FanDuel GPP Guide: Week 2

Photo: USA Today Sports

Week 2's FanDuel Main Slate presents an interesting challenge. There are a number of chalky plays that are going to be hard to ignore. Jordan Mason at $5,500 is too cheap with Christian McCaffrey out. Cooper Kupp at $7,700 is significantly underpriced after seeing 21 targets in Week 1 and Puka Nacua landing on injured reserve. Deebo Samuel will likely be the 49ers' top passing game target and should also see close to 10 carries. Do you fade players who project as such elite values, or do you play the evident value plays and try to differentiate elsewhere? The latter strategy looks more appealing. 

We can find some differentiation by bypassing the elite passing quarterbacks who project to be especially popular this week in favor of some dual-threat quarterbacks with serious rushing upside. Pairing one of the rushing quarterbacks with a deep-threat wide receiver projected to be low-owned is one path to a unique lineup build. 

Quarterback

In FanDuel tournaments, the importance of rushing upside at the quarterback position cannot be overstated. In Week 1, the top five quarterbacks in FanDuel scoring averaged 10 carries for 65.2 yards and 1.0 rushing touchdowns. They only averaged 27.4 passing attempts and 238.0 passing yards, and four of the top five scored at least 11.5 fantasy points with their legs. This demonstrates that a high passing total is not necessary if a quarterback can score on the ground. That makes quarterbacks with rushing ability the focus of this week’s picks.

Additionally, quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes II (Kansas City, $8,700 vs Cincinnati) and C.J. Stroud (Houston, $8,200 vs Chicago) are strong plays due to their high passing projections, but they come with less rushing upside and are projected to be very popular. Both are fine plays, but we tend to shy away from non-rushing quarterbacks in large tournaments, especially when facing tough pass defenses.

Core Plays

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore ($8,800 vs Las Vegas)

Lamar Jackson’s rushing upside makes him a high-upside play this week, which could go somewhat overlooked with C.J. Stroud playing in primetime and Patrick Mahomes II playing in a high-profile late afternoon matchup against the Bengals. Jackson is one of the three quarterbacks on this slate projected to get double-digit carries. The Ravens have the sixth-highest implied team total on the slate, and much of the offense should again flow through Jackson. He was involved in all facets of the offense in Week 1, and that usage should continue. Head Coach John Harbaugh emphasized how varied the offense would be, mentioning that individual production might be high variance but that Jackson could have huge games any given week:

“We didn’t bring Derrick [Henry] in here to be the guy that gets the ball 30 times a game. That’s really not the plan. The plan is Derrick, Lamar, Mark [Andrews], Isaiah [Likely], Zay [Flowers], Bate [Rashod Bateman], and Nelly [Nelson Agholor].” – John Harbaugh

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh ($7,000 vs Denver)

At just $7,000, Justin Fields offers tremendous value with his rushing upside. He ran 14 times in Week 1 and showed that his legs will remain a big part of Pittsburgh’s game plan. Fields’ production history is encouraging — in 28 games over the last two seasons, he scored 23 or more FanDuel points 11 times, including multiple 40-point games. He also averages the second-most rushing yards per game of any quarterback in NFL history, making him a strong tournament play. I like pairing him with George Pickens. We saw Fields lean very heavily on DJ Moore last season, and there seems to be a similar dynamic developing with Pickens.

Others to Consider

Jayden Daniels, Washington ($7,900 vs NY Giants)

Jayden Daniels impressed in Week 1, rushing 16 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels' rushing ability is his biggest asset, and the fact that 77 of his rushing yards came off scrambles means he does not need designed running plays to rack up yardage. His quickness and ability to escape the pocket stood out, earning him a 74.6 PFF rushing grade. In a favorable matchup against a weak Giants pass defense, Daniels is poised for another big day. While there is some concern that Daniels may not hold up with this sort of rushing usage, Head Coach Dan Quinn indicated after Week 1 that he liked how Daniels used his rushing ability and wants to continue to improve the vertical passing game.

Kyler Murray, Arizona ($8,000 vs LA Rams)

Kyler Murray may not project for 10+ carries like the other quarterbacks mentioned, but his five carries for 57 yards in Week 1 highlight his rushing ability. He also brings a higher passing floor than the other core plays and will look to get Marvin Harrison Jr. and the deep passing game going after a disappointing debut. Murray’s rushing upside and playmaking ability make him a strong option in Week 2.