CFB DFS Top Plays: Week 2 – Friday

Editor’s Note: We may not write up every player we consider to be a top play. Be sure to consult the chart at the bottom of the page. This page will be updated as necessary.

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Understanding optimal lineups for cash games is extremely important, even if you only play tournaments. Players in our cash pool are the ones we believe are the most underpriced, have the best floor/ceiling combo, and typically feature a relatively tight range of outcomes. These are the best plays on the board when considering price, context, and positional scarcity. These are usually pretty good options for GPPs as well.

The optimal GPP lineup will typically mix some of these cash-type plays with higher-variance options, often in correlated lineups. In cash games (where roughly 50% of the field gets paid out), we don’t worry about ownership, game stacks, or correlation. In large-field tournaments, we should be much more mindful of ownership. For more tournament content, check out our projections, and Friday’s live show, Establish The Show: The College Years, with Alex Hardin and Sean Newsham.

With all that said, these are our Top Plays considering the following factors: mean projection, matchup, upside, and value. Ownership is NOT considered here. Generally speaking, these players are what we consider to be “head-to-head and 50/50 considerations”.

They are listed in price descending order (NOT ranked by “best play”). At the bottom, you’ll find suggested rankings by site once salary is accounted for.

Quarterback

Tayven Jackson (IND – DK $7,700, FD $9,600) – After Indiana’s dreadful offensive display last week versus Ohio State, they have named Jackson the starter for Week 2. We have some concerns about him getting 100% of the snaps, but Indiana does have the softest matchup on paper going against FCS Indiana State. It will be interesting to see if the Hoosiers continue to use the triple option like they showed last week and if their passing game will be present whatsoever if they have success running the ball versus an inferior opponent. We really are only considering Jackson as viable because it is a two-game slate and there are some question marks elsewhere. GPP recommendation: Stack with 0 to 2 pass catchers.

Jalon Daniels (KU – DK $7,500, FD $11,800) – After missing the opener with a lingering back injury, it seems as though Daniels is on schedule to start this week versus Illinois. On this two-game slate, he easily has the highest upside at the position, and salary is of almost no concern on this slate. The real questions are: How much will he run? And will Kansas rotate in Jason Bean at all? GPP recommendation: Stack with 0 to 2 pass catchers.

Luke Altmyer (IL – DK $6,400, FD $10,200) – It’s not often you get an Illinois quarterback as the safest play on the slate, but we get just that on this two-gamer. Altmyer has the most secure standing at QB of all four teams on the slate (Jackson at Indiana could have a short leash) and does not have any injury concerns (Daniels could be limited or even possibly sit again). The Ole Miss transfer even showed off some wheels in the opener versus Toledo, as he racked up 69 yards on nine carries on the ground in addition to going an efficient 18 for 26 through the air. While Kansas is pretty efficient offensively, they still have a lot of holes on the defensive side (bottom third in the country in defensive efficiency), so we are not afraid to load up on Illinois this slate despite them being an underdog. GPP recommendation: Stack with 1 to 2 pass catchers.

Running Back