Top daily fantasy football plays for Friday’s Week 2 preseason games

Welcome to Week 2 of the NFL preseason, where things start to get particularly interesting for daily fantasy purposes. Unlike Week 1, when starters generally played one series, if at all, this week teams generally let their starters go the entire first quarter and, in some cases, into the second.

This article seeks to point out some of the best options for Friday’s three games, targeting starters in good positions and backups with opportunities for extended run against second- and third-string defenses. But with any preseason game, roster decisions can be fluid, right up to kickoff. Be sure to check Twitter for late-breaking scratches and indications that certain players are expected to get heavy run.

With that disclaimer out of the way, here are some options to consider when building your DFS teams on Friday:

QB

Must play: Kirk Cousins
Maybe play: Christian Hackenberg

Notes: Cousins completed all five of his passes for 37 yards in his limited appearance against the Atlanta Falcons. He should see considerably more run in this one and Washington will look to throw. ... Hackenberg makes his 2016 debut and could get extended play as the team wants to see what it has in him.

RB

Must play: None
Maybe play: Robert Kelley
Stay away: Matt Forte

Notes: The Jets’ backfield limps into this one with Bilal Powell the only healthy regular and he might not see much of the field. Kelley filled up the stat sheet for an otherwise sluggish Washington run game last week. He could reprise that role in this one.

WR

Must play: None
Maybe play: Quincy Enunwa, Rashad Ross
Stay away: Brandon Marshall, DeSean Jackson

Notes: Darelle Revis and Josh Norman are playing. Marshall and Jackson are easy fades. No. 3 receiver Enunwa could see a few extra targets for the Jets, while Washington’s Ross looks to build on a solid debut, when he caught four passes for 49 yards against Atlanta.

TE

Must play: Jace Amaro
Maybe play: Logan Paulsen

Notes: With Jordan Reed not expected to play, the Jets’ Jace Amaro is the top tight end option in this game.

QB

Must play: Dak Prescott
Maybe play: Ryan Tannehill
Stay away: Tony Romo

Notes: Romo makes his 2016 debut, but isn’t expected to play much. Prescott, on the other hand, could play deep into this one and is arguably the top QB target Friday night. The Dolphins’ offense looked awful against the New York Giants last week. Look for Tannehill to try and make a statement.

RB

Must play: Darius Jackson
Maybe play: Arian Foster
Stay away: Ezekiel Elliott

Notes: With Elliott out again, Darius Jackson should play another large rolle, and he was effective last week against the Los Angeles Rams. Foster makes his 2016 debut and could be an intriguing play, if he sees enough of the field.

WR

Must play: Dez Bryant
Maybe play: Terrance Williams, Leonte Carroo

Notes: Bryant was the big surprise of Week 1 and with extended play this week, he could feast. Williams has also stepped up his game this preseason. The Dolphins could be pass-happy and Carroo could get a long look as he fights for a starting role.

TE

Must play: Jason Witten
Maybe play: Jordan Cameron, Geoff Swaim

Notes: Witten should get more run Friday night, and could be Romo’s top target as long as he’s out there. Swaim played a lot last week, but didn’t make an impact. He gets a second chance here. Cameron could be active as he continues to settle into the offense.

QB

Must play: Carson Palmer
Maybe play: Philip Rivers, Matt Barkley
Stay away: Drew Stanton

Notes: If Palmer gets a full quarter against the Chargers, he could put up enough numbers to be the No. 1 QB. Barkley got considerable run last week but struggled. He might be worth a look in a rebound situation.

RB

Must play: David Johnson
Maybe play: Melvin Gordon, Kenneth Farrow

Notes: The Tennessee Titans shredded the Chargers’ run defense for 288 yards last week. Johnson’s first full quarter of action could be spectacular. Gordon will get a decent run, but Farrow is probably the better play after filling up the stat sheet last week. He has a lot of Danny Woodhead in him.

WR

Must play: Arizona starters
Maybe play: Chris Hubert, Tyrell Williams

Notes: The only problem with picking a Cardinals starting receiver is knowing who to target. They all should draw targets, but none stands out above the others. Hubert could be the low-owned surprise as he looks to crack the lineup. Williams missed last week with an injury, but if he’s in the lineup Friday, the Chargers would like to give him a long look.

TE

Must play: Hunter Henry

Notes: Tight end is always the toughest position to fill in preseason DFS, but Henry is the easy choice as No. 1 tonight. The heir apparent to Antonio Gates, Henry had three catches in his debut last week for 43 yards and could easily build on that.