We are onto Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Remember, there are only three weeks in the preseason this year, so this is the second-to-last tune-up before the start of the regular season.
Sunday features two games to choose from, starting with the Giants at the Browns at 1 p.m. ET and wrapping up with the 49ers at the Chargers at 7:30 p.m. ET. For the sake of full disclosure, I’m not sure if the DFS sites will offer a full slate classic contest or if it will be two separate single-game slates. I’m going to proceed as if they will offer a two-game slate, but if they don’t, you’ll obviously need to expand your player pool a bit for each team.
It will be interesting to see how most teams choose to approach their game this week. The second-to-last preseason game used to be the “dress rehearsal” for the starters, meaning they would play upwards of three quarters. However, with one fewer preseason game to evaluate the players at the bottom of the roster, it remains to be seen if that’s still the case.
Let’s dive into Sunday’s slate to try and identify some DFS value.
Quarterback
Trey Lance’s pro debut was a bit up-and-down. He had plenty of moments where he struggled, completing just 5-14 passes while taking four sacks, but he also did some really nice things. His 80-yard touchdown pass to Trent Sherfield gave a glimpse into the potential that he can bring to the 49ers’ offense this season.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he wants to get Lance more playing time with the starters, and this week’s matchup vs. the Chargers is the perfect opportunity to do so. Jimmy Garoppolo’s status as the starting quarterback seems safe for the time being, but getting Lance as many reps as possible in the preseason is only going to expedite his development. He didn’t record a single rushing attempt in his first preseason contest, but that remains a big weapon in Lance’s arsenal.
Other Options
The Chargers are the only team on this slate who we know will play just two quarterbacks. Justin Herbert has already been ruled out, which leaves Chase Daniel and Easton Stick as the available options. Daniel dominated the playing time in their first game, but Stick was more impressive. He completed all seven of his pass attempts for 63 yards, and he also brings excellent athleticism to the table. I’m expecting a larger workload for him this week.
Baker Mayfield didn’t play in the first preseason game, which allowed Kyle Lauletta to rack up 64% of the quarterback snaps for the Browns. He likely won’t play as much on Sunday, but he’s still a threat to lead the team in snaps at the position. Mayfield and backup Case Keenum simply don’t need many reps during the preseason.
The Giants have three QBs on their roster currently, but Brian Lewerke was only signed on Monday. Daniel Jones didn’t play last week, and head coach Joe Judge was non-committal about whether the starters would play in this contest. If Jones is out, Mike Glennon could be looking at a massive workload vs. the Browns.
Running Back
The Browns have one of the more unique running back situations on this slate. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are solidified at the top of the depth chart, but neither player was active last week. They might see some time vs. the Giants, but if they do, it will likely be minimal.
Demetric Felton is listed as a running back, but he’s playing more like a receiver. He actually played both positions in college, so he has the ability to contribute in both departments. He led the Browns’ running backs with 26 snaps in Week 1, but he didn’t receive a single carry. That said, he more than made up for it by running 21 pass routes and finishing with four catches for 44 yards on six targets. That receiving production is extremely valuable on a PPR site like DraftKings.
D’Ernest Johnson and John Kelly also saw at least 21 snaps apiece, and those two players served as the more traditional rushing threats. All three players are viable targets on Sunday.
Other Options
Josh Kelley dominated the snaps at running back for the Chargers in their first preseason contest. He finished with 28, which was more than Justin Jackson and Larry Rountree III combined. Kelley and Rountree both finished with eight carries, but I expect the playing time to win out in the long run. That makes him the preferred option.
Saquon Barkley is not expected to suit up this week, and he likely won’t play at all during the preseason. Unfortunately, they used a pretty balanced rotation in his absence. Devontae Booker, Corey Clement, and Sandro Platzgummer will all see some work vs. the Browns.
The 49ers have a deep stable of running backs and Trey Sermon, Wayne Gallman II, and JaMycal Hasty all saw between 20 and 27 snaps in their first preseason contest. Hasty came in last, which actually makes him the strongest play from a DFS perspective. Teams generally keep it pretty vanilla with their third-string offenses, so it’s not surprising that Hasty led the group with 10 carries.
Use the optimizer in the FantasyLabs Player Models to build lineups for tonight’s preseason DFS slate.
Wide Receiver
The Chargers are not expected to have either Keenan Allen or Mike Williams available on Sunday, which opens up plenty of opportunities for the rest of the roster. They also have two of the better backup QB options on the slate, so their passing game should provide some value.
They did play a pretty balanced rotation at receiver in the first preseason game, but they have a few preferred targets. Joshua Palmer was their third-round pick in the 2021 Draft, and he was extremely active in the passing game in their first contest. He led the team with seven targets, six catches, and 36 receiving yards, despite finishing just fifth at the position in snaps.
Jalen Guyton ranked second at the position in snaps in Week 1, and he also racked up five targets. Guyton was an undrafted free agent out of North Texas in 2019, but he fits the bill athletically. He ranked in at least the 77th percentile in every workout metric per PlayerProfiler, so he has the capability of playing at the NFL level.
Finally, K.J. Hill Jr. led the position group with 30 snaps last week. He didn’t turn those snaps into any production, but it does bode well for his success moving forward.
Other Options
The Giants are expected to be without Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney this week, while John Ross is dealing with a hamstring injury. Their passing attack provided very minimal production last week vs. the Jets, but Clayton Thorson saw the majority of the snaps at the quarterback position. He’s since been cut, so they could be a bit better vs. the Browns.
Darius Slayton saw three targets with the starting offense in their first game, and he’s far enough down the pecking order that he should see decent playing time once again. Dante Pettis and David Sills V are the depth options worth consideration.
The Browns could be a bit thin at receiver on Sunday. Ja’Marcus Bradley led the team with 46 snaps last week, but he missed practice with a neck injury on Wednesday. Alexander Hollins also missed practice, while Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry are not expected to make an impact. That doesn’t leave a ton of available bodies.
Donovan Peoples-Jones stands out among their remaining options. He didn’t see a ton of snaps in their first preseason game, but he was extremely active when he was on the field. He finished with five targets, three catches, and 26 yards, so he has excellent potential if he sees a few more snaps this week.
The 49ers might have the deepest collection of receivers on this slate. They played eight guys at the position in Week 1, including Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. The most active players in terms of snaps were the guys further down the depth chart, including River Cracraft and Jauan Jennings. Cracraft’s four targets were tied for the most at the team, so he stands out vs. the Chargers.
Tight End
Donald Parham Jr. is expected to be a factor in the Chargers’ offense this season, and he gave a glimpse of his upside last week. He only saw two targets, but he turned them into two catches for 31 yards. He was a star in the short-lived XFL, and he has the size and athleticism to contribute at the NFL level. Parham also posted an unreal 48.9% College Dominator at Stetson, which puts him in the 99th percentile for tight ends. He led the Chargers’ tight ends in snaps last week, and he’s clearly more talented than the typical preseason tight end.
Other Options
The Giants could be without their top three tight ends this week. Kyle Rudolph is on the PUP and Kaden Smith has missed practice, and Evan Engram’s playing time will likely be limited if he suits up at all. Rysen John was active in the passing game last week for the Giants, finishing with three catches on four targets.
The Browns had two tight ends play at least 30 snaps last week, but Jordan Franks is the preferred option. He ran 23 pass routes in Week 1, so he has some upside as a pass-catcher.
Pictured above: Demetric Felton
Credit: Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
