NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – Wide Receivers

While we didn’t see several of the top-tier wide receivers play much during the preseason, most of them should be ready to go for Week 1. There are a lot of juicy matchups to exploit, so let’s highlight some of the best ones to consider. 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.

CASH TARGETS

Mike Evans, TB vs. SF
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,900

The Bucs might have bounced between Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback last season, but it didn’t have a negative impact on Evans’ production. In fact, he finished with a career-high 1,524 receiving yards. His 62.3 percent catch rate was also the highest mark of his career after previously never finishing above 55.7 percent. He’s locked in as the team’s top receiver and has a tremendously high floor for this matchup against a 49ers’ secondary that is ranked 29th by Pro Football Focus.

Kenny Golladay, DET at ARI
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,300

Golladay emerged as the Lions’ primary wide receiver last season, catching 70 passes on 119 targets. That helped him accumulate 1,063 receiving yards, although he only had five touchdowns to show for it. As a team, the Lions struggled on offense, which is part of the reason why Golladay couldn’t find his way into the end zone in any of his final five games. He’ll look to start off 2019 on a high note, facing a Cardinals team that is missing their best cornerback in Patrick Peterson due to a suspension and their second-best cornerback Robert Alford due to a leg injury. He won’t destroy your budget on either site, either, making him a prime cash option.

Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. CIN
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $6,000

The Seahawks run the ball a ton, which contributed to Lockett receiving only 70 targets last year. Not only did he catch 57 of them, but he was still able to rack up 965 yards. He was also one of the most efficient scorers at his position, piling up 10 touchdowns. With Doug Baldwin retired, Lockett is now the unquestioned top receiving target for Russell Wilson. To put things even more in his favor this week, David Moore (shoulder) is battling an injury heading into this game versus the Bengals. Expect to see Lockett included in a lot of entries.

GPP TARGETS

Chris Godwin, TB vs. SF
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,200

Evans isn’t the only wide receiver on the Bucs worth targeting for this juicy matchup. With DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries no longer in the picture, Godwin has the potential to receive a lot more targets. He flashed his potential last season, recording at least 100 receiving yards in three of his final eight games. He even capped off the season with 114 yards and two touchdowns in his final game versus the Falcons. With the 49ers’ struggles in the secondary already discussed, Godwin has an excellent chance to provide a meaty stat line.

Curtis Samuel, CAR vs. LAR
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,200

One of the sexy breakout candidates during the preseason has been Samuel, who received raving reviews throughout training camp. His overall numbers last season weren’t anything to write home about, although he did catch five touchdowns passes among his 39 receptions. He and D.J. Moore are expected to lead the Panthers’ wide receiver group and could benefit greatly from a healthy Cam Newton being able to throw more deep balls again. The Panthers might need to throw a lot to keep up with the Rams’ high-powered offense, which could lead to a productive afternoon for Samuel.

John Brown, BUF at NYJ
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,300

The Bills made two key additions to help the development of quarterback Josh Allen, bringing in Brown and Cole Beasley during the offseason. They have two very different skill sets, but could be equally as important. Beasley provides Allen with a quality safety valve in the slot while Brown is an excellent deep threat. Allen had an average depth of target of 11.3 yards last year, so he’s no stranger to the deep ball. With the Jets lacking talent a cornerback, Brown could provide tremendous value.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Tyreek Hill, KC at JAC
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $7,600

Hill managed to avoid a suspension due to an off-the-field issue, setting him up to once again be one of the most lethal receiving options in fantasy. However, he has a tough matchup out of the gate. The Jaguars have arguably the best cornerback in the league in Jalen Ramsey, who will likely shadow Hill in this contest. When these two teams faced off last year, Hill caught only four of seven targets for 61 yards. There will be plenty of weeks in which you will want to pay up to get him into your entry, but this isn’t one of them.

Devin Funchess, IND at LAC
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,000

After receiving 111 targets in 2017, Funchess saw only 79 targets across 14 games last year. He moved on from the Panthers, setting himself up to be the second wide receiver on the Colts behind T.Y. Hilton. While that role is still in the cards for him, the problem is that he’ll now have Jacoby Brissett under center instead of Andrew Luck. The Chargers still have one of the better secondaries in the league despite the loss of Derwin James (foot), making it hard to justify this being the week to take a chance on Funchess.

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.