We’re in Week 2 of the NFL season, and we have already seen some drastically unexpected things. Some wide receivers literally came out of nowhere and produced in Week 1. Players like Devaughn Vele, Kendrick Bourne, and Khalif Raymond had big, unexpected days in fantasy scoring. Will they again in Week 2? Maybe and maybe not. The variance like this is something to embrace, not run from. The quick way to adapt to new situations and capitalize is the one that succeeds. I wouldn’t go nuts playing some of the players that broke out in Week 1; they could just be the Baha Men (Who let dogs out?) as yet another one-hit wonder.

Let’s hope Week 2 solidifies some of the players’ roles as we move into this glorious season. For now, let’s get on to shaking some Money Makers and avoiding some heartbreak.

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Money Makers and Heart Breakers for Week 2 NFL DFS

💰 Money Maker – A player expected to outperform his salary and ownership.

💔 Heart Breaker – A popular or appealing option who may produce below expectations.

Let’s shake some money makers and avoid some heartbreak.

💰 Money Makers

Quarterbacks

Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders

Dallas allowed an efficient passing day in Week 1, and Daniels adds a rushing path that protects both his floor and ceiling. His dual-threat usage keeps him in play for Week 2. In Week 1, he managed 2 passing touchdowns and 31 rushing yards. The Cowboys allowed Jaxon Dart to pass for 3 touchdowns and run for 51 yards. We should see a similar day for Daniels in Week 2.

• FanDuel: $7,900
• DraftKings: $6,300

Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You might say Cleveland was vulnerable through the air in Week 1, and Tampa Bay has multiple receivers who can win in the red zone. Mayfield combines a manageable price with a realistic 300-yard, three-touchdown ceiling. This is a nice bounce-back spot for Baker. I had faith in him last week, and he let me down.

• FanDuel: $7,600
• DraftKings: $5,600

Carson Wentz | Minnesota Vikings

Wentz is expected to start and inherits Justin Jefferson plus a favorable Chicago matchup. His salary opens the slate, though his lower rushing floor makes him more volatile than the premium options. The over/under is 48 points, and the Vikings will have to throw to keep up with this Bears offense.

• FanDuel: $7,000
• DraftKings: $4,600

Michael Penix Jr.  | Atlanta Falcons

• FanDuel: $6,900
• DraftKings: $4,700

NOTE: Insert Penix joke here, get it? Get it?

Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys

• FanDuel: $8,000
• DraftKings: $6,400

Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals

• FanDuel: $8,200
• DraftKings: $6,600

Running Backs

Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons

Robinson owns the best blend of rushing volume, receiving work, goal-line access, and matchup on the slate. He is the clearest premium spend if Atlanta keeps the game under control. In Week 1, Bijan was the Falcons’ offense. He got it done on the ground and through the air; you should expect a massive workload like that again in Week 2. He should be the foundation of your Week 2 lineup.

• FanDuel: $8,900
• DraftKings: $8,200

Aaron Jones | Minnesota Vikings

Jordan Mason is on injured reserve following thumb surgery, materially increasing Jones’ projected share of carries and passing-down work. The role change is more important than the Week 1 box score. Jones should be a high-volume play for Week 2. Feast or Famine: Aaron Jones should feast in Week 2.

• FanDuel: $5,900
• DraftKings: $5,100

TreVeyon Henderson | New England Patriots

Henderson offers more explosiveness and has immense receiving upside in Week 2. The Steelers’ defense is very good, but they gave up 8 receptions, 90 yards, and a touchdown to Bijan Robinson in Week 1. Henderson should do some damage in the passing game in Week 2. I am so excited he is playing.

• FanDuel: $5,800
• DraftKings: $5,200

Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers

• FanDuel: $9,000
• DraftKings: $8,000

Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens

• FanDuel: $8,700
• DraftKings: $7,200

Bhayshul Tuten | Jacksonville Jaguars

• FanDuel: $6,400
• DraftKings: $5,600

Other Running Back Notes

Rhamondre Stevenson is the safer New England floor play at $6,700 on FanDuel and $5,700 on DraftKings, while Henderson owns the better ceiling. Travis Etienne remains usable if his Week 1 lead role holds. Kaelon Black is a deep tournament dart whose value depends on San Francisco maintaining a meaningful complementary role.

