The quarterback position is one of the most flexible in NFL DFS. You can go in a variety of different ways. Do you pay up for one of the top studs or try to save some money with a value option? Do you eat the chalk or look for a low-owned option with upside? There’s no 100% one-size-fits-all answer, so each slate and contest type is going to require thought and consideration.
In this piece, I highlight quarterbacks who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Jalen Hurts ($7,200 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel)
Fresh off a bye in Week 5, the Eagles offense should be a lot healthier heading into their Week 6 matchup vs. the Browns. A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, and Lane Johnson are all expected to be back in the lineup, which is amazing news for Hurts.
Hurts has had a subpar start to his year, racking up 17.9 fantasy points per game. That’s down from his average of 21.9 in 2023, which trailed only Josh Allen at the QB position.
However, there’s no reason to expect him to continue to underperform. He remains the same rushing threat on the ground, averaging 10.5 carries and 40.8 yards through his first four games. The biggest difference is that he has just two rushing touchdowns after racking up 15 last season. His four carries from inside the five-yard line are still tied for the second most at the position, so he should be able to bounce back in that department.
His matchup vs. the Browns is an interesting one. Cleveland had a historically good defense last year, but they’ve been nowhere near the same unit in 2024. They’re merely 14th in EPA per play defensively, and they just allowed 434 yards and 34 points to the Commanders last week.
Vegas is also showing the Eagles a lot of love in this matchup. They’re 9.5-point favorites – the largest on the slate – and they’re implied for 26.0 points. Hurts has historically averaged 25.48 DraftKings points with a comparable salary, good for an average Plus/Minus of +1.80 (per the Trends tool).
Hurts ultimately has the second-highest median and ceiling projections in our NFL Models, and he comes at a solid discount compared to the No. 1 QB (Lamar Jackson). He’s a nice combination of floor and ceiling for cash games.
Spencer Rattler ($4,000 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)
If you’re looking to save money at the position, you could always choose to go down to Rattler. He’s priced at the minimum across the industry after Derek Carr picked up an injury on Monday Night Football last week. The injury happened after the DFS prices were set for Week 6, so they didn’t have a chance to adjust.
Rattler will be making the first start of his career, so he’s definitely a bit of a wild card. However, he was impressive in a small preseason sample. He had 105 passing yards and a touchdown in his final preseason outing, and he had a rushing touchdown in his first.
Rattler draws an elite matchup vs. the Buccaneers, who are 20th in pass defense EPA through the first five weeks. That’s not terrible, but they’ve also allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position. Add it all up, and Rattler’s +3.1 Opponent Plus/Minus is the second-best mark on the main slate.
Still, the big selling point here is the price tag. Rattler doesn’t need to do a ton to potentially return value, and he allows you to load up the rest of your lineup.
Now available: our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Options
Lamar Jackson ($7,800 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel)
Jackson took home the MVP award last season, and he’s an early candidate for fantasy MVP through the first five weeks. He’s averaged more than 25 fantasy points per game, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in four of five outings. That includes a massive 37.42 DraftKings points last week vs. the Bengals.
Jackson is expensive – especially at $9,500 on FanDuel – but it’s hard to deny his upside this week. He’s taking on the Commanders in a game that should feature a lot of scoring. The total on this game sits at 51.5 points, and the Ravens are listed as 6.5-point favorites. That gives them an implied team total of 29.0, which is the top mark on the slate.
Jackson has unsurprisingly crushed in spots like this historically. He’s played in 27 games with an implied team total of at least 27.0, and he’s 27.24 DraftKings points and a +4.12 Plus/Minus.
Just like last week’s game vs. the Bengals, the Commanders have the offensive potential to keep up with Baltimore and turn this outing into a track meet. Despite his salary, no QB is showing up in the optimal lineup simulations more than Jackson in SimLabs.
Dak Prescott ($6,700 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)
The game between the Cowboys and Lions is another one that stands out for DFS purposes. The total is currently listed at 52.0, and the Lions are three-point road favorites. That suggests a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair, which tends to be the best type for DFS production.
Prescott hasn’t had the best start to his season, but he’s thrown for at least 300 passing yards with multiple touchdowns in two of his past three games. That includes last week vs. the Steelers, who entered that contest with one of the better defensive ratings in football. The Lions represent an easier matchup on paper, ranking just 21st in dropback EPA.
The biggest selling point for Prescott might be their defense. They’ve been dreadful all season, and they’re expected to be without Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence once again. They survived without both players vs. the Steelers, but it could be a different story vs. Detroit. There’s definitely a scenario where Prescott is forced to air it out a lot, just like he did in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Ravens (32.86 DraftKings points).
Kirk Cousins ($6,200 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel)
Cousins started the year with an absolute clunker vs. the Steelers, and he wasn’t much better in the subsequent three weeks. He posted a negative Plus/Minus in four straight contests, averaging just 11.59 DraftKings points per game.
Then he broke out in Week 5. He threw for more than 500 yards vs. the Buccaneers, and he added four touchdowns in the process. He finished with 38.36 DraftKings points despite generating nothing with his legs, which is almost impossible to do.
Can Cousins do it again vs. the Panthers? I wouldn’t expect another 500+ yards, but a solid fantasy performance is definitely doable. The Panthers have one of the worst defenses in football, ranking 30th in pass defense EPA per play. They’ve also allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Cousins is ultimately showing up as the second-most-frequent optimal DraftKings QB in SimLabs, sandwiched right in the middle of Jackson and Prescott.
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Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside
Will Levis ($4,800 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
Levis isn’t quite as cheap as Rattler across the industry, but he’s still cheaper than you typically see a starting quarterback. That’s not entirely undeserved. He’s yet to post a positive Plus/Minus this season, and he was injured during the team’s most recent contest.
However, Levis is back to full strength after the team’s Week 5 bye, and he’s ready to resume his starting job. He couldn’t ask for a better game to make his return. He’s taking on the Colts, giving him a slate-high +3.3 Opponent Plus/Minus. The Titans are listed as small favorites in this matchup, and Levis has historically fared better in that split than as an underdog. It’s a very small sample size, but Levis has plenty of upside at his current salary.
Justin Fields ($5,800 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel)
Fields represents one of the best pure values at the position on DraftKings, where his $5,800 salary is -$1,800 cheaper than it is on FanDuel.
Fields’ fantasy production has been up and down this season, but his legs give him one of the top ceilings in this price range. In the right game scripts, his legs can be an absolute weapon. We saw that in Week 4 when he racked up two scores and finished with 35.98 DraftKings points.
Fields stands out as one of the most undervalued QBs of the week per SimLabs. He has the fourth-highest optimal rate on DraftKings, yet he’s projected for approximately six percent ownership.
Daniel Jones ($6,800 FanDuel)
Jones is only available on the FanDuel main slate, which includes the SNF contest between the Bengals and Giants. However, he’s arguably one of the best plays at the position where he’s available.
The Bengals’ defense has been an absolute sieve this season. They’ve surrendered massive performances basically across the board, ranking 31st in opponent points per game and 26th in opponent yards per game.
Jones isn’t someone who is typically considered a high-end fantasy QB, but he’s scored at least 18.34 FanDuel points in three of his past four games. That includes 22.08 last week despite playing without Malik Nabers. If he can do that, there’s no reason he can’t continue to post solid results vs. the Bengals.
At just $6,800, Jones is priced in the same realm as guys like Levis, DeShaun Watson, and Bo Nix. He’s undoubtedly the best fantasy producer of the bunch, so he’s underpriced in this matchup.
