If you counted Sammy Watkins, Austin Ekeler, DeSean Jackson, John Ross III, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Marquise Brown, Evan Engram or Case Keenum among your NFL DFS picks last week, chances are you made a nice chunk of change playing on DraftKings or FanDuel. While certain chalky guys (Dalvin Cook in particular) dominated the pre-kickoff conversation, all of the aforementioned players (with the exception of Ekeler and Engram) were very low-owned across the largest daily fantasy football tournaments. Looking ahead to Week 2, let's try to identify some sneaky value sleepers for an edge on the field.
Before we get into this week's values, we should remind you this analysis is provided by the experts at RotoQL. Find out why 100,000 DFS players trust RotoQL to build lineups. Optimize, find value plays and increase your chances of cashing today!
WEEK 2 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
NFL DFS Picks Week 2: QB sleepers, values
Josh Allen, Bills @ Giants (DK: $5,300 | FD: $7,500)
Allen possesses exactly what is appealing in a DFS quarterback: Tournament-winning upside due to his dual-threat ability. The face of the Bills should benefit from a matchup against the Giants in Week 2. The G-Men allowed Dak Prescott to go 25-for-32 for 405 yards and four passing touchdowns in Week 1.
Unfortunately for Allen (but luckily for DFS tournament players), he struggled at times in his season opener, going 24-for-37 for 254 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions while adding 38 rushing yards and a TD on 10 carries against the Jets. He also lost two fumbles. Week 2 should be the perfect recipe for a breakout performance at lower-than-usual ownership.
More QB values: Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers @ Bengals), Andy Dalton (Bengals vs. 49ers), Marcus Mariota (Titans vs. Colts)
WEEK 2 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 2 DraftKings, FanDuel Picks: RB sleepers, values
Raheem Mostert, 49ers @ Bengals (DK: $3,800 | FD: $5,600)
With Tevin Coleman (ankle) already ruled out for the 49ers’ Week 2 tilt against the Bengals, Mostert will move up the depth chart and man the No. 2 running back spot behind Matt Breida. However, in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, the running back with the hot hand usually receives the largest number of carries.
In Week 1 against the Buccaneers as a third-stringer, Mostert carried the ball nine times for 40 yards. With game-breaking speed, Mostert is a talented deep sleeper who could have even more appeal considering Breida’s proven volatility throughout his career (both in terms of production and health).
MORE DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup builder
Chris Thompson, Redskins vs. Cowboys (DK: $3,900 | FD: $5,300)
As expected, Thompson was heavily involved in Washington’s passing game in Week 1 against the Eagles. He caught seven of 10 targets for 68 yards and rushed three times for 10 additional yards in the defeat. Now with Derrius Guice (knee) sidelined for Week 2, Adrian Peterson is presumed to be active, but Jay Gruden might not be as high on him since he was a healthy scratch in Week 1.
It’s possible that Thompson sees an increased snap count, including more carries in Week 2 against the Cowboys. Since the Cowboys are favored and looked explosive in Week 1, the game script could work in Thompson’s favor, as well. If Washington is playing from behind, he could easily rack up double-digit targets again, which is a massive value at his price point across the industry.
More RB values: Devin Singletary (Bills @ Giants), Tarik Cohen (Bears @ Broncos), Kenyan Drake (Dolphins vs. Patriots)
Week 2 DFS: FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | DK GPP | Y! Cash | Y! GPP
FanDuel, DraftKings Picks Week 2: WR sleepers, values
Cody Latimer, Giants vs. Bills (DK: $3,700 | FD: $5,500)
With Sterling Shepard (concussion) questionable for the Giants’ Week 2 matchup against the Bills, Cody Latimer, who had a team-high 74 receiving yards in Week 1, is an exceptional value across the industry. While Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley will be the focal points of a concentrated offense, Latimer will likely see a noticeable target jump along with Bennie Fowler. To this point, Latimer has flashed the most potential alongside Eli Manning and company, and rostering him allows you to pay up in many other spots.
AJ Brown, Titans vs. Colts (DK: $4,000 | FD: $5,400)
Brown caught four passes for 100 yards in Week 1 and led the Titans in receiving during their blowout victory over the Browns. It’s worth noting that he caught a 51-yard pass, which is a positive sign considering that Marcus Mariota hasn’t had a reliable big-play threat during his NFL career. It’s also worth noting that the Titans blew the lid off of the Browns in the second half, thus decreasing the need to pass down the stretch. Up next is a matchup against the Colts, who allowed 30 points to the Chargers without Melvin Gordon in Week 1. Since the Titans and Mariota want to prove that they finally turned the corner, expect Mariota to look Brown’s way quite a bit on Sunday.
More WR values: John Ross III (Bengals vs. 49ers), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos vs. Bears), Ted Ginn Jr. (Saints @ Rams), DK Metcalf (Seahawks @ Steelers)
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Week 2 NFL DFS Picks: TE sleepers, values
C.J. Uzomah, Bengals vs. 49ers (DK: $2,800 | FD: $4,800)
Ready for the sub-one percent-owned play? Here it is. In Week 1 against the Seahawks, Uzomah played 54 snaps compared to Tyler Eifert’s 38. Uzomah caught four passes on five targets for 66 yards in that game and was involved in many dual tight end sets. Since A.J. Green (ankle) will remain out this week, Andy Dalton has a limited number of reliable receivers to throw the ball to. Further, as shown in Week 1, the 49ers have a newfound ability to pressure the quarterback due to their revitalized pass rush. That could force Dalton into short, high-percentage throws, which makes Uzomah appealing.
More TE values: T.J. Hockenson (Lions vs. Chargers), Delanie Walker (Titans vs. Colts), Vernon Davis (Redskins vs. Cowboys)
Week 2 NFL DFS values: D/ST sleepers
Houston Texans vs. Jaguars (DK: $2,800 | FD: $4,800)
Nick Foles (clavicle) put a wrench in the Jaguars’ plans with his Week 1 injury, but Gardner Minshew II showed some promising signs in relief despite the team’s loss to the Chiefs. However, there’s a reason why Jacksonville gave away a fifth-round draft pick in exchange for Josh Dobbs in a Monday trade. Based on his electrifying play on Sunday, Minshew might garner some solid interest in DFS tournaments, but rostering the Texans defense against him could be a solid leverage play.
Romeo Crennel will likely ask his defense to stack the box in an effort to limit Leonard Fournette, therefore forcing Minshew to beat him with his arm. As seen many times in the past, earning an unexpected starting gig can have a negative psychological impact on a young player, and unlike the Chiefs, the Texans will have a full week to gameplan against him. After a brutal last-second loss to the Saints, expect the Texans to be fired up in their home opener.
More D/ST values: 49ers (@ Bengals), Colts (@ Titans)