RADIO
Welcome to RotoBaller's daily fantasy football DraftKings lineup picks for Week 2 of the NFL season. In this article, I, Jason Bales, will be taking you, the reader, through the best DraftKings DFS plays of the week for this upcoming Sunday.
These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on matchups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more. With Week 1 in the books, playing time and roles are a little more defined. There are still quite a few great value plays available, so read on to find out which players are the best for Week 2. Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups!
Editor's Note: If you like FanDuel, be sure to also check out FantasyAces. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!
DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 2 DFS Picks
Blake Bortles (at SD, $6,700)
Blake Bortles was issued a challenge early in the season against the Green Bay Packers' stout defensive unit, and he passed - kind of. The Jacksonville Jaguars allowed their franchise quarterback to drop back almost 40 times, and he completed more than half of his passes for over 300 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, from a fantasy perspective, touchdowns matter, and Bortles only threw one. However, this week, he gets a much easier matchup against the San Diego Chargers, a team that is near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to pass defense. Bortles should thrive, and as long as the Chargers keep the game relatively closer, the Jags are not going to stop throwing the ball. Bortles should see ample opportunity to excel this week, and that is all fantasy owners can ask for on a week to week basis.
DraftKings Running Backs - Week 2 DFS Picks
Danny Woodhead (vs JAX, $5,200)
Speaking of the San Diego Chargers, Danny Woodhead is simply too good and too cheap to pass up on this week. The Jaguars have a solid defensive unit, especially against the run, but Woodhead scores a majority of his fantasy points through the air. In his first game of the season, he carried the ball 16 times for right around 90 yards, caught five of seven targets for 31 yards, and found the end zone once. To say that it was a successful start to the season would be an understatement. As far as fantasy production is concerned, the Chargers' "backup" running back is pushing RB1 numbers. He was excellent last season, and it looks like he will continue to be excellent this season. Melvin Gordon found the end zone twice, so Woodhead has even more upside than what he showed off last week, but he will be fighting with Gordon for red zone touches.
Carlos Hyde (at CAR, $5,100)
Carlos Hyde, historically, performs well on Monday Night Football, especially to start the season. This year, the Los Angeles Rams had a very difficult time keeping him out of the end zone, as the San Francisco 49ers ran the ball for three touchdowns. Hyde only secured two of those three touchdowns, but with 88 rushing yards, two catches on three targets, and five receiving yards to boot, he posted 23.3 fantasy points. The Carolina Panthers did not look all that impressive against the Denver Broncos Week 1, as CJ Anderson proved that he is still alive and kickin' in this league. Hyde should continue to excel in Chip Kelly's high-velocity, quick-paced offense. Hyde is going to see a few touches taken away via Shaun Draughn in an effort to keep him fresh, but unless he vultures too many touchdowns, this should not be an issue. Within the next two or three weeks, Hyde's price tag will undoubtedly be on the rise. Get him now, while he is valuable.
DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 2 DFS Picks
Allen Robinson (at SD, $7,800)
Allen Robinson had a less-than-impressive Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers' defense, but his upside is through the roof, and he proved that with 15 targets. Blake Bortles is going to look his way in serious situations, and Robinson is generally going to respond with better results. He only caught six of those 15 targets week one, but that could have just as easily been 10-12 catches, over 100 yards, and a touchdown. Against the San Diego Chargers, it likely will look very similar to the stat line just listed. Robinson is an elite wide receiver and pairing him with Bortles this week really increases the fantasy upside of any lineup.
Travis Benjamin (vs JAX, $4,400)
Well, Keenan Allen fans are going to cringe at this recommendation, but the truth is that Allen is finished for the 2016 season. He will return next year, so be sure to stash him in dynasty and keeper leagues. He has so much talent and potential that 10 ACL tears would not be able to keep him down. However, this season, Travis Benjamin is going to be the go-to wide-out for the San Diego Chargers going forward. Week 1, he was targeted eight times, caught seven passes, and racked up 32 yards. Benjamin is a speed-demon with huge upside, especially with Philip Rivers throwing him the ball. The Chargers are going to take a couple shots down field this week against the Jaguars, and Benjamin will be on the receiving end of those shots. He will also pick up quite a few short passes, the same routes that Allen would have previously ran. Benjamin's price tag is low, and his upside is huge.
DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 2 DFS Picks
Gary Barnidge (vs BAL, $4,000)
Gary Barnidge totally flopped week one against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he is going to bounce back this week. That is almost a guarantee. Barnidge has a ton of talent, and Robert Griffin III broke a bone in his shoulder at the end of last week's game, giving way to Josh McCown at the helm for the Browns. In seven games last season with McCown at quarterback, Barnidge had 64 targets, 43 receptions, 603 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. Those are fantastic numbers for a tight end, and a lot of fantasy owners are going to pass on him after his recent terrible performance. Do not be one of those fantasy owners. Barnidge could possibly be the best tight end option on the board for Week 2.
