The one theme that we will see consistently throughout all Week 2 column is overreaction. In fact, this introduction might be the exact same that we wrote last year. That’s because Week 2 always follows the pattern of trying to gauge the reality between Opening Weekend’s games and the season-long expectations prior to the first matchups of the year. The good news is that we can take some valuable pieces of information away from Week 1. We just need to make sure that it is more about the teams’ approaches than actual outputs.
Sporfolio’s NFL Daily Fantasy Sports game-by-game analysis columns are driven by expected game flow. Based on a combination of our Week 2 NFL picks against the spread and our expectations for a given game, we project the actions necessary to make these picks come to fruition. We aim to pinpoint players integral to our predicted game flow for each game of the week. We also include high-scoring and low-scoring matchups that can be used for either DFS plays or over-under picks in our DFS Overview column.
Please Note: Our ‘Must-Owns’ are either players around which we are building our entire roster or the top target we want, not considering salary restraints. Which means that some ‘must-owns’ will not make it into our final lineups.
Luke May is our resident NFL DFS expert, and Mario Mergola operates Sporfolio as our expert for NFL Picks Against the Spread.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Among all of the craziness of Week 1, there is one thing that did not come as a surprise, and that was the Jets struggling mightily. This offense is still a major work in progress, and for as long as Joe Flacco is under center, the ceiling is quite low. The only upside in the Jets was the running back duo of Michael Carter and Breece Hall who saw a combined 19 targets. The Browns’ offense was hardly elite with Jacoby Brissett at the helm, but their running back duo and their offensive line were able to carry the team. Look for another ground and pound victory for the Browns where their defense shines.
Targets: Breece Hall, Michael Carter, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt
Fades: Joe Flacco and Jacoby Brissett
Must-Owns: Browns Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: It’s certainly going to be easy to overlook and ignore the pillowfight between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, but there is absolutely fantasy value to be had on both sides. Volume is key, and Jets quarterback Joe Flacco had a tremendous amount of it in Week 1. It’s almost impossible that we will see him throw 59 passes again, but it’s good to know that he can eclipse the 300-yard mark on a given week. It also showed that he was willing to get his running backs involved as receivers, where Breece Hall and Michael Carter combined for 13 catches on 19 targets. On the same topic of volume, that’s the key for Cleveland’s running backs as well. We always hesitate with dual-running back teams, but Nick Chubb had 22 carries while Kareem Hunt had 11 to go along with 4 targets. Don’t be afraid to use an offensive player from this game, but it’s also an easy matchup in which we can find a defense.
Targets: Breece Hall, Michael Carter, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and both defenses
Fades: Jacoby Brissett
Must-Owns: None
Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: This may be the most confusing game of the entire Week 2 slate. The Commanders played fairly well last week in securing a Week 1 victory, but it must be taken with a grain of salt considering the status of their opponent. On the other hand, the Lions battled — as always — to a 3 point loss against what is considered one of the top teams in the NFC. Will Carson Wentz be able to continue to string together good games, or was last week just a good moment for an offense that is likely to struggle all year? Are the Lions actually improved or will they constantly be “battling” to always come up short? At the end of the day, both teams carry major question marks, but I like what Detroit has to offer on offense more, so I will be leaning towards them in this game without over exposing myself to either side.
Targets: Antonio Gibson, Terry McLaurin, D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St.Brown, and T.J. Hockenson
Fades: Carson Wentz
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Both the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions played wild games of their own in Week 1, and the two of them meet with surprising fantasy appeal. The Lions were in somewhat of a desperate mode through most of the game, but the one consistent force was running back D’Andre Swift. He’s clearly going to remain a focal point for the Lions’ offense, and he’s a borderline ‘must-play’ right now. We did see an effective passing attack from Washington, but it was spread out a little more than we would like. Still, there is no reason to fully avoid any offensive player in this game, even if it isn’t an all-out slugfest.
