Steelers at Ravens - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Ben Roethlisberger threw for 365 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Steelers’ division rival, the Cleveland Browns. In typical Big Ben fashion, the quarterback threw a 35-yard touchdown strike to Antonio Brown but not until he eluded three would-be tacklers. Brown once again outclassed Joe Haden, one of the league’s top cornerbacks, in their head-to-head matchup. Brown finished with five catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers took their foot off the gas in the second half, allowing the Browns back into the game before Roethlisberger turned it back on. On the game-winning field goal drive, Roethlisberger found second-year receiver Markus Wheaton for two big completions. The Steelers’ passing game looked like one of the best in the league during the second half of last season and is off to a great start in 2014. The Steelers let Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders walk away in free agency in consecutive seasons, but haven’t lost a beat due to their uncanny ability to draft mid-round wide receivers that can play, like Brown and Wheaton.

The Ravens allowed 230 passing yards per game and 25 touchdown passes in 2013, while Andy Dalton put up 301 yards with a touchdown last week. The Ravens weren’t able to put much pressure on Dalton and had difficulties corralling A.J. Green. This should be a decent matchup for Big Ben and the boys to keep the ball sailing through the air for a second straight week against a bitter division rival.

Running Game Thoughts: Second-year running back Le’Veon Bell exploded in Week 1, gaining 197 yards from scrimmage and scoring a touchdown. Bell looked thinner and more explosive than he did as a rookie. On his long touchdown run, Bell showed incredible vision, speed and cutback ability that didn’t show up as much during his successful rookie season. The only downside for fantasy owners was seeing LaGarette Blount vulture a goal-line touchdown from Bell. Blount didn’t have a huge role on offense otherwise, but he is a very good power runner who can help the Steelers wear down opposing defenses so his role could grow over the course of the season.

The Ravens’ run defense was very stingy last year, allowing only 105 yards per game and seven touchdowns on the ground and last week things weren’t much different. The Bengals managed only 3.0 yards per carry against them and were kept out of the endzone. The team could not be more solid up the middle with Haloti Ngata at nose tackle and Daryl Smith at middle linebacker. While the Steelers would like to establish the run against their bitter division rivals, they may be forced into attacking through the air instead.

Projections:
Ben Roethlisberger: 295 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 10 rush yds
Le’Veon Bell: 65 rush yds, 1 TD, 50 rec yds
LeGarrette Blount: 35 rush yds
Antonio Brown: 95 rec yds, 1 TD
Markus Wheaton: 60 rec yds
Heath Miller: 60 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco put the ball up in the air 62 times last week and finished the game with 345 yards and a touchdown after falling short in the Ravens comeback bid. Flacco struggled for much of the game completing only 56 percent of his passes and throwing a bad interception. The offensive line struggles continued for the Ravens. Flacco was also sacked three times and consistently forced out of the pocket by the Bengals pass rushers. Steve Smith, who was left for dead after last season in Carolina, scored on a long 80-yard touchdown where he manhandled a defensive back who was trying to keep him out of the endzone with a brutal stiff arm. It remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old wide-out can remain healthy and productive all season but he looked like the old Smith for one week at least. As expected, Dennis Pitta was the focus of the passing game. The veteran tight end caught 10 passes for 83 yards.

Last week, the Steelers stymied Brian Hoyer and the Browns for much of the first half before allowing their opponent back into the game. Hoyer had 57 yards passing at the half and finished with 230 yards and a touchdown. Last season the team was effective against the pass last allowing 221.6 yards per game with 22 touchdowns. Coordinator Dick LeBeau should be looking at taking advantage of the Ravens offensive line woes in this important Week 2 contest.

Running Game Thoughts: Third-year back out of Temple Bernard Pierce started last week’s game but was quickly yanked after a second-quarter fumble, opening the door for journeyman veteran Justin Forsett to have a productive game and perhaps earn a bigger role going forward. It was Pierce’s first career lost fumble, so the quick hook was mildly surprising to say the least. Ray Rice’s two-game suspension ended after this game, but after a new video emerged he was released by the team and indefinitely suspended by the league. Forsett gained 70 yards and scored a touchdown on 11 carries, looking quick and decisive in the zone blocking scheme installed by new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. Forsett did spend time under Kubiak with the Texans but is only 197 pounds and has never seen more than 118 carries in a season. It’s likely the team stays with the hot hand of Forsett, but the picture isn’t all that clear for fantasy owners yet.

