Welcome to the 2026 NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach article! With there seemingly being more questions than answers when it comes to the Week 1 status of several NFL DFS Week 1 RBs, deciding which RBs to use in our first NFL DFS lineups of the season is a real challenge. 

Of course, one advantage of building a Week 1 NFL DFS lineup, compared with managing a season-long roster, is having the flexibility to pivot. If a questionable player feels too risky, you can simply choose another option you’re more comfortable using in your weekly lineup.

There are plenty of good options at the NFL DFS Week 1 RB position for you to choose from as kickoff approaches, so let’s dig in and try to win some cash!

NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach for FanDuel and DraftKings Fantasy

The NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach will be focusing on the DraftKings (DK) and FanDuel (FD) platforms in this column, so if you’re new to playing NFL DFS, you should familiarize yourself with some of the nuances between the two platforms. DraftKings uses full-point PPR (points per reception) scoring, has a $50,000 salary cap, and offers three-point bonuses for reaching at least 100 rushing or receiving yards. FanDuel uses half-point PPR scoring, a $60,000 salary cap, and does not offer yardage bonuses. 

As we build our Week 1 NFL DFS lineups, we’ll initially be leaning heavily on our own player expectations. That’ll change as we start to see NFL teams in action and as actual RB usage trends develop. As the season kicks off, the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach is looking to create DFS lineups with running backs who’ll not only be heavily involved in their NFL team’s offensive scheme, but also play for an NFL team favored to win and expected to have a high point total. Of course, we’ll target running backs playing against opponents who have an exploitable run defense as well. Ideally, the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach would like to keep it simple and play it safe to start the season, but that’s a lot easier to do in cash games compared to GPP plays. Ultimately, the obvious goal of the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach is to identify running backs who can provide value based on their NFL DFS salary and expected fantasy point production. Identifying Week 1 NFL DFS RBs who provide NFL DFS players with a positive return on their investment (ROI) is an ultimate goal in creating a winning Week1 NFL DFS lineup. 

 

 

 

NFL Week 1 Running Backs

After a summer that’s been full of endless speculation and analysis related to the NFL DFS RB position, the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach is ready to help you create your first NFL DFS lineups. 

NFL beat writers have voiced their opinion about how some Week 1 NFL DFS RBs will be used, and NFL coaches have chimed in as well, but keep in mind that beat writers are looking for clicks and NFL coaches often lie when talking about their in-game strategy. 

Christian McCaffrey was a polarizing NFL DFS RB this preseason. Some beat writers suggested that his lack of preseason activity was due to a “hold in,” and some were reporting that he was dealing with “tightness”. Well, thankfully the 49ers put an end to all of the speculation after they left CMC off their first injury report ahead of their matchup against the Rams on Thursday. 

We did get some seemingly credible information about the Packers’ early season backfield usage. Adam Stenavich, the team’s offensive coordinator, suggested that the Packers would be using a running back by committee to start the season. The NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach will not be including any Packers Week 1 NFL DFS RBs in their DFS lineups. 

The Patriots ruled out TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) for their Week 1 Super Bowl LX rematch against the Seahawks. Expect Rhamondre Stevenson to get a full workload against the Seahawks. Stevenson rushed for 23 yards on seven carries and caught five passes for 40 yards and added a receiving TD against the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. The fact that Stevenson will almost certainly be the primary NFL DFS Week 1 RB for the Pats is intriguing, but with the Seahawks being one of the best teams against the run in 2025, there are better NFL DFS RB options for you to choose from. 

NFL DFS RB Top Tier Picks for Week 1

If you want to play it safe in Week 1, and we wouldn’t blame you if you did, you can opt to slide Jahmyr Gibbs ($8000 DK|$9100 FD), Bijan Robinson ($7700 DK|$8800 FD) or Christian McCaffrey ($7500 DK|$9000 FD)  into your Week 1 NFL DFS lineups but if you want to save some of your DFS salary to shore up other positions, there are several other slightly cheaper high end NFL DFS Week 1 RBs from which to choose such as:

Jonathan Taylor, Colts - DraftKings: $7,300 | FanDuel: $8,600 

Both DraftKings and FanDuel have Taylor as their fourth most expensive Week 1 NFL DFS RB. He averaged 22.3 fantasy points per game (FPPG) on the DraftKings platform and 20.8 FPPG on the FanDuel platform last season. Despite his production falling off a bit when QB Daniel Jones was sidelined, he is a matchup-proof, explosive NFL DFS Week 1 RB. Taylor will be a huge part of the Colts’ ground game with Jones not expected to run as much this season after tearing his right Achilles in Week 13 of the 2025  season.

Chase Brown, Bengals - DraftKings: $7,100 | FanDuel: $7,500 

Brown takes on the Bucs in a game between two teams whose 2025 defenses were in the top 13 in points allowed. Their matchup has the highest expected overall points total in Week 1. The Bengals may be a pass-first team, but despite that, Brown averaged 15.1 FD  and 17.2 DK FPPG in 2025. That was due in large part to Brown being a true bell cow NFL DFS RB whose receiving volume consistently adds to his fantasy production. With the Bucs having given up the eighth most catches to NFL DFS RBs last season, Brown should be able to provide a good return on investment in Week 1.