Targets: Both quarterbacks, Terry McLaurin, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and T.J. Hockenson
Fades: None
Must-Owns: D’Andre Swift
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: This NFC South battle features two 1-0 teams, but neither team likely feels great about their Week 1 showing. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers only made it into the endzone one time against the Cowboys, and it is clear that their offensive line is going to take some lumps throughout the year. The Saints struggled for much of the game against a Falcons team that most people — not me — believe to be one of the true bottom-feeders in the league this year. Being that I am higher on the Falcons than most, that result wasn’t surprising, and the fact that the Saints managed to fight their way back and steal a win is definitely worth something. Overall, I give the Saints a slight edge in this game based on Brady’s struggles against them, and the fact that they are at home. Seemingly every offensive player on both teams is already battling some sort of injury, so be sure to check that out before committing to anyone.
Targets: Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and Jarvis Landry
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The main storyline worth mentioning in this divisional game between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the general argument that New Orleans is one of the few teams that can consistently slow down Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. Maybe, but if that is one of the common beliefs, then I certainly want exposure to Brady. We know he can deliver under almost any circumstance, and I’ll gladly take the lower popularity where possible. I’m also remaining cautious with the Saints’ offense under quarterback Jameis Winston, but he is often a DFS gem because of his volume. Still, I prefer Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas — I have been buying into him heavily since the offseason — for their explosive upside, but I might even take the chance with the Buccaneers’ defense in some lineups.
Targets: Tom Brady, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Tampa Bay’s defense, Alvin Kamara — if healthy — and Michael Thomas
Fades: None, but Jameis Winston is low on my priority list
Must-Owns: None
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Panthers nearly pulled off a comeback victory in Baker Mayfield’s revenge game while the Giants did pull off a major upset against the Tennessee Titans. With that said, neither team looked particularly great, and despite having lots of talent at the skill positions, these offenses are both in need of some fine tuning. While both offenses are likely to invite some sloppy play into this matchup, sometimes sloppy play winds up leading up to big fantasy production, so don’t be surprised if we see some impressive numbers in this one. The Panthers are a good team to target at the skill positions because of their limited depth and competition for touches. The Giants are much harder to predict usage outside of Saquon Barkley.
Targets: D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson, Daniel Jones, and Saquon Barkley
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Christian McCaffrey
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Obviously, the key to the game between the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants is the excellent matchup of running backs. Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley are the centerpieces for their respective teams, and both are as active in the aerial attack as they are running the ball. Because the two are slotted to play in the same game, I could see their popularity rising as a result. Therefore, the ‘contrarian’ approach is to avoid both and target a pass-catcher.
Targets: Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson, Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, and Kadarius Toney — if he plays
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None, but I do prefer McCaffrey to Barkley in this game
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Steelers pulling off that Week 1 upset was easily one of my most confident predictions of last week, and now they are one of my favorite picks of Week 2 but in the opposite direction. In classic Week 2 overreaction style, the world loves the Steelers after beating the Bengals, and everyone thinks the Patriots are going to lose every game this year after they struggled in Week 1. The Steelers barely managed to hold on to victory despite creating 5 turnovers and scoring a defensive touchdown. The offense struggled heavily, and they are going to be without their best player in T.J. Watt for the foreseeable future. Now they have to face a completely overlooked Bill Belichick team, and I am not buying into the noise. It may not be pretty, but the Patriots are going to find a way to win this game.
Targets: Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Najee Harris and Diontae Johnson
Fades: Mac Jones
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I’ve written about the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots as one of my favorites of the year, and it’s because of the value we will find in the offenses. Of course, either defense can be the answer for Sunday — and I’m fine with picking one for a DFS lineup — but the easy look at this game is going to have people avoid offense, and I’m not doing it. The Patriots will be better than they showed in Week 1, and the Steelers kindly funneled most of their offense through a few key players. I’m willing to use an offensive player from this game in most lineups.
Targets: Mac Jones, Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and Pat Freiermuth
Fades: Both defenses
Must-Owns: None
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Well, things certainly didn’t go as expected for the Colts in Week 1, and now they find themselves in an interesting spot. They face their second division opponent who should be looked at as an easy win to start the season, but this is the same “easy win” that they dropped the ball on in Week 18 of last season to get eliminated from the playoffs. Despite being the much better team on paper, all of that history makes the Colts a somewhat scary pick this week. With that said, their offense is clearly running through Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., so win or lose, they will be the only regulars in my targets. The Jaguars put together an uneven performance last week, but it was far more promising than just about anything we saw from them last season. In a game they should be playing from behind, I will continue to have some exposure to Trevor Lawrence and the passing game. Last week was especially uneven for Travis Etienne Jr. who everyone had high hopes for. Last week may have scared some people off, but it is important to remember that was his first NFL game ever and first real football game since January of 2021 while at Clemson. The young back is going to be a big part of this offense, especially in games with high passing totals which this one could be. Don’t be afraid to buy low.
