Notes: - All games will be available Friday
- Green highlight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)
- Injury notes, Lines and Totals updated Sunday morning
While the Commanders spread the work in the ground game last
week, it was Croskey-Merritt that got almost as many carries (10)
as Austin Ekeler (6), Jeremy McNichols (4), and Deebo Samuel (1)
combined. He was also highly effective, turning those 10 carries
into 82 yards and a score. On the other side of the matchup, we
just watched the Packers absolutely shut down the combination
of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, which is arguably the gold
standard for NFL backfields. Gibbs, in particular, is an elite
talent, and he managed just 50 yards on 19 touches (2.6 yards/per).
Green Bay’s defense has great speed at the linebacker level, and
it makes you wonder how effective Washington’s running game will
be against a group that gave up 2.1 yards per carry versus Detroit.
Don’t trust Croskey-Merritt as more than a low-end RB3 or flex.
Samuel enjoyed a strong debut with the Commanders, leading the
team in receptions (7) and receiving yards (77) while also rushing
for a 19-yard touchdown. Don’t bank on a repeat effort on Thursday
night. For starters, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team
want to get McLaurin more involved after he had just two catches
versus New York. Beyond that, there are matchup concerns after
watching the Lions repeatedly go to quick routes in the flat,
the kind of stuff Samuel excels at, only to see the Packers swarm
the pass catcher and hold them to a short gain. Samuel remains
playable as a WR3, but manage your expectations.
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
It wasn’t a high-volume output from Kraft in Week 1, registering
just two catches for 16 yards, but he caught a touchdown pass
and was targeted four times, which tied for second-most on the
team behind Jayden Reed (5). While the Packers rotate through
their receivers with regularity, Kraft is close to an every-down
player -- on the team’s 47 offensive snaps, Kraft played 43 of
them; for comparison, Romeo Doubs led Green Bay’s wideouts with
30 snaps. Simply by virtue of being on the field much of the time,
Kraft is a threat. He holds appeal as a low-end TE1.
Love didn’t have huge numbers in Week 1 (188 yards, 2 TDs),
but he was efficient in completing 16 of 22 passes. That doesn’t
even matter much in this case, however, as it’s not so much
Love that I’m focused on, it’s Matt LaFleur’s
success against Dan Quinn. The last time these two coaches crossed
paths was when Quinn was defensive coordinator in Dallas. In that
playoff tilt, Love threw for 272 yards and 3 TDs with the Packers
scoring 48 points. Yes, these are different teams and different
times, but LaFleur has had Quinn’s number over the years,
and that could lead to big things on Thursday night. Anyone seeking
a high-upside play should consider giving Love a chance.
In truth, it’s not just Reed, this could apply to any of
Green Bay’s wideouts: Doubs, Matthew Golden, or Dontayvion
Wicks. It’s not a matter of talent; it’s an opportunity
issue. Reed, who had three catches and a touchdown in Week 1,
played just 18 snaps. Golden, the team’s first-round pick,
logged 22 snaps. The Packers rotate their wideouts constantly,
and Love is an equal opportunity distributor of the football with
10 different players catching a pass against the Lions. While
it’s a potential headache for defensive coordinators, it’s
also a tough situation for fantasy owners as you never know who’s
getting the ball. Even as a WR3 or flex, Reed (or Golden, or Doubs,
etc.) would be a risky choice this Thursday night.
