Passing Game Thoughts: Head coach Bill O’Brien pulled starter
Tom Savage in favor of rookie Deshaun Watson after Savage and
the Texans offense failed to score a first half point against
Jacksonville Week 1. It was not a surprising decision for O’Brien,
a head coach known for having a quick hook with his quarterbacks.
Savage did struggle with some of his throws and his decision making,
but the main reason for the Texans anemic offense was subpar play
from the offensive line, particularly turnstile left tackle Chris
Clark, who did a less than adequate job in the absence of starter
Dwayne Brown.
All signs point to Watson getting the call for the first start
of his young career on Thursday. Watson starting over Savage would
be great news for DeAndre Hopkins owners, as Watson targeted Nuk
on nearly 50% of his throws Week 1. It would be silly to expect
that ratio to continue throughout an entire game, especially with
the likelihood of Bengal cornerback Adam Jones shadowing Hopkins.
But it should be noted that Watson prefers to target Hopkins and
a double-digit target game is not out of the question.
The loss of starting tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz and wide receiver
Bruce Ellington to concussions will likely enhance Watson’s
reliance on Hopkins, making an already must start wide receiver
even more attractive in PPR formats.
CIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
Running Game Thoughts: A negative game script created by a lopsided
start to the Jacksonville game limited Miller’s production
against the Jags. Miller still managed to post 97 total yards
on 18 touches, although his 3.8 yard per carry average was less
than impressive. O’Brien may look to rely heavily on the
run to avoid exposing his young quarterback to long passing downs,
while at the same time exploiting a Bengal defense that allowed
nearly 200 total yards and a score against Baltimore Week 1. It
should be noted that O’Brien did mention that he would like
to give rookie RB D’Onta Foreman more carries against the
Bengals. Foreman should not be considered a start in any format,
but fantasy owners should keep an eye on his usage and production
and keep him in mind for a possible speculative add.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The red rocket crashed and burned to the
tune of four interceptions and a lost fumble in Cincinnati’s
opening week loss at home to the Ravens. A play-by-play examination
of the film highlighted a quarterback who made numerous bad choices,
including throwing a ball into triple coverage in the end zone
instead of hitting a wide open Tyler Eifert on a shallow cross.
As much as I would like to predict that the boo birds will not
come out again in Cincy on Thursday, the fact that Dalton has
a history of struggling on TNF (only five touchdown passes in
five games), mixed with a hungry Texans team looking to bounce
back, and you have a recipe for another disappointing performance
from the Bengal passing offense.
A.J. Green is a must start in all formats and a second consecutive
week of double digit targets can be expected. A big game from
Green may not be in the cards due to the fact that Houston has
been successful over the past two seasons at limiting No. 1 wideouts
from monster games. Despite this fact, Green is a must start along
with tight end Tyler Eifert, who was limited to one catch for
four yards last week.
HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25
Running Game Thoughts: We learned
Week 1 that Marvin Lewis, at least in the short term, still believes
in his incumbent tandem of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, and
rookie Joe Mixon has a way to go before becoming a bell cow running
back for the Bengals. The fantasy community as a whole believes
that eventually talent will win out and Mixon will take over the
role at some point in the season, but until that happens, starting
Mixon is a dicey proposition.
The rushing distribution of 21 carries was split nearly evenly
with Mixon receiving one more carry than Bernard. Bernard was
the most efficient of the three backs with 40 yards, including
a shifty 23-yard scamper to remind us all that he has returned
from his season-ending ACL injury in 2016.
The Texans were thought of as one of the better defenses entering
the season, with the return of JJ Watt bolstering a solid front
seven. That narrative did not playout in the first game of the
season, with Leonard Fornette and the Jags ground game posting
142 yards and a score on 36 rushes. With Dalton’s struggles
with turnovers and the Texans looking somewhat vulnerable on the
ground, don’t be surprised to see Lewis and the Bengals
lean on the run in this contest.
Passing
Game Thoughts: With a competent offensive line, a dynamic
ground game with rookie Dalvin Cook, and a season and off-season
to build rapport with Adam Theilen and Stephon Diggs, quarterback
Sam Bradford played arguably the best game of his professional
career. The former first overall selection was accurate, made
quick decisions, and to the delight of Diggs owners, he stretched
the field instead of relying mostly on short and intermediate
throws.
If he can stay healthy, Diggs proved once again on the primetime
stage that he possesses elite level route running and ball skills.
He will look to build off his stellar opening weekend performance
against a Pittsburgh secondary of Artie Burns and veteran Joe
Haden. Haden looked impressive in his first game with the Steelers,
posting four tackles and a sack against his old team. Haden will
face a much more challenging task in shutting down Diggs, a wide
receiver that is more athletic and runs better routes than Kenny
Britt.
After a relatively quiet game that was salvaged with a late touchdown
reception, look for tight end Kyle Rudolph to be more active against
a Steelers defense that ranked in the lower third in yards allowed
to tight ends last season, while allowing 62 receiving yards to
Browns tight ends last week.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13
Running Game Thoughts: Rookie Dalvin Cook broke Adrian Peterson’s
team record for rushing yards in a game to start a career, with
127 yards on 22 carries, capped by a 33-yard scamper to help close
out the game in the fourth quarter. The former Florida State star
looks every bit the real deal that we witnessed in the preseason
and should be started with a decent level of confidence. Although
Pittsburgh allowed the seventh-most points opposing defenses last
season, they limited the Isaiah Crowell to just 33 yards on 17
carries last week. The Browns did have success moving the ball
through the air to their trio of tailbacks, which is certainly
something Cook and the Vikings will look to do on Sunday.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers return
home to Heinz Field after sneaking out of Cleveland with a 21-18
win over the Browns. Big Ben once again put up pedestrian numbers
on the road. However, he did manage to throw for 263 yards and
two touchdowns. It wasn’t an elite level performance by
any means and the Steeler offense looked out of sync for the first
half of the game. Le’Veon Bell was held back in his first
action of the season to help ease him into game form and mitigate
the chance of injury. The lack of a full complement of Bell out
of the backfield and a surprisingly strong performance from the
Browns on defense limited the Steelers to just 21 points.
Although the Vikings have a much better defense than the Browns
in nearly all aspects of the game, Big Ben has averaged just over
ten-more fantasy points per game at home than on the road, and
I anticipate he will finish the week as a top-10 fantasy QB. In
his last 12 home games, Roethlisberger has failed to finish as
a No.1 QB only twice, and that was without his full complement
of weapons.
The matchup of Xavier Rhodes on Antonio Brown will be the most
interesting game within the game on Sunday, as Rhodes is one of
the better shutdown corners in the NFL. Brown will still get his
targets but look for this to be a Martavis Bryant game, with the
physically gifted wideout taking advantage of matchups against
39-year old Terrance Newman or Trae Waynes.
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6
Running Game Thoughts: The Steelers limited Bell last week with
the hope of easing him into game action after missing all of the
preseason due to a contract holdout. After participating in just
over 70% of the team’s offensive snaps, a return to bell-cow
status for arguably the most talented RB in the game is all but
a certainty.
