Week 1 Thursday Night DraftKings Six-Player DFS Lineup: DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and More Support Star Players

The NFL regular season kicks off Thursday night with a fun NFC East battle between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

We have you covered with fantasy outlooks for the Eagles and Cowboys, and have discussed a trending start decision with George Pickens, but I wanted to enjoy the kickoff game a bit more, so why not dive into some DFS!

I joined a $2 “NFL Showdown $15K Safety” contest that only includes tonight's game. Let's put together a lineup to win some money!

Check out player prop bets, prop bet rankings and public betting splits on FantasySP all season! 

Captain - Saquon Barkley ($16,800)

The captain scores 1.5 times the amount of fantasy points he scores, so why not grab the top fantasy player in the game, and one of the best in the league?

Barkley is pricey, but he also averaged 24.9 fantasy points per game last season, easily the top mark of players in this game.

The Cowboys struggled against fantasy backs last season, so it's a perfect time to unveil Barkley. Surprisingly, Barkley was held to just 8.8 fantasy points in one game against Dallas last year, but went for 21.9 points in the other. He didn't score in either game, and there's a great chance he finds the end zone tonight.

If Barkley ends up delivering the best fantasy score tonight, then this DFS lineup will be in good shape.

Flex - Jalen Hurts ($11,000)

I debated Hurts in the captain spot, but I just felt better with Barkley. Plus, if this game gets lopsided and Philly blows out Dallas, it's Barkley that will star, and Hurts' passing numbers will be limited.

There's a chance Hurts still outscores Barkley in that scenario if he steals his touchdowns, but I think Barkley was the right choice for the top spot.

Hurts averaged 22.4 fantasy points per game last season, so he was also a stellar choice. In his one matchup against Dallas, Hurts scored 31.68 fantasy points. He scored twice on the ground in that game to bump up an otherwise just good showing.

I just think Barkley is a more consistent top-end fantasy performer than Hurts, but my whole lineup will depend on Barkley outscoring Hurts.

Flex - DeVonta Smith ($8,400)

Let's add the Eagles' No. 2 wideout to the mix in Smith. I went with him over Pickens because the matchup is more favorable.

If the Eagles' offense is rolling, the team's top playmakers should all have big games. He is a bit inconsistent in his fantasy production, and that was true in his games against Dallas last season.

Smith had 3.4 fantasy points in the first one before a 33-point outburst in the second. Obviously, I'll be hoping for that second outcome again, but it's more likely he finishes somewhere between those two numbers.

Flex - Dallas Goedert ($6,400)

Now we add the Eagles' tight end to the mix. He's one of the few guys with a tougher matchup tonight, at least based on last year's numbers.

He scored a touchdown to save an otherwise so-so fantasy showing in his lone game against the Cowboys last season. I'm hoping he scores again tonight too.

In these one-game DFS contests, you need to get creative and have different lineups to separate yourself, and Goedert likely won't be rostered by a ton of people tonight, so he helps in that regard.

In taking Smith and Goedert, what I really need to happen is have A.J. Brown deliver a down game. Brown scored 18.9 and 12.6 fantasy points in his two showings against Dallas last season, and is the team's top pass catcher, so I'm kind of grasping at thin air.

Again though, I want to take risks with this lineup, and this is the one that made the most sense in my eyes.

Flex - Javonte Williams ($5,400)

My one and only Cowboy in this lineup is Williams, who is expected to lead the backfield. I expect a committee for touches between the backs, but Dallas to trust Williams most early on, including this game.

This isn't a good matchup, but he fits my lineup and is a cheap option to add after spending big at other spots. Williams is somehow cheaper than Miles Sanders, so that's something I decided to take advantage of.

I'm hoping Williams stumbles into a touchdown, or has a big play or two to give me a little fantasy production. 

Flex - Will Shipley ($2,000)

Shipley was another cost-cutting way to stack the first four spots in my lineup. As the backup to Barkley, I don't see him getting a ton of work, but I like him over A.J. Dillon as the backup, and maybe being able to help out enough to score a few fantasy points.

There's a chance he shines if this game gets out of hand, so I'm also banking on that a bit.

Final Thoughts

This is a tough game to have a DFS lineup for, but I like what I assembled.

I need my stars to be stars and a couple things to break my way to get into the money, but I think there's enough uniqueness with this lineup to maybe surprise with a big score.

Use the same lineup, or tweak things to your liking in a similar contest, or the same contest. Or try your own lineup to try and outscore me!

Check back throughout the season, as FantasySP experts will try their hand at DFS and bets here and there!