This article is part of our Four-Down Duel series.
This column will give two different FanDuel lineups each week - one for cash/heads-up games and another for tournament formats.
50/50 or Heads Up
In 50/50 or Heads-Up contests, you should aim for a lineup that has a higher floor versus a higher ceiling. If you're in a 50/50 contest, the top half of all entries finishes in the money, meaning you don't have to pick a high-ceiling lineup that shoots for the moon. These lineups are constructed with the players you need regardless of their price while including some rationale.
Nick Foles, PHI, $8300 – There's a few different reasons to love Foles this week. First, he had a tougher matchup than most expected last week against a solid defense in Jacksonville, which boasts two of the better tandem of corners in the game with Dwayne Gratz and Will Blackmon. The Jags' pass rush also sacked Foles five times in the first half, setting a franchise record. Foles still managed to put up 322 passing yards and two touchdowns, numbers that would more than justify this price. While he has to play on the road in Indianapolis this week, it should be an easier matchup in what should be a shootout. Riley Cooper should be more involved, Jeremy Maclin looks healthy and Foles has two elite pass-catchers in his backfield in Darren Sproles and LeSean McCoy. Foles has plenty of weapons at his disposal to have a big day.
Adrian Peterson, MIN, $8800 – Typically, it is wise to have one of the elite running backs in your lineup, and Peterson has a good home matchup against the Patriots. New England was killed by the duo of Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller last week, and Peterson is one of the few workhorses in the league that isn't in a timeshare. Look for AP to have a very high floor this week with a modest prediction of over 100 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Terrance West, CLE, $5300 – One of the keys to winning your cash game is to take advantage of using players who are undervalued. FanDuel's salaries for Week 2 were released before the news surfaced that Ben Tate would miss a few weeks. Enter West, who carried 16 times for 100 yards and will have the bulk of the workload this week. His lack of involvement in the passing game will improve. West's backup, Isaiah Crowell ($5100), is worth a gamble in tournament formats.
Demaryius Thomas, DEN, $8700 – Last week this column recommended Thomas, and while he was a big disappointment for his price, he still remains a great option. Denver is a 13-point home favorite against the Chiefs, who have been decimated by injuries on their defense. More attention will be paid to Julius Thomas, who's coming off a big three-touchdown effort, and it's hard to imagine a scenario where Demaryius has two bad weeks in a row. Among the elite receivers, Calvin Johnson (at Carolina), Dez Bryant (at Tennessee), Julio Jones (at Cincinnati) and Brandon Marshall (at San Francisco), which leaves Thomas as one of the best matchup play options for players of his ilk.
Jeremy Maclin, PHI, $6300 – This column isn't going to be shy about using players two weeks in a row and Maclin fits that bill. A long touchdown catch against the Jags has inflated his price in Week 2, but Maclin is still listed at an appealing salary. It's usually good to pair your quarterback with his top wide receiver and Maclin led the Eagles with 10 targets against the Jaguars. He will have softer coverage this week and put up a similar stat line to what he did Week 1.
Jarrett Boykin, GB, $4900 – It's pretty aggressive to use Boykin this week when so much floor is preached here for cash games. However, Boykin was "fed to the wolves" last week for the Packers' opener, drawing the side of the field Richard Sherman was covering almost every snap. As a result, Boykins laid a goose egg, something that will change this week. Boykin's price is almost rock bottom on FanDuel allowing more money to be used at the other positions. Look for him to break out against the Jets, who don't have anyone near the caliber of talent that Sherman holds.
Vernon Davis, SF, $6800 – The two touchdowns (almost one had he not held onto a bobbled reception) were a nice treat for owners in Week 1 and there isn't any reason to think he can't have another nice fantasy day Sunday. The Bears are nothing special on defense and there's reason to believe that Davis is cemented in as the 49ers the top red zone target given the time Michael Crabtree has missed.
Adam Vinatieri, IND, $5000 – There are facts to back up that home kickers in domes score more points than the average kicker. Vinatieri has all of that working in his favor this week, and the tilt against Philly should be a high-scoring game.
