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Dawn's NFL DFS sleepers for DraftKings, FanDuel and Week 2 (2023). Her value picks and lineup sleepers for building winning daily fantasy football lineups.
We're on to week 2, RotoBallers, and we're here to guide you through the second week of the season and find the sneakiest sleeper values to help you take down your favorite contest. If you're playing cash games, you don't have to have the top QB or RB of the week. But in Guaranteed Prize Pool's (GPP's)? The best way to go is to focus on players with the highest potential upside for their DFS price.
This article will run every week throughout the regular season. It won't include the obvious choices but instead players who appear to be undervalued in current DFS formats. As the values currently sit, players will qualify as a value in DFS (based on DraftKings salaries) for this article if they are a quarterback in the 5k range, running backs who are 6k or less, wide receivers at 5.5k and under, and 4k or less for tight ends. When it comes to tournaments, stacking our quarterback with one of their pass catchers is a must.
It's crucial to prioritize players with higher guaranteed floors and consistency to increase our chances of winning cash games. No matter which game you choose, these picks will come in handy. So, without further ado, let's dive in!
Quarterback NFL DFS Value Plays - Week 2
Mac Jones, NE vs. MIA | DK: $5,200, FD: $6,900
Will the track meet we just watched last Sunday between Miami and the Chargers happen again at Foxborough? My thoughts are... not quite, but a 46.5 over/under and three-point spread points to another tight, high-scoring game.
Jones has a 17.94 point projection versus the Dolphins, almost 3.5x value, solid for cash games. With low ownership and a 25-point ceiling, he's also a strong tournament pick this week. Ownership will be high on Tua Tagovailoa, and the New England quarterback is a great way to find leverage.
Ryan Tannehill, TEN vs. LAC | DK: $5,000, FD: $6,400
Yes, week one was ugly, no one is disputing that statement. Tannehill threw three interceptions and had no touchdowns on 16-of-34 passes for 198 yards in the season opener, resulting in a 28.8 passer rating. The Titans were only able to convert 16.7% of their third-down attempts on Sunday.
In week two, Tannehill is at an "if not now, when" kind of place, and he is going to have to not just throw against the Chargers but hit his targets and move the chains. If he gets past his yips from last week, he could hit his projected ceiling of 28, more than 5x value. It's a big "if," which is why he's a tournament-only play for me this weekend.
Running Back NFL DFS Value Plays - Week 2
David Montgomery, DET vs. SEA | DK: $5,800, FD: $6,300
Last week, Montgomery emerged as Detroit's top back, playing 55 snaps and touching the ball 21 times. He also scored a touchdown and earned 13.4 points. He and the Lions will face a fragile Seahawks rushing defense that allowed three touchdowns on the ground to the Rams' running backs last week.
Montgomery's 15.04 projected fantasy points are over 2.5x value, solid in cash games, and we know his upside versus Seattle makes him a tournament play this week, even with some chalky ownership. At $5,800 on DK, you'll have plenty left over for other backs or wide receivers ready to blow up in week 2.
Isiah Pacheco, KC @ JAX | DK: $5,700, FD: $5,700
In his first game of the season, Pacheco had eight carries for 23 yards and four receptions for 31 yards, 7.8 yards per carry. Kansas City at Jacksonville's over/under is 51, so there should be plenty to go around versus a Jacksonville team that gave up more than 100 yards on the ground to five players last season and allowed 13 players to rush for at least one touchdown.
Last week's game versus Detroit will undoubtedly have some fantasy players staying away from Kansas City, but this is the time to grab Pacheco and take advantage of low ownership and recency bias regarding his low YPC. At $5,700, Pacheco should hit his cash value and possibly more in a high-scoring game in Jacksonville.
Justice Hill, BAL @ CIN | DK: $4,900, FD: $6,100
Another division rival is looming for the Bengals in Cincinnati this weekend, with a 46.0 over/under and 3.5-point spread. Losing J.K. Dobbins was a massive loss for the Baltimore Ravens, and trying to figure out who will be utilized more between Hill and Gus Edwards will be tricky. Still, their projections of 7.07 and 7.18, respectively, and their prices of $4,900 and $5,300, make it easy for me. The value is with Hill, as he also looks to be the current favorite receiving back.
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Wide Receiver NFL DFS Value Plays - Week 2
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA @ DET | DK: $4,500, FD: $5,200
Smith-Njigba's price on DraftKings is down $400, Geno Smith is due a bounce-back game, and Detroit allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to receivers last year, struggling especially against the slot, allowing 1,411 yards to slot receivers since the previous year. The over/under for this game is 48 with a five-point spread, which means lots of points to go around in Seattle and a possible big game for JSN and the Seahawks.
Treylon Burks, TEN vs. LAC | DK: $4,500, FD: $5,400
If Tannehill is going to have a better week two than week one, he'll need Treylon Burks to have a solid week. At $4,500 and $500 less than last week, Burks is a great value play with 9.42 projected fantasy points and a projected ceiling of 16, just over 3.5x value.
DeAndre Hopkins is dealing with an ankle injury he seemed to suffer on Tennessee's final offensive play in the team's 16-15 loss to the Saints. Depending on how Hopkins can move around the field with his ankle remains to be seen. Still, if he is hindered, Burks will look at a more significant role and more targets from a hopefully solid Tannehill.
Rashid Shaheed, NO @ CAR | DK: $4,100, FD: $5,900
During the preseason, we already knew that there was chemistry between Rashid Shaheed and Derek Carr. When Chris Olave briefly left last week's game, the chemistry with Shaheed was confirmed, with him being targeted six times, catching five of those for 89 yards and a touchdown. In addition, he had two carries in the running game and gained a total of 11 yards.
Shaheed is a fantastic player when it comes to stretching the field. He has the potential to make a significant impact in fantasy games with only a couple of catches. The Saints are facing the Carolina Panthers, and with Jaycee Horn out, Shaheed is likely to get many chances to go past the defense and have a successful night.
Tight End NFL DFS Value Plays - Week 2
Sam LaPorta, DET vs. SEA | DK: $3,900, FD: $5,100
LaPorta has to be one of the best values on the slate with a $3,900 and playing in a game with a 48 over/under. During Detroit's game versus Kansas City, LaPorta played a significant role, participating in 83% of the offensive snaps. He caught all five targets for a total of 39 yards, with 11 yards after the catch. Among all tight ends last week, his five receptions placed him in third position, and as a rookie tight end, he led the pack in receptions.
Durham Smythe, MIA @ NE | DK: $2,900, FD: $4,700
We have another potentially high-scoring game in New England this weekend, with a 46 over/under and a 3-point spread. Tight end Durham Smythe played every offensive snap in the Dolphins' week one win against the Chargers. He had the second-most targets on the team behind Tyreek Hill with seven, and his 44 receiving yards came in third behind the two dynamic wide receivers.
Smythe's $2,900 price tag will allow you to add a productive tight end to your DFS lineup, along with a superstar running back or wide receiver. With everyone's eyes on Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle, Smythe is an excellent leverage pick, sure to come in at low ownership.
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