Football is back, so, I’ll start this off with a simple question: What better way is there to start the new league year than putting together a winning DFS team on DraftKings for the Thursday Night Football (TNF) showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs?
A stack of Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes are only a few of my top DFS plays for the Week 1 contest on TNF.
Let’s find some fantasy football wins to start the new NFL season!
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs Top TNF DFS Picks on DraftKings
Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs ($8,700) – Captain
These price points were made a while back, which gives you an opportunity to nab a dynamic playmaker like Xavier Worthy as the captain of your squad at a significantly reduced price point.
Hollywood Brown is not expected to play in the season opener against Baltimore while dealing with a shoulder injury, which makes me very confident we will see plenty of Worthy in Week 1.
The Ravens’ vaunted defense is formidable, but they tend to test opposing quarterbacks occasionally with the sixth-highest Cover-0 rate (all-out blitz) in the league at 6.4%, which could give Worthy a handful of opportunities to punish this aggressive secondary vertically.
Additionally, Worthy can be a weapon underneath as an RAC threat in either the screen game or spamming hitch routes for DBs who play too far off in an attempt to respect his speed.
This pick as your captain does come with some risk, but it could prove to be an immense value if Worthy is able to connect with the best quarterback in the league on some of these deep shots.
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs ($10,400)
Speaking of his quarterback, Patrick Mahomes is a no-brainer to stack with Worthy in this contest.
Mahomes’ price point is never going to be cheap, but if you recall his 241 passing yards and a score with no turnovers in last year’s AFC Championship Game, then you can confidently install him into your lineup even against a stout defense like Baltimore in Week 1.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens ($11,400)
Lamar Jackson has had a very long time to reflect on his underwhelming performance against Kansas City last season, which could put him on the warpath, entering Arrowhead Stadium seeking vengeance.
Should offensive coordinator Todd Monken probably prioritize running the ball with Derrick Henry in this contest? Yes. Could he be forced to air it out if Mahomes and company get out to an early lead? Also, yes.
Jackson is still a legitimate threat to break the fantasy slate in any given contest with his dynamic rushing ability — which I do expect him to do plenty of in this contest — and he possibly could find himself having to carry the offense on the road through the air if the game script doesn’t favor Baltimore in the first half.
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens ($8,000)
Speaking of revenge narratives, one could argue that rookie Zay Flowers was the lone player who showed offensive ability in last year’s AFC Championship Game, with five receptions for 115 yards and a score.
Unfortunately, Flowers will likely be remembered for his fumble at the doorstep of the goal line when then Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed punched the ball out of Flowers’ extended arms at the 1-yard line and prevented a touchdown that could’ve been a deciding factor.
Flowers is a dynamic weapon that is utilized heavily in the screen game, but he also receives deep shots down the field at a high rate in Baltimore’s offense.
Fortunately for Flowers, Sneed is no longer on the Chiefs’ roster, which could lead to another productive outing for Flowers in the 2024 season opener.
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs ($7,600)
The Chiefs’ passing attack mostly filtered through Rashee Rice over the back half of the 2023 season, which is evident by the fact that a rookie receiver saw more red-zone targets than Travis Kelce last year.
Additionally, from Weeks 12 to 17 (six games), Kelce saw fewer targets than Rice in five of those contests and tied him with 10 in Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills.
Rice’s potential suspension stemming from an off-field incident this offseason may have been baked into these price points, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of them.
The addition of Worthy’s elite vertical speed should open up underneath things for Rice, who finished third behind only CeeDee Lamb and Amon-Ra St. Brown in yards after catch production last year.
Expect Rice to be very busy alongside Worthy in this contest.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens ($2,600)
Some could rightfully question this recommendation, with Mark Andrews expecting to be a leading man at the tight end position in Baltimore, but I saw enough signs from Isaiah Likely last year that suggest he can occasionally produce great fantasy numbers when the Ravens are forced to go to the air.
Likely scored five touchdowns over the last five games of the 2023 regular season, which proves he can be a fantasy producer when given an expanded role.
The loss of Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason means the Ravens lack a clear third option in the passing game up for grabs. I’m willing to throw a dart with Likely over Bateman in this contest given their respective price points.
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