There’s less uncertainty after Week 1 since teams played in meaningful games, showing their hands for playing rotations, player usage and other things of that nature. As a result, I’ve drastically narrowed the suggested player pool for this week’s Daily Fantasy Digest. So, let’s see who gamers should hone in on for their NFL Week 2 DFS rosters.
Week 2 Matchups
Game: Carolina Panthers at New York Giants
Spread: NYG -2.0 Points
Over/Under: 43.5 Points
Panthers Analysis: Christian McCaffrey will eventually erupt. The lineup optimizer ranks him as the RB1 with the second-highest value score at DraftKings. So, the appeal of using him is apparent. However, the Panthers were sloppy on offense in Week 1, and it’s possible Baker Mayfield still needs time to get into a rhythm since he’s been on the team for only two months. It’s not crazy to use CMC, but plenty of elite alternatives exist.
Giants Analysis: Saquon Barkley is back. He's projected as the RB3 at both DFS providers, sporting the RB1 value score at DK and tying for the sixth-highest value score at FanDuel. According to our snap counts, Barkley had the highest offensive snap percentage (83%) among running backs in Week 1. Additionally, he was a volume stud.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Barkley was first on the Giants in routes (21). Finally, his stat line was phenomenal. Barkley had 164 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and hauled in six receptions for 30 yards on seven targets, adding a two-point conversion for a tasty cherry on top. So, Barkley has the overall leading scorer on the main slate in his range of outcomes.
Game: New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Spread: CLE -6.5 Points
Over/Under: 39.5 Points
Jets Analysis: The Jets scored only nine points on offense last week and have an implied total of 16.5 points. No thanks.
Browns Analysis: Gang Green's defense was respectable against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in Week 1. Jacoby Brissett is a significantly easier assignment for the Jets' defense. Sure, Nick Chubb rumbled for 141 yards on 22 attempts last week. However, Kareem Hunt scored both of the backfield's touchdowns and ran 22 routes versus 10 for Chubb. Chubb or Hunt can pay off, but they cap the other's upside. I'll let someone else take the plunge.
Finally, Donovan Peoples-Jones was a target sponge, earning 11. However, he parlayed his volume into six receptions for 60 scoreless yards. It's difficult to get excited about looks from Brissett. As a result, I'm wholesale fading this game.
Game: New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
Spread: NE -2.0 Points
Over/Under: 40.5 Points
Patriots Analysis: The Patriots were dreadful in Week 1, scoring only seven points on offense. DeVante Parker was running wind sprints, and Jakobi Meyers had his standard mediocre line, recording four receptions for 55 scoreless yards. Ty Montgomery is on Injured Reserve (IR), removing a back from New England's running-back-by-committee (RBBC) situation. Still, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson are a less exciting version of Cleveland's one-two punch. So, gamers should fade the Patriots.
Steelers Analysis: The Steelers won an ugly game last week, scoring 23 points but producing only one offensive touchdown. Further, the offense had only 267 total yards. Yikes. They're another team on the fade list.
Game: Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens
Spread: BAL -3.5 Points
Over/Under: 44.5 Points
Dolphins Analysis: Unfortunately, Chase Edmonds didn't have a game that jumped out of the box scores in Week 1. However, his underlying information was outstanding. First, he played 63% of Miami's offensive snaps, markedly higher than Raheem Mostert's 42% snap share. Second, he was third on the Dolphins in routes (21), aligning wide once and in the slot twice.
Edmonds is a talented pass-catching back, and he flashed his skills by securing his four targets for 40 yards. Further, according to PFF, he had an Average Depth of Target (aDoT) of 3.8 yards downfield, meaning he wasn't only used on swing passes behind the line of scrimmage.
Edmonds' pass-catching chops are the draw for him in DFS this week. The Ravens allowed 13 receptions on 18 targets for 78 yards to New York's running backs. In addition, per Pro-Football-Reference, the Ravens ceded the seventh-most receiving yards (743) at a blistering 9.5 yards per reception to running backs in 2021.
Spoiler alert, the Bengas' DST will rightfully be the chalk defense this week. However, the Dolphins are an alluring pivot in GPPs at nearly the same salary. They have the second-highest value score among defenses at DK.
