We are now entering week 2 of the NFL season. Hopefully, you won some money playing Daily Fantasy Sports last week. Whether you did or not, the advice you are about to read can be very helpful. A DFS site that is often overlooked is Yahoo. The purpose of this article is to familiarise people with the format and present a couple of lineup strategies.
Note: The Thursday and Monday night games are not included in most Yahoo contests.
Scoring settings
1 point for 25 passing yards                    1 point for 10 rushing/receiving yards
0.5 points for a reception
4 points for passing touchdown               6 points for rushing/receiving/return touchdowns
-1 points for an interception                     -2 points for a fumble lost
Lineup requirements
1 QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â 2RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 3WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â 1TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Flex(R/W/T)Â Â Â Â 1 DEFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $200 budget
Home and Dome
There are a few elements that I look at in order to find the most desired matchups. There is what I call Home and Dome, teams that are playing at home with an indoor stadium. While September is too early to worry about snow games, wind can be a factor that can negatively impact passing offenses. Here are the three teams that play Home and Dome in week 1:
Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers
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Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants
New Orleans Saints vs Cleveland Browns
I will not be looking exclusively at these Home and Dome matchups, but it is something I consider strongly in my selections.
Quarterbacks
Philip Rivers, LAC: 31$ @ BUF
The two highest implied Vegas point totals this week belong to the Saints and the Steelers at 29 each. It could be advantageous to pay up for their respective QBs. However, the Chargers have the 6th highest over/under point total at 25. Philip Rivers comes in at $6 cheaper than Drew Brees and that difference can allow you to have better options at other positions, while still having a QB from a high scoring offense. The Bills defense made Joe Flacco look, dare I say, elite as the Ravens offense exploded for 47 points. I believe that the Chargers have the potential to put up similar numbers. Even on the road, Rivers is a great price for a QB that will likely score multiple TDs.
Matt Ryan, ATL: $29 vs CAR
The first cut is usually the deepest. Matt Ryan disappointed in the NFL kickoff game last Thursday night. Since that was many fantasy managers’ first impression of the season, Ryan probably left a bad taste in the mouth of most. I believe that he is due for a bounce back the week against the Panthers. Yes, Carolina limited Dak Prescott‘s production in week 1, but compared to the Cowboys, the Falcons have superior weapons in the passing game. This is also a Home and Dome game. It is never a bad idea for your QB to be in one of those.
Running Backs
Todd Gurley, LAR: $38 vs ARI
It is only week 2 and already I’m taking the dive and selecting the likely 1st overall pick in most fantasy drafts this year, Todd Gurley. The Washington run game had tremendous success in week 1 against the Cardinals. Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson got 21.6 and 21.8 points respectively. Unlike that situation, there is no RB on the Rams that will take significant snaps away from Gurley. He is expensive but worth paying up for.
Alvin Kamara, NO: 38$ vs CLE
Another RB that requires paying a premium to play is Alvin Kamara. With Mark Ingram still serving his suspension, Kamara is in line for another big workload in week 2. He goes up against a Browns defense that just allowed James Conner to score 31.7 fantasy points. The Saints offensive line is on the same level as Pittsburgh’s so Kamara should find space to run. He is also able to do damage in the passing game as seen in week 1.
James Conner, PIT: 24$ vs KC
Speaking of James Conner he is someone that I am looking to start. Last week, he demonstrated that he can handle a large workload and that he can run well behind the Steelers O-line. For those who do not want to spend a premium price at RB, Conner offers the potential to match the production of the top tier players. Le’Veon Bell‘s absence will probably extend for multiple weeks and the team appears to have confidence in Conner. We all should as well.
Wide Receivers
Julio Jones, ATL: $39 vs CAR
One of my favorite stacks this week is Julio Jones and Matt Ryan. Even against a tough Eagles defense, Jones managed 23 fantasy points last week. The Panthers probably won’t provide the type of pressure from their defensive line as was seen in Philadelphia and the secondary is no better. Considering the opponent (Jones put up 300 yards against them in 2016) and the Home and Dome situation, Julio is my #1 WR this week.
Michael Thomas, NO: $30 vs CLE
Speaking of #1 WRs, my top choice last week came through big time. Michael Thomas set a franchise record with 16 receptions. He converted that into 30 fantasy points and he is surprisingly less expensive. A drop from $37 to $30 makes this a value pick and worth including here for a second week in a row. He also has a second Home and Dome game in a row. I will continue to ride this train.
