NFL DFS Preseason DraftKings Breakdown (Friday, August 15th)

We’re officially on to Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Week 2 is typically where most teams will get their starters their biggest chunk of playing time, but it’s still mostly ruled by the backups. Identifying which backups are going to get the most opportunities is the key to climbing the leaderboards.

Let’s dive into the top targets at each position for Friday’s two-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

Easton Stick

This is not a particularly strong slate for quarterbacks. There are only four teams to choose from, and three of them are expected to feature three players at the position. The Chiefs might even use four players if Patrick Mahomes and the starters see the field.

That leaves the Falcons as the lone outlier. Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins both sat in the team’s first preseason game, and they’re tentatively expected to get the same treatment on Friday. That leaves Stick and Emory Jones as the remaining options on the depth chart.

Stick drew the start in the team’s last outing, and he ultimately played on 26 of 36 offensive snaps. The latter number was shortened after the game was called early in the fourth quarter, but Stick still got the lion’s share of the opportunities. That trend should continue.

Stick is no stranger to preseason action. He’s seen plenty of opportunities in years past with the Chargers, and he brings elite athletic measurables to the table. He ran a 4.62 40-yard dash at the 2019 combine, putting him in the 89th percentile for quarterbacks, while his Agility score ranks in the 100th percentile for the position.

Stick completed 15 of 18 passes for just under 150 yards and a score in his first preseason contest with Atlanta. He didn’t use his legs in that outing, but he’s certainly a threat in that department. Ultimately, he provides the best combination of ability and opportunity on Friday.

Other Options

• Jalen Milroe & Drew Lock – Milroe is the guy who is popping in our Models for Seattle, but it was Lock who saw more opportunities in Week 1. He racked up 147 yards and a touchdown on his 38 snaps, while Milroe managed 6.24 DraftKings points on 27 snaps. Geno Smith will also factor into the equation this week after failing to see the field in Week 1, so it will be interesting to see how the playing time shakes out between these three options.
• Brandon Allen – Just like in Week 1, Cam Ward and the starters should play a couple of series for the Titans before handing the ball to the backups. Allen should see the most snaps at the position for the squad, especially with third-string quarterback Trevor Siemian only signing with the team on Monday.

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NFL DFS Running Back Picks

Brashard Smith

The Chiefs typically play their starters during the preseason, and Mahomes and company saw the field in Week 1. They ultimately only played two snaps, scoring a touchdown before giving way to the backups.

That said, Andy Reid has stated that he could treat the preseason a bit differently this year. He says there’s a “good chance” Mahomes doesn’t play, and if that’s the case, it’s likely that the entire starting unit gets the night off. The coaching staff reportedly wants to get a longer look at some of their younger players, so that could be the priority on Friday.

Smith stands out as a prime example. The seventh-round rookie has generated some buzz during camp, so there’s a chance that he factors into the rotation during the regular season. Isiah Pacheco was a seventh-round pick back in 2022, but a strong training camp/preseason was enough to earn him 11 starts and 170 carries as a rookie.

Smith saw 17 snaps in Week 1 of the preseason, and he ultimately finished with four carries and one catch. He wasn’t particularly efficient with his opportunities, but he’s someone who should get a handful of opportunities on Friday.

Other Options

• Julius Chestnut & Kalel Mullings – Chestnut saw the most snaps in the Titans’ backfield in Week 1, but Mullings could be a bit more involved in Week 2. He was a sixth-round pick, and he’ll have a chance to work with the second- and third-team offenses on Friday. With Tyjae Spears out with an injury, both players have the potential to pick up some additional snaps.
• Elijah Dotson, Nathan Carter, & Jashuan Corbin – The Falcons should have the thinnest depth chart at the position on Friday. They’re expected to be without their top three options (Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Carlos Washington Jr.), leaving three guys to handle all of the opportunities. Dotson started and played 14 snaps in their first preseason contest, but expect the workload to be split pretty evenly between this trio.
• George Holani – Holani was a 2024 UDFA, but he’s attempting to win the RB3 job in Seattle with Kenny McIntosh on IR. He started and played on 17 snaps in his first game this preseason, turning seven carries into 61 yards and a touchdown. Zach Charbonnet should get the start on Friday, but Holani will likely get a decent workload after.

NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks

Tory Horton

Horton has been one of the buzziest rookie receivers during training camp. He was a late fifth-round selection, but he had a productive collegiate career and ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine. That puts him in the 90th percentile for NFL receivers, and at 6’3”, he has the prototypical size for the position. He could end up earning some snaps for the team during the regular season, but he’s still currently fifth on the team’s depth chart.

That means Horton is going to have to continue to earn it. He was extremely busy in the first week of the preseason, starting and playing 28 snaps. He ultimately earned seven targets while on the field, which he parlayed into three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Horton will likely lose some snaps to the starting unit in Week 2, but he should play pretty extensively with Lock and the backups. The same goes for Jake Bobo, who played on 27 snaps and caught both of his targets in Week 1.

Other Options

• Elic Ayomanor – Ayomanor didn’t catch a pass in his first preseason contest, but he saw plenty of playing time. He got four snaps with the starting unit and 20 with the backups, and he ultimately saw three targets. He led the team with 14 routes run, so he seems like the best bet in the Titans’ receiving corps.
• Jalen Royals – Royals led the Chiefs’ receivers with 24 snaps in Week 1, and he earned four targets on 15 routes. That’s a pretty elite figure for the preseason. He saw time with both Gardner Minshew and Bailey Zappe, and there’s a good chance he does so again in Week 2.
• Dylan Drummond – Drummond played exclusively with Stick in Week 1, and he led the Falcons’ receiving corps with 23 snaps. That makes him the most logical stacking partner with the slate’s best quarterback.

NFL DFS Tight End Picks

Elijah Arroyo

Arroyo was a second-round pick for the Seahawks in 2025, so he’s someone who could be a part of their tight end rotation during the regular season. However, that didn’t stop him from playing pretty extensively in Week 1. He saw 33 snaps, and he led the team with 19 routes run. Arroyo only managed two targets, but that type of opportunity is tough to come by in the preseason.

Other Options

• Gunnar Helm – Helm is third on the Titans’ depth chart, but he got a bit of work with the starters in their first preseason game. He then played extensively with the backups, so he’s another solid option from a playing time standpoint.
• Robert Tonyan – Tonyan has had some success at the NFL level, but he’s starting over with the Chiefs in 2025. He was the team’s busiest pass-catcher in their first preseason contest, leading all players in routes run and targets.

Pictured: Easton Stick
Photo Credit: Imagn