Despite his electric playmaking ability, Jackson has been a fantasy-friendly matchup for defenses. According to StatHead, out of 25 quarterbacks with at least 600 pass attempts since 2020, Jackson has had the third-highest sack rate (8.05%) and the second-highest interception rate (2.9%). Additionally, Jackson has struggled against the blitz, and the Dolphins blitz at a high rate. According to Pro-Football-Reference, the Dolphins blitzed at the second-highest rate (39.6%) last season. Meanwhile, Jackson was 35th out of 38 quarterbacks with at least 50 dropbacks blitzed in PFF's passing grade and was 29th out of 39 quarterbacks in 2020.
Finally, left tackle Ronnie Stanley didn't practice on Thursday. If he's out, Miami DST's scoring upside is cathedral-high, as I stated on Twitter.
Ravens Analysis: The numbers I highlighted above for Jackson against the blitz were damming. As a result, fading the Ravens in a bad matchup is smart.
Game: Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Spread: IND -4.0 Points
Over/Under: 45.5 Points
Colts Analysis: It's a two-horse offense for the Colts -- bad pun intended. Jonathan Taylor toted the rock 31 times for 161 yards and a touchdown last week. But, of course, Taylor has shown he can pile up tons of yardage on the ground. So, it's more eye-catching that he had four receptions on seven targets for 14 yards. Moreover, Taylor ran 34 routes on 37 passing snaps compared to only 22 routes on 22 passing snaps for Nyheim Hines. So, Taylor is my prediction for the top-scoring RB in Week 2. The lineup optimizer projects him as the RB2 at DK and the RB1 with the highest value score at the position on FD.
Michael Pittman is also popping in the optimizer, ranking as the WR4 at DK and the WR5 at FD, with the WR2 value score at the former and tying for the WR7 value score at the latter. Pittman was a target hog in Week 1 even with his third different quarterback in as many years in the league. According to Sports Info Solutions (SIS), Pittman is 12th in Intended Air Yards (112) and 21st in Target Share (26.5%). Finally, Jacksonville's secondary allowed the most touchdown receptions (four) to wideouts in Week 1, and Pittman is an appealing big-bodied option in scoring territory, leading the Colts' receivers in targets in the red zone last year with 16.
Sadly, Pittman's health needs to be watched. He was downgraded from a limited participant in Wednesday's practice to not participating on Thursday. As a result, Friday's practice will be telling for his status this weekend. Taylor is the only DFS option for the Colts if Pittman is out. However, Taylor's floor would be lower because of Indy's lack of pass-catching weapons to keep the defense even remotely honest.
Jaguars Analysis: Jacksonville didn't have a flawless Week 1. Nevertheless, they flashed potential and weren't the bumbling mess they were in 2021 with donkey Urban Meyer on the sideline. In Week 1, the Jaguars attempted 42 passes and had only 16 non-QB runs. Second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence left some yards and touchdowns on the field with inaccurate passes, but he still had 275 passing yards. He'll have an opportunity to build on last week's numbers against a defense that allowed Davis Mills to complete 23 of 37 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns to Brandin Cooks and a rag-tag collection of pass-catchers beyond him in Week 1.
Christian Kirk had a splashy Week 1 showing. He was 10th in Target Share (31.6%) and fourth in Intended Air Yards (141), producing six receptions for 117 yards. Further, it was encouraging how Doug Pederson deployed him. Kirk was a field-stretching slot, aligning in the slot for 39 of 46 passing snaps and tallying a 12.9-yard aDoT.
Evan Engram had four receptions for 28 yards on four targets. So, he didn't have a big game. Nonetheless, he was fourth on the Jaguars with 35 routes and used as a chess piece, aligning wide 11 times, inline 15 and in the slot 16 times. O.J. Howard comically barbecued the Colts for 38 yards and two touchdowns on a pair of targets, and Pharaoh Brown and Brevin Jordan chipped in two receptions for 22 yards. As a result, Engram is the best punt at tight end in cash games and a stellar selection in GPPs as a standalone play, stacking partner with Lawrence or bring-back from Taylor or Pittman.
Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Spread: TB -2.5 Points
Over/Under: 44.0 Points
Buccaneers Analysis: Leonard Fournette is a workhorse. He had a 76% snap share in the opener and touched the ball 23 times, rushing for 127 yards and catching both of his targets for 10 yards. Additionally, the matchup might be good. According to Football Outsiders, the Saints were second in rush defense Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) in 2020 and first last year. However, the Falcons gashed them for 201 rushing yards, with Cordarrelle Patterson rushing for 120 yards on 22 attempts. Obviously, they had the rushing threat of Marcus Mariota that the Bucs don't have with Tom Brady. Still, Fournette is a bell-cow on a betting favorite. So, he's the RB6, with the RB3 value score at DK and the RB7 at FD.