Targets: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Jr. — if he plays — Trevor Lawrence, James Robinson, Travis Etienne Jr., and Christian Kirk
Fades: Matt Ryan
Must-Owns: None, but I am tempted to be way over the field on Etienne after his struggles last week.
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: For the few articles that has been written this year, I have insisted that the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense will be better in 2022 than we have seen in a long time. They showed signs of it in Week 1, but also missed plenty of opportunities. If nothing else, I’ll take that as another step in the right direction. The Indianapolis Colts were their own story on Opening Day. They tallied the most yards in the league with 517, but that’s also because they trailed to the Texans for the majority of the contest. I wouldn’t expect a similar outcome on Sunday, but we do know that the team is unlikely to lower the carries for running back Jonathan Taylor.
Targets: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Jr. — if he plays — Trevor Lawrence, James Robinson, Travis Etienne Jr., Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram
Fades: Matt Ryan and both defenses
Must-Owns: None, but Jonathan Taylor might slide into this category if Michael Pittman, Jr. doesn’t play
Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: It is clear that the Dolphins have built a solid football team, but for all of the talk of how explosive their offense will be this year, last week really was not overwhelming. They beat the “horrible” Patriots 20-7 — of their 20 points, 7 came from a defensive touchdown, and 7 came from a bold/fortunate 4th&7 42 yard touchdown to Jaylen Waddle on a slant route. Under normal circumstances, they essentially had one defensive touchdown and 3 field goal drives. I am going to need to see a lot more from them before buying in, and I don’t expect that against a Ravens team that I am admittedly bullish on this year. After being ravaged by injuries last year, I am all in on them regaining the form that saw them be one of toughest teams in the league on both sides of the ball this year. Their controlled domination of the Jets last week may not have sent the message, but a repeated effort against Miami will do the trick.
Targets: Chase Edmonds, Tyreek Hill, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, and Ravens Defense
Fades: Tua Tagovailoa
Must-Owns: Lamar Jackson
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Am I crazy to say that, as much as I had bought into the Baltimore Ravens prior to Week 1, I was a little disappointed in their output? They won the game, and it was never in doubt, but I was expecting a bigger explosion. Similarly, the Miami Dolphins controlled their entire contest against the Patriots, but the offense was never truly rolling. I can see the initial read of this game pointing to offense, but neither team proved to me that they will be locked in a high-scoring battle. I would take a chance with the Ravens’ defense and a few, select players from the game.
Targets: Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins — if he plays — Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, Ravens defense, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle
Fades: Tua Tagovailoa
Must-Owns: None
Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: In looking at this game, the question is simple: are the Falcons as dangerous as the team we saw for 3 quarters of their Week 1 matchup and are the Rams as bad as what we saw on the opening night of the season? The answer to me is “yes and no”. I said last week I was high on Atlanta, and they backed me up in a major way before failing to close out a Week 1 upset. The defense may be a bit of a struggle this year, but their offense has legitimate upside to keep them in games. Marcus Mariota is a decent passer whose rushing ability makes the offense hard to completely shut down. Cordarrelle Patterson is already showing last season was no fluke, and they have two dynamic young pass catchers in Kyle Pitts and Drake London. The Rams were lost in Week 1, but that was against one of the top teams in the league, and on a night that was heavily focused on their Super Bowl victory and celebration. That game likely serves a huge wake up that they need to be much better if they want that celebration to continue. The key for them is going to be getting anyone other than Cooper Kupp to contribute offensively, and in a better matchup this week, I expect them to emphasize some other weapons.
