DraftKings NFL: Millionaire Maker Football Contest Highlights Week 1

Falcons receiver Julio Jones is expected to have another productive season. (Getty)

Falcons receiver Julio Jones is expected to have another productive season. (Getty)

The highly-anticipated NFL season is knocking on the door and Heavy’s partners at DraftKings are ready with a ton fantasy football contests for Week 1.

Three of the most popular contests get underway on Sunday, September 13, so they don’t include any players from the Pittsburgh Steelers-New England Patriots season-opener on Thursday, September 10. Rather players with games on Sunday and Monday will be available only.

DraftKings has just added the $1 Million Kickoff contest, which starts when the season does on Thursday evening, meaning Patriots and Steelers players will be available to select, and finishes up after the second Monday Night Football game.

Your roster will be comprised of 9 players — 1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 1 FLEX (RB or WR or TE) and 1 defense/special teams unit.

The rules are pretty simple: You get a $50 million salary cap and you must choose 9 players you think will have the best stats in Week 1 of the NFL season between Sunday’s and Monday night’s games. The better your selected players do on the field, the better your fantasy does, the more money you make.

Right now I am still in study mode and haven’t finalized any lineups yet. I have my eyes on a few players and if you click on the links in the paragraph below, you’ll see who I am talking about. But all week leading up I’ll be posting advice columns and in a few days I’ll be letting you know what my lineups are.

Check out our posts on the Week 1 quarterback salary breakdown, the running back salary breakdown and the Week 1 quarterback bargains, running back bargains and wide receiver bargains.

And bookmark our fantasy football rankings 2015 page to keep up-to-date on the latest projections and rankings heading into the season.

Now let’s take a look at some of the most popular Week 1 contests:


$10M Millionaire Maker

Sign up for DraftKings here and enter the $10 Millionaire Maker fantasy football contest for a chance to win $2 million.

The Millionaire Maker is setting a record for fantasy sports by paying out a guaranteed $10 million, including $2 million of that to the contest winner.

The buy-in for the contest is $20 or you can try to win an entry for as little as 25 cents by participating in a satellite contest, which run through September 12.

The second-place finisher gets $1 million, while third receives $500,000. Over 125,000 entered teams will be paid at least $25.

Lineups must be set by 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday.

Click here to sign up with DraftKings promo code HEAVY and get a 100 percent deposit bonus up to $600.


$1M Play-Action

Sign up with DraftKings here and get a free contest entry, which you can use in the NFL $1M Play-Action contest for Week 1. First prize is $100,000.

With the $1M Play-Action, you can turn your entry fee of $3 into the first-place prize of $100,000. Second place takes home $50,000 and third $30K. That’s a pretty good return for such a low buy-in. In all, DraftKings will be paying out a guaranteed $1 million to nearly 85,000 entered teams.

This contest is free if you are new to DraftKings and are making your first deposit. When signing up for DraftKings, you will receive a voucher which you can use for a free entry. Otherwise, the contest is $3. You don’t need to use the voucher, but it expires after 1 year.

Lineups must be set by 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday.


Free $100K Contest

Sign up with DraftKings here and receive a free entry into the Week 1 $100K fantasy football contest for Week 1 of the NFL season. First place wins $10,000.

This $100K contest has a free buy in when you sign up with DraftKings for the first time.

The contest winner takes home $10,000, while second place gets $5,000 and third $2,500.

This unlimited-player contest will pay out to the top 23,150 teams. Unlike the above contests, you can only have 1 entry in this game.

Lineups must be set by 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday.


$1 Million Kickoff

Sign up with DraftKings and enter the $1 Million Kickoff Contest, which begins Thursday night. If you are new to DraftKings, your entry is free.

The contest kicks off when the season does Thursday, September 10, when the New England Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lineups must be set by 8:30 p.m. Eastern.

The top prize is $100,000, while second place receives $50,000 and third $30,000.

As stated above, when signing up for DraftKings for the first time, you will receive a voucher good for a free entry into the contest. You don’t need to use the voucher for this contest, but it expires after year.

If you choose not to use the voucher, it is $3 to join the Kickoff contest.

In all, DraftKings will pay out nearly 85,000 entered teams.


DraftKings NFL Scoring System

Offensive players point scoring:

Passing TD = +4
25 Passing Yards = +1 (+0.04/ per yard is awarded)
300+ Yard Passing Game = +3
Interception = -1
10 Rushing Yards = +1 (+0.1 per yard is awarded)
Rushing TD = +6
100+ Yard Rushing Game = +3
10 Receiving Yards = +1 (+0.1 per yard is awarded)
Reception = +1
Receiving TD = +6
100+ Yard Receiving Game = +3
Punt/Kickoff Return for TD = +6
Fumble Lost = -1
2 Point Conversion (Pass, Run, or Catch) = +2
Offensive Fumble Recovery TD = +6

Defense/Special Teams point scoring:

Sack = +1
Interception = +2
Fumble Recovery = +2
Kickoff Return TD = +6
Punt Return TD = +6
Interception Return TD = +6
Fumble Recovery TD = +6
Blocked Punt or FG Return TD = +6
Safety = +2
Blocked Kick = +2
0 Points Allowed = +10
1-6 Points Allowed = +7
7-13 Points Allowed = +4
14-20 Points Allowed = +1
21-27 Points Allowed = 0
28-34 Points Allowed = -1
35+ Points Allowed = -4

The following scoring plays will result in Points Allowed (PA) by your Defense/Special Teams (DST):
Rushing TDs, Passing TDs, Punt Return TDs, Kick Return TDs and Blocked Punt TDs
2-point conversions
Extra-points
Field-goals

Note: Points Allowed (PA) only includes points surrendered while the Defense/Special Team is on the field — it doesn’t include points given up by team’s offense (i.e. points off offensive turnovers).