Julio Jones is another intriguing piece from the Bucs if his practice absences have been maintenance-related and not for a genuine knee injury. The veteran wideout still has juice.
In addition, his usage in Week 1 was promising. Jones was tied for third on the Bucs in routes (22), running only one less than Mike Evans and Cameron Brate. He also commanded a target on a rock-solid 22.7% of his routes, turning his five targets into three receptions for 69 yards. Additionally, Jones was moved around the formation, used vertically (19.8-yard aDoT) and ran the ball twice for 17 yards. Finally, cornerback Marshon Lattimore has traditionally given Evans fits in coverage. So, Jones might see an uptick in targets if Lattimore is locking down Evans.
Saints Analysis: Everyone can rejoice. YOLO-ball Jameis Winston is back. According to SIS, Winston's 8.6-yard Average Throw Depth last week was tied for the eighth-deepest mark, up from 8.1 yards in 2021. Further, PFF credited him with two big-time throws (tied for second) and one turnover-worthy play. When Winston takes chances, he's a volatile quarterback with an upside tailor-made for GPPs.
Chris Olave is on the table for stacking him with Winston in mind. I don't like him as a standalone option, though. Instead, Michael Thomas is the premier stacking option and a stellar one-off selection. Thomas was tied for the team lead in routes (33) and targets (eight), generating a tasty 24.2% target rate per route run. He hauled in five receptions for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Moreover, he had an 11.5-yard aDoT in Week 1, 1.4 yards deeper than his highest aDoT in his career, catching passes from noodle-armed Drew Brees. As a result, Thomas has big-play potential now with a quarterback willing to chuck it to him deeper.
Finally, Juwan Johnson is my favorite GPP dart at both DFS outlets. He had two receptions for 43 yards on five targets in Week 1, but there was more than his decent box-score numbers to like in last week's data. Johnson's 32 routes were tied for the third-most on the Saints. He was targeted deep (12.4-yard aDoT) and moved around the formation (three passing snaps wide, eight inline and 23 in the slot). Finally, Johnson is a converted receiver with elite measurables for a tight end.
Game: Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions
Spread: DET -1.5 Points
Over/Under: 48.5 Points
Commanders Analysis: This is my favorite game to stack. There's value abound. First, Carson Wentz has the third-highest value score among quarterbacks at DK. Obviously, the book is out on Wentz. He can flash brilliance but will routinely undermine the flashes with bone-headed plays. Last week epitomized the Wentz rollercoaster. He passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns but had two interceptions. Regardless, he led a fantasy-friendly offense and will face a soft defense this week.
Terry McLaurin is Washington's highest-ceiling receiver, despite having only three targets last week. Fortunately, he salvaged his day with two receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, he led the team in routes (42). McLaurin also shines on PFF's wide receiver versus cornerbacks matchup chart, ranking third.
Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson were also active in Week 1, running 36 routes and 40 routes, respectively. In addition, the original "wide-back" with the surname Samuel had four rush attempts for 17 yards and a lost fumble. The rushing work was intriguing. However, it was Samuel's receiving work that was the most exciting. His 10 targets on 36 routes represented a robust 27.8% target per route-run rate. Samuel had eight receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown.
Dotson was also an integral part of the offense. He had only three targets but made the most of them with three receptions for 40 yards and two touchdowns. According to PFF, the rookie had two contested catches on three contested throws and played 13 slot snaps and 34 wide. Some prospect evaluators billed him as a slot-only receiver, despite playing both the slot and wide for Penn State. Clearly, the Commanders also view him as a versatile receiver and not limited to only the slot. Finally, Dotson is a darling in the optimizer. Specifically, Dotson has the highest value score for wideouts at DK.
Lions Analysis: The Amon-Ra St. Brown haters that basically called him a fraud who was a product of Detroit's pass-catchers getting injured last year are as quiet as a mouse this week. ARSB was tied for eighth in Target Share (32.4%) and led the Lions with 12 targets, eight receptions, 64 receiving yards and 1.78 Y/RR, adding a touchdown reception in Week 1. The second-year receiver's showing in Week 1 was more impressive by facing a talented secondary.
