This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.
Friday's three-game preseason slate kicks off at 7 p.m. EDT with Panthers-Patriots, followed by Saints-Packers and Texans-Rams. While healthy starters should get some playing time in the second preseason game for these teams, they will likely continue to cede most opportunities to backups.
Those participating in DraftKings contests will craft a lineup consisting of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, a flex and a defense. All players have a cap hit of $5,500 regardless of position, so you will not have to make any salary cap considerations when putting together your lineup, which will not be the case once the regular season begins.
Quarterback
Jordan Love, GB vs. NO: Veteran starter Aaron Rodgers doesn't exactly need preseason reps at this stage of his career, so Love should continue to get ample run throughout the preseason. Green Bay's 2020 first-round pick posted a promising performance last week, throwing for 176 yards and two touchdowns (albeit with three interceptions) in a half of action against San Francisco. With plenty of motivated receivers competing for playing time in Green Bay, Love won't suffer from a shortage of playmakers in what should be another extensive preseason outing.
Honorable Mentions:
Bryce Perkins (LAR vs. HOU), P.J. Walker (CAR at NE), Ian Book (NO at GB)
Running Back
Dameon Pierce, HOU at LAR: Pierce certainly looked like the most explosive option in Houston's backfield last week against the Saints, even if he didn't see the field until after Marlon Mack. The rookie fourth-round pick out of Florida scampered for 49 yards on just five rushing attempts in his first NFL action, and the Texans likely will ramp up Pierce's workload as they try to determine whether he's ready to carry the starting load come the regular season.
Jake Funk, LAR vs. HOU: With both Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson sidelined by injuries, Funk and rookie fifth-round pick Kyren Williams have been getting valuable reps with the starters in practice. Williams dealt with a foot injury in training camp, so the Rams could be reluctant to give him a significant workload at this point, which should give Funk plenty of opportunities to translate his prominent practice usage into in-game production. Funk's likely on the roster bubble, so he'll be highly motivated to perform well against Houston and bolster his chances of making the team.
Honorable Mentions:
Pierre Strong (NE vs. CAR), B.J. Baylor (GB vs. NO), Spencer Brown (CAR at NE)
Wide Receiver
Romeo Doubs, GB vs. NO: The Doubs hype train gained even more steam in the Packers' preseason opener, as the rookie fourth-round pick from Nevada caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers. That effort came after Doubs got rave reviews for his performance early in training camp, and the Packers are likely to keep featuring Doubs to see just how big of a role he's ready to play on offense when the games start to count. If you start Love under center, make sure to stack him with Doubs.
Lance McCutcheon, LAR vs. HOU: McCutcheon put his name on the map with an eye-popping professional debut last week. The undrafted rookie out of Montana State got into the end zone three times against the Chargers, totaling two touchdowns and a two-point conversion along with 87 receiving yards. McCutcheon's still fighting an uphill battle to make the Rams' roster, but he has at least earned himself a prominent role over the remainder of preseason to build his case.
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, NE vs. CAR: Humphrey's productive preseason opener was overshadowed by Kristian Wilkerson's eight catches for 99 yards, but Wilkerson's unlikely to play Friday after suffering a concussion in practice Wednesday. Humphrey should be available, on the other hand, and he'll look to feast on the Panthers' backups after racking up 62 yards and a touchdown against the Giants last week.
Honorable Mentions:
Jalen Camp (HOU at LAR), Tyquan Thornton (NE vs. CAR), Chris Olave (NO at GB)
TIGHT END
Brevin Jordan, HOU at LAR: Jordan was only targeted once in the preseason opener (catching it for seven yards), but the second-year tight end played into the second quarter. He's listed as the co-starter at the position with blocking specialist Pharaoh Brown, but Jordan has much greater upside as a pass catcher and should get more opportunities to showcase those skills as starting quarterback Davis Mills gets more playing time.
Honorable Mentions:
Josiah Deguara (GB vs. NO), Tommy Tremble (CAR at NE), Adam Trautman (NO at GB)
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Green Bay Packers, GB vs. NO: The Saints scored just 13 points against the Texans last week, as the offense struggled to move the ball with Ian Book under center after Andy Dalton's brief cameo. The veteran Dalton likely will continue to play sparingly to ensure his availability for the regular season in case Jameis Winston's (knee/foot) recovery hits a snag, and the Packers have a talented defense that should hold the fort while Dalton's in there. After that, it will be some combination of Book and 25-year-old former undrafted free agent K.J. Costello playing quarterback for New Orleans.
Honorable Mentions:
New England Patriots (NE vs. CAR), Los Angeles Rams (LA vs. HOU), Houston Texans (HOU at LAR)
