Fantasy football: FanDuelin' Week 2

There is more than one way to skin a fantasy football. Along with the traditional leagues where you draft a team and essentially stick with those players throughout the season, there are also "daily leagues". The basic idea is that in daily leagues you and your competitors get a set budget and you try to create the best one week fantasy football lineup. Players expected to perform better are more expensive, so you quickly learn to spend wisely and hope your cheaper sleeper picks pay off. The best part is that you can win some serious shekels if Lady Luck fancies your picks.

Along with the traditional fantasy football article regarding the San Francisco 49ers upcoming matchup, I will also be documenting my year on FanDuel. Each week I will enter one of the $5 contests and track my progress as the season goes on. Should you stop seeing these articles by week 10 then it is safe to assume I've struck it rich and have abandoned my post in search of power, women and respect. It is considerably more likely I blow through my deposit without beginning my journey towards world domination, but only time will tell.

Here is my set up for week 2:

Starting Budget: $59

Week 2 Contest: $5 50/50 League ($60,000 Player Acquisition Budget)

100 players Top 50 Win $9

Quarterback

Jake Locker (Tennessee Titans) $7,400

I usually look for a value pick at QB first given the depth at the position.  FanDuel has him at QB17 and $1000 cheaper than QBs expected to be ranked in the top 10. A healthy Locker has shown glimpses of fantasy relevance in the past and there is nothing intimidating about the Dallas defense. What I save on QB will go towards higher ranked players at WR and RB

Running Backs

LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) $9,200

My splurge pick for the week. He is on the road, but there should be plenty of points to go around against Indianapolis. Darren Sproles got the TD last week, but I like McCoy's chances to get his first in week 2. The standard setting on FanDuel awards a half point per reception. I'm banking on McCoy's role in the passing game to make me very happy on Sunday.

Terrance West (Cleveland Browns) $5,300

Where McCoy is my strong card I'm gambling with West. He put up 100 yards on 16 carries last week and I'm hoping he gets the lion's share of the touches against New Orleans. The fear is that the Saints go up big early and West becomes an afterthought. It's a risk I'm willing to take this week, especially since the Browns love to run the ball.

Wide Receivers

Demaryius Thomas (Denver Broncos) $8,700

He and Peyton Manning weren't exactly on the same page last week. That changes when the Broncos host the crumbling Chiefs defense on Sunday. Kansas City lost Derrick Johnson for the year, so the other Thomas in Denver (Julius) could once again bogart TDs, but Demaryius did lead the team in targets week 1. I have my doubts he puts up two stinkers in a row.

Michael Floyd (Arizona Cardinals) $6,600

The Cardinals are going to throw the ball... a lot... every game. Floyd should lead the team in passing targets, yardage and touchdowns by the end of the year. He isn't Calvin Johnson, but after seeing Detroit torture the New York Giant's secondary I don't mind targeting that group until further notice.

Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) $6,500

It looks like his poor outing last week has pushed him down a bit. That's good news for week 2, because Crabs should be healthier and more involved.  He only appeared in 37 of 58 offensive snaps last week, but this should be a more competitive game which would allow for more San Francisco passing attempts.

Tight End

Martellus Bennett (Chicago Bears) $6,100

I wanted to avoid shelling out big bucks on one of the top 3 tight ends. Bennett is a solid option with Cutler under center. The 49ers shutdown Jason Witten last week, but I still think the San Francisco defense is vulnerable to tight ends in the red zone. I may actually switch to Zach Ertz who gets a splendid matchup against Indianapolis, but for now I'll roll with the "Black Unicorn".

Kicker

Josh Scobee (Jacksonville Jaguars) $4,500

Cheap kickers are a fantasy gamers' best friend. They are as random as they come in regards to projecting fantasy points. This week, I'll take my chances with the Scobester against Washington's defense. The Jags have enough offense to move the ball; I just hope they fall short a few times so I can get some of that sweet field goal action.

Defense

The San Francisco 49ers $5,700

I don't believe in Chicago's offensive line and I don't believe Jay Cutler will play mistake free football. I'm counting on a few sacks and an INT or two from the dudes by the bay in their home opener.

Do you play in daily fantasy leagues? If so, who is the highest priced player you are choosing this week?

Also, if you want to find me on FanDuel my screen name is "DerekRVA". My photo is of wrestling legend Koko B Ware. Feel free to challenge me to a head-to-head game!

Editor's Note: SB Nation's partner FanDuel is hosting a $250,000 Fantasy Football Contest for Week 2's NFL games. It's only $10 to join and first place wins $25,000. Starts Sunday, September 14th at 1pm ET. Here's the link.