Last Updated: 8/20/26 11:00 AM EST
Preseason DFS is a different beast. Unlike the regular season, our main job is to identify players who will get the most playing time. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Our team spends an unhealthy amount of time researching to compile the Depth Chart Notes and Top Plays (below). For showdown slates, please consult Cody Main’s article.
QUARTERBACK
TIER 1
Trey Lance, Los Angeles Chargers – There are playing-time and/or situational holes to poke in every QB on Thursday night’s slate, but we think Lance possesses the overall best combination of playing-time safety — and upside. He also benefits from an offensive environment which is conducive to producing fantasy points. We are expecting a series from Justin Herbert and the 1s before they turn it over to Lance and the reserves, where we expect him to get roughly one half’s worth of action. This mirrors what they did in Week 2 last season and gives him enough playing time to capitalize on his 0.31 DraftKings points-per-snap efficiency.
TIER 2
Adrian Martinez, San Francisco – Martinez isn’t too far behind Lance, and there could be a case to bump him up into Tier 1 on playing-time upside alone. However, we do expect Brock Purdy and Mac Jones to both play in Week 2 after sitting out Week 1. Given the state of San Francisco’s skill-position rooms, we don’t expect either to play long, but even 1-2 drives for each could take them close to a full half. Martinez does benefit from Kurtis Rourke’s (ribs) injury, getting what is likely the entire second half — and maybe more — to himself. He’s been a very poor per-snap producer but does have rushing upside from his UFL and collegiate days.
Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas – Mendoza’s playing-time outlook is the toughest to parse through Thursday night because Vegas has four QBs they could use. Kirk Cousins played 10 snaps in Week 1 and UDFA Jacob Clark did not play, which left Mendoza for basically a full half worth of action in the middle of the game, but it’s possible those plans change in Week 2 and Mendoza gets a shorter leash. Regardless, we still think he’ll play around two quarters, and he showed in Week 1 why he was the first overall pick.
TIER 3
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