NFL preseason DFS Week 2 action continues with a Showdown slate on Thursday evening. Unlike normal NFL DFS, NFL preseason DFS pricing is flat. With the current pricing structure, playing time is the most important variable to consider. This breakdown will analyze each team and point out potential edges within these teams. Be sure to check out the Awesemo NFL DFS projections and ownership projections for each preseason slate. And for those looking at a comprehensive preseason guide, make sure to check out our preseason primer.
NFL Preseason DFS Picks: Week 2 Thursday Night Football
New England Defense — Defenses are the most consistent plays in preseason showdown. Unlike normal skill players, they score points through an entire preseason contest, with much of that occurring against second- and third-string players. For this reason, they also have a ceiling and can be used in the Captain slot. New England holds a slight edge over Philadelphia as a 1.5-point favorite. They also benefit from facing Joe Flacco and Nick Mullens for part of the game.
Philadelphia Defense — Ranked slightly below New England, Philadelphia enters this contest as a slight underdog. They will also face better quarterback play as New England evaluates Cam Newton and Mac Jones. They are still one of the top plays on the board.
Mac Jones — Last week, Jones played 33 snaps to Newton’s 12. He did not attempt any throws of great difficulty, but he completed 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards. He likely will receive a similar workload in Week 2.
Jalen Hurts — Hurts only played 10 snaps in Philadelphia’s preseason opener. In that short period of time he went 3-for-7 for 54 yards. He also rushed one time for 4 yards.
Kenny Gainwell — The Eagles waived Kerryon Johnson, and Jason Huntley continues to battle an injury. Miles Sanders did not play in Week 1, and Boston Scott received only five snaps. While still behind Sanders and Scott, Gainwell recently began working more with the first team. He played 19 snaps last week and received two carries for 14 yards. He also caught two passes for 16 yards.
Rhamondre Stevenson — The Patriots still have five running backs on their roster, excluding fullbacks. Stevenson and J.J. Taylor played 15 and 16 snaps with the reserves, respectively. Stevenson looks to have created a little separation in the battle, with 127 yards and two touchdown in Week 1. Sony Michel, Damien Harris and James White played 13, eight and seven snaps, respectively, making this a slightly less attractive situation than Philadelphia.
J.J. Taylor — Stevenson stole the show last week, but Taylor also contributed on 16 snaps. He only received two carries for 10 yards, but he also caught five passes for another 31 yards. Taylor profiles more as a pass catcher, and both he and Stevenson are usable together in showdown lineups.
N’Keal Harry — The Patriots have eight healthy receivers. Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Matthew Slater are all locks to make the roster. Harry has been battling Kristian Wilkerson and Gunner Olszewski for potentially one roster spot. Wilkerson has struggled with drops all week, while Harry has had strong practices. Harry played 36 snaps in Week 1, while Wilkerson played 32. Harry only caught one ball for 4 yards, but he might be a contrarian play worth targeting here after Wilkerson’s strong preseason debut.
Kristian Wilkerson — Wilkerson has been a focal point of preseason evaluation after going undrafted. He led the Patriots with six receptions for 39 yards in their preseason debut.
Devin Asiasi — Tight ends generally do not offer much upside in preseason Showdown contests. However, New England is particularly thin at tight end, with injuries to Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Matt LaCosse and Troy Fumagalli. There is a chance Asiasi will play a majority of the team’s snaps out of pure necessity. Asiasi only played 12 snaps in New England’s preseason opener after coming off of COVID reserve only a few days prior.
Quez Watkins — The Eagles had very little success throwing the ball to wide receivers in preseason Week 1, only completing four passes to the position. They are also carrying 10 healthy receivers compared to eight for New England. Watkins only played 14 snaps in Week 1, but he had one catch for a 79-yard touchdown. He could play more in Week 2 with John Hightower returning from injury. Both are downfield burners and likely battling for a single roster spot. Philadelphia pass catchers are GPP-only options.
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