NFL

4 NFL FanDuel Tournament Pivots for Week 2

If you've played daily fantasy sports for a while, you realize by now the importance of being contrarian, especially in large-field tournaments. Being able to recognize which players are going to be owned by the majority of the field -- and to find players who you think have a similar point projection but will come at much lower ownership -- can help separate you from your opponents.

The purpose of this article will be to identify some players who will be the chalk at each position and how you can pivot off of them with high-upside options that could go overlooked.

Let's take a look at pivot options for Week 2.

Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams ($7,500)

Zig when they zag. That's what we're always looking for in tournaments, and that's what Matthew Stafford could bring this week.

Stafford looked great in his Rams' debut last week, and there's no reason you shouldn't roster him this week. He went for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns for a total of 24.34 FanDuel points.

This week, they are on the road to take on the Indianapolis Colts. The over/under is set at 48.5 points, and the Rams are positioned as 3.5-point favorites. Right there. That game total is one of the reasons Stafford could be going overlooked. There are five games on the slate with higher totals, and two of which are at a whopping 54.5 points. Higher over/under totals have always been a good indicator of chalky players, which puts Stafford a few steps behind.

Justin Herbert is $7,600 this week and playing in one of those games with an over/under set at 54.5 points. When DFS players are making lineups, it's natural to look directly at Herbert in that contest over Stafford. To be clear, Herbert is a great option, but I also want some shares of Stafford this week.

Stafford is taking on the Colts' defense, who just allowed 27.1 FanDuel points in Week 1 to Russell Wilson. Wilson also posted 0.59 Passing Net Expected Points per drop back in that contest, which was fourth in the league. Stafford is legitimately in a great spot this week and is probably going to be overlooked.

Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots ($6,200)

Why isn't Damien Harris going to be popular this week? I'm legitimately asking this question because I don't know.

In Week 1, Harris had 23 carries, 100 rushing yards, 3 targets, 2 receptions, and 17 receiving yards for 10.7 FanDuel points. Those 10.7 FanDuel points don't jump off the page, but we have to remember that Harris fumbled on the Dolphins' 11-yard line in the fourth quarter. If Harris was able to convert that red zone drive for a touchdown, his production would look a whole lot different heading into this week.

The larger point is that Harris had an amazing role in the New England Patriots' offense and his production wasn't as good as it could've been. I will take a player that is only $6,200 who has the chance to go for 20+ total touches again. There are also other options in this tier receiving similar workloads that will help Harris sneak under the radar.

Oh, not to mention, he is going up against the New York Jets. The Jets allowed 24.6 FanDuel points to running backs in Week 1. Take the volume, take the role, take the matchup, but don't take a look at one fumble in a box score.

Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings ($7,600)

With a 50.5 over/under, the Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals game should be great for fantasy production.

Surprisingly, this game might not be that popular this week given the other matchups we have on the slate. That has me very interested in the options in this game, and I am looking to them in tournaments. The Cardinals are 3.5-point favorites, and on other slates, there's no reason we wouldn't target this game for fantasy upside. Other games this week are drawing people in, but that means more great options for tournaments.

Adam Thielen looked great in Week 1, playing on 93.3% of the snaps. He ran a route on 92.5% of passing plays to the tune of 10 targets, 9 receptions, 92 yards, and 2 touchdowns. That is a stat line he could replicate this week since both teams should be pushing the ball up and down the field this week. Both teams were in the top half of the league in total plays run in Week 1, and Arizona was even second in situational-neutral pace despite a massive lead. There is a ton of potential for scoring chances inside a dome in this one.

Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles ($5,800)

The Philadelphia Eagles looked great in Week 1, and they can keep the offense going in Week 2.

Even though it was a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, the Eagles' offense was cooking. They now get to take on the San Francisco 49ers, who looked questionable at best against the Detroit Lions of all teams. The top-tier at tight end is led by Darren Waller and George Kittle, who are both great options. Then there are a few value options, including Jared Cook or Kyle Pitts. Dallas Goedert seems to be lost in the middle.

The 49ers allowed a whopping 22.4 FanDuel points in Week 1 to Lions' tight ends, which was the third-worst in the league. That was even beyond just T.J. Hockenson. Goedert himself was super solid in Week 1, playing on 71.6% of the snaps and running a route on 72.2% of the passing plays. Both of those marks were higher than teammate tight end, Zach Ertz, which has been the concern with Goedert in prior years. We should see Goedert maintain a consistent role in the Eagles' passing offense, and the offense is in a great spot this week. This is even a pivot off of Goedert's teammate DeVonta Smith, who should be a popular pass-catcher around the same salary.