Targets: Marcus Mariota, Cordarrelle Patterson, Drake London, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson and Tyler Higbee
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Kyle Pitts
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Even when writing my picks article, I found the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams to be nothing short of maddening. There are countless paths to different outcomes, but it all starts with a rejuvenated offense for Los Angeles. It’s almost impossible to expect the team to play as poorly as it did on Opening Night, but isn’t there some chance that quarterback Matthew Stafford is still dealing with an injury? That won’t impact his ability to relentlessly target wide receiver Cooper Kupp, but it might also give another chance for redemption to the team’s rushing attack — especially Cam Akers. The Falcons showed that they have some offensive firepower this year, and I remain intrigued by the trio of focal points at quarterback, running back, and tight end.
Targets: Darrell Henderson, Jr., Cam Akers, Allen Robinson, Marcus Mariota, Cordarrelle Patterson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts
Fades: Matthew Stafford
Must-Owns: Cooper Kupp
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: These two teams offered up two of the most surprising Week 1 results, but as always, context is key and do not overreact to Week 1 results. The Seahawks upset the Broncos, but that game had all the makings of an upset given everything that came with Russell Wilson returning to Seattle with a rookie Head Coach making his debut in that environment. The 49ers were expected to walk all over the Bears, but managed to lose that game. It is not a full blown excuse because both teams had the same conditions, but I am always going to give a slight pass to a team playing poorly in the type of weather that was happening in Chicago. At the end of the day, whether I believe in Trey Lance or not, the 49ers are a better football team in just about every capacity, and I am expecting a major correction this week as the 49ers take care of business at home.
Targets: Trey Lance, Brandon Aiyuk, and 49ers Defense
Fades: Seahawks Offense
Must-Owns: Deebo Samuel
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Absolutely everything went right for the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football but, even with their best approach possible, the offensive ceiling of the team was still capped. The good news is that wide receiver DK Metcalf did see a healthy dose of designed plays — even if they resulted in forced targets — but it’s hard to ask for more than a pair of touchdowns from Seattle’s offense on a given week. Conversely, the San Francisco 49ers played their worst possible game and were never fully engaged on the offensive side of the ball. The conditions for their Opening Day loss were flat-out terrible, and they now return home with questions already swirling about the status and potential success or failure of their quarterbacks. Plural. I’m ‘all-in’ for the 49ers putting starter Trey Lance in a position to shine this week, and that probably requires some help from wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Targets: Trey Lance, Jeff Wilson, Jr., San Francisco’s defense, and DK Metcalf
Fades: Everyone else from Seattle
Must-Owns: Deebo Samuel
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: For all of the struggles we saw in Week 1, there may have been no teams that embodied that more than the Bengals and the Cowboys. While both teams had massively disappointing games, the Cowboys suffered the far bigger loss with Dak Prescott being out for likely a month or longer. The Cowboys offense was struggling even with Dak due to their lack of depth at the skill positions and struggling offensive line. Put that together with the fact that Cooper Rush will be under center, and it is hard to have a ton of faith in the Cowboys offense. If they are playing from behind, there may be some value thanks solely to volume, but it is hard to trust that. The Bengals revamped offensive line was no match for the Steelers defense, but this group should get better with more familiarity and has an easier matchup this week other than dealing with Micah Parsons. Look for Joe Burrow to bounce back this week with a much cleaner game, and if Tee Higgins is out, there is one less mouth to feed.
Targets: Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, Hayden Hurst and Dalton Schultz
Fades: Cooper Rush
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: There is exactly one storyline for each team in the non-conference game between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, and this individual storylines are the clear focal points. For the Cowboys, it’s the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott. The team’s offense was playing poorly with Prescott, but it is almost certain to see its production dip further without him. The only potential bright spot is a bigger emphasis on the running game, where Ezekiel Elliott might finally get a chance to carry the workload. For the Bengals, it’s the turnover-laden performance by quarterback Joe Burrow. Buried within his five giveaways was a high-volume day, however, and it served as a reminder that Cincinnati will throw as often as it needs to without hesitation. The problem for Burrow is that he might not need to throw. If the Bengals take control of the game, we should see an increase in volume for running back Joe Mixon.