Wide Receivers

Justin Jefferson | Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson turned eight Week 1 receptions into 138 yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback change helps double J.  Wentz has every reason to feed the offense’s best player against a defense that struggled with receivers. When you are filling out your DFS lineups, His name is spelled J-E-Double F-E-R-SON!!

• FanDuel: $8,600
• DraftKings: $7,800

Emeka Egbuka | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Egbuka led Tampa Bay in receiving yards and ranked second on the team in targets in Week 1. More importantly, his snap share suggests he has already secured a consistent role in the offense. After allowing three Jacksonville receivers to score last week, Cleveland presents another favorable matchup for Tampa Bay’s passing attack. With a dependable workload and legitimate touchdown upside, Egbuka is well-positioned to deliver again in Week 2..

• FanDuel: $6,500
• DraftKings: $6,400

Kalif Raymond | Chicago Bears

Raymond commanded nine of Chicago’s 29 pass attempts in Week 1, translating to an impressive 31% target share. He converted that opportunity into eight receptions for 84 yards and now draws a Minnesota defense that surrendered 16 catches, 272 yards, and two touchdowns to Green Bay’s wide receivers. Raymond doesn’t need to repeat that enormous target share to return value; his Week 1 involvement makes him the safest Bears receiver to start this week. It may feel a little dirty, but this happens every season: someone comes out of nowhere and demands our attention.

• FanDuel: $5,300
• DraftKings: $3,600

Christian Watson | Green Bay Packers

• FanDuel: $6,900
• DraftKings: $6,200

Chris Godwin | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• FanDuel: $5,800
• DraftKings: $5,600

Luther Burden III | Chicago Bears

• FanDuel: $6,000
• DraftKings: $5,700

Tight Ends

Mike Gesicki | Cincinnati Bengals

Gesicki caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown while commanding roughly 20% of Cincinnati’s targets in Week 1. His limited snaps and route participation add risk, but his involvement when he was on the field was impossible to ignore. He now faces a Houston defense that allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends in its opener, making him an appealing upside play for managers streaming the position. Gesicki shocked us in Week 1; why not let him do it again in Week 2?

• FanDuel: $5,300
• DraftKings: $3,600

Michael Mayer | Las Vegas Raiders

Mayer saw 7 targets in Week 1 and turned them into 6 receptions for 32 yards. This week, the Raiders play the Chargers, who gave up the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends in Week 1. As long as Brock Bowers is out, Mayer will remain a fixture in the Raiders’ passing game.

• FanDuel: $5,300
• DraftKings: $3,600

Juwan Johnson | New Orleans Saints

• FanDuel: $5,600
• DraftKings: $3,900

Jake Ferguson | Dallas Cowboys

• FanDuel: $5,400
• DraftKings: $3,800

Tucker Kraft | Green Bay Packers

• FanDuel: $6,000
• DraftKings: $4,900

Defense

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are the top-shelf defensive play of Week 2. Miami managed only 10 points in its opener, and Malik Willis now takes that struggling offense on the road against San Francisco. Willis offers rushing ability, but his willingness to extend plays also creates sack and turnover opportunities. The 49ers are expensive, but their combination of points-prevention potential, pass rush, and a favorable game script gives them the highest defensive Reedy Score of these three.

• FanDuel: $5,000
• DraftKings: $3,800

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay may be the group’s best overall value. Cleveland scored only 10 points in Week 1, and Deshaun Watson now faces the Buccaneers on the road as a sizable underdog. The Browns are also monitoring multiple offensive-line injuries, which could further increase Tampa Bay’s sack ceiling. A positive game script should force Cleveland into obvious passing situations, making the Buccaneers a strong candidate for sacks, turnovers, and a defensive touchdown.

• FanDuel: $4,800
• DraftKings: $3,600

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers showed exactly why they remain an attractive fantasy defense in Week 1. T.J. Watt produced two sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown, demonstrating Pittsburgh’s slate-breaking upside. New England is a more capable offense than Atlanta showed in the opener, so this is not as safe as the San Francisco or Tampa Bay matchups. However, Pittsburgh’s ability to generate pressure without blitzing gives the defense multiple paths to fantasy production. At only $2,800 on DraftKings, the Steelers are particularly appealing as a tournament value.

