DraftKings NFL: Thursday Preseason DFS Preview

DraftKings NFL: Thursday Preseason DFS Preview

This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.

The Bears visit the Seahawks at 8 p.m. EDT for Thursday's lone preseason game. While starters should get some playing time in what will be each team's second exhibition game, players fighting for roster spots are likely to feature more prominently.

If you're playing a DraftKings Showdown DFS contest, your lineup will consist of six flex players, one of which will be your Captain, who scores 1.5 times as many fantasy points. Each player costs $7,600 normally or $11,400 as the Captain, so you can construct your lineup without worrying about positions or running out of salary. The below breakdown is organized by position, and quarterbacks generally score the most fantasy points while on the field, but keep in mind that most players are unlikely to play the entire game.

QUARTERBACK

Trevor Siemian, CHI at SEA: As Chicago's clear-cut No. 2 quarterback, Siemian should get a decent workload regardless of how much playing time the Bears give starter Justin Fields. Siemian carved up the Chiefs' backups last Saturday, tossing a pair of touchdowns while working with Chicago's depth players on offense.

Jacob Eason, SEA vs. CHI: With Drew Lock sidelined by COVID-19, Eason and Geno Smith are the only healthy quarterbacks on Seattle's roster. Smith should start, but he threw for just 101 yards while playing the entire first half last week against the Steelers. A rushing touchdown salvaged Smith's outing from a fantasy perspective, but he was otherwise ineffective, while Eason should have an easier time finding success against the underbelly of Chicago's roster in the second half.

RUNNING BACK

DeeJay Dallas, SEA vs. CHI: Dallas is battling Travis Homer for the change-of-pace and third-down role in Seattle's backfield, but the former showed last week that he can thrive as a feature back, at least against backups. While Dallas didn't play until the second half, he totaled 90 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 11 touches. With a couple NFL seasons under his belt already, the 2020 fourth-round pick should continue to shine in preseason.

Trestan Ebner, CHI at SEA: Ebner's trying to earn a roster spot as a rookie after being drafted in the sixth round out of Baylor, and he helped his case in the preseason opener. In addition to leading Chicago in rushing yards with 31 on six attempts, Ebner also caught a 12-yard touchdown in the 19-14 win over the Chiefs. If nothing else, Ebner at least earned himself more preseason touches with that effective debut.

WIDE RECEIVER 

Bo Melton, SEA vs. CHI: Melton led the Seahawks with 47 receiving yards in last week's 32-25 loss to Pittsburgh. The rookie seventh-round pick made a decent first impression in his NFL debut after exceeding 600 receiving yards in each of his last two college campaigns at Rutgers, but he'll need to keep his foot on the gas to make the team.

Dazz Newsome, CHI at SEA: Newsome was the other Bear to find the end zone last week besides Ebner. The 2021 sixth-round pick hopes to make the roster in a depth role, and Newsome can't afford to rest on his laurels after the encouraging start to the preseason, so look for Newsome to stay involved in this one.

TIGHT END

Noah Fant, SEA vs. CHI: Fant might not play long, but he's by far the most talented tight end likely to dress for either side, especially with Bears starter Cole Kmet's (knee) status uncertain. Smith should look for Fant early, especially if the Seahawks continue to keep top wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in bubble wrap. Fant has 1,905 receiving yards in three NFL seasons.

KICKER

Jason Myers, SEA vs. CHI: Myers converted 100 percent of his field-goal attempts in 2020, so he remains the only kicker on Seattle's roster despite regressing last season when he was 17 of 23. Chicago also has only one kicker in Cairo Santos, so both teams have an option that should get some volume if you don't like the options at other positions. It's worth noting that the Bears elected to go for two rather than kick a PAT after one of their two touchdowns last week.

DEFENSE 

Both the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears defenses are usable if you're looking for a higher floor or expect a plethora of sacks and/or turnovers. Lock's absence could create some opportunities for the Chicago defense once Eason replaces Smith, who isn't a world beater himself. 

Are you looking to use this information to bet on the NFL preseason? Try our favorite NFL betting sites.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Sasha Yodashkin plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Youngsash, DraftKings: Yashdogg,Yahoo: Sasha, Fanball: Yashdogg.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.
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