NFL Draftkings Picks
The opening week was a strange one. There were some snoozers and some surprises and it was bookended by two great primetime games. We were 10 for 20 in our player picks here. The good hits included Joe Mixon, Jameis Winston, and Corey Davis. The disappointing misses were Ryan Tannehill and A.J. Brown along with Josh Allen. Each week FantasyData will bring you 20 players that we like for the Draftkings Sunday main slate. Let us get right to it.
Quick Links
Studs to Splurge For
Here we will highlight two players at each position that are in the top-five of their respective position and are deemed worthy of “paying up” for in your lineup. Please note these players will likely be highly owned so if you are looking to differentiate, you will want to pull more players from the next two sections.
Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray | $7600 | 8.4% | MIN @ ARI
We are going back to the well with Kyler Murray in Week 2. Murray was on point in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans and was the second-highest scoring quarterback on the week (34.6) behind only Patrick Mahomes (36.3). Up next are the Minnesota Vikings that just allowed 18.6 DK points to Joe Burrow in Week 1. This game has an implied total of 50.5 and the Cardinals are projected to score 27.25 of them. This should be another 20 plus point week for Murray with ease.
Russell Wilson | $7500 | 4.7% | TEN @ SEA
We just talked about the great game Murray had against the Titans in Week 1. Enter Russell Wilson in his home opener against this same Titans defense that allowed 34.6 DK points to Murray. Wilson was pretty good in Week 1 in his own rights, putting up 27.06 DK points on the road against a good Indianapolis Colts defense. The impressive stat here is that Wilson was able to put up these numbers on just 23 pass attempts (18 completions) and only rushed for 9 yards. Look for both of those numbers to increase in Week 2.
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey | $9900 | 10.5% | NO @ CAR
Christian McCaffrey almost pulled off the rare double-double. The stud running back was just two yards short of rushing for 100 and only 11 yards short of 100 receiving. Despite not finding the end zone, McCaffrey still put up 27.7 DK points in Week 1. The matchup is a bit tougher this week with the Saints coming to town. In six career games versus New Orleans, the Stanford grad has four touchdowns and averages over six receptions and 60 yards receiving against the division rival. If you are not comfortable using 20% of your salary on one player and still want a top-five salaried back, look to Nick Chubb as a pivot.
Nick Chubb | $7800 | 7.1% | HOU @ CLE
Nick Chubb was the sixth-highest scoring running back in Week 1 (23.1 DK points) and has a tasty matchup against the Houston Texans that allowed a league-worst 160.2 yards rushing per game in 2020. Chubb was very effective against the Kansas City Chiefs in the opener, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. He also caught both of his targets for 18 additional yards. Kareem Hunt only saw six carries so the backfield appears to belong to Chubb. The Georgia grad is priced nicely for Week 2.
Wide Receiver
DK Metcalf | $7600 | 6.2% | TEN @ SEA
We mentioned how much we like Russell Wilson in the open so it only makes sense to pair him with one of his receivers. DK Metcalf was overshadowed by Tyler Lockett in Week 1 but still managed to put up 16.0 DK points. He hauled in five of six targets for 60 yards and a score. Look for a Lockett-type performance in Week 2 against a Tennessee Titans defense that just got torched by Deandre Hopkins for 83 yards and two touchdowns. This is a low-owned stack that could give you the edge you need in larger tournaments. The total sits at 54 and Seattle is projected to put up 30.25 of those.
Deandre Hopkins | $8000 | 12.4% | MIN @ ARI
Speaking of Hopkins, we are going back to the well with him for Week 2. The matchup versus the Minnesota Vikings is not a scary one as the Cincinnati Bengals wideouts had their way with the secondary in Week 1. Rookie, Ja’Marr Chase, and second-year star Tee Higgins each put up over 15 DK points last week. Look for Hopkins to repeat his dominant Week 1 performance yet again.
