NFL DFS Week 2: Start With a Chargers Stack

It’s time to start setting your DFS lineups for Week 2!

Sunday’s slate is a little shorter with two games on Monday Night Football. That means no Nick Chubb or Chris Olave. The Eagles and Vikings will also have already played, but there are still plenty of great players in favorable matchups to target.

I expect all of the players who made this list to return value for their respective salaries–whatever that price-point may be. We will be back Friday with contrarian and “bargain” plays, so check back for those players and darts on Friday.

It’s worth mentioning that the highest game totals of the week include the matchups between the Ravens and Bengals, Chiefs and Jaguars, Seahawks and Lions, and Raiders and Bills. Be sure to consider point totals game script when building your DFS lineups.

Quarterbacks

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Justin Herbert, Chargers

Herbert makes the list again after we started him successfully for a QB4 finish last weekend. Offensive coodinator Kellen Moore’s offense should be explosive vs. a Titans team that allowed the fourth-most DFS points to opposing QBs last season.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

He’s Patrick Mahomes. Take advantage of the fact that some people may fade him after last week’s loss to the Lions. Thie Chiefs-Jaguars game has the highest total of the week, and it won’t all be coming from Trevor Lawrence.

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Lawrence is on the other side of this game with Mahomes, which is expected to be a shootout. Right now, Lawrence has the better weapons, too. Calvin Ridley is looking like a true alpha.

Running Backs

David Montgomery, Lions

Only Christian McCaffrey and Cam Akers last week logged more carries than Montgomery, who played 77% of the snaps for the Lions (sixth among RBs). He turned those opportunities into 74 yards and a score vs.the Chiefs. And this week’s matchup is even better vs. a Seahawks team that just allowed the fifth-most points to inefficient Rams running backs on Sunday.

Josh Jacobs, Raiders

Go ahead and spend up for Jacobs, who faces a Bills team that allowed both Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook to run on Monday night for a total of 166 yards while allowing an 86% catch-rate. Oddsmakers think the Raiders will be trailing, so this could also be a contrarian play.

Travis Eteinne, Jaguars

Etienne proved he is the primary runner in this offense, carrying the ball 18 times for 77 yards and a touchdown and also catching all five of his targets for another 27 through the air. This week he gets the Chiefs defense that allowed plenty of points to Lions running backs last Thursday.

Wide Receivers

Keenan Allen/Mike Williams, Chargers

I like both wideouts in this matchup vs. the Titans, who allowed the second-most DFS points to the position so far this season after allowing the most points to the position in 2022. Moore’s offense will be vertical, and both receivers could have a big day on Sunday.

Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lions

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The Sun God still reigns in Detroit and this game has the second-highest game total of the week after the Seahawks allowed 262 receiving yards to inexperienced Rams receivers on Sunday. St. Brown will earn his salary this week.

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Yes, I know he put up a donut last weekend, but do we really expect Burrow and gang to remain that dreadful? Higgins is the cheaper of the two top receivers in Cincinnati, but his 140 air yards last weekend ranked fourth in the NFL at the position. The Ravens allowed the fifth-most receiving yards last week to rookie C.J. Stroud and the Texans receivers, and I expect the Bengals will bounce back in a big way Sunday vs. their division rivals.

DeAndre Hopkins, Titans

Yes, the Titans have a run-first offense, but Hopkins’s 38.2% target share was the fourth-highest at the position on Sunday. The matchup is right vs. the Chargers who allowed 375 yards to wideouts (O.K., mostly Tyreek Hilll) last week. Hopkins’ salary is the most appealing part of this play.

DJ Moore, Bears

This will feel icky after last week’s showing, but the matchup is right and this could be a contrarian play. Justin Fields did not look sharp vs. the Packers, but the matchup is much better this week vs. the Buccaneers. Fields is priced too high for me to start him at QB, but Moore is great value at his salary price point.

Tight Ends

Darren Waller, Giants

We didn’t get to see much of Waller when the Cowboys defense held the Giants to zero points last Sunday night, but we should see a big game for the talented TE this Sunday when the Giants face the Cardinals.

Sam LaPorta, Lions

LaPorta should give you a solid floor after we saw him play 83% of the snaps last week while catching all five of his targets. The matchup with the Seahawks is excellent, too, as Seattle allowed the fourth-most points to the position in 2022.