To Score 2 Touchdowns Fanduel
We forecast him to score 23.5 FanDuel points, 4.9 clear of the field. Henry's rushing touchdown projection of 0.91 is laughably high. He has 26, 24, 23, and 34 carries over the past four games.
This article is part of our FanDuel Sportsbook series.
- With FanDuel's scoring system of 4 points per passing touchdown the goal is to find a QB that can give you 2+ touchdowns a game and a base of 250 passing yards and to ensure those numbers you usually have to look to one of the more expensive top QB options each week.
- A quarterback who throws three touchdowns and three interceptions is okay on FanDuel, where on another site almost half of those touchdowns are wiped out given the negatives. Punt return and kickoff return touchdowns for players that are also RB or WR apply like they do in the NFL scoring.
The Week 3 tickets came up way short, as Cam Newton didn't score in the Patriots win, Calvin Ridley didn't score AND the Falcons lost (we might be done with Atlanta), Ezekiel Elliott did score but the Cowboys lost late, Miles Sanders came five yards short of 100 in the Eagles' win and long-shot KJ Hamler didn't score a touchdown. Our only hit was Austin Ekeler over 26.5 receiving yards, a hilariously low total in hindsight, especially after his first reception of the game went for 28 (he finished with 80 on 11 targets).
We'll try to bounce back in a week that has eight games with totals over 50.0: Cardinals vs. Panthers (52.0), Browns vs. Cowboys (56.5), Vikings vs. Texans (53.5), Saints vs. Lions (54.5), Seahawks vs. Dolphins (54.5), Bills vs. Raiders (52.5), Patriots vs. Chiefs (52.5) and Falcons vs. Packers (56.5). Apologies to Jaguars vs. Browns (49.5) and Giants vs. Rams (48.5) for coming up a bit short of our completely arbitrary 50.0-point requirement. If you want to take all of the overs in an eight-team parlay, you'll get +18383 odds (don't do that).
Kenyan Drake anytime touchdown and Cardinals win (+140)
The Cardinals are 3.0-point road favorites against the Panthers, who come in leading the league in rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs (seven), which comes after they led the league in the category last season (27). We only need the Cardinals to win this one (they're -172 on the moneyline), and we obviously need Drake to break through for his second score of the season after getting into the end zone in Week 1 against the 49ers. The Cardinals' offense is known for their fast pace, but one big thing holding Drake back is that they don't pass him the ball much, as he's gotten only five target through three games. Nevertheless, 54 carries over that span (fifth most in the NFL) and a similar expected workload Sunday should give us a good chance on this one and a better payout than just the Cardinals to win.
DK Metcalf to have 100+ yards receiving and Seahawks win (+330)
The Seahawks are making the longest possible road trip in the NFL and playing a 10:00 a.m. body clock game, and they are still 5.5-point favorites against the Dolphins with a huge total. Their top running backs, Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde, are questionable to play, but even if they were fully healthy we know that the offense revolves around what Russell Wilson does with his arm. While Tyler Lockett is coming off a monster game when he caught nine of 13 targets for 100 yards and three touchdowns, Metcalf has had three straight games with more than 90 receiving yards, including 110 last week. And while the Seahawks are actually the team that's allowed the most receiving yards to wide receivers this season, only six allowed more than the Dolphins through three games. Checking out the RotoWire weekly projections, Metcalf has the fifth-highest projected receiving yards for the week while Lockett is seventh overall.
Mike Evans over 62.5 receiving yards (-110)
I was definitely tempted by Mike Evans to have 100+ receiving yards and a Tampa Bay win at +300, but I guess we can play it a bit safer with the over 62.5 receiving yards. Expectations are high for Evans because Chris Godwin is out with a hamstring injury, making him easily the top receiving option for the Buccaneers. We saw Evans without Godwin in Week 2 against Carolina when he finished with seven catches on 10 targets for 104 yards and a touchdown, and he's easily one of the highest projected receivers Sunday against the Chargers. There are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of Evans in this matchup, one that has the Buccaneers as 7.0-point home favorites (and -330 on the moneyline), including Evans anytime touchdown (-105), an Evans touchdown in a Buccaneers win (+145) and even the longer-shot Evans two touchdowns (+550).
Ezekiel Elliott to score 2+ touchdowns (+240)
The Cowboys' offense has relied heavily on quarterback Dak Prescott because their defense keeps giving up tons of points that they have to make up. As a result, Prescott leads the league with 1,188 passing yards, including 450 and 472 in the past two games, respectively. Maybe more importantly for this bet, he's also thrown five touchdown passes and rushed for three more (all three in Week 2 against Atlanta). However, the Cowboys are solid 4.5-point home favorites against the Browns and shouldn't need to play catch-up, which indicate more opportunities for Elliott. I highlighted the longer-odds of two touchdowns, especially since Elliott to score one is -240, which is not fun. Over 83.5 rushing yards (-110) also seems doable, as does an Elliott touchdown in a Cowboys win (+100). Or, you could choose halves and take Elliott to score in the first half (+115) or second half (+130) if you don't want to rely on him getting to 100 rushing yards for the first time this season. If you do think he gets there, parlaying that with a Cowboys win gets you to +220.
© Provided by Fansided© Provided by FansidedEzekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Now that Week 1 passed, the mistakes made can be lessons learned in Week 2.
Things were wild in Week 1 of the NFL season. There were some massive games from major stars (Russell Wilson and Davante Adams were nearly untouchable at their positions), while other stars failed to even come close to their lofty expectations (Le'Veon Bell's issues with his head coach might be something to steer clear of all season).
This week, Fanduel fantasy players now have a better idea of what's to come.
This week's Sunday slate has the return of Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Houston Texans' weird offense is part of the picks. Pittsburgh and a bevy of possible steals isn't just part of the Monday night slate. There's a lot of fun options for Fanduel players to choose from that weren't available to them last week.
There's a lot of reactions to last week, too. Adams is now the most expensive receiver, going up $600 this week after leading in points last week. Honestly, there are so many options this week that any lineup is possible if you really want it. The deals coming around the league allows you to fill your daily fantasy lineup with stars and high-risk, high-reward plays.
The key to winning in daily fantasy is finding those players who hit big, while also avoiding the misses on the highly-priced players. Michael Thomas hurt a ton of teams last week. Some were in on Boston Scott after Miles Sanders was declared out, and that was a mistake. This week, since players know a little more going into the week, there are smarter decisions to make.
© Provided by Fansided Buffalo BillsJosh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Quarterback: Josh Allen $8,200
There are so many great options at quarterback this week. Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Kyler Murray, and Aaron Rodgers could all have monster games. Honestly, it's hard to go wrong with quarterback this week. Josh Allen still seems like one of the safer picks without completely breaking the bank.
He's going up against the Miami Dolphins, who just faced a similar quarterback in Cam Newton. He got himself two rushing touchdowns and 75 yards on the ground. Newton wasn't much of a threat in the air, but Allen would be different. He had over 300 yards against the New York Hets last week, on top of 57 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown.
Adding Stefon Diggs to John Brown and Cole Beasley in this receiving core has already paid dividends. There are threats everywhere, and the Dolphins appear to be out of their league still despite the offseason additions.
Allen is expensive this week, coming up higher than Rodgers, Murray, and Deshaun Watson, but it will be worth the price. His rushing acumen and the fact this happened to Miami shows this is a known asset. Obviously, anything can happen, but it's rare in fantasy to have true confidence going into a matchup.
Other options: Aaron Rodgers $7,900, Gardner Minshew II $7,200
© Provided by FansidedEzekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Running Back: Ezekiel Elliott $8,600
Stuffing the lineup with Dallas Cowboys might not be a terrible idea against a less-than-stellar Atlanta Falcons defense this week. The Falcons allowed Russell Wilson to throw for four touchdowns and Chris Carson to score two of them with catches out of the backfield. The defense isn't good.
The Falcons have been rough on that side of the ball in the beginning of the season. Now, one of the most explosive offenses in the league will pay in spades.
Ezekiel Elliott is the best offensive weapon on the Cowboys, and this is someone who could destroy in points this week. If the Cowboys take an early lead, they could lean on Elliott to eat carries late. He can easily break one off for a touchdown.
Only one of the Seahawks five touchdowns last week came from outside the red zone. The Falcons let them move right up the field into scoring territory. Elliott would get a lot of looks in these situations and could be up for multiple scores this week. There's a chance he could be the leading running back in all of fantasy, and that's what players are banking on with this price tag. Only three running backs are more expensive than Elliott.
