Take everything you thought you knew about daily fantasy football before Week 1 and simply throw it out the window. OK, maybe not that extreme, but a lot has changed after just one weekend of daily fantasy football.
Tyrod Taylor and Marcus Mariota emerged as viable quarterbacks. Carlos Hyde left any doubt about rookie struggles in the rearview mirror. Oh, and nearly every tight end in the NFL put on a show, with 13 putting up double-digit point totals in standard leagues.
Meanwhile, stars like Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson were underwhelming in the opening weekend. So before you set your lineup this coming weekend, let’s take a look at the players whose stock is on the rise or decline in Week 2 on DraftKings.
Stock Up
Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals ($6,700)
Over 300 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Do those Week 1 numbers sound like they belong to a quarterback outside the top 10 in DraftKings salary? Well, they do.
Those statistics belong to Carson Palmer, who lit up the New Orleans Saints last weekend. Not only does he face another porous defense this weekend, but he also has all of his explosive weapons still intact.
In the Cardinals system, Palmer thrived last season when he was healthy. Facing a Chicago Bears defense that ranked 26th against fantasy quarterbacks last week on DraftKings, Palmer can help build a balanced lineup with plenty of salary left to spend on elite running backs and wideouts.
Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers ($5,100)
Get him while you can at this price, because it won’t last long. Since prices came out before Monday Night Football, Carlos Hyde actually has a lower salary than Week 1. That’s after leading all running backs in total yards (182) and points (35.2) on DraftKings.
Expectations coming in were mixed on Hyde, but he silenced any critics against a Minnesota Vikings defense that should otherwise be formidable this season. After ravaging the Vikes, he now gets a chance to tear apart the Pittsburgh Steelers’ appalling defense.
Pittsburgh allowed 120 total yards to Dion Lewis, who had 190 yards from scrimmage in the previous four seasons. Suffice to say, Hyde should be just fine against the Steelers. His stock is on the rise, and his price will be too after Week 2.
Terrance Williams, WR, Dallas Cowboys ($4,200)
This isn’t a case of one particular player thriving in Week 1 or setting himself apart from his teammates. Terrance Williams’ stock is on the rise because Dez Bryant is out due to a foot injury. But in an offense with the talent of the Dallas Cowboys, he immediately becomes an enticing option.
Williams had a decent performance in Week 1 with five receptions for 60 yards. But with eight touchdowns last year and three more in the playoffs, Williams is certainly a scoring threat. Without Bryant on the field, expect Williams’ stock to skyrocket against the atrocious Philadelphia Eagles secondary.
Stock Down
Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions ($6,800)
What has happened to Matthew Stafford? Two years ago, he was a surprise story with massive numbers in 2013. Last season, he had 22 touchdowns to 18 turnovers. Week 1 for the Lions quarterback started in similar fashion, dropping his stock dramatically again.
Stafford’s two touchdowns were matched with two interceptions. He also failed to include Calvin Johnson in the game, looking his way just four times for two receptions and 39 total yards. Part of the allure has always been Stafford’s talented teammates. Without Megatron getting his touches, don’t target Stafford against the Vikings.
Joique Bell, RB, Detroit Lions ($4,600)
We all knew it was coming, we just didn’t know it would happen so soon. Ameer Abdullah got his chance to run the ball and, on his first carry, blazed past defenders for a 24-yard touchdown. Meanwhile, Joique Bell could only watch from the sidelines.
Neither running back finished with a wealth of touches, as Bell had eight for 41 total yards while Abdullah managed 94 yards and a touchdown on 11 touches. But with so much depending on how each player performs on a one-game basis, there’s no reason to show Bell any love this week at his $4,600 price.
Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers ($4,900)
Remember all the hype, promise and hope that Davante Adams provided fantasy owners in Week 1? He was a low-cost target who would thrive against the Bears, right? Wrong. That No. 2 spot apparently belongs to James Jones—for now.
Adams ended the season opener with four receptions for 59 yards. That’s not terrible, but it’s certainly not going to help owners win on DraftKings. His price has gone up slightly this week, and we’re not targeting him against a stout Seattle Seahawks secondary.
Don’t give up on Adams completely, but wait for a good matchup before sliding him into your DFS lineups. He’ll eventually be the No. 2 wideout for Rodgers, but his comfort level with Jones and Randall Cobb is still too high to make Adams a surefire starter.
Follow R. Cory Smith on Twitter for more NFL DraftKings advice.
DraftKings is paying out millions of dollars in prizes during Week 2 of the NFL season. Use this knowledge to help you win some of that cash. Play now for FREE at DraftKings.com.
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