Week 2 FanDuel.com DFS NFL GPP Plays & Picks for September 17, 2017
Week 2 NFL is upon us and everyone is looking to cash in on the big money at FanDuel. Every week, we’ll bring you our top DFS NFL picks at each position, separating them into Cash Game and GPP plays. And to keep up with all things PlayPicks, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Cash game options generally come with less risk and a more stable floor, while the best GPP plays can come with tons of risk and upside. Taking a chance on players with high ceilings and low floors is a good way to separate from a large tournament field.
As with any DFS sport, the advice below is relevant for fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than they are in real life due to matchup, price, game flow, etc. This is important when constructing a roster. And if you’re looking for new ways to play DFS, be sure and give BOOM Fantasy and DRAFT a try!
In DFS NFL, predicting game flow can be vital towards success. Teams that are heavily favored and come through with a comfortable win will be far more likely to lean on their running game, while two teams with poor defenses and high-powered offenses could pay off by getting into a shootout. Later in the season, especially, weather will play a key factor in NFL games, so make sure to check the forecast for each Sunday.
Targeting games with high Over/Under lines is an effective strategy for GPP formats. In DFS NFL, you can not only stack players on the same team, but use WRs and QBs from the opposition as correlation plays in the hopes that a particular game turns into a shootout and provides heavy production on both sides of the ball.
In general, GPP plays are high-risk, high-reward prospects that can fizzle out and leave you empty handed. That said, if you want to win the big money, you have to take big chances and sometimes that means fading a safer choice for a risky play with more upside.
Use these Week 2 NFL Lines as a guide when constructing your lineups.
Week 2 DFS NFL Running Backs for Cash Games
Ezekiel Elliott @ DEN ($8.7k FanDuel)
This is not the Broncos defense of years past, as the absence of elite SS T.J. Ward contributed to some lapses while Denver nearly gave away 17-point fourth quarter lead to the Chargers on MNF. Even last year, the Broncos were far more vulnerable against the run, as they ranked 21st in DVOA run defense and gave up the fifth-most RuYPG (130.3) and we know how the Cowboys will attack. Elliott showed no signs of distraction in his season debut, parlaying 29 touches into 140 YFS, and he remains one of the safest bets in DFS due to his individual ability and the fact that he plays behind the best offensive line in football.
Melvin Gordon vs. MIA ($7.6k FanDuel)
Not only did Gordon show impressive burst and vision in the first game of his third NFL season, he operated as a true three-down back on MNF, catching 5-for-6 targets for 25 yards and a TD and staying on the field in a comeback effort. Game flow should be less of an issue as the Chargers open at home against a relatively weak Dolphins team that happened to give up the second-most FD PPG and the third-most RuYPG (140.4) at a league-worst 4.8 YPC last year. Gordon averaged 4.1 YPC and 137.6 YFS over 6 home games last season and he’ll pile up touches if the Chargers get ahead early this Sunday.
Jacquizz Rodgers vs. CHI ($6.6k FanDuel)
Speaking of three-down backs that could stand to benefit from positive game flow, Rodgers and the Bucs are 6.5-point favorites at home against the Bears. Chicago ranked 29th in DVOA run defense last year (though they stand to improve this year) and Rodgers proved capable with 517 scrimmage yards over 5 starts last season. He handled almost all of the first-team work during preseason and with Doug Martin suspended for three games, only Charles Sims is a threat to take away snaps when the Bucs are in catch-up mode, yet that seems to be an unlikely scenario in their home opener.
Week 2 DFS NFL Running Backs for GPPs
Kerwynn Williams @ IND ($6.1k FanDuel)
He might be a more popular play than makes sense because David Johnson is such a high-profile player and his absence alters the fantasy landscape, but Williams is really only going to pay off if he hits pay dirt. Yet HC Bruce Arians has labeled him the “No. 1 back” for now and Williams did hold off Chris Johnson during training camp, so the veteran’s recent signing shouldn’t shut Williams out. Of course, facing a pathetic Colts defense that gave up 120 RuYPG and a 4.7 YPC clip last year and couldn’t stop the Rams rushing attack at all last week gives Williams a far better chance to earn another opportunity for a short TD plunge or two.
Tarik Cohen @ TB ($5.4k FanDuel)
If you believe that Quizz and Jameis Winston are safe plays because the Bucs are heavily favored at home, then Cohen makes sense as a correlation option who could thrive with the Bears coming from behind in the second half. He popped off the screen by turning 13 touches into 113 YFS and a TD in his NFL debut and basically functioned as the teams’ top receiver with Kevin White going down, catching a team-high 8 balls on 12 targets. Tampa is solid at the back end and got even better with T.J. Ward joining the fold, but the Bucs are more vulnerable on the edge to quick RBs that can leak out and turn short catches into long gains.
Chris Carson vs. SF ($5.2k FanDuel)
Predictably, Eddie Lacy looked sluggish in his Seahawks debut and Thomas Rawls is coming back off an injury that kept him out of week 1. That will give Carson a chance to grab a stranglehold on Seattle’s backfield and he certainly made the most of his opportunities last Sunday by turning 7 touches into 49 YFS. That came against one of the best run defenses in the league at Green Bay and now he’s home against a Niners team that gave up the most RuYPG (165.9) and rushing TDs (25) by far last season.
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