Tight End
Darren Waller | $7600 | 12.7% | LVR @ PIT
The matchup is not great here but we simply cannot ignore the fact that Darren Waller saw 19 targets in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. Waller put up a robust 29.5 DK points against a solid defense similar to Pittsburgh. Derek Carr forces the ball to his stud tight end and we can expect double-digit targets again in Week 1. The implied total for the Raiders is 20.75 so points are there to be had and Waller will make bank simply by the sheer number of receptions he will have. He may be the safest play on the board in Week 2.
Dallas Goedert | $4600 | 1.7% | SF @ PHI
The San Francisco 49ers currently rank 31st against the tight end position based on the DK rankings. We highlighted T.J. Hockenson here last week against them and he rewarded us with a touchdown and 25.7 DK points. Zach Ertz has been limited in practice all week and only saw two targets in Week 1. Quarterback Jalen Hurts will likely be under pressure a lot of the game and be forced to get the ball out quickly. This favors Goedert who put up a solid 14.2 DK points in Week 1. Look for a duplicate stat line this weekend.
Sleepers to Separate From the Pack
Up next we give you some players to help differentiate your lineup from the masses and give you the edge you need to compete in some of the bigger tournaments. Just like the section above, we highlight two players at each position except now instead of studs, you get players that are expected to be less than 10% owned on the main slate.
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady | $6900 | 6.9% | ATL @ TB
Tom Brady continues to defy father time. The veteran quarterback looked outstanding in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, putting up 32.2 DK points. Up next are the Atlanta Falcons at home. Jalen Hurts just put up 28.8 points against this same defense. Look for Brady to attack through the air with the running game unsettled between Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, and Gio Bernard. The trio of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and a rejuvenated Antonio Brown along with Rob Gronkowski give the former Patriot plenty of choices in the passing game and should feast against a weak Falcons defense. Brady is the sixth most expensive quarterback this week but should have no problem paying off his reasonable salary.
Joe Burrow | $5800 | 4.0% | CIN @ CHI
Joe Burrow looked good in his first game action since suffering a season-ending injury early in 2020. The second-year quarterback completed 74.1% (20 of 27) of his passes against the Minnesota Vikings and did not throw an interception. Up next is a Chicago defense that was picked apart by Matthew Stafford in Week 1. The Bears secondary can be attacked and Burrow should have no problem at least repeating last week’s performance (18.64 DK points) and at $5800, that is more than enough to make value.
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor | $7200 | 3.6% | LAR @ IND
The matchup may seem a little scary at first glance, but keep in mind that David Montgomery put up 21.8 DK points just a week ago against this same defense. Montgomery averaged a gaudy 6.8 yards per carry and went for over 100 yards and a score. Taylor is equally as talented as the Chicago back and should have plenty of opportunities against the Rams. One would think the game plan will be to kill the clock as much as possible and keep Matthew Stafford and his receiving arsenal on the sidelines. If they can execute this plan, look for Taylor to easily meet or exceed value in Week 2.
Melvin Gordon III | $5900 | 1.6% | DEN @ JAX
The projected ownership percentage is a little baffling here. Melvin Gordon put up 23.8 DK points in Week 1. His backfield counterpart Javonte Williams is projected to be 3.9% owned. Williams did see 14 carries in the opener, but Gordon broke off a 70 yarder and went over 100 yards with a score. The Jacksonville Jaguars just let the Houston Texans rush for 160 yards on them. There is room for both Gordon and Williams to excel here. Jerry Jeudy is out for an extended period of time so Teddy Bridgewater and the Broncos will likely lean on the running game even more in his absence.
Wide Receiver
Diontae Johnson | $6400 | 5.1% | LVR @ PIT
Diontae Johnson remains the preferred target for Ben Roethlisberger. Johnson saw another 10 targets in Week 1 against a tough Buffalo Bills defense. The young wideout was able to turn that into five receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown. Marquise Brown just did a number on this Raiders defense, putting up 19.4 DK points in the opener. Look for Johnson to find the end zone again and increase the yardage totals substantially from his Week 1 output.
