This article is part of our FantasyAces Football series.
Daily fantasy football is back, and FantasyAces is ready for a huge Week 1. Head on over to Aces to check out their contests for Week 1, which includes over $150,000 in guaranteed contests!
If you do not have a Fantasy Aces account, be sure to sign up now and receive up to $250 of your deposit matched just for signing up. It's free money, so sign up now.
Not sure how to play at Fantasy Aces? We are here to help. Each week, RotoWire will offer advice on who to start in a given week, and give you that extra edge in your pursuit of real cash prizes.
Format
At Fantasy Aces, the starting lineup requires two quarterbacks, two running backs, two wide receivers, a tight end, two FLEX (running back, wide receiver or tight end), a kicker and defense/special teams. You have a salary cap of $55,000 to create your team. Fantasy Aces understands that you may want to start Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, or Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski, and now you can. That's the beauty of playing daily fantasy football at Aces; you can start the players you want.
The full scoring system can be found here, but essentially it is a standard scoring system for regular fantasy football with the only difference being half-point PPR (point per reception).
Without further ado, here are some suggested plays for Week 1.
Rather than discuss the top options at each position, some deeper players are detailed for your convenience.
Quarterback
Tony Romo, $6,600 vs NYG
Last season, Romo was the commander of one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. Of course, his volume was down with all the running DeMarco Murray did, but when Romo did throw he was at his best.
This season, the Cowboys are without Murray and will likely throw the ball more, which makes the uber-efficient Romo a top fantasy option. In Week 1, he faces off against a Giants secondary that is projected to be one of the worst in football. Apart from top corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants secondary is made up of relative unknowns and a rookie safety in Landon Collins.
Last season, the Giants allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and Romo threw for over 550 yards and seven touchdowns in the two meetings.
With one of the top targets in the game (Dez Bryant) at his disposal, expect Romo to have the opportunity to exploit the Giants defense. His price on FantasyAces is a bit cheaper than the other top-tier quarterbacks, and Romo's matchup could make him a top finisher in Week 1.
Jameis Winston, $5,400 vs TEN
It remains to be seen whether or not Winston will be able to transition to the NFL right away, but his opportunity to succeed is second to none.
Winston has three monster targets in Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins at his disposal, and all three are touchdowns waiting to happen.
Winston faces the Titans in Week 1. Tennessee allowed at least one touchdown pass in 15 of 16 games last season, and return most of the same defense from last season.
Other Options: Eli Manning, Tyrod Taylor
Running Back
Mark Ingram, $4,500 vs ARZ
Ingram is flying under the radar a bit for Week 1, but with C.J. Spiller (leg) out for the first game of the season, Ingram should be due for a big workload. His price on FantasyAces is a bargain, despite a tough matchup against the Cardinals.
At the end of last season, the Cardinals allowed over 100 yards rushing in four of the last five games, which included 322 yards rushing in the last two weeks combined to the Seahawks and 49ers.
The Saints offensive line is underrated, and the Cardinals defensive line is a bit different from last year, as Calais Campbell is the lone standout.
Given Ingram's expected workload and price, he makes for an excellent value play in Week 1.
Doug Martin, $4,100 vs TEN
Martin looked great in the preseason, and he is a candidate to rebound with the Bucs' new offense this season. With all the receiving weapons and a capable quarterback, rushing lanes should open for the former Boise State star. The Bucs' offensive line is much improved after drafting Ali Marpet, and it showed in the preseason as Martin was able to effectively run the ball.
The Titans have one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL in Jurrell Casey, but that entire front seven is focused and built to rush the passer rather than stop the run. Last season, the Titans allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and return most of their starters on defense.
Other Options: Chris Ivory, Alfred Blue
Wide Receiver
Torrey Smith, $4,700 vs MIN
When looking at wide receivers in daily fantasy football, looking at the cornerback matchup is a key part of the research. The Vikings have an excellent cornerback in Xavier Rhodes, but he will be covering Anquan Boldin in Week 1.
That leaves rookie Trae Waynes to cover Smith. Waynes is rumored to start in Week 1, but if he does not that means Terrence Newman will cover Smith. Either matchup is beneficial to Smith, but if Waynes starts it makes for a better matchup.
In the preseason, Waynes was one of the worst cornerbacks in a limited sample. Smith has excelled in his career in beating the opposition deep, being one of the top deep threats in the league while in Baltimore.
San Francisco's offense is not what you would call pass-happy, but Smith should still get his fair share of looks as the main option in the passing game with Boldin facing off against Rhodes.
Brandin Cooks, $4,650 vs ARZ
With Jimmy Graham gone, Cooks will be the focal point of the Saints passing game. If the preseason was any indication, Cooks will see a ton of targets all season long, and he will line up all over the field.
He could draw Patrick Peterson in his Week 1 matchup, which would scare some players away. But considering Peterson has been among the leaders in touchdowns allowed over the last few seasons, Cooks has a solid matchup. If Peterson doesn't shadow Cooks, he will line up against Jerraud Powers or Kareem Martin.
Other Options: Jordan Matthews, Eddie Royal
Tight End
Martellus Bennett, $4,650 vs GB
Brandon Marshall is on the Jets, Kevin White is hurt, Alshon Jeffery is hurt, and Matt Forte will have a different role under new head coach John Fox. Who else will catch passes for the Bears?
With the exception of Eddie Royal, Bennett looks to be the top target for Jay Cutler by default, which makes the tight end an excellent pick for Week 1.
Since Rob Gronkowski plays on Thursday, the tight end crop is weak for the Sunday slate on FantasyAces. This makes Bennett even more valuable as one of the top receiving options on his team.
Last season the Packers struggled to defend the tight end, allowing 74 catches for 883 yards. With Bennett's volume expected to rise this season, especially in Week 1, he makes for a solid option at a scarce position.
Other Options: Tyler Eifert, Ladarius Green
Don't forget to keep an eye on the NFL inactive list. With the injury report changing all the time, a lot could happen before Sunday.
