NFL DFS Preseason DraftKings Breakdown (Friday, August 22nd)

We’ve reached the final week of the preseason, which means that regular-season football is just around the corner. That said, we still have to make it through a few more weeks.

Typically, the final week of the preseason is reserved for players who are fighting for roster spots. Most teams will give their starters the night off, though a few may give their top guys a drive or two.

We have three more games on tap for Friday, with the action getting underway at 8:00 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top players to consider at each position.

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.

Don’t forget to check out our Lineup Builder if you like to hand build your lineups or our Lineup Optimizer for those of you who like to enter multiple lineups into tournaments.

If you have some season-long drafts coming up, or you plan on doing some Best Ball drafts, we have you covered with our fantasy football rankings and projections!

NFL DFS Quarterback Picks

Joe Milton

It’s hard to get excited about what Milton has done during the preseason. He’s completed 26 of 47 passes across two games, and he’s averaged just 8.7 DraftKings points per game. That’s not terrible, but it’s far from what we’re looking for in the number of opportunities he’s gotten.

That said, Milton should be busy once again on Friday. Dak Prescott is expected to sit for the third straight week, while the team reportedly “knows what they have” in backup Will Grier. He has played sparingly through the first two weeks, and he’ll likely get the same treatment on Friday. That leaves Milton to go upwards of the full game vs. the Falcons.

Milton was acquired by the Cowboys this offseason to serve as a backup for Prescott and potentially someone to groom for the future. He had an impressive rookie season for the Patriots despite being a sixth-round pick, and he shone in his lone taste of regular-season action. There’s clearly some talent here, so hopefully, he can put it on display in his final preseason contest.

Other Options

• Easton Stick – Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins will both get the night off on Friday, leaving Stick and the newly-signed Ben DiNucci to handle all of the snaps at QB. Stick has dominated the QB snaps for the Falcons during the preseason, playing on 79% overall. DiNucci should get in the game late, but Stick figures to handle most of the opportunities once again.
• Tyson Bagent – As far as backup QBs go, Bagent might have something. He’s had some success in regular-season action, and he’s coming off 196 yards and a touchdown in his last preseason contest. Caleb Williams should start, but backup Case Keenum will sit out once again. 
• Patrick Mahomes – Playing starters in preseason contests is extremely risky, but Andy Reid will give his best players some run in their “regular season rehearsal.” Mahomes has historically averaged just under 24 snaps in his regular-season tune-up, and 24 snaps from Mahomes is enough to put him in the discussion.

Dominate your Best Ball and season-long fantasy football leagues with our brand-new app that’s available in the Apple App Store and on Android!

NFL DFS Running Back Picks

Ian Wheeler

The Bears have one of the thinnest RB rooms on Friday’s slate. The starters will play at least a couple of drives, but it remains to be seen if that includes D’Andre Swift. He has yet to suit up in the preseason, including alongside the rest of the starting unit in Week 2. Even if he does play, it shouldn’t be for too long.

After Swift, the rest of the depth chart has been ravaged by injuries. Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai, and Travis Homer all missed last week’s contest, and each has yet to return to practice. It seems unlikely that any of those players will suit up in Week 3.

That leaves Wheeler as the top remaining backup. He was forced to carry the load for the team in Week 2, logging 40 snaps and racking up a ridiculous 19 carries. He turned those opportunities into 80 yards and two touchdowns, so he was a legit slate-breaker by preseason standards.

The Bears have since added some depth to the bottom of the depth chart, signing Royce Freeman on Wednesday. However, they were also forced to place Deion Hankins on IR, who technically started in Week 2. There might be a few less opportunities for Wheeler vs. the Chiefs, but he still figures to be extremely busy.

Other Options

• Donovan Edwards & Kene Nwangwu – We’re still waiting on confirmation on the Jets’ plans in Week 3, but it seems likely that Breece Hall and Braelon Allen will get the night off. Isaiah Davis has also been out of action with an injury of late, leaving Edwards and Nwangwu to handle nearly all of the RB snaps. Edwards has the slight edge in our NFL Models and has seen more carries than Nwangwu this preseason, but both players should get ample opportunities.
• Nathan Carter – The Falcons have just three RBs who figure to see the field on Friday: Carter, Elijah Dobson, and Jashaun Corbin. Carter saw the most snaps of the trio in Week 2, and he’s also been the most productive of the bunch. He’s coming off 15.2 DraftKings points in his last outing, turning nine carries into 63 yards and a score while adding two receptions.
• Zavier Scott – Scott is another player who was extremely busy in Week 2, logging 37 snaps, 10 carries, and four targets. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason both figure to sit in Week 3, while Ty Chandler exited after just seven snaps in Week 2.

NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks

Dylan Drummond, Chris Blair, & Nick Nash

Sean McVay remains the GOAT preseason coach for receivers. He sits just about everyone who figures to make the team, which allows the guys on the bottom of the roster to receive ample opportunities.

It appears as though Raheem Morris has adopted McVay’s preseason philosophy in his first year in Atlanta. Each of their top five receivers has yet to suit up in the preseason, while even David Sills has been heavily limited. He exited after just six snaps in Week 2 and is reportedly more focused on special teams. Add in an injury to Jamal Agnew, and it doesn’t leave a ton of bodies for Atlanta at the position.

Drummond, Blair, and Nash have carried the water for the team’s receiving corps all preseason, and there’s no reason to expect anything different on Friday. Blair has been the most productive of the group, turning nine targets into six receptions for 132 yards. He’s also managed to score a touchdown in both contests, giving him at least 14.4 DraftKings points in both.

That said, Drummond stands out as the best option of the bunch in our NFL Models. He leads the team in targets, routes, and receptions during the preseason, and he’s received at least seven opportunities in both games. He’s yet to find the paint, but his PPR ability gives him plenty of appeal.

Nash is the clear No. 3 in this trio, but he also saw seven targets in Week 2. Despite playing just 10 snaps in a rain-shortened Week 1, Nash is second on the team in targets and receptions. He saw 38 snaps in Week 2, so all three guys have the potential to do damage on Friday.

Other Options

• Arian Smith – Smith had six targets for the Jets last week, and he leads the team’s receiving corps in snaps during the preseason. With Garrett Wilson and the rest of the team’s top receivers getting the night off, it should open up even more opportunities for Smith on Friday. Brandon Smith has also been busy for the Jets, so he also deserves consideration.
• Jalen Brooks & Ryan Flournoy – There hasn’t been a ton of receiving production to go around in Dallas with Milton struggling, but Brooks and Flournoy have had plenty of opportunities. Brooks has racked up 60 snaps across the first two weeks, while Flournoy is slightly behind at 52. Flournoy has been the more productive of the two, but Brooks’ volume gives him a slight edge in our NFL Models. 
• Darius Cooper – Cooper stands out as another preseason volume hog. He’s played on a ridiculous 78 snaps through his first two outings, and he had six catches for 82 yards and a score in Week 1. Unfortunately, he followed that up with a zero-catch performance in Week 2, but at least the volume was still there.

NFL DFS Tight End Picks

Joshua Simon

It’s hard to identify any one standout tight end on this slate, but Simon could be one of the busiest. He’s coming off 31 snaps in Week 2, and he’s run a route on 30 dropbacks overall this preseason. Unfortunately, he’s garnered just two targets in that span, but he should be busy once again on Friday. 

Other Options

• Gunnar Helm – Helm doesn’t have quite as much playing time upside as some other tight ends on this slate, but he could make up for it through sheer talent. He was a fourth-round selection in 2025, and he racked up 60 catches, 768 yards, and seven scores in his final collegiate season. He’s been getting some opportunities with the Titans’ starters and backups, and he turned four targets into 48 yards and a score in Week 2.
• Robert Tonyan – Tonyan has had some success at the regular season level, so he’s unsurprisingly feasted on backups during the preseason. He’s had at least four targets and 7.9 DraftKings points in both games, including five catches for 41 yards and a score in his last outing. He might not play as much in Week 3 with the Chiefs’ starters getting more opportunities, but he still stands out as a strong option at a weak position.
• Kylen Granson – Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra are the team’s top two options at the position, and neither figures to go on Friday. That should give Granson a solid handful of opportunities, and he’s displayed some receiving prowess throughout his career. He has five targets through his first two outings.

Pictured: Joe Milton
Photo Credit: Imagn