NFL DFS Picks

By Kurt Boyer
Updated: February 2, 2024

Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs, 49ers Offer Exciting DFS Picks in Rematch

Daily Fantasy picks on the Super Bowl have evolved over time. At one point in the "Analog Era," Fantasy Football games were merely about how many yards and points your roster of quarterbacks, rushers, and receivers were able to produce, and that was about it. Just try to imagine Daily Fantasy categories such as "Defense and Special Teams" as a thing when Chicago beat New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, and collected 7 sacks, 6 total turnovers, a safety, and an interception return for a TD along the way. 

But there's one thing that's never changed, and that's the Super Bowl Fantasy intrigue when an established All-Pro quarterback takes on an unproven, but exciting starter who's new to the NFL's headlines. Super Bowl LVIII, set to kick off in Paradise, Nevada on Sunday, February 11th, brings on just such a matchup in the lights of Las Vegas. 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes is working on an NFL postseason resume that could eventually rival the freshly retired Tom Brady's, presuming that the Chiefs continue to reign over the AFC in almost every season. Mahomes has now passed for 39 touchdowns and nearly 5000 yards in NFL playoff and Super Bowl games. While the Kansas City offense may have slowed to a crawl against Baltimore in the latter half of Sunday's AFC Championship Game victory, there's no doubt that the annual MVP candidate has helped drag a pedestrian skill-corps over the finish line in 2023-24. 

KC's previous 2023-24 playoff win over Buffalo showed how Mahomes' legendary skills can overcome bad luck and circumstances to produce a solid Fantasy scoring day. Buffalo's control of the ball led to limited snaps for Mahomes's team, which took less than 50 turns from scrimmage compared to nearly twice the number for opposing Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. But the favorite talisman of HC Andy Reid found a way as usual, going 17-of-23 for 2 touchdowns and 0 picks, and getting Travis Kelce warm for what is shaping up to be the tight end's finest postseason performance of a career. 

Then there's Brock Purdy, the NFC's upstart Super Bowl quarterback who can be readily compared to Jimmy Garoppolo, the underdog next to Mahomes for the Super Bowl of early 2020. Purdy, a formerly overlooked "Mr. Irrelevant" draft pick, rose to prominence with the 49ers in the 2022-23 postseason. The 24-year-old San Francisco starter is 4-1 in 5 NFL playoff games. Though in the eyes of many Super Bowl pundits, it was last weekend when the Greatest Show on Earth's far cheaper of 2 Fantasy QB draft picks proved his mettle, with a phenomenal comeback effort in the NFC Championship Game. Purdy led the 49ers in overcoming a 17-point Detroit lead with surreal heroics in the 4th quarter. 

Purdy will also be fighting to clear his head coach's name in Super Bowl record books. HC Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers is known for having blown 2 leads late in Super Bowl games, first in Tom Brady and the New England Patriots' record-setting comeback over Shanahan's Atlanta Falcons of Super Bowl LI, and later, when coaching the San Francisco 49ers of 2019-20 against the Kansas City Chiefs of Super Bowl LIV.

Click on FanDuel's new NFL Research blog for Super Bowl previews and DFS draft tips.

FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Football vs. Traditional Fantasy Drafts

Traditional Fantasy GMs face a preseason draft scenario not unlike that of a real-life GM. Competitors must consider the long-term implications of any draft pick, no matter how statistically productive a player may be. A potential draft pick may be avoided because he’s injury-prone and subject to weeks of inactivity during the season or a veteran who could run out of steam over 16 games and get phased out in favor of a young replacement.

DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) GMs face another kind of animal. In fact, a weekly DFS draft is more like playing poker than taking part in a genuine genuine Draft. 

Every week, a new DFS “hand” is dealt, and each week, the slate is wiped clean. Fantasy GMs stricken with an injured roster have been known to win their entire preseason stake back in a single week of DFS competition. However, they can’t sit pat with a permanent lineup. To play again the next weekend, another from-scratch roster must be drafted. 

What are the rules, restrictions, and tactics of DFS NFL games, and how do they differ from old-fashioned fantasy pigskin? 

Drafting a Winning Roster for Your Fantasy Team

You’ve probably seen the YouTube commercials promising lazy Sunday fans high-quality Fantasy draft picks by a “computer.” But for the true hobbyist, to skip over the strategy of a weekly draft would take the fun out of things.

Experts often begin their drafts with a running back. RBs contribute points by gaining yards on the ground, but they can also add points by scoring TDs, catching passes for TDs, or simply catching passes for short gains. While even an unheralded passing QB like Mitch Trubisky can throw for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns on a given afternoon, it's unlikely that a 30th or 40th-ranked tailback will perform nearly as well. Drafters take the best RBs when they can get them.

The plays of quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Pat Mahomes, and Kyler Murray are making some players rethink the trend of RBs in the top Average Draft Position (ADP). Jackson rushed for more yards than most tailbacks in 2019-20, but finished among the top passers. The promise of putting a single player in your lineups who produces like 2 top picks at once on Sunday has caused a lot of GMs to eschew an RB and select Jackson with the 1st pick.