The Steelers were gashed by backup third-round rookie pick Terrence West and UDFA Isaiah Crowell for 135 yards and two touchdowns after starter Ben Tate was forced out of the game with knee injury after gaining 41 yards himself. Based on last season where the team finished ranked in the bottom half of the league’s run defense rankings, Week 1 was likely not a mirage. One of the Ravens running backs should make a nice start, it’s just tough to gauge the benefactor of this juicy matchup.

Projections:
Joe Flacco: 255 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 5 rush yd
Bernard Pierce: 45 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Justin Forsett: 65 rush yds, 35 rec yards
Torrey Smith: 65 rec yds
Steve Smith: 55 rec yds
Dennis Pitta: 70 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Ravens 23, Steelers 21 ^ Top

Patriots at Vikings - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Last season Tom Brady had his lowest yardage and touchdown totals since 2006 and struggled with his deep-ball passing and general accuracy as well. In Week 1, a lot of those struggles continued. Brady completed only 52 percent (29 for 55) of his pass attempts and finished with 249 passing yards and one touchdown. He also lost two fumbles on the day. The Patriots offense should find its rhythm eventually, but it is possible that at 37 years of age, Brady could be in the decline phase of his career. Rob Gronkowski was still somewhat limited following last season’s torn ACL, playing on only 38 of 86 snaps. The Gronk still managed to grab four balls for 40 yards with a touchdown. Julian Edelman remained one of Brady’s favorite targets catching six balls for 95 yards. The team needs Aaron Dobson, who was a healthy scratch after missing most of training camp with a foot injury, to get back on the field as he offers the size and deep speed, which is missing in the rest of the Patriot wide receiver depth chart.

The Vikings’ pass defense was highly effective in Week 1, but faced 34-year-old journeyman Shaun Hill and then third stringer Austin Davis after Hill was forced from the game with a leg injury. Last season, however, the Vikings were the second-to-last pass defense in the league, allowing 287.2 yards per game and an incredible 37 touchdowns through the air. The Patriots should present a much tougher test this week in order to judge whether the Vikings’ offseason truly improved this unit or if Week 1 was a mirage.

Running Game Thoughts: Shane Vereen saw a heavy majority of the snaps for the Patriots last week, gaining 36 yards on the ground and scoring on a goal-line carry. As usual Vereen was also heavily targeted in the passing game catching five balls for an additional 35 yards. Meanwhile, Steven Ridley was only on the field for 26 percent of the offensive snaps and managed only 21 yards on eight carries. The Patriots are one of the toughest teams in the league to gauge for their running back distribution on any given week, as they have specific game plans for each back. The writing was on the wall this offseason when Vereen was the Patriot running back to own for your fantasy team in 2014. Ridley has been relegated to bye-week status unless Vereen is injured.

The Vikings allowed 110 rushing yards per game and 14 rushing touchdowns last season. In Week 1 they held what should be a strong Rams’ rushing attack to only 72 total yards on 22 carries (3.3 yards per carry) and did not allow a Rams’ runner across the goal-line. The Patriots game plan usually looks to exploit a team’s weakness, so it would seem that we should expect a game plan involving a heavy dose of an aerial attack.

Projections:
Tom Brady: 305 pass yds, 2 TDs
Shane Vereen: 45 rush yds, 50 rec yds, 1 TD
Stevan Ridley: 35 rush yds, 1 TD
Julian Edelman: 65 rec yds
Danny Amendola: 60 rec yds
Rob Gronkowski: 80 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Cassel will face the team he once led to an 11-5 record with a newfound confidence playing in the Norv Turner system. Cassell completed 17 of 25 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns in a dismantling of a tough Rams’ defense in Week 1. His touchdown passes went to tight end Kyle Rudolph and veteran Greg Jennings, who has built a nice rapport with the quarterback since last season. Add in dynamic second-year wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who did most of his damage on the ground in Week 1, and all of a sudden the Vikings passing attack doesn’t look all that bad. Patterson only caught three passes but is a open-field runner and should see his targets increase as he learns the position.

The Patriots surprisingly used corner back Darrelle Revis on one side of the field instead of putting Miami’s best receiver, Mike Wallace, on Revis Island. Wallace did get by Revis for a score when they did matchup however. The Patriots’ pass defense held the Dolphins passing game mostly in check, allowing only 169 passing yards but did allow two passing touchdowns.

