Week 1 DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Football Picks, Lineup Tips for Sunday

The day we've been waiting for has arrived: the first Sunday of the NFL season.

On Thursday, the 2021 campaign got underway with a thrilling matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs pulled out an exciting 31-29 win, reminding football fans of what they had missed the past seven months.

However fun it was, though, it wasn't an all-day activity.

That's what makes NFL Sundays so great. There will be 14 games taking place Sunday, and there's sure to be plenty of excitement from the moment the 1 p.m. ET contests kick off to when the night matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears concludes.

And in case your dynasty and/or redraft fantasy football teams aren't enough to manage, you could also get involved in daily fantasy sports and submit a lineup on either DraftKings or FanDuel to win some extra cash.

If that's the case, here are some players you should strongly consider starting in DFS lineups Sunday.

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

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DFS value: $6,400 on DraftKings; $7,600 on FanDuel

Jalen Hurts' second NFL season has the potential to start in a big way. He's likely to give the Atlanta Falcons defense plenty of trouble in a multitude of ways, which is why he should be a quarterback you build your DFS lineup around.

In case you forgot, Atlanta's passing defense was notoriously bad in 2020. It allowed an NFL-high 293.6 yards through the air per game. The unit didn't greatly improve over the offseason, suggesting it may continue having trouble stopping opposing passing attacks this season.

Plus, Hurts is always capable of making plays with his legs. It's an added bonus for fantasy managers who play him considering he could add a rushing touchdown or two to his numbers.

Philadelphia's offense has gotten better around Hurts, particularly through the addition of rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith, last season's Heisman winner. Expect Hurts to air it out Sunday, rewarding DFS managers who construct lineups with him as one of the centerpieces.

Trey Sermon, RB, San Francisco 49ers

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DFS value: $4,500 on DraftKings; $5,200 on FanDuel

Since Kyle Shanahan was appointed head coach in 2017, the San Francisco 49ers have been known for running the ball and utilizing numerous running backs. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions ranked 28th in the NFL with 134.9 rushing yards per game in 2020, a number that may be just as bad (if not worse) this year.

It's a recipe for San Francisco to have a ton of success on the ground Sunday. And because numerous running backs are likely to factor into the mix, Trey Sermon is a sleeper DFS option in his NFL debut.

Sermon enters his rookie season as the No. 2 running back on the 49ers depth chart, which puts him in a position to still get a decent number of touches. Raheem Mostert is the No. 1 back (and also a strong DFS option, albeit at a higher price) for a San Francisco rushing attack that should have plenty of success.

Count on Sermon to rack up some decent yardage and to get into the end zone for the first touchdown of his professional career.

Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets

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DFS value: $4,900 on DraftKings; $5,800 on FanDuel

Coming off a career year with the Tennessee Titans, Corey Davis is now the No. 1 wide receiver for the New York Jets. That's a better spot to be in than in past years, as the Jets offense is now led by promising rookie quarterback Zach Wilson.

Davis should be targeted a lot by Wilson, especially considering that Jamison Crowder, New York's top returning wide receiver, will miss Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers while recovering from COVID-19.

If Wilson and Davis can get into a rhythm early, it could end up being a solid day for the Jets offense. Davis isn't too expensive for DFS lineups, and history tells us he has the potential to put up huge numbers. He's a great option for a low-risk, high-reward wideout Sunday.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

DFS value: $4,400 on DraftKings; $6,000 on FanDuel

Kyle Pitts isn't your typical tight end, which is why the Atlanta Falcons took him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He's close to being a wide receiver, which is something Atlanta will greatly benefit from after losing top wideout Julio Jones over the offseason.

While Calvin Ridley will be the Falcons' No. 1 receiving option, they don't have many other great wide receivers on their depth chart. So it wouldn't be surprising if Pitts develops into quarterback Matt Ryan's No. 2 target early in the season.

That could start as soon as Week 1, when Atlanta has a favorable matchup against Philadelphia, which has a beatable secondary and linebacker corps in pass coverage. This game could turn into an offensive shootout that sees tons of players put up big fantasy points. Pitts is likely to capitalize on that and put up some big numbers in his NFL debut.

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