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Here we go with the Single Game NFL DFS slate for Monday Night Football of Week 1. Today’s matchup is between the Ravens and Raiders with Baltimore checking in as a 4.5-point road favorite. The over/under currently rests at 50.5 total points. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 ET.
We’ll highlight the top picks and best bargains to assemble a cash-inducing lineup. On top of that, the “additional notes” section will feature several tournament selections while adding context to the rest of this slate.
We will be producing these articles for Thursday, Sunday, and Monday Night Football matchups, so be sure to bookmark the NBC Sports EDGE DFS Page for those occasions - not to mention all the other fantastic daily fantasy content.
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TOP PICKS
Lamar Jackson - QB - Baltimore (DK: $12,400 / FD: $17,000 / Yahoo: $35)
You don’t need me to tell you that Jackson is the best fantasy asset of this single-game slate. In fact, you could argue he’s one of the best QBs in fantasy at the moment. That narrative has taken on new life due to the Ravens’ backfield horrific injury situation. With JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards sidelined, there’s a chance Jackson will shoulder more work on offense, at least for the time being. His floor/upside combination takes a leap forward in the wake of this news, and the matchup at Las Vegas is welcoming.
Derek Carr - QB - Las Vegas (DK: $9,800 / FD: $14,000 / Yahoo: $25)
I’m not afraid to stack both QBs in the same lineup tonight. Jackson can get the job done with his legs, and he’ll be a huge part of the game plan even if Baltimore is nursing a lead in the second half. On the other side, the matchup isn’t great for Derek Carr and the Raiders’ passing attack. However, Carr will find himself throwing the ball early and often, and that volume could push him towards fantasy value. We could see 35+ pass attempts from Carr tonight. He scored 22, 20, 20, 33, 25, and 23 fantasy points respectively when that was the case last season.
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BEST BARGAINS
Bryan Edwards - WR - Las Vegas (DK: $5,600 / FD: $7,000 / Yahoo: $10)
If you have been on NFL Twitter at all this summer, then you already know the scoop with Edwards. He’s aboard the preseason hype train after the Raiders mentioned that they would like to use the 6’3” receiver around the goal-line. He has reportedly been putting in extreme work with QB Derek Carr this offseason as well. Is that media fodder or will it translate to targets, yards, and fantasy points? We aren’t sure, but Edwards is pretty cheap tonight, especially on FanDuel and Yahoo. The Raiders don’t have an established pass catcher behind Darren Waller, so why not Edwards?
TOURNAMENT LOOKS
Hunter Renfrow - WR - Las Vegas (DK: $2,800 / FD: $7,500 / Yahoo: $10)
I don’t love Renfrow in this spot, but he could act as a serviceable value filler to help you reach for upside at other positions. As mentioned in the previous write-up, the Raiders don’t have a reliable receiver outside of Waller. Somebody has to step up between Edwards, Ruggs, and Renfrow. There should be plenty of targets to go around, and some of them could come to Renfrow underneath. There’s not much upside in yardage or touchdowns, but Renfrow could realistically see 5-8 targets on Monday.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Ty’Son Williams (RB - BAL) will take over as the lead RB for Baltimore. That might not be entirely true, as Jackson could lead the team in carries, yards, and rushing touchdowns. However, Williams has RB1 duties penciled next to his name, and the game flow works in his favor. He’s a no-brainer for only $10 on Yahoo. The salaries on DraftKings and FanDuel are more difficult to justify.
Darren Waller (TE - LV) has already been mentioned several times in this article. Game flow should have the Raiders throwing plenty of passes in this matchup, and Waller will see the most targets. Pairing him with Derek Carr is a nice strategy … Henry Ruggs III (WR - LV) is the opposite of Renfrow, and I would only use him in tournaments. Ruggs is a big-play guy who probably won’t see a ton of targets, so he’ll need to make the most of his opportunities.
Kenyan Drake (RB - LV) becomes a top play if Josh Jacobs (questionable - illness) doesn’t end up playing. Keep an eye on that situation.
Mark Andrews (TE - BAL) is a solid stacking extension of Jackson, but he’s pretty expensive, and the matchup isn’t necessarily great (LV 7th least FP to TEs last season). Marquise Brown (WR - BAL) and Sammy Watkins (WR - BAL) are cheaper alternatives, but you are essentially hoping for a big play or two from each of them. It’s a true roll of the dice.
