This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
Week 1 of the preseason is here, and DraftKings is offering a number of Sunday night contests. You can choose anyone you like, as all players, regardless of position, are $5,500. However, the trick this week is trying to see into the crystal ball to figure out which players will see enough playing time to be useful for DFS. Be sure to check late news reports before finalizing your lineups, as news of playing time may be stated that'll force you to make last-minute changes. Good luck.
QUARTERBACK
Cardale Jones, Chargers vs. Seahawks - As the Chargers third-string QB, Jones likely will be on the field for the entire second half. He was acquired by new head coach Anthony Lynn, and from his past experience with his coach, the QB understands the offensive system. He's an intriguing prospect who has the potential to eventually become a future starter. He'll be an upside lineup option against the Seahawks' backup defenders.
Trevone Boykin, Seahawks at Chargers - He's listed behind Russell Wilson and Austin Davis on the depth chart, so he figures to play and least a full half of action against the Chargers' third-string defense. Although not nearly as talented as Russell Wilson, Boykin has similar strengths to his game, as he can be successful both as a passer and a runner, and that combination makes him an intriguing DFS play.
RUNNING BACK
Alex Collins, Seahawks at Chargers - It's uncertain as to how much time Collins will be in the lineup, but because he's listed behind the team's top-three RBs he could be in line to see a decent workload against the Chargers' reserves. He's a player the Seahawks have been high on since last year, and he'll certainly have a great opportunity during the preseason games to show the coaches that he'll be ready to contribute to the team suffers an injury in the backfield.
Dwayne Washington, Lions at Colts - After struggling with injury issues during his rookie season in 2016, Washington finds himself buried on the Lions' depth chart at RB. The team's been exceptionally high on him, as he had impressive SPARQ scores, and on a few rare occasions, he flashed some of that athleticism when he was healthy last year. He'll likely find himself on the field during the second half, when he'll be facing the deepest backups of the Colts' defense.
WIDE RECEIVER
Amara Darboh, Seahawks at Chargers - The rookie was selected in the third round of this year's draft, largely based on his ability to make big plays. However, the knock on him is that he has inconsistent hands, making him potentially unreliable. He should find himself on the field for most of the second half with Trevon Boykin at QB, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the duo hooked up for at least one big play.
TJ Jones, Lions at Colts - Jones created significant buzz during last year's training camp, but he never was given much of a chance to prove himself on the field during the regular season. After the team drafted Kenny Golladay, Jones finds himself buried on the depth chart going into the preseason games. He'll likely be on the field for a significant amount of time, possibly even the entire second half, and the youngster has quite a bit to prove, making him an interesting player to target in lineups.
TIGHT END
Luke Willson, Seahawks at Chargers - Playing time will be a big question for Willson going into this game. It's possible that he plays for just a series or two, but he also could find himself on the field for the majority of the first half. He's shown the ability to be a solid receiver when given the chance, and should he see a few targets, he could easily reward fantasy owners with a strong performance.
Erik Swoope, Colts vs. Lions - Swoope is the clear backup tight end behind Jack Doyle, but Swoope has amazing athleticism, and the Colts could try to get him as many snaps as possible to help him develop so that he can help them during the regular season. It's difficult to know if he'll play with the starters and be quickly removed from the game, or if he'll be allowed to play the majority of the first half. Since there aren't many great tight end options on the slate, he's an upside lineup choice.
DEFENSE
Seattle Seahawks (at Chargers) - The defensive starters might only see a brief amount of time on the field, but since the four defensive options on the slate are underwhelming, taking the best overall defense isn't the bad strategy.
Detroit Lions (at Colts) - With Andrew Luck missing this game, it doesn't seem likely that the Colts will risk putting backup Scott Tolzien on the field for long, since they can't to afford another QB injury. That would leave Phillip Morris to see up to three quarters of game action, and the lack of potential offensive firepower makes the Lions look like a good play.