The Vikings stifled the Saints on Monday Night Football to the
tune of just 55 yards on 20 carries, but the New Orleans trio
of Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara, and Adrian Peterson did manage 74
yards on nine catches. Obviously, Bell is an elite-must start
player as evident by the fact that he is ranked No.1 this week
in our FFtoday.com rankings, but don't be surprised if he gets
a majority of his points in the passing game.
Passing
Game Thoughts: A dominant defensive performance by the
Ravens allowed head coach John Harbaugh to limit Joe Flacco in
his first live game action since suffering a back injury this
summer. Flacco threw just 17 passes against the Bengals Week 1,
a whopping ten fewer passes than any quarterback that played an
entire game opening weekend. I anticipate that offensive coordinator
Marty Mornhinweg will open up the offense a bit more Week 2 against
a Browns team that allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing
quarterbacks last season.
Flacco averaged 25 fantasy points (FFToday default scoring) in
his two games against Cleveland last year, highlighted by a 27-point
performance week ten. Although it is likely Flacco throws the
ball more than 17 times this week (by far the least amount of
passes in a full game in his career) a negative game script caused
by the relentless Baltimore defense will likely limit his value
to 280 yards and a couple of scores.
Buck Allen assumes the receiving down back role for the oft-injured
Danny Woodhead, who will miss a good chunk of the season due to
a severe hamstring injury. The receiving back in the Ravens offense
is a valuable fantasy commodity, especially in PPR, making Allen
an excellent No.2 RB or flex play. Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace
were to two players most adversely affected by the lack of passing
attempts last week, and both should see an uptick in targets against
the Browns. But expectations should be tempered on both players,
as the negative game script that could bring down Flacco’s
value will hurt both players as well.
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
Running Game Thoughts: Terrance West quietly posted a No.1 RB
performance Week 1 against the Bengals with 19 carries for 80
yards and a score. As one might expect of West, the game film
was not special ad West is an average running back who happened
to find himself in the right situation. His role as the early
down back in the Ravens offense should continue, and a similar
stat line is in the range of outcomes for the former third round
pick from Towson, with the ceiling of a double-digit touchdown
game fueled by multiple opportunities near the goal line.
The Browns were surprisingly effective against Le’Veon
Bell Week 1, limiting the pro bowler to 32 yards on 10 carries
and only 15 yards on three receptions. The success on limiting
Bell is partly attributed to solid play up front by the Cleveland
D-line, and partly to the fact that Bell was limited in his workload
and was not able to get into the flow of the game. A full 30-touch
game from Bell would likely have resulted in a typical monster
game for the Steelers tailback.
As the new receiving back in the Baltimore passing offense, Buck
Allen vaulted into fantasy relevancy in all formats and could
out produce West in PPR leagues. Baltimore running backs combined
for 10 receptions in each of the last two contests between these
two teams, and Allen looks primed to be the recipient of most
of them.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Rookie DeShone Kizer impressed with both
his arm and his feet in the opening week loss to the Steelers,
completing 20-of-30 passes for 222 yards and a score while adding
17 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground. His 22.8 points
were more than Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins
and Tom Brady, in what turned out be a down week of production
from most “elite players”.
The former Golden Domer will face a tougher task this week on
the road against a Ravens team that forced five turnovers from
Andy Dalton. If Kizer can post similar numbers this week in Baltimore,
he should be considered a viable low-end fantasy option going
forward, despite his youth and inexperience.
Kenny Brick Hands Britt had the opposite start to his Browns
career, catching just one of his three targets for 13 yards. His
poor play earned the ire of his coach, who threatened to limit
his playing time going forward if he doesn’t pull his head
out of his backside. One of the primary beneficiaries of Britt’s
Week 1 turd was Corey Coleman, who caught five of his six targets,
including a contested grab at the goal line for a touchdown. Of
the two wide receivers, only Coleman is worthy of a start, as
his rapport with Kizer and his volume from Week 1 should not be
ignored.
CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Running Game Thoughts: The Isiah Crowell hype train slowed down
a bit after Crow managed just 33 yards on 17 carries last week.
His 1.9 yards per attempt was the lowest of his career (minimum
10 attempts), yet he did catch two passes for 33 yards. On a positive
note, Duke Johnson Jr. received zero carries while relegated to
the slot role in the passing offense, with Matt Dayes getting
only three carries in relief. It is clearly Crowell’s backfield,
and he has every opportunity to succeed as the bell cow in a young
and improving offense. It remains to be seen if he will be able
to take advantage of the opportunity.
Baltimore allowed the seventh-fewest points to opposing running
backs last year, despite facing top backs Le’Veon Bell (twice),
Ezekiel Elliott, and Jay Ajayi. Nearly all of Baltimore’s
pieces from last year are back and healthy, which could make it
difficult for Crowell to move the ball on Sunday.
Head coach Hue Jackson told reporters that he still considers
Johnson a running back and not a wide receiver, despite the fact
that President Trump had as many carries on Sunday as Johnson.
Duke’s perceived value entering the season was as a third-down
and receiving back who would line up from time to time in the
slot. As a slot receiver who receives less than five targets a
game, Johnson has next to no value in most leagues. Week 2’s
game against Baltimore will go a long way in helping Johnson owners
know if they should hang on to the former Miami Hurricane or let
him go for an RB with more upside.
Passing
Game Thoughts: After one week of NFL action, Matt Stafford
sits as your number two fantasy QB. He’s slightly behind
Alex Smith and ahead of Sam Bradford, Trevor Siemian, Carson Wentz,
Tyrod Taylor, and Deshone Kizer. That’s the top seven you
envisioned right? Stafford heads to the Meadowlands for a date
with a Giants pass defense that completely locked down Dez Bryant.
Notwithstanding their all too enjoyable loss to the Cowboys, the
Giants are actually a good football team with a very good defense.
This is an awfully tough spot for Stafford and his receivers.
Golden Tate is fresh off of a 10-catch, 100-yard game and should
mostly avoid Janoris Jenkins similar to how he avoided Patrick
Peterson last week by venturing into the slot.
The outside is reserved for Marvin Jones, who I suspect will
not be long for fantasy rosters and rookie sensation Kenny Golladay,
who seems to have a nose for the end zone. Golladay’s size
and massive catch radius make him an ideal red zone target. His
usage may not be consistent, but he can push for eight touchdowns
on the season. He can’t be trusted yet, but he should be
owned.
Eric Ebron’s poor week one can be attributed to the Cardinals
being stout against the tight end position (2 TDs allowed last
season), but also to the fact that Ebron is simply an average
player and this idea that he was somehow going to break out this
season was more wishful thinking than anything else. The Giants
were below average against the TE last year, but I still can’t
confidently recommend Ebron.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4
Running Game Thoughts: I am not quite sure what people see in
Ameer Abdullah. Here’s Abdullah’s profile: he’s
not built to run between the tackles; he loses passing down work
to Theo Riddick; he loses red zone work to Dwayne Washington.