9/13 - Editors Note: Adrian Peterson has been de-activated for this game. Matt Asiata is expected to start. Asiata doesn't have Peterson's talent but he's likley to receive 20+ touches with rookie Jerick McKinnon playing a complementary role.

Running Game Thoughts: Adrian Peterson rushed for 75 yards against the Rams. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson overshadowed Peterson on the ground, though, rushing three times for 102 yards including a 67-yard touchdown scamper. Peterson saw 21 carries but consistently faced by a Rams team that was determined to stop him from beating them. Peterson should continue to see workhorse carries in the Norv Turner offense that has helped other all-time greats such as Emmitt Smith and Ladanlian Tomlinson reach great heights. If the Vikings passing game continues to make opposing teams pay for stacking the box, things should only get easier for Peterson as the season progresses.

The Patriots’ run defense was gashed for 191 yards by Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller in Week 1 and will now face an even tougher task when they travel to Minnesota. The Dolphins’ line was able to open holes, and Moreno’s hard running was just too much for the team to handle. Billy Belichick prides himself on taking away the opposing team’s best offensive weapon, but that task may prove to be a difficult one this week.

Projections:
Matt Cassel: 225 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 15 rush yd
Adrian Peterson: 115 rush yds, 2 TDs, 20 rec yds
Matt Asiata: 75 rush yds, 1 TD; 15 rec yards
Jerick McKinnon: 15 rush yds, 15 rec yards
Cordarrelle Patterson: 45 rec yds, 35 rush yds
Greg Jennings: 55 rec yds
Kyle Rudolph: 50 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Patriots 27, Vikings 24 ^ Top

Saints at Browns - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Drew Brees played well in Week 1, but wasn’t able to get the Saints a win on the road. He completed 29 of 42 attempts for 333 yards and a touchdown and also threw an interception. The touchdown pass went to rookie Brandin Cooks who had a stellar debut, catching seven passes for 77 yards and also added an 18-yard run as well. Surprisingly all of Cooks’ stats came in the first half of play. Cooks should continue to be a major part of the offense as he can do many of the things that running back Darren Sproles was asked to do during his tenure with the team yet he is a more polished route runner. Jimmy Graham, as usual, was a major part of the passing attack as well, grabbing eight balls for 88 yards. Graham’s size and speed makes him virtually uncoverable and he will continue being the focal point of the Saints’ offense throughout the season. While the team could run a more balanced offense in 2014 than in past years, Head coach Sean Peyton will never stray too far from keeping the ball in the very capable hands of Drew Brees.

The Steelers moved the ball very well through the air during the first half of last week’s game, but the Browns shut down the Steelers for most the second half. Ben Roethlisberger finished the game with 365 yards and a touchdown. Antonio Brown was able to get the best of corner back Joe Haden in the first half, but Haden won the battle in the second half. It’s possible that Haden spends some time on Graham, but that would be quite a difficult matchup given the disparity in the two players’ size. It’s likely veteran Marques Colston that sees Haden shadowing him for most of the game, which could open things up for Brandin Cooks to shine once again.

Running Game Thoughts: Mark Ingram continued where he left off in the preseason, running the ball like a man possessed. Ingram showed great vision, balance and power while tearing through the Falcons’ defense for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He was the closest thing to a feature back the team has had in a while carrying the ball 13 times. Khiry Robinson added to the mix with six carries and also found the endzone from two yards out. Pierre Thomas continued his role as the third down, change of pace option getting seven carries for 31 yards and catching the ball six times for another 58 yards. While the Saints still resemble a RBBC, with more of an emphasis on the run this season, fantasy value does exist in this backfield.

Cleveland has a very strong front seven after adding former Arizona Cardinal stand-out run stopper Carlos Dansby to the mix, but they were gashed for 109 yards by L’Veon Bell this past Sunday. Bell also had his way with the Cleveland defense catching passes out of the backfield. In 2013 the Browns gave up 111.3 yards per game and 13 scores on the ground and with the new additions, fantasy owners should proceed with some caution as Week 1 may not be a true reflection of what this team is capable of.

