NFL Week 2 DFS Sleepers

Football is officially back, with one week in the books and plenty more to go. Playing daily fantasy lets you appreciate each slate of games, adding that competitive fire to each week

With numerous injuries from Week 1 and plenty of options out there, it’s always a challenge to make a winning lineup. Picking the right sleeper is essential to bringing home the bacon, especially when you consider the value of having a player no one else does.

Here are sleeper picks for each position to fit your Week 2 DFS lineups. 

This weekly column will provide you with the information you need before choosing a sleeper in DFS. Prices are sourced from DraftKings and FanDuel.

Sleeper picks

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford @ SF, $6300 on DraftKings, $6600 on FanDuel

Does Stafford have the ceiling needed for a big tournament sleeper play? Despite a tough matchup in San Francisco and the absence of Cooper Kupp, Stafford is deserving of a DFS nod at a cheaper cost.

Only Brock Purdy had a higher QBR than Stafford in Week 1. The Rams kept Stafford clean and while the line faces a tougher test with Nick Bosa and Drake Jackson, it still was wildly impressive to limit Seattle to a mere 7.7% pressure rate.

Stafford already threw for over 300 yards in Week 1. The touchdowns can follow in Week 2 behind an emerging Puka Nacua and proven veteran Tyler Higbee.

Running back

Zach Moss @ HOU, $4700 on DraftKings, $6100 on FanDuel

Only five running backs owned a larger market share of their respective backfields in Week 1 than Deon Jackson in Week 1. However, after plodding to X while losing a brutal fumble on fourth down, Jackson has yet to show any signs of starting ability in his NFL career.

Moss was inactive in Week 1 due to a broken arm but practiced in full on Wednesday. The former Bills running back could immediately jump in as a heavy-usage starter against a Houston defense that allowed 110 rushing yards and two scores on the ground to Baltimore in Week 1. With rookie Evan Hull on the injured reserve and Jackson struggling to perform Moss is a great sleeper candidate.

Wide Receiver

Gabe Davis @ BUF, $5800 on DraftKings, $6500 on FanDuel

Time to dive into the danger zone. Strap in, everyone.

Davis is the epitome of boom-bust, with eight games under 40 yards in 2023. Yet his uncanny ability to create a big play — evident by his 17.4 career yards-per-catch — always makes him a DFS darling, for better or worse. While the bust version of Davis reared his head in Week 1 against the Jets — one of the best defenses in the NFL — we could get the rosier side of Davis in Week 2.

The Raiders have a lot of question marks in their secondary, and allowing Russell Wilson to slice them up didn’t provide many positive answers. The Bills will be looking for a big bounce-back in its home opener after suffering an embarrassing loss in Week 1.

Davis was still the clear WR2 behind Stefon Diggs, with a strong 94% snap share. Expect a much better day from Josh Allen, and subsequently more opportunities for Davis.

Tight End

Chigoziem Okonkwo vs LAC, $3300 on DraftKings, $4700 on FanDuel

Okonkwo gifted fantasy managers with a lovely goose egg in Week 1, complete with an overthrow by Ryan Tannehill on what would’ve been a long reception in the fourth quarter.

It was painful, yes. But there were also a lot of positive signs from Week 1 that equate to forgiveness for Week 2. 

Okonkwo had a 74% route share, above the league average and also almost double what he had a year prior. Instead of facing a stingy Saints defense that has clamped tight ends for years he now gets the Chargers, who allowed Durham Smythe to set a career-high in receiving yards (44). 

Smythe isn’t half the athlete Okonkwo is, and if he keeps running routes at a high percentage the Titans tight end can cash in for DFS on his cheap price and low ownership after a Week 1 stinker.

Defense

Arizona Cardinals vs NYG, $2600 on DraftKings, $3800 on FanDuel

Jones had the worst QBR of any starting quarterback in Week 1 on the way to a 40-0 loss in a Sunday night loss to the Giants’ bitter rivals in the Dallas Cowboys. But there’s more than just Jones’ performance to make the Cardinals a sneakily great fantasy play.

His offensive line helped him be pressured on a ridiculous 62.2% of his drop-backs, leading him to be sacked seven times. Three of his five linemen — Evan Neal, Mark Glowinski, and rookie John-Michael Schmidt — all ranked within the bottom five at their respective positions by PFF.

That’s bad enough. Now add in the fact that tackle Andrew Thomas and tight end Darren Waller are both missing practice with hamstring injuries. Both are up there with Saquon Barkley and Jones himself in importance. The Cardinals manage to sack Sam Howell six times in Week 1 and could see similar success against the Giants this time around.