So we have a between the 20s RB that doesn’t catch passes
and doesn’t score touchdowns. Where exactly are Abdullah’s
fantasy points coming from? Abdullah touched the ball 18 times
last week (15 rushes, three receptions) and came away with a whopping
41 total yards. Things are not going to get much better against
a strong Giants run defense that finished top five in fantasy
points against in 2016. Riddick is the preferred option over Abdullah
as the Giants should force the Lions to go with a more pass heavy
approach. Riddick only carried the ball once last week, but he
saw seven targets, catching six of them for 27 yards and a score.
Riddick won’t score often, but he also will average more
than 4.5 yards per reception. He remains a safe high floor option
in PPR leagues.
Passing
Game Thoughts: If you told me that I’d be opening
this Giants section defending Eli Manning, I’d have said
you’re crazy. Anyone ready to bury Manning as done is doing
so prematurely. There’s this irrational and unsubstantiated
media bias against the Cowboys defense and Manning has been criticized
for not performing well because the Cowboys defense is perceived
to be bad. It is actually quite good. Byron Jones is one of the
best safeties in the league and Anthony Brown is very underrated
as a cornerback. Manning struggled to produce in an offense laden
with checkdowns in the absence of Odell Beckham. If you want to
point the finger at someone, look no further than fraud number
two (and last week’s number one) WR Brandon Marshall. He
looks visibly slower and is no longer able to separate from defenders.
The Giants desperately need Beckham back but I think it is a terrible
idea to bring Beckham back before he’s completely healthy
this early in the season. Letting him sit an extra game even if
he can probably tough it out would be the wise move. Last week,
I was certain Beckham wouldn’t play. This week, I’m
not so sure. He did practice on Thursday which was a very encouraging
sign. It’s frustrating for fantasy owners that the Giants
and Beckham opened the season with a Sunday night game followed
by a Monday night game. If Beckham plays, you start him, which
means you also need to have a Giant or Lion in the back pocket
just in case.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Running Game Thoughts: “The Giants don’t really have
a running game. Their offensive line is still terrible and they
have one of the worst starting RBs in the NFL in Paul Perkins.”
That’s what I put in last week’s thoughts. I’m
not sure how much longer that will be the case because it’s
only a matter of time before Perkins is riding the bench. He managed
16 yards on seven carries against the Cowboys admittedly elite
run defense however, Orleans Darkwa was able to rattle off 14
yards on his three carries. Shane Vereen didn’t even get
a carry, but he did catch nine of 10 targets for 51 yards, albeit
most of it in garbage time with the Cowboys playing back. Vereen
is still the best bet for weekly production, but his value outside
of PPR leagues is limited by his lack of touchdown upside. I expect
a bit of a higher scoring affair this week and eventually the
Giants are going to accept they cannot run and give more opportunities
to Vereen. His arrow is pointing upward. Darkwa cannot be started,
but he could be the first and second down guy as well as the goal
line guy as early as next week. He’s a name to monitor.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Tyrod Taylor had only five multi-touchdown
games in 2016 so the fact he already has one to his name this
year is step in the right direction. He’s going to have
a tougher time going up against Carolina on Sunday. Jordan Matthews
and rookie Zay Jones work better on short to intermediate routes.
Charles Clay might be the best all-around receiving option in
the offense right now. He led the team with nine targets in Week
1 but may struggle to gain separation against the physical style
of the Panthers. Overall, the passing game needs more time to
gel and fantasy owners shouldn’t expect it to happen while
playing on the road this early in the season. The limited potential
for yardage makes everyone in the passing game a liability to
start in all formats.
CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22
Running Game Thoughts: LeSean McCoy
is one of a handful of must starts at the RB position these days
even in a tough matchup with the Panthers. Carolina gave up the
sixth fewest rushing yards during the 2-16 regular season opened
this year by yielding only 56 yards to the 49ers. As the nucleus
of the offense, McCoy should see enough volume to be a useful
RB2 with upside for more should the Bills get inside the twenty.
The next best fantasy rusher in Buffalo is quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
He logged eight official rushes and figures to be on the move
in this matchup as well.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Cam Newton is not going to put up a lot
of yardage and he isn’t running nearly as often or as effectively
as he did as a rookie. Low passing attempts and below average
completion percentage are not going to win you many fantasy weeks
so be careful starting Newton in a game against two teams that
like to grind it out with the rushing attack. It’s all risk
and little reward when it comes to Kelvin Benjamin these days.
His one-catch performance in Week 1 continues to prove why he
is amongst the most frustrating fantasy players to own in recent
memory. Christian McCaffrey’s arrival has added another
mouth to feed in an already limited passing game. He is going
to have a negative impact on Benjamin and Olsen each week but
Olsen’s steady hands will continue to make him a middle
of the road fantasy starter at TE this week. With Ted Ginn Jr.
out of the picture, Devin Funchess is the clear number two in
the offense but he remains the fourth best option in the passing
game.
BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
Running Game Thoughts: The Bills
struggle against the run and are playing a team that thrives on
a clock management style running game. That bodes well for both
Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey. Stewart should be solid
and steady throughout the early portion of the year and last week’s
twenty touches, including a receiving touchdown, should give his
owners plenty of confidence that he can continue to be a productive
RB2 or flex option in Week 2. McCaffrey is going to eventually
eat into Stewie’s playing time by the end of the year but
for now he’s settling into a dual threat role that is well
suited for him to be a fantasy star even as a backup. He had nearly
an identical workload to Stewart in logging 18 touches, including
seven targets in the passing game. His all-purpose yardage potential
makes him a weekly flex option in all formats. Carolina will want
to milk the clock and keep LeSean McCoy well rested so expect
plenty of rushing attempts from the Panthers.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The big news coming out of Week 1 for Chicago
is the loss of WR Kevin White for the year with a broken collarbone.
The good news is that the Bears are accustomed to playing without
White. The bad news is that Kendall Wright, Markus Wheaton and
Deonte Thompson top the depth chart for Mike Glennon. Wright has
struggled to excel in the lead role, has his own injury risks
(13 games missed over last three season) and is playing in a below
average passing attack. Furthermore, Tampa has an underrated pass
rush and should be more than capable of making things tough for
their former backup quarterback. Wright may be in store for regular
targets but he’s “fool’s gold” due to
his lack of downfield ability and low scoring potential. Chicago
will need to get creative with their passing game by using more
two-TE formations and utilizing Tarik Cohen as a receiver out
of the backfield. That means Zach Miller is in play as a low-end
TE1 or solid choice in two TE leagues. Cohen’s evolving
role in the passing game boosts his overall fantasy value but
the Bucs will have a plan.
TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: N/A
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: N/A
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: N/A
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: N/A
Running Game Thoughts: The lack
of downfield targets in the passing game leave the Bears’
rush offense exposed to loaded defensive fronts. As a result,
Jordan Howard’s fantasy value takes a little hit as he firmly
joins Todd Gurley and Lamar Miller as a high volume, lower output
RB2 fantasy plays this weekend. As the main man in Chicago’s
offense, Howard remains a must start in all formats but his ceiling
is lower than you’d like in Week 2 so he may not be the
best DFS option. Tarik Cohen will see a handful of carries in
the running game. His dual threat capabilities will be a boon
for PPR leaguers but his touch totals should give him Flex appeal
in standard leagues.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Tampa Bay is coming off an early bye week
to match up against a Bears defense that allowed over 300 passing
yards to the Falcons in Week 1. Quarterback Jameis Winston has
a deeper set of pass catchers this year with DeSean Jackson set
to take over opposite Mike Evans and rookie TE O.J. Howard a solid
backup behind Cameron Brate. Winston and the offense figure to
see more plays than normal due to the lack of offense on the other
side of the ball. Even if Winston struggles, his final line should
be more than respectable due to volume of passes. It’s more
likely that Winston airs it out as the team tries to take some
of the pressure off the short-handed backfield allowing both Evans
and Jackson to be useful fantasy options this week. Brate should
be worked into the mix and could even see the end zone but his
stats would suffer if Tampa gets up early and rides out the run
game in the second half.
CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1
Running Game Thoughts: Jacquizz
Rodgers gets the starting nod with Doug Martin suspended (Martin
started serving a four-game suspension in Week 17 last season).
Last season, Tampa Bay found plenty of success with Rodgers leading
the way and they are surely confident that “Q” will
get the job done against the Bears in Week 2. Rodgers stands an
excellent chance of eclipsing twenty carries in this matchup and
should be a viable RB2 in all formats. The Bears just placed ILB
Jerrell Freeman on the IR leaving a gaping hole in their run defense
so get Rodgers into your lineups this weekend. Charles Sims and
Peyton Barber will be the backups. Sims offers some pass catching
upside but neither is expected to see more than a handful of touches.
Passing
Game Thoughts: If you waited to draft a quarterback and
decided to put your money on the favorable schedule of Carson
Palmer get ready to see some of the profit. The offense in Indy
isn’t good so the already suspect defense is being asked
to do more than it should. Enter a veteran quarterback on a team
that just lost its star running back. Larry Fitzgerald saw 13
targets a week ago and it’s hard to see Palmer not feeding
him another double-digit dose of passes as they use the short
passing game to augment the run. John Brown also deserves to be
upgraded this week if he can overcome a quad injury that has plagued
him since the preseason. If he can’t shake off the injury
then J.J. Nelson would become flex worthy in all formats (including
DFS) so watch the injury reports as the weekend approaches. TE
Jermaine Gresham is dealing with a rib injury that has prevented
him from practicing this week.
IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12
Running Game Thoughts: David Johnson
is out and Kerwynn Williams has been tabbed the starter for Week
2. Ouch. Andre Ellington will get the passing downs and the team
signed Chris Johnson, the guy formerly known as CJ2K, to be the
next man up. Williams and Ellington are good enough to hold down
the fort this week and if the passing game is without Brown and
Gresham then they will certainly not abandon the run. With about
15 touches, Williams should be a low-end RB2/Flex in deeper formats.
Ellington returns to the backfield after being utilized as a wideout.
Ellington represents a potential mismatch opportunity coming out
of the backfield and should be a sneaky good flex option for PPR
owners.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Scott Tolzien made the Colts look foolish
in their inability to get a better backup in place this preseason.
Indy is already made the switch to Jacoby Brissett at quarterback
and he hasn’t even been with the team two full weeks! T.Y.
Hilton owners should have known he would likely suffer but catching
only three of seven passes for a handful of yards wasn’t
what they had in mind. The Colts pass offense is a mess without
Luck and responsible fantasy owners need to take the keys away
from Hilton and the rest of the gang while the Colts sort things
out. Arizona was a top five pass defense a year ago but couldn’t
figure out how to stop Mathew Stafford last week. I’m guessing
they will have better luck against Brissett this week so keep
everyone benched.
ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
Running Game Thoughts: At this stage
of his career, Frank Gore just isn’t good enough to put
the team on his back anymore. He’s not washed up by any
means but he’s not in an ideal situation for fantasy success
given the state of the passing game. The Colts aren’t set
up to run the ball 30 times a game and even if they were, the
Cardinals defense will be ready. As a result, it’s not advisable
to start Gore because if things go awry quickly on the scoreboard,
Indy may choose to spare their aging horse. As a result, we could
be seeing a Robert Turbin and Marlon Mack duo take over in the
second half.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Already playing without Julian Edelman and
Malcolm Mitchell, the Patriots are not likely to have Danny Amendola
healthy for their Week 2 contest either. That leaves Tom Brady
without much help beyond his starters Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan
and Gronk. Phillip Dorsett and Dwayne Allen could make a splash
ibut both are a true gamble. Brady should continue to use James
White and Rex Burkhead in the passing game after the combo saw
eight passes in the first week. White is looking like a solid
PPR play with New England in a potential shootout but Burkhead
could be an option for risk averse owners in deep formats. Meanwhile,
Cooks returns to the face the team that drafted him. The added
motivation for Cooks and Brady to get last week’s loss behind
should serve fantasy owners well. The fact that these two defenses
gave up the first and second most passing yards in Week 1 should
make you feel even better.
NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9
Running Game Thoughts: After scoring
three touchdowns against the Chiefs, Mike Gillislee seems to be
the choice near the goal for the Patriots and there should be
a fair amount of scoring opportunities against the Saints. New
Orleans gave up the fifth most rushing yards in the NFL last week
and the Patriots certainly have the ammo to keep peppering New
Orleans with the rush. James White’s role as the first choice
to hold down two-minute and passing down packages makes him the
best bet to be useful in PPR leagues. That might not leave many
touches for Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead. Then again, it is the
Patriots and anyone in their backfield could score three touchdowns
on any given week.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Two Hall of Fame bound quarterbacks squaring
off in New Orleans make this one of the more intriguing games
to watch this weekend. The fact that Alex Smith was able to light
up the Patriots pass defense to kick off the season, raises the
expectations for Drew Brees and the passing game for Week 2. Brees
continues to spread the ball around and limit turnovers while
orchestrating 300 passing games with ease. Michael Thomas is going
up against another tough matchup after facing the Vikings secondary
a week ago. His owners might have to wait another week before
he truly puts up a game worthy of a WR1 but he is still worthy
of WR2 billing so long as Drew Brees is dropping back for the
Saints. Veteran Ted Ginn Jr. is doing what he can to take over
the secondary receiver role with Willie Sneed serving a suspension.
If the Patriots take Thomas out of the game, Ginn could easily
double his output, pushing him to the top of the WR3 tier for
Week 2. In recent years, Coby Fleener has a way of going long
stretches between touchdown passes so those hoping for an encore
performance should keep expectations in check.
NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
Running Game Thoughts: Week 1 did
nothing to help fantasy owners figure out what to expect from
the Saints’ backfield. Playing from behind likely had a
hand in rookie Alvin Kamara leading the RBBC in carries so it’s
too soon to for Mark Ingram owners to panic. There hasn’t
been any news out of the bayou to suggest Ingram’s status
as the starter and lead dog are in jeopardy. However, we should
note HC Sean Payton’s confidence in giving the rookie plenty
of snaps when the team is trailing. Tom Brady has a way of making
teams play from behind so Adrian Peterson owners might have to
endure another week with minimal use. Kamara is an interesting
case for fantasy owners to consider. As we get ready for Week
2, Kamara may be the best handcuff to Ingram as he is one of several
dual-threat running backs making waves following week 1.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Marcus Mariota did a lot of things well
last week but he failed to make enough big plays to push himself
into the QB1 discussion. He faces a good defensive team in the
Jaguars Week 2 and fantasy owners shouldn’t trust him in
one QB leagues just yet. Part of that trust is dependent on the
chemistry between Eric Decker and Mariota. Catching only three
of eight targets isn’t ideal considering Corey Davis is
quickly emerging as a legitimate threat to crack the starting
lineup. Davis saw double-digit targets in his first game as a
pro and looks as promising as any rookie wideout in the league
right now. This is all good news for Mariota but it makes projecting
the entire set of receivers tougher, especially with Tennessee’s
desire to be a run first team.
JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Running Game Thoughts: It’s
too early to tell if DeMarco Murray’s lackluster Week 1
was the product of a good Raiders run defense (not as likely)
or a poor effort from the Titans rush offense (more likely). I
suspect there will be a better effort from the Titans when they
travel to Jacksonville. Tennessee’s workhorse was held to
less than 50 yards rushing. That’s not good news considering
he ended the 2016 season with a similar stat line in three of
the final games. For now, Murray is the starter and slated to
see the bulk of the carries. Until he proves last season’s
fade is behind him he remains a RB2. Derrick Henry scored his
first touchdown against the Jaguars back in Week 8 last season
but he remains a backup with limited touches heading into Week
2.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The new blueprint in Jacksonville has been
written. A whole lot less passing and a whole lot more running.
It makes sense given the team’s depth at running back but
it makes it awfully tough to trust Bortles to churn out fantasy
production. Allen Robinson’s season ending injury may be
a blessing in disguise as his owners can now move on with a replacement
instead of wondering whether to start him each week… unless
Robinson owners replaced him with another Jacksonville receiver!
Doh. There will be useful weeks from Allen Hurns or Marqise Lee
but you don’t want to roll the dice until the bye weeks
come around to find out. Tennessee did give up two passing touchdowns
against Derek Carr but the Jags are not on the same level. Lee
and Hurns are both capable of being useful in the deepest of formats
but it will be a crapshoot as to who will perform better.
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Running Game Thoughts: Leonard Fournette
has already started winning people over after a solid debut against
the Texans produced a 100-yard game and a touchdown for his owners.
To put that into perspective, that’s the same number of
100-yard rushing games the Jaguars had in the entire 2016 season.
Playing in a run heavy scheme, Fournette has a great shot at eclipsing
the 20-carry threshold once again this week making him a low end
RB1 against the Titans. Chris Ivory is still hanging onto a small
backup role but his carries will go down now that T.J. Yeldon
is set to return. Yeldon (hamstring) practiced this week and should
be ready for a limited role this weekend.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Aaron Rodgers overcame a tough defensive
matchup last week to post respectable fantasy numbers. The best
part is knowing that he won’t have to face the Seahawks
defense for the rest of the fantasy regular season. He’s
starting so there’s really not much else to say. Same goes
for Jordy Nelson, he’s a fixture in your starting lineup
and has scored in five of seven career games against Atlanta.
The real crux of the Packers passing attack for fantasy owners
lies with Davante Adams and Randall Cobb. The latter is healthy
again and hauled in eight of 13 targets against Seattle in Week
1. Many of those targets were a result of quick throws on shallow
routes to offset the Seahawks pass rush. That doesn’t mean
they didn’t count though so Adams’ owners will certainly
want to see how the passes are split against a vulnerable Falcons
team that had its share of trouble stopping the Bears last week.
All three of Green Bay’s main receivers are worth starting
this week with a potential shootout looming.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11
Running Game Thoughts: Over twenty
touches and a score should erase any doubt Ty Montgomery owners
had with his role coming into the season. He did miss a few plays
with an injury scare but there isn’t much competition and
plenty of scoring for a player who can also catch the ball out
of the backfield. Regardless of what type of game plays out (back
and forth shoot, close game, etc.) Montgomery can be used in a
pivotal role. When these teams faced each other in the 2016 NFC
Championship game Montgomery was a non-factor totaling just 19
total yards on four touches. That shouldn’t be the case
this time around.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Matt Ryan and the Falcons will open their
new stadium Sunday night and it’s sure to be an electric
atmosphere when the game kicks off. Ryan wasn’t horrible
to open the season but he will need to play better if this offense
is going to move on following the departure of Kyle Shanahan.
Green Bay limited the Seahawks to a whopping 135 passing yards
last week but they will have their hands full with Julio Jones
and company in Week 2. Jones hasn’t had success against
the Packers since he went off for over 259 receiving yards back
in 2014 but you would be a fool not to start him in a game featuring
two high powered offenses. Mohamed Sanu will likely see more targets
than Taylor Gabriel but its Gabriel’s big play potential
off the play action pass that should be on the fantasy radar in
this matchup. Only three defenses in the NFL gave up more passing
plays of over twenty-yards than the Packers in 2016. TE Austin
Hopper had a couple of big plays against the Bears to give him
100 receiving yards on only two receptions. Despite the talent,
he hasn’t carved out enough of a role in the offense to
be an effective fantasy starter.
GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26
Running Game Thoughts: Atlanta dares
its opponents to stuff their run game featuring Devonta Freeman
and Tevin Coleman. The Falcons need to keep Aaron Rodgers off
the field to come out of this game with a ‘W’ and
that should translate into a whole heaping load of running plays.
Freeman should get his typical 18+ touches in high scoring affair
making him an excellent RB1. Tevin Coleman is more than a passing
down specialist and can score whenever he has the ball in his
hands. The tough part is simply starting a guy who might only
get a dozen carries. He’s probably not a staring option
in shallow leagues but in deeper pools he’s worth the gamble
as your flex starter.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It wasn’t always pretty in Week 1
but Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz showed signs of returning
to his early-2016 form when he looked to be on pace to be a candidate
for NFL Rookie of the Year. The Eagles won a big road division
game against the Redskins mostly due to the arm of their young
quarterback who threw for over 300 yards and a pair of scores
along with one interception. What’s perhaps most interesting,
though, is how the passing game was distributed. It’s only
one game, but just three targets to Torrey Smith is not a good
sign for Smith’s short-term fantasy value, while even the
seven that Alshon Jeffery saw seemed low.
Instead, it was the team’s new slot receiver, Nelson Agholor,
who led all Philadelphia wide receivers with eight targets, six
of which he caught for 86 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Zach
Ertz was also extremely efficient, catching all eight of his targets
for 93 yards. Running back Darren Sproles also returned to his
role as the team’s primary passing down back, catching five
passes for 43 yards. All of these weapons should have some fantasy
value this week but after the Chiefs went on the road and defeated
the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots in Week 1, there’s
certainly cause for concern about the upside of everyone in this
passing game.
KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
Running Game Thoughts: The Eagles’
running back snap distribution in Week 1 should be worrisome to
owners of LeGarrette Blount. He saw just 23 snaps while Darren
Sproles saw 33 snaps. Perhaps this kind of snap allocation would
have been a bit more understandable if the team had been losing
and needed to pass substantially more, but that’s not how
things were. Sure, Blount did touch the ball on 15 of his 23 snaps
which made him by far the most utilized back on the team, but
he was only able to muster a measly 46 yards on those carries.
