The 2026 NFL preseason enters its third and final week tonight. We’re graced with a nice four-game slate at DraftKings, and there are already some clear priorities.
Wondering who you can trust? NFL preseason contests are volatile, but there are some players that look pretty reliable. Let’s dive into the best NFL DFS preseason picks and see why they look like strong plays.
NFL DFS Core Plays for Thursday Night
- Jalen Milroe, QB, Seahawks
- Demond Claiborne, RB, Vikings
- Colbie Young, WR, Bengals
- Rivaldo Fairweather, TE, Cardinals
Jalen Milroe, QB, Seahawks
Playing time is key, and Jalen Milroe gives us that in spades tonight. The Seahawks dual threat passer offers a big arm and nice rushing ability, but he’s also expected to play the entire game on Friday night.
That makes Milroe an easy pick, but there are a few pivots to consider. Kansas City’s Garrett Nussmeier may also be looking at similar playing time, while Joe Milton III should also see a good amount of work for the Cowboys. I prefer Milroe over those options, but all three are in play.
Demond Claiborne, RB, Vikings
Claiborne isn’t even a lock to make Minnesota’s final 53, so I’d expect him to get a good amount of work tonight. He needs serious work in pass protection, but he offers a high ceiling in the way of athleticism and versatility. The matchup with Denver isn’t great, but he should see enough volume to deliver.
Running back is admittedly pretty loaded, and several teams are dealing with tighter rotations or position battles. Houston’s Owen Wright and Philly’s Will Shipley are two guys in particular who benefit from both. I am also high on Cash Jones, who popped off for 100+ yards and a score last week.
Colbie Young, WR, Bengals
Young was very involved last week, turning eight targets into a touchdown. He’s yet to officially earn a key role for Cincy, so it stands to reason that the Bengals would give their rookie a long leash in their preseason finale.
While Young looks fantastic, WR is pretty deep. I’d be interested in getting to Ted Hurst, Cyrus Allen, and Malachi Fields, provided they’re all active. Seattle WR Montorie Foster Jr. was also a standout on Hard Knocks and could be a good stacking option to go with Milroe.
Rivaldo Fairweather, TE, Cardinals
My top tight end is Fairweather, who was productive in college and is actually a pretty underrated athlete. He has size and explosiveness restrictions, but he’s pretty fast and agile for the position. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Arizona featured him last week. Given the state of TE on their roster, I’d expect more of the same.
We get nine games tonight, so tight end isn’t as ugly as it was last night. Zack Kuntz, Justin Joly, and Will Kazcmarek all stand out as viable options that should see the field a good amount and could produce solid numbers.
Noah Simpson is a New England-based DFS writer who has spent the better part of a decade obsessing over MLB DFS. He got his start playing DFS recreationally before realizing he was spending more time building spreadsheets than actually watching games, and decided to make it official. At DFSBuild, Noah covers MLB DFS strategy with a focus on finding edges that casual players overlook. When he’s not staring at Statcast data, he’s somewhere on a hiking trail in Maine with his two dogs, Sandboy and Johnner, who are undefeated at ignoring his lineup advice, because they are dogs. They don’t have the cognitive or motor skills required to operate a computer, let alone process complex theories and information.
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