This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
Now that DFS players have had a week to look at their options, it's time to recalibrate as Week 2 approaches. Whether it's buy-low opportunities on Week 1 underperformers, standout producers from the openers primed for continued success or players in line to take on increased roles due to injuries around them, there are many sources of value to be found as you fill out your DFS lineups for Week 2.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
QB: Baker Mayfield, CLE at NYJ ($31): Those playing Sunday-only slates won't have access to Mayfield since the Browns get a prime time spotlight on Monday Night Football, but those in contests that span the entire week could be handsomely rewarded by overlooking his three-interception fourth quarter from Week 1. The Jets have one of the league's least intimidating cornerback groups, and they allowed Josh Allen to slice through them like a hot knife through butter as Buffalo scored a pair of unanswered fourth-quarter touchdowns to steal the win. Mayfield is a far more polished passer than his fellow 2018 draftee at this stage of their respective careers, and he has one of the most talented skill position groups in the league around him with wide receivers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry, running back Nick Chubb and tight end David Njoku all capable of doing significant damage after the catch.
RB: Devonta Freeman, ATL vs. PHI ($17): It took everyone one game to jump off the Freeman bandwagon, even though the veteran running back received rave reviews in camp and was far from the only underwhelming offensive player in Atlanta's 28-12 Week 1 loss to Minnesota. While Philadelphia's stout front seven could cause trouble for an offensive line that looked overmatched in Week 1, the Falcons' entire offense will likely kick things into another gear at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This is a nice opportunity to buy low on Freeman, who can do significant damage as both a runner and receiver, having caught as many as 73 balls in a season (2015).
WR: Antonio Brown, NE at MIA ($27): Conventional wisdom says it will probably take Brown a little time to acclimate to his new surroundings, but then again, he's one of the most talented wide receivers in the league and has an ideal matchup in his Patriots debut, so you'll be hard-pressed to find a player with a higher ceiling. We've seen plenty of Week 1 duds in recent years — the Lions losing 48-17 at home last year to a Jets team that went on to win only three other games immediately comes to mind — but Miami's 59-10 home drubbing at the hands of the Ravens felt different, as the Dolphins have few capable veterans on the roster and are blatantly prioritizing the future over the present. Assuming he doesn't suffer any immediate fallout from his most recent off-field issue, Brown likely won't cost only $27 for long, so the reward with this pick could be astronomical.
Other Against-the-Grainers
QB: Patrick Mahomes (KC, $41), Matt Ryan (ATL, $37)
RB: James Conner (PIT, $31), Marlon Mack (IND, $26), Devin Singletary (BUF, $14)
WR: DeAndre Hopkins (HOU, $34), Marquise Brown (BAL, $19), Jamison Crowder (NYJ, $17)
TE: Zach Ertz (PHI, $22), Kyle Rudolph (MIN, $16)
DST: New York Jets ($14), Seattle Seahawks ($15)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
QUARTERBACK
Jared Goff, LAR vs. NO ($35): Goff had some extremely polarized home/road splits last season, throwing for 2,737 yards and a 22:3 TD:INT over eight games in sunny Los Angeles compared to 1,951 yards and a 10:9 ratio in eight games elsewhere. His 2019 home opener comes against a Saints team that's on a short week after escaping with a win on Monday Night Football despite allowing Deshaun Watson to throw three touchdowns and run for another, so Goff is primed to pick up right where he left off in terms of success at LA Memorial Coliseum.
RUNNING BACK
Chris Thompson, WAS vs. DAL ($13): Thompson's pass-catching ability out of the backfield is especially useful when the Redskins are playing from behind, which is expected to be the case in this one. Derrius Guice was expected to cut into Thompson's receiving load a bit, but he's shelved with a knee injury now, leaving Thompson as the clear-cut choice in passing situations while Adrian Peterson carries most of the rushing load. After snagging seven of 10 targets for 68 yards and rushing three times for 10 yards last week, Thompson could be in for an even greater workload in Week 2.
Alvin Kamara, NO at LAR ($35): Kamara's primed for a huge day in what's expected to be a high-scoring affair in Los Angeles. Christian McCaffrey piled up 209 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns against the Rams in Week 1, and Kamara has a similar ability to beat opponents as both a rusher and a receiver, making him a strong option regardless of whether the Saints are milking a lead or playing catch-up.
WIDE RECEIVER
Sammy Watkins, KC at OAK ($27): Watkins is the No. 1 wide receiver in Kansas City with Tyreek Hill (collarbone) out, and he sure played like one in Week 1 with nine catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns against the Jaguars. He now draws an Oakland defense that, on paper, offers even less resistance, and Watkins is primed to shine even with quarterback Patrick Mahomes nursing a sprained ankle.
Tyrell Williams, OAK vs. KC ($19): The Raiders will need to pile up points to keep pace with Kansas City's explosive offense, and Williams established himself as the team's top receiver in the wake of Brown's unceremonious exit with 105 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos. A Chiefs defense that allowed 347 passing yards and three touchdowns to the combination of Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew in Week 1 will have a hard time slowing down the field-stretching receiver.
Amari Cooper, DAL at WAS ($23): The foot injury that Cooper's been battling sure didn't look like an issue in Week 1, when he piled up 106 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Giants. Still priced well below the elite wide receivers despite performing like one ever since he joined the Cowboys in a trade last season, Cooper should deliver another strong performance against a Redskins defense that allowed DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery to score two touchdowns apiece last week.
TIGHT END
Delanie Walker, TEN vs. IND ($19): Walker was Marcus Mariota's favorite target when the quarterback first entered the league in 2015, and that remains the case to this day. Though the veteran tight end has battled injuries in recent years, he showed himself to be healthy with a pair of touchdown grabs in the opener. The Colts gave up league highs in receptions (106) and yards (1,234) to tight ends last season, so Walker's poised to follow up his strong opener with another productive performance.
DEFENSE
Carolina Panthers, CAR vs. TB ($12): Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston looked completely out of sorts in the opener, tossing three interceptions -- two of which were returned for touchdowns -- against a 49ers defense that recorded two interceptions over the entire 2018 season. With a short week to figure things out ahead of Thursday's matchup, the error-prone quarterback is at risk of imploding again here.
Honorable Mentions
QB: Tom Brady (NE, $39), Lamar Jackson (BAL, $31)
RB: Sony Michel (NE, $25), Damien Williams (KC, $24), Todd Gurley (LAR, $18)
WR: Odell Beckham (CLE, $35), Brandin Cooks (LAR, $21), Tyler Boyd (CIN, $20)
TE: T.J. Hockenson (DET, $17), Darren Waller (OAK, $13)
DST: New England Patriots ($22), Chicago Bears ($20)
