Cowboys vs. Giants Picks, Lineup Tips for Daily Fantasy DraftKings for SNF

A Sunday Night Football matchup featuring an NFC East rivalry will almost always bring a good bit of excitement. That should be the case this Sunday, as the New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys in a 2023 season-opening Week 1 contest.

The Cowboys have dominated this series in recent years, having won 11 of their past 12 meetings with the Giants (including all four over the past two seasons). That could change in 2023, as New York is coming off a 9-7-1 campaign in which it ended a five-year playoff drought.

There should be plenty of standout fantasy performances on both sides of the Cowboys-Giants tilt. And if your team in your standard league gets off to a slow start, then maybe you'll want to dive into daily fantasy to get a bit of extra enjoyment out of Sunday Night Football.

So, if you're hoping to fill out a DraftKings lineup for the Sunday night matchup, here are some suggestions that could lead to success.

Suggested Lineup

AP Photo/Alex Menendez

The NFL logo is painted on the turf during a NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, August 26, 2023 in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Menendez)

Captain: Darren Waller, TE, Giants ($12,600)

Flex: Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants ($10,600)

Flex: Daniel Jones, QB, Giants ($9,400)

Flex: Brandin Cooks, WR, Cowboys ($7,200)

Flex: Darius Slayton, WR, Giants ($5,400)

Flex: Jake Ferguson, TE, Cowboys ($4,800)

Waller a Great Fit for Captain in Giants Debut

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 18: Darren Waller #12 of the New York Giants looks on during the first half of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on August 18, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Giants' receiving corps now has the No. 1 target that the unit has lacked for quite some time. He just so happens to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL as well.

After spending the past five seasons with the Raiders, Waller was traded to New York in March and will now play for his third team to open his eighth year in the league. The 30-year-old will upgrade a unit that already had some solid players and could potentially take it to the next level.

It shouldn't take long for Waller to develop a connection with Jones, especially because he'll be the best receiving option downfield. He recorded 2,341 receiving yards in 32 games from 2019-20, before being limited to 20 games over the past two seasons due to injuries.

Speaking of which, Waller is listed as questionable for Sunday night's game because of a hamstring injury. So his status will need to be monitored throughout the day, as fantasy managers will be required to pivot if he's ruled out.

As long as Waller plays, though, he should have a productive Giants debut. New York may have to pass the ball a good bit to keep up with Dallas' talented offense, and the matchup could produce plenty of points from both sides.

If Waller suits up, there's a good chance he'll score his first touchdown for his new team. With the high ceiling he possesses, he's a strong fit for the captain slot in DraftKings lineups for Sunday night, too.

Rounding out the Rest of the Lineup

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks smiles before a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Waller isn't the only Giants playmaker worthy of DFS consideration on Sunday night. Jones and Barkley are intriguing plays as well.

Jones ($9,400) has a more affordable price tag than Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ($10,000), while Barkley ($10,600) can be started at a lower price than Dallas running back Tony Pollard ($11,000). That factor works in the New York players' favor.

However, the Giants' offense also has a lot of potential. Jones can use his legs to make big plays, while Barkley has proven to be one of the NFL's top RBs when healthy. They should both factor into New York's ground game on Sunday night, which should lead to solid fantasy outputs for both.

Meanwhile, Slayton is a great value play from the Giants' side. He's one of the team's starting wide receivers, and while Waller could command a large percentage of the target share, Slayton has breakout potential entering his fifth NFL season.

Two value plays from the Cowboys' roster are Cooks and Ferguson, each of whom should be factors in the team's passing attack this year. Cooks, who is entering his 10th NFL season, will be a solid complementary option alongside CeeDee Lamb in the receiving corps, while Ferguson has taken over as the starting tight end.

Both Cooks and Ferguson could get off to strong starts Sunday night, and it's worth taking a flier on them at their affordable DFS price points.

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