R.J. White's Top NFL DFS Picks For 2026 Preseason Week 1 Thursday
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- 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 kicks off Thursday at 6 p.m. ET with a multi-game DFS slate, the first NFL DFS action in nearly six months, with every game carrying an over/under of at least 37.5 total points.
- Raiders vs. Cardinals carries the highest over/under at 40.5, headlined by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza making his professional debut at quarterback.
- Cardinals rookie Carson Beck, a third-round pick, is sidelined with a rib injury and will not play in Thursday's matchup.
- Lions quarterback Luke Altmyer, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois, is White's top pick after Teddy Bridgewater's abrupt retirement left the backup spot open 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, is a key target with multiple Texans RBs injured and starters likely held out.
- R.J. White, SportsLine's No. 1 all-time NFL ATS expert and two-time Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest cash winner, priced every player on the slate at $5,500 on DraftKings and $6,000 on FanDuel.
Why it matters: With uniform pricing across the slate — every player at $5,500 on DraftKings and $6,000 on FanDuel — roster construction hinges entirely on identifying which backups will see the most preseason snaps rather than salary differentiation. DFS players who correctly weight Altmyer and Whittington's snap volume could gain a meaningful edge in both cash games and tournaments on Thursday's board.
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