
Jamie's DraftKings NFL DFS Week 2 picks, value plays, DFS sleepers for the main slate (2025). His top DK plays and value picks for daily fantasy football lineups.
Week 2 is upon us! I hope our RotoBaller staff was able to help you win a nice chunk of money over the last weekend. The Christian McCaffrey shenanigans threw me off, and I wasn't able to recover in cash. Thankfully, a GPP hit Sunday night (and one in baseball two days later) got me back what I lost.
This week holds some interesting themes for us. The highlight is a Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles, but we'll also be navigating the injuries for San Francisco and trying to figure out which data from Week 1 is the most actionable. Is Harold Fannin Jr. real? Is Brian Thomas Jr. the WR2 for Jacksonville now? We've got you covered.
Be sure to jump into our RotoBaller Discord! We have so many different channels devoted to whatever you're playing in fantasy football. We also have lots of great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win MORE this season! Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups -- let's dominate this Week 1 slate together!
DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 2 DFS Picks
TOP PLAY
Lamar Jackson, BAL vs CLE ($7,000)
After an epic matchup against Josh Allen and the Bills (which may have already gotten the game of the year out of the way), Lamar Jackson makes his main slate debut. Despite only throwing 19 passes, Jackson still had a ceiling game with 29.36 DK points, showing that he's money in the bank on any slate he plays.
The Bills blitzed Lamar Jackson on 10 of his 22 dropbacks in Week 1, but the extra rusher hardly fazed him
Jackson when the Bills blitzed:
🟣 7/9, 140 yards
🟣 1 TD/0 INT
🟣 155.8 rating
🟣 0.83 EPA per dropback
🟣 11.8 air yards per attempt pic.twitter.com/iaDC80hY3u— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 8, 2025
Jackson was beyond efficient, averaging 11.1 YPA and coming close to throwing a perfect game for passer rating. He also ran for 70 yards, averaging 11.7 YPC. He's a perpetual QB1 even though the Browns held him to 5.8 YPC in his complete game against them last year. He's too cheap at $7,000, and should be in consideration for both cash and GPP.
VALUE PLAY
Mac Jones, SF at NO ($4,000)
Sometimes, we'll get a mid-week injury or diagnosis to a QB after the DFS prices have already come out, and as a result, we're left with a min-priced $4,000 backup at our disposal. I'm not advocating that said quarterback is an auto-start, but he certainly gives you carte blanche to fill the skill position spots with studs. That's Mac Jones this week.
With Brock Purdy set to miss multiple games due to turf toe, the 49ers will turn to Jones as their signal-caller. It's not great, and his prospects are further downgraded by the fact that George Kittle (hamstring) is also out and Jauan Jennings (shoulder) is questionable. Still, that price tag creates so much room, and Jones STILL has weapons despite the potential absences of multiple starters. Christian McCaffrey and Ricky Pearsall are set to thrive.
Jones was effective last year for Jacksonville from a fantasy standpoint. Even though his efficiency left something to be desired (6.4 YPA), he turned Brian Thomas Jr. into a top-shelf fantasy stud, and that was WITHOUT an effective running game and offensive line to assist him. I'll take the hit on potential downside for this price, especially with the players it can help you fit in.
Other options - Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Drake Maye
DraftKings Running Backs - Week 2 DFS Picks
TOP PLAY
Christian McCaffrey, SF at NO ($7,500)
If you read my Week 1 piece, you'll have seen that I was all in on Christian McCaffrey and his $7,300 price tag. After that, the calf injury thing happened, and it sowed a lot of doubt among his biggest enthusiasts. As a result, I did not play him in cash anymore, which was ultimately my downfall for Week 1.
This week, I'm right back on the McCaffrey train, and you could argue his situation is even BETTER than a week ago. McCaffrey will not have to contend with Kittle stealing targets, and the Niners may also be without Jennings. McCaffrey had 10 targets a week ago while also logging 22 carries out of the backfield.
Jones being under center should not hurt McCaffrey. On the contrary, his 6.4 YPA may only exist to help him, as San Francisco could run quick outs and checkdowns all game. The Saints are profiled to be one of the worst teams in football, so even a depleted 49ers roster should handle them fairly easily. Play McCaffrey this week.
VALUE PLAY
Chase Brown, CIN vs. JAX ($6,800)
Chase Brown is not a typical "value" play, as his price tag is almost in line with the top guys, but for what he brings to the table, he should not be under $7,000. Brown's usage is his bread and butter, and it was on full display in Week 1. He logged a 75% snap share and had all but two of the RB touches.
