NFL DFS Week 2 Example Lineups: Top Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel Contests

UPDATED: Sunday, Sept 17 at 12pm ET

Are we ready for some NFL Week 2 DFS? Absolutely! Good morning #FANation! After a successful first week of the 2023 NFL season, we're ready to get right back at it today. Week 2 is always an interesting week because there is still plenty of overreaction to what we saw in the first week of the season and there is still not enough data for us to work through regarding match-ups. We have an idea, but who are the players we can trust? With Austin Ekeler out, everyone seems to be in on Joshua Kelley and while that “next man up” mentality certainly works in season-long fantasy football, does it in DFS? Everyone was pretty locked onto Jamaal Williams last week and the Tennessee defensive line did a fantastic job limiting him to 2.5 yards per carry and kept him out of the end zone. What about AJ Dillon with Aaron Jones out? The Falcons allowed 154 rushing yards to Carolina last week, so maybe we like Dillon more than Kelley? And what about the return of Travis Kelce? Are we 100-percent in with expectations of a shootout against the Jaguars?

When it comes to building cash lineups, I try to go zero-fat. That means I'm looking for a high-floor player with very little risk. Maybe he's got a great target-share in his team's passing attack. Maybe he's a volume back about to see a ton of touches. Maybe he's on a team that leans on the tight end. Most of these guys are in the DFS Playbook. I try to think primarily about cash lineups when I build it because you need/want that as a strong base for my GPP lineups as well. You find some cash-game chalk to hang onto and then find ways to differentiate with the rest of your lineup. You take your chances on high-ceiling plays in GPP tournaments and, in many cases, it can be a total free-for-all. Everyone likes different players for different reasons. That's why I like to solid base. I even play my cash lineups in GPP tournaments because I know that most of these high-floor guys also have a tremendous ceiling.

One thing I like to do here in Week 2 is go a little contrarian given how wrong the public can be sometimes. I'll use a Kelley, Dillon or even a Zack Moss in cash lineups because they are at a bargain price and have high ownership. That means if they hit, I keep pace with the field. If they don't, I'm not too adversely affected because everyone else is in the same boat. But in GPP tournaments, I am looking where the public isn't for whatever reason. For example, You see Deebo Samuel in the Playbook but not Brandon Aiyuk. That's because, after a two-touchdown game, everyone just assumes Aiyuk is the guy and while he very well may be, Deebo carves up zone coverage and no one is looking at him. It's the same with Tee Higgins. No points last week? No one wants him. They'll spend up for Ja'Marr Chase without even thinking about it. Chase is great and will probably hit, but you can't rule out Higgins by any stretch of the imagination. So yeah, you might be scratching your head a little at some of my GPP choices, but like the old adage goes – when everyone zigs, you gotta zag.

Just a few notes here about the lineups below...

The cash lineups were built solely off the players I put in the Playbook. These are the guys who, unless I have indicated otherwise, offer up the higher floor and will help you cash in your Double-Ups and 50/50s. For GPP tournaments, particularly the large-field ones, you need to find alternative routes to the cash line. I will utilize players from the Playbook and the DFS Dart Board to fill in the gaps, but what I am looking for are some lower-owned stacks that make sense based on expected game flow and other news. You may also see in the GPP lineups, there may be some names I haven't discussed this week on the site, but have talked about during the week on the Fantasy Alarm Show or even on the Fantasy Alarm Sunday Gameday Show on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. You will also notice, though, that others on the site have mentioned some of these players in places such as the position coaches, so it's not like we're trying to hide anything from you. The only time, and I mean the only time you will see a player in a GPP lineup who hasn't been discussed is if we are using a stack and need a player from the other team coming back. But it's rare when that happens.

Again, these lineups are meant to serve as examples for you; a sounding board, as I said. They are not meant for you to plug in as your own. That's the lazy way and we don't condone it. We are trying to teach you how to be a better DFS player; we aren't lineup-sellers. You should be creating your own lineups using all the information we provide you throughout the week and then coming here to see if there is anything you may have missed or simply for an alternative perspective.

**Be sure to check the Playbook and Dart Board for late changes

Best of luck to you this week and let's make some money!

SUNDAY MORNING NOTES:

According to Adam Schefter:

Packers’ RB Aaron Jones, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury, is not expected to play vs. the 

Falcons, per sources. The Packers promoted RB Patrick Taylor from their practice squad Saturday.

