Wide receiver is arguably the deepest position on the Week 1 NFL DFS slate, which creates plenty of opportunities for lineup differentiation. The challenge is determining which expensive receivers have enough volume and touchdown upside to justify their salaries and which mid-priced options offer the best value.
Current DFS projections have Puka Nacua, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Chris Olave and Nico Collins among the strongest wide receiver options for Week 1. 4for4’s current FanDuel projections have Nacua, Chase, Smith-Njigba and St. Brown occupying the top four spots, while CeeDee Lamb, Olave and Collins also rank inside the top eight.
Here are the seven wide receivers I would prioritize for NFL Week 1 DFS, along with their DraftKings and FanDuel salaries and the strategy behind each play.
1. Puka Nacua — Rams
DraftKings: $7,700 | FanDuel: $8,800
Puka Nacua is my favorite overall wide receiver play for Week 1.
The DraftKings salary is particularly appealing considering his projected ceiling. DraftEdge currently projects Nacua for 24.0 DraftKings points, making him one of the highest-projected players on the entire slate. 4for4 also has Nacua projected for 16.6 FanDuel points, the highest projection among wide receivers.
The biggest reason to like Nacua is volume. His 2025 season included 129 receptions, 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns, demonstrating the massive workload he can handle.
DFS strategy: Nacua is an excellent tournament anchor. The Los Angeles Rams-San Francisco matchup is also attractive for game stacks, although this particular game is on Thursday night, so Nacua should only be used in contests that include that game.
2. Ja’Marr Chase — Bengals
DraftKings: $7,800 | FanDuel: $9,200
If you’re looking for the safest combination of volume and touchdown upside, it’s difficult to beat Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase is the most expensive wide receiver on DraftKings and FanDuel. DraftKings has him at $7,800, while FanDuel has him at $9,200.
That’s expensive, but Chase’s role in Cincinnati’s offense warrants the premium. He posted 125 receptions for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025 while commanding 185 targets.
The Bengals also have one of the most attractive offensive environments of the week.
DFS strategy: Chase is an ideal stack with Joe Burrow. On DraftKings, the two combine for $14,700, the most expensive QB/WR1 combination on the slate. In tournaments, consider adding a Tampa Bay pass catcher as a bring-back.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba — Seahawks
DraftKings: $7,600 | FanDuel: $9,000
Jaxon Smith-Njigba enters the season with perhaps the most impressive combination of recent production and expected volume on the board.
He exploded for 119 receptions, 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 while receiving 163 targets. Current FanDuel projections have him third among wide receivers at 15.9 points, while FIC projects him for 16.3.
The price is high, but the workload gives him a legitimate ceiling.
DFS strategy: JSN is particularly attractive for contests that include Seattle’s Thursday matchup with New England. He’s expensive enough that ownership could become a consideration, but his target volume makes him difficult to ignore.
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown — Lions
DraftKings: $7,500 | FanDuel: $8,600
Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the most reliable high-volume receivers in DFS.
He recorded 117 receptions, 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns on 172 targets last season. That’s exactly the type of target profile DFS players want when paying $7,500 on DraftKings.
Detroit also faces New Orleans in a matchup that projects well for offensive production. Current projections have St. Brown fourth among FanDuel wide receivers at approximately 15.4 points.
DFS strategy: St. Brown is a strong cash-game option because of his target floor, but he can also anchor GPP lineups. Pairing him with Jared Goff creates a straightforward Lions stack.
5. CeeDee Lamb — Cowboys
DraftKings: $7,400 | FanDuel: $8,600
CeeDee Lamb is another premium receiver who offers a strong combination of volume and matchup.
FIC projects Lamb for 15.6 DraftKings points, while its current FanDuel projections put him around 13.4 points.
The Cowboys open against the Giants, and Lamb should remain the focal point of the Dallas passing attack.
DFS strategy: Lamb is particularly interesting for tournaments because Dallas-New York is the Sunday night game. That creates late-slate leverage. Pairing Lamb with Dak Prescott can also provide significant upside if the Cowboys passing game dominates.
6. Chris Olave — Saints
DraftKings: $6,700 | FanDuel: $7,400
Chris Olave is arguably the best value among the elite wide receivers.
At $6,700 on DraftKings, he’s considerably cheaper than Chase, St. Brown and Jefferson. Yet current projections still put him near the top of the position. DraftKings projections have him around 16 points, while FanDuel projections place him at 13.6.
The matchup with Detroit is another reason to be interested. Big games from the Saints passing attack could force Olave into significant volume.
DFS strategy: Olave is one of my favorite salary-adjusted plays. He allows you to pay for a premium running back or quarterback elsewhere without completely sacrificing wide receiver ceiling.
7. Nico Collins — Texans
DraftKings: $7,000 | FanDuel: $7,700
Nico Collins rounds out the list because he offers an excellent combination of talent, salary and game environment.
DraftKings has Collins at $7,000, while FanDuel lists him at $7,700. Current projections have him around 12.9 FanDuel points.
The Buffalo-Houston matchup is particularly intriguing because both teams have high-end offensive players capable of producing DFS points. Collins should remain Houston’s primary downfield receiving threat.
DFS strategy: Collins is an excellent option when stacking Josh Allen with a Houston receiver as a bring-back. If Buffalo-Houston turns into a shootout, Collins has the ceiling to make the entire lineup competitive.
Final DFS Strategy
The biggest decision at wide receiver this week is whether to pay for elite volume or spread your salary across multiple mid-tier options.
For tournaments, my preferred high-end plays are Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase. Nacua offers massive target and yardage upside, while Chase has arguably the best touchdown environment of the group.
Chris Olave at $6,700 on DraftKings is my favorite salary-saving option among these seven. That $1,100 discount from Chase can make a significant difference when constructing the rest of a lineup.
For stacking purposes, the most attractive combinations include Burrow/Chase, Goff/St. Brown, and Allen/Collins. DraftKings specifically identifies Cincinnati’s Burrow-Chase pairing as the slate’s most expensive QB/WR1 stack at $14,700.
Ultimately, the key to Week 1 wide receiver DFS strategy is target volume, touchdown equity and game environment. Don’t simply chase the cheapest receiver. Look for players who can realistically command 8-12 targets or more and have a path to multiple touchdowns.
With seven receivers carrying legitimate tournament-winning upside, the best approach is to decide where you want to spend your salary, identify your favorite game environments, and then build the rest of the lineup around those core wide receiver plays.