This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
The Week 1 NFL main slate begins Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EDT and features 14 games, as the entire league will be in action sans the Thursday Night Football (Rams-Bills) and Monday Night Football (Broncos-Seahawks) participants. Yahoo will be running plenty of NFL DFS contests for Week 1, but the biggest is the Sunday Baller, which pays out a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000 to the top 10,000 finishers, including $100,000 to the winner. You can submit up to 150 entries into this contest, which has a maximum total capacity of 39,200 entries but will still run if it doesn't fill, potentially providing you with enhanced odds of winning, also known as overlay.
Playing in guaranteed prize pool (GPP) contests is about chasing upside, while lineups geared towards head-to-head, 50/50 or double-up formats should prioritize high floors. The players you want to target for these different contest types aren't mutually exclusive, but winning a GPP tournament usually requires finding a hidden gem or going against the grain in a spot or two, while building a solid base of the same chalk plays you would use anywhere. Against-the-grain plays typically consist of big-name players in tough matchups or boom-or-bust types with uncertain roles.
Keep in mind that Yahoo DFS contests use 0.5 PPR scoring rather than full PPR, which lowers the comparative value of wide receivers and running backs (in that order) while especially affecting high-volume pass-catchers. Your NFL $500k Sunday Baller lineup will consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one D/ST unit. Among the suggested Week 1 plays are two top-five picks in last year's draft, a pair of versatile running backs who contribute as both rushers and receivers, and a big-name wide receiver who's poised for success despite facing an All-Pro cornerback.
QUARTERBACK
Trey Lance, SF at CHI ($25): Lance is affordable because he has yet to prove himself, but his skill set and situation lend themselves to fantasy success. The third overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft sat behind Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie, but Lance rushed for 120 yards over the two games he started. When he turns to the air, Lance will have two of the league's best after-the-catch playmakers to rely on, as only Cooper Kupp racked up more yards after the catch than Deebo Samuel (780) last season, while George Kittle (450) ranked third among tight ends in YAC despite missing three games. If you're planning on locking in Lance, make sure to keep an eye on Kittle's late-developing groin injury.
Honorable Mentions:
Justin Herbert, LAC vs. LV ($35); Lamar Jackson, BAL at NYJ ($34); Derek Carr, LV at LAC ($27)
Against the Grainers:
Justin Fields, CHI vs. SF ($24); Trevor Lawrence, JAX at WAS ($24) Daniel Jones, NYG at TEN ($21)
RUNNING BACK
Alvin Kamara, NO at ATL ($28): Kamara's still got a possible suspension later in the season looming over him, but he's available for the season opener against an Atlanta team that allowed him to score 35.6 fantasy points combined over two meetings last season. With the top running backs valued at $40, Kamara should provide nice bang for the buck and will be involved regardless of game flow thanks to his contributions as both a rusher and pass-catcher.
Aaron Jones, GB at MIN ($22): Like Kamara, Jones should play a prominent role against a familiar foe. The Packers averaged 34 points in two matchups with their NFC North rivals last season, and Jones should be a prominent part of both the rushing and passing attack against Minnesota after totaling four touchdowns on the ground and six more through the air last season. While AJ Dillon will siphon off some carries, the offseason departure of Davante Adams should lead to more work for Jones in the passing game, especially early in the season while Aaron Rodgers familiarizes himself with Green Bay's fresh faces at wide receiver.
Honorable Mentions:
Jonathan Taylor, IND at HOU ($40); Austin Ekeler, LAC vs. LV ($34); Travis Etienne, JAX at WAS ($16)
Against the Grainers:
Dalvin Cook, MIN vs. GB ($28); James Conner, ARI vs. KC ($21); Saquon Barkley, NYG at TEN ($18)
WIDE RECEIVER
Mike Evans, TB at DAL ($28): Evans will likely spend most of Sunday Night Football lining up against All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs, who led the league with 11 interceptions last season but also allowed a league-high 1,068 receiving yards to players he was covering. If anyone has the game sense to see when a Diggs gamble for an interception has the cornerback out of position, it's Tom Brady, and Evans could see an early bump in volume if fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin isn't 100 percent out of the gate after tearing his ACL in Week 15 last season. Among the Sunday games, only Kansas City-Cardinals (over/under 53.5) and Raiders-Chargers (over/under 52) are expected to feature more scoring than a Buccaneers-Cowboys contest with an over/under of 51 points, and Evans could well be the most productive player in this potential shootout.
