First look at the Week 1 DFS salaries on FanDuel

August 8, 2017, was a good day. Not only was it Jeff Fisher Day, but it was also the day DFS Week 1 salaries were released.

We’re just about one month away from the start of the NFL season, which gives us several weeks to pore over these salaries and analyze them to the grave. Sounds fun. Let’s get started, shall we?

Below are my first-look reactions at the Week 1 salaries on FanDuel. My opinions here are subject to change, but this is what’s in my notebook for the first week of the 2017 DFS season.

Check out the early reaction to DraftKings Week 1 salaries as well.

Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan is the slate’s most expensive quarterback on FanDuel, at $8,500. Chicago actually ranked seventh against the pass last season, however, and the game is in Chicago. The Bears also added Prince Amukamara this offseason. Not in love with Ryan here.

At $7,900, Cam Newton is an early favorite of mine for tournaments. He’ll potentially be overlooked given his lackluster 2016 campaign, but he’s also playing against the San Francisco 49ers. Newton lit the 49ers up for 30.82 FanDuel points last year, his best outing of the season.

Eli Manning at $7,300 — the same price as Carson Palmer, only $100 more than Blake Bortles, and $200 more than Carson Wentz — feels wrong. The game has a great early over/under of 49.5 total points scored, which is on the higher end up the spectrum for Week 1 matchups. He threw three touchdowns against Dallas in Week 1 last year. But then again, he threw no touchdowns against them in Week 1 in 2015. I’m not sure — I don’t want to talk myself into Manning a month before the season starts — but this definitely got my attention.

Running backs

David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell are the two most expensive options on FanDuel, at $9,400 and $9,300, respectively. This makes sense, of course. But despite the high price tags, based on our early Week 1 projections, Johnson and Bell are actually expected to return the most value on their FanDuel salaries. Don’t shy away from these top guys.

Another good value who will undoubtedly fly under the radar is Isaiah Crowell. He’s only $6,500 on FanDuel, and he’s suiting up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who he tore apart for 152 yards in last year’s finale.

I cannot get on board with Leonard Fournette for $7,100 in his debut game against the strong front of the Houston Texans. This game has the lowest over/under of any game in Week 1, so the scoring potential is low as well. This is likely going to be a full avoid for me.

Marshawn Lynch intrigues me in his first game with the Oakland Raiders. This game has the highest over/under of any on the slate (currently at 52), and Lynch is decently priced at $6,900.

Wide receivers

Terrelle Pryor stands out as a top value here. He’s only $6,200 and is set to square off against the Philadelphia Eagles, who had a terrible secondary last season and did little to improve their chances in 2017. Pryor will be Kirk Cousins’ top target with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon no longer in town.

The other new receiver in that game — Philadelphia’s Alshon Jeffery — could be interesting as well. He’s $7,000 and will likely fly under the radar.

I don’t love Ben Roethlisberger on the road, but I do like the idea of Martavis Bryant against the Cleveland Browns secondary, especially at only $6,500 on FanDuel. He might end up being super chalky, but it’s fun to think about, at least. That offense will be a force to be reckoned with.

I think Davante Adams is overpriced at $6,800. He had an impressive 12 touchdowns last season, but the Seahawks (his Week 1 opponent) still have a stingy pass defense. As Scott Barrett noted, since 2014, Adams has run 53 percent of his pass routes from the right side of the field — Richard Sherman’s side. Barrett also noted that Aaron Rodgers avoids Sherman like the plague. Adams might be a hard pass for me here.

Tight ends

I love Greg Olsen against the 49ers in Week 1. I noted above that Cam Newton is an early favorite tournament target of mine, and Olsen is who I would pair him with. Olsen had 122 yards and a score against them last year.

A lot of this depends on Andrew Luck’s health, but Jack Doyle at only $5,100 is interesting. He had four touchdowns in the first seven games of 2016.

I’m all for an Eric Ebron breakout year, but it’s hard to see it happening in Week 1. He costs $5,500 and will be playing against Arizona, who gave up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends last year, including just two touchdowns to the position all year (also a league low).

Defense/special teams

The Miami Dolphins at $4,200 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is intriguing. The Buccaneers were among the more favorable teams for D/ST units to square off against last year (they ranked 20th).

The Indianapolis Colts D/ST is only $4,300 going against the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts have a terrible defense, but the Rams have arguably the worst offense.