5 NFL FanDuel Value Plays to Target in Week 2

There isn't a better starting point for unearthing values for FanDuel NFL contests than numberFire's projection tool. Users can easily view the entire player pool or sort by position to see statistical projections for all players in FanDuel's player pool. Additionally, the column for value provides a sortable way to view which players offer the most bang for your buck, showing users the player's point-per thousand dollars of salary.

But, of course, factors such as a team's implied total and game's spread are integral for decision-making. Fortunately, numberFire patrons can peruse the Heat Map for that information and a wealth of other goodies.

Nevertheless, other considerations help inform my selection. So, this is your home for finding the five FanDuel values I'm targeting weekly for their main slate. Check this week's picks below.

Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders ($7,300)

First, according to the numberFire DFS projections, Derek Carr has the highest value score among all players on FanDuel's main slate. That's a glorious starting point.

Sadly, Carr wasn't sharp in a challenging Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, but fortunately, he has a dreamy matchup for an emphatic bounce-back this week. Patrick Mahomes sliced the Arizona Cardinals with surgical precision by passing for 360 yards and 5 touchdowns on only 39 pass attempts last week. Before the season, Pro Football Focus (PFF) had ranked Arizona's secondary 27th, and they played down to their expectations.

Carr's weapons aren't as deep as Mahomes', but his Big Three of Davante Adams, Darren Waller, and Hunter Renfrow are on a shortlist of NFL's best trios.

Our Heatmap has the Las Vegas Raiders projected for the second-highest implied total (28.50) on the main slate. Thus, it aligns with my expectation for the Raiders to light up the scoreboard.

Chase Edmonds, RB, Miami Dolphins ($6,000)

Chase Edmonds is another player who pops from a value perspective, owning the sixth-highest value score among running backs. Edmonds had a relatively quiet debut for the Miami Dolphins, amassing only 65 scoreless scrimmage yards on 12 rush attempts and four receptions. However, his underlying data was outstanding.

First, he played 64.41 percent of Miami's offensive snaps. Second, fullback Alec Ingold played 35.59 percent of the team's offensive snaps, a sneaky bonus for the rushing outlook of Miami's backs.

Further, Edmonds is game-script proof as the team's pass-catching back. According to PFF, Edmonds was third on the Dolphins with 21 routes in Week 1 to Raheem Mostert's 13 routes.

Edmonds' usage was also nifty. First, he aligned in the slot for two passing snaps and wide for one. Second, his 3.8-yard average depth of target indicates he was thrown passes beyond the line of scrimmage and not just used as a swing-pass back.

Finally, Edmonds might be busy in the receiving game against the Baltimore Ravens. According to Pro Football Reference, the Ravens allowed the seventh-most receiving yards (743) to running backs in 2021 at a juicy 9.5 yards per reception. Then, they yielded 13 receptions for 78 yards on 19 targets to the New York Jets' backfield in Week 1.

As a result, Edmonds has a desirable combination of floor and ceiling, making him a great selection in all game types.

Julio Jones, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,700)

Talk of Julio Jones being washed up appears to have been premature.

He was heavily involved for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 and showed quantifiable elite speed. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he reached a top speed of 19.98 miles per hour on a 12-yard rush, the 17th-fastest top speed in Week 1.

And again, his involvement with the Buccaneers was encouraging. He played the second-highest percentage of offensive snaps among Tampa Bay's receivers and ran only one fewer route than Mike Evans, running 22 versus Evans' 23. Additionally, he commanded a 22.7 percent target rate on his routes, hauling in three receptions for 69 yards and 3.14 Yards Per Route Run (Y/RR) with a 19.8-yard average depth of target (aDoT).

Moreover, the Bucs moved him around the formation (8 routes in the slot and 14 wide) and fed him a pair of carries for 17 yards.

Finally, while cornerback matchups are frequently overrated, PFF rates his matchup as the 13th best among receivers playing on FanDuel's main slate. He might largely avoid Marshon Lattimore in coverage if the New Orleans Saints use him in shadow coverage against Evans as they've often done in previous matchups.

Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints ($4,500)

I suggested Juwan Johnson as a tight end streamer earlier this week. The case I made for using him in season-long leagues carries over to FanDuel's main slate at a punt salary. I suggest checking out the linked piece for information about his Week 1 usage.

Still, the cliff notes are that he ran 32 routes on 34 passing snaps, had a 12.4-yard aDoT, and the third-most targets (five) for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

He has an exciting athletic profile as a converted wide receiver, but Johnson's floor is low. So, there's a concern for using him in cash games, but he's an enticing tournament dart.

Bengals, DEF, Cincinnati Bengals ($3,900)

The obvious pick is sometimes the correct one. The Cincinnati D/ST fit the bill and are the runaway chalky defense this week.

Cincinnati's defense has the highest value score on the main slate, facing backup quarterback Cooper Rush behind the Dallas Cowboys' lousy and injured offensive line. They're also complemented by the Cowboys' pathetic group of wideouts until Michael Gallup returns.

The Bengals are the fourth-largest favorite on the main slate, laying 7.5 points to the hosts. So, they should have an ideal game script for pinning their ears back and getting after Rush. Thus, the Bengals' defense is the no-brainer choice for cash games and an excellent selection in GPPs.

Joshua Shepardson is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Joshua Shepardson also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username bchad50. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.