The second week of the NFL season will conclude with an NFC North matchup between the Detriot Lions and Green Bay Packers. Both teams were dominated for at least most of their respective games in Week 1. This game is a great opportunity for the winner to build momentum and start the rest of the season the way they wanted to last week.
Many believe Green Bay may stomp the Lions in a revenge game, but after the comeback Detriot mounted last week they shouldn’t be taken lightly. This game should be filled with offensive fireworks, which means more opportunities for fantasy points to be scored in DraftKings DFS lineups. For those struggling to set their DraftKings lineups for tonight here are the best players to insert into lineups.
Captain: RB Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
DraftKings Value: $15,600
As a whole last week was brutal for the Green Bay Packers team. The Packers got blown out 38-3 to the New Orleans Saints. Green Bay couldn’t muster up any offense through the air or on the ground. Pro Bowler Aaron Jones led the team in rushing attempts last week with five. He was only able to rush for nine total yards. On top of that Jones caught both of his targets for 13 yards. It was a very forgettable performance for Jones last week.
This week could be the best opportunity Jones had for redemption against the Detriot Lions. Last week the Lions gave up 104 rushing yards and a touchdown to sixth-round rookie for the 49ers Elijah Mitchell. Similar to last season the Lions’ run defense is one of the worst in the league. Last season in Week two against Detriot at home Aaron Jones rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns. It would not be shocking to see Jones have a similar stat line in this game.
It should be worth noting that last week’s team performance could benefit Jones and the running game as far as a game script. In the past Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has had no problem leaning on the running game when Aaron Rodgers and the passing game have struggled. Add in that Green Bay is expected to lead early and throughout this game and it is almost certain that the Packers could be extremely run-heavy throughout this game. Jones is always a threat to go on huge runs and score whenever he touches the football.
It may be shocking to not see Aaron Rodgers in the captain slot, but it is for good reason. This is not to say that Aaron Rodgers is a bad play this week. This is actually an extremely favorable lineup for last season’s MVP, especially since he is expected to have an outstanding bounce-back game. But adding Aaron Jones at his value is a great play and also frees up the salary cap to add more players with high upside to DFS lineups.
Flex: TE T.J. Hockenson, Detriot Lions
DraftKings Value: $9,600
Last week confirmed what many thought about the new Detriot Lions offense under Dan Campbell. Former tenth overall pick T.J. Hockenson is the number one option in the passing game. Last week against a stout 49ers defense Hockenson had eight receptions off ten targets for 97 yards and a touchdown. His eleven targets tied D’Andre Swift’s target total for the team lead. After being named a Pro Bowler for the first time last season Hockenson is expected to take a leap forward this season. He could possibly solidify his status as one of the elite tight ends in the league with Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, and George Kittle.
The Green Bay Packers defense has a lot of star power. However, two positions they are not strong at are nickel corner and linebacker. Their starting nickel is Chandon Sullivan. While Krys Barnes and veteran De’Vondre Campbell are the linebackers that patrol the middle of the field for Green Bay. None of those three have shown anything that would lead anyone to believe they could lock up Hockenson. Their play has actually proved this to be a great matchup for Hockenson. Last week the Packers have up six receptions for 39 yards and two touchdowns to the Saints’ tight ends Adam Trautman and Juwan Johnson. Neither player is considered as talented as Hockenson.
Detriot should be pass-heavy late in this game if Green Bay takes the large lead many think they will. If that is the case Hockenson could play a huge role as the team drives down the field and tries to make a comeback. At his price, Hockenson is a must-add in DFS lineups considering he is Detriot’s number one receiver.
Flex: RB D’Andre Swift, Detriot Lions
DraftKings value: $8,400
There were a lot of reasons to doubt D’Andre Swift going into Week 1. It was unclear what Swift’s role was with the addition of Jamaal Williams. Swift also dealt with a groin issue that made him questionable going into the week. Add the fact that Williams got the start over Swift and fantasy players who had Swift in their lineup were worried about him performing in a tough matchup against the 49ers.
Swift had a great game rushing for 39 yards off of 11 attempts. He also caught 8 of eleven targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. Swift finished the week as the fourth-highest scoring running back in PPR leagues with 24.4 points. He also tied Hockenson with eleven targets which led the team. It became very clear that Swift was going to be used in the passing game similar to how many thought he would be used coming out of Georgia.
Last week the Packers gave up 171 rushing yards to the Saints. 133 of those rushing yards came from running backs Alvin Kamara and Tony Jones Jr. This bodes well for Swift next week. He and Williams can set the tone for the game early by running the ball and trying to control the clock. However if Green Bay does take a lead late in this game, that doesn’t eliminate Swift from the offensive equations. On top of being the team’s most talented runner, he is also their second-best pass catcher. Swift should be heavily involved in the passing game late if the Lions are forced to throw the ball often to get back into the game. At his price Swift is a great player to have in DFS lineups because of the high floor his role provides him.
