After an exciting Week 1 of the preseason, Week 2 begins with a three-game slate today at 7:30 p.m. ET. Whereas starters played 1-2 series last week, this week we should see starters for about a quarter, second-stringers for about two quarters and third-stringers and all the rest for the remainder. In many cases, we can rely on the usage from Week 1 to give us a sense of the current depth charts and ways in which players are likely to be used now.
If you haven’t played preseason daily fantasy before, check out my five DFS guidelines for dominating the NFL preseason as well as the “Daily Fantasy Flex” episode in which I break down the secrets of the preseason schedule.
For more guidance, see our industry-leading Models, which contain preseason player projections for subscribers. If you’re a redraft player, check out our FREE standard and point-per-reception rankings as well in-house oddsmaker Sean Koerner’s season-long player projections.
Be sure to keep an eye out for late-breaking news on player availability before lineups lock.
Quarterbacks
Nate Sudfeld (Eagles): Sudfeld had a strong showing last week vs. the Steelers, completing 10-of-14 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He showed good chemistry with promising rookie tight end Dallas Goedert as well as wide receiver Shelton Gibson on a deep ball. A preseason producer throughout his career (238 yards and three touchdowns passing in 2016; 360 yards in 2017), Sudfeld is likely to play a full half with starter Carson Wentz (knee) out and backup Nick Foles expected to play play little.
Mason Rudolph (Steelers): A productive third-rounder, Rudolph will probably play the most snaps at quarterback for the Steelers. Starter Ben Roethlisberger (concussion, rest) and backup Landry Jones (rest) have already been ruled out, leaving just Rudolph and Joshua Dobbs as the available quarterbacks. One underrated aspect of Rudolph’s game is his running ability near the end zone. With his size (6-feet-5, 235 pounds), Rudolph was frequently used as a short-yardage goal-line battering ram in college, scoring 16 rushing touchdowns in his two final seasons at Oklahoma State. It doesn’t hurt that he’ll also have the opportunity to hook up with his prolific Cowboys teammate in wide receiver James Washington.
Running Backs
Wendell Smallwood (Eagles): The Eagles backfield may be one of the most beat-up units on the slate. Donnel Pumphrey (lower body), Corey Clement (lower body) and Josh Adams (undisclosed) all missed practice on Tuesday. They accounted for 28 of 60 offensive snaps in the preseason opener. With veteran backs Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles unlikely to see much work and with Matt Jones (undisclosed) also reportedly somewhat banged up, Smallwood could be the primary back tonight. Although he’s not a big part of this backfield, Smallwood has six starts with the Eagles over the past two years and was a productive three-down player in college (1,679 scrimmage yards in 13 games as a junior).
George Atkinson (Jets): Atkinson’s role for the Jets heavily depends on the status of Trenton Cannon (undisclosed), who had 11 carries and four targets in Week 1 but missed practice on Tuesday. If Cannon misses the game, look for Atkinson to be one of the primary ball carriers. Although Atkinson his little regular-season experience, he’s entering his fifth year in the league and has the size (6-feet-1, 218 pounds) and speed (4.48-second 40 time) to be a preseason star with a double-digit workload.
Ralph Webb (Patriots): New England’s game plan in Week 1 was clear: The Patriots ran early and often, which benefited Webb, who had a slate-crushing 15 opportunities, which he turned into 46 yards and two touchdowns. Webb is in line to lead the team in carries this week. Jeremy Hill (leg) missed practice on Tuesday, leaving just James White, Brandon Bolden and Mike Gillislee in the backfield, and White and Bolden are unlikely to compete for carries given that White is primarily a receiving back and Bolden is a special-teams player. An undrafted rookie, Webb was a four-year starter at Vanderbilt with 4,750 yards and 35 touchdowns from scrimmage across his college career.
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Wide Receivers
Equanimeous St. Brown (Packers): In Week 1, five Packers receivers played at least 38 snaps and saw four or more targets. Those numbers are large by preseason standards. Of that group, St. Brown has perhaps the best pedigree and chance to succeed. He has the speed (4.48-second 40 time) to hit the big play and the size (6-feet-5, 214 pounds) to compete in the red zone. With both of those attributes, he has the ability to impact the game all over the field. His 961-yard, nine-touchdown sophomore campaign at Notre Dame speaks to his upside.
Riley McCarron (Patriots): McCarron has been talked up throughout training camp as a possible early-season slot fill-in during Julian Edelman‘s suspension. Last week McCarron led Patriots receivers with 42 snaps, but only 16 of those were pass plays. This week the Patriots (while still relying on the run) could open up the offense a bit more in order to give the younger wide receivers a chance to prove themselves.
James Washington (Steelers): I could just as easily be highlighting Washington’s teammate Damoun Patterson, who in Week 1 had 10 targets, which he converted into a 6-77-1 receiving line. Both receivers are in a great spot: Last week Washington and Patterson played 47 and 49 snaps, and this week they’re facing the Packers, who last year were 27th against the pass in Football Outsiders’ Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average. Of the two receivers, I prefer Washington because he’s the more talented and is a hyped second-rounder competing for the No. 3 wideout job. A playmaker who averaged over 20 yards per catch across his three final collegiate seasons, Washington could be an intriguing stacking option with Rudolph, given their established chemistry together.
Tight End
Dallas Goedert (Eagles): I highlighted Goedert last week, and he didn’t disappoint, turning his five targets into a 4-66-1 smackdown. A pass-catching dominator at South Dakota State (164 receptions in 2016-17), Goedert has the size (6-feet-5, 256 pounds) and athleticism (6.87-second three-cone) to be a force. Starter Zach Ertz (undisclosed) returned to practice on Tuesday but is unlikely to play more than a few snaps. Expect Goedert to remain a key target for Sudfeld: In our Models, he leads the position in ceiling, median and floor projections. He’s dealing with an elbow injury, but it’s believed not to be serious or limiting.
Clive Walford (Jets): Last week, high-upside Jets tight end Chris Herndon (undisclosed) torched the field. Although he had 63.6% ownership in the $100 double-up, he didn’t even dress for the game, with news breaking shortly before lineup lock that he would probably be inactive. Avoiding situations like these is key to the preseason. Herndon is expected not to play again this week, along with Neal Sterling (ankle). With these injuries, Clive Walford is likely to be one of the only tight ends available for the Jets. Walford led the position for the team last week with 36 snaps, and he’s a former third-rounder with three years of regular-season experience.
Defense
Packers: I’m expecting the Packers to be chalky, maybe the chalkiest defense on the slate. The opposing Steelers plan to play their third- and fourth-string quarterbacks for the entire game, which could result in lots of turnover and sack opportunities for the Packers. In tournaments, though, you might want to fade the Packers in order to create differentiated lineups.
Photo credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured above: Nate Sudfeld
