We’re officially on to Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Week 2 is typically where most teams will get their starters their biggest chunk of playing time, but it’s still mostly ruled by the backups. Identifying which backups are going to get the most opportunities is the key to climbing the leaderboards.
We’re going to see our most extensive day of preseason football to date on Saturday, including a five-game main slate starting at 7 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into the top targets at each position.
If you’re new to preseason DFS, there are a few key trends to keep in mind:
1. Defenses & Kickers are Your Friends
In general, scoring in the preseason is lower than it is during the regular season. There are worse quarterbacks getting most of the snaps, which can also lead to more turnovers.
Defense is also the only position that is guaranteed to be on the field for the entire game. It doesn’t matter if the first-, second-, or third-string defenders are out there – they all rack up fantasy points for the defensive unit.
That results in a massive boon for the value of fantasy defenses. Fantasy defenses average just under eight points per game during the preseason, which is nearly two full points more than every other position (per Establish the Run).
Kickers have historically been the third-highest scoring group during the preseason, just slightly behind quarterbacks. You’re going to want exposure to kickers.
2. Target Playing Time Over Talent
This is probably true for regular-season DFS as well, but it’s imperative in the preseason. Finding out how teams plan to distribute their snaps to each position group is the biggest challenge of the preseason. If you can identify which quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers are going to see the most opportunities, you’re halfway towards building a winning lineup.
That’s particularly true early in the preseason. Most teams are going to lean very heavily on the bottom of their depth chart in the Hall of Fame Game and Week 1. Some select starters may see a drive or two, but this is the time when coaches and GMs figure out the bottom of their 53-man roster. Getting to the regular season with their starters healthy is typically more important than shaking off any rust accumulated during the offseason.
If you can find a quarterback who is set to play big snaps, they are an extremely difficult fade in the preseason. They become the best plays on the slate, while running backs have more value than receivers.
3. Tight Ends Don’t Matter
Unless you’re forced to roster a tight end, don’t do it. The position is an absolute dumpster fire during the preseason. You’ll typically see a bunch of players fighting for one spot on the field, and that spot isn’t even particularly valuable. There are exceptions, but on average, tight end is the lowest-scoring position in preseason DFS by a country mile.
With the general strategy out of the way, let’s dive into some specific thoughts for Thursday’s slate.
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NFL DFS Quarterback Picks
Joe Milton
There are plenty of quarterbacks to choose from on Saturday, but Milton stands out in a tier of his own. Dak Prescott is not expected to suit up, leaving Milton and Will Grier to handle all of the opportunities. Milton went nearly the full game in the Cowboys’ first preseason contest, and he’s expected to get the same treatment in Week 2.
Milton didn’t exactly take advantage of all of his opportunities in Week 1, finishing with 143 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. That said, he threw the ball 29 times, and that kind of volume is unmatched in the preseason. He also added five carries for 22 yards on the ground, so he has just a smidge of upside with his legs.
The Cowboys acquired Milton this offseason from the Patriots, and he will serve as the team’s backup for Prescott during the regular season. Given Prescott’s injury history, that’s an important role. What we saw from Milton last year was pretty impressive. He had a solid camp with the Patriots, and he was brilliant in his lone appearance during the regular season: 22-29 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown with an additional 16 yards and a score on the ground.
Ultimately, Milton is currently projected for just under 13 DraftKings points in our NFL Models, and no other QB is above 9.53. Milton should garner heavy ownership, but he’s an extremely difficult fade.
Other Options
- Stetson Bennett – Bennett also figures to go nearly the full game for the Rams. He played all but the team’s final drive in their first preseason game, and he played two full games during the preseason last year. It remains to be seen if Bennett is an NFL-caliber QB, but he had 16 completions for 188 yards and two scores in his last contest.
- Skylar Thompson – The Steelers are currently carrying five quarterbacks, but two of them (Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard) won’t play on Saturday. Logan Woodside also played just one drive in the team’s first preseason contest, while Mason Rudolph started and played on two drives. That leaves Thompson to handle most of the workload. He should be busy again on Saturday, and while his playing time isn’t quite as safe as Milton or Bennett, he’s still a viable target.
- Jarrett Stidham – Stidham won’t have the same volume of opportunities as the rest of these guys, but he should play a full half vs. the Cardinals. He has the potential to make up the difference with efficiency. He was elite in his first preseason outing, completing 14 of 15 passes for 136 yards and two scores.
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NFL DFS Running Back Picks
Dante Miller
The Giants have one of the thinnest backfields on this slate. They have just four healthy bodies at the moment, and two of them (Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary) should play exclusively with the starting unit. That will likely be only a series or two, leaving the other two players to handle most of the workload.
