Week #1 of the NFL is about go into full swing. There are some great matchups this weekend, and by looking at some of the more interesting games, we have uncovered some nice little daily fantasy football moves. Here are our top 3 games for Sunday, and one or two hidden fantasy moves per game.
Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams
The Seahawks have the best returning defense in the NFL, and the Rams have a pretty much untested offense. The Seahawks are the 4 point favorites here despite being the away team, and there’s no way that that will happen with just defense alone. QB Russell Wilson has great daily fantasy potential here, as does his receivers and running backs. Seattle recently picked up a top RB in Fred Jackson from Buffalo, and they have also signed TE Jimmy Graham from New Orleans. Graham was the second best ranked TE in the NFL last year, behind New England’s Rob Gronkowski. Both of these players should see better numbers than they did last year simply because there will be more opportunities for scoring.
Top Daily Fantasy Picks
Seattle: QB R. Wilson, TE J. Graham, RB F. Jackson
St. Louis: RB B. Cunningham
Miami Dolphins at Washington Redskins
Neither of these teams stands out this year, but that’s precisely what makes this game interesting. Two mid-level talents facing off have the potential for big numbers from unexpected sources. Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a good place to start. This is his fourth season with Miami, and each of the previous three seasons have watched him show marked improvement. If he continues this course, he will be a top 10 QB this year in the entire NFL. That’s exciting for Fins fans, but it also could spell promise on the fantasy front, too. The Dolphins are 3.5 point favorites, and that means Tannehill will need to rely heavily on his passing game. WRs like Jarvis Landry and Greg Jennings have the potential for big games against a weak Washington.
Top Daily Fantasy Picks
Miami: QB R. Tannehill, WR G. Jennings, WR J. Landry
Washington: WR D. Jackson
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
Eli Manning against Tony Romo is always a cause for excitement. Romo had the highest QB Rating in the NFL last year, and Eli Manning was a big disappointment. However, this is a new year, and both quarterbacks are pretty close in individual talent levels. Manning could pull the upset here, considering the fact that Romo has lost a lot of key talent. The Cowboys are 6 point favorites, but the Giants seem likely to cover the spread if they have improved at all since last year. Odell Beckham, Jr. is more than ready to have a big season, and Manning’s accuracy combined with his speed has potential for big fantasy points. Expect Romo to rely pretty heavily on his running backs, especially newcomer Darren McFadden. Last year, a big part of Romo’s success was due to RB DeMarco Murray. Murray has since been picked up by Philadelphia, so the team is likely to try and find alternatives when it comes to the running game and McFadden seems to be the best choice at the current moment. Also, wide receiver Dez Bryant has been nursing a hamstring injury, but it looks like he is probable to start this game. He will be a contributor, but maybe not in the same capacity that he has been in the past.
Top Daily Fantasy Picks
New York: WR O. Beckham, Jr., QB E. Manning
Dallas: QB T. Romo, RB D. McFadden, WR D. Bryant