White's Top Week 1 NFL Preseason DFS Picks: Altmyer, Whittington
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- Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason kicks off Thursday at 6 p.m. ET as a multi-game slate, the first NFL DFS action in nearly six months, with every game carrying an over/under of at least 37.5 points and Cardinals-Raiders at 40.5.
- SportsLine expert R.J. White — a two-time Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest cash winner and SportsLine's No. 1 all-time NFL ATS expert — released his top DFS picks for the Thursday slate, where all players are priced at $5,500 on DraftKings and $6,000 on FanDuel.
- Lions quarterback Luke Altmyer, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois, is White's favorite QB play after Teddy Bridgewater's abrupt retirement left Josh Dobbs as the only other option behind Jared Goff, who won't play Thursday.
- Texans running back Noah Whittington, a 5'8" undrafted rookie who led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.4) last season at Illinois, is White's other core play, benefiting from a pair of Texans RBs being injured and the team expected to rest most starters.
- White noted Texans RB Woody Marks could also see heavy usage as a key part of the run game, potentially opening more opportunity for Whittington to continue impressing after a strong training camp.
Why it matters: DFS players hunting for first-slate edge in nearly six months get a clear framework from a top-ranked handicapper: target rookies and backups on teams resting starters, with Altmyer and Whittington identified as the two highest-upside pivots at a uniform price point across both major platforms.
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