CFB DFS DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown: Week 2

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan) Last Updated 2025-09-05 14:55:04 Premium Content Part of the product CFB Premium

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming CFB DFS main slate on DraftKings for Week 2. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan’s deep dive into the best stacks, running backs, and wide receivers is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Week 1 taught me a lot about how these teams plan to rotate, and the data highlighted who is actually going to be impactful. This weekend is about separating fluky performances from sustainable ones, identifying defensive weaknesses, and pinpointing who can be the dominant piece in certain offenses. It’s also important to consider game context – several teams won in blowouts. So when did those players do their damage? And how did it actually come together? This article will break down my findings for this week’s games and what I believe truly holds weight.

Each week, our CFB DFS projections are going to showcase where we believe the changes will hold true and where we don’t believe that will be the case. Every week, our projections team is tearing things down to rebuild and supply you with the best projections in the industry.

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CFB DFS DraftKings Picks: Top Stacks, RBs, & WRs for Week 2

It’s still too early in the season to draw firm conclusions from this graph, but some 2024 tendencies have already carried over, and I expect them to hold. One clear example is Illinois – a defense that leans heavily on man coverage and will likely continue to do so this weekend. That puts Darian Mensah and the Duke passing game in an intriguing spot. If the offensive line can buy him time and a receiver wins his matchup, big plays are on the table.

Last season, Dylan Raiola threw for over 290 yards against Illinois, with Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor both topping 90 yards. Tez Johnson added 6 catches for 102 yards and a TD for Oregon, while Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer each cleared 67 yards. Outside of Oregon – who led 35–3 at halftime – Illinois didn’t face another truly dangerous passing attack.

As for this week, I expect Oregon to shift toward more zone, but Virginia’s high man-coverage rate jumps out on this graph. CJ Bailey thrived against man last season, with Justin Joly and Wesley Grimes both averaging over 2.5 yards per route run in those situations. Both looked strong in Week 1, making them key players to watch in this matchup.

The starting point for this graph is Baylor, who were incredibly frustrating against Auburn with their heavy use of two-high safeties. They clearly respected Cam Coleman’s talent and refused to leave their corners without help over the top. Enter SMU, with an explosive dual-threat QB in Kevin Jennings – if Baylor doesn’t drop a safety into the box, they’ll get gashed in the read-option game like what Jackson Arnold did. I don’t expect Baylor to show the same level of respect to SMU’s WRs as they did against Auburn, so early on, I anticipate them committing that extra defender to the run fit. That adjustment opens up one intriguing playmaker on the perimeter for SMU, who I’ll touch on later.

As for Missouri, this is a defense built on single-high looks, and last season, they ran Cover 3 at one of the highest rates in the country. That sets up perfectly for the explosive passing game of Jalon Daniels, and I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from this offense so far. Missing the Emmanuel Henderson Jr. breakout last week stings, but this weekend sets up well for him again, with plenty of chances to recreate those explosive plays.

Game Stacks

Kevin Jennings ($8,000, QB, SMU)

Jalen Cooper ($3,000, WR, SMU)

Bryson Washington ($8,900, RB, Baylor)

Cooper is a player DFS players will get familiar with this weekend, and I can’t wait to see him shine on the perimeter. After Jordan Hudson went down, he played almost every snap alongside Jennings and consistently got open. With Baylor’s safeties likely keying in on Romello Brinson ($4,800, WR) – who carried a 44% 1st-read target share per PFF – this true freshman should see plenty of one-on-one opportunities. Jennings, meanwhile, should be heavily utilized in the run game after Jackson Arnold’s success on the ground against this Baylor defense last week, giving him strong upside for a double bonus.

Washington took a small knock on a misthrow from Sawyer Robertson ($7,700, QB), but he still dominated the majority of snaps. I believe Baylor will be much more efficient running the ball against SMU’s front than they were against Auburn’s, and I expect them to establish the power run game earlier to find their offensive rhythm.

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