This article is part of our King for a Day series.
Week 1 is in the books, and as always, there were plenty of surprises in terms of both team results and fantasy production. There was also no shortage of injuries, providing some interesting Week 2 opportunities for previously unexciting players. Of course, with all that in mind, I'm largely looking to familiar faces this week, as some of our longtime fantasy favorites draw excellent matchups.
Without further adieu, here are my favorite players for Week 2 on DraftKings…
Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning, DEN (vs. KC), $8800 – You know what Peyton can do, and he still has plenty of weapons, plus (at the time of writing) there seems to be a small chance he'll have Wes Welker back this week. Welker or no Welker, Manning figures to dominate this matchup, after a Chiefs team with a shaky secondary got torn apart by the Titans in Week 1. More important than the Week 1 result, Kansas City lost starting defensive end Mike DeVito and star inside linebacker Derrick Johnson to torn Achilles' tendons. While KC still boasts an impressive pair of outside pass rushers, there's not much else to be said for the Chiefs' defense at this point. More so than perhaps any other team, Kansas City seemingly watched its season go down the drain in Week 1.
Brian Hoyer, CLE (vs. NO), $5000 – Hoyer isn't particularly good, nor does he have impressive (any?) weapons, but this selection is all about volume. With Drew Brees coming to town, the Browns will have to match blows with a high-octane offense, and while they probably won't be able to do so, Hoyer could pile up 40-50 pass attempts in the process. It doesn't hurt that the Browns will be without running back Ben Tate (knee), though it would significantly help Hoyer's cause if tight end Jordan Cameron (shoulder) were able to play. With or without Cameron, I like Hoyer at this price, especially after the New Orleans secondary turned in a surprisingly poor performance against the Falcons in Week 1.
Other options:Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. NYJ), $7900; Tony Romo, DAL (at TEN), $6800; Ryan Fitzpatrick, HOU (at OAK), $5000
Notes: Those are cheap prices for Rodgers and Romo, even after an opening week that saw both struggle while their Week 2 opponents thrived. There's plenty of reason to worry about the banged-up Green Bay offensive line against the excellent Jets defensive line, but the mismatch with Rodgers and his receivers against that secondary is just as significant. Romo draws a Tennessee defense that was dominant in Week 1, but the Titans still appear to have a middling collection of talent, and they lost starting linebacker Zach Brown (pectoral) for the season. Fitzpatrick, for the second week in a row, comes at a dirt-cheap price in an excellent matchup. It didn't work out for Fitz in Week 1, and while far from a safe play, he offers a high ceiling at that price.
Running Backs
Adrian Peterson, MIN (vs. NE), $7400 – Peterson had a disappointing season debut against the Rams' stout front seven, churning out 75 yards and no scores on 21 carries. The good news is that all-day Adrian stayed true to his nickname, completely dominating the workload by taking 45-of-61 snaps and 23-of-27 running-back touches. Even better news is that he gets to face New England's defense this week, after the Patriots got steamrolled to the tune of 191 rushing yards by a Dolphins squad that couldn't run the ball last year. That's not a new problem for the Patriots, as they allowed 134.1 rushing yards per game on 4.5 yards per carry last season. I'm not quite sure if I'd pay $8000+ for Peterson, but luckily I won't have to. He's tied with Jamaal Charles as the fifth-most expensive running back, but prices being equal, Peterson is my No. 2 option this week, behind only Shady McCoy ($8200).
Arian Foster, HOU (at OAK), $7000 – Speaking of dominating the workload, Houston's running back/philosopher took 59-of-61 snaps last week, which is essentially unheard of the last few years. Matt Forte (70-of-74) and Jamaal Charles (55-of-58) were the only other backs to top 90 percent in Week 1, and while the Texans might be wise to give Foster a bit more rest, it's a good sign for fantasy purposes that they always want him on the field. Foster compiled 120 yards on 29 touches against Washington in his first game action since last November, but he should find things a bit more fruitful on a per-touch basis against the Raiders. Oakland was gouged for 212 yards on 34 carries versus the Jets last week, and with all due respect to New York's Chris Ivory, 71-yard touchdown runs shouldn't look that easy.
Other options:LeSean McCoy, PHI (at IND), $8200; Marshawn Lynch, SEA (at SD), $7200; Giovani Bernard, CIN (vs. ATL), $6300; Shane Vereen, NE (at MIN), $5900; Shane Vereen, NE (at MIN), $5900; Alfred Morris, WAS (vs. JAX), $5200; James Starks, GB (vs. NYJ), $4500
Note: Most importantly, don't touch Starks unless Eddie Lacy (concussion) sits. Also, I really like both Bernard and Vereen in strong matchups this week, even with Stevan Ridley and Jeremy Hill looming. The Pats clearly prefer Vereen to their other backs, and the Bengals are quickly running out of players to throw to. A six-point showing will scare many away from Morris and his teammates, but Washington actually played a decent game on offense in Week 1, only to fumble twice in the red zone. As for McCoy, along with Jimmy Graham and Manning, he's one of the few guys you can feel comfortable picking in all but the toughest of matchups. Shady's price means you're never getting a steal, but his role means you're never getting a dud.
