If you're playing in a daily league--or if you need an upgrade over a pathetic and/or injured starter in a regular league--here are some guys who are more likely than not to produce well beyond expectations. All pricing is based on Fan Duel for simplicity/consistency:
QB - Andy Dalton ($7,100) -- I'm as big on Dalton this season as you'll find anywhere. His matchup vs. Oakland couldn't be much better. Everyone's healthy. I like his odds of racking up 250+ yards and connecting on three scores.
RB - Ameer Abdullah ($5,900) -- As most of you know, I'm very down on RB Joique Bell. Abdullah is something like my 12th ranked RB this season, which admittedly seems ridiculous. But his upside is sky-high. This is a great week to test out this theory.
WR - Jordan Matthews ($6,800) -- There are plenty of incredible bargains at WR. It's the hardest position for daily leagues and regular leaguers to predict. So if you want to go big at every other position and then grab some great $5,500-and-under guys, that's a potentially winning strategy. That said, Matthews is the 27th most expensive WR, which is ridiculous. He's easily deserving of a $7,800 price tag and could rise into the mid $8,000s eventually. He has 100-yard, 2-TD potential in Week 1, making him my favorite bargain at WR.
TE - Tyler Eifert ($5,000) -- 20 tight ends are more expensive than Eifert, who's largely unproven after an essentially voided 2014 season. But he enters Week 1 as Andy Dalton's #3 or #4 target, giving him top 6 TE upside--too good to ignore for that price.
K - Brandon McManus ($4,500) -- You can take your Justin Tuckers and Steven Hauschkas and any of the 24 other kickers more expensive than McManus. Denver's kicker is primed for an 8+ point performance--one of the best bargains you can find at this position.
DST - Jets ($4,400) -- Love this home matchup vs. what will be a permanently depleted Browns offense (no offense to Cleveland fans). They should be a top 8 D this week, and at this price, they offer daily leaguers more flexibility on grabbing better players at other positions.
QB - Andy Dalton ($7,100) -- I'm as big on Dalton this season as you'll find anywhere. His matchup vs. Oakland couldn't be much better. Everyone's healthy. I like his odds of racking up 250+ yards and connecting on three scores.
RB - Ameer Abdullah ($5,900) -- As most of you know, I'm very down on RB Joique Bell. Abdullah is something like my 12th ranked RB this season, which admittedly seems ridiculous. But his upside is sky-high. This is a great week to test out this theory.
WR - Jordan Matthews ($6,800) -- There are plenty of incredible bargains at WR. It's the hardest position for daily leagues and regular leaguers to predict. So if you want to go big at every other position and then grab some great $5,500-and-under guys, that's a potentially winning strategy. That said, Matthews is the 27th most expensive WR, which is ridiculous. He's easily deserving of a $7,800 price tag and could rise into the mid $8,000s eventually. He has 100-yard, 2-TD potential in Week 1, making him my favorite bargain at WR.
TE - Tyler Eifert ($5,000) -- 20 tight ends are more expensive than Eifert, who's largely unproven after an essentially voided 2014 season. But he enters Week 1 as Andy Dalton's #3 or #4 target, giving him top 6 TE upside--too good to ignore for that price.
K - Brandon McManus ($4,500) -- You can take your Justin Tuckers and Steven Hauschkas and any of the 24 other kickers more expensive than McManus. Denver's kicker is primed for an 8+ point performance--one of the best bargains you can find at this position.
DST - Jets ($4,400) -- Love this home matchup vs. what will be a permanently depleted Browns offense (no offense to Cleveland fans). They should be a top 8 D this week, and at this price, they offer daily leaguers more flexibility on grabbing better players at other positions.