Cooper Kupp, LAR: $17 vs ARI
Much like Kamara and Thomas, there is an intriguing RB-WR stack to be had with the Rams. Last week, the Washington passing game attacked the middle of the field. On 2/3 of Alex Smith‘s pass attempts (20 of 30), he targetted an RB, a TE or his slot WR. I expect Jared Goff to attack the Cardinals in a similar fashion. The Rams have not gotten much production from the TEs recently. That means that the likeliest target in the middle of the field in week 2 will be Cooper Kupp. It can be risky trying to figure with Rams WR will best produce on a given week. However, this week, Cupp has a decent chance to better the 15.3 fantasy points he scored on Monday night.
Cole Beasly, DAL: $14 vs NYG
In another Home and Dome situation, Cole Beasley is a bargain at his current price tag. He was the top target on his team and he will probably continue that throughout most of the season. The Giants have some great perimeter cornerbacks, but they are more vulnerable against slot WRs. Beasly has traditionally done a lot of damage from the slot, even though the Cowboys moved him around during training camp. Look for Beasly to produce far beyond his price.
Tight Ends
George Kittle, SF: $17 vs DET
In a very tough matchup against the Vikings, George Kittle still managed to produce a respectable 11.5 fantasy points. With WR Marquise Goodwin‘s status for week 2 up in the air, Kittle will probably once again lead the team in targets. The Vegas odds have the 49ers with the 5th highest implied point total with 25.25. If San Francisco does score a passing TD, Kittle has a decent chance of being the one who catches it.
Antonio Gates, LAC: $10 @ BUF
Like I mentioned in last weeks article, I do not like paying up for TEs. $10 is the minimum amount that a player can cost in Yahoo’s DFS format. Antonio Gates is TD or bust, but so are most TEs. If you are going with that type of player, you might as well spend the least amount possible in order to afford top-tier players at other positions. With all the TD that the Ravens scored against the Bills last week, Gates has a decent chance of finding the end zone.
Flex RB
Adrian Peterson, WAS: $18 vs IND
Washington faces a soft Colts defense in week 2 and that is reflected in the Vegas betting lines. Washington has the 4th highest implied point total at 25.5. Pro Football Focus ranked Indianapolis as the 29th best run defense team entering 2018. This seems like a great matchup for Adrian Peterson. Like James Conner, who I mentioned earlier, Peterson has the chance to produce top-tier fantasy points at a discount price. Ride him this week while he is still cheap.
Tevin Coleman, ATL: $17 vs CAR / James White, NE :$14 @ Jax
Tevin Coleman and James White are in similar situations. The starting RBs for both the Falcons (Devonta Freeman) and the Patriots (Rex Burkhead) are dealing with injuries and may miss week 2. As a result, Coleman and White are in line for larger workloads. For both situations, continue to monitor the injuries throughout the week. Of the two, White has more value if both starters play, as evidenced by his 9 targets in week 1.
Flex WR
Paul Richardson Jr., WAS: $13 vs IND
Washington is expected to put up points against the Colts. I already outlined that the run defense is pretty weak, but the pass defense can be just as bad. The cornerbacks are not particularly strong and Paul Richardson should be productive. He saw 6 targets in week 1, which was the most among Washington WRs. If Alex Smith continues to look his way, Richardson should produce against Indianapolis.
Dante Pettis, SF: $12 vs DET
As mentioned earlier, Marquise Goodwin may miss week 2. His replacement as an outside WR is Dante Pettis. If that is the case, he should produce against a Lions defense that was beaten by a rookie QB on Monday night. Dettis managed to score a TD against the Vikings potent defense. Imagine what he can do vs Detroit.
Defense
New York Jets: 11$ vs MIA
It is unlikely that many people would have foreseen the defensive dominance that the Jets demonstrated over the Lions in week 1. In week 2, they face a Dolphins offense that is arguably weaker at most positions (QB, O-line, WR). At only $11, the Jets offer the ability to spend big at other positions.
Houston Texans: 10$ @ TEN
Titans QB Marcus Mariota struggled in week 1. Yes, the game was played in less than ideal weather conditions, but Tennessee showed that the strength of their offense is running the ball. Also, the Titans are dealing with injuries among their receivers. Against a potent pass-rush provided by the Texans, they will probably keep the ball on the ground. That should keep this a relatively low scoring affair, making the Texans DEF, a perfect minimum dollar play.
Thank you for reading and good luck playing NFL Yahoo DFS. For DFS advice on other platforms or other sports, check out Going for 2 for great content.
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