• FanDuel: $4,300
• DraftKings: $2,800

Check out our Week 2 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings

💔 Heart Breakers

Quarterbacks

Malik Willis | Miami Dolphins

His rushing ability creates upside, but the Niners’ defense lowers his outlook in the pass game and can force Miami into uncomfortable down-and-distance situations. An apparent toe issue also deserves monitoring despite his full practice. Money maker one week, Heartbreaker the next.

Drake Maye | New England Patriots

Maye has the legs to rescue a fantasy day, but Pittsburgh can pressure without selling out, and New England carries a fragile scoring projection. May Day, May Day, Drake needs help in Week 2.

Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars

Denver presents a meaningful upgrade in coverage difficulty after Week 1. The volume will be there, but the matchup suppresses explosive-play and touchdown expectations. Start him season-long; avoid him in DFS.

Running Backs

MarShawn Lloyd | Green Bay Packers

Lloyd needs either a role change or unusual efficiency to pay off while Josh Jacobs controls the most valuable touches. The Week 1 usage signal does not justify this salary in a difficult road matchup. Let’s face it, this was an easy call; he stunk in Week 1, and if you are playing him anywhere, you need to get your head checked. Sometimes I like easy calls.

Omarion Hampton | Los Angeles Chargers

Hampton’s talent is not in question, but his price assumes a cleaner workload than Week 1 established. With zero targets and 12 carries in Week 1, Hampton did not get the volume he needs to produce.

Chase Brown | Cincinnati Bengals

Brown can still win on volume, but Houston can compress rushing efficiency and force Cincinnati toward the pass. If what happened last season holds true in Week 2 this year, the Bengals will pass more against a run-stopping defense, and Brown will have a subpar day.

Wide Receivers

Brian Thomas Jr.  | Jacksonville Jaguars

Thomas drew only three Week 1 targets and entered the week limited by a shoulder injury. Denver’s coverage makes it harder for him to reach the ceiling he needs. Name recognition is all we have here. I know people believe in his talent, don’t stop believing. Maybe you can take the midnight train going anywhere.

Jerry Jeudy | Cleveland Browns

Jeudy managed four targets, two catches, and 26 yards in Week 1, with no targets after halftime. Tampa Bay’s early defensive result and Cleveland’s horrible passing game make this a wait-and-see spot. That is wait-and-see, as not very much is happening with Jeudy.

Malik Washington | Miami Dolphins

Washington saw eight targets but converted them into three catches for 53 yards. The opportunity is encouraging; the quarterback situation and San Francisco matchup make the Week 2 payoff far less certain. Some of the heartbreakers are just too easy this week.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry | New England Patriots

Henry finished Week 1 with three receptions for 26 yards on three targets. Pittsburgh did not allow a tight end to record a fantasy point in its opener, although that says more about Atlanta’s lack of involvement at the position than it does about the Steelers’ defense. Still, Henry’s limited volume makes him heavily dependent on finding the end zone, and nothing about this matchup inspires confidence. It simply does not look like a good week to start him. This is literally breaking my heart, having so many Patriots on the wrong side of this article.

Evan Engram |  Denver Broncos

Engram caught four of five targets for 43 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, but Denver managed only 131 passing yards. The score salvaged an otherwise modest fantasy performance, and the matchup offers little reason for optimism after Jacksonville contained Harold Fannin Jr. in its opener. Without stronger passing volume, Engram remains a touchdown-dependent option in Week 2.

Greg Dulcich | Miami Dolphins

Dulcich caught both of his Week 1 targets but managed only 18 yards. He now faces a San Francisco defense that allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in its opener, and his limited volume offers little reason to test that matchup. Dulcich is a clear sit in standard-sized leagues. This play is as unpleasant as stepping out of your car into the Florida humidity and immediately feeling your shirt stick to your back. You know exactly what I mean.

Final Reedy Rule

Do not chase Week 1 fantasy points. Chase repeatable opportunity. Targets, touches, routes, and red-zone work should move the score first. A one-week defensive matchup is a useful tiebreaker, not the foundation of the decision.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!