While Blount did save his fantasy day with a one-yard receiving
touchdown, wise fantasy owners have to be looking closely at this
matchup against the Chiefs. While the Patriots were able to utilize
Mike Gillislee in the “Blount role” in their offense
at the goal line, it’s hard to believe that the Eagles are
going to be quite that effective on offense. As such, Blount’s
red zone touches are likely to be limited. He’s always a
threat to score from in close, but Blount is simply not built
to be an every down back at this point. Be careful about using
him in what could be a difficult matchup, particularly if the
Eagles fall behind on the scoreboard.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Alex Smith had one of the best games of
his career in the first regular season game of the 2017 season
as he and the Chiefs walked all over the Patriots. Smith has never
been much of a fantasy asset and expecting him to suddenly become
a QB1 seems reactionary, but what he showed that he can do is
get the ball to his top target, Tyreek Hill. While tight end Travis
Kelce was held to just 40 yards on the night, Hill absolutely
dominated the Patriots defense to the tune of seven receptions
for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Expect Kelce to return to his prominent role in the Kansas City
offense in Week 2, but this is a tough matchup on paper as he
will be up against a Philadelphia defense that gave up the second-fewest
fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends during the 2016
season. Hill’s matchup is significantly more favorable on
paper as he’ll be up against a Philadelphia secondary that
conceded the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide
receivers in 2016. If Hill and Kelce continue to lead the team
in targets as they did in Week 1, both players should be fine
starters for your fantasy team in this game and going forward.
PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Running Game Thoughts: Welcome to
the NFL, Kareem Hunt! Hunt’s explosive Week 1 performance
showed us what the rookie is capable of, but it also showed us
the crazy return that a the feature back role in an Andy Reid
offense can generate. Hunt led all running backs in fantasy scoring
in Week 1, making plays as both a runner and as a receiver and
he has already ascended into must-start status for the vast majority
of fantasy teams. The Eagles held the Washington rushing attack
in check in Week 1, but they’ll have a much tougher matchup
against a more skilled and hungry runner in Hunt. If the Chiefs
do get out to a lead, look for them to lean heavily on Hunt to
close out the game which could mean another 20-25 touch day for
the young tailback.
Passing
Game Thoughts: After one week, the train wreck that was
expected to be the 2017 New York Jets appears to be right on path.
Week 1 starter Josh McCown threw a pair of interceptions without
a touchdown, passing for just 187 yards against the Bills, completing
just one pass further than 10 yards down the field. This kind
of performance led to other teams already turning to younger options
at their QB position this season, but the Jets appear to be ready
to start McCown here again on the road in Week 2.
OAK FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10
The Oakland secondary is far from great but it’s hard to
believe that the New York passing attack is going to put up good
enough numbers for any of these players to be anything more than
borderline starters. If you’re looking for some sort of
hope, it’s worth noting that the newly acquired Jermaine
Kearse led the team in targets (10) and receptions (7) although
he was only able to convert that to 59 receiving yards. Many believed
that Robby Anderson would still be the team’s primary receiving
option but that does not appear to be the case as he was targeted
eight times, which he was able to turn into just 22 receiving
yards.
Running Game Thoughts: Bilal Powell
was one of the backs who saw his stock rise over the offseason
but Week 1 showed us that the Jets are simply not ready to fully
turn over the keys to the younger, arguably more effective Powell.
Matt Forte was still heavily involved in the offense, touching
the ball nine times to Powell’s 12, although neither player
was particularly effective with their touches against the Bills.
While Oakland’s defense is a step down from the one in Buffalo,
heading on the road across the country is always a tough thing
to do and it’ll be particularly tough for a team that lacks
offensive firepower. Powell and Forte are both borderline Flex
play options depending on your league format and size and unfortunately
neither player is likely to have many opportunities to score so
they’ll have to be extremely efficient with their chances
in order to ever yield a “big” game.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It was nice to see Derek Carr back on the
field in Week 1 after breaking his leg at the end of the 2016
season. Carr was effective in his 2017 debut, throwing for 262
yards and a pair of scores in a nice win over a quality Titans
team. Wide receiver Amari Cooper scored his first touchdown of
the season on what could only be described as a “Beast-Mode-like”
run-after-catch in the red zone. This play was certainly a display
of Cooper’s impressive skills, but it was a bit fluky and
it should be noted that he still caught one fewer pass than fellow
wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Cooper did, however, get 13 targets
to Crabtree’s seven. It’s also worth noting that tight
end Jared Cook caught all five of his targets for 56 yards in
his Raiders debut, but he still remains the third option at best
in this offense and has shown tremendous inconsistency throughout
his career. While they did force one interception, the Jets gave
up 224 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Tyrod Taylor and the
depleted Buffalo Bills passing game in Week 1, so don’t
expect them to be able to shut down one of the league’s
more proficient passing attacks here in Week 2. Start your stud
Raiders players and get Cook in your lineup if you’re weak
at tight end.
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Running Game Thoughts: After a year
away from the game, Marshawn Lynch returned to the field in Week
1, rushing for 76 yards on 18 carries while adding 16 yards in
the passing game. Lynch’s value is likely going to be tied
to his ability to get into the end zone this season and while
he failed to do that in Week 1, he showed signs of still having
the bruising power that made him one of the most entertaining
players in the league to watch when he ran right over 300-pound
defensive lineman Jurrell Casey. The Jets defense got absolutely
embarrassed by LeSean McCoy and Mike Tolbert in Week 1, giving
up over 200 total yards to the Bills running backs along with
a goal line touchdown. Lynch is a great fantasy option this week
against a bad New York team in a game that could lead to a very
positive game script for him.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Hurricane Irma led to the Dolphins having
a de facto Week 1 bye, which will certainly lead to some wear
and tear down the stretch but for now it should mean that they
are fresh and ready to head across the country to face the Chargers.
Quarterback Jay Cutler will be making his debut for the Dolphins
and already has fantasy owners of wide receiver DeVante Parker
salivating after the comparisons Cutler made of him to Alshon
Jeffery. If Parker becomes Cutler’s favorite down-field
passing option, he could potentially catch on as a low-end WR1.
Jarvis Landry’s situation is a bit more in flux as he had
a great thing going with Ryan Tannehill but Cutler is not typically
a quarterback who relies on short reads which allow his receivers
to make plays after the catch. Both players are fantasy starters
this week but the risk is certainly there until we see how things
play out on the field. It’s particularly risky given that
they’ll be matched up against one of the better cornerback
groups in the league.
LAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
LAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
LAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
LAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Running Game Thoughts: With Jay
Cutler behind center, it’s worth considering that the Dolphins
would probably be completely okay with handing the ball to their
running back, Jay Ajayi, 30 or more times per game. Obviously
that’s not possible given the violence of the position,
but there’s a real chance that Ajayi could be among the
league leaders in touches this season at the running back position.
