NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – TE & DEF/ST

For our last positional breakdown of the Week 1 DFS slate, we’ll examine both some tight ends and defenses/special teams to target for your lineup. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NFL Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

TIGHT END CASH TARGETS

George Kittle, SF at TB
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $6,600

Kittle had a breakout campaign for the 49ers, making himself one of the most productive tight ends in football. Despite losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL early in the season, he caught 88 of 136 targets for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns. Now with Garoppolo back in the told and a lackluster group of wide receivers around him, Kittle should once again be in line to provide massive production. It doesn’t get much better than this matchup versus the Bucs, who have the worst-rated secondary according to Pro Football Focus.

Evan Engram, NYG at DAL
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Speaking of teams lacking weapons at wide receiver, the Giants traded away one of the top wideouts in the league when they sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns. They brought in Golden Tate to be his replacement, but he has since been suspended for the first four games of the season. Engram was already expected to see a significant role this season, but the Giants will have to lean on him even more until Tate returns. As bad as Eli Manning might be at this stage of his career, Engram should still be one of the chalk tight ends for this slate.

TIGHT END GPP TARGETS

Delanie Walker, TEN at CLE
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $3,500

Entering 2018, Walker had been one of the most consistent tight ends in the league, receiving at least 100 targets and recording at least 800 receiving yards in four straight seasons. He had also been extremely healthy, playing in at least 15 games in each of his five seasons with the Titans. However, his season came to a crashing halt after he suffered a broken ankle and ligament damage in Week 1. Now nearly a full year removed from the injury, he should once again be one of the primary targets for quarterback Marcus Mariotta. The Titans might be forced to throw a lot to keep up with the Browns’ high-powered offense, leaving Walker with significant upside.

Greg Olsen, CAR vs. LAR
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $3,200

Another veteran tight end who had been remarkably healthy throughout his career is Olsen. He went through a stretch from 2012 through 2016 in which he played all 16 games, received at least 100 targets and had a least 816 receiving yards in each season. However, he’s played 16 total games the last two seasons as he’s dealt with foot injuries. While he’s healthy right now, it’s difficult to envision him maintaining his heavy workload at this stage of his career. Still, with the Panthers potentially in a shootout against the Rams, Olsen could provide some cheap production.

DEF/ST CASH TARGETS

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $3,800

The Ravens stand out as the defense that will likely be rostered in the most lineups. They have a stellar matchup against the Dolphins, who are in the early stages of a rebuilding process. They just dealt away one of their best offensive lineman in Laremy Tunsil and are starting the season with the turnover-prone Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. No need to overthink this one.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,600

If you’re playing in a cash contest, it basically comes down to the Ravens and Eagles for this position. The Redskins have one of the worst offensive lines in football, especially with Trent Williams still holding out. Their wide receiver group is extremely thin and they are rolling with journeyman Case Keenum at quarterback. It also won’t help the Redskins that this game will be played at the raucous Lincoln Financial Field.

DEF/ST GPP TARGET

Cleveland Browns vs. Tennessee Titans
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,400

The Browns’ offense has been receiving a ton of headlines after they acquired Beckham. While their ceiling is certainly very high, their defense has also made some significant additions. Their defensive front is especially loaded with Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon all in the fold. If they can bottle up Derrick Henry, the Titans’ lack of quality receiving options combined with the struggles of Mariota could lead to an ugly performance from the Titans’ offense.

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.