Daily Fantasy Football Week 1: DraftKings DFS Rankings and Best Values

In the daily fantasy football world, there is simply no better way to start out your lineup than with a few good sleepers, or value plays. You don't have to load up your lineup with a ton of value plays, but you need to at least find a few that can help you get those great high-dollar players in your lineups on a weekly basis.

Week 1 is now officially here and we are already one Tom Brady explosion into the season. Let's take a look at the positional rankings for the week, as well as some DraftKings value plays. Obviously, many of the highest priced players have a strong argument for being at the top of this list, but having a high price tag doesn't necessarily mean you deserve a top-five ranking.

We'll start it off with the quarterbacks, and of course we won't be including the Thursday night game in this mix. Remember, you can't fit those top-five players into your lineups in most cases unless you can take advantage of a value play or two.

Quarterback Rankings and Value Plays

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1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers ($8,600)
2. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons ($7,500)
3. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys ($7,300)
4. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins ($7,400)
5. Eli Manning, New York Giants ($7,400)

Simply put, Rodgers goes into a matchup where he should absolutely light up the Chicago Bears defense. Last season against the Bears in two games, Rodgers threw for 617 yards, 10 touchdowns and a grand total of zero interceptions.

As for Ryan, Romo and Manning, those three playing in what should be high-scoring affairs, including Romo and Manning squaring off against each other on Sunday night. Don't be surprised to see all three of these players toss three or more touchdowns in the opening week. Are they worth the slightly higher price than the value plays? There's a good chance they may be.

Lastly is Tannehill, who faces the Washington Redskins defense. To put it gently, the Redskins passing defense was bad last season. Not only did Washington give up an average of 249.4 yards per game through the air, but they allowed 27.4 points per game as well.

Value Plays

Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles ($6,900)

Bradford is on the fringe of being a value play, but using him will definitely wind up saving you at least a little bit of money. Bradford is the new leader of Chip Kelly's high-flying offense, meaning that we should fully expect to see him help the Philadelphia Eagles put a lot of points on the board.

There's obviously uncertainty, since Bradford hasn't played in a regular season game in nearly one year and 11 months. With that said, if you want a massive upside play, look no further than Bradford, as we know his head coach will try to pile on the points.

Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills ($5,000)

It's a fairly safe bet that Taylor is going to get plenty of usage from daily fantasy players this week on DraftKings. That's to be expected when you're a min-priced quarterback who has the ability to beat defenses with both your arm and your legs. He's basically a DFS dream, if he can actually produce.

No one really knows what to expect from Taylor, except that head coach Rex Ryan is a big fan. David Kenyon pointed out in a recent FOX Sports article, that Ryan said Taylor is the top fantasy option this week.

"This guy is No. 1 fantasy QB this week. He’s the play. He’s the go-to guy. Everyone wants him." Ryan said.

You heard the man.

Running Back Rankings and Value Plays

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings ($7,700)
2. Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers ($7,500)
3. Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals ($7,100)
4. C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos ($7,000)
5. Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs ($7,900)

What can you say about Peterson? The man simply has to be playing with the biggest chip on his shoulder of all-time. Peterson gets the opening act of his comeback in a Monday Night Football matchup against a San Francisco 49ers defense who had a brutal offense defensively. Peterson will be the top back in Week 1, and if you believe former RB Terrell Davis, he'll win the 2015 MVP, per Rachel Wold of Sportsnaut.com.

Lacy and Hill both have stellar matchups on paper. The Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders were both in the bottom half of the league in rushing yards allowed per game in 2014. The Bears allowed 112.7 per game, while the Raiders allowed 119.4 per game. When you get two of the best RBs in the NFL in great matchups, don't get shy about it.

As for Anderson, it's widely known that the Denver Broncos are going to ease the pressure off QB Peyton Manning this season with the run game. Over the final six games of 2014, Anderson tallied 140 carries, 18 receptions and nine total touchdowns. He's probably the hottest running back in the NFL heading into 2015, and that trend should continue.

Lastly is Charles, who has totaled 2,320 rushing yards, 984 receiving yards and 33 total touchdowns over the past two seasons. The Houston defense is talented, but the key is that Kansas City will find a way to get Charles the ball in space if the run game isn't working. Charles will put up big numbers, but on top of that, the Texans still gave up over an average of 105 yards rushing per game in 2014.

Value Plays

Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($4,500)

If there's a position to save some serious money in Week 1 on DraftKings, it's running back. We'll start the action off with Martin, who has been a major letdown over the past two seasons for fantasy owners.