The Chargers did keep the Broncos running backs out of the end
zone in Week 1, but they also conceded 121 rushing yards on 30
carries. It wouldn’t be particularly surprising to see the
Dolphins implement a similar gameplan, so expect to see a heavy
workload of Ajayi, making him a solid RB1 in this contest.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The Chargers were a missed field goal away
from a big road division victory over the Broncos and much of
that was because quarterback Philip Rivers tossed three touchdown
passes. One of those went to wide receiver Keenan Allen who stepped
back into his role as the team’s top receiving option after
tearing his ACL in 2016. Allen’s 10 targets led the team
and while he was only able to produce 35 receiving yards on those
opportunities, it was against arguably the league’s best
secondary, on the road, in his first game back. Allen is back
to being a high-end WR2 in most contests with WR1 upside.
Meanwhile, Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin were the team’s
other two most productive receiving options as they were targeted
seven times and four times respectively, with Williams leading
the team with 54 receiving yards while Benjamin was the recipient
of a touchdown pass from Rivers. Interestingly, second-year tight
end Hunter Henry was not targeted a single time in this contest,
further drawing concerns that he will simply not be an important
part of this passing game until Antonio Gates either suffers an
injury or eventually retires. For now, neither tight end is a
particularly strong start and both are essentially touchdown-or-bust
options.
MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: N/A
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: N/A
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs:N/A
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: N/A
Running Game Thoughts: Los Angeles
running back Melvin Gordon missed the final few games of the 2016
season but stepped back into his starting role to start the 2017
season. While he rushed for just 54 yards on 18 carries, a 3.0
yards per carry average against the Broncos in Week 1, he did
add to his fantasy production by making five receptions and scoring
a touchdown in the passing game. Gordon is the unquestioned starter
in what is a good offense, so he’s locked in as an RB1 in
most games, including this Week 2 contest at home against the
Dolphins.
Passing
Game Thoughts: It’s too early to draw many conclusions,
but Brian Hoyer and the 49ers offense did not look particularly
good in Week 1, at home against a beatable Carolina defense. The
Kyle Shanahan-coached offense scored just three points on the
day, failing to get into the end zone in a blowout loss. The one
positive in the passing game seems to be wide receiver Pierre
Garcon who led the team with 10 targets, six of which he caught
for 81 yards. While that stat line isn’t going to light
up the fantasy points, it is at least good to know that the predictions
we had of Garcon getting a heavy target share were on point.
In Week 2, however, this struggling offense will head on the road
to one of the most difficult places to win in the league in Seattle.
The Seahawks secondary continues to be one of the best in the
league and while Richard Sherman does not typically “shadow”
opposing top receivers, there is a good chance that Garcon will
see a good amount of him, which will limit his fantasy upside
in this contest. Garcon is really the only option in the passing
game that anyone should be paying attention to, but he’s
not much more than a Flex option in this difficult matchup.
SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Running Game Thoughts: Reports of
Carlos Hyde falling out of favor with the coaching staff in San
Francisco ran rampant this offseason, but Hyde appears to have
a lock on the running back role for the 49ers at least at the
start of the season. A negative game script led to Hyde getting
just nine carries in the game, but no other back had more than
four carries in the contest. Hyde was also used in the passing
game as he caught six passes for 32 yards. He’s never been
much of a pass catcher so it’s hard to believe that Hyde
is suddenly going to be a PPR monster, but perhaps the Shanahan
offense could be good for him as it saw both Devonta Freeman and
Tevin Coleman make significant contributions in the passing game
in Atlanta.
The biggest problem for Hyde’s fantasy value is that the
49ers are just a terrible offensive team. Without many opportunities
deep in enemy territory, Hyde is unlikely to have many “boom”
games while his potential for “bust” games is very
high. Still, he touches the ball enough that he’s going
to be a viable RB2 in most contests, even in tough matchups like
against the Seahawks who he scored a pair of touchdowns against
while eclipsing 100 rushing yards in the only game he played against
them in 2016.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Week 1’s matchup against the Packers
looked like one that could yield a huge fantasy total, but the
reality is that the Seattle offense simply did not live up to
their end of the bargain. Russell Wilson threw for just 158 yards,
completing barely 50 percent of his passes. He did rush for 40
yards but did so on just two carries, which should be a concern
for fantasy owners. Wilson does have a history of starting the
season slow, however, so it might not be time to hit the panic
button quite yet.
While the 49ers defense did give up two passing touchdowns to
Cam Newton and the Panthers in Week 1, they were able to intercept
him once and they also held him in check in the running game.
Certainly the Seahawks offense has a chance of breaking out of
their funk in this game, but it seems much more likely that this
is going to be a low-scoring contest without much fantasy production.
Other than wide receiver Doug Baldwin who remains a high-end WR2
or low-end WR1, tight end Jimmy Graham is probably the best fantasy
option in the offense at the moment. Despite him catching just
three passes for eight yards in Week 1, Graham led the team in
targets with eight and remains one of the most physically dominant
tight ends in the game.
SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No. 24
Running Game Thoughts: A big part
of the reason that the Seahawks did so poorly offensively against
the Packers is that their offensive line simply did not open up
holes for their running backs. Of course, the running backs themselves
did not play particularly well either, namely Eddie Lacy who looked
slow and plodding in the few carries he had. Pass-catching specialist
C.J. Prosise was used sparingly and actually didn’t catch
any passes in Week 1, leading the way for rookie Chris Carson
to lead the backfield in touches – albeit with just seven
total touches.
Carson seemed to be the only player who showed any explosiveness
whatsoever, but with Thomas Rawls likely to be back this week,
there’s a real chance that Carson could again fall down
to the fourth option in this dreadful “by-committee”
rushing attack. Head coach Pete Carroll did express excitement
in what he saw in Carson after the game, but it’s hard to
believe that he’s suddenly going to start giving any of
these players significant enough carries to be reliable fantasy
contributors. This mess of a backfield is frustrating because
it doesn’t allow fantasy owners to take advantage of what
should be a good matchup against a 49ers defense that conceded
nearly 170 total yards and a touchdown to the Carolina backfield
in Week 1.
Passing
Game Thoughts: Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins did not
look good in Week 1, completing barely 50 percent of his passes
against a decent but not great Philadelphia defense. Cousins missed
his receivers a few times on what could have been big plays and
while he certainly gets plenty of opportunities to throw the ball,
it has to be worrisome that he is so inaccurate at times. On a
positive note, Cousins did heavily target the newly acquired Terrelle
Pryor who caught six of his 11 targets for 66 yards. Jamison Crowder
only caught three passes for 14 yards – a terrible fantasy
day – but his seven targets were third-most behind only
Pryor and superstar tight end Jordan Reed who compiled just 36
yards on five receptions.
The truth is that while the Redskins passing game looked out of
sync in this game, there’s reason to be hopeful, if for
no other reason than that Cousins is likely to continue to get
plenty of volume. The Rams defense looked great in an easy Week
1 matchup, but they were not particularly good a season ago as
they gave up 31 touchdown passes while intercepting just 10 passes.
It might be tough to trust this offensive unit after their pathetic
Week 1, but this offense is too talented to not produce more in
this matchup.