Titans’ WR DeAndre Hopkins, listed as questionable for Sunday due to an ankle injury, is expected to play vs. the Chargers, per source.

Packers’ WR Christian Watson, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a hamstring injury, is not expected to play vs. the Falcons, per source.

Cowboys’ WR Brandin Cooks, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a sprained knee, is not expected to play vs. the Jets, per source.

Chiefs’ TE Travis Kelce is good to go today, per source. He is expected to wear a compression sleeve on his knee as he did at practice last week. But the week off also was said to be helpful for Kelce, and he was said to have gotten “his legs back.”

Texans OT Laremy Tunsil, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game due to a knee injury, is not expected to play vs. the Colts, per source.

OTHER NFL NEWS:

KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports Texans QB C.J. Stroud (questionable, shoulder) is expected to play vs the Colts.

Chargers ruled out RB Austin Ekeler for Week 2 against the Titans.

Jets RB Breece Hall (knee) is listed as questionable for Week 2 vs Dallas.

Saints listed RB Kendre Miller as questionable for Week 2 against the Panthers.

Chiefs elevated RB La’Mical Perine for Week 2 against the Jaguars.

Ravens elevated RB Melvin Gordon to the active roster for Week 2 against the Bengals.

Browns listed WR Amari Cooper as questionable for Week 2 against the Steelers.

Broncos HC Sean Payton said Jerry Jeudy (hamstring) will play in Week 2 against the Commanders.

Texans WR John Metchie (hamstring) is expected to play in Week 2 vs the Colts.

Panthers listed WR DJ Chark as questionable for Week 2 against the Saints.

Colts TE Kylen Granson (hamstring) has been downgraded to questionable for Week 2 vs the Texans.

WEATHER REPORT:

CHI/TB – Chances of some spot showers throughout the day but nothing sustained or overwhelming

KC/JAC – Same as in Tampa with chances of some pop-up showers but nothing that should affect the game

GPP STACKS:

As a reminder, when you're stacking in GPP, you always want to run someone back from the opposing team. One-sided games often turn to a running back seeing higher-than-usual volume or the back-ups start to play. For a stack to really pop, the other team needs to keep things competitive. 

Chalk Stacks (Expect High Ownership): 

Bills: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, James Cook or Dalton Kincaid or Gabe Davis (Adams or Renfrow coming back)

*Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Kadarius Toney or Rashee Rice (Ridley or Etienne coming back)

*Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk or Travis Etienne or Zay Jones (Kelce coming back)

*Lions: Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery or Sam LaPorta (Metcalf or Lockett coming back)

*Chargers: Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams (Henry coming back)

49ers: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk or George Kittle (Williams, Nacua or Atwell coming back)

Possible Lower-Owned Stacks:

Seahawks: Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett (St. Brown, Gibbs, or Montgomery coming back)

*Bengals: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins or Joe Mixon (Andrews or Flowers coming back)

*Ravens: Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers or Odell Beckham (Mixon, Chase or Higgins coming back)

Packers: Jordan Love, Romeo Doubs, Luke Musgrave or AJ Dillon (Robinson or London coming back)

Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin or Rachaad White (Moore coming back)

Colts: Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman, Zack Moss or Kylen Granson (Collins or Pierce coming back)

Giants: Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Darren Waller or Isaiah Hodgins (Conner, Brown or Ertz coming back)

Rams: Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell or Tyler Higbee or Kyren Williams (Deebo, McCaffery or Aiyuk coming back)

Cowboys: Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb or Michael Gallup (Wilson or Hall coming back)

Broncos: Russell Wilson, Courtland Sutton, Javonte Williams (Thomas, Dotson or Robinson coming back)

Commanders: Sam Howell, Logan Thomas, Jahan Dotson or Terry McLaurin (Williams or Sutton coming back)

Dart Throw Stacks:

Titans: Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Treylon Burks or Chigozeum Okonkwo (Allen, Williams or Kelley coming back)

Falcons: Desmond Ridder, Bijan Robinson, Drake London or Kyle Pitts (Dillon, Doubs or Musgrave coming back)

Bears: Justin Fields, DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney or Cole Kmet (White, Evans or Godwin coming back)

Texans: CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, Dameon Pierce or Dalton Schultz (Mos or Pittman coming back)

Cardinals: Joshua Dobbs, Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz (Barkley coming back)

Jets: Zach Wilson, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard or Breece Hall (Lamb, Pollard or Gallup coming back)

*denotes favorite