Week 1 began with the Bills handling the Rams on Thursday night. On Sunday, the excitement continued, with the Browns narrowly defeating Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers. Of course, then there was the injury to long-snapper Clark Harris, causing issues in Cincinnati's kicking game and allowing the Steelers to pick up an overtime win. The Bears took down the 49ers in monsoon-like conditions, while the Giants escaped Tennessee with a one-point win over the Titans.
There were also some critical injuries in Week 1. Dak Prescott will miss time with a broken thumb, the ailment-prone Elijah Mitchell is forecasted to miss two months due to a sprained knee, Keenan Allen tweaked his hamstring, Tee Higgins got concussed, T.J. Watt sustained a pectoral injury, and Najee Harris hurt his foot.
In this article, I will be providing you with my Week 2 daily fantasy football lineup picks for FanDuel. These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. Be sure to also check out our weekly DraftKings DFS lineup picks and lots of other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big! Also, feel free to give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen. Let's get started!
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FanDuel Quarterbacks - Week 2 DFS Lineup Picks
Tom Brady @ NO ($8,000)
Tom Brady ended the Sunday Night Football matchup against Dallas with 11.38 fantasy points, considerably less than DFS enthusiasts are used to. However, even though there are some familiar faces in Tampa Bay, it's still a new situation for the 45-year-old.
Chris Godwin isn't anticipated to suit up in Week 2. But luckily for Brady, Mike Evans and Julio Jones practiced on Friday, so he'll likely have two of the most effective wideouts in the league to support him against the Saints.
Joe Burrow @ DAL ($7,900)
Burrow had four interceptions and two fumbles in the nail-biting loss to Pittsburgh. Still, he managed to make up for some of the disastrous performance by throwing for 338 yards and two touchdowns. Tee Higgins returned to practice on Friday, meaning there's a chance he might play.
Yet, Burrow has Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon to help lessen the blow if Higgins is ruled out. Surely, the 2020 N0. 1 overall pick will need to receive better protection from his offensive line, a group that allowed seven sacks in Week 1. But since the Cowboys' offense may struggle to get anything going without Dak Prescott, Burrow is in a good position to end up as a top DFS quarterback by the end of the slate.
Matthew Staffordvs. ATL ($7,600)
Stafford has been dealing with an elbow issue since last season, causing him to undergo treatment throughout the offseason. He was also barred from throwing for most of the spring/summer, so starting off the year against arguably the NFL's best defense wasn't ideal.
Fortunately, the veteran should have a much easier time in Week 2 against the Falcons. Without question, Atlanta's defense isn't as formidable, as evidenced by the nearly 400 yards in total offense the unit allowed against the Saints. With Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II as Stafford's primary weapons on the receiving end, things are looking good.
Also Consider: Lamar Jackson ($8,200), Derek Carr ($7,300)
FanDuel Running Backs - Week 2 DFS Lineup Picks
Jonathan Taylor @ JAC ($10,000)
Taylor ran the ball 31 times against the Texans during the season opener, compiling 161 yards for an impressive 5.2 yards per carry. In addition, he was targeted by Matt Ryan seven times, and he also found the end zone, punching it in off a two-yard run in the second half.
Like always, Taylor will be the featured option on the offensive end for the Colts on Sunday. With an advantageous matchup against the Jaguars on tap, he shouldn't have any problem putting a hurting on Jacksonville. Considering Vegas has some optimistic projections for Taylor should give DFS managers added incentive to get him in the lineup, despite his hefty rostering cost.
Saquon Barkleyvs. CAR ($8,800)
Barkley looked like the rookie version of himself in Week 1. He went crazy, accumulating 164 yards and a touchdown while pulling in six of his seven targets. He also hauled in a pass from Daniel Jones late in the fourth quarter for a successful two-point conversion, which ultimately secured the unexpected win for the Giants.
New head coach Brian Daboll, a successful offensive coordinator over the years, realizes the team has the best chance at winning by getting the ball in Barkley's hands. That mindset shouldn't change in Week 2, as the former Nittany Lion should be heavily involved.
