Dolphins vs. Patriots Picks, Lineup Tips for Daily Fantasy DraftKings for SNF

After several years of the AFC East rivalry series between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots going mostly in the Pats' favor, things have started to swing the other way of late. Miami had four straight meetings vs. New England until Week 17 of the 2022 season, when the Patriots were victorious.

On Sunday night, the divisional foes will meet for the first time in the 2023 NFL campaign. And it's possible the Dolphins will take back control of the series.

Miami got off to a strong start last week, notching a 36-34 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Meanwhile, New England lost its season opener, falling 25-20 at home to the Philadelphia Eagles.

For fantasy managers who don't have a great showing in their standard leagues on Sunday, it may be time to dive into daily fantasy for the Dolphins-Patriots matchup on Sunday night. Here's a suggested lineup and analysis for those looking to get into the action on DraftKings for this AFC East contest.

Suggested Lineup

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 14: An NFL Shield logo is painted on the field prior to an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on September 14, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Captain: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins ($16,800)

Flex: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins ($10,200)

Flex: Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins ($8,000)

Flex: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, New England Patriots ($5,800)

Flex: Devon Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins ($4,600)

Flex: Jason Sanders, K, Miami Dolphins ($4,200)

Stack Up on Dolphins Players for Likely Win

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Tyreek Hill #10 talks with Jaylen Waddle #17 of the Miami Dolphins after a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on September 10, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

This lineup is stacked up on players from Miami's side, and for good reason. The Dolphins are favored to beat the Patriots, plus their offense can be quite difficult to contain.

New England could be without a key member of its defense, as Jonathan Jones is questionable due to an ankle injury. If he's out, it should only lead to greater results for Tagovailoa and Miami's passing attack.

Tagovailoa had a tremendous start to the season by passing for 466 yards and three touchdowns in the Dolphins' opener vs. the Chargers. He also had success in his only game against the Patriots last season, as he threw for 270 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.

The playmakers around Tagovailoa should lead to big numbers for both him and several of them. Tyreek Hill has a high DFS cost, but Jaylen Waddle could be just as productive. Waddle had four catches for 78 yards in Week 1, and the 24-year-old should build upon that performance in the weeks to come.

It could even be wise to play both Miami running backs in a DraftKings lineup. Jeff Wilson Jr. is on injured reserve, which leaves Raheem Mostert at the lead back. But Devon Achane, a rookie out of Texas A&M, is set to make his NFL debut after missing the season opener because of a shoulder injury.

Mostert was also dealing with a knee ailment early in the week, so him and Achane could even have a close-to-equal split out of the backfield.

The Patriots' defense is solid, but the Dolphins' offense should overmatch it. So feel confident in loading up on Miami players for DFS.

Elliott Provides Value as Bounce-Back Candidate

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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 10: Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the New England Patriots looks on during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on September 10, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Elliott didn't have the greatest showing in his Patriots debut last week. The 28-year-old running back had seven carries for 29 yards and five catches for 14 yards in the season-opening loss to the Eagles.

However, it was still encouraging to see Elliott get involved in New England's offense, as Rhamondre Stevenson is the clear lead back. Elliott was targeted seven times, so it's apparent he could also be a bit of a factor in the passing game moving forward.

Although Stevenson should get the majority of the carries, Elliott can be a great presence out of the backfield at the goal line. So he could be a red-zone threat who comes in and punches in a touchdown or two in any given game.

Because of that, Elliott is a great low-risk, high-reward RB option in DFS. Plus, he's likely still not completely comfortable in the Patriots' offense in his first year with the team, so his numbers could go up as he gets more snaps.

The Patriots could be trailing Sunday night if the Dolphins' offense plays up to its potential, but that may not stop Elliott from scoring a late touchdown. And if New England falls behind again, he could be targeted a lot.

It's worth taking a chance on Elliott to see if he can bounce back in Week 2.