DraftKings NFL: Week 2 DFS Breakdown

This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.

Sunday's Week 2 slate on DraftKings features 12 games, and it's another slate where only one of the matchups has a total higher than 50. Thus, the Chiefs-Jaguars game will be a popular option for stacks. There are couple of important injury situations to monitor, specifically the status of Austin Ekeler, DeAndre Hopkins and a couple Packers. Other than that the slate is wide open with little in the way obvious chalk. 

In general, Week 2 is a good week to do things differently than the field as people will overreact to what happened in Week 1. That works perfectly for tournaments where differentiating is the name of the game. As always, my best advice is to fade some of the chalk and look for leverage to vault you to the top. Hopefully, there are a few good ideas in this article. Good Luck.

Note: All prices listed come from DraftKings, but most of the logic can be applied to other sites across the DFS industry. Discussion is limited to players from the "main slate" of games kicking off at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. EDT on Sunday. The strategy below is meant for large-field tournaments, where payouts typically are limited to ~20 percent of lineups, with the majority concentrated at the very top.

Games

Point-Per-Dollar Value

These are the players with the best projections relative to their salaries — good plays both for cash games and large-field tournaments. While we don't want our GPP lineups to look like cash-game lineups top to bottom, there's nothing wrong with using a few chalky plays. 

• RB David Montgomery vs. SEA ($5,800)

When evaluating RBs, I like to look for mismatches in the trenches. By most metrics, the Lions have a top-3 offensive line, while the Seahawks have a bottom-5 defensive line. Montgomery racked up 21 carries last week and that has him projecting among the best cheap value at RB. It's worth nothing that standout rookie Jahmyr Gibbs ($6,300) is expected to see more work as the season progresses. We could even see that on Sunday, which tempers my interest in Montgomery some for GPPs but he looks good for cash-games regardless. Rachaad White ($5,500) projects similarly in that range, mostly due to matchup and a game script that's likely to be running back friendly. I never mind rostering a team's starting RB at home against the Bears, who are weak on the defensive line. White played 76 percent of snaps and had 19 touches last week. If Austin Ekeler is out, I'd rank Joshua Kelley ($5,000) above Montgomery and White based primarily on price.

• WR Puka Nacua vs. SF ($4,900)

Nacua was the story of Week 1 after drawing a whopping 15 targets and catching 10 for 119 yards. He passed the eye test too, making you wonder how he slipped to the fifth round of this year's draft. Many were worried about Matthew Stafford sans Cooper Kupp, but he made some great throws while shredding the Seahawks for 334 yards. The 49ers' defense presents a stiffer test, but the likely game script of the Rams playing from behind sets up well for the passing game. 

Other Cash-Game Options

QB Josh Allen vs. LV ($7,800)

QB Anthony Richardson at HOU ($6,300)

QB Daniel Jones at ARI ($6,000)

QB Geno Smith at DET ($5,900).

QB Brock Purdy at LAR ($5,700)

RB Christian McCaffrey at LAR ($8,900)

RB Tony Pollard vs. DAL ($7,500)

RB Joe Mixon vs. BAL ($6,500)

RB James Conner vs. NYG ($6,200)

RB James Cook vs. BUF ($6,100)

RB AJ Dillon at ATL ($5,900), if Aaron Jones is out

RB David Montgomery vs. SEA ($5,800)

RB Rachaad White vs. CHI ($5,500)

RB Joshua Kelley at TEN ($5,000), if Austin Ekeler is out

WR Stefon Diggs vs. LV ($8,000)

WR Ja'Marr Chase vs. BAL ($7,900)

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. SEA ($7,800)

WR Davante Adams at BUF ($7,600)

WR Calvin Ridley vs. KC ($7,200)

WR Deebo Samuel at LAR ($5,600)

WR Puka Nacua at SF ($4,900)

WR Josh Reynolds vs. SEA ($3,700)

TE Travis Kelce at JAX ($7,600)

