FanDuel NFL DFS Picks For Week 2: Chase Brown Headlines Core Targets

With TNF over, it’s time to focus on the Sunday FanDuel NFL DFS slate for Week 2 and take a shot at some of the monster prize pools available across the DFS industry.

What are we looking at today?

Picks for FanDuel GPPs and the Week 2 Sunday Million

FanDuel awards bonuses now at 100+ yards (three points passing/receiving/rushing), but their 0.5 PPR setting does make TDs more valuable and receptions less so—something to keep in mind.

The plays and salaries listed here will be specific to FanDuel and their salary cap contests.

However, since we’re also relying on the FantasyLife+ projections, tools, and advice, the specific game matchups and correlations (aka–game stacks) are things you can apply to lineup building across the DFS industry.

Hint: Use Code GRIND for 20% off a FantasyLife+ subscription today

If you'd like my favorite plays and GPP targets that are specific to DraftKings, you can also find them here.

Let’s get started. Week 2 is here.

Week 2 FanDuel DFS Core Targets

1. Chase Brown ($7,500)

Pair with Brian Thomas ($7,600) or Travis Hunter ($5,900)

The Bengals' passing game will be a popular target, and one way to gain some leverage off of Joe Burrow-Tee Higgins-Ja’Marr Chase stacks is to simply get your exposure to this game via Chase Brown and the Bengals' running game instead.

The matchup suggests this might be the better way to approach this game, too. Via RBSDM and their defensive stats, the Jaguars ranked top five in success rate and EPA per play vs the pass in Week 1, but allowed starting RB Chuba Hubbard to go for 17.9 PPR points and 36 receiving yards and a TD.

Brown’s not only a more explosive player than Hubbard, but is attached to a better offense. It should allow for more opportunities at big plays and make him a great blowup target for Week 2.

2. Jahymyr Gibbs ($8,300) and the Lions DST ($3,800)

Pair with Rome Odunze ($5,800)

Detroit’s at home this week, and I expect it’s where we’ll see both their defense and Jahmyr Gibbs get rolling. Chicago was just 23rd in EPA per play vs the run in Week 1, and Gibbs has dominated the matchup with them in the past, averaging 5.8 YPC and 0.75 TDs in four meetings.

Defensively, Caleb Williams also looks like a great matchup. He held the ball for too long multiple times vs the Vikings, and finished the game with just a 60% completion rate, after starting 10/10.

If Gibbs can get rolling early and give the Lions DST the lead, we could see them ramp up the pressure on Wiliams and come away with multiple turnovers or even a scoring play.

3. DK Metcalf ($6,800)

Pair with Aaron Rodgers ($7,400)

As of writing, the Seahawks' starting CB Devon Witherspoon is listed as doubtful, while safety Nick Emmanwori has already been ruled out. That means Metcalf will likely be up against CB Riq Woolen a lot this Sunday. Via Pro Football Focus and their weekly player grading, Woolen had the lowest coverage grade on his team last week and allowed a big play late to Ricky Pearsall to help seal the win for Pittsburgh.

Add in the fact that Aaron Rodgers (8.13 YPA vs NYJ) looked like he found the fountain of youth (again) in Week 1, and Metcalf all of a sudden looks like a great lower-owned roster at just $6,800.

Week 2 FanDuel DFS Stacks

Contrarian: Lamar Jackson ($8,500) and Mark Andrews ($5,700)

Pair with Cedric Tillman ($5,400)

Zay Flowers is going to be one of the most popular players on the slate on FanDuel. It makes sense. He’s only $6,300 and produced 28.1 FP in PPR scoring, off a 50% target share. Wow.

Still, the Browns have a solid secondary and a great number one corner in Denzel Ward, who will likely see a fair bit of Flowers in coverage. Given how well their secondary slowed the big two WRs of the Bengals last week, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that Flowers is a semi-bust in Week 2, especially on FanDuel, where we only get 0.5-PPR scoring.

Enter the contrarian move, which is to still use Lamar Jackson, but pair him with his starting TE, Mark Andrews. Andrews was a total dud in Week 1, but he has acted as the primary target for Jackson before, and has dominated the Browns, scoring 11 TDs vs them in 14 games. The leverage you get by pivoting to Andrews could give you a huge edge in big contests if the two connect for a big game in Week 2.

"Big Brain" Value Stack: Bryce Young ($6,600) and Ja’Tavion Sanders ($4,500)

Pair with Trey McBride ($7,000) OR James Conner ($7,700)

If you’re looking for a way to stack multiple big names in your lineup (DK Metcalf, Chase Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs), I give you the “big brain” value stack for the week.

This week, I like targeting Bryce Young and his starting TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, who will only cost you a combined $11,100 to roster. Young was awful in Week 1, but will face a Cardinals team that was solid against the run (ninth in Success Rate vs the rush) and funneled New Orleans to the pass last week in a game where Spencer Rattler dropped back 46 times.

With Arizona’s top corner Will Johnson covering Tetairoa McMillan, I’d also expect TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, who led the Panthers with a 15.0-yard aDOT in Week 1, to have a shot at acting more as a primary target in this game. The Cardinals allowed eight receptions on 12 targets to TE Juwan Johnson last week, who led all Saints receivers in yards gained and nearly capped off his day with a TD on the final play of the game.