Man, it was so good to finally have football back. Week 1 was filled with surprises such as witnessing the New England Patriots winning on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels caught my attention finishing as a top 5 QB on DraftKings with 28.16 fantasy points scored. Among the disappointments from Week 1, only four TEs (Foster Moreau, Brock Bowers, Kyle Pitts, Juwan Johnson) scored double-digit fantasy points. Perhaps the biggest head-scratcher of the week, Cardinals rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. only mustard 1.40 fantasy points (3 targets, 1 rec for 4 yards). Ouch. For Week 2, I’ve done the research and identified my top three cash and GPP plays at the skill positions, along with my top positional fade and top stacks to help YOU win big. Without further ado, let’s get to my top Week 2 NFL DFS recommendations for the main slate.
Week 2 NFL DFS Picks for the Main Slate
Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC): DK $7,000 vs. CIN (Cash)
Week 2 features a 13-game slate with Cincinnati and Kansas City featured as the marquee matchup. Patrick Mahomes is almost always a good bet rostering at home. If you exclude last week’s home opener, during Mahomes’ nine home games last season, he averaged 38 pass attempts per game (completing 25), 260 passing yards, and 1.9 touchdowns (per footballdb.com). The Chiefs are tied for the second-highest over/under (48) and are (-6) point home favorites. Although Mahomes had a subpar Week 1 output (16.14 fp), it’s not often we see two bad fantasy games from the NFL’s best QB. I am anticipating a bounce back with 20+ fp scored.
Kyler Murray (QB – ARI): DK $6,600 vs. LAR (Cash)
After a trek across the East Coast last week, Kyler Murray returns home for the Cardinals’ season opener against division rival Los Angeles Rams. In the 4 home games Murray played in last year, he averaged 37.5 P/A per game, including (45) P/A versus the Rams (per Pro Football Reference). The Rams-Cardinals matchup is tied for the second-highest O/U (48), with Arizona being a (-1) point home favorite. It would not surprise me if Murray finished as a top 5 QB this week. His upside is tremendous.
Daniel Jones (QB – NYG): DK $5,500 at WAS (GPP)
Last week, versus Minnesota Daniel Jones was abysmal. Completing only 52% of his passes (22/42), 186 (PY), and two interceptions, Jones scored 6.94 fantasy points. Needless to say, not many people will want to play him (even in tournaments). Here is why you should roster Jones this week. The Commanders’ beatable secondary allowed 58.5 fantasy points to Tampa Bay Buccaneers WRs and 4 passing TDs to Baker Mayfield. Mayfield finished as QB2 on the week. Jones will not finish as overall QB2 this week, but a top 10-12 finish is possible. For his career, Jones is 5-1-1 against Washington with a 10:3 TD:INT ratio. Jones’ salary is affordable to pay up at other positions. If you are playing in 5 or more contests, roster Jones at least once.
Geno Smith (QB – SEA): DK $5,500 at NE (Fade)
Against the Denver Broncos, Geno Smith had a solid DK output scoring 18.84 fantasy points. Joe Burrow had one of the worst fantasy outputs of his career courtesy of the New England Patriots defense. Burrow had less than 200 PY, which resulted in 8.06 fantasy points. The Seahawks travel east for Week 2, and the game environment is less than ideal. With an O/U of (38), expect the running game to dominate as Seattle are (-3.5) point road favorites. I would rather pay the extra $400 DK salary and play Baker Mayfield.
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND): DK $7,700 at GB (Cash)
Many were hoping for a Week 1 ceiling game from Jonathan Taylor, considering it was division rival Houston Texans. That did not come to fruition as Taylor scored 10.80 fantasy points. Taylor saw 16 of the Colts’ 22 rush attempts, with a TD and no targets. Week 2 is a favorable matchup against a Packers defense that allowed the most fantasy points to opposing RBs (per Pro Football Reference). Fellow teammate Anthony Richardson will always be a threat to siphon totes because of his dual-threat capabilities. With the Colts being (-2.5) point road favorites, the positive game script will allow Taylor to have a bounce-back week.
Kyren Williams (RB – LAR): DK $6,800 at ARI (GPP)
An argument can be made that Kyren Williams is cash-viable this week based on his Week 1 usage and utilization. Against the Lions, Williams accounted for over 80% of team snaps and 90% R/A. Because Williams is priced between Isiah Pacheco and Derrick Henry (both RBs’ teams are favored to win), his rostership will be lower due to the negative game script. In actuality, this is a plus matchup for Williams. Arizona gave up over 100 combined scrimmage yards to James Cook in Week 1. Fun fact: Last season, Williams scored 21.8 & 38.4 fantasy points on the Cardinals. Kyren is easily one of my favorite leverage plays on the slate.
J.K. Dobbins (RB – LAC): DK $5,400 at CAR (Cash)
What a feel-good story, J.K. Dobbins is. After numerous injuries to his Achilles and ACL, Dobbins was written off as an afterthought. Then Week 1 happened. Dobbins garnered over 50% of RB opportunity, averaging 13.5 YPC, and received 3 receptions for 4 yards. Los Angeles head east to take on Carolina as (-5.5) point road favorites. Carolina remains vulnerable to opposing RBs.