TE Zach Ertz vs. NYG ($3,500)

TE Luke Musgrave at ATL ($3,200)

D/ST Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. CHI ($3,200)

D/ST Arizona Cardinals vs. NYG ($2,600)

Passing-Game Stacks

Stacks are the centerpiece of most tournament lineups, seeking to take advantage of positive correlations between players. It rarely makes sense to use a quarterback without one or two of his pass catchers, even if the player in question scores a decent portion of his fantasy points with his legs. Ideally, a stack also includes a pass catcher from the other side of the game, hoping to take advantage of a back-and-forth shootout. (Implied team totals are listed in parentheses.)

Kansas City Chiefs (27.25) at Jacksonville Jaguars (23.75)

Similar to last week's Chargers-Dolphins game, this is the only matchup on the slate with a total above 50, which means it will be a popular target for game stacks. I wouldn't let that keep me off it, however, as there are more than enough ways to get exposure while differentiating. 

CHIEFS

Big news is the expected return of Travis Kelce ($7,600), who missed the opener with a bruised knee. The Chiefs' passing game really struggled in his absence, and you have to imagine Patrick Mahomes ($8,300) will look to get him involved early and often — especially considering how bad some of his WRs looked. Kadarius Toney ($4,600) led the group in targets with five but he dropped four. Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($4,500) caught both of his targets for 48 yards while Skyy Moore ($4,100) was held without a catch. It's hard to believe that all three could fail with Kelce out, but they were that disappointing. Rashee Rice ($3,800) was the best of the bunch, but he's still a low-volume role player. The Chiefs used all three of their RBs in a committee last week and until something changes, I have no interest in rostering any of them. For me, Kelce is the clear priority if I'm stacking Mahomes. I don't think it's necessary to pair him with a WR but any would provide some leverage if you wanted to. 

JAGUARS

I have more interest in the Jacksonville side of this game. One reason being that Trevor Lawrence (6,700) is $1,600 cheaper than Mahomes. He also has himself a bonafide No. 1 WR in Calvin Ridley ($7,200), who impressed with eight catches for 101 yards and a TD in his Jaguars debut. Christian Kirk ($5,100) operated in the slot but found himself on the sidelines when the Jags ran two-tight end sets as Zay Jones ($4,700) operated as the No. 2 WR. The result of that was Kirk catching only pass for nine yards while Jones caught five of seven targets, including a spectacular TD grab. Their respective popularity this week will reflect that, making Kirk a decent leverage option in larger-field GPPs. Evan Engram ($4,800) would make sense in those contests too as he won't be very popular. Some were down on Travis Etienne ($6,900) coming into the season but he's clearly the top RB after out-touching Tank Bigsby ($4,700) 23 to seven. Etienne looked good and it was encouraging to see him catch five passes after he wasn't much involved in the passing-game last season. He makes for a nice runback in Mahomes-Kelce stacks and can even be paired with Lawrence in Jags stacks. 

• Favorite Chiefs Stack: QB Mahomes + TE Kelce + WR Ridley and/or RB Etienne
• Favorite Jaguars Stack: QB Lawrence + WR Ridley + WR Jones + TE Kelce

Seattle Seahawks (20.75) at Detroit Lions (26.25)

Recent history suggests that this could be the game where we see the most snaps, which is always appealing when evaluating stack options. In the last three seasons, no team has allowed more opponent snaps than the Seahawks. They gave up the second-most last season and the most in 2021 and 2022. Combine that with the fact that Lions games produced the league's most points last season, with the dome in Ford Field especially friendly for shootouts. Obviously this is a new year, but not much seems to have changed for either team, making this an appealing matchup to game stack.