Wide Receivers
Demaryius Thomas, DEN (vs. KC), $7000 – Thomas cost $8100 for last week's matchup against the Colts, and then proceeded to turn in a dud, complete with a trio of drops. He'll face an even more favorable secondary this week, and he's obviously established enough that a poor Week 1 showing won't impact his role in the offense. I like Thomas better than five of the six receivers priced ahead of him, with A.J. Green ($8200) being the lone exception. Pretty much anywhere you look, Thomas is getting love as a top-five option at his position for season-long leagues this week.
Jarrett Boykin, GB (vs. NYJ), $3000 – Boykin was used as the Shermanator in Week 1, as the Packers essentially decided to put their third receiver on the right side of the field all night, keeping Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb away from arguably – and the argument has been had plenty of times – the league's best corner. The result was a target-free night for Boykin, who is still the clear-cut No. 3 receiving option in a Green Bay offense that's completely lacking in proven talent at tight end. Keep in mind that Boykin played 49-of-62 snaps in Week 1, while rookie Davante Adams only handled 11. Now that there's no reason to shy away from Boykin, we can point out that the once-proud Jets secondary looks like a glaring weakness. Even if 2013 disappointment Dee Milliner (ankle) suits up, the Jets will have a shaky cornerback group, backed by a rookie (Calvin Pryor) and the definition of mediocrity (Dawan Landry) at safety.
Other options:A.J. Green, CIN (vs. ATL), $8200; Jordy Nelson, GB (vs. NYJ), $6600; Reggie Wayne, IND (vs. PHI), $5300;Andrew Hawkins, CLE (at PIT), $4900; Marqise Lee, JAX (at PHI), $4300; Mohamed Sanu, CIN (vs. ATL), $3400
Notes: Green is awesome, meaning he has little in common with the Atlanta defense. Nelson remains underpriced, only this time he doesn't have to face the Seahawks. Wayne played 71-of-76 snaps in his return, leading the Colts with 11 targets and nine receptions. Hawkins may be the last warm body for Brian Hoyer to throw to, in a matchup that probably won't allow the Browns to go run-heavy. Marqise Lee is a bargain if Cecil Shorts (hamstring) sits, but not worth the risk otherwise. Sanu isn't all that good, but I like him for the same reasons I like teammates Bernard and Green, minus the talent.
Tight End
Charles Clay, MIA (at BUF), $3200 – Neither a sexy pick nor the owner of a sexy name, Clay figures to meander his way to top-12 status at the position this year, even if nobody notices. The Bills look to have a decent defense, so there's not much to say about the matchup, although I'll feel even better about Clay if Buffalo safety Aaron Williams (concussion) doesn't play. This is simply a case of Clay being underpriced, as I can't really explain why he's only the 20th-most expensive player at his position this week.
Other options:Jimmy Graham, NO (at CLE), $7000; Jordan Cameron, CLE (vs. NO), $3800; Jason Witten, DAL (at TEN), $3800
Notes: I love Cameron's price in an offense lacking other options, but he left last week's game with a shoulder injury, and seems to be on track for a questionable designation. Graham is Graham, and there's no reason to think the Browns will slow him down, so plug him in if you have room after using discount options at other positions. Witten, much like Clay, has a middling matchup but is simply cheaper than he should be.
Team D/ST
Tampa Bay Bucs, vs. STL, $3200 – The Rams seem to be headed for one of those obnoxious seasons that – in addition to being mind-numbingly boring – makes most of their games a fantasy drain. They have enough defensive talent that they don't provide great fantasy matchups for opposing offensive players, yet they boast so little offensive talent that none of their own guys produce. Of course, the exception here is team defense, as the Rams should make for a fantastic matchup in that regard. Quarterback Shaun Hill (quad) struggled against the Vikings in Week 1, before giving way to Austin Davis, who didn't fare any better. The talented Tampa Bay defense was admittedly disappointing in Week 1, as they shut down the Carolina running game, but allowed quarterback Derek Anderson to have a big day. Of course, the narrative would've been quite different had safety Dashon Goldson held on to what likely would have been a game-winning pick-six. In any case, the Bucs have quite a bit of defensive talent, and should at least be a middle-of-the-pack unit this year. I'm definitely rolling with them if Davis starts for the Rams, but will admittedly give some thought to using the Broncos in the event that Hill (quad) is able to go.
Other options:Houston Texans (at OAK), $3500; Green Bay Packers (vs. NYJ), $3200; Denver Broncos (vs. KC), $3100
Notes: I really prefer the Bucs or Broncos. Between the Raiders' ultra-conservative Week 1 offense, and Jadeveon Clowney's knee injury, I don't like Houston's matchup nearly as much as I did five days ago. The Texans don't figure to give up many points, but turnovers are the name of the game when searching for a Team D. As for Green Bay, I like the idea of Geno Smith trying to catch up to Aaron Rodgers, as that would inevitably lead to sacks and turnovers. However, the Pack's defensive line will likely have issues against the New York running game, which might allow Gang Green to keep things close all afternoon.
