This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
Thursday DFS Preview
After whetting our appetite with almost three quarters of football in last week's Hall of Fame Game, two games are on the schedule Thursday as the NFL preseason kicks off in earnest. The Panthers face the Patriots in a clash between two of the three worst teams in the league last season, while the Lions take on the Giants.
Thursday's featured DraftKings slate is the $150k Preseason Special, with $15 entries and a $50k top prize, while FanDuel's $30k Preseason Rush contest has $9 entries and $10k to first place. Below, we'll break down preseason DFS strategy and recommended targets from Thursday's two-game NFL slate.
Roster Strategy
Both DraftKings and FanDuel DFS lineups consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one DST unit. DraftKings uses PPR scoring with bonuses for 100-yard receiving or rushing performances and 300-yard passing games, while FanDuel has 0.5 PPR scoring. All players have the same salary cap hit in preseason DFS contests, so this format is all about finding the highest scoring fantasy players rather than balancing production against cost.
Teams typically rest key starters for the entirety or vast majority of preseason games, especially early in the preseason, so the strategy for preseason DFS contests centers on targeting youngsters or fringe roster players that are likely to see extensive playing time and make the most of it. Our RotoWire NFL Optimizer can help you pinpoint top DFS targets, in addition to the players highlighted below.
Quarterback
Joe Milton, NE vs. CAR: New England has a quarterback competition and plans to start veteran Jacoby Brissett, but it's the sixth-round pick Milton who has the most DFS appeal, rather than third overall draft pick Drake Maye. By some reports, Milton has actually outplayed Maye in camp, and they had comparable college production in 2023: Milton threw for 2,813 yards with a 20:5 TD:INT and seven rushing TDs for Tennessee in 2023 against SEC competition while Maye had 3,608 passing yards, a 24:9 TD:INT and nine rushing TDs for UNC in the ACC. Maye likely will get the majority of the first half after Brissett exits, while Milton should play most of the second half ahead of Bailey Zappe against lesser competition. New England goes nine deep at wide receiver in terms of players with a realistic chance of making the team in a wide-open competition, so Milton could still have the likes of Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte at his disposal to carve up Carolina's third-stringers.
Honorable Mentions:
Hendon Hooker (DET at NYG), Tommy DeVito (NYG vs. DET), Jack Plummer (CAR at NE)
Running Back
Zonovan Knight, DET at NYG: Knight has the perfect mix of proven ability and depth-chart standing to excel in preseason DFS. He exceeded 100 scrimmage yards in each of his first two NFL regular-season appearances as an undrafted rookie with the Jets in 2022, but Knight finds himself buried down the depth chart in Detroit, with David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds definitively ahead of him and rookie fourth-round pick Sione Vaki also providing competition. Reynolds likely will start for Detroit with the top two RBs sitting, but Knight is a strong candidate to handle the majority of carries and will be motivated to put forth a strong performance in what could be an audition for other RB-needy teams should he fail to secure a roster spot in Detroit.
Tyrone Tracy, NYG vs. DET: Tracy is the early frontrunner for the No. 2 spot on New York's RB depth chart behind Devin Singletary, but Tracy and Eric Gray should both get extended opportunities to earn that spot throughout the preseason. Tracy began his college career as a wide receiver at Iowa before converting to running back at Purdue, where he averaged 6.6 yards per carry over two years. The rookie fifth-round pick likely will get some opportunities to showcase his pass-catching ability on short passes in addition to racking up rushing attempts on the ground.
Honorable Mentions:
Kevin Harris (NE vs. CAR), Raheem Blackshear (CAR at NE)
Wide Receiver
Tom Kennedy, DET at NYG: Kennedy has been a preseason standout over the years, with 31 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns in 10 career preseason games, as compared to 14 catches for 195 yards without a TD in 20 regular-season appearances, all with the Lions. He missed the 2023 preseason after suffering an injury in training camp but was dominant during the exhibition session in 2022, compiling 16 catches for 143 yards and two TDs in three games. Detroit's wide receiver depth chart is wide open after Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond, so Kennedy will look to bolster his case for a roster spot by adding to his history of strong preseason play.
Jalin Hyatt, NYG vs. DET: The focus in New York's wide receiver room has been primarily on rookie sixth overall pick Malik Nabers, but Hyatt is another young wide receiver capable of beating defenses over the top. Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award as the top wide receiver in college football in 2022 before being drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Giants, joining Ja'Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Addison and Marvin Harrison among the award's last five winners. Hyatt had a quiet rookie season with just 373 yards, but his best performance (109 yards in Week 12) came in one of the games started by Tommy DeVito, who is likely to get the majority of QB reps for the Giants on Thursday.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette, CAR at NE: Carolina's passing game could struggle to produce much in this one with neither Bryce Young nor Andy Dalton (quadriceps) expected to play, but Smith-Marsette has the skill set to post a nice stat line nonetheless. He has the inside track on a roster spot thanks to his special teams contributions as a return man, but the versatile Smith-Marsette is trying to earn a larger role on offense as well under new coach Dave Canales. The 24-year-old wide receiver had eight catches and eight rushing attempts for Carolina last season and showed nice efficiency with nine first downs and a touchdown on those 16 touches, so Smith-Marsette could make the most of any opportunities on screens and short passes here, even if the Panthers don't get much going through the air downfield.
Honorable Mentions:
Javon Baker (NE vs. CAR), Terrace Marshall (CAR at NE), Antoine Green (DET at NYG)
Tight End
Jaheim Bell, NE vs. CAR: Both the Giants and Panthers selected tight ends in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but since Ja'Tavion Sanders and Theo Johnson could be Week 1 starters for their respective teams, they may not see significant run in their preseason openers. Bell is no threat to Hunter Henry's spot atop New England's tight end depth chart, but the rookie seventh-round pick has the skill set to see heavy involvement in the passing game. He's undersized at 6-foot-2, 241, but is quick for a tight end (4.61 speed) and has reportedly made plenty of plays in camp. The Patriots likely will try to get the ball into Bell's hands throughout the preseason to give him a chance to justify a roster spot over a more traditional tight end with superior blocking skills.
Honorable Mentions:
Ja'Tavion Sanders (CAR at NE), Theo Johnson (NYG vs. DET)
Defense/Special Teams
New England Patriots vs. CAR: New England's defense was far better than the team's offense last year, and the coaching staff continues to specialize on that side of the ball, with former Patriots linebacker and then Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo taking over for Bill Belichick. This pick is all about the matchup, though, as Carolina won't play Young or Dalton, leaving New England's defense to face a mix of undrafted rookie Jack Plummer and recent signing Jake Luton under center.
Honorable Mentions:
New York Giants vs. DET, Detroit Lions at NYG