ARSB's assignment is dreamy this week. The Washington secondary was torched by Kirk from the slot last week. ARSB isn't used as a field-stretching slot like Kirk, but he should eat this week. The lineup optimizer agrees, ranking him as the WR9 at DK and WR11 at FD.
Jared Goff is a value option at quarterback in a good matchup. Still, he's not just a matchup-driven suggestion. Goff had many ugly games with former offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn calling plays through Detroit's first nine games in 2021. Then, in five games with head coach Dan Campbell calling plays last year, Goff had three stellar games, passing for 296 yards and two touchdowns in Week 13, 216 yards and three touchdowns in Week 15 and 238 yards and two touchdowns in Week 18. New offensive coordinator Ben Johnson made his play-calling debut last week, and Goff had 215 yards and two touchdowns.
It was an underwhelming showing. Still, again, Philadelphia's secondary is talented. Both Johnson in his second game calling plays and Goff in a softer matchup can take a step forward this week. Finally, the betting info is encouraging, with an over/under a hair under 50 points and a spread of just 1.5 points.
Game: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: SF -8.5 Points
Over/Under: 41.0 Points
Seahawks Analysis: Congratulations are in order for Geno Smith and the Seahawks spoiling Russell Wilson's return to Seattle. Sadly, that's where the kudos end. The Seahawks ran the fewest plays on offense in 2021. They're the only team with less than 50 offensive plays this year. The Seahawks ran only 49 plays, which doesn't leave much meat on the bones for DFS scoring. They're an easy fade with an ugly implied total of 16.25 points.
49ers Analysis: The 49ers played in a monsoon last week. So, it's best to take last week's stats with a grain of salt. With that in mind, Brandon Aiyuk was the buzz of the offseason for the 49ers, and he's a stylistic fit with strong-armed Trey Lance. Even in last week's rainy weather, Aiyuk had a 13.0-yard aDoT. Aiyuk was also first on the team in routes (35), and he could be atop the pass-catching pecking order if Deebo Samuel soaks up more running back snaps in the wake of Elijah Mitchell landing on IR with a knee injury.
George Kittle was out last week with a groin injury and hasn't practiced this week. So, Aiyuk is suggested in anticipation of Kittle missing this game. If Kittle is active, I suggest entirely avoiding the 49ers. Finally, the weather is critical to monitor with rain in the forecast.
Game: Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams
Spread: LAR -10.0 Points
Over/Under: 46.5 Points
Falcons Analysis: Atlanta's offense was fun, and they did some interesting things in Week 1. Unfortunately, they're running into the Rams this week. The Rams vomited all over their cleats in Week 1. Still, they played the Super-Bowl favorite Bills, and they've had a few extra days to lick their wounds since they played on Thursday. Toss in Atlanta's implied total, and the Falcons aren't an enticing DFS option in Week 2.
Rams Analysis: Cooper Kupp is a notable omission. He was the only bright spot for the Rams in Week 1. Kupp had 13 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown on a 36.6% Target Share. Frankly, there's always a case for using Kupp. However, he's too expensive relative to another receiver coming up in the next game preview. As a result, Kupp should be faded, even though it's uncomfortable.
The player to use from the Rams is their surprising workhorse running back. Darrell Henderson had the second-highest snap share (82%) among running backs in Week 1. Despite a losing effort, Henderson had 13 rush attempts for 47 yards and five receptions for 26 yards on five targets. Head coach Sean McVay said the team would use Henderson and Cam Akers before the season, but Akers played only 12 snaps. Could McVay give Akers more snaps this week? Perhaps. However, he has a track record of using a feature back, and Henderson was the feature back in Week 1. Finally, the game script is ideal for Henderson's outlook if the game goes according to the betting spread.
Game: Arizona Cardinals at Las Vegas Raiders
Spread: LV -5.5 Points
Over/Under: 51.5 Points
Cardinals Analysis: Greg Dortch is a punt or bring-back on DK and only a bring-back on FD. Rondale Moore hasn't practiced, setting the stage for Dortch to patrol the slot again this week. Dortch was tied for the most routes (42) on the Cardinals last week, playing 36 in the slot. He also led the Cards in targets (nine), receptions (seven) and receiving yards (63). Dortch can play a big role again this week against a defense that yielded three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown to DeAndre Carter on only 14 routes last week.
