We are officially less than two weeks away from the NFL opening game, and we are 17 days from the DraftKings Week 1 Main Slate. And I’m giving an early look at my spreadsheet’s favorite running back and wide receiver plays.
There are six games which have a total of 45 or higher during the 12-game slate. So half the field is going to be in play, but it comes down to the right plays.
Several will flock to the Detroit at Green Bay game which has a 49.5 point total, but I have a sneaky feeling this game slides toward the under.
Two of my three plays come those 45 or higher totals, but the running back play is a hard one to ignore.
Running Back
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans ($6,300)
Kamara was a one-man wrecking crew last season, even with some shoddy QB play.
Well, the QB play is expected to be the same, and Kamara is expected again to be the focal point of the offense.
Kamara scored at least 12.9 DraftKings points in 12 of the 14 games he played last season, and new coach Kellen Moore, who has implemented versatile RBs in his offense in the past, said the offense will go through Kamara.
The Saints enter the game as a 6-point home dog to Arizona, which should give Kamara plenty of opportunities to showcase his receiving skills out of the backfield.
Wide Receiver
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati ($8,100)
Even with his DraftKings price tag, it’s hard to not play Chase vs. Cleveland. He didn’t have big games vs. the Browns last season, but the Bengals offense has been impressive this preseason.
Joe Burrow’s slow starts have hampered Chase and the Bengals, but when these two get going, it’s fireworks on the field and big points in your DK lineups.
Chase is coming off a triple crown season (127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs) and now he had a healthy Burrow and Tee Higgins to start the 2025 season.
Plus, Chase has been a Top 15 in target shares for three straight years, including 27.9 percent in 2024. And he led the league in red zone targets a game at 2.1.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville ($6,800)
Thomas Jr. gets the benefit of playing against the porous Carolina defense. The Panthers gave up the 10th most DraftKings points to WRs last season, and their young defense didn’t get any help. Carolina drafted WR Tetairoa McMillan in the first round of the NFL Draft.
But Thomas Jr. will have a have a better QB throwing him the ball to start the season as Trevor Lawrence is healthy after suffering a shoulder injury last season. Thomas Jr.’s big run last season was with Mac Jones as the Jaguars’ QB.
I mentioned earlier in my QBs & TEs story that Lawrence is a top play, making the duo a nice combo play.
And Thomas Jr. has a streak of six straight games with 10 or more targets and averaged 7.5 receptions a game during that streak. And volume is king in DK scoring. Plus, the Jaguars drafted WR/CB Travis Hunter in the first round which should take some defensive pressure off of Thomas Jr.
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