Antonio Gibson@ DET ($7,400)
Brian Robinson is back at practice after suffering gunshot wounds during the offseason. He's not ready to play, so Gibson will be the featured back for the Commanders on Sunday against the Lions.
Gibson was essential to Washington's success during the opener, producing as a runner and a pass-catcher. The 2020 third-round pick will be motivated to make some noise on the fantasy end moving ahead in Week 2, primarily since Robinson was threatening to take over as the No. 1 option on the depth chart entering the year.
Darrell Henderson Jr., vs. ATL ($6,200)
The Rams were embarrassed by the Bills in the first game of the season. Yet, the defending Super Bowl Champions will have an excellent chance to get back on track against the Falcons.
L.A. should be fired up and ready to steamroll the birds in Week 2. Cam Akers, who didn't get much action against Buffalo, will likely be more involved this time around. Yet, Henderson doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon and should get more than enough work to keep him relevant from a fantasy standpoint.
Also Consider: Nick Chubb (8,500), Joe Mixon ($8,300), Javonte Williams ($7,300), Josh Jacobs ($6,600)
FanDuel Wide Receivers - Week 2 DFS Lineup Picks
Davante Adamsvs. ARI ($8,800)
It didn't take long for Adams to get acclimated to his new signal-caller. He was targeted by Derek Carr 17 times throughout the loss to the Chargers, only one less than the rest of his teammates combined.
Overall, the former Packer had a fine outing, totaling ten catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. There were concerns regarding his volume entering the year. However, Adams is clearly the favorite, and it should remain that way.
Ja'Marr Chase @ DAL ($8,700)
Joe Burrow looked horrible against Pittsburgh. With that said, Chase still got his. He had 16 targets, collecting 10 of them. He also found the end zone off a six-yard pass with two seconds left in the fourth quarter to knot things up.
Even more impressive, the former LSU Tiger was targeted six times in the red zone in Week 1 while also averaging nearly 13 yards per catch on the day. With Tee Higgins uncertain for Sunday's matchup versus Dallas, Burrow will often look in Chase's direction. But even if Higgins plays, Chase remains an ideal option for DFS managers.
Deebo Samuel vs. SEA ($8,000)
Elijah Mitchell will miss a few months with a knee injury. This opens the door for Jeff Wilson to move to the top of the depth chart. Although Wilson will get his touches, he probably will cede carries to others.
Samuel is one of those players. The hybrid wideout carried the rock eight times against the Bears, second only to Trey Lance, who had 13. Nonetheless, Samuel could easily finish as the Niner's top runner, but even if he doesn't, he should be more involved than he was in Week 1.
Also Consider: Cooper Kupp ($9,700), Tyreek Hill ($8,000), Michael Thomas ($7,000), Jerry Jeudy ($6,300), Allen Robinson II ($5,700)
FanDuel Tight Ends - Week 2 DFS Lineup Picks
Dalton Schultz vs. CIN ($5,600)
The Cowboys will be without Michael Gallup and James Washington against the Bengals, although that's not a surprise. It will also be interesting to see if Jalen Tolbert, who was a healthy scratch versus Tampa, gets involved in some capacity.
Either way, Schultz will need to remain involved if Dallas hopes to take down the defending AFC Champions. He has plenty of upside, even without Dak Prescott under center.
Hayden Hurst@ DAL ($5,300)
Those looking to save some cash at the TE spot should take a serious look at Hurst against the Cowboys. The 29-year-old hasn't lived up to expectations since entering the league in 2018. However, now that he's with Joe Burrow, arguably the best quarterback he's ever played with, that may change.
Hurst was a bigger factor in Week 1 than most realize. While he had only five catches for 46 yards, he got two passes thrown his way inside the red zone. That type of volume should continue moving ahead. If everything works out, it shouldn't be long before Hurst finds the end zone.
Also Consider: Mark Andrews ($7,400), T.J. Hockenson ($5,700)