McCaffrey's price went up to a ridiculous $10,500, which means he needs to score 25+ points just to rectify that price every week. Elliott could hit similar production at almost $2,000 savings.
© Provided by Fansided Clyde Edwards-HelaireClyde Edwards-Helaire – Kansas City Chiefs (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Running Back: Clyde Edwards-Helaire $8,000
It's hard to go into this week with no Kansas City Chiefs.
Even going up against a game Los Angeles Rams defense, this offense showed on Opening Night that it's going to be scary good once again. Besides the usual suspects like Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Sammy Watkins, a new name emerged this year.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the Chiefs first-round pick out of LSU. He was expected to have a decent role, but when Damien Williams opted out, it became clear he was going to have a huge role from the start. That was clear on Opening Night when Edwards-Helaire had 138 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans. He ran the ball 25 times, showing that head coach Andy Reid trusts him to be the workhorse despite zero experience.
In fact, Edwards-Helaire was the only running back in the league to surpass 100 yards on the ground in Week 1 (going into Monday night). He's on the way to stardom on an offense that can use him as a luxury.
There will be no eight-man boxes to stop Edwards-Helaire. Mahomes is going to give him easy running lanes all season long. This week, he's facing the Rams, who allowed the running back with the second-most yards last week. This feels like a no-brainer pick.
Other options: David Johnson $7,200, James Conner $6,800
© Provided by Fansided Dallas CowboysAmari Cooper #19 of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Wide Receiver: Amari Cooper $7,000
Going so expensive on the running backs takes some of the wind out of the wide receiver role, but there are still stars available. The Cowboys are set for a huge week this week and pairing the team's top running back and wide receiver is a smart play. Again, Russell Wilson threw for four touchdowns last week. There's plenty to go around against this defense.
Amari Cooper had a decent day last week against the Los Angeles Rams. He caught ten balls for 81 yards but failed to score. Cooper caught a lot of underneath passes, but he couldn't get anything broken for a big play. His best reception was just for 14 yards.
It seemed the Cowboys were being somewhat conservative with the offense for the first game, but that likely won't happen this week against this defense. There are too many weapons for the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy to play like that long term.
Cooper is the one player that could gain the most from opening up the offense more. Dak Prescott is certainly capable of destroying this Falcons defense. He might be looking to explode after last week. Cooper would also gain from that.
With CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup next to him, Cooper can slip past coverage and break one for a huge gain or even a touchdown. If not, the Cowboys have made it clear they are going to hit Cooper early and often. Either way, whether it's through catches or touchdowns, Cooper will contribute to the scorecard.
© Provided by Fansided Washington Football TeamTerry McLaurin – Washington Football Team (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Wide Receiver: Terry McLaurin $6,500
Another cheaper option is a player on an interesting offense. The Washington Football Team actually won their first game of the Ron Rivera era without their best offensive weapon making a huge impact. Terry McLaurin was blanketed by Darius Slay, but he was still able to make five catches for 61 yards. It was more catches than every other Washington receiver.
They face a tough opponent in the Arizona Cardinals who are riding high after just beating the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. The logic here for the McLaurin pick is twofold. Either, this goes exactly how we think, and the Cardinals go up early on Washington, forcing them to throw often to the team's top receiver, or this could be another surprise from Washington.
McLaurin is going to drive the Washington offense either way. Whether it's in a surprise effort or in a constant comeback, this team will focus on the sophomore receiver.
The Cardinals secondary isn't one of the top units on their team, so McLaurin won't have to deal with the blanket coverage he saw last week. He should have more room to make plays. The only question is whether Dwayne Haskins will be able to get him the ball when those plays open up.
Other options: Cooper Kupp $7,200, Calvin Ridley $7,100
To Score 2 Touchdowns Fanduel Picks
© Provided by Fansided Baltimore RavensMarquise Brown #15 of the Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Wide Receiver: Marquise Brown $6,200
It was a real surprise to see Marquise Brown at this price. The man known as 'Hollywood' was a big playmaker in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. He only caught five balls, but he broke 100 yards, including a 47-yard catch.