Drafting a DFS Roster at FanDuel

Each contestant receives a 60,000 budget of FanDuel “dollars” to select a roster of players before the upcoming round of games.

GMs are asked to fill out a standard roster of skilled players, including the QB position, running backs, WRs, a tight end, and a kicker. FanDuel customers may also choose a “flex” (or variable roster spot) from eligible skill players, along with a team-defense pick.

NFL Offense Scoring

Fantasy offense scoring has become more sophisticated over the years. For instance, once upon a time, wide receivers only scored points if they were able to find downfield passes or ran-after-catch for 1st downs.

That’s changed with the introduction of scoring “bonus” points on all WR receptions, or receptions made by an RB or a TE. Even when a club’s quarterback is always throwing check-downs, Fantasy-drafted receivers continue to earn points.

While skill positions such as QB, running back, and wide receiver are still the focus of Fantasy Football lineups at FanDuel, the provider also allows GMs to include kickers and “team defenses.”

NFL Team Defense Scoring

DFS team-defense scoring rules are geared to reward fast, aggressive, play-making units. Because of the FanDuel bonus point system, which rewards individual feats of athleticism, team defense draft picks can be have more value when a team blitzes often and creates some sacks and turnovers. A disciplined, gap-conscious defense could hold opponents out of the end zone while another defense gives up more TDs but scores more FanDuel points.

Don’t despair if the game your team defense pick is playing in is tied 35-35 in the 3rd quarter. Likely sacks and interceptions in the 2nd halves of a “shoot-out” game can become the saving grace for a competitor stuck with a weak overall defense.

NFL Special Teams Scoring

NFL Kickers, or “PKs,” are still a quiet engine of point-production on the gridiron and on the Fantasy scoreboard. Visits our kicker rankings page for more.

Or, click this line for a complete run-down of FanDuel’s point scoring system.

Choosing an Opponent

DFS games can be mastered by GMs who know every trick and tactic. Experienced players know how to rack-up several small advantages, which adds up to a significant point-scoring edge and puts neophyte GMs behind the 8-ball… and often down by more than 8 points. 

Users may choose a level of DFS competition that’s fair for their personal experience and skill level. Newbies are not asked to endure a gauntlet against the “1985 Chicago Bears” of the Daily Fantasy Sports landscape. 

NFL sign-ups can register as beginners and take part in special contests against an entire field of fellow novices. Prizes can be won by players who are just getting started—unless they fib about their prowess and wind up paired against the best.

FanDuel's Daily Fantasy NFL FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

How Does Daily Fantasy Differ from Old-School Fantasy Football?

Fantasy Football leagues once required a preseason draft, supplementary picks, and "trades" as the season went forward and drafted players were injured or rendered ineffective. Daily Fantasy Sports, or "DFS," allows Fantasy GMs to select a brand-new Daily Fantasy team at every point throughout a pro or college league's season.

That doesn't mean you can't draft your favorite players right through December. Daily Fantasy NFL competition is different from the Fantasy Football of yesteryear, but many of the strategies and game-day tactics of DFS competitors remain the same as ever. Click around FanDuel's DFS pigskin blog for more on Fantasy games in 2021.

How Are Points Tallied in Daily Fantasy Football?

Fantasy Football's scoring tropes remain largely the same when tabulating points for DFS games. A TD pass from a drafted QB-to-WR combo is a DFS-point bonanza, while running backs like Christian McCaffery, who can score in many ways, are considered the most valuable Daily Fantasy draft picks on an NFL offense. Surf to our NFL Daily Fantasy training guide for a complete list of point-values and scoring rules.

Is There a Salary Cap on FanDuel DFS Drafts?

FanDuel gives DFS gamers a $60,000 budget (of FanDuel “dollars”) to spend on drafting a roster for the NFL weekend. GMs are asked to include a QB, running backs, WRs, a tight end, and a kicker.

Customers may also choose a “flex” or variable roster spot from eligible skill players and are allowed a single team-defense pick to go with the skill-position lineup for their game.

Why Are RBs Drafted First So Often?

Fantasy GMs tend to draft RBs early-on or otherwise spend a ton of salary-cap “dollars” on a tailback. That's not just because running backs can run, catch, and score TDs in different ways. A starting NFL QB is expected to take every snap and attempt 99% of his team's passes, but the supply of superstar "every-down" RBs is limited. Fantasy GMs hurry each week to try to draft a rusher who will be utilized as a major part of an NFL club's Sunday game plan, since other RBs are more likely to get < 10 carries in a "committee" backfield.

The recent emergence of dual-threat QBs like Pat Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Trevor Lawrence has made some Fantasy players rethink the "RBs come first" strategy, and begin to prioritize drafting NFL quarterbacks who score TDs with their arm and their legs.

I'm Tired of Fantasy Football. Can I Bet on Games at FanDuel?

FanDuel Sportsbook launched in 2019 and is available for retail and/or online action from bettors in most locales. Check to make sure sports betting is legal in your state, and surf to our sportsbook for the latest odds on NFL games and championships.