Projections:
Drew Brees: 305 pass yds 2 TDs, 1 INT, 17 rush yds
Mark Ingram: 55 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Pierre Thomas: 35 rush yds, 65 rec yds
Marques Colston: 55 rec yds
Brandin Cooks: 60 rec yds, 1 TD, 10 rush yds
Jimmy Graham: 95 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: After Brian Hoyer’s nightmarish first half it would have been easy for Rich Pettine to make the switch to Johnny Football. The first-year head coachstuck with the veteran, however, saying that he gives the team the best chance to win. Hoyer almost did just that. After throwing for just 57 yards during the first half, Hoyer finished the game with 230 yards and a touchdown to bring the Browns back from a 27-3 deficit, only to lose 30-27. There’s been a lot of buzz about star wide receiver Josh Gordon possibly having his season-long suspension shortened, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be back with the team this week. Former Cowboy Miles Austin had a quiet first week with the team while the diminutive Andrew Hawkins had eight receptions for 87 yards. Tight end Jordan Cameron suffered a shoulder injury and was forced to leave the game putting his Week 2 status in doubt. The athletic 6’5” tight end should be a major part of the offense when healthy, so keep an eye on the injury reports.

The Saints gave up almost 450 yards passing to Matt Ryan last week, but should be able to keep the Browns more in check. Last season the team was the second best pass defense in the league, allowing only 194.1 yards per game.

Running Game Thoughts: Former Texan Ben Tate started the game running hard and picking up 44 yards before leaving with a knee injury. In his place rookie Terrence West gained 100 yards on 13 carries while fellow rookie Isaiah Crowell scored twice on the ground. Tate has shown a penchant for getting nicked up even in a limited role in the past, and is expected to miss two to four weeks as a result of this latest setback. Terrance West should see a nice workload in his place, while Crowell gets some work in as well. The Browns have a solid offensive line and are looking to run the ball, so it’s a good situation to monitor.

Projections:
Brian Hoyer: 205 pass yds 1 TD, 1 INT
Isaiah Crowell: 45 rush yds, 1 TD,
Terrance West: 85 rush yds, 1 TD 25 rec yds
Miles Austin: 55 rec yds
Andrew Hawkins: 60 rec yds
Jordan Cameron: 65 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Saints 30, Browns 24 ^ Top

Falcons at Bengals - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Ryan’s 2014 season got off to a fast start after a disappointing 2013 where he lost star wide receiver Julio Jones and dealt with a banged up Roddy White for much of the season. Ryan completed 31 of 43 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns, looking much like the 2012 version of himself. Julio Jones and Roddy White looked completely healthy and as dominant as usual on the outside of the field and Harry Douglas and tight end Levine Toilolo helped make up for the loss of Tony Gonzalez in the middle of the field. Kick returner Devin Hester even got in on the act with a big game, but fantasy owners would be wise to let someone else grab him off the waiver wire. Ryan isn’t going to throw for 450 yards very often. The team lost rookie starting left tackle Jake Matthews to an ankle sprain, so things may not be as rosy for Ryan on the road in a touch matchup without his blindside protector.

The Bengals finished the 2013 season as the fifth-ranked pass defense, allowing 209 yards per game and 22 touchdown passes on the season. They allowed 329 yards to Joe Flacco and the Ravens last weekend, but the Flacco dropped back to pass an outlandish 62 times as his team was in comeback mode. The Bengals made life difficult for the Ravens for most of the contest and played much better than the final stats would indicate. The Bengals should once again trot out one of the league’s most feared defenses in 2014.

Running Game Thoughts: An ugly four headed RBBC haunted fantasy owners on Sunday for the Atlanta Falcons. The backfield work was split between Stevan Jackson, Jacquizz Rodgers, Davonta Freeman and Antoine Smith. Jackson led the way with 12 carries gaining 52 yards and could see an uptick in carries once he gets his legs back under him. Jackson missed most of preseason with a hamstring injury but looked healthy on Sunday. Jacquizz Rodgers looked impressive as well, rushing six times for 34 yards and a touchdown in the win. Freeman and Smith saw only seven touches between them but Smith was able to turn a reception into a 54-yard touchdown. With all of the backs looking good when called upon, this is a situation that may not resolve itself anytime soon.

The Bengals’ line backer Vontaze Burfict caused havoc and kept the Ravens running game mostly in check, but did allow journeyman scat back Justin Forsett to have some success. With the Falcons line potentially showing some leaks without Jake Matthews in the lineup, the team will need to establish some sort of a running game to help take some pressure off of Ryan. The Bengals should however be up to that task.

