Here at eDraft, our goal is to provide you readers with all possible information to be successful throughout the fantasy football season. For the first time in the history of the site, we are going to focus on daily fantasy football leagues, which really can be a cash cow for those with knowledge of what's going on around the league.
That's where we come into play.
We will be providing weekly boom or bust options. In addition to this, eDraft will provide you with a potential winning lineup and give general overview of what to expect for the upcoming week.
Check out this link for more information on how Fanduel's (our partner) daily leagues work. You'll also receive a 100 percent initial sign up bonus with Fanduel by clicking on the link at the bottom of this article.
But here is a basic premise.
* You will be given a $60,000 salary cap to form a team.
* The lineup is as follows: QB (1), RB (2), WR (3), TE (1), K (1) and Defense (1)
Here is some general daily fantasy football advice for Week 1. We will have more detailed information in subsequent articles this season when information more relevant to daily leagues become available.
Play the Matchups
This is more important than in standard leagues. You must find value at specific positions in order to come out of the week with some $$$.
An example in Week 2 is Matthew Stafford as the third-most expensive quarterback ($9,300). Based off his performance against the New York Giants last week, this seems like a solid play. That's where playing the matchups comes in.
Detroit is going up against a Carolina Panthers defense that yielded the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season and is coming off a dominating performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Considering that there are still some issues with pass protection upfront in Detroit, the expectation here is that Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson will be able to get continual pressure on Stafford. As to where Calvin Johnson will still eat in this one, his quarterback likely won't finish as anywhere near the No. 3 fantasy quarterback.
Aaron Rodgers is valued at $200 less and is going up against a New York Jets defense that finished in the bottom half of the NFL against fantasy quarterbacks last season. This is also a unit that performs extremely well against the run, which might force Rodgers into more passing situation and more opportunities to acquire fantasy points.
Colin Kaepernick is valued at $900 less. He's also going up against a lackluster Chicago Bears defense that gave up near QB1 numbers to E.J. Manuel last week.
Andy Dalton is valued at $1500 less and will be lining up against an Atlanta Falcons defense that yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season. Mike Smith's squad also allowed 330-plus passing yards to Drew Brees last week.
These are just a couple examples of value plays at the quarterback position. eDraft will delve into the best plays of Week 2 later in the week.
If it's too Good to be True, it Probably is
Why are Doug Martin ($7,400) and Andre Ellington ($6,800) valued so low this week? Don't just assume that the daily site made some sort of an error here. Instead, use eDraft's awesome premium tools to draw a conclusion.
First off, Martin is questionable for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams. Second, he's going up against a defensive front that allowed Adrian Peterson to averaged 3.4 yards per attempt. While you may be forced to ride Martin in your standard leagues, don't make a mistake of looking at him as being much of a value in Week 2.
As it relates to Ellington, he might actually be a steal. The second-year running back is still dealing with an injury, but he did suit up and play against the San Diego Chargers in Week 1. He's also going up against a New York Giants defense that seems to be coming off a decent performance against the run last week. After all, the Detroit Lions gained just 70 yards on 25 attempts against New York.
The reason it's important to look into advanced statistics is due to the fact that Detroit's running backs gained 54 receiving yards on the day. As a good receiving running back, Ellington matches up well against a unit that has a hard time covering pass catchers out of the backfield. He's actually a solid value play here.
Don't Ignore Elite Fantasy Receivers
If you're going to spend on an elite player in Week 2, it needs to be on a wide receiver. Outside of Calvin Johnson, who is always a valuable fantasy play, there are other top-tier options to run with in this one.
Demaryius Thomas ($8,700) is coming off a horrendous fantasy week against the Indianapolis Colts. He tallied just four receptions on 13 targets against Vontae Davis. This is ONE major reason why you should consider picking Thomas up for a high price. He averaged 97.5 yards and 1.2 scores in the outings following performance in which he put up five catches or less last year. Thomas is also going up against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that allowed 15 receptions on 23 targets to receivers last week. Valued as the second-most expensive wide receiver, there is no reason to believe that Thomas won't at least meet that plateau.
Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are also tremendous plays for the Chicago Bears against a pretty good San Francisco 49ers defense. With Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock questionable after leaving San Francisco's Week 1 win against Dallas with injuries, this unit could be incredibly weak come Sunday night. Even if those two play, the Bears are going to have to put the ball up and score some point in order to defeat San Francisco. Jeffery is the question mark here, as he left Sunday's game against Buffalo with an injury. On that note, wait for injury reports later in the week before drawing a final conclusion here.