Targets: Cooper Rush, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, and Ja’Marr Chase
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Houston Texans at Denver Broncos
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: For the sake of time, I probably could have copied and pasted what I wrote about the Seahawks/49ers game and copied it here because it is a nearly identical situation. It is admirable what the Texans pulled off last week, and slightly concerning that Denver was unable to beat Seattle, but I am not looking too deep into either situation. Denver is a far superior team, with a far superior quarterback and defense, and as we always like to remind people, the Broncos are amazing at home in September. I expect Russell Wilson to have a huge game playing in front of his new home crowd for the first time.
Targets: Rex Burkhead, Brandin Cooks, Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon III, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Albert Okwuegbunam
Fades: Dameon Pierce
Must-Owns: Russell Wilson
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Most of my commentary from last week surrounding the Denver Broncos included my never-ending appreciation for quarterback Russell Wilson coupled with the legitimate possibility that Seattle would compete to the point that it slowed down the Broncos’ offense. That’s what happened, but it wasn’t a complete dud by Denver. The Broncos still moved the ball well enough to even be in position to fumble twice at the goalline, so we can expect another volume-heavy week for the offense. The other somewhat bright spot in Denver’s loss was the play of its defense. After a slow start, it did round into shape and stop Seattle’s offense from pulling away in the game. The Houston Texans have quite the tall task ahead of them and, while I would consider someone like Brandin Cooks because of his lack of competition, I wouldn’t go overboard in any one area. That, and a pass-catching back.
Targets: Everyone from Denver and Brandin Cooks
Fades: Everyone else from Houston
Must-Owns: Russell Wilson
Arizona Cardinals at Las Vegas Raiders
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Raiders did not look very good last week, and that may be somewhat of a trend thanks to their offensive line play, but Davante Adams sure shined. I have my doubts that he’ll continue to see roughly 50% of the team’s targets — 17 of 35 in Week 1 — but it is clear he is going to be the focal point for Derek Carr. Things may not have been pretty for the Raiders, but they were even worse for the Cardinals who were absolutely obliterated by the Chiefs. It is hard to take a lot away from that game because it was essentially over the second it started. That is some degree of excuse for them, but it does us no favors in terms of knowing what to expect from this offense in a more competitive game. Ultimately, I am expecting to see some sloppy play from both teams, but there is enough fire power on both sides to still produce plenty of fantasy goodness.
Targets: Kyler Murray, James Conner, Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz, Derek Carr, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Darren Waller
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I am not sure what more we could want from a DFS matchup other than a high-powered offense — albeit, frenetic in its own right — coming off a disastrous loss. Won’t the Arizona Cardinals simply lean on quarterback Kyler Murray and ask him to throw or run his way to victory? However it plays out, it will be through Murray as the team tries to avoid an 0-2 start to the year. He’s an obvious ‘must-play’ for me, despite the number of quarterbacks I like this week. The Las Vegas Raiders showed that wide receiver Davante Adams will be called upon constantly, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Indeed, tight end Darren Waller will always command some looks, but the offense runs through Adams. If the game flow forces quarterback Derek Carr to pass more, Adams’ ceiling would raise even more.
Targets: James Conner, Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz, Davante Adams, and Darren Waller
Fades: Derek Carr
Must-Owns: Kyler Murray
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: This game presents as yet another one of my favorite overreaction week classics. I give Chicago credit for their comeback victory last week, but they beat a very inexperienced quarterback in some of the worst weather you’ll ever see. The Packers dropped yet another Week 1 dud on us, but I am willing to give them a pass. Had Christian Watson caught that touchdown pass on the Packers first offensive play, that game may turn out wildly different. While history is what it is, the Packers truly need Watson to turn into a playmaker, and in a positive matchup, it would behoove them to turn back to the rookie early and often in this game. Either way, I am all in on the Packers righting the ship this week and taking care of business against a far inferior Bears team.