Projections:
Matt Ryan: 305 pass yds 2 TDs, 1 INT, 5 rush yds
Steven Jackson: 55 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Jacquizz Rodgers: 35 rush yds, 25 rec yds
Julio Jones: 105 rec yds, 1 TD
Roddy White: 60 rec yds, 1 TD
Harry Douglas: 40 rec yds
Levine Toilolo: 15 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Andy Dalton had the quietest top-five quarterback finish in 2013 that I can remember. While new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson promised a more run centric attack in 2014, the Bengals lined up in shotgun formation often this past Sunday. Dalton passed the ball 38 times and finished with 301 yards and a touchdown. More importantly for the Bengals’ hopes, Dalton didn’t turn the ball over and played a very efficient game. AJ Green was already in midseason form catching six balls for 131 yards and a score. Dalton and Green broke into the league together and have had a bond ever since. Dalton doesn’t throw the best deep ball in the league, but he trusts Green to make the proper adjustment and isn’t afraid to chuck it up to him. Tight end Tyler Eifert suffered a dislocated elbow during the game and has been placed on the IR Designated To Return list, leaving Jermaine Gresham and Alex Smith to man the position.

The Falcons’ pass defense yielded 333 yards to Brees last week. While it’s tough to judge them based off of one game against one of the best quarterbacks in the league, the 2013 pass defense wasn’t any good either. Last season the team allowed 243.6 yards per game and 33 touchdowns to opposing passing attacks. Week 1 was likely a good judge on what to expect from most opposing passing attacks.

Running Game Thoughts: Jackson promised a more balanced attack all offseason, but in Week 1 the team only ran the ball 26 times as opposed to 38 pass attempts. The dynamic Giovani Bernard out-touched rookie Jeremy Hill 20-4 after many anticipated a big role for Hill. Jackson insisted that going forward Hill will see his role increased and chalked his limited usage on not trusting the rookie to perform well in a hostile environment in a big divisional contest. Hill was auditioned for a big role in the last preseason game and responded with 160 total yards on 26 touches, but for now he can’t be trusted in your lineup. Bernard only rushed 3.4 yards per carry gaining only 48 yards but as usual was a big part of the passing game (6-62).

The Falcons were unable to slow down the New Orleans three-headed monster last week allowing 139 yards and three touchdowns to the Saint running backs. Bernard and Hill should be able to do some damage against the weak Atlanta run defense.

Projections:
Andy Dalton: 255 pass yds 2 TDs, 5 rush yds
Jeremy Hill: 65 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Giovani Bernard: 55 rush yds, 45 rec yds, 1 TD
A.J. Green: 105 rec yds, 1 TD
Mohamed Sanu: 40 rec yds
Jermaine Gresham: 30 rec yds

Prediction: Bengals 27, Falcons 24 ^ Top

Jets at Packers - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Geno Smith looked to be more in command of the offense in Week 1 then he was at any time during his rookie season. Smith completed 23 of 28 passes (82 percent) for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Smith is still learning to play the position at the highest level, but surrounded by weapons and with a season’s worth of experience under his belt, the team should be able to move the ball against most defenses. New addition Eric Decker had a nice debut with the team catching five passes for 74 yards and looking like the best wide receiver the team has had in the Rex Ryan era. Decker knows how to get open and can make things happen after the catch. Another new addition running back Chris Johnson gave the team a player that can excel in the screen passing game that is such a big part of the Marty Morninwhig offense. Outside of Decker and Johnson the team has solid but unspectacular contributors such as Jeremy Kerley, David Nelson and Jeff Cumberland.

The Packers managed to hold the Seattle passing game to 191 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. Seattle, however, only attempted to put the ball in the air 28 times since they were gashing Green Bay on the ground. The Packers didn’t generate much of a pass rush against what was supposed to be a shaky Seattle o-line and could have trouble again this Sunday.

Running Game Thoughts: The Jets tandem of Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory were very effective on opening day. As a team the Jets rushed for 212 yards leading the NFL in rushing after one week in the books. Ivory led the way with 102 yards, highlighted by a 71 yards touchdown run where he showed good long speed for a power back his size. Johnson added 68 yards on 13 carries and was a big part of the passing game as well with five catches. For one week, at least, the Jets backfield looked like a RBBC that will utilize both backs strengths and will be effective. Johnson showed the burst that made him a star, and is a perfect fit for Mornhinwhig’s west coast style offense that heavily utilizes the screen game.