This game is currently the highest-totaled game of the week at 49.5, and the Bengals are favored at home by 3.5. Any game script works for Brown, and this projected back-and-forth affair should keep his volume sky high. I love Brown for cash against the Jags, but there are paths to downside in GPP (his efficiency, CIN leaning more heavily on the pass).
Other options - De'Von Achane, Kyren Williams, Javonte Williams
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DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 2 DFS Picks
TOP PLAY
CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. NYG ($7,800)
You'll have to pay full price for CeeDee Lamb, but he's worth it at home against the Giants. The Cowboys' top receiver had a 38% target share in Week 1 against the Eagles, and put up a 7-110-0 line on 13 targets despite also dropping four passes. He should be a weekly target vacuum despite having George Pickens and a healthy Jake Ferguson there.
Javonte Williams was the story of Week 1 for Dallas, but this Cowboys squad projects to be a passing team all the way. The Dallas offensive line was amazing against Philly's pass rush, and they should be able to do the same against the Giants. After the defensive line, the New York defense gets more questionable the further out you go, and there is not a CB on this roster that can stay with Lamb's precise routes.
CeeDee Lamb is the 2nd-youngest player in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions (26 years, 149 days as of Week 1, 2025) 👏
DALvsPHI on NBC
Stream on #NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/F5Y1pUwTrO— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 5, 2025
VALUE PLAY
Marquise Brown, KC vs. PHI ($5,200)
I did NOT think we'd be in a position where Hollywood Brown would be getting his own write-up in Week 2, but here we are. The Chiefs are hurting at the WR position, as it looks like the top option, Xavier Worthy (shoulder), won't play. Jalen Royals (knee) is also not practicing, and Rashee Rice is in the midst of his six-game suspension.
Brown led all WRs in targets for Week 1 with a whopping 16 after Worthy went down. He wasn't efficient at all, but that's monster volume for someone who should continue to be the WR1 at least for one more week. Travis Kelce and Noah Gray aren't volume-friendly, and JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton are part-time rotational players.
Brown is a lock in cash if Worthy does indeed sit, and he'd still hold GPP appeal if Worthy were to return miraculously. Look for a massive role in this Super Bowl rematch.
Other options - Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ricky Pearsall
DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 2 DFS Picks
TOP PLAY
Trey McBride - ARI vs. CAR ($6,000)
The Cardinals' preseason prophecies all came true in Week 1. They promised a 50-50 split between James Conner and Trey Benson, and they delivered. They also noted that the passing offense would be very concentrated around Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride. They came through on this as well, and the two combined for a 50% target share.
McBride notably led the way with nine.
Last year, the talk was all about positive TD regression for McBride, since he only scored twice despite finishing fourth in the NFL in targets. Last week, we saw the same thing as McBride led in targets, received one RZ target, and failed to convert.
That's CHANGING this week, as the Cardinals are the perfect matchups for TEs. Last season, they allowed the most receiving TDs overall AND the most TDs to tight ends. They also allowed the seventh-most FPPG to the position, and allowed (checks notes) Hunter Long to score in Week 1.
VALUE PLAY
Harold Fannin Jr., CLE at BAL ($3,100)
One of the top waiver wire darlings of Week 1 is also going to be one of the highest-owned DFS plays of the week. Getting a TE option near the $3,000 mark is always music to our ears as players, and Harold Fannin Jr. fits the bill. It's entirely possible the bottom drops out on Fannin this week, but Joe Flacco should have to sling it all over to keep pace with Baltimore.
Fannin led the Browns in Week 1 with nine targets (20% target share), parlaying them into seven catches for 63 yards. He also took a snap as a wildcat QB, so the Browns look like they're going to commit to getting him touches right out of the gate. The Ravens gave up the fourth-most FPPG to opposing TEs in Week 1, so this cheap price tag should play.
Other options - Travis Kelce, Juwan Johnson, Brenton Strange
DraftKings D/ST - Week 2 DFS Picks
Top 5 Defenses For Cash Games
- Los Angeles Rams ($3,100)
- New Orleans Saints ($2,500)
- Miami Dolphins ($2,900)
- Baltimore Ravens ($3,700)
- Dallas Cowboys ($3,000)
Thanks for reading, and good luck in your contests this weekend!
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