Dear football. I love you. I missed you. Please don’t ever leave again.
Translation… football is back with the Hall of Fame Game taking place on Thursday night in the first preseason matchup of the 2024 NFL season. The game will see the Chicago Bears take on the Houston Texans.
As is customary with every preseason game, it will be tricky to predict how much playing time every player will see in this contest. But for those who enjoy betting on preseason games, here are my DFS picks for the Hall of Fame Game.
Hall of Fame Game Top DFS Picks on DraftKings
Tyson Bagent, QB, Chicago Bears ($11,400) | Captain
The news of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, being unlikely to play in the Hall of Fame Game clears the way for a sizeable amount of work for second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent under center on Thursday night.
Bagent started four games his rookie year after Justin Fields sustained a thumb injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6. Over his four starts, Bagent averaged over 12 fantasy points per game and had no hesitation about tucking the ball away and taking off with his legs — which always come in handy in these contests.
Bagent threw for three scores and ran for two during his limited time under center in 2023. In a contest with so many uncertainties, rolling with a quarterback with some dual-threat capabilities feels like a safe, logical play.
Dante Pettis, WR, Chicago Bears ($7,600)
The Bears likely won’t feature the talented triumvirate of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, or Rome Odunze with Williams not playing on Thursday night. That clears the way for an expanded role for Dante Pettis.
Pettis is an explosive vertical option who could produce solid numbers with an expanded role against the Texans.
Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Houston Texans ($7,600)
In a similar manner to Chicago’s trio, the odds of Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, or Tank Dell playing extensively on Thursday night are pretty slim. This opens the door for Xavier Hutchinson, who had some nice moments during his rookie year.
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Dell ultimately emerged from this receiver group to complement Collins last year. Still, Hutchinson is the type of player who could have a productive fantasy outing with an expanded role against easier competition.
Demetric Felton, RB, Chicago Bears ($7,600)
This may feel like a stretch, but Demetric Felton finished ninth in preseason rushing yardage in 2023 with 122 yards and a score on 28 carries as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Felton had his fair share of encouraging moments with the Cleveland Browns years ago, which makes him an intriguing candidate to potentially lead this game in rushing attempts.
Quintez Cephus, WR, Houston Texans ($7,600)
Over the 2021 and 2022 NFL preseasons, Quintez Cephus has caught six passes for 55 yards and two scores.
Look, those aren’t huge numbers by any stretch. But if he sees the field often in the second half, he could stumble into enough looks in this game to make him a viable fantasy football asset in this full-PPR format.
J.J. Taylor, RB, Houston Texans ($7,600)
J.J. Taylor has generally been a busy man during the month of August. Over the last three years, Taylor has 46 carries, 271 rushing yards, 19 receptions, 143 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
It’s very plausible Taylor could see his number called often in the second half of the first preseason game of the season.