Fantasy Football, Week 2: DFS Bargains on DraftKings

Tight Ends

Darren Waller, OAK (vs. KC,) $3,300: The 27-year old fourth-year player out of Georgia Tech caught seven of eight passes for 70 yards last week in a win over the Denver Broncos. With Antonio Brown out of the picture, Waller figures to be one of the top two options in the passing game going forward on a team that will be playing from behind more often than not. This will be one of those weeks, for sure.

Austin Hooper, ATL (vs. PHI), $3,100: Last year, Hooper put together one of the quietest Pro Bowl seasons in recent memory. Hooper caught all nine of his targets last week for 77 yards and is an attractive option against an Eagles defense that gave up 59 yards and a touchdown to 36-year old Vernon Davis in Week 1.

T.J. Hockenson, DET (vs. LAC), $3,000: Waller seems to be the chalk play after his primetime performance last week, but Hockenson — the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft — is our choice pick after logging six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut. Few rookie tight ends have enjoyed as much success as quickly as Hockenson and his nine targets were a clear indication that Stafford plans to look his way often this season.

Mike Gesicki, MIA (vs. NE), $2,700: The Dolphins face long odds against the mighty Patriots this week, so for better or worse, the team will be airing it out. Gesicki’s six targets ranked second on the team in Week 1, and the tight end enjoyed a 19 percent target share. Gesicki’s combination of massive size and freakish athleticism offers potential mismatches in the middle of the field, so if the Dolphins manage to stumble their way into the red zone, he should be a prime target. Like most Miami pass catchers, Gesicki did have a case of the drops last week, so he’s a high risk, high-reward option at his fire-sale price.

Defense/Special Teams

As mentioned in last week’s article, Defense is one position where it’s senseless to skimp. The top 12 requirement goes out the window when we look for value at the D/ST position.

New England Patriots (at MIA), $3,700: After completely shutting down Ben Roethlisberger, James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s hard to fathom how the Patriots aren’t the highest-priced option given their matchup against the Miami Dumpster Fires. The Patriots may be the chalk play, but they’re a smart one.

Buffalo Bills (at NYG), $3,400: An underrated defense enjoys a juicy matchup in a building in which they held the Jets in check last week: Le’Veon Bell‘s longest run in 17 carries went for only 12 yards, and Jets WRs gained on 133 yards on 28 targets for a paltry 4.75 yards per target average (by comparison, the Ravens wide receivers posted a 20.3 YPT mark). The Giants will predictably attempt to feed Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley, and their receiving corps scares no one. Expect the Bills to shut down the Giants and force at least two turnovers.

Two defenses will square up against quarterbacks who were second-stringers just a week ago. If the Patriots don’t fit your budget, perhaps one of these two squads will serve as a perfect fit in your lineup:

Cleveland Browns (at NYJ), $3,200: The Jets are missing key players on both sides of the ball, not the least of whom is quarterback Sam Darnold. The Browns will be hangry after an embarrassingly poor showing against the Tennessee Titans last week.

Houston Texans (vs. JAX), $2,800: In the first week after the Nick Foles injury, the Clowneyless Texans host newly-minted starting quarterback Gardner Minshew and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Minshew had an impressive showing after being pressed into action on short notice, but the Texans have a week’s worth of film study to prepare for the rookie and his tendencies.