Of the remaining options, Miller stands out as the clear top choice. He was extremely busy in the team’s first preseason contest, playing on 39 snaps. His work as a runner left a lot to be desired – 10 carries for 22 yards – but he made up for it with extensive work as a pass catcher. He ultimately caught seven passes for 80 yards, giving him 17.2 DraftKings points without the benefit of a touchdown. That’s almost impossible to do in preseason DFS.
Miller was a 2024 UDFA, and he should continue to carry the load for the Giants on Saturday. Jonathan Ward is the other option, but he was a late addition to camp and saw 22 snaps in their first preseason contest.
Other Options
- D’Ernest Johnson – The Ravens should also be pretty thin in the backfield on Saturday, especially with the team not leaning heavily on Rasheen Ali in their first preseason contest. That could change in the second, but Johnson still figures to carry most of the workload. He saw 33 snaps in Week 1, so expect him to be busy once again.
- Phil Mafah – The Cowboys’ starters will get another week off, leaving Mafah as the likely workhorse once again. He was on the field for 34 snaps in Week 1, and he responded with 10 carries and two receptions.
- Jarquez Hunter – Hunter is competing with Blake Corum for the RB2 job with the Rams, and he saw plenty of action in Week 1. He had 27 snaps to Corum’s 19, and he responded with 11 carries for 41 yards.
- Donovan Edwards – The Jets have a bunch of RBs on their roster, but Edwards led their backfield in snaps. He could play a bit more this week with Isaiah Davis dealing with an ankle injury, and Edwards has some explosiveness to his game. He had nine carries, 42 yards, and a 21-yard reception last week, and he had a 75-yard touchdown run that was called back due to holding.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Konata Mumpfield
No coach is better for receivers in the preseason than Sean McVay. He keeps his top guys in bubble wrap, which means the rest of the roster gets ample opportunities. We saw that last year with Jordan Whittington, who delivered some huge performances.
Whittington has earned the rest treatment for this preseason, which means it’s someone else’s time to shine. Mumpfield could be that guy. He led the team with 39 snaps in Week 1, putting him just ahead of Britain Covey (34) and Drake Stoops (37).
Mumpfield was a seventh-round selection in 2025, and while he didn’t test particularly well athletically at the combine, he did at least break out as a true freshman in college. He had 63 catches and eight touchdowns as a freshman at Akron, but his numbers took a dive after transferring to Pittsburgh. Ultimately, he’s not a particularly exciting prospect, but he’ll have a chance to change the narrative during the preseason.
Mumpfield has generated positive reviews during camp, and he had five targets in his first preseason outing. He only managed two catches for 24 yards, but he’ll undoubtedly get more opportunities on Saturday. He leads all receivers in median projection in our NFL Models, while Stoops and Covey also deserve some attention.
Other Options
- Pat Bryant – His volume wasn’t quite “Rams-esque” in Week 1, but he did lead the Broncos’ receivers with 31 snaps. He should be busy once again on Saturday, and catching passes from Stidham gives him a better QB than most receivers on this slate.
- Arian Smith – It’s hard to get too excited about a Jets receiver with them expected to be one of the most run-heavy teams in football this season. However, Smith did see 35 snaps, 19 routes, and three targets in Week 1. He’s garnered plenty of buzz during training camp, and he’s pushing for a spot in the team’s regular-season rotation. A solid showing in the preseason would only help his cause.
- Devontez Walker – The Ravens’ passing attack was basically nonexistent in Week 1, completing just six total passes. Still, Walker was on the field for a whopping 45 snaps. If the passing game is a bit more effective on Saturday, it could lead to a big showing.
- KeAndre Lambert-Smith – KLS caught a touchdown in the Hall of Fame Game, and he saw a slight boost in snaps in Week 1. While he failed to catch a pass in that contest, he has consistently generated positive buzz all offseason. He should see more opportunities once Justin Herbert and the starters depart.
NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Oronde Gadsden
Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin are currently atop the Chargers’ depth chart at tight end, and they should each play with Herbert to start the game. However, Gadsden figures to get plenty of opportunities after that. He played on 28 snaps in the Hall of Fame Game, and he led the position group with 24 snaps in Week 1.
Gadsden was a fifth-round selection in 2025, and he posted solid numbers while at Syracuse. He broke out as a 19-year-old sophomore, tallying 61 catches for 969 yards and six scores, and he had a strong senior season as well. He clearly has some pass-catching chops, which makes him about as good as you’re going to do in the preseason at tight end.
Other Options
- Conner Heyward – Not to be confused with Cam, this Heyward plays tight end and saw 30 snaps in Week 1. He had three targets, which he converted into two catches for 17 yards, and he could play even more on Saturday if J.J. Galbreath is unable to suit up.
- Lucas Krull – Saw 29 snaps alongside Stidham in Week 1. He managed just two targets, but he did convert one of them for a touchdown.
Pictured: Stetson Bennett
Photo Credit: Imagn