The issue here is the touchdowns went to Mark Andrews, J.K. Dobbins, and Willie Snead. With 38 points on the board, one would hope the team's top receiver would see the end zone at least once.
The law of averages says if the Ravens keep scoring at this rate, Brown is going to see the endzone often.
It's hard to tell what the Texans defense, the Ravens' opponent this week, will be overall. They allowed 34 points last week, but that was against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs with no offseason. Now, they have a week to make adjustments and see who is ready for game action. Still, this isn't a very impressive secondary.
Brown is a great value at $6,200. The other receivers in this price range include Will Fuller, Jamison Crowder, and Mike Williams. There are some other true deals at the bottom price point, but as we learned last week with the bet on Justin Jefferson, that's not often worth it.
However, getting a number-one receiver on one of the best offenses in the league is a smart play every week at this price.
Other Low-cost Options: Preston Williams $5,400, Jerry Jeudy $5,300
© Provided by Fansided Detroit LionsT.J. Hockenson #88 of the Detroit Lions (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Tight End: T.J. Hockenson $5,600
T.J. Hockenson might be one of the biggest breakouts to watch this season. People forget the Detroit Lions selected the tight end with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. It was clear they had big plans for him as part of this offense.
Last week, the Lions made Hockenson a part of this offense. He had five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. The Lions are going to be looking for the big tight end when they get in the red zone this season, especially with a healthy Matthew Stafford. Last season was sort of a lost season for the Lions and Hockenson. This season, they will make up for lost time.
This week, the Lions take on the Green Bay Packers. Kyle Rudolph didn't do much to hurt them, but that's hard to use as a judgment for this week. Rudolph hasn't been a good option for a few seasons. Hockenson is a true weapon in the Lions offense.
If Aaron Rodgers has the monster day he did last week, the Lions will need to try to keep up with them through the air. Hockenson could help them make up yards underneath and score points when it matters.
Other options: Zach Ertz $6,300, O.J. Howard $4,800
© Provided by Fansided Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis ColtsJonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
FLEX Option: Jonathan Taylor $5,800
Jonathan Taylor is the best value in daily fantasy football this week. Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich already said he proved himself to be the starting back. The team will likely want to take some pressure off of Philip Rivers after a rough first week with his new team. To get a starting running back with this much talent at this price, it's a no brainer for daily fantasy players.
Taylor admittedly had a rough first week rushing. He was only able to muster 22 yards on the ground on nine carries. He was still a fantasy contributor thanks to his receiving ability. He caught six balls and added 67 yards through the air. It shows that even if things aren't clicking for him in the run game, he will find a way to make an impact on the field.
With Marlon Mack out for the foreseeable future, it's good to know the Colts coaches are ready to hand the ball off to Taylor full time. Getting a full week of practice in as the starter will help his rhythm with Rivers and the offensive line. Coming off a surprise loss to the Jaguars, they face a good Vikings team this week. Taylor could make an impact in what's likely a must-win game.
To Score 2 Touchdowns Fanduel Picks
Other Low-Cost Options: Antonio Gibson $5,100, D'Andre Swift $5,200
© Provided by Fansided Minnesota VikingsMarquez Valdes-Scantling #83 of the Green Bay Packers (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Defense: Minnesota Vikings $4,100
This one may be a tough sell after last week's thrashing at the hands of Rodgers, but Rivers is no Rodgers. The Minnesota Vikings defense won't have to face Adams this week. Instead, they will have to face a team that was prone to the turnover.
The Minnesota Vikings have some playmakers on defense that just didn't show up last week. This week, head coach Mike Zimmer will address the defense. He will spend all week making sure another embarrassment like last week never happens again. That starts this week against the Colts, which again is a must-win for both of these teams.
To Score 2 Touchdowns Fanduel Projections
Yannick Ngakoue was the new addition to the Vikings defense, but he was mostly silent in his first game in a new uniform. He should get better as the weeks go by. Harrison Smith sounded off on how the defense needs to play better. It's likely last week's dud won't happen again.
To Score 2 Touchdowns Fanduel Against
The real reason to pick the Vikings is Rivers himself. He's just not the same quarterback he once was, but he still takes the same chances despite diminished skill. This will lead to turnovers and possibly defensive touchdowns.