Raiders Analysis: Derek Carr and Davante Adams are my favorite stack this week. Carr's the QB5 at both sites with the top value score at each DFS outlet. Additionally, he has the highest overall value score at FD and the second-highest one at DK. PFF ranked Arizona's secondary 27th before the year, and Patrick Mahomes lit them up in Week 1. Carr won't be confused for Mahomes, but he can also barbecue Arizona's secondary.
Meanwhile, Adams was a beast in his debut for the Raiders. Adams led the NFL in Target Share (48.3%) and Intended Air Yards (187) last week. This week, he's atop PFF's wide receivers versus cornerbacks matchup chart. A.J. Brown was at the top of the heap last week and exploded. Adams can do the same this week. The optimizer has him as the WR2 in Week 2 at both DFS providers, with the WR2 value score at FD. He's my most-rostered receiver, and it's a no-brainer taking the discount to spin down from Kupp to Adams.
Even with Adams shining, Darren Waller still had a prominent role in the offense last week. The athletically-gifted tight end had four receptions for 79 yards, earning a target on a rock-solid 17.1% of his routes. Waller is projected as the TE2 at DK and FD. So, if you're committing cap resources to the position, Waller is the best premium tight end. Moreover, he's an excellent choice for double-stacking with Carr.
Game: Houston Texans at Denver Broncos
Spread: DEN -10.0 Points
Over/Under: 45.0 Points
Texans Analysis: Brandin Cooks has a legitimate case for roster consideration. He was seventh in Target Share (33.3%) and second in Intended Air Yards (150) in Week 1. Sadly, tantalizing underlying stats resulted in a good but not great seven receptions for 82 scoreless yards. And since the Texans have an implied total of just 17.5 points, the betting info isn't encouraging for his touchdown potential. As a result, I'm gravitating toward other receivers near his salary.
Broncos Analysis: The Broncos won't continue to put on a clinic on how to fail in the red zone. Nevertheless, their inability to score touchdowns from the red zone in Week 1 was high comedy. Furthermore, the 10-point spread favoring the Broncos doesn't portend well for Russell Wilson airing it out from start to finish if the game goes according to plan. Thus, Wilson and the receiver duo of Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy might have to cram their scoring into the beginning of the game. Additionally, Matt Harmon of Reception Perception and Yahoo! wasn't especially complimentary of Sutton's tape from Week 1.
The spread is good for Denver's running backs. Unfortunately, Melvin Gordon had 12 rushes in Week 1, and Javonte Williams had seven. They both lost a fumble at the goal line. So, it's unclear if one is ahead of the other for goal-line duty.
Williams had two notable advantages over his veteran teammate. He played 58% of snaps compared to 41% for Gordon, and Williams ran 28 routes versus 13 for the veteran. Williams was also busy as a receiver, reeling in 11 of 12 targets for 65 yards. The second-year back has a desirable ceiling and is a defensible pick. However, I'm ultimately inclined to use the running backs featured in this piece instead of Williams because of Gordon's presence lurking in the shadows and as a possible touchdown vulture.
Game: Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
Spread: CIN -7.5 Points
Over/Under: 41.5 Points
Bengals Analysis: Joe Burrow will have better days than his five-interception 2022 season debut. Still, he might not be needed much against the injury-ravaged Cowboys. Instead, this is a Joe Mixon game. Mixon inefficiently rushed for 82 yards on 27 carries last week, but he'll face a defense that was ripped for 127 rushing yards at 6.05 yards per carry by Fournette in Week 1.
Yet, I'm burying the lede for Mixon. He ran 38 routes versus only 21 for Samaje Perine in Week 1. Mixon took advantage of the increased role in the passing game, catching seven of eight targets for 63 yards. Mixon's ceiling is remarkably high if he continues to have a substantial role in the passing game. Nevertheless, he should do enough on the ground in a game the Bengals should control from start to finish to pay off at his salary.
Finally, the Bengals' DST is the biggest value among all positions at DK and has the biggest value score for defenses at FD. They might be the chalkiest selection at any position on both sites this week against backup quarterback Cooper Rush and Dallas's depleted offensive line. Still, they're a no-brainer pick in cash games and an excellent pick in tournaments.
Cowboys Analysis: Rush is starting for an inured Dak Prescott behind a shaky offensive line with limited playmakers. It's a recipe for disaster for Dallas's offense. Sometimes, there's a case for being contrarian. However, there's being contrarian, and there's lighting your money on fire. Using players from the Cowboys in DFS is the latter.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