The Packers were gashed by Marshawn Lynch in Week 1, which could bode well for Ivory who runs with a similar, if less effective, style. The Jets will be looking to play ball control offense at Lambeau in order to keep Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines for as long as possible. Without BJ Raji clogging up the middle of the Green Bay line the Jets’ o-line should be able to handle the Packers’ front seven which will be the key for their team having any chance to win the game.

Projections:
Geno Smith: 195 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 25 rush yds
Chris Johnson: 70 rush yds, 1 TD, 40 rec yds
Chris Ivory: 65 rush yds, 5 rec yds
Eric Decker: 85 rec yds, 1 TD
Jeremy Kerley: 40 rec yds
Jeff Cumberland: 25 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Rodgers is coming off a down performance but after facing the Seattle secondary he gets the JV team this week. Rodgers only threw for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the hostile confines of Century Link Field. Last week the team sacrificed their third wide receiver Jarrett Boykin to the Richard Sherman side of the field and peppered Jordy Nelson with short throws on the opposite sideline. Nelson caught nine passes for only 83 yards. Slot wide receiver Randall Cobb caught Rodgers’ only touchdown pass on the night and looked good getting open in the middle of the field. Boykin should be a bigger part of the game plan going forward as the team lacks a viable option at tight end. Rookie Richard Rodgers got the start but was injured early and left the game leaving Andrew Quarless manning the position. Rodgers is likely to struggle as a rookie, so the athletic but raw Brandon Bostick who is returning from injury could start seeing some snaps. This passing attack is too good to be held down for long, and a home game against a depleted secondary should get the unit back on track.

The Jets are “cautiously optimistic” that second-year corner back Dee Milliner will return this week from a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him since August 10. The Jets were able to survive Week 1 while facing a rookie quarterback, but Rodgers and company is a far different story. Converted safety Antonio Allen and unheralded Darrin Walls saw the majority of snaps at the position in his place last week, and would again this week. The Jets have a fearsome front seven and can get to the quarterback, but the secondary could be a huge liability even if Milliner does make it back.

Running Game Thoughts: Eddie Lacy ran hard last week, but for the most part he had very little running room against a tough Seattle defense. Lacy got the best of hard hitting safety Kam Chancellor on a collision that knocked the safety backwards, but Lacy paid the price in the form of a concussion. Lacy is moving through the protocols quickly and all signs are pointing at him suiting up this weekend, but keep an eye on his progress. Veteran James Starks who looked good against Seattle would get the start and the majority of the carries in his place.

The Jets’ 2013 No.3- ranked run defense (88.3 ypg) allowed a mere 25 yards rushing against Oakland last week. This is what we in the business call “a difficult matchup.”

Projections:
Aaron Rodgers: 345 pass yds, 3 TDs, 15 rush yds
Eddie Lacy: 45 rush yds, 45 rec yds
James Starks: 35 rush yds, 5 rec yds
Jordy Nelson: 135 rec yds, 1 TD
Randall Cobb: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Jarrett Boykin: 80 rec yds
Andrew Quarless: 15 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Packers 27, Jets 20 ^ Top

Dolphins at Bills - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: QB Ryan Tannehill performed as bad as fans feared and as good as fans hoped in Week 1. For most of the first 30 minutes the third-year quarterback seemed out of sync with his receivers, forcing throws into double coverage, and had difficulty stringing together drives. Despite scoring twice in the half, Miami failed to cross the Patriots’ 20-yard line. The four-play touchdown drive started only 15 yards out, and the 10-play field goal drive never successfully made it past the 20. There seemed to be a concerted effort to get WR Mike Wallace involved early and often, but without accuracy or decision-making from Tannehill, the Dolphins couldn’t capitalize on their game plan. The first turnover of the game came after a completion to Wallace, where Tannehill couldn’t hit the wide out in stride on a crossing route. When contact came the ball was jarred free. The second resulted from a horrific underthrow where Wallace was bracketed in coverage, and although he had decent separation, the pass was nowhere near where it needed to be. Halftime seemed to revitalize the Dolphins, as they took their opening drive deep into the redzone before settling for a field goal, and followed that up with a short touchdown drive capped off by a Tannehill pass to Wallace, who finished the game with 81 total yards, a score and a fumble. The team gave up only one sack, significantly better than its 2013 average. Tannehill, though, barely gained more than 175 yards passing and fell short of a 35.0 (out of 100) Quarterback Rating. The game result was positive even though the fantasy significance of the Dolphins passing game was minimal. If their second half play is representative of the Dolphins’ potential then Tannehill has spot-start upside and Wallace creeps into solid WR2 territory, but without additional supporting performances this potential is currently more hypothetical than realized.

