As Mase would say, welcome back. The NFL regular season, officially, returned to our lives Thursday night with an entertaining Super Bowl rematch between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, but things really amp up this weekend with 15 games on Sunday and Monday. And the DFS potential for those games is through the roof. Not only is there insane value at every position, but there are a number of projected high-scoring games. According to OddsShark, seven of those 15 games opened the week with an over/under of at least 41 points, while three of those are projected to get into the 50's. There are going to be a lot of different directions you can go with your DFS lineup this week, and you can click through the gallery at my favorite FanDuel picks to start the season. You can also click here if you're looking for a DraftKings lineup. (Getty)
QB: Eli Manning, NYG (at DAL), $7,200
Preseason star Dak Prescott at a minimum $5,000 is going to be the popular play here, but I like the quarterback on the other side of the field, especially when he is priced--perplexingly--as the 17th most expensive QB on FanDuel. Manning has improved his numbers in the last two seasons under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, who is now head coach and will continue to run the fast-paced, pass-friendly offense. Combine that with some top-notch weapons--namely Odell Beckham--and Manning is in line for a big season. That should start in Week 1 against a defense that will be without Randy Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence and Roland McClain. (Getty)
RB: Ryan Mathews, PHI (vs CLE), $6,100
New Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has always ran an offense that goes through the featured running buck, and that will especially be the case with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz under center. Mathews may cede third downs to Darren Sproles, but he's in line for a big workload at home against a Cleveland Browns run defense that is expected to be one of the worst units in the NFL this season. Yes, please. (Getty)
RB: Spencer Ware, KC (vs SD), $5,400
With Jamaal Charles expected to miss Week 1 as he continues to work his way back from the torn ACL, the Chiefs will turn to Ware and Charcandrick West. Both players proved valuable in Charles' absence last year, but Ware was the decidedly better ball-carrier, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and finding the end zone on 8.3 percent of his carries, compared to West at 4.0 and 2.5, respectively. Moreover, Ware has looked excellent this preseason, while West, who played behind Ware in the preseason opener, has battled an elbow injury. Both will be involved, but Ware is a strong bet to get a featured workload against a team he torched for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries (two games) last year. (Getty)
WR: Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at DAL), $9,100
I'm all in on Manning, so I better be on Beckham, as well. He was slowed down by the Cowboys last year (nine catches for 79 yards and zero touchdowns in two games), but he's simply too good for that to turn into a trend. In fact, Beckham should be especially motivated to get some revenge, and he should have no trouble getting it against Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, who ranked 80th and 104th among 118 qualified cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus' coverage grades last year. (Getty)
WR: Antonio Brown, PIT (at WAS), $9,400
Brown played 12 games with Ben Roethlisberger last year. In those 12 games, he was on a 16-game pace for--gulp--216 targets, 159 receptions, 2,141 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. This is the best wide receiver in the league, and Pittsburgh has one of the highest projected team totals of the week as a three-point favorite over Washington in a game with an over/under of 50. Don't overthink this one. (Getty)
WR: A.J. Green, CIN (at NYJ), $8,200
Some will be scared off by the New York Jets defense, and while it's a tough matchup on the road, it's not one you have to avoid completely. That's especially true when it comes to Green, who is going to be bombarded with targets, as the departures of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, as well as the injury to Tyler Eifert, leave him as the No. 1, 2 and 3 option in this passing offense. The presence of Darrelle Revis is going to shrink Green's ownership percentage, but he tallied five catches for 81 yards and a score in his only career matchup against Revis, plus the 31-year-old cornerback has declined since that 2014 meeting. Finally, with the trio of Beckham, Brown and Green, there's no cap on this lineup's upside. (Getty)
TE: Coby Fleener, NO (vs OAK), $5,400
Fleener had a mostly quiet preseason, but Drew Brees' tight ends have always played significant roles, and the Saints signed Fleener to a healthy deal in the offseason (five years, $36 million) to play that role. He should see a healthy amount of targets in what is projected to be the highest scoring game (over/under 52) of the week. (Getty)
K: Steven Hauschka, SEA (vs MIA), $4,800
Kickers are anyone's guess, but Hauschka has been very consistent during his time in Seattle, and the Seahawks are big favorites at home. Good enough for me. (Getty)
DEF: Los Angeles Rams (at SF), $4,500
The Rams' defense has some holes, but there's no question Jeff Fischer's squad boasts one of the most daunting defensive lines in the NFL. Not only is this projected as a low-scoring game (Rams are favored by three with an over/under of 43), L.A. should be able to get pressure on Blaine Gabbert and force him into some mistakes. (Getty)
FanDuel NFL Week 1 Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis