Uncertainty was the name of the game in the season's opening week, as we were forced to make our NFL DFS picks based largely on performances from last season. That's still mostly the case in Week 2, but we do have some data points to go on. The opening slate is often an outlier, but to ignore it completely would be bad business. We have to trust our eyes to some degree when putting together our Week 2 FanDuel lineups.
Some of Week 1's standouts crack our Week 2 lineup. We are once again afforded the $60,000 budget to work with, something we used entirely this time around. So, while we might not have any leftover fake money to buy a fall drink from Starbucks, we might own our own franchise by the time the main slate wraps up.
Before we break down our picks and strategy, here are the most notable scoring rules for FanDuel contests: four-point passing TDs and half-point PPR.
MORE WEEK 2 DFS: DraftKings lineup
FanDuel Picks Week 2: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Sunday main slate, $60,000 budget
QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($8,200). Herbert hasn't skipped a beat, and if there's one thing we know for certain, he is not the problem in Los Angeles. It's the defense, but that's a good thing for our purposes, even if it hurts the Chargers' chances of winning this season. Herbert has to throw and has to put points on the scoreboard every week. That is likely to be true even against what was a terrible Titans' offense in Week 1. Herbert proved to be efficient in his first game in Kellen Moore's offense, completing 69.7 percent of passes for 228 yards and a touchdown. Pedestrian numbers for Herbert, but Derek Carr completed 23-of-33 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee last weekend. New Orleans was able to torch Tennessee through the air but couldn't capitalize. Herbert will as he leads our lineup into battle.
RB Saquon Barkley, Giants ($8,800). NFL teams have put up plenty of clunkers over the years, but the Giants debacle on Sunday might've been among the most impressive. For a team with great expectations, they didn't bother to show up in the rain at MetLife Stadium and were routed, 40-0. The good news is that they go from a team that could be first to arguably the worst, the Cardinals. Arizona gave up just under 100 yards rushing on Sunday in Washington, but allowed Sam Howell to get a touchdown on the ground and the running back, Brian Robinson to score one through the air. The Giants have to rely on Barkley to be successful and can't afford a 0-2 start with a Thursday night matchup looming in San Francisco.
RB David Montgomery, Lions ($6,300). The Lions indicated that rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs would be used in ways we wouldn't think. Turns out, that was by keeping him glued to the bench. In turn, Montgomery was the beneficiary in Week 1, carrying the ball 21 times for 74 yards and a touchdown. Against the Seahawks in Week 2, he should have the chance to find the end zone again. Seattle surrendered three rushing touchdowns in the opener against a below-average Rams' rushing attack. Now they have to deal with Detroit, who has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Lions are committed to running the ball, and that will likely mean plenty of work for Montgomery again as they ease Gibbs into the NFL.
WR Calvin Ridley, Jaguars ($8,300). Many were curious to see what Ridley would do in the opener after over a year away from the league. He looked like he didn't miss a beat in his Jaguars debut, accounting for 11 targets and hauling in eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Now he'll get to face a Chiefs defense that was susceptible to the big play from Amon-Ra St. Brown in Week 1. As the focal point of Jacksonville's offense, Ridley has become a matchup-proof option and a must-start every week. The ceiling is too high to not buy all the Ridley stock right now.
WEEK 2 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
WR Keenan Allen, Chargers ($7,800). Allen was dominate in Week 1 and is clearly still Herbet's favorite target in the passing game. Against a soft secondary in Tennessee, this matchup is one, at least on paper, that we can't pass up. Factor in that Austin Ekeler is a likely inactive and that means Herbert will probably turn to the air more on Sunday in the Music City. We like his workload and we like his production even more. Stack Allen with Herbert in a matchup they should feast against. And there's no doubt that Nashville has plenty of good food to feast on.
WR Chris Godwin ($6,300). Godwin had a respectable opening week, finishing with five receptions (six targets) for 51 yards. He took a backseat to Mike Evans, but if the big receiver has proven anything during his career, he can be a boom-or-bust option for fantasy purposes. However, Godwin has always maintained consistency. His performance in the opening game with Baker Mayfield is more likely to be the floor than the ceiling. Once Mayfield finds more comfort in Tampa's offense, he will likely find more efficiency. Godwin's reliability is a nice fit for this price ranget.
WEEK 2 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
TE Jake Ferguson, Cowboys ($5,000). The Cowboys' offense didn't light it up against the Giants despite the 40-0 score indicating otherwise. However, Ferguson is the unquestioned TE1 in Dallas, and he led the team with seven targets. Despite that, Ferguson caught just two. But Dak Prescott has always shown a reliance on his tight ends, and with Dalton Schultz no longer at his disposal, Ferguson will have to step up and take on that role. He faces a Jets' defense that is quite stingy, though if there is a weakness, it would be the linebackers that patrol the middle of the field. If Prescott finds success in the passing game, Ferguson will likely play a big role in that. At just $5,000, he checks in as a solid under-the-radar option that should exceed this value.
FLEX WR Puka Nacua, Rams ($5,800). The Rams welcomed in the new Cooper Kupp and his name is Nacua. He was targeted a whopping 15 times in Week 1, bringing in 10 receptions for 119 yards. It remains to be seen if Nacua will maintain that value once Kupp returns, but he won't have that problem this week. The biggest issue will be the 49ers' defense, but facing a divisional opponent should downgrade them a bit. That familiarity between both teams means that the schemes won't surprise either side. Nacua's talent was able to overcome the Seahawks' secondary, and he won't be shut down by San Francisco either.
DEF Houston Texans ($3,400). The Texans' defense is one of the cheaper options in the DFS landscape this week, but we like the value. DeMeco Ryans' team did an admirable job at handling the Ravens on Sunday, holding a potent rushing attack to just 110 yards. The doors fell off in the second half, but Houston totaled four sacks along with an interception and fumble recovery. This week, it gets to face off against a division foe and its inexperienced quarterback, Anthony Richardson. The rookie impressed in the season's opening week, but took a few big hits from the Jaguars' defense, resulting in a bruised knee. These teams know each other well even if the coaching staffs are new, and that suggests a close game. Trust the Texans defense in Week 2 if you're looking for a budget option.
Best SuperDraft NFL DFS Picks for Week 2
This year, we're also listing our favorite single-game DFS plays on SuperDraft.
For those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.
MORE: Win BIG with SuperDraft! Get a free $10 deposit when you use promo code "TSN"!
Here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
MORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft
- QB: Justin Herbert, Chargers (Multiplier 1.2x)
- RB: Aaron Jones, Packers (Multiplier 1.2x)
- RB: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers (Multiplier 1x)
- WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions (Multiplier 1.05x)
- WR: Keenan Allen, Chargers (Multiplier 1.1x)
- WR: Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals (Multiplier 1x)
- TE: Jake Ferguson, Cowboys (Multiplier 1.65x)
- FLEX: Rachaad White, Buccaneers (Multiplier 1.3x)
For the most part, the big stars disappointed in Week 1. However, we expect that to change in Week 2. Without a salary cap, that means we can take a flier on the big names and hope to find some profit among those players. The running backs are both dual-threat and can have big impacts, especially in the passing game, while the receivers are all top options in their offense. If Jones (hamstring) is out, it wouldn't be a bad idea to pivot to AJ Dillon, who should dominate carries.
