This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
The 2024 NFL preseason rolls on Friday with three games after 7 p.m. EDT, featuring five teams seeing their first preseason action of the year. The Falcons face the Dolphins, the Texans, who played Chicago in the Hall of Fame Game, take on the Steelers, and the Eagles match up with the Ravens.
Friday's featured DraftKings slate is the $80k Preseason Special, with $15 entries and a $20k top prize, while FanDuel's $20k Preseason Rush contest has $9 entries and $5k to first place. Below, we'll break down preseason DFS strategy and recommended targets from Friday's three-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
Michael Penix, ATL at MIA: The Falcons caused a major stir when they drafted Penix eighth overall in April after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in March. Atlanta has little reason to rush Cousins back from last year's Achilles tear and knows what it has in veteran third-stringer Taylor Heinicke, and fourth-stringer Nathan Rourke almost certainly doesn't have a future in Atlanta, which means Penix should see the vast majority of preseason snaps. That will allow the rookie to build experience while the coaching staff evaluate his NFL readiness. Penix dominated the college ranks the last two years at Washington, throwing for 9,544 yards and a 67:19 TD:INT in 28 games (341 yards per game).
Honorable Mentions:
Justin Fields (PIT vs. HOU), Kenny Pickett (PHI at BAL), Devin Leary (BAL vs. PHI)
Running Back
Rasheen Ali, BAL vs. PHI: Coach John Harbaugh recently said Justice Hill will play a prominent backfield role alongside Derrick Henry in the regular season, so Hill doesn't seem to have much left to prove in the preseason, while second-year speedster Keaton Mitchell is still recovering from a torn ACL. That leaves Ali, a rookie fifth-round pick out of Marshall, as the top RB likely to see significant preseason volume for a Ravens team that won 23 consecutive preseason games before dropping its last two games last year by a combined seven points. Baltimore's preseason success is no coincidence, as Harbaugh puts an emphasis on playing to win in the exhibition slate, and Ali could be a beneficiary of that approach as he tries to nail down a roster spot with a strong preseason showing.
Cam Akers, HOU at PIT: Houston already has one (well really almost three quarters of one) preseason game under its belt, so we have some recent football results to go on with this team. Akers was Houston's best RB in the 21-17 Hall of Fame Game loss to Chicago, turning five carries and two catches into 41 scrimmage yards and a receiving TD. The 2020 second-round pick of the Rams is trying to prove he still has some juice left after a pair of Achilles tears, and he can't afford to rest on his laurels after a strong preseason debut with the Texans, as Akers is still in a battle with Dare Ogunbowale, Jawhar Jordan and J.J. Taylor for a roster spot behind Joe Mixon (quadriceps) and Dameon Pierce. Akers probably has the highest ceiling of the group in contention for the third spot on the depth chart, so the Texans should give him ample opportunities to earn the job in the preseason.
Honorable Mentions:
Will Shipley (PHI at BAL), Salvon Ahmed (MIA vs. ATL), Jase McClellan (ATL at MIA)
Wide Receiver
Malik Washington, MIA vs. ATL: Washington has been an early training camp standout for the Dolphins, and the rookie sixth-round pick out of Virginia is primed for plenty of playing time Friday, as the Dolphins will presumably rest Tyreek Hill, while Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham and Braxton Berrios are battling undisclosed injuries of various severity. Mike White and Skylar Thompson both have NFL regular-season experience, so Miami's QB play shouldn't hold Washington back, even with Tua Tagovailoa not expected to suit up.
Johnny Wilson, PHI at BAL: Like Washington, Wilson's a rookie sixth-round pick who is reportedly off to a strong start in camp. Wilson has received more positive reviews than 2024 fifth-round pick Ainias Smith, and he's pushing Parris Campbell (groin) for the third spot on the WR depth chart behind stars A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who are unlikely to play Friday. Without Brown hogging the WR jump balls in the end zone that have become a staple of Philadelphia's playbook, the 6-foot-6 Wilson is the best candidate for those red-zone looks.
Xavier Hutchinson, HOU at PIT: Like Akers, Hutchinson is coming off a strong showing in Houston's preseason opener last week. Hutchinson's 56 receiving yards against the Bears were at least double the total of any other Houston player, and he also paced the Texans in both targets (six) and catches (five). The 2023 sixth-round draft pick has put himself on the roster bubble with that strong performance, but he'll likely need to keep excelling throughout the preseason to nail down a spot on the 53-man roster. Like Miami, Houston boasts an experienced group of backup QBs in Davis Mills, Case Keenum and Tim Boyle.
Honorable Mentions:
Malik Cunningham (BAL vs. PHI), Calvin Austin (PIT vs. HOU), James Washington (ATL at MIA)
Tight End
Connor Heyward, PIT vs. HOU: In addition to offseason roster changes, most notably at QB, Pittsburgh also overhauled its coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball, bringing in former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator. Smith runs arguably the most TE-friendly offense in the NFL, as two Falcons tight ends finished in the top 15 at the position in receiving yards last season. Pat Freiermuth likely will be the primary beneficiary of the coaching change come the regular season, but backups Heyward and Darnell Washington should see an uptick in preseason targets as the Steelers work on installing Smith's system. Washington had just seven catches as a rookie despite seeing substantial playing time, while Heyward quietly demonstrated some pass-catching aptitude with 23 catches in 2023. Still only 25 and heading into his third NFL season, Heyward has plenty to prove this preseason.
Honorable Mentions:
Charlie Kolar (BAL vs. PHI), Albert Okwuegbunam (PHI at BAL)
Defense/Special Teams
Baltimore Ravens vs. PHI: To reiterate, the Ravens are 23-2 in their last 25 preseason games. They play hard in the exhibition slate and boast plenty of depth on defense. Philadelphia's offensive production was extremely top-heavy last season, and with the heavy hitters sitting out or seeing limited playing time for the Eagles, Philadelphia may not have the talent to make significant headway against this defense, especially with the game being in Baltimore. With an over/under of 34.5 points on FanDuel, this game comes in at least three points lower than each of Friday's other two matchups.
Honorable Mentions:
Atlanta Falcons at MIA, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. HOU