Terry McLaurin, WAS vs. JAX ($23): Carson Wentz's one-year stint in Indianapolis was a disappointment overall, as a Week 17 collapse against the lowly Jaguars kept a talented Colts team out of the playoffs under his watch. One thing Wentz proved capable of, though, was helping his top wide receiver find fantasy success, as Michael Pittman broke out with 88 catches for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns. With Wentz looking to exact some revenge on the Jaguars with his new team, McLaurin's primed for a strong start to the season. The fourth-year wideout from Ohio State has averaged 1,030 yards and 5.3 touchdowns over his first three NFL seasons, establishing himself as the clear go-to guy in Washington's passing game.
Elijah Moore, NYJ vs. BAL ($19): Moore heated up down the stretch before a quadriceps injury prematurely ended his rookie season, as the 34th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft caught 34 of 51 targets for 459 yards and five touchdowns in his last six games and scored a rushing touchdown in the game preceding that stretch. The Jets will be without Zach Wilson due to a knee injury for the season opener, but having reliable veteran quarterback Joe Flacco under center instead may actually be a boon for Moore's short-term value. The Ravens allowed the third-most receiving yards (3,119) to wide receivers last season, and while injuries to the secondary played a role in those struggles for Baltimore, this still profiles as a favorable matchup for the Jets' affordable No. 1 wideout.
Honorable Mentions:
CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. TB ($25); Mike Williams, LAC vs. LV ($19); JuJu Smith-Schuster, KC at ARI ($19)
Against the Grainers:
Ja'Marr Chase, CIN vs. PIT ($31); Kadarius Toney, NYG at TEN ($16); Romeo Doubs, GB at MIN ($14)
TIGHT END
Kyle Pitts, ATL vs. NO ($16): Even against a tough Saints defense, the potential value Pitts brings is hard to ignore. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft topped the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie, and he's set to work as the top target in Atlanta's passing game, regardless of rookie wide receiver Drake London's health. Eight other tight ends are valued above Pitts, but he's likely to climb into the top three at the position over the course of the season, so take advantage of this bargain while it lasts.
Honorable Mentions:
Mark Andrews, BAL at NYJ ($29); Travis Kelce, KC at ARI ($28); Darren Waller, LV at LAC ($21)
Against the Grainers:
George Kittle, SF at CHI ($21); Isaiah Likely, BAL at NYJ ($12); Mike Gesicki, MIA vs. NE ($11)
DEFENSE
Carolina Panthers, CAR vs. CLE ($11): The Panthers' offensive struggles in 2021 overshadowed their defensive success, but Carolina's D/ST unit got off to a strong start last year, scoring at least 8.0 fantasy points in five of the first six games and at least 7.0 in eight of the first 10. With a home date against the Jacoby Brissett-led Browns offense on tap, the Panthers' defense is once again poised for a strong start to the season. Brissett basically played six full games for the Dolphins last season and topped 250 passing yards just once while mustering a 5:4 TD:INT. Locking in the Panthers at this salary gives you a high floor while maximizing your ability to spend up at other positions.
Honorable Mentions:
San Francisco 49ers, SF at CHI ($18); Indianapolis Colts, IND at HOU ($17); Baltimore Ravens, BAL at NYJ ($11)
Against the Grainers:
New England Patriots, NE at MIA ($18); Cincinnati Bengals, CIN vs. PIT ($13); Jacksonville Jaguars, JAX at WAS ($10)
