This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
Before jumping in headfirst into the whirlwind of fun that is Yahoo DFS football, be sure to differentiate from the variety of games offered. Since Head-to-Heads, 50/50s and Double Ups pay nearly half of entrants, your best bet to cashing is to target players with higher floors. Think heavily-targeted number one WRs, RBs who get the bulk of a team's carries and upper echelon QBs in match-ups with a tight Vegas point spread and a high total.
Tournaments / Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs) require a bit more of your inner contrarian – target offensive players with higher ceilings in advantageous matchups. Huge point totals can come from the most unpredictable of places – the most obvious plays are not always the right ones. Though previous week's performances should be noted, each new week of action should be considered its own season. Don't chase last week's stats!
H2Hs, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS
Quarterback
Drew Brees (NO, $43) - The Saints will be chomping at the bit this Sunday, looking to bounce back in the home opener against a Bucs squad that was ravaged by rookie QB Marcus Mariota in Week 1. Home is definitely where Brees' heart is – he's posted a 69:20 TD:INT ratio in the Superdome over the last three years, compared to 46:28 on the road. The Bucs kept both intradivisional games close last year, losing in overtime in Week 5 and by three points in the season finale. Brees was picked six times in those outings but averaged 326 passing yards, which helped salvage his fantasy numbers. This rivalry bodes well for a closer game than it may appear on paper, despite being the biggest point spread of Week 2 (Saints by 10), but expect that spread to dip towards the Bucs side with WR Mike Evans expected to make his season debut. Brees is the top-ranked QB of the week. Plug him in and don't overthink it.
Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch (SEA, $36) - Lynch fared well last week despite being held out of the end zone. He ran for 73 yards on 21 carries and caught five balls for 31 yards against a tough Rams defense, on the road. Those 14.9 FPPG were good for 12th best among RBs in Week 1. A competitive matchup against the Packers (three point spread, 48.5 total) may call for plenty of Lynch, early and often. In the 2014 season opener, Lynch scored twice against the Pack on 120 rushing yards. And of course, you remember his effort in the Seahawks' miraculous victory in the NFC Championship (183 total yards, 1 TD). Lynch's $36 tag is tied for third-priciest among running backs this week, but he's one of the safest cash game plays and a good bet for at least one score.
Carlos Hyde (SF, $23) - There's a chance that Hyde's Monday night performance (168 rushing yards, 2 TDs) goes down as his best effort of the season. But there is little doubt that Hyde will be DFS-relevant most of the year, especially as the focal point of a traditionally run-heavy offense. Hyde looked like a bull in a china shop, minus the recklessness. His 31.2 FPPG were tops among all backs, and helped Week 1's NFL $1 Million Kickoff winner sneak up in the final hour to snag the $100,000 prize. This week, Hyde takes on a Steelers defense that was somewhat stingy against the run, but allowed 4.4 yards per carry to backs last season. The Steelers are 6.5 point favorites, but are not the same offensive force they were last season with Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant suspended another game or three respectively. With Reggie Bush nursing a calf strain, Hyde may be relied upon on passing downs as well, and should remain on the field even if Pittsburgh builds a nice lead. Though we don't chase previous week's stats, Hyde has certainly passed our eye test in his first official start of the Goreless era in San Francisco. Don't be afraid to fire him up in any type of cash game (Heads Up, Double Ups and 50/50s).
Wide Receivers
Brandin Cooks (NO, $24) - Cooks blends in nicely if you want to fit the relatively pricey trio of Brees, Lynch and Hyde ($102 total, of $200 budget) into your lineup. The 21-year-old sophomore stud played on 73 of the Saints' 74 snaps last week, but managed to haul in just four of eight targets for 49 yards against the Cardinals. Welcome to Bounceback City. Brees should be locked in on his speediest and most gifted target all game. The Brees – Cooks combo will likely be a popular one in Week 2 and for good reason. Cooks is a bargain at 24 bucks, so enjoy the value before the price skyrockets. It surely doesn't hurt that the Saints – Buccaneers game boasts the fourth-highest point total (47.5) of the week. And while we're at it, I may as well tell you that there's no such thing as too many Cooks in the DFS kitchen.
Jordan Matthews (PHI, $27) - Sticking with the theme of second-year studs, exhibit two is the centerpiece of the Eagles up-tempo offense. Matthews caught 10 passes for 102 yards against the Falcons on MNF (15.2 FPPG) and is still underpriced despite being ranked as the consensus No. 4 WR by Yahoo's experts. Those of us who started Matthews in Week 1 were mightily disappointed when a replay showed him stretching the ball over the goal line before stepping out of bounds. The Eagles didn't challenge the play and running back Ryan Matthews immediately scored on the next snap. A high-scoring affair (55 projected total points) against their division rivals from Dallas is a perfect place for DFS redemption. Matthews will be high-percentage in cash games. There are definitely better spots for you to fade.
