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Fantasy Football Picks: Top DraftKings XFL Plays for Week 1

Pat Mayo and Justin Freeman discuss DraftKings strategy for Week 1 of the XFL season.

Pat Mayo and Justin Freeman discuss DraftKings strategy for the upcoming XFL season, which features large prize pools, including a $100K to first contest.

Projections | XFL Week 1 DraftKings Picks | XFL Showdown Strategy

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Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: XFL $300K Kickoff Special [$100K to 1st]


XFL Week 1 Strategy

The guys discuss how to make the most of the limited information available by using projections. The guys then discuss the different DraftKings Sportsbook odds for the XFL teams and how they should be approached when creating DraftKings lineups. They also mention that the information we have about the teams is likely to change frequently leading up to the first game, which is scheduled for Saturday, February 18. Mayo advises to build an XFL DraftKings lineup on Friday night as more information becomes available.

Custom Projections, Prop Tool & XFL DK Simulator

Mayo also advises to embrace the variance when trying to win XFL GPPs on DraftKings. Freeman recommends to play running back heavy lineups as Week 1 pass catchers are uncertain. The guys expect Seattle Sea Dragons WR Josh Gordon ($9,000) to get the first crack at pass catching for the Sea Dragons. The guys say that Sea Dragons QB Ben DiNucci ($9,800) projects well for Week 1, followed by St. Louis BattleHawks QB AJ McCarron ($10,500). QB becomes uncertain after DiNucci and McCarron.

The guys wrap up the segment by discussing XFL Showdown strategy. Freeman recommends playing a D/ST in Showdown as the QB play could be poor. Freeman recommends staying away from kickers in Showdown as there are no extra point kicks in the XFL.

Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: XFL $300K Kickoff Special [$100K to 1st]


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Pat Mayo is an award-winning video host and producer of long and short-form content, and the host of The Pat Mayo Experience daily talk show. (Subscribe for video or audio). Mayo (@ThePME) won the 2022 Fantasy Sports Writing Association Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year and was a finalist for three FSWA Awards (Best Podcast, Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year). His 24 FSWA nominations lead all writers this decade and are second-most all-time.

Mayo has been recognized across multiple sports (Football, Baseball & Golf), mediums (Video, Writing & Podcasting), genre (Humor), and game formats (Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy, and Traditional Season Long Fantasy).


I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ThePME) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.