Targets: Cole Kmet, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Robert Tonyan, and Packers Defense
Fades: Justin Fields
Must-Owns: Christian Watson
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Let’s play through all of the different storylines and considerations for the Sunday Night Football game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. On one side of the matchup, we have the team that just pulled off a big ‘upset’ in the sloppiest of weather. The easy assumption is that Chicago now goes back to being one of the worst teams in the league and barely shows up to to play. I’m not buying it. I don’t expect a stellar performance from the offense as a whole, but almost every path points to the opportunity of big plays from the Bears. If they are trailing early, they will have to continually throw — just like we saw last week. If they are leading, it almost certainly was because the offense found success immediately and was able to outpace the Packers. That’s the other clear expectation. We simply can’t look at how poorly Green Bay played in Week 1 and target a repeat of that on national television. It’s dangerous to simply project a positive correction, but we’ve seen it so many times in the past with the Packers that it is not outside the realm of possibility. Specifically, we should see quarterback Aaron Rodgers lean on a familiar face in the red zone — tight end Robert Tonyan — and probably try to get rookie wide receiver Christian Watson on the right side of the highlight reel with some additional targets.
Targets: Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Christian Watson, Justin Fields, David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert, and Darnell Mooney
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Aaron Rodgers and Robert Tonyan
Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: This is not a product of going against what happened last week, but I can’t help but feel like the Titans are going to win this game. Despite how impressive the Bills looked in knocking off the reigning champs, and how poor the Titans looked falling victim to the mighty New York Giants, every year the Titans find a way to be at the top of the standings thanks to their ability to play their best football against the best competition. Last season, the Titans losses included games against the Jets and Texans who were two of the worst teams in football. In the same season, the Titans pulled off victories against the Colts — twice — the Bills, the Chiefs, the Rams, the Saints and the 49ers. This simply is who the Titans are and I am buying in this week. The only way I see this coming true is with a classic Derrick Henry domination game, so that is the angle I will be taking.
Targets: Treylon Burks, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis
Fades: Bills running backs
Must-Owns: Derrick Henry
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Tennessee Titans remain one of the most consistent teams over the last few years. They run the ball with Derrick Henry and don’t think twice about it, and they always show up for a big game in the regular season. The latter may sound subjective, but the numbers support it. Specifically, the Titans knocked off the Buffalo Bills last year in a 34-31 Monday night slugfest. Maybe we won’t get that same level of production, but I’m ready and willing to lean on the Titans’ offense wherever possible. On the other side of the ball, there is simply no reason to avoid the Bills’ offense as neither the Titans’ defense nor anything Buffalo has done would scare me away from the Bills’ players — other than the running backs because of their split touches in a pass-heavy offense.
Targets: Ryan Tannehill, Robert Woods, Treylon Burks, Titans defense — if being ‘contrarian’ — Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and Gabriel Davis
Fades: Bills running backs
Must-Owns: Derrick Henry
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Can you think of a better way to end Week 2 than with the Jalen Reagor Bowl? While the Reagor storylines may be satirical, the only true impact it has is the extra attention the Eagles will likely pay to Justin Jefferson to avoid adding embarrassment to their infamous draft blunder. With that said, the Vikings’ new offense is clearly centered around Justin Jefferson, and while the overall numbers for the offense were good, they were amazing for the star wide receiver. The Eagles defense was expected to be good at the start of the year, but after allowing 35 points to the Lions, it is hard to see them entirely slowing down an offense with Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook. What I am truly curious to see is whether this Vikings defense is going to be elite, or if last week’s success had more to do with the Packers’ early season struggles. Jalen Hurts isn’t anywhere near the passer that Aaron Rodgers is, but his running ability combined with the Eagles offensive line play will make this offense hard to slow down all season long. Look for this game to boast plenty of offensive upside.
Targets: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert
Fades: None
Must-Owns: Dalvin Cook
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Someone from the Philadelphia Eagles has to cover Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Maybe that’s easier said than done, but it should be the focal point of both the Eagles’ defense and anyone building a fantasy lineup. It is unlikely that he repeats his performance from last week simply because of the added attention to him, but we do know that Minnesota is going to try to get him the ball. The issue for the Vikings is that quarterback Kirk Cousins has a history of playing below his average in Primetime games, so that might lower the ceiling for his offense. That could potentially spill over to Philadelphia’s offense where the game may not require quarterback Jalen Hurts to throw constantly. He will run, however, and that is simply too valuable to ignore in either a Showdown or small Primetime slate.
Targets: Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Eagles defense
Fades: Kirk Cousins
Must-Owns: Jalen Hurts in a Showdown