Donte Moncrief (IND, $13) - With Y! DFS pricing a bit tighter than in Week 1, we need to identify a few of the lower-priced potential studs who can mix in well with some of the more expensive options. With T.Y. Hilton on the shelf with a knee injury, enter yet another second-year stud. Moncrief's snap count was sporadic in his rookie year, though he did show flashes of brilliance and separation ability in Week 8 (20.8 FPPG @ PIT) and Week 13 (26.9 FPPG v WAS). Moncrief managed to haul in just six of 11 targets for 42 yards against the Bills last week, but did find the end zone on a 2-yard pass from Andrew Luck near the end of the third quarter. Moncrief is on our radars as a waiver wire addition this week, and may double dip as a DFS darling. The Jets have a stout secondary, but may be without the services of cornerback Antonio Cromartie.
Tight End
Jordan Cameron (MIA, $15) - There will always be lineup spots where going a little against the grain is necessary, even in cash games. Keep in mind how popular and automatic Greg Olsen was in Week 1 and what a bust (1.6 FPPG) he turned out to be. This is the NFL. Nothing is guaranteed! While the majority of your opponents weaken other lineup spots to build around an uber-expensive Rob Gronkowski ($36), use this opportunity to pivot into comparable play for less than half the price. The six-foot-five, 260-pound Cameron was beastly last week (4-of-7, 73 yards) and looks like a great fit for the Dolphins' offense. Jason Witten ($21) and Tyler Eifert ($17) will be popular as well and aren't bad options – but do you really think they score another two touchdowns this week? If you're looking to save a few bucks from Witten or Eifert, make sure to give Cameron fair consideration in a juicy matchup against the Jaguars.
Defense/Special Teams
St. Louis Rams ($14) - With all of the team defense options priced within four bucks of each other, it behooves us to project which defensive unit can force the most mistakes from sieve offenses. The Rams are on the road, but face an interception-prone quarterback (Kirk Cousins) without his deep threat (DeSean Jackson). If the Rams get off to a nice lead and force Cousins to chuck it, you can certainly expect cornerback Janoris Jenkins to hungrily await errant throws with bated breath. Hashtag Pick6City.
Honorable Mentions:
QB: Aaron Rodgers (GB, $42)
RB: Lamar Miller (MIA, $31), Chris Ivory (NYJ, $22)
WR: Antonio Brown (PIT, $40), DeAndre Hopkins (HOU, $26), Larry Fitzgerald (ARI, $18)
TE: Martellus Bennett (CHI, $24)
DEF: Miami Dolphins ($12)
TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
Johnny Manziel (CLE, $22) - You were probably expecting to see Tyrod Taylor ($27) featured in this spot. Taylor had a solid first career start and can contribute fantasy points with his legs, but so can Johnny Football. With Josh McCown down and out, we may well see Manziel run away with the Browns' starting gig and not look back. The off-the-field antics appear to have subsided (for now?), and perhaps he's ready to play some football. Manziel doesn't have the best collection of weapons at his disposal, but can contribute in both the running and passing game, and though the Titans hired Dick LeBeau to revamp their defense they are certainly susceptible to both. In a GPP with 100,000-plus entrants like the NFL $1 Million Baller, we need to consider options outside the box. A dirt-cheap Johnny Football at 22 bucks is the first name on that list.
Joseph Randle (DAL, $23) - Randle got the start for the Cowboys in the season opener and looked nimble behind that strong offensive line, amassing over 100 total yards on 16 carries and three receptions. Darren McFadden ($15) shouldn't be much of a threat to Randle's workload, while reception-hawk Lance Dunbar ($11) will handle passing-down duties. With ace wideout Dez Bryant out with a broken foot, the Cowboys will need to rely on the run game even more heavily. The 'Boys are five-point underdogs in Week 2's highest-projected point total (55). Some of your opponents may feel that the Dallas backfield situation is still murky and will ignore Randle and his glorious $23 tag. Don't make the same mistake. You want upside in these big tournaments. Randle is upside on a stick.
A.J. Green (CIN, $29) - Don't you just love the overreactions and grand proclamations after the first week of the season? Calvin Johnson is done. Adrian Peterson sucked last night, he should retire. AJ Green got his money and Tyler Eifert will outscore him. As we know full well, Week 2 (or sometimes it's Week 3) is when the humbling ensues. Sure, the Bengals have a core group of talented offensive targets, but the 27-year-old former first round pick is still one of the league's best receivers and will have some monster DFS outings, especially with higher expectations based on the new contract. Green's sub-par effort against the Raiders included 63 yards on five receptions and no touchdowns. Green is still harping on himself for letting an easy, would-be 15-yard TD pass sail right through his hands in the first quarter, but it was his only drop of the game. Green has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his four seasons as a pro, and caught 11 touchdowns in a season twice. A home matchup against undersized corners whom Green will have no problems outjumping is a perfect recipe for Week 1 forgetfulness. Best of all, at just $29, we're talking Bob Barker.
Other Against-the-Grainers:
QB: Carson Palmer (ARI, $34)
RB: Adrian Peterson (MIN, $36), Tevin Coleman (ATL, $17)
WR: Sammy Watkins (BUF, $22), John Brown (ARI, $19), Cole Beasley (DAL, $16)
TE: Ladarius Green (SD, $12)