Allen Robinson | $6200 | 4.7% | CIN @ CHI
Adam Thielen just ate this Bengals secondary alive in Week 1 putting up 30.2 DK points. Allen Robinson is coming off a game in which he faced a tough Los Angeles Rams defense but still saw 11 targets. Andy Dalton seemed to favor the veteran stud wideout. The price and matchup are prime for the pickings and at less than 5% ownership, could be a difference-making play in Week 2. The total for this game sits at 45.5 and the Bears are projected to score 24 of them. Robinson likely finds the end zone and improves on his Week 1 yardage totals.
Tight End
Jared Cook | $3900 | 4.8% | DAL @ LAC
Jared Cook saw a healthy eight targets in Week 1 and turned them into 10.6 DK points. The matchup is one of the best of the weekend as the Dallas Cowboys were touched up for two touchdowns by Rob Gronkowski in Week 1. The Chargers are projected to score 29 points on Sunday. This is one of the larger totals on the board. Look for Justin Herbert to lean on his big tight end again in Week 2. At just $3,900, Cook does not need much to pay off value here.
David Njoku | $3600 | 1.3% | HOU @ CLE
Odell Beckham Jr. has already been ruled out for Week 2. In Week 1 with OBJ out, David Njoku saw five targets and turned them into three catches for 76 yards (10.6 DK points). Austin Hooper was targeted three times on the opening drive but did not get another look the rest of the game. Look for the Cleveland Browns to continue to involve the athletic tight end in the offense while Beckham misses time. The matchup is prime for picking as Houston ranks 26th against the position. This is a nice under-the-radar play for Week 2.
Fantasy Data Favorites
In this section, we will give you one play from each position for the week that we like the most. This will be a player that likely will give you a high upside at a lower cost than their counterparts and also come with a low ownership projection. Here you go!
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford | $6400 | 4.1% | LAR @ IND
Last week we hit on Jameis Winston. This week we like Matthew Stafford a good bit. The matchup appears tough on paper but Stafford is dealing. The former Detroit Lion signal-caller is coming off a 27.34 point performance against the Chicago Bears. Russell Wilson had no problems with this Colts defense, putting up four touchdowns against them. Stafford has real weapons to work with that he has not seen since the days of Calvin Johnson. Look for his hot streak to continue. The Rams have a projected total of 25.75 and are a 3.5 point favorite on the road. That tells you all you need to know about how Vegas thinks this game will go.
Running Back
Chase Edmonds | $4900 | 8.8% | MIN @ ARI
James Conner actually had more attempts than Chase Edmonds in Week 1 but was not nearly as effective. Edmonds turned his 12 carries into 63 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and caught all four of his targets for an additional 43 yards. In a game that will likely shoot out somewhat, look for Edmonds to be on the field more and be involved in the passing game. Joe Mixon just 28.0 DK points against this same Vikings defense that ranks 29th against the position. At just $4,900, Edmonds should be able to easily pay off his low salary in Week 2.
Wide Receiver
Robert Woods | $5700 | 8.0% | LAR @ IND
We mentioned we like Matthew Stafford a bit this week so it makes sense that we highlight one of his receivers here. Woods is grossly underpriced for Week 2. The veteran only saw four targets in Week 1. That number should double in Week 2 and Stafford will get Woods involved one way or another. He did have one rushing attempt last week for seven yards and put up a modest 12.4 DK points thanks to a touchdown.
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski | $4700 | 3.5% | ATL @ TB
Speaking of under-priced plays, Rob Gronkowski only saw his salary increase by $800 despite posting 29.0 DK points in Week 1. The matchup is a juicy one as we mentioned when discussing Tom Brady earlier. Gronk caught all eight of his targets for 90 yards and two touchdowns. A repeat performance is unlikely, but for just $4,700 we do not need that. Five receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown easily pay off this low salary.
Checkout Our DFS Tools
