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.
Seahawks vs. Packers NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Seattle Seahawks Targets
I know Geno Smith is going to start this game. However, Drew Lock will get some vital action as well. Lock was terrific last weekend after completing 5-for-6 passes for 119 yards. In the previous game, Lock went 17-for-24 for 191 yards and added two touchdowns with an interception. He’ll likely have some high volume in the second half against the Packers.
Green Bay Packers Targets
HC Mike LaFleur said he would like to get Jayden Reed more reps. The Packers are high on Reed at wide receiver, but they want to get more out of him. Reed only added two catches for 20 yards in the first game and one for 19 yards in the other. It sounds like he’ll get many more targets in this game.
Rams vs. Broncos NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Los Angeles Rams Targets
Ronnie Rivers deserves a look against Denver on Saturday after playing often through the first two preseason games for Los Angeles. Rivers is in his second season with the Rams and is pushing to make the roster while battling with rookie back Zach Evans and veteran Royce Freeman for a depth spot. Rivers started against the Raiders last week and compiled 42 yards on eight carries (4.7 YPC) before giving way to the other mentioned backs. He has not found his way into the endzone this preseason, but he probably has the best chance to do so out of the trio.
Lance McCutcheon has been far too quiet this preseason after becoming 2022’s DFS darling while leading the NFL in preseason yardage with 259 on a cool 15 receptions. To this point, he has just two catches through two games which is not going to cut it if he wants to secure a roster spot for the second consecutive campaign. McCutcheon is going to have to put everything he has into Saturday’s matchup with the Broncos, and he should, at worst, be out there for at least half of the affair.
Denver Broncos Targets
It remains to be seen how much QB Russell Wilson will play on Saturday night, but regardless of that outcome, Jarrett Stidham will likely see an extended opportunity. This is increased by the fact that reports coming out of Denver are that Wilson is already on a “short leash” with HC Sean Payton, and he could be in danger of getting benched during the course of the 2023 regular season.
This opens the door for Stidham to realistically see playing time this year, and it will have to start with a strong showing on Saturday against the Rams. Stidham could get an extended look, as it is Payton and company’s last chance to see their QBs prior to the regular season. The fourth-year man could easily be looking at upwards of a half in this one.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR – DEN)
The Broncos are suddenly extremely strapped for healthy receiver bodies after losing Jerry Jeudy to a hamstring injury earlier in the week, which opens the door for their depth guys to receive even more playing time opportunities. Humphrey has been a solid preseason receiver for the last couple of seasons, and he often tends to post some strong statistical outputs in these exhibition games. He could be a favorite target of the Denver quarterbacks on Saturday as a big-bodied option and red zone threat.
Browns vs. Chiefs NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Cleveland Browns Targets
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB – CLE)
The Browns’ starters will begin the game. But it doesn’t sound like they’ll play more than a quarter. Therefore, it’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s time to shine. He’s added 348 yards passing with two touchdowns in the preseason. He’s trying to earn that backup spot for Deshaun Watson and is competing against Kellen Mond. Thompson-Robinson has outperformed Mond recently. He added 164 yards on 13 completions last weekend. He also added four carries for 18 yards. Mond can’t run like DTR.
Demetric Felton Jr. (RB – CLE)
Felton earned one fewer carry than John Kelly Jr. against the Eagles last weekend. But that didn’t stop him from earning over 5.1 yards per rush. Meanwhile, Kelly added eight carries for only 20 yards. Felton continues to impress over Kelly and should earn more carries in this game.
Austin Watkins saw 14 targets against the Eagles last weekend. He only caught seven of 14, but the volume alone is crucial. Watkins Jr. added 139 yards on those seven catches, averaged 19.9 yards per catch, and scored a touchdown. In the previous game against the Commanders, Watkins saw eight targets, caught six, and added 71 yards. He will be a problem in this league for years to come. Watkins is just getting started.
Texans vs. Saints NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Houston Texans Targets
The rookie out of Houston got to stay in town, and now he’s doing great with the pro team. Tank found the end zone in his last game, and he should get the playing time, get more reps, and come away with a good performance.
