Top daily fantasy football plays for Friday’s Week 1 preseason games

SBNation will be bringing you the top options on virtually all preseason slates through the end of August. There are only three games on the Friday schedule, so the options are a bit more limited for DraftKings and FanDuel slates. As is always the case, keep an eye on Twitter throughout the day on game days, as injury and lineup news is always coming in prior to kickoff, turning popular plays into fades and lifting obscure plays into tournament-winning positions.

Joshua Dobbs, Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants

An injury to preseason mainstay Landry Jones has opened the door for Dobbs, the Steelers’ fourth-round pick, to earn the start against the Giants and possibly play the entire first half. The Steelers would like to get a good long look at the man who could ultimately supplant Big Ben as the QB of the future, so he should get plenty of opportunities to rack up yards as both a passer and a runner.

AJ McCarron, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

McCarron’s name has been surfacing in trade rumors lately, and there’s every reason to think the Bengals would like to showcase him to make the rumors a reality. By the same token, McCarron has every incentive to show the football world what he can do and get out from under Andy Dalton’s red-headed shadow.

Ryan Griffin, Buccaneers at Bengals

Jameis Winston is expected to play about a quarter, and the elderly Ryan Fitzpatrick is the only other QB expected to play. That leaves a wide swath of playing time for Griffin, who has looked good in practice and can solidify the backup job with a strong performance.

C.J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs

Beathard is expected to play the majority of the second half. The 49ers, who traded into the third round to get him, also want to see their bigger wide receivers make an impact in these games, and that means extra passing plays for the QBs. Beathard should go low-owned even on a short slate and could surprise with garbage time production.

Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Buccaneers

History has shown that Marvin Lewis likes to give his rookie running backs plenty of touches in their first preseason game, and Mixon has been a standout in practice. All signs point to a big game from the rookie on a slate bereft of marquee running backs.

Terrell Watson, Steelers at Giants

Mike Tomlin calls Watson “Nightmare,” as he went to the same college as retired Kansas City Chief Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye. He also is a terror for defenses on the goal line. Running back touchdowns in the preseason are gold, and he’s wearing black and gold. He’s also No. 3 on the depth chart and could get the most reps once the starters come out.

Matt Breida, 49ers at Chiefs

Breida has been one of the most explosive players in camp for the 49ers and the undrafted free agent has actually outplayed fourth-round pick Joe Williams, who came to camp out of shape. Breida should get plenty of opportunity to see if his camp work translates to the real thing.

Kareem Hunt, C.J. Spiller, Chiefs vs. 49ers

One is the potential back of the future in Kansas City, and the other is trying to reclaim the glory of his past. Both have looked good in camp and both are expected to get decent runs in this game. Spiller has really impressed as he looks to make a comeback from injury, and the veteran might surprise against a terrible 49ers defense.

Juju Smith-Schuster, Steelers at Giants

The rookie has a chance to emerge as the No. 2 behind Antonio Brown, and with Martavis Bryant not expected to play in this game, Smith-Schuster is primed to make an impact, both on the outside and in the slot. He was slowed by an ankle injury early in camp but should get plenty of action in this one.

Chris Godwin, Buccaneers at Bengals

Godwin is another rookie expected to play inside and out in his NFL debut and is another player who has impressed the coaches in training camp, going all the way back to OTAs. Once the starters are out, Godwin is expected to get extended run.

Trent Taylor, Aldrick Robinson, 49ers at Chiefs

Robinson was a first-ballot preseason Hall of Famer with the Falcons the last couple of years, and now he brings his August talents to the Bay Area. But the 49ers receiver who should make the most noise is Taylor, who is diminutive in size but long on technique and quickness, which frequently results in getting open. The 49ers love him and want to see all he can do.

Seantavius Jones, Chiefs vs. 49ers

The Chiefs surprised a lot of folks by cutting Jeremy Maclin, and Jones may wind up being a big part of the reason. I say big because Jones is 6’3, 200 pounds, and Andy Reid has talked a lot this summer about how much he trusts the young receiver. The Chiefs are playing all four of their quarterbacks in this game. At least one will be looking to get Jones the ball.

Gavin Escobar, Chiefs vs. 49ers

As always, finding a tight end to trust in the preseason is tricky, but Escobar is a veteran with a chance to make an August impact as the Chiefs need not see much from Travis Kelce. Escobar showed flashes with the Cowboys and should be good for a decent stat line in the opener.

Evan Engram, Giants vs. Steelers

The Giants want to get their tight ends more involved in the offense and Engram, the Giants’ first-round pick, has already impressed in camp. Engram was a top offensive tight end in college, and he should get a chance to show off his skills against the Steelers.