Saturday features the most extensive day of preseason action we’ve seen so far this season. That includes a six-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Despite there being more teams than usual to choose from, it sounds as though most teams will play their starters for a couple of drives. That makes the teams that won’t play their starters a bit more valuable.
Let’s dive into the top targets at each position for Saturday’s six-game slate.
If you’re new to preseason DFS, there are a few key trends to keep in mind:
1. Defenses & Kickers are Your Friends
In general, scoring in the preseason is lower than it is during the regular season. There are worse quarterbacks getting most of the snaps, which can also lead to more turnovers.
Defense is also the only position that is guaranteed to be on the field for the entire game. It doesn’t matter if the first-, second-, or third-string defenders are out there – they all rack up fantasy points for the defensive unit.
That results in a massive boon for the value of fantasy defenses. Fantasy defenses average just under eight points per game during the preseason, which is nearly two full points more than every other position (per Establish the Run).
Kickers have historically been the third-highest scoring group during the preseason, just slightly behind quarterbacks. You’re going to want exposure to kickers.
2. Target Playing Time Over Talent
This is probably true for regular-season DFS as well, but it’s imperative in the preseason. Finding out how teams plan to distribute their snaps to each position group is the biggest challenge of the preseason. If you can identify which quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers are going to see the most opportunities, you’re halfway towards building a winning lineup.
That’s particularly true early in the preseason. Most teams are going to lean very heavily on the bottom of their depth chart in the Hall of Fame Game and Week 1. Some select starters may see a drive or two, but this is the time when coaches and GMs figure out the bottom of their 53-man roster. Getting to the regular season with their starters healthy is typically more important than shaking off any rust accumulated during the offseason.
If you can find a quarterback who is set to play big snaps, they are an extremely difficult fade in the preseason. They become the best plays on the slate, while running backs have more value than receivers.
3. Tight Ends Don’t Matter
Unless you’re forced to roster a tight end, don’t do it. The position is an absolute dumpster fire during the preseason. You’ll typically see a bunch of players fighting for one spot on the field, and that spot isn’t even particularly valuable. There are exceptions, but on average, tight end is the lowest-scoring position in preseason DFS by a country mile.
With the general strategy out of the way, let’s dive into some specific thoughts for Thursday’s slate.
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NFL DFS Quarterback Picks
Joe Milton
For such a large preseason slate, there are surprisingly few standout QB options. A bunch of teams are going to play their starters for at least a couple of series, and others have a handful of backups that will all see opportunities.
However, Milton stands out as a clear exception. Dak Prescott hasn’t played in the preseason since 2021, and while there’s a new coaching staff in Dallas, it’d be surprising if he sees the field. That leaves Milton and Will Grier to handle most of the QB responsibilities.
Of the two, Milton has been working much more extensively with the backups during camp. Grier has been relegated to third-team duties, so he’s probably only going to get mop-up duty in this contest.
The Cowboys traded for Milton this offseason to serve as Prescott’s backup, and he was absolutely spectacular in his lone appearance during the 2024 regular season. He entered the game following an injury to Drake Maye and finished with a 75.9% completion percentage, 241 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions.
Milton also drew solid reviews out of the Patriots’ camp last year, so it’s possible that he’s better than his draft stock would have you believe. He should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself on Saturday.
Other Options
- Stetson Bennett – Sean McVay is the GOAT preseason coach. He doesn’t play his starters and top reserves, leaving the backups to carry some of the largest workloads in the preseason. Bennett saw 100% of the team’s snaps in Week 1 and 2 last year before Dresser Winn got 100% of the snaps in Week 3. There’s no guarantee Bennett goes the full game again this year, but he should see a solid number of snaps at a bare minimum.
- Adrian Martinez – Justin Fields will get at least a couple of series on Saturday, but backup Tyrod Taylor is out with an injury. That leaves Martinez as the QB most likely to handle to bulk of the snaps. He brings solid athleticism to the position, ranking in the 90th percentile for 40-yard dash time, and he took home the MVP award in the 2024 UFL season.
- Connor Bazelak – Bazelak is grading out well in our NFL Models, and he could see extensive playing time after Kyle Trask departs. The x-factor here is Teddy Bridgewater, who signed earlier this week. If he doesn’t play, Trask and Bazelak will be the only two active QBs on the roster.
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NFL DFS Running Back Picks
Sean Tucker
The Buccaneers have one of the thinnest RB rooms on Saturday’s slate. They only have five players currently listed at the position on their depth chart, and two of them are Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. They’re not expected to play on Saturday, so that leaves just three potential options.
Additionally, Josh Williams has been sidelined at practice recently, and there has been no confirmation that he’s returned to the lineup. It’s possible he’s also out of the lineup, which would give the other two even more opportunities.