Rachaad White (RB – TB): DK $6,300 at DET (Fade)
The Buccaneers-Lions game has the highest O/U on the slate (51.5). Yet I do not want anything to do with Rachaad White. Kyren Williams was held to 50 rushing yards (2.8 YPC) against Detroit. White was inefficient against Washington last week with 15 carries for 31 yards(2.0 YPC). Fellow teammate Bucky Irving is already carving out a role and is a better runner than White. Detroit was already tough against RBs, but recent news of D.J. Reader playing this week has me out on White.
Wide Receivers
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET): DK $(8,100 vs TB) (Cash)
Sticking with the Bucs-Lions game, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a prime Week 2 bounce-back candidate. Last week St. Brown played on 98% of snaps. St. Brown’s 3/13/0 stat line is an anomaly. Los Angeles executed a nice game plan to make others on the Lions beat them. Tampa Bay may try a similar game plan, but the secondary will not be able to handle Detroit’s number one option. Last time these two teams met St. Brown did this: 8 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD. Detroit are (-7) point home favorites with the highest implied team total (29.25). Sun God has a great chance to finish Week 2 as a top 5 WR.
Malik Nabers (WR – NYG): DK $5,900 at WAS (GPP)
Phenom rookie WR Malik Nabers had a solid debut, playing on 100% of snaps, with 7 targets (5 rec for 66 yards). Nabers was out-targeted by Wan’Dale Robinson, whose 12 targets led the team. As a result, Nabers Week 2 DK salary is unchanged. Just like Daniel Jones, Nabers’ matchup against the Commanders’ secondary is fantastic. Giants head coach Brian Daboll will scheme up different ways to get Nabers more involved. Nabers playing in a negative game script will allow his big play ability to shine.
Adonai Mitchell (WR – IND): DK $4,000 at GB (GPP)
In his rookie debut, Adonai Mitchell played on 64% of snaps. Mitchell had one reception for two yards off of five targets. Richardson and Mitchell’s timing were a bit off. Expect that to change for this matchup against Green Bay. The Packers allowed 200+ receiving yards to WRs in Week 1. All it’s gonna take for Mitchell to pay off& his price tag is one deep bomb connecting.
Calvin Ridley (WR – TEN): DK $5,800 vs NYJ (Fade)
If one thought playing the Bears secondary is tough, Week 2’s matchup against the Jets will not be any better. The Jets are the stingiest team against opposing WRs (per Pro Football Reference). For Week 1, Ridley led all Titan WRs in snaps (84%), targets (7), and yards (50). Ridley’s 63.3 PFF perimeter-receiving grade ranks 29th among 66 NFL perimeter wide receivers with at least 13 perimeter-receiving snaps (per PFF). With either Sauce Gardner or D.J. Reed guarding Ridley, I’ll rather spend the extra $200 DK for Chris Godwin.
Tight Ends
Trey Mcbride (TE – ARI): DK $6,000 vs. LAR (Cash)
Trey Mcbride is one of my favorite point-per-dollar plays for Week 2. Mcbride led the Cardinal playmakers in targets (9), and target share (29%) last week. In 2023, Mcbride averaged 6.5 rec and 61 yards versus Arizona. Expect those career averages to increase with improved roster talent. Los Angeles will most likely gameplan for Marvin Harrison Jr. which will open up the field for Mcbride.
Brock Bowers (TE – LV): DK $4,400 at BAL (Cash)
Brock Bowers had an impressive rookie debut. Bowers led Las Vegas in targets (8), receptions (6), and 2nd in yards (58). The Raiders head to Baltimore as (+8.5) point road dogs. Baltimore allowed the 7th fewest yards last season (per Pro Football Reference). May be tough sledding, but Gardner Minshew in a negative game script will find a way to get Bowers the rock.
Chig Okonkwo (TE – TEN): DK $4,000 vs NYJ (GPP)
Chig Okonkwo will never be a high-volume pass catcher. But will make the most of his opportunities. In Chicago, Okonkwo had 2 receptions for 15 yards, and a TD. If Will Levis can connect with Chig for a big chunk play or TD, folks who are courageous to roster him will be happy.
Evan Engram (TE – JAC): DK $5,400 vs JAC (Fade)
After burning DFS players last week, Evan Engram has a tough matchup against Cleveland. The Browns gave up 559 yards to TEs last year and 15 yards to Jake Ferguson in Week 1. Better days are ahead for Engram, but for an extra $600 DK I’ll pivot to Sam LaPorta.
Check out all of our Week 2 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex
Top NFL DFS Stacks
1. Lions – Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta
2. Cardinals – Kyler Murray, Greg Dortch, Trey Mcbride
3. Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce
4. Bucs – Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin
5. Giants – Daniel Jones, Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson
Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!