Week 2 presents a 12-game main slate on DraftKings on Sunday. Below, I’ll be using various FantasyLabs tools to find some of the best NFL DFS leverage targets for Week 2.
Specifically, I will be focusing on players’ ownership projections and Leverage Scores within our FantasyLabs Models to identify these contrarian targets. Leverage Scores are a combination of a player’s projected ceiling and ownership. In other words, a high ceiling combined with a low ownership projection means a high leverage score.
Don’t forget to check out our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups for single-entry or 3-entry max tournaments and our Lineup Optimizer for those of you who like to enter multiple lineups into tournaments. Our optimizer allows you to create up to 300 lineups with the click of a button.
The Lineup Optimizer has endless customization opportunities.
Oh yeah! And our SimLabs Lineup Generator gives you the ability to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
You can check out our in-depth SimLabs guide here.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
NFL DFS High-Leverage Stack
Jalen Hurts ($6,800) + A.J. Brown ($6,600) + Travis Kelce ($5,000)
The Eagles and Chiefs meet in a Super Bowl rematch at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday and this game should live up to the hype. Philadelphia is only favored by 1.5 points and this contest’s total is tied for the second-highest on the slate (46.5 points).
After winning Super Bowl MVP in February, Hurts started his season off with a strong performance last week vs. the Cowboys, posting 24.28 DraftKings points. While the quarterback didn’t throw for any touchdowns, Hurts completed 82.6% of his passes, and he more importantly rushed 14 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Hurts’ 14 rushes tied for the most among quarterbacks in Week 1 and three of his carries came in the red zone.
The dual-threat quarterback is now averaging 10.3 carries and 3.3 red-zone carries per game over the last two seasons, with that latter stat ranking first among quarterbacks. Overall, Hurts is scoring 0.73 DraftKings per snap over the last two seasons. The Alabama product posted 29.04 DraftKings points in the Eagles’ win over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl and Kansas City just gave up 30.9 DraftKings points to Justin Herbert in Week 1, so this is a very appealing spot for Hurts.
Brown had a frustrating season opener, catching only one pass for eight yards and finishing with 1.8 DraftKings points. It was a strange showing for the star receiver, but we need to have a short memory, as Brown has huge upside in this likely shootout with the Chiefs and the wideout should get overlooked after his Week 1 dud – our projections are slating Brown to be only 6% owned on DraftKings.
When including the playoffs, Brown led the Eagles with a 23.9% target share last season and 22 targets over 20 yards in his 17 games. Brown scored at least 19 DraftKings points in seven of these games and his $6,600 salary for this week is the cheapest he has been on DraftKings since the 2022 season. Kansas City gave up the most touchdowns (3) and second-most receiving yards to receivers in Week 1 (232), and Brown could feast in this spot.
For a bring-back play for Hurts to Brown stacks, Kelce is the best target at this low $5,000 price tag, which is the cheapest the tight end has been on DraftKings since the 2017 season. Kelce finished with 12.7 DraftKings points vs. the Chargers in Week 1 and the tight end should see plenty of volume Sunday, with Xavier Worthy (shoulder) banged up and Rashee Rice (suspension) still unavailable.
In the 17 games Kelce has played sans Rice the last two seasons, Kelce has been targeted on 23% of his routes – including 26 red-zone targets – and he has surpassed 20 DraftKings points five times.
NFL DFS Running Back Leverage Pick
Breece Hall ($6,200)
After speculation that Hall would see a smaller role this season with Braelon Allen taking on a larger role, that wasn’t at all the case in Week 1 vs. the Steelers. Hall rushed 19 times for 107 yards and he caught two of his four targets for 38 yards (19.5 DraftKings points), while Allen rushed six times for nine yards and a touchdown and caught no passes (9.6 DraftKings points).
While Allen found the paydirt, Hall was still the clear No. 1 back for the Jets. The former second-round pick handled 70.4% of the running back carries – including two red-zone rushes – while logging 57.8% of the snaps. As a receiver, Hall ran a route on 32% of the team’s dropbacks and he saw a target on 25% of those routes.
Hall finished as the No. 7 fantasy running back for Week 1 and now, he meets a Bills’ defense that got shredded by the Ravens in Week 1, giving up the most yards per rush in the NFL (8.2), which comes after Buffalo yielded the eighth-most yards per rush last season (4.6). Baltimore had a league-high 10 rushes of 10+ yards vs. the Bills in Week 1 and Hall busted off for four rushes of 10+ yards vs. the Steelers in Week 1, which ranked second only to Derrick Henry.
Hall is clearly in great form and he could have a huge performance vs. Buffalo, just like he did in Week 6 of last season, when Hall erupted for 24.9 DraftKings points vs. the Bills. This Sunday’s matchup between New York and Buffalo is tied for the second-highest total on the slate (46.5 points) and with our projections forecasting Hall to be only around 2% owned on DraftKings, the back is one of the best GPP plays on the slate.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with our Sleeper promo code.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Leverage Pick
Chris Olave ($4,900)
In Week 1, Olave caught seven of his team-high 12 targets for 54 yards vs. the Cardinals, which is the second career game that he has started and completed with Spencer Rattler under center. In these two games, Olave has seen incredible volume, leading the Saints with a jaw-dropping 38.7% target share, including four red-zone targets and three targets over 20 yards.
Olave is amassing 17.1 DraftKings PPG in these two contests and Rattler is expected to remain New Orleans’ starting quarterback for this Sunday’s matchup vs. the 49ers. While this game presents a low 40.5-point total, this is still a potential spot for Olave to thrive.
San Francisco finished as just the 18th-highest graded defense on PFF for Week 1 and the 49ers allowed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to score 23.4 DraftKings points in the season opener. Olave has similar upside this weekend and not only is he extremely affordable at only $4,900, but Olave is expected to come with single-digit ownership on DraftKings according to our projections.
Don’t forget to check out our SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NFL DFS Tight End Leverage Pick
Brenton Strange ($3,600)
Slated for around 6% ownership on DraftKings, Strange is an outstanding, cheap way to gain exposure to the Jaguars vs. Bengals matchup that carries the highest total on the slate (49 points). With Evan Engram out of town, Strange operated as Jacksonville’s starting tight end in Week 1, catching all four of his targets for 59 yards (9.9 DraftKings points). Strange handled a 19.1% target share while running a route on 70% of his team’s dropbacks.
Overall, Strange has played nine games without Engram the last two seasons and he has scored at least 9.0 DraftKings points in six of those games, including an 18.1 DraftKings point outburst vs. the Jets in Week 15 of last season.
On top of this Sunday’s matchup vs. the Bengals projecting to be a shootout, Cincinnati is an elite spot for tight ends. After yielding the most catches (111), the second-most touchdowns (10) and the third-most receiving yards to tight ends last season (1,114), the Bengals gave up the most catches (10) and the second-most receiving yards to tight ends in Week 1 (100). In this perfect spot, Strange is a real threat to finish as one of the highest-scoring tight ends of the week.
Note: player and ownership projections may change leading up to lock. Be sure to check out the Player Models for any changes.
Pictured: Jalen Hurts
Photo Credit: Imagn
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Week 17 NFL DFS RB Picks Breakdown: Plenty of Running Back Value
Daily Fantasy Football NFL DFS Picks: Landon’s Locks for Week 17
Bills-Bengals Same Game Parlay: NFL Player Prop Picks, Over/Under, More, Using Parlay IQ for Monday Night Football
NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer Rules and My Favorite Angle for Week 18’s Main Slate
