After a relatively large slate Saturday, Sunday’s offering is much more modest. There are just two games to choose from, with the action getting underway at 1 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into the top targets at each position for Sunday’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
Trey Lance
The Chargers are one of the two teams that played in the Hall of Fame Game this season, so they’ll get four preseason games instead of three. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that they’re taking things slowly with their starters. Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinicke both sat out their first contest, and they’re expected to do the same Sunday.
That leaves Lance and rookie D.J. Uiagalelei to handle the QB reps. Lance got the lion’s share in the Hall of Fame Game, and there’s no reason to expect much different Sunday. He racked up 120 passing yards with two touchdowns, and he added three carries for eight yards on the ground.
While his legs weren’t a huge part of the game plan last week, we know Lance is extremely dangerous in that department. That’s a major boost for fantasy purposes. He ran a 4.69 40-yard dash at the 2021 NFL combine, and he racked up 1,100 rushing yards in his final collegiate season. Ultimately, he stands out as the strongest QB play of the day.
Other Options
- Tyson Bagent – Caleb Williams is not expected to suit up Sunday, leaving Bagent, Case Keenum, and Austin Reed as the QBs likely to play. A three-man rotation is not ideal for the preseason, but head coach Ben Johnson stated that Bagent will start and take the team “through the half.” Coaches are notorious liars, but a full half from Bagent is enough to put him on the radar.
- Zach Wilson & Quinn Ewers – Playing Tua Tagovailoa in a preseason contest could be considered a war crime given his concussion history, so Wilson and Ewers will likely split the snaps in Game 1. I’d expect both players to get about a half, with Wilson suiting up with the starters.
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NFL DFS Running Back Picks
Ollie Gordon
The Dolphins have an extremely thin RB room for their first preseason contest. They have just four true RBs on the roster at the moment, including starter De’Von Achane. He’ll likely sit alongside Tua, while backup Jaylen Wright shouldn’t be asked to do too much either.
That leaves Gordon and veteran Alexander Mattison as the guys most likely to carry the workload. Gordon was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, so he best fits the description of a “preseason grinder”.
Gordon was considered a premier runner at the collegiate level, but a subpar final season and poor athletic testing numbers pushed him to the end of Day 3. However, he was an absolute stud in 2023, rushing for 1,731 yards with 22 touchdowns at Oklahoma State. He also caught at least 30 passes in his final two college seasons, so he has some chops in that department as well. Expect the Dolphins to get a solid look at him Sunday.
Other Options
- Kyle Monangai – The Bears are another team with a thin depth chart at RB. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are not expected to play, while Travis Homer is a locked-in special-teamer. Monangai is a seventh-round rookie pick, so he’s going to have to carry the load for this group Sunday.
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Now in New Orleans, CEH is fighting to make the Saints’ roster as one of their final running backs. Kendre Miller will start this game for New Orleans, but he could come off the field pretty quickly. That leaves CEH fighting with guys like Velus Jones and Cam Akers for touches.
- Raheim Sanders – Sanders owns the top projection for the Chargers RBs in our NFL models. They have the most robust group of RBs on Sunday’s slate, but they ran the ball A TON in the HOF game. Sanders was inactive for that contest, so this could be his opportunity to shine.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
KeAndre Lambert-Smith
Lambert-Smith has drawn rave reviews throughout training camp, and he took full advantage in his first preseason contest. He had two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown, and he was tied for the second-most snaps on the team at receiver.
KLS was a fifth-round selection for the Chargers in 2025, and he’s a legit burner. He ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the combine, which puts him in the 95th percentile for receivers. He also wrapped up his career on a productive note, tallying 50 catches for 981 yards and eight touchdowns in his lone year at Auburn.
Lambert-Smith could be playing his way into the Chargers’ regular-season plans, but they’re going to need him to handle plenty of snaps once again Sunday. The team is dealing with a host of injuries at the position, so he should see significant time alongside Lance. They’re natural stacking partners.
Tre Harris should also see significant burn for the Chargers, so he’s also in consideration. He had the same number of snaps as KLS last week, though he failed to haul in his lone target.
Other Options
- Luther Burden – Burden was the Bears’ second-round pick in 2025, but he got off to a slow start. He missed a handful of meaningful reps with an injury, so the team could look to make up for that in the preseason. He’s gotten a bit of buzz over the last week, so let’s he if he can parlay that into solid preseason production.
- Mason Tipton – Tipton missed the 2024 preseason, but he saw some snaps during the year with the Saints’ receiver room getting decimated by injuries. He did about as well as could be expected with their QB situation, tallying 14 catches for 99 yards on 26 targets. Tipton was a fourth-round rookie selection last year, and he’s far enough down the depth chart that he should see significant preseason action in 2025.
- Erik Ezukanma – Ezukanma has been with the Dolphins since being drafted in 2022, though he’s yet to make a real impact in a regular-season game. However, he’s no stranger to getting opportunities in the preseason. He’s averaged 28.3 snaps per game in the preseason since landing in Miami, and there’s no reason to expect much different Sunday.
NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Orande Gadsden
Finding a tight end in the preseason is a bit like finding a partner at last call: you have to just close your eyes and hope for the best.
Gadsden isn’t the ugliest of dance partners. He displayed solid pass-catching chops in college, racking up at least 934 receiving yards in his final two full seasons at Syracuse. That was good enough to earn a fifth-round selection from the Chargers in the 2025 Draft.
Gadsden doesn’t have great athletic measurables, but he’s at least a big body at 6’5” and 243 lbs. He saw a bunch of snaps in the Hall of Fame Game, and with Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin expected to sit again, he’ll have another chance to make an impact.
Other Options
- Tanner Conner – In addition to having two first names, Conner also has a bit of preseason production on his ledger. He had six grabs for 95 yards in the preseason last year, and he has excellent athletic numbers for a tight end (4.55 40-yard dash).
- Durham Smythe – Smythe is a familiar name for NFL fans, and he’s currently on the Bears’ roster. That puts him behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet on the depth chart, so he figures to be out there a decent bit Sunday.
- Treyton Welch – Welch stands out as the top TE to target in New Orleans. He’s merely TE5 on their depth chart, but the top four guys should be out or limited Sunday. He had seven catches for 53 yards with the Browns in the preseason last year.
Pictured: Trey Lance
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire, Imagn