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
Running Game Thoughts: The NFL is
full of by-committee backfields but few are more frustrating than
the one we see in Washington. Rob Kelley, who averaged just three
yards per carry in Week 1, took 10 carries while rookie Samaje
Perine did not even get on the field. When asked about the situation,
head coach Jay Gruden referenced a fumble that Perine had back
in Week 1 of the preseason as the reason that he was not on the
field against the Eagles. So while Perine may at some point contribute
this season, he is nothing more than a deep bench stash at this
time. Perhaps the most interesting back in Washington is actually
the newly re-signed Chris Thompson, who scored the team’s
only touchdown on Week 1 with some brilliant moves after a catch.
Thompson shows tremendous elusiveness and has been productive
in PPR formats in the past, so it seems very possible that he
could work himself into an even bigger role in this offense if
Kelley continues to struggle.
Passing
Game Thoughts: He did it against one of the worst defenses
in the league but there’s no denying that Jared Goff had
one of the best games of his young career as he completed 21 of
his 29 pass attempts for 306 yards and a touchdown. Goff spread
the ball out extremely well, targeting four different receivers
at least five times, including newly acquired Sammy Watkins, who
caught all five of his targets for 58 yards. Rookie Cooper Kupp
showed some impressive skills working out of the slot, catching
four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, and he appears to be
locked in as one of the team’s primary offensive weapons.
Robert Woods, also new to Los Angeles, caught three passes for
53 yards and while he may not be a great fantasy option himself,
he does do the job of alleviating some of the defensive pressure
that might otherwise go toward Watkins or Kupp.
Meanwhile Tavon Austin touched the ball just three times in the
game, including two carries, and has seemingly become nothing
more than a gadget player, thus making him fantasy irrelevant
at least for the time being. Looking forward to this week’s
matchup, look for Redskins cornerback Josh Norman to be lined
up against Watkins fairly often, although he is not a complete
shadow corner. Still, Watkins makes for an interesting WR2 in
this matchup while Kupp could check in as a potential flex play
in PPR formats.
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
Running Game Thoughts: A touchdown
saved what would have otherwise been a dreadful day on the ground
for Todd Gurley as he was only able to muster up 40 rushing yards
on 19 carries in what should have been one of the better matchups
that he’ll face all season. Gurley’s Rams were ahead
throughout most of the game which led to him touching the ball
fairly heavily, but his five receptions for 56 yards were really
the only way that he was able to generate any positive yardage.
The Rams offensive line continues to be among the worst in the
league and while defenses are going to have to worry about the
wide receivers a bit more this season, it’s very obvious
that Gurley is still the focal point of the offense. He should
be fine if he can continue to sneak into the end zone and make
plays in the passing game, but there’s definite downside
here. The Redskins held the Eagles running backs to just 2.6 yards
per carry in Week 1 and it could be a tough day for Gurley on
the ground.
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Game Thoughts: Week 1 saw the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie
of the Year pick up where he left off in 2016. Dak Prescott threw
for 268 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 24 yards
in the Cowboys’ Week 1 rivalry victory over the Giants.
Prescott’s numbers could have been way better if he hadn’t
missed a couple of passes down near the goal line, including overthrowing
a short slant pass to an open Dez Bryant in the end zone. That,
and a couple other missed connections, led to a weak fantasy day
for Dez, but he continues to be a huge focal point of the Dallas
so there’s really not a lot of cause for concern in that
aspect.
That being said, Bryant goes from one of the more difficult cornerback
matchups in the Giants to perhaps the most difficult matchup with
the Broncos in Week 2. Philip Rivers did throw three touchdown
passes against this defense, but he was held to under 200 yards
through the air and it doesn’t seem likely that the Cowboys
will go out with the offensive gameplan of passing the ball 40-or-more
times against this secondary. Certainly Bryant remains a must-start
in most season-long leagues but his DFS upside is limited in this
matchup. Fellow receiver Cole Beasley made a highlight-reel catch
in Week 1 but was otherwise fairly unproductive, however he should
have an opportunity to make some plays in Week 2 as the Cowboys
will be more likely to try to get the ball out of Prescott’s
hands quickly in order to avoid the tremendous Denver pass rush
led by Von Miller. Tight end Jason Witten, steady as ever, scored
the Cowboys’ only touchdown in Week 1 and should continue
to be a low-upside but steady TE1. Prescott himself is in for
maybe the toughest matchup he’ll face all season so be sure
to look around your waiver wire for a potential one-week replacement
if you can find anything.
DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27
Running Game Thoughts: With a looming
suspension still potentially on the horizon, the Cowboys would
be smart to get as much out of Ezekiel Elliott as they can early
in the season. If he is eventually suspended, it will give him
the opportunity to rest up on the bumps and bruises that he will
have accumulated in the early part of the season, such as in Week
1 when he touched the ball a whopping 29 total times for 140 total
yards. He failed to score a touchdown, but much of that was due
to some odd offensive play calling that saw the Cowboys pass the
ball substantially more in the red zone than they normally do.
Don’t expect that to happen again this week as the Cowboys’
clear path to victory, at least offensively, is through Elliott’s
legs. Look for another huge workload for the young stud running
back who is locked in as one of the premiere options in all of
fantasy football.
Passing
Game Thoughts: The quarterback controversy in Denver may
have an answer for the time being as third-year QB Trevor Siemian
showed up in a big way in Week 1, throwing for a pair of touchdowns
while also running in a touchdown himself in a close victory over
the Chargers. Siemian continues to primarily target his top two
wide receivers, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who remain
safe but unspectacular WR2 options most weeks, including this
week against the Cowboys. While the Dallas secondary looked good
in Week 1, the Giants were without Odell Beckham Jr. and the rest
of the passing game just seemed to be completely out of sync.
The Broncos aren’t a well-oiled machine on offense by any
means, but they should be able to make some plays against a young
and frankly unskilled Cowboys secondary. Look for Thomas to get
some opportunities in the red zone if the team gets down there
while Sanders should continue to be an effective middle-of-the-field
receiver who is more valuable in PPR formats.
DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
Running Game Thoughts: The Denver
running back situation isn’t particularly good for fantasy
purposes and much of that is because the offensive line just isn’t
very good. In addition to that, the lack of a downfield passing
game has allowed many teams to stack the box and keep the backs
in check. But most importantly, C.J. Anderson and Jamaal Charles
just don’t look like the players they were a few seasons
ago when they were helping fantasy owners win their championships.
While it’s nice to see – at least for fantasy purposes
– that the team has opted to just utilize those two backs
to start the season, they’re essentially vulturing one another
at every turn. Both players averaged almost 4.0 yards per carry
on the dot in Week 1 and while Anderson got 20 carries, Charles’
10 were enough to make it so that neither player had a particularly
strong fantasy day despite the two of them combining for 121 rushing
yards.
The Dallas defense doesn’t scare anyone personnel-wise,
but it’s worth noting that they were quietly the NFL’s
second-best run defense in 2016, allowing just 72 rushing yards
per game to opposing running backs and conceding just eight rushing
touchdowns on the entire season to running backs, which was sixth-fewest
in the league. Anderson is still probably an RB2 in this matchup
given the chaotic backfields that are happening throughout the
league, but his upside is limited in this one.
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