Coming off an upset victory of their own, Buffalo will play its first regular season game at Ralph Wilson Stadium since the team’s founder died this offseason. The Bills weathered the storm of a pass-happy Bears offense, which boasts one of the best receiving duos in the league. With CB Stephon Gilmore held out of the game nursing a groin injury, Buffalo gave up 70 or more receiving yards to four different players, including the starting running back, starting tight end and both starting receivers. It was arguably Chicago’s own injury concerns rather than the Bills defense that slowed down the Bears passing game. With the potential for Gilmore to return and significantly less imposing receivers to cover Buffalo has to feel optimistic about its chances in Week 2. The visiting Dolphins have reason to look forward to the matchup as well, as the Bills surrendered nearly 350 passing yards and two touchdowns in their opening game, while only sacking the quarterback twice and recording two interceptions – more related to poor offensive execution than brilliant defensive play. Provided that Tannehill is able to exercise better judgment and the Dolphins can once again remain balanced on offense, the quarterback and his receivers may find the environment in Buffalo to be welcoming to their modest passing attack.

Running Game Thoughts: While the rushing performance of opening weekend doesn’t belong to Miami they’re the most likely to be recognized as the surprise rushing performance for Week 1. With much uncertainty about the division of labor in the backfield and no commitment from the coaching staff on the matter, prevailing wisdom projected an approximately equal timeshare between RB Lamar Miller and RB Knowshon Moreno. The first drive was only four plays long but Miller got all of them, including two carries, a first down and a receiving touchdown out of the backfield. The second drive went to Moreno, who carried twice and also picked up a first down before the team lost possession on the next play. The next two drives were alternated in the same way, until Moreno’s second drive, where after he picked up two first downs, Miller was given a carry and ultimately fumbled after a solid gain. Either by design or by consequence, Moreno was given the majority of the touches for the remainder of the game, resulting in 24 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown run. He saw no touches in the passing game, as compared to Miller’s four catches for 19 yards and a score. He also totaled 59 rushing yards on 11 carries. The two backs both averaged roughly 5.5 yards per carry and saw opportunities in most areas of the field, so the principal difference was their opportunities. While Moreno obviously had the more impressive stat line, both backs scored and neither seemed to separate themselves from the other, so for the time being it is reasonable to expect another timeshare and that the Dolphins give the ball to whoever has the hottest hand.

Projections:
Ryan Tannehill: 225 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Knowshon Moreno: 70 rush yds, 1 TD
Lamar Miller: 55 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Mike Wallace: 85 rec yds
Brian Hartline: 50 rec yds, TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Unless inspiring pregame speeches are worth fantasy points in your league, the Bills and Dolphins quarterbacks had incredibly similar stat lines. QB EJ Manuel scored one of his touchdowns on the ground and thus earned slightly more points in most standard leagues for the score and the yardage, however. Overall, Manuel had approximately the game he was expected to have, committing a few mistakes but making a few big plays, surprising few with his performance but shocking the football world by leading the least-hyped team in the AFC East to a road win against an expected playoff contender. Predicted to be the biggest story in the passing game, rookie WR Sammie Watkins played despite concerns about his ribs. He was about as effective as could be expected of a first-year receiver on a team with an unproven aerial attack, converting three catches on four targets for 31 total yards, the longest of which was 25. The star of the passing game was WR Robert Woods, the second-year receiver of whom much was expected in his first season, who hauled in four receptions (six targets) for 78 yards. With no clear standout in the receiving game but plenty of potential for defenses to have to defend, Manuel targeted eight different players on only 22 attempts, with only one being thrown at more than four times. The second-year quarterback was sacked only once and showed reasonable presence in the pocket, suggesting that the woes he experienced as a rookie may be slowly fading into the background. The Bills are still a run-first team, but with a formidable duo in the backfield and a capable scrambler under center. Defenses may have to sacrifice pass coverage to focus on the ground game, potentially opening up passing lanes that the young Buffalo receivers can exploit.

Against their toughest division foe the Dolphins were able to limit the usually-stellar QB Tom Brady to just over 50 percent completions, only one score and less than 250 yards despite 56 attempts