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While it's nice to have a little bit of data after a week of 2024 National Football League games, we're still not far enough into the season to make a bunch of rushed judgments based solely on what we saw a week ago.
It's too early to fully jump on the bandwagon of players who might have over-performed in Week 1 because of a matchup advantage or because a defense might have been focusing on another of his more-proven teammates. Likewise, it's too early to throw away the numbers that a consistent veteran has put up over the years because of one rough outing.
In Week 2, fade players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Terry McLaurin, Joe Burrow and Crhis Olave at your own risk. And if you want to throw all your eggs in the Jameson Williams, Jordan Mason or Alan Lazard baskets, go right ahead. Not to single those players out - in fact, Williams probably should be in at least one of our lineups this week - but in Week 2 we are still staying the course and banking on some of the old standbys to get back on track.
Lazard got one of his touchdowns in absolute garbage time and another on a free play when San Francisco was four yards offsides and half of the players on the field stopped playing. He also dropped an easy catch and otherwise was a non-factor. Mason was great as a surprise starter, but he's facing a tough run defense who will be ready for him. We would argue that Mason's first-week success is. likely to open up the field for multipurpose threat Deebo Samuel and possibly George Kittle. Also Brandon Aiyuk will be in better shape physically for Week 2 after a long preseason holdout.
How many times have these scenarios played out?
A big-name, top-option player has an unproductive game and either his team loses or the media and fans raise a ruckus about the play calling. Or a diva No. 1 receiver complains about his usage via the media or social media. In both scenarios, often times the coach or offensive coordinator will make a point to focus on getting that player the ball the next week. And that guy ends up with like 14 targets.
Of course, more unproven players who are playing well over 50 percent of their team's snaps and running as many or close to as many routes as the traditional top options are worth considering and should be mixed into lineups if their production matched the usage and they have a favorable Week 2 matchup. But completely fading the proven, high-volume and potentially explosive veterans after one subpar week in favor of the boom-or-bust youngsters is a recipe for Week 2 DFS disaster.
Teams are likely to force-feed those veterans the ball, while there are many tricks of the trade that defensive coordinators and defensive backs can use to get the upstarts off their games.
To have a big DFS payday it would be great to find a combination of those types of players for our lineups - especially in the big-money, larger tournament contests - but if that was so easy we'd all be rich. Our strategy for Week 2 is to anchor our teams with vets who may find the field a little more open this week and should receive high volume with other consistent performers who have great matchups and a few cheaper upside guys.,
As always, our starting point is to look at the games the bookmakers think will be high scoring. Those games are:
Tampa Bay vs. Detroit
Cincinnati vs. Kansas City
LA Rams vs. Arizona
These games are not far behind:
New Orleans vs. Dallas
San Francisco vs. Minnesota
Players who appear to be in a position for high volume in those games always will get the nod over others in projected lower-scoring affairs. But never forget that the best players and top options in games featuring bad teams or in games that don't figure to have as many points can provide quite a bit of upside, too. We just don't want to stack players from the same team in those contests.
Always remember that in larger tournament games, if you're going for the big payday, you must sprinkle in some players with big upside who figure to be on the lower end of the ownership spectrum. For cash games, we are looking for higher-floor, consistent options so we can build a lineup that will be in the money if everyone has an average day. That strategy also should land you in the money in tournament games, but it won't make you a millionaire.
Also be sure to check the injury and inactive reports before submitting your final lineups.
Here is a look at today's top DFS plays based on the FanDuel Sunday main slate:
Value & Performance Quarterbacks
Jayden Daniels - $7,900
Jared Goff - $7,800
Kyler Murray - $8,000
Tier 1 Pay-up Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes - $8,700
Lamar Jackson - $8,800
Anthony Richardson - $8,500
Top Value Quarterbacks
Justin Fields - $7,000
Baker Mayfield - $7,400
Matthew Stafford - $7,500
Daniel Jones - $6,900
Tier 1 Pay-up Running Backs
Breece Hall - $8,500
Jonathan Taylor - $8,200
Joe Mixon - $8,100
Kyren Williams - $8,000
Tier 2 Running Backs
Alvin Kamara - $7,900
Top Value Volume Running Backs
Derrick Henry - $7,500
Isiah Pacheco - $7,400
Josh Jacobs - $7,100
Najee Harris - - $6,600
Super Value Running Backs
Brian Robinson - $6,200
Zach Charbonnet - $6,300
James Conner - $6,500
JK Dobbins - $6,800
Austin Ekeler - $5,900
High Volume Running Backs
Rhamondre Stevenson - $6,900
Tier 1 Pay-up Wide Receivers
Cee Dee Lamb - $9,100
Amon-Ra St. Brown - $9,000
Justin Jefferson - $8,900
Tier 2 Wide Receivers
Mike Evans - $8,000
Core Highest Value Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp - $7,700
Deebo Samuel - $7,300
High Value Tier 3 Wide Receivers
Malik Nabers - $6,400
Chris Godwin - $6,200
Terry McLaurin - $6,000
Tyler Lockett - $6,000
Christian Kirk - $6,000
Super High Value Receivers
Brian Thomas Jr. - $5,800
Jayden Reed - $5,800
Ladd McConkey - $5,700
Brandin Cooks - $5,600
Josh Palmer - $5,600Wan'Dale Robinson - $5,400
Jaxson Smith-Njigba - $5,400
Demarcus Robinson - $5,200
Darius Slayton - $4,800
Luke McCaffrey - $4,300
Tier 1 Pay-up Tight Ends
Sam LaPorta - $7,900
Travis Kelce - $7,400
Value Tight Ends
George Kittel - $6,400
Trey McBride - $6,200
Evan Engram - $5,900
Isaiah Likely - $5,800
Super Value Tight Ends
Coby Parkinson - $4,800
Brock Bowers - $5,300
Pat Freiermuth - $5,400
Luke Schoonmaker - $4,800
Jordan Akins - $4,700
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