One week down, 16 more to go. It was a phenomenal week for some—hello, tight ends!—and one to forget for others—13 touches for Adrian Peterson?
In the first edition of a weekly look at the winners, losers and best picks for DraftKings, we’ll sort through the pile of Week 1 and give a look ahead to Week 2. Before the weekend action begins, here’s a look back and forward for DFS owners.
What Went Great Last Week
Does it get any better than drafting a player who puts up the most fantasy points in the entire league? No, no it doesn’t. We made the smart move this week by grabbing Julio Jones, who lived up to his enormous price tag on Monday night with over 38 points. The Falcons receiver finished Week 1 with two touchdowns and nine receptions for 141 yards. Those are absurd numbers you can expect to see again.
OK, so we doubled up on receivers on Monday night, and it paid off. Jordan Matthews may have dropped the most critical pass of the game for the Eagles, but he was still a DFS machine. His outlook moving forward is bright after posting 10 receptions for 102 yards in his first game as Philly’s No. 1 receiver.
What Went Awful
We broke the bank on Adrian Peterson, and he broke our hearts. The Vikings bell-cow back received just 13 touches against the new-look 49ers defense, churning out 52 total yards. During his career, Minnesota is 5-20 when AD doesn’t receive 15 carries per game. Hindsight is 20-20, and we now know that Carlos Hyde would have been the better option. Moving forward, both will compete for RB1 status in DraftKings lineups.
Tweets of the Week
Must-Have Sleeper for Week 2
Welcome to daily fantasy relevance, Devin Street. The Cowboys wideout will see more time on the field after Dez Bryant suffered a foot injury. Does he feel nervous? No, Street is anxious to prove himself to fans and DFS owners alike.
Philadelphia also ranked 30th in fantasy points allowed after getting gashed by Jones last week. Terrance Williams is the obvious choice at $4,200, but adding Street in a WR3 or flex role at $3,000 will pay off immediately.
Question of the Week
Which committee backs do you feel comfortable starting?
Obvious choices here are the aforementioned Hyde and DeMarco Murray—who should annihilate his former team. DraftKings owners can also expect Joseph Randle, Ameer Abdullah and Bishop Sankey to all put together strong weeks. With great matchups, all five can be started comfortably as an RB2 or flex.
Bonus Round: Owners can also look at starting Chris Johnson ($3,800) with Andre Ellington still only limited in practice, per Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com. The matchup against the Bears isn’t great, but Eddie Lacy scored a touchdown in Chicago last week.
Send any questions, thoughts or other musings for upcoming DFS columns to @RCorySmith or in the comments section.
DFS Fantasy Zen Moment
Frustrated after Week 1 on DraftKings? Much like Matthews exhibited on Monday night, frustration is simply a part of the game. Buddha once said, “Each morning, we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” We came out even this past week but plan to cash in this weekend with this lineup.
My Lineup
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for—or, you know, maybe not—my DraftKings lineup for this weekend. I’ve conveniently left out the flex spot and defense to avoid any ties.
There’s no reason to shy away from Hyde against Pittsburgh’s disorganized defense or Jones against the Giants secondary. We’ve already talked about Williams being an obvious choice and Austin Seferian-Jenkins is good for at least one more week. If Mike Evans is in the lineup, ASJ might be replaced.
While there are certainly better options than Carson Palmer, the Cardinals quarterback was brilliant. His 307 passing yards and three touchdowns certainly helped his stock. Still, at less than $7,000 against the Chicago Bears, there’s no reason to shy away from Palmer in Week 2.
Follow R. Cory Smith on Twitter for more NFL DraftKings advice. Send any questions, thoughts or other musings for upcoming DFS columns here or comment below.
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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