Welcome to the NFL DFS Week 2 RB coach article! As suggested in last week’s column, a preseason of inactivity led to some rust in the NFL's passing attacks. Only two quarterbacks threw for at least 300 yards in Week 1. 

Those stats should improve in Week 2 as NFL teams ramp up their passing games, but RBs will once again play an especially crucial part in the success of your DFS lineups in Week 2 and in the early going of the NFL season.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 2 RB Coach For FanDuel & DraftKings Fantasy

This NFL DFS Week 2 RB coach is looking to improve upon last week's results in which four of my seven recommendations scored double-digit DraftKings (DK) and FanDuel (FD) points. I was reminded that opportunities in the form of snaps played are important for a DFS RB, but those snaps don’t always guarantee success.

De'Von Achane earned his salary, and he was my best recommendation (23 DK pts/19.5 FD pts) as one of my top-tier picks, but Chuba Hubbard only ran the ball six times in a lopsided loss to the New Orleans Saints. Even though I recommended him as a value pick, his 1.4 DK pts/1.39 FD pts didn’t provide any value at all in Week 1. 

It might be hard not to do, but I’ll try not to overreact to the good, and the bad, that we saw from our NFL DFS RBs last week and I’ll definitely aim higher with my selections in this NFL DFS Week 2 RB coach.

 

 

 

NFL Week 2 Running Backs

There’s a couple of solid top-tier picks in this article but like last week there’s some especially good DFS options at RB in the mid and value tiers in Week 2 that will let you pay up for chalkier players at other positions.

As I’m writing this article, there are reports that Miami Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert has been ruled out out for Week 2 and that Achane will be a gametime decision. We at Fantasy Alarm will monitor this developing story, but Jeff Wilson Jr. ($4,000 DK, $4,600 FD) might be in play in DFS lineups if you’re looking for an additional value play and if you don’t mind some risk. 

Better yet, Jaylen Wright ($4,000 DK, $4,500 FD), who was a healthy scratch in Week 1, could be in line for a potential breakout game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. We also still don’t know if Christian McCaffrey will play in Week 2. If he is inactive, a very affordable Jordan Mason ($5,200 DK, $5,500 FD) should definitely be an NFL DFS Week 2 RB you consider adding to your lineups.

Let’s dive in and get into my favorite NFL DFS Week 2 RB picks. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Top-Tier Picks For Week 2 

Jonathan Taylor, RB Indianapolis Colts - DraftKings: $7,700 | FanDuel: $8,200

I’m going with Taylor as a top-tier pick again this week. As expected, he had no competition for touches in the Colts’ backfield in Week 1. Yes, QB Anthony Richardson could vulture some of his goal line opportunities but since Taylor had three carries from inside the 10 in Week 1 compared to one by Richardson, Taylor will still get plenty of scoring opportunities this season. 

With Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love sidelined, game script has the Colts winning handily and with the Pack unable to stop the run last season and again in Week 1, Taylor should be a player you’re comfortable paying up for in Week 2. 

Saquon Barkley, RB Philadelphia Eagles - DraftKings: $7,500 | FanDuel: $8,700

I almost didn’t include Barkley as one of my top tier picks because of the Atlanta Falcons’ tough run defense and I know I said I wasn’t going to overreact to last week’s action, but Barkley looks matchup proof now that he’s playing behind a solid Philadelphia Eagles offensive line. He looked confident, ran decisively and appears to be a man on a mission this season. 

Barkley is playing in his first home game of the season close to his hometown in a game that the Eagles are heavily favored to win. His matchup also has one of the higher expected point totals in Week 2. If the Falcons limit his overall rushing yards Barkley will make it up with his pass catching production. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Mid-Tier Picks For Week 2

Derrick Henry, RB Baltimore Ravens - DraftKings: $6,700 | FanDuel: $7,500

In Week 1 we saw that predictably, Henry was used as the Ravens’ early down and goal line back, and Justice Hill was the team’s primary passing down back. 

The Ravens are a huge favorite against the Las Vegas Raiders, and they should have an early and comfortable lead leading to Henry being used heavily throughout the game. Henry should be locked in for upwards of 20 carries in this game and a sneaky good play as an NFL DFS Week 2 RB.

Kyren Williams, RB Los Angeles Rams - DraftKings: $6,800 | FanDuel: $8,000

I’m still not convinced that Blake Corum won’t be the Rams’ primary back by season’s end but for now, Williams is healthy and he’s a bell cow back. He’s got a great matchup against an Arizona Cardinals team that he owned last season. 

In Week 6 he rushed for 158 yards with a rushing TD and in Week 11 he ran for 143 yards against them and caught 6 passes for 61 yards. The Rams matchup against the Cardinals has one of the highest expected overall point totals on the slate. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Value Picks For Week 2

Tony Pollard, RB Tennessee Titans - DraftKings: $5,900 | FanDuel: $6,700

The New York Jets couldn’t stop the run last season, and a backup RB ran all over them in Week 1 this season. Based on Week’s 1 usage, Pollard will get most of the early down work out of the Titans’ backfield and with Tyjae Spears playing mostly on passing downs. 

The Jets should beat the Titans this week, but I don’t think it’ll be a blow out and Pollard should still factor heavily into Tennessee’s offensive gameplan.

Brian Robinson, RB Washington Commanders - DraftKings: $5,800 | FanDuel: $6,200

The New York Giants let Aaron Jones run all over them in Week 1, giving up 6.7 yards every time he ran the ball. Full disclosure, I am a Giants fan and looked at this as a winnable game for my team in the preseason. 

However, I don’t think they’ll be able to contain QB Jayden Daniels,and the Commanders are probably going to be playing with a lead for much of the game. Robinson Jr. looks like the Commanders’ primary early down back with Ekeler getting some early down carries too, but mostly used in passing down situations. 

I would usually expect it to be hard for either back to have big-time fantasy value this season with Daniels running the ball as much as he probably will (he ran 14 times in Week 1). However, with how bad the Giants’ run defense looked last week Robinson has a chance to be one of the NFL DFS Week 2 RB coach’s sleepers.

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Fades For Week 2

Breece Hall, RB New York Jets - DraftKings: $7,400 | FanDuel: $8,500

I’m starting Hall in my season long leagues, and he’s obviously got the talent to break a run and take it to the house, but the Titans have a very good run defense and I’m not willing to pay a premium for him in my DFS lineups. 

The Titans held Chicago Bears RBs to 44 rushing yards last week and gave up the sixth fewest average PPR fantasy points per game to RBs last season, so Week 1 against the Bears was no fluke. 

Zamir White, RB Las Vegas Raiders - DraftKings: $5,600 | FanDuel: $6,000

It appears as if White will be the Raiders’ primary back on early downs giving him more fantasy value in close games or in games where they have the lead. 

However, the Raiders are expected to be playing from behind for much of their matchup against the Ravens and that could lead to a bigger role for Alexander Mattison who was used almost exclusively in passing down situations and even cut into some of White’s early down work in Week 1. 

NFL Week 2 RB Play of the Week 

J.K. Dobbins, RB Los Angeles Chargers - DraftKings: $5,400 | FanDuel: $6,800

Did I say I wasn’t going to overreact to Week 1’s results? Dobbins is finally healthy and while there’s been some talk about his top speed not being what it once was, he looked explosive in Week 1, especially on that 61-yard run! 

He split early down carries with Gus Edwards and as expected, he was the Chargers’ passing down back, giving him good overall potential production. He’s a great value at $5,400 on DraftKings and $6,800 on FanDuel and is my favorite NFL DFS Week 2 RB.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Week 2 RB Projections