Martin was nearly sent packing from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, but offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter kept him in town. In turn, Martin has repaid his offensive coordinator by winning the No. 1 running back job, losing 20 pounds and looking like the player from his rookie season.

Martin may be the biggest value of them all for daily fantasy players in Week 1. Expect the Buccaneers to use Martin, who averaged 5.9-yards-per-carry this preseason, to ease the pressure off rookie QB Jameis Winston in his first NFL start.

Chris Ivory, New York Jets ($4,100)

David Pratt of Pro Football Focus probably puts it best when calling Chris Ivory a "bargain" in Week 1. What's not to love about Ivory right out of the gate? The Jets draw a Cleveland Browns team who ranked No. 32 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed, giving up an average of 141.6 yards on the ground.

Ivory is now the go-to option in New York's backfield, and there's plenty of reason to believe that he'll hit the ground running in 2015. Aside from the great matchup, Ivory has never fallen below 4.1-yards-per-carry in his career, and is coming off a career-best six touchdowns in 2014. Still, he has never topped 200 carries in any single season, which should change in 2015.

Wide Receiver Rankings and Value Plays

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1. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons ($9,300)
2. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys ($8,700)
3. Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants ($9,200)
4. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos ($9,100)
5. Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers ($8,000)

What do three of these five wide receivers have in common? All three have new shiny contracts that were signed during the 2015 offseason. While that's not really much to factor into fantasy, I still expect to see all three players step up and start 2015 off with a bang.

As for Jones, Bryant and Beckham, the matchups are simply ones you can't overlook. Jones will be facing a Philadelphia Eagles defense that ranked No. 31 in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game with 264.9. Fantasy-wise, the Eagles were the worst team in the NFL against opposing wide receivers, allowing 26.1 points on average in ESPN scoring.

Then comes Bryant and Beckham, who are facing off in a prime time game on Sunday Night Football. To be brutally honest, neither secondary will be able to slow down either player in this huge Week 1 game.

Last season alone against the Giants, Bryant caught 16 balls for 237 yards and two touchdowns. As for Beckham, aside from what was possibly the greatest catch of all-time over cornerback Brandon Carr, he caught 14 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. Who's ready for a shootout in Arlington, Texas?

To wrap it up, Thomas faces the Baltimore Ravens, while Cobb takes on the Chicago Bears. Both the Ravens and Bears were in the bottom nine in the NFL in total fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. Baltimore gave up a total of 380 fantasy points last season, while Chicago gave up 362 points. Don't pass up the shot to use either receiver in Week 1.

Value Plays

Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($6,000)

Don't be surprised to see Vincent Jackson become an early season go-to option for rookie QB Jameis Winston. Tack on the fact that fellow WR Mike Evans is still dealing with a hamstring injury, and Jackson may wind up being a great value at only $6,000 on DraftKings.

I believe the Buccaneers are going to try to use Doug Martin to open up the passing lanes for Winston, who will do everything in his power to get it to either Jackson, or a combo of Jackson and Evans (if Evans suits up). I see both receivers getting plenty of targets either way, so don't shy away from from the No. 2 receiver in Tampa Bay.

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers ($4,400)

As soon as the news broke that Jordy Nelson would miss the 2015 NFL season, Davante Adams became one of the hottest names in fantasy football. Specifically, he was an immediate target for Week 1 daily fantasy players.

At a price of only $4,400 and going up against a Bears defensive unit who struggles mightily against receivers (as mentioned above), Adams is a great option. He'll likely have a high usage rate this week, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least use him in a few lineups to open up salary cap space for other big names.

Eddie Royal, Chicago Bears ($3,900)

Continuing with the trend of the Packers vs. Bears, let's talk Eddie Royal. This is another receiver whose stock skyrocketed due to an injury. When rookie receiver Kevin White was placed on the PUP list due to a shin injury, it opened up a door for Royal.

Since DraftKings also offers one point-per-reception, that just makes Royal's value even greater in Week 1. Oh, and for what it's worth, the Packers only gave up two fewer fantasy points throughout all of 2014 to opposing receivers than the Bears, meaning that Royal has a great matchup on his hands.

Tight End Rankings and Value Plays

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

1. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers ($5,300)
2. Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears ($4,300)
3. Jimmy Graham, Seattle Seahawks ($5,600)
4. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs ($4,800)
5. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys ($4,000)

The biggest surprise on this list is probably Jimmy Graham listed at No. 3. The reason? Well, the two tight ends above him just have excellent situations. As for Olsen, well, he's the safety blanket for quarterback Cam Newton. Kelvin Benjamin being out for the season will force Newton to hit Olsen even more than originally expected in 2015.