Tennessee Titans, $5200 – It's hard to ignore what the Titans did to the Chiefs in Week 1 on the road. Alex Smith has some scrambling ability and is known as a game manager. He was sacked four times and threw three interceptions, which is a credit to the Titans defense. Tennessee is at home against the circus that is Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. Enough said.
Tournaments
For tournament lineups, you have to look at upside and use some "outside-the-box" picks if you want to cash. Remember, I probably wouldn't use this complete lineup, as there is a lower floor with a lot of the players. A mix of studs with a few of the cheaper options listed below could net you the top overall prize.
Cam Newton, CAR, $8600 – He's playing with an injury and will probably be owned in less than five percent of all tournament formats. Kelvin Benjamin looks like the real deal and safety net Greg Olson can always be depended on. While many think there will be less running on Newton's part, his instincts and adrenaline might take over and add to his fantasy value. The Lions are on the road with a short week, which doesn't hurt either.
Jamaal Charles, KC, $9100 – There is no excuse to criminally underuse the best offensive player on your team, but that's exactly what the Chiefs did last week with Charles. Kansas City will make up for that mistake against the Broncos. The Chiefs would be wise to use Charles to control the clock and slow down the game while keeping Peyton Manning and the Bronco's high-powered offensive attack off the field. Charles will almost certainly be used more than he was last week, and with DFS players having short memories, he'll be underused in tournament formats.
Giovani Bernard, CIN, $7800 – While the Falcons managed to earn a win in Week 1, Atlanta didn't look good on defense against the Saints. Enter the Bengals, who looked stout on defense and have committed to using Bernard extensively in the running and passing game. Bernard should see another 20 touches this week and find the end zone for the first time this season.
Kendall Wright, TEN, $6100 – The Dallas defense looked terrible last week and has been ravaged by numerous injuries on that side of the ball. Jake Locker went through his progressions much better than last season and has the opportunity to take advantage of a juicy home matchup. Look for Wright to spring a long catch for a touchdown, especially if Orlando Scandrick stays suspended this week.
Allen Hurns, JAC, $5700 – Hurns is no longer a secret after his big Week 1, but there probably aren't a lot of owners who completely trust him yet. Marqise Lee hurt himself in practice Wednesday and it appears Cecil Shorts isn't ready to return yet from his own injury. Allen Robinson missed a large portion of the offseason with his own physical problems and Hurns is familiar with this offense having played under offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch at Miami. Hurns will likely be the top receiver for Jacksonville again this week.
Riley Cooper, PHI, $5400 – Cooper didn't have a great showing in Week 1, but if you look back at last year's game logs you'll notice he was largely a "feast-or-famine" play every week. His yard per target last season with Foles (9.9) was outstanding, and with this set to be a high-scoring game, linking Cooper with Foles in tournament formats makes a lot of sense.
Larry Donnell, NYG, $4500 – Donnell made a nice impression in Week 1, finishing with five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Eli Manning has made players like Jake Ballard relevant in the past and Donnell has more athleticism than a player like Ballard. The Giants will play from behind a lot this season, forcing Manning to throw which will benefit Donnell as well.
Phil Dawson, SF, $5300 – He isn't the cheapest kicker, but the difference between the prices for the position is negligible. Chicago had trouble containing Buffalo's offense last week, and the 49ers have a more talented team. At home against a weak defense is reason enough to consider Dawson.
Buffalo Bills, $4900 – Coming off a big home win against the hated Patriots, Miami looks to be in a good position to challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. However, they have to travel up to Buffalo this week, a team that had a nice Week 1 against Jay Cutler and company. The Bills were bought this week by Terry Pegula and eliminated any chance of the moving the team north of the border to Toronto. That coupled with winning Week 1 in Chicago will have a strong 12th man at Ralph Wilson Stadium that would rival the Seattle Seahawks. The front four defensively is still one of the best in football and shutdown corner Stephon Gilmore will be back in the lineup.
