NFL Week 1 salaries have arrived on DraftKings! I’ll be writing up a breakdown of my immediate reactions at each position with some elite plays to pay up for along with some places you can find value. Plenty can change over the next six weeks, but it’s still fun to take an early look at the slate and see where the edges may lie.

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Expensive: Jonathan Taylor ($9,100)

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

Taylor is extremely chalky in Week 1 for a million different reasons. He’s coming off an insane 332-1,811-18 season on the ground in which he averaged 5.5 yards per carry. He’s playing for an eight-point favorite against one of the worst teams in the NFL, particularly when it comes to defending the run.

We saw this come into play last season, as the Texans had absolutely no shot at stopping Taylor. JT finished the first matchup needing just 14 carries to rush for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 31-3 victory. The second time around on the road he killed them with volume, finishing 32-143-2 in a 31-0 win. It’s tough to see Taylor not getting going in this matchup, but the concern will be ownership. Fade him at your own risk in tournaments, but I need JT in my cash lineup.

Value: Miles Sanders ($5,400)

Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions

Value is pretty tight at RB on the opening slate. While we never want to wish injury upon anyone, the nature of this position is that guys are going to get injured (whether it be in training camp or preseason). So when it comes to adding some other options, I think it’d be smart to say let’s just wait and see how August shakes out.

However, Sanders does seem to be too cheap in this spot, and that’s coming from someone who thinks the Eagles are overrated and the Lions are underrated coming into the season. While I expect improvement from Detroit, this was still a defense that allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game in 2021 at just over 135 per game. A $5,400 price tag feels cheap for this spot.

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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests. The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups.

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