SEAHAWKS

No team allowed more fantasy points to QBs last season than the Lions and Geno Smith's ($5,900) price tag seems a little too cheap after disappointing last week. When I roster Smith, it's always a priority to pair him with DK Metcalf ($7,000). The main reason this week is that he won't be too popular. I count five WRs priced above him who will carry significantly higher rostership. Tyler Lockett ($6,100) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($4,500) won't be popular either, which means that stacking Smith with two of his WRs provides all the necessary leverage to win a tournament. In other words, if you're stacking this game, it's fine to play your favorite chalk at the other positions. Kenneth Walker ($5,800) also seems a bit too cheap, given his big-play ability and ceiling potential. He won't be overly popular either and makes for a good runback option if stacking Goff and St. Brown.  

LIONS

This is great spot for Jared Goff ($6,200), who thrived at home last season posting a 109.3 passer rating. Detroit played Seattle in Week 4 last year and Goff lit them up for 378 yards and four TDs. And that was with Amon-Ra St. Brown ($7,800) out injured. Few like to roster Goff and despite the favorable matchup, he won't too popular on this slate either. If I'm rostering him, it's mandatory to pair him with St. Brown, who started off the season well with six catches for 71 yards and a TD in last week's upset of the Chiefs. Double-stacks look appealing with Josh Reynolds ($3,700) and Sam LaPorta ($3,900) standing out as some of the best cheap value at their positions. David Montgomery ($5,800) projects well too after 21 carries and TD in Week 1. I wouldn't pair him with Goff, but he makes for a nice runback option in Seattle stacks. 

• Favorite Seahawks Stack: QB Smith + WR Metcalf + WR St. Brown +/- WR Smith-Njigba
• Favorite Lions Stack: QB Goff + RB Walker + WR St. Brown + TE LaPorta or WR Reynolds

Other Stacks to Consider

QB Josh Allen + RB Josh Jacobs + WR Stefon Diggs + WR Gabe Davis or TE Dalton Kincaid

QB Josh Allen + WR Davante Adams + WR Stefon Diggs + TE Dalton Kincaid/TE Dawson Knox

QB Lamar Jackson + WR Zay Flowers + WR Ja'Marr Chase or WR Tee Higgins

QB Justin Herbert + RB Derrick Henry + WR Keenan Allen and/or WR Mike Williams 

QB Joe Burrow + WR Zay Flowers + WR Ja'Marr Chase +/- WR Tee Higgins

QB Anthony Richardson + WR Nico Collins or RB Dameon Pierce + WR Michael Pittman

QB Daniel Jones + RB James Conner + TE Darren Waller 

QB Brock Purdy + WR Puka Nacua + WR Deebo Samuel/WR Brandon Aiyuk +/- TE George Kittle

High-Priced Heroes

As much as you can predict this stuff on Friday morning, Stefon Diggs ($8,000), Ja'Marr Chase ($7,900), Amon-Ra St. Brown ($7,800), Davante Adams ($7,600) and Calvin Ridley ($7,200) and expected to be five of the seven most popular WRs on the slate, roughly. That's to say there's no edge from a rostership standpoint. They're all great options and priced similarly enough. Any can break the slate and it won't shock anybody. Because of that, I'll highlight some of the other positions. 

• QB Josh Allen vs. LV ($7,800)

Allen stands out among the top QBs in that he has the highest floor and ceiling of the bunch. Much of that is due to his rushing upside and the favorable home matchup against the Raiders. This sets up as a clear bounce back spot for Allen after struggling against a tough Jets defense on Monday night. I'm leaning toward rostering him in cash games, and I have interest in stacking the Bills in tournaments as well. 

• TE Travis Kelce at JAX ($7,600)

You wouldn't be surprised if Kelce makes up for his Week 1 absence with a monster game here against the Jags. Especially with the Chiefs coming off a loss and the WRs struggling so notably. While Kelce will be relatively popular, it won't get out of hand as people generally don't like to spend up at the TE position, especially with so many WRs in good spots. If I'm stacking this game, Kelce seems like a must.  