Flex: RB Jamaal Williams, Detriot Lions
DraftKings Value: $7,200
Shockingly Lions’ running back Jamaal Williams was the second-highest scoring running back in PPR formats last week. Williams was tied with Joe Mixon with 25 points. He finished last week with nine rushes for 54 yards, a rushing touchdown, eight receptions on nine targets, and 56 receiving yards. It was also surprising to see Williams get the start against the 49ers instead of D’Andre Swift. But the Lions signed Williams to his two-year $6 million deal to have a major role for this offense.
This is a revenge game for Williams. Green Bay drafted Williams in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. This is his first time returning to Green Bay since signing with the Lions this past offseason. A previously stated the Packers run defense is not outstanding. Williams could see a lot of carries early in the game. Then once the game gets late, if Green Bay takes a lead, Williams could be used as a receiving threat. Even though Swift is considered the receiving back in this offense, Williams is still dynamic as a pass-catcher. His high-volume role in this offense makes him a great play this week in the DFS lineups, especially in a matchup as good as this one.
Flex: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers
DraftKings Value:$5,600
In previous seasons Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been a frustrating player to have in fantasy lineups. He is known for his big-play ability but has lacked the consistency to be in fantasy lineups or even on fantasy rosters in season-long leagues. A common stat line for Valdes-Scantling has been two receptions off three targets for 97 yards and a touchdown.
However, this season could be different. Last week Valdes-Scantling seem to have removed himself from the pack of other Packer receivers including Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Valdes Scantling tied Davante Adams for the team lead with eight targets. He also was second amongst wide receivers in snaps played. Valdes-Scantling finished the day with only three receptions for 17 yards. But that type of targets share raises the question of how Valdes-Scantling will perform on a week-to-week basis.
This matchup against the Lions is a great one for Valdes-Scantling. Coming into the season the Lions’ secondary did not have great expectations since this defense is in the middle of a rebuild. That showed to be the case in Week 1 against the 49ers when the Lions gave up 319 receiving yards to the 49ers. Deebo Samuel led the 49ers in receiving with 189 yards which was the second-most by a receiver in the league that week. The Lions’ secondary got worse after that game because the third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, cornerback Jeff Okudah, suffered a season-ending injury during that game.
Valdes-Scantling has the opportunity to have a breakout game. He can assert himself as not only the team’s second option in the passing game but a legitimate threat in the passing game. He can be inserted into DFS lineups for extremely cheap considering he could be one of the highest-scoring players in the contest.
Flex: RB A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers
DraftKings Value: $3,000
One of the more puzzling picks of the 2020 NFL Draft was Green Bay’s selection of A.J. Dillon in the second round. The Packers already had Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams in place to create a dynamic backfield. It turns out Green Bay drafted Dillon as insurance in case they lost one or both of them the following offseason. Green Bay did not need to resign both after Dillon proved late last season he is good enough of a player to have a role in this offense. Now that Aaron Jones has been resigned, Dillon is expected to take over Williams’ role in the offense. But there is no certainty on what his role in this offense is.
After the first game against New Orleans, Dillon’s role is still unclear. He led the team in rushing yards last week with 19 on four carries. It is worth noting that Dillon had four carries to Jones’ five. Even though it is a small sample size, this can prove that the Packers plan to use a committee approach still and that Dillon could split carries pretty evenly with Jones. Realistically we could see a 60/40 split with Dillon seeing the latter.
The San Fransisco 49ers were able to run all over the Lions’ defense last week. They had no problem dominating the ground after Raheem Mostert left the game with an injury. The Packers arguably have more talented backs than the 49ers to this point. So Green Bay could possibly dominate Detriot on the ground more than San Francisco did. Aaron Jones is expected to be the team’s lead back in this game. However, it is unrealistic for Green Bay not to use Dillon in some capacity. Given how Dillon played when he was featured last season, he has shown enough to be trusted with a decent amount of the team’s carries. There is a good chance Dillon is given a bulk of the carries and has between 35%-50% of the team’s rushing attempts similar to Jamaal Williams when he was with the team.
In a great matchup against Detriot, Dillon could have a real impact and have a great fantasy day. There is even a chance late in the game when the Packers have a sizable lead that the Packers’ coaches decide to treat Dillon like a workhorse to see what else he could do and also give their $48 million running back Aaron Jones a break early in the year. Dillon has almost as high an upside as Aaron Jones in this matchup and could be had at less than a fifth of the price. There is risk in adding Dillon to lineups because he isn’t the lead back, will likely not have much passing game usage, and isn’t guaranteed production in whatever role he plays. But in a DFS lineup, he is the perfect player to take a chance on at an extremely small salary.
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