DFS DRAWING BOARD - NFL Week 2 - WR
Welcome to Week 2 of the NFL season and the DFS Drawing Board. Each week we take a step back to review the upcoming weeks matchups and crunch the numbers to develop a series of position specific articles related to top daily fantasy sports plays. Whether you are playing on FanDuel, DrafKings, or even configuring your season long NFL lineups, these articles should serve as a reference tool and helpful guide to choosing the best players. I've shortened these articles to give you only the necessities and bottom-line reasoning as to my top choices. This is a no bullshi*t article and by that I mean the players and plays I suggest are those that I will be using in my personal lineups. Nothing is excluded. We intend to win. The goal is to make great lineups, win money, and share our success stories.
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The WR position this week is loaded. In most situations, I am looking to fill my flex position with a WR, meaning we need to pull a total of 3 WRs for a given lineup. I am also looking to round out stacks with WRs, typically matching 1-2 WRs with my selected QB. Targets are a reoccurring theme throughout the selection process and you will notice most, if not all of the guys below received a large amount of targets week 1. Targets = opportunities and that is king in fantasy football. That being said, please enjoy, upvote and comment on my top picks for Week 2 below.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers
$8,900 / vs. KC / PIT + 4
Stacked with Big Ben or played independently, it doesn’t matter this week, I’m all over Brown. I believe the Steelers have their way through the air vs. the Chiefs and that means business should be boomin for Brown. As I mentioned in the QB post, the Chiefs secondary is very weak this year and Week 1 was carved up by the Chargers’ receivers. Keenan Allen turned out an 8 reception, 108 yard, 1 TD performance and I expect no less from Brown. Go get yourself some Antonio Brown this week vs. the Chiefs secondary.
Odell Beckham Jr. – New York Giants
$8,200 / at DAL / DAL + 3
Odell came out Week 1 vs. a very tough Jaguars’ secondary looking every bit worth the 5-year $95 million contract extension he just recieved. Odell brought in 11 catches on 15 targets for a 111 yard performance. More importantly, this performance was against Jacksonville’s elite secondary and defense. Odell is pretty much matchup proof after Week 1’s performance, so I suggest getting some exposure this week in a divisional matchup vs. the Cowboys.
Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns
$6,700 / at NO / NO + 10
The best personality this year on HBO’s Hardknocks, Jarvis Landry was clearly a focal point of the Browns passing offense Week 1. Always a reliable receiver and target in Miami, Tyrod Taylor looked his way an amazing 15 times vs. the Steelers. I don’t care who you are or who you play for or what matchup you are in, 15 targets, aka opportunity, is money in fantasy football. This week the Browns travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints who were unable to stop Tampa Bay’s passing attack. A cheap price tag, great matchup, and plenty of opportunity, I will be playing Jarvis Landry in a majority of my lineups this week.
Devin Funchess – Carolina Panthers
$6,000 / at ATL / ATL + 6
Devin Funchess stands out to me as a great value play this week visiting Atlanta. News reported out of Carolina indicates that Greg Olsen suffered another major foot injury and will be out for the majority, if not all of 2018. That leaves a big void in both regular and redzone targets for the Carolina Panthers. A similar situation played out last season when Olsen went down and Funchess instantly took over as Cam Newton’s primary (non-RB) target. In 2017, without Olsen, Funchess was targeted 111 times, by far the most in his young career. I expect similar numbers this season with Olsen removed and it should all start this week. A value at just $6,000, I expect Funchess price to start to rise after this week.
Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons
$8,500 / vs. CAR / ATL + 6
It’s no secret the Atlanta Falcons offense had a major step back in 2017 and as a result people have been a little down on Julio Jones. It seemed as though week-in and week-out last season, the Falcons just didn’t utilize Jones enough. Well, there was no question this past week that the Falcons intended to get the ball to Jones. He led all NFL receivers Week 1 with a ridiculous 19 targets. He turned those targets into 10 receptions for 169 yards. Again, opportunity is everything in fantasy football and right now there is no receiver with more opportunity than Jones. Do I expect 19 targets a game and over 300 on the year? No, absolutely not but one thing is clear, Matt Ryan is looking his way often and that can mean great things for an elite receiver like Julio Jones. This week the Falcons take on Carolina, a team Jones put up 198 yards and 11 receptions on across 2 games last season. Julio is a solid high ceiling play this week across all formats.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
JuJu Smith-Schuster - $7,200 – Steelers
- Same great matchup as Brown vs. Chiefs. Consider as part of Big Ben stack.
Nelson Agholor - $6,100 – Eagles
- Value play. Although minimal yards, received 10 targets Week 1 (8 receptions).
Golden Tate - $7,100 – Lions
- High target total (15) in a game they were mostly score chasing, including 2 redzone targets. Likely will be playing from behind again.
Quincy Enunwa - $5,000 – Jets
- Could be shaping up to be Sam Darnold’s favorite target and priced ridiculously low.
Corey Davis - $6,300 – Titans
- Received 13 targets Week 1. Delanie Walker lost for season, so should continue to be focal point of passing offense.
Good luck out there this weekend......lets win some cash!
Sourced: FanSided.com / USA Today / MyAJC.com