Tucker is by far the most appealing of the remaining options. He’s been a solid preseason contributor since joining the Bucs, averaging just under 20 snaps per game, and he got some legit work in the regular season for the first time in 2024-25. He averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, so he could feast with an expanded workload.
Ultimately, if Williams does not suit up on this slate, Tucker would become close to a must-play.
Other Options
- Phil Mafah – The Cowboys are another team with a thin depth chart at RB. Javonte Williams is the team’s RB1 at this point, so he shouldn’t be asked to do much on Saturday. Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue have both missed practice of late, while Hunter Luepke is more of a fullback than a true RB. That leaves Mafah and Deuce Vaughn to do most of the running, and Vaughn has been banged up recently. It should result in plenty of opportunities for the seventh-round rookie.
- Jarquez Hunter – Hunter is battling Blake Corum for the RB2 job in Los Angeles, and both guys should play a solid bit on Saturday. However, Corum is the more established player, so he’ll likely get pulled first. It makes Hunter the safer option of the two.
- Bhayshul Tuten – Jacksonville also has just five players on their depth chart at RB, with Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby established as the clear top two. Tuten was a fourth-round rookie selection, and he should see plenty of work with the team’s backups before giving way to the other guys on the roster.
- Patrick Taylor & Corey Kiner – The 49ers have three guys that are expected to handle all of the carries on Saturday: Taylor, Kiner, and Ameer Abdullah. Abdullah is the newest addition after being signed on 7/31, so the other two figure to have a leg up.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Ryan Flournoy
The Cowboys have a surprisingly thin depth chart at receiver for this early in the preseason. They have just 10 players on the roster, and roughly half of them already have defined roles. CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jalen Tolbert are locked in as the top three, while Kavontae Turpin is a special teams ace. Jalen Brooks and Jonathan Mingo have also seen time with the starters during camp, so their snaps should also be limited.
That leaves a pretty small group of players to log most of the snaps. Of the remaining group, Flournoy has been the most impressive during training camp. He’s in his second season after being drafted in the sixth round last year, and he averaged nearly 33 snaps per game during his first preseason. He’s reportedly worked extensively with Milton during camp, so expect to see a lot of that connection on Saturday. They’re natural stacking partners.
Other Options
- Rams WRs – The Rams have provided some of the biggest preseason performances at receiver under McVay. Jordan Whittington was a star during the first two games last year, and it could be time for a new player to shine in 2025. When asked which receivers McVay was excited to see on Saturday, he responded with four names: Konata Mumpfield, Mario Williams, Xavier Smith, and Britain Covey. All four should be in your player pool.
- Xavier Restrepo & Jha’Quan Jackson – Restrepo and Jackson could both be busy on Saturday. Restrepo was a big-time producer in college, but his poor athletic testing in the pre-draft process caused him to fall out of the draft. He signed as a UDFA in Tennessee with his former college quarterback (Cam Ward) and has worked with Tim Boyle and Brandon Allen during camp. Jackson played on 39.3% of the preseason snaps last year as a sixth-round rookie, and beat reporter Paul Kuharsky noted that Jackson was more involved than usual in the practice on Thursday. That could speak to his planned level of involvement in the first preseason game.
- Roman Wilson – Wilson is the top Steelers’ receiver in our NFL Models, and he’ll be looking to bounce back from what was essentially a lost rookie season. The team invested a third-round pick in Wilson in 2024, so a strong preseason would put him back on the radar.
- Jordan Watkins – Watkins was the 49ers’ fourth-round selection in 2025, and Kyle Shanahan has not been shy about giving mid-round receivers big workloads in the preseason. Jacob Cowing was used extensively in 2024, so Watkins could get the same treatment this year.
NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Darnell Washington
As usual, finding a tight end is one of the toughest parts of Saturday’s slate. Most teams have a handful of players fighting for just one spot on the field, so it’s extremely volatile.
Washington appears to be one of the strongest targets. The Steelers will have just three active tight ends on Saturday, with both Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith out of the lineup. Washington should start the game at the position, and he has reportedly had an awesome camp. Washington averaged 18 snaps per game during the preseason last year, and he flashed some pass-catching chops in the regular season as well (19 receptions, 200 yards, one touchdown).
Other Options
- Luke Farrell – Farrell is a new addition in San Francisco, and he’s one of three players who should see snaps at TE on Saturday.
- John Stephens – Stephens has reportedly struggled with drops during training camp, but he’s worked extensively with Milton. Brevyn Spann-Ford has also been ruled out for this contest, so the Cowboys’ TE room is a bit thinner than usual.
- Travis Kelce – If there’s one position where you can play a starter during the preseason, it’s tight end. Andy Reid historically gives his starters a bit of burn in the first game, and Kelce could theoretically lead the position in scoring with just a drive or two. A handful of catches and a potential score would likely be enough.
Pictured: Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce
Photo Credit: Imagn
