This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
There weren't many stellar offensive showings in Week 1. Only two quarterbacks threw for at least 300 yards, which left several marquee wide receivers with disappointing stat lines. Let's look at the matchups across Week 2 and highlight some of the top players to target for the main Sunday slate on FanDuel.
The Games
A lot of the focus of DFS picks is on individual players. Skills certainly matter, but finding game environments that are likely to promote a lot of points scored is a way to narrow the focus of our player pool.
| Over-Under | Road Team | Road Implied Total | Home Team | Home Implied Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41.5 | Raiders | 16.5 | Ravens | 25 |
| 38.5 | Chargers | 22 | Panthers | 16.5 |
| 46.5 | Saints | 20 | Cowboys | 26.5 |
| 51.5 | Buccaneers | 22 | Lions | 29.5 |
| 41 | Colts | 22 | Packers | 19 |
| 41.5 | Browns | 19.3 | Jaguars | 22.3 |
| 45.5 | 49ers | 26 | Vikings | 19.5 |
| 38.5 | Seahawks | 21 | Patriots | 17.5 |
| 40.5 | Jets | 22 | Titans | 18.5 |
| 43.5 | Giants | 21 | Commanders | 22.5 |
| 48.5 | Rams | 23.5 | Cardinals | 25 |
| 47.5 | Bengals | 21 | Chiefs | 26.5 |
| 36.5 | Steelers | 19.5 | Broncos | 17 |
| 45.5 | Bears | 19.5 | Texans | 26 |
There aren't a lot of games with high totals this week. In fact, there are six games with totals of 41.5 points or fewer.
The favorites with the highest totals include the Lions, Cowboys, Chiefs, 49ers and Texans.
Value Options
This section will highlight players who project well on a point-per-dollar basis. DFS analysis will often focus on getting 3X return on a player's salary, or another similar mark. This is only a part of the analysis, but it can help identify potential salary savers or building blocks for lineups.
Daniel Jones, NYG at WAS ($6,900)
Few will be comfortable rolling with Jones in DFS this week after his dud in Week 1 against the Vikings. He threw for 186 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. However, the Commanders allowed the most passing yards per game and most passing touchdowns in the league last year. In Week 1 this season, Baker Mayfield threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns against them. If there was ever a week to take a chance on Jones in tournament play, this is it.
Jordan Mason, SF at MIN ($5,500)
Mason stepped in for Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) in Week 1 against the Jets and finished with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. McCaffrey is still not healthy and reports indicated he might be forced to miss at least one more game. Should he sit out again, Mason could provide tremendous value at such a cheap salary.
Other Value Options
QB Matthew Stafford, LAR at ARI ($7,500)
QB Justin Fields, PIT at DEN ($7,000)
RB J.K. Dobbins, LAC at CAR ($6,800)
RB James Conner, ARI vs. LAR ($6,500)
RB Brian Robinson Jr., WAS vs. NYG ($6,200)
WR Malik Nabers, NYG at WAS ($6,400)
WR Chris Godwin, TB at DET ($6,200)
WR Ladd McConkey, LAC at CAR ($5,700)
TE Brock Bowers, LV at BAL ($5,300)
TE Colby Parkinson, LAR at ARI ($4,800)
Stacks to Consider
Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Cardinals allowed 26.8 points per game last season and gave up 34 points to the Bills last week. The Rams allowed 22.2 points per game last season and 26 points to the Lions in Week 1. This has the makings of one of the highest scoring games of Week 2.
Despite Marvin Harrison Jr. ($6,500) underwhelming in Week 1, he makes for an appealing stack with Kyler Murray ($8,000). Murry continued to show his rushing upside last week, turning five carries into 57 yards. In his Week 12 matchup with the Rams last season, he finished with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown.
On the Rams side of things, the stack that stands out is Stafford and Cooper Kupp ($7,700). Kupp is their undisputed top wide receiver now with Puka Nacua (knee) on injured reserve. Stafford threw five touchdown passes in two games against the Cardinals last season and began his 2024 campaign with 317 passing yards and a touchdown against the Lions.
Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jared Goff ($7,800) only threw for 217 yards and one touchdown against the Rams last week. His struggles also left Amon-Ra St. Brown ($9,000) with a muted stat line of three receptions for 13 yards. Both should have better days ahead, and could both far outproduce those numbers in this game. However, the key stack to target in this matchup is Baker Mayfield ($7,400) and Mike Evans ($8,000). Mayfield threw four touchdown passes against the Commanders in Week 1, two of which went to Evans. As the Buccaneers try to keep pace with the Lions' high-powered offense, Mayfield and Evans could shine.
Other Stacks to Consider
Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes ($8,700) + Rashee Rice ($6,900)
Ravens – Lamar Jackson ($8,800) + Zay Flowers ($6,300)
Commanders – Jayden Daniels ($7,900) + Terry McLaurin ($6,000)
High-Price Heroes
Jonathan Taylor, IND at GB ($8,200)
The Packers gave up the fifth-most rushing yards per game in the league last season. They didn't look any better facing the Eagles in Week 1, allowing Saquon Barkley to turn 24 carries into 109 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor recorded only 48 rushing yards against the Texans in Week 1, but he led the team with 16 carries and scored a touchdown. With the potential that he reaches 20 carries in this matchup, he has tremendous upside.
Kyren Williams, LAR at ARI ($8,000)
Remember all the fear about the Rams drafting Blake Corum and them expecting to use Williams to return punts? Williams received 18 carries and three targets in Week 1, while Corum didn't play a single offensive snap. The Cardinals allowed the most rushing yards per game in the league last season and didn't hold up well against Josh Allen and the Bills in Week 1. With Williams still in his leading role, he might be an even more appealing option than Taylor.
The Smash Spot
Cooper Kupp, LAR at ARI ($7,700)
The injury to Nacua resulted in Kupp receiving 21 targets against the Lions. He made them count, posting 14 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Injuries have derailed him the last few seasons, but he showed his massive upside in 2021 when he had 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. This could be one of the highest scoring games of the Week, so expect Kupp to be busy.
