NFL Week 2 DFS: Cheap Targets and Pricey Fades on DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football
For the second straight week, the NFL provided a fair bit of late drama and a couple of fantasy surprises on Thursday night.
This week, it was the Philadelphia Eagles escaping with a close victory and D'Andre Swift emerging as a daily fantasy sports (DFS) star. Swift, who saw only two touches in Week 1, was a DFS bargain. With starting running back Kenneth Gainwell (knee) out of the lineup, though, he saw 28 carries and rushed for 175 yards with a touchdown.
Finding value is the name of the game in DFS, and below, you'll find a few potential bargains for the remainder of Week 2. We'll also examine a few pricey options who are too risky to consider.
Get the latest DFS values at DraftKings.
Quarterback
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Target: Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints: $5,400
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was on our radar last week, and while he didn't have an eye-popping performance against the Tennessee Titans, he was serviceable at a bargain price point.
Carr threw for 305 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
This week, Carr will face a Carolina Panthers defense that was inconsistent against the pass a year ago—22nd in yards allowed, 21st in yards per attempt allowed—and just lost star corner Jaycee Horn to a hamstring injury.
"It's a tough deal, obviously," Titans defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said, per Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire.
Carr should have another solid outing, and he's inexpensive enough to roster with several elite skill players in the same lineup.
Fade: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: $6,600
We were against playing Josh Allen in last week's matchup against the New York Jets because of his potential for turnovers. He finished with four of them.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could have similar struggles against a Jets team that is without Aaron Rodgers but still with an elite defense.
Prescott didn't look particularly great against the New York Giants in Week 1, even if the Cowboys did. He finished 13-of-24 for 143 yards with no touchdowns and six rushing yards. Against Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams and the Jets' D, his numbers might not be markedly better.
The Cowboys have their own potent defense, and they're likely to lean on that, Tony Pollard and the ground game against New York. With turnover potential present, Prescott is worth fading at this price point.
Running Back
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Target: Kenneth Walker III: $5,800
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III finished with four receptions but only 67 scrimmage yards and no touchdowns during Seattle's Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Walker's lack of overall production has kept his DFS value relatively low, but here's the rub. Walker was actually quite effective against Los Angeles, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Seattle simply refused to lean on him.
That should change against a surging Detroit Lions team that has a potent pass-rusher in Aidan Hutchinson and an explosive offense that the Seahawks will want to keep off the field. If the Seahawks hope to avoid an 0-2 start, they need to lean on Walker and the ground game here.
Walker should get enough opportunities to approach 100 yards in Week 2, with a few receptions and a possible score in the mix.
Fade: Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals: $6,500
After watching Joe Burrow flounder against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, the Cincinnati Bengals should also be looking to lean on their ground game in Week 2. However, I have little faith that Zac Taylor will actually give Joe Mixon the workload he needs to justify his price point.
Mixon averaged a solid 4.3 yards per carry in a close game against Cleveland. However, he received only 13 carries and finished with 73 scrimmage yards.
While Mixon has some point-per-reception (PPR) value, I'd expect Taylor to try establishing chemistry between Burrow and his receivers against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore will be without cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot) and safety Marcus Williams (pectoral), so Burrow may have opportunities to open things up.
The Ravens have a strong defensive front and ranked third in rushing yards allowed last season. Cincinnati should look to establish the run and ease Burrow into a rhythm, but it probably won't.
Wide Receiver
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Target: Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams: $4,700
Managers looking for a bargain in the flex spot should consider Rams receiver Tutu Atwell. He was a big focal point of the passing attack in Week 1, with Cooper Kupp (hamstring) still sidelined.
Atwell finished with six receptions for 119 yards. He was out-paced by rookie Puka Nacua (10 catches, 119 yards), but Nacua has been dealing with an oblique injury and is considered questionable.
If Nacua isn't at 100 percent, Matthew Stafford could send even more passes in Atwell's direction. The matchup against the San Francisco 49ers and their vaunted defense is a dicey one, but there's a solid PPR floor here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers got embarrassed in a 30-7 blowout by the 49ers in Week 1, but three different Steelers receivers still caught at least five passes. Atwell should do the same.
Fade: Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars: $7,200
Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Calvin Ridley will have some great DFS games this season, but I'm skeptical of his price point in this matchup.
Ridley is coming off an eight-catch, 101-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Indianapolis Colts. However, he'll have a tougher time against the Kansas City Chiefs and cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and L'Jarius Snead.
Jacksonville may also make Christian Kirk the focal point of the passing attack against Kansas City.
"Christian thrives against man-defense," Pederson said, via Mia O'Brien of 1010XL. "He'll get his chances."
Managers looking for receivers in the $7-8K range should look elsewhere this week.
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Tight End
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Target: Hayden Hurst, Carolina Panthers: $3,400
With Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews both likely to be back in action this week, managers may not be searching for a bargain at the tight end position.
Those that are, however, should take a look at Carolina Panthers pass-catcher Hayden Hurst. The veteran tight end proved to have some chemistry with rookie quarterback Bryce Young on Sunday and finished with five receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Against a solid Saints team, the Panthers could be playing catch-up in Week 2, and if that's the case, expect Young to target Hurst early and often.
There's a solid PPR floor here, and Hurst has the potential to out-produce several second-tier tight ends in DFS this week.
Fade: Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears: $4,400
Cole Kmet is one of those second-tier tight ends who might not be worth the price this week. He caught five passes for 44 yards in the Chicago Bears season-opener but he accounted for just seven of Chicago's 36 targets.
With players like Roschon Johnson, D.J. Moore and a healthy Darnell Mooney in the mix, Kmet is no longer Justin Fields' only option.
This makes Kmet more reliant on big plays for DFS value, and he may not find those against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. Tampa surrendered eight receptions to Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson in Week 1, but Hockenson finished with only 35 yards.
Kmet isn't likely to see a similar volume, so I'm fading him at a top-10 positional price point.
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