Fading the Field

Every week we see at least one or two players who are popular without the backing of a top point-per-dollar projection. In some cases it even makes sense to fade a player with a strong projection, particularly when there are good alternatives at the same position and price range

• RB Christian McCaffrey at LAR ($8,900)

Fading McCaffrey has nothing to do with him as a player. He's the best running back in the league and this looks like a pretty good spot for him and the 49ers as seven-point road favorites against the Rams. There are a few reasons why I think it makes sense to fade him in GPPs. He's going to be one of most popular RBs on the slate and he's very expensive. I'd rather roster some cheaper, less popular players at RB so I can afford to spend up WR, where there are multiple players who are cheaper and have comparable ceilings to McCaffrey. Of note, I've faded him before these spots and he's went off for 30-plus fantasy points. That's the risk you take with someone so talented. 

The Smash Spot

(Players in favorable spots to significantly outperform their salary.)

• WR Deebo Samuel at LAR ($5,600)

I plan on getting exposure to the 49ers through their passing game, namely in Samuel. It was Brandon Aiyuk ($5,800) who exploded in Week 1 with 129 yards and two scores. This week it could be Deebo, who coach Kyle Shanahan has stated will be a bigger part of the game plan this season. He's a player that always carries multiple-touchdown upside based on raw ability alone and he's priced cheaper than we're used to seeing. 

Honorable Mentions: QB Jared Goff ($6,200); RB James Cook ($6,100); WR Treylon Burks ($4,500), if Hopkins is out; TE Chigoziem Okonkwo ($3,300), if Hopkins is out

The Bargain Bin

QB Geno Smith at DET ($5,900)

QB Brock Purdy at LAR ($5,700)

QB Baker Mayfield vs. CHI ($5,100)

QB Ryan Tannehill vs. LAC ($5,000)

RB Dameon Pierce vs. IND ($5,600)

RB Javonte Williams vs. WAS ($5,600)

RB Rachaad White vs. CHI ($5,500)

RB Brian Robinson at DEN ($5,200)

RB Joshua Kelley at TEN ($5,000)

WR Puka Nacua at SF ($4,900)

WR Nico Collins vs. IND ($4,800)

WR Tutu Atwell at SF ($4,700)

WR Treylon Burks vs. LAC ($4,500)

WR Van Jefferson vs. SF ($4,300)

WR Josh Reynolds vs. SEA ($3,700)

WR Jayden Reed at ATL ($3,400)

TE Sam LaPorta  vs. SEA ($3,900)

TE Zach Ertz vs. NYG ($3,500)

TE Chigoziem Okonkwo vs. LAC ($3,300)

TE Dalton Kincaid vs. LV ($3,300)

TE Luke Musgrave at ATL ($3,200)

TE Dawson Knox vs. LV ($3,100)

TE Adam Trautman vs. WAS ($3,000)

Injuries to Monitor 

• RB Austin Ekeler at TEN

The most significant news as of Friday afternoon is the status of Ekeler, who's doubtful with a sprained ankle. If he were to miss, Joshua Kelley ($5,000) becomes the top value at RB and I'd expect him to be the most popular too. Good reasons to roster him in cash games. 

• WR DeAndre Hopkins vs. LAC

The Hopkins news is important to monitor because it significantly impacts two players, Treylon Burks ($4,500) and Chigoziem Okonkwo ($3,300). Both of whom would become viable cash-game options if Hopkins misses. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine ($3,300) would also get a bump and make for an intrigueing GPP option after drawing seven targets in Week 1. 

• RB Aaron Jones and WR Christian Watson at ATL

Jones and Watson are both dealing with hamstring injuries and listed as questionable. If Jones misses, AJ Dillon ($5,900) becomes a viable tournament. Watson missed Week 1 and we saw Jayden Reed and Luke Musgrove benefit. If Watson ends up playing, I'd likely move off of Musgrave in cash games.

Weather

The only weather somewhat noteworthy is in Tampa Bay, where there's a decent chance for rain. Nobody is really on the passing games in that matchup anyway, but it might be a boost to the running games. As usual with weather, it's too early to tell Friday when this article is posted.