chance to secure a regular-season roster spot.
Chase Cota has been one of few featured receivers for Detroit so far this preseason, as he has commanded the team-high in targets (11) through the first two games and turned it into a 6-69-1 line. Cota is a big-bodied UDFA who secured the aforementioned Sudfeld’s only touchdown pass of the preseason back in Week Two. Pairing together the two of these Lions could end up beneficial as a low-owned stack with upside on Friday night.
Carolina Panthers Targets
The Panthers’ offense has generally stunk through two preseason games thus far, but rookie RB Spencer Brown has seen enough volume to be a considered play against the Lions on Friday. To this point, the 24-year-old out of AUB has rushed 18 times for 60 yards and hauled in another four passes for 11 receiving yards.
Miles Sanders is not going to play on Friday, and this will be the last chance for Brown to try to surpass Raheem Blackshear for the number three running back duties. I would expect him to run hard and aggressively all night, and he should have a chance to plunge into the endzone at some point.
A player with some former preseason success in his back pocket, Shi Smith was unsurprisingly the most-targeted Panthers receiver against the Giants last week. He pulled in four balls for 59 yards, including a 27-yard catch at the start of the fourth quarter to set the Panthers up in the red zone.
Smith should see ample playing time again on Friday night, and when the reserves of both teams are in, he is one of the more talented players on the field. Looking through the depth chart top to bottom, Smith has the best chance of returning DFS value in Carolina’s final preseason game.
Chargers vs. 49ers NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Los Angeles Chargers Targets
Easton Stick is battling for the Chargers’ QB2 in 2023, and he’ll have one final opportunity to solidify that spot against the 49ers on Friday night. Stick has been solid for preseason DFS purposes so far and is coming off a performance in Week Two where he threw for 233 yards and rushed for two touchdowns on 63 yards. Those are the types of numbers you dream of when putting together a preseason lineup.
Justin Herbert will either play very little or not at all again on Friday, leaving Stick and rookie Max Duggan to play the remainder of the game. If Stick can get close to the 41 dropbacks he had against the Saints last week, he could be considered a shoo-in for quarterback play of the night. It’s necessary to have some shares of him on Friday.
San Francisco 49ers Targets
Trey Lance is quite an interesting play on Friday following the recent reports on his status with the team. He could end up high-owned in DFS, or he could go extremely low, given the uncertainty surrounding his situation. Nevertheless, it has already been announced that he will play on Friday night, and it’s possible he will play for far longer than people expect.
In the past, teams have showcased quarterbacks that they are looking to move in the preseason by giving them half, three-quarters, or even full games played at times. I would not be surprised if Lance sees an extended look as the 49ers attempt to showcase him around the league and drive whatever trade value he has left up. Lance also can’t possibly play worse than he has the past two weeks (or can he?), and he should be a bet for a number of passing attempts and maybe some rushes.
Rookie WR Ronnie Bell killed it in preseason Week Two, corralling seven catches for a game-high 114 receiving yards on nine targets. He will be looking to carry that momentum into the team’s final preseason game and will have a great chance at doing so. The 49ers starting skill guys are very unlikely to see any extended playing time again on Friday, leaving Bell a ton of opportunity to work.
If Bell can turn in anything close to what he did last week, he may have San Francisco brass thinking twice about not affording him a roster spot. I fully expect Bell to come out guns blazing as he tries to make the team as a seventh-round rookie pick.
Patriots vs. Titans NFL Preseason DFS Picks
New England Patriots Targets
As a rookie, Zappe was a great backup last season and was highly productive when he started after an injury to Mac Jones. He’s played well in the preseason, and although Jones will see more playing time in the final preseason game, Zappe will see enough time to have another productive outing.
Many people have written off Boutte after he was one of the better wide receivers in 2020. Injuries and inconsistencies dropped him to the sixth round in this past draft, but he might have the last laugh. He had an impressive touchdown catch as he used his speed to get past the secondary and find dirt. Expect another strong performance to help establish himself in this offense.
Tennessee Titans Targets
Spears looked incredible last week and is establishing himself as a lock to be behind Derrick Henry in the backfield. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the same, or even more carries in this game, to see how well he fits in with the starting.
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