New Orleans Saints Targets
There has been a former Fresno State quarterback on the Saints playing well in the preseason, Jake Haener. He’s been under center in the entire second half of both games and has thrown for 223 yards and a 61.8% completion rate. He should see that same volume of playing time in this game.
Despite leaving the first preseason game with a knee injury, he bounced back and led the backfield with ten carries for 23 yards and a touchdown in the second game. Most starters will miss the final preseason game, but as a rookie, we might see Miller get more time on the field.
Dolphins vs. Jaguars NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Miami Dolphins Targets
Skylar Thompson has previously made this list this preseason, and he is back on it for Week Three without question. Thompson has been competing with Mike White for QB2 duties in Miami, and White will not take the field on Saturday after suffering a concussion earlier in the week. That means that Thompson should see a ton of playing time against the Jaguars during his final case toward securing the backup job. He is coming off a three-touchdown game against Houston last week and will look to build off of that back in Florida.
Salvon Ahmed is an underrated running back stuck behind a smorgasbord of veteran plodders in Miami, but that will allow him to face off against third and fourth-string defenders in the Dolphins’ final tune-up game. Ahmed had 131 yards from scrimmage on 16 total touches last week last week including a 65-yard scamper and a receiving touchdown. He should see a similar workload on Saturday, as the Miami starters may see even less playing time than they did against the Texans.
Jacksonville Jaguars Targets
D’Ernest Johnson is a long way from previously starting games at running back for Cleveland, but he is still a skilled back in a crowded backfield. The 27-year-old had just six carries last week but housed two of them for touchdowns against Detroit, and Saturday will be his last preseason opportunity to improve on those numbers. He should have some of the highest upside of any “backup” running backs across Saturday’s slate, under the assumption that he sees an ample workload.
Parker Washington has just two catches across two preseason games thus far, which is not the start a sixth-round rookie draft pick would be hoping for. The good news is, his lone catch against Dallas in Week Two did go for a 15-yard touchdown. The fifth and sixth WR roster spots for Jacksonville certainly remain an open competition at this point, and Washington will need a strong performance on Saturday if he plans to secure one of those spots.
Battling alongside Parker Washington is Elijah Cooks, a UDFA out of San Jose State who has looked the part through two games with a four-catch 111-yard line. It could be argued that he and Washington are neck-and-neck right now in their competition for a roster spot. I expect both youngsters to provide all-out effort on Saturday as they both try to push ahead of one another. Rostering both on Saturday could be a nice edge given the larger slate, especially if they tandemly offer some production.
Raiders vs. Cowboys NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Las Vegas Raiders Targets
O’Connell has been a darling of the preseason, as he gets a significant amount of playing time. He has a stellar 71.4% completion rate with three touchdowns in two games. Josh McDaniels has indicated that most of his starters will not play the final preseason game, which should allow O’Connell to see a significant amount of snaps once again.
In the next couple of weeks, Josh Jacobs might decide to come back and suit up for the regular season, but in the meantime, the Raiders want to make sure they have his replacement. White continues to see the heaviest workload and has been the best producer with 83 yards and a touchdown.
Dallas Cowboys Targets
Without Dak Prescott suiting up in the preseason, it’s allowed Will Grier to get a lot of playing time. He’s done well in both preseason games, throwing for over 130 yards in each, and has a touchdown. The volume opportunity makes it a great play.
Ravens vs. Buccaneers NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Baltimore Ravens Targets
The Ravens added a ton of depth at WR this offseason, but Tylan Wallace is fighting to make the team, and the Ravens should give him a longer chance to do that this weekend. Wallace only has three targets this preseason, but he’s caught them all, and two have been for TDs. In the preseason, guessing the guy that falls into the end zone is often the GPP winner (thank you for your service, Trey Sermon).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Targets
Baker Mayfield was named the week one starter, and John Wolford is already ruled out for this game. This makes Kyle Trask potentially the easiest play for me on the entire DFS slate. Trask will (in all likelihood) be the backup with the potential to get starts later on this year, and he was fantastic last week against a strong Jets D. Trask went 20-28 for 218 yards and a TD (106 QBR) and wasn’t afraid to use his legs either (despite losing a fumble). If he played the whole game, I wouldn’t be shocked.
With Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds sitting (and likely to do so again), Sean Tucker made the most of his 19 snaps, rushing seven times for 37 yards (5.3 YPC). Tucker was the next man up after Ke’Shawn Vaughn and would seem to have a leg up on the competition to make this roster as a third back. With Patrick Laird and Ronnie Brown as his competitors, I imagine Tucker will get more work tonight to attempt to solidify his spot.
Bengals vs. Commanders NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Cincinnati Bengals Targets
Joe Burrow won’t play, and there’s nothing to see from Trevor Siemian at this point, either. That leaves Jake Browning, who was pretty electric last week against the Falcons. Browning was an efficient passer (16-22) even though he didn’t throw a TD, but he added 50 rushing yards on four attempts. Browning had a 96.6 athleticism score in college so that upside is there.
I know, queue the Conor MacGregor “who the _____ is that guy” meme. Iosivas was absolutely peppered with targets last week, garnering TEN and catching five balls for 44 yards. It’s highly unlikely we see the Princeton product in the NFL right now, but his camp metrics were off the charts, and he could absolutely go off in this final preseason game.
Washington Commanders Targets
It’s tricky to predict which starters the Commanders will play on Saturday, but I imagine the short week means the starters won’t get much (if any) playing time. With Jahan Dotson likely to rest and Terry McLaurin injured, we could see a mini battle to see who will take McLaurin’s spot in the near future. Dyami Brown had six targets last week against the Ravens (second only to Dotson) and scored a TD. It’ll hurt that he likely won’t have Sam “Tom Brady 2.0” Howell throwing him the ball, but Brown should get enough work in this one.
Jets vs. Giants NFL Preseason DFS Picks
New York Jets Targets
Aaron Rodgers and the first unit will get a few series in this final preseason game. With that, they are going to test out the guys in this backfield, which has heavily featured Knight so far. He could get the most touches, especially with Breece Hall not suiting up.
New York Giants Targets
In the first and only series Daniel Jones and Darren Waller got together, Jones targeted him in four of his nine passes. These two might have a little more time in the final dress rehearsal and get even more of a connection going.
Hyatt has looked great in camp and flashed his speed in the last game. The rookie should see a significant amount of playing time and exploit a matchup as he did on that touchdown catch.
Cardinals vs. Vikings NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Arizona Cardinals Targets
The rookie Clayton Tune threw 75% of the team’s passes in last week’s preseason game against the Chiefs, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen again. The only wrinkle here is the recently acquired Josh Dobbs getting action, but I can see Tune at least getting a half of work. Tune led the Cardinals in both passing and rushing against the Chiefs last week.
Michael Wilson (WR – ARI)
Greg Dortch (WR – ARI)
It’s starting to appear that Wilson projects as the starter, but Greg Dortch has had an incredible camp so far as well. I could see both getting extra snaps in this one in a true “camp battle” feel, especially with a QB battle also occurring. A double stack with Tune could yield dividends early on in this contest.
Minnesota Vikings Targets
The Vikings will not play starters in this game, which makes it almost certain that Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall will each get a half of work. Both were awful in week two with a combined 77.7 QBR, but Mullens threw 23 passes to Hall’s seven. Arizona’s rapidly depleting roster SHOULD be a better matchup for Mullens and the offense than the Titans last week.
Bills vs. Bears NFL Preseason DFS Picks
Buffalo Bills Targets
Justin Shorter saw six targets in his last game for the Bills. He hauled in five receptions for 47 yards and also scored a touchdown. Shorter didn’t play in Week 1, but he’s quickly rising the wide receiver board for the Bills. The quarterbacks are throwing the ball his way with confidence.
Chicago Bears Targets
The Bears elected to wait for the preseason finale to debut Justin Fields. The Bears gave Fields and the first offense 30 snaps last year. If Fields gets 30 snaps in this game, he’ll finish strongly heading into the regular season. Fields has been gaining much traction in MVP voting and is becoming a quality fantasy quarterback due to his running ability.
We can’t expect the Bears’ starters to play forever. Robert Burns led the Bears in carries and yards last weekend. He averaged nearly five yards per carry and hauled in three receptions for 15 yards. He was thrown to five times, which was second-most on the team. He’ll be a significant impact late in this game.
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