In the whirlwind of the past five years, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) has exploded into the spotlight, captivating fans from all corners. Picture this: tournaments teeming with a field that could have hundreds of thousands of players. Now, strap in for an adrenaline-fueled ride as we delve into the heart of the Fan Duel Sunday Millions, where the action never sleeps and the stakes are sky-high with a $15 buy-in. But wait, there’s more! This battleground is reserved exclusively for Sunday’s main slate of games, where every move counts and champions rise to claim their glory. With a manageable $60,000 salary cap, contenders must craft their dream team of nine gridiron warriors: 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, and 1 DST. Are you ready to seize your moment in the spotlight? Welcome to Fan Duel Fanatics (Week 2).
Sunday Millions
With players growing more familiar with DFS tournaments, they’re actively seeking tactics to gain an advantage. Here we are going to highlight a player at each position that we think is a great value in the Sunday Millions. Keep in mind, that these values should not be played together in one single lineup, but rather to be used to save cap space when combining them with the more expensive studs.
QB1- C.J. Stroud, HOU vs Bears
Fresh off a record-breaking rookie season, CJ Stroud and the Texans got things started right against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 when they squeaked out a narrow win. The Colts were able to go toe-to-toe with a high-flying Texans offense and this will be the first chance to see if rookie quarterback Caleb Williams can continue the trend of elite rookie quarterback production. The Texans are one of the best offenses in football and Stroud comes at a discount of $600 from the top option on the board. Not only is Stroud and elite option, but he presents a very palatable stack option later on.
RB1- Brian Robinson Jr, WSH vs Giants
Brian Robinson Jr is a whopping $4,100 cheaper than the top running back option on the board and that is a steal. The Commanders may not be the league’s most exciting offense but this backfield that was once viewed as ambiguous is firmly in the hands of Robinson Jr. Washington isn’t exactly a high-flying offense, but the Giants are a total mess and even a Sam Darnold-led Vikings squad was able to score at will against them. Buy the discount here on Robinson and expect high-end RB2 production.
RB2- Derrick Henry, BAL vs Raiders
Henry and the Ravens struggled in Week 1 against the Chief’s run defense, but the Raiders are certainly not the Chiefs. Henry comes $2,800 cheaper than Christian McCaffrey and is a solid value in a get-right spot. The Raven’s new pass-heavy look didn’t allow them to keep pace with Kansas City, but against las Vegas, they should be playing from ahead for much of the game and will likely be leaning on Henry for a heavy workload as they run out the clock.
WR1- Nico Collins, HOU vs Bears
The Texans are going to be volatile every week, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t target them. Collins was the most productive of the Texans receiving trio in Week 1 and against the Bears he presents the opportunity for a high-end stack at a lower cost than the rest. He comes $1,600 cheaper than the top receiver on the board and is a great ceiling play in a tournament of this size. If you are so inclined, you can also choose to stack Stroud with the cheaper options in Stefon Diggs or Tank Dell. They come far cheaper but have less upside and more volatility.
WR2- George Pickens, PIT vs Broncos
Pickens is $2,600 cheaper than the top receiver on the board and that feels like free money. He is the top receiver on the Steelers with little competition and faces the Denver Broncos who have been the most fantasy-friendly defense for the past two seasons. This is a prime blow-up spot for Pickens. The reason he comes at such a discount is the uncertainty surrounding his quarterback situation, but after being productive with Kenny Pickett last season, how much worse can it be than that.
WR3- Rashee Rice, KC vs Bengals
Rice is $2,200 cheaper than the top receiving option on the board and that’s likely the Xavier Worthy effect. It may have been Worthy with the monster game in Week 1, but it’s Rice who has the more defined role and the role that will see him as the Chief’s WR1. Worthy ran primarily go-routes in Week 1 and that’s a tough way to produce for fantasy every week. Rice is going to be the most consistent and reliable option in the Kansas City offense and you should buy the discount while you still can.
TE1- Trey McBride, ARI vs Rams
McBride may have the best-guaranteed pass-volume of any tight end in the NFL and in Week 2 he takes that volume up against the Rams who have been a top 10 matchup to the position. The Cardinal’s offense struggled to move the ball in Week 1 but McBride was still heavily involved. It wasn’t a great weekend for tight ends as a whole, but McBride, like many of the top options at the position should find himself in a position to bounce back. He is a massive bargain given his target volume.
FX1- Najee Harris, PIT vs Broncos
Harris is the bargain basement of starting running backs even though he was easily the RB1 for Pittsburgh in Week 1. Jaylen Warren has been battling an ankle injury and Cordarrelle Patterson is well beyond his best years. As I stated with Pickens, the Broncos are a prime matchup for fantasy opponents and give up excellent production across the board. Start Harris as a cheap flex option and hope the Steelers offense turns around against a weak opponent.
DST1- Commanders DST vs Giants
The Commanders may be one of the worst defenses in football this season, so why am I streaming them this week as my DST? That’s a little thing known as the New York Giants offense. The Giants are brutal on offense and have the potential to be shutout on any given week. Even the most vulnerable of defenses are sure to matchup well against an offense that is this poor.