Bennett is looking at a situation where the Bears are dealing with a group of wide receivers who are all nursing some type of injury. He is fresh off the best season of his career, where he caught 90 balls for 916 yards and six scores. Bennett will be the go-to option for QB Jay Cutler in Week 1, resulting in a huge fantasy week.

Finally, we have Graham, Kelce and Witten. The idea on all three of these players is pretty straight forward. Graham is probably one of the top-two most well-rounded and talented receiving tight ends in the NFL. Both Kelce and Witten are in positions where their quarterbacks not only love to utilize them, but each have different strengths. Kelce is a home run-hitting tight end, while Witten is the king of clutch.

In all honesty, you aren't going to save a ton at tight end, because any of these players are great options, so you'll get to pick your poison in Week 1.

Value Plays

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings ($3,500)

Rudolph caught nine touchdowns in 2012. After that, the young tight end didn't play more than nine games in either 2013 or 2014. Truthfully, we have no idea what the ceiling looks like for Rudolph. What makes him such an intriguing play? The fact that he's going against a San Francisco 49ers defense that's in shambles currently.

Rudolph is a risky play, but the 49ers ranked No. 13 in fantasy points to opposing tight ends in 2014, so there's plenty of reason to believe in Rudolph's upside.

Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins ($3,300)

According to DraftKings analyst Adam Levitan, Jordan Reed makes for an interesting play.

"Jordan Reed and Kirk Cousins only played in 2 games together last year. Reed went 8-92-0 at ARZ and 5-54-0 vs. TEN." Levitan posted on his Twitter.

It's hard to argue with the logic, right?

To top it off, Washington fans were all ready for the rise of TE Niles Paul. Unfortunately, Paul suffered a dislocated ankle that will leave him sidelined for the 2015 season. This means that it's Reed's chance to prove that he can be the No. 1 tight end in Washington. Can he build on his previous success with Cousins? It may be worth finding out the answer to that question at just a cost of $3,300.

Defense/Special Teams Rankings and Value Plays

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

1. Cleveland Browns ($3,100)
2. Carolina Panthers ($3,100)
3. Cincinnati Bengals ($3,200)
4. Kansas City Chiefs ($3,000)
5. Seattle Seahawks ($3,400)

To begin the defensive talks for Week 1, you'll find some great options at the top. Not only do the Browns draw a New York Jets team who is led by NFL journeyman QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, but this is an offense who is going to struggle if they can't run the ball early. As for the Panthers and Bengals, they draw second-year QBs in Blake Bortles and Derek Carr, which could equate to great opportunities for turnovers.

When moving down to the Chiefs and Seahawks, these aren't situations where I absolutely love the matchup. Instead, I just love the defenses themselves. The Seahawks defense will be what you expect, but it won't be easy just dominating the St. Louis Rams on the road. As for the Chiefs, I believe they get to QB Brian Hoyer early and often, which will make them a great DFS option at a lower price than Seattle.

Value Plays

New York Jets ($2,900)

As much as you may want to pick on the Jets for starting Fitzpatrick, maybe we should look at the other side of the ball. The Jets defense may be one of the best "value" plays of the week out of all defense/special teams units. The Browns have QB Josh McCown running the show, who struggled mightily with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014.

To top it off, the Browns aren't exactly loaded with offensive playmakers. If the Jets defense can live up to the potential that we've seen at times back when Rex Ryan was in town, they should make McCown's life a nightmare Sunday.

Tennessee Titans ($2,800)

No, the Titans aren't the sexiest of defensive picks out there. With that said, we know QB Jameis Winston is going to look to force the ball at times, which could absolutely lead to turnovers. I believe Winston will have a bright NFL future, but he'll struggle a bit against the Titans in Week 1.

Ready for an interesting fact? According to Charley Casserly of NFL.com, Titans assistant Dick LeBeau has an incredible 19-2 record against rookie QBs in his coaching career. That's a very, very bad sign for Winston, especially since I expect the Titans to throw all kinds of looks towards the rookie quarterback in an attempt to rattle him.

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DraftKings is giving away over $10 million Week 1 of the NFL Season. Use this knowledge to help you win some of that cash. The biggest first-place prize ever at $2 million will be awarded. Play now for FREE at DraftKings.com.

Pricing information and scoring data obtained from DraftKings.com. All statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.

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