De'Von Achane, Dolphins - DraftKings: $7,000 | FanDuel: $8,500 

Achane has a Week 1 matchup against an improved Raiders run defense, but one that is still recovering from having given up 21 FPPG to NFL DFS RBs in PPR formats last season. As mentioned earlier, NFL head coaches often lie, but when new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley suggested that Achane would be the focal point of the team’s offense, he was probably telling the truth. Expect Achane, who averaged 5.7 YPC behind a shaky offensive line in 2025, to exceed his 15 carries per game average from last season and to be heavily used in the Dolphins’ passing game. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Mid-Tier Picks for NFL Week 1

There are several very good NFL DFS Week 1 RB options from among the mid-tier group that make it the sweet spot for building winning Week 1 NFL DFS lineups, but these are just a few of the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach’s favorites:

David Montgomery, Texans - DraftKings: $6,000 | FanDuel: $6,300 

Despite being considered one of the elder statesmen among the NFL DFS Week 1 RBs, the 29-year-old Montgomery finds himself as the lead back on a team that’s expected to use a man/gap power offensive scheme that he should flourish in. As Jahmyr Gibbs’ backup for the last three seasons, he averaged just 187 carries per year, so he’s got plenty of tread left on the tires. His ability to grind out early down yards and find the end zone (he’s averaged 11 rushing TDs over the past three seasons) makes him an NFL DFS Week 1 RB who could score double-digit fantasy points in both DK and FD platforms against a Bills defense that gave up the sixth most rushing yards to the position in 2025. 

Javonte Williams, Cowboys - DraftKings: $6,300 | FanDuel: $6,800 

Williams established himself as a true bell-cow back for the Cowboys in 2025 and has what appears to be a good matchup against a Giants run defense that has a lot to prove this season. Williams scored 25 DK  and 22 FD points against the Giants in Week 2 last season, and if the Cowboys take an early lead this week, look for them to keep handing Williams the rock against a Giants defense that gave up the second most rushing yards to NFL DFS RBs in 2025.

Derrick Henry, Ravens - DraftKings: $6,700 | FanDuel: $8,300 

Much has been said about Henry slowing down last season, but he still averaged 5.2 YPC and managed to score 16 rushing TDs. He also rushed for 1595 yards. Despite the fact that he is 32 years old, Henry is still expected to be the dominant force for the Ravens on early downs and goal-line plays. Working with new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who helped develop the Bears’ third-ranked rushing attack, can only help Henry this season. The NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach will gladly take the DFS salary discount on Henry and expects him to score a TD against the Colts in Week 1.

NFL Week 1 DFS RB Value Picks 

Cam Skattebo, Giants - DraftKings: $5,800 | FanDuel: $6,300 

Despite the Giants having a crowded backfield, the NFL DFS Week 1 RB Coach believes that Skattebo will be the primary Week 1 NFL DFS RB for the Big Blue against the Cowboys. Skattebo passed the eye test this preseason in limited action and faces a Cowboys defense that gave up 23.4 PPR FPPG to NFL DFS RBs last season. Skattebo scored 13.9 DK  and 12.9 FD points in Week 2 against the Cowboys last season despite playing 52.2% of the team’s offensive snaps. As the Giants’ primary power-ball carrier, look for Skattebo to punch in a TD in Week 1. 

Rico Dowdle, Steelers - DraftKings: $5,200 | FanDuel: $6,100 

New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is very familiar with Dowdle. As the Cowboys’ head coach, McCarthy used Dowdle as his early down back in 2024, and he rushed 236 times for 1079 yards. Look for Dowdle to fill a similar role with the Steelers, with Jaylen Warren used as the change-of-pace and passing-down back. Dowdle takes on the Falcons in Week 1, and they gave up 4.5 YPC to NFL DFS RBs last season. With the Steelers looking to run the ball more this season, Dowdle has a good chance of rushing for over 100 yards in Week 1.

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Fades for Week 1

Ashton Jeanty, Raiders - DraftKings: $6,600 | FanDuel: $7,000 

The NFL DFS Week 1 RB coach has reservations about putting Jeanty in NFL Week 1 DFS lineups. Despite Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak stating that he was optimistic about Jeanty’s Week 1 availability, there’s a chance that he could be on a snap count as he continues to recover from his ankle injury.

Jeremiyah Love, Cardinals - DraftKings: $6,400 | FanDuel: $5,800 

With the Cardinals releasing a depth chart that puts Love behind Tyler Allgeier for Week 1, it appears that Love is still recovering from his high ankle sprain. Look for Love to be brought back slowly. It might be a few weeks before the NFL DFS RB coach feels comfortable using Love in DFS fantasy lineups.

NFL Week 1 RB Play of the Week

Omarion Hampton, Chargers - DraftKings: $6,800 | FanDuel: $7,300 

New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is well known for making multiple NFL DFS RBs viable in weekly formats, but Hampton is opening the season as the team’s primary back. Head coach Jim Harbaugh loves to run the football, and Hampton has a great matchup against a Cardinals team that is a heavy underdog and gave up the fourth-most rushing yards and second-most rushing TDs to NFL DFS RBs last season. Look for Hampton to have a big day as the Chargers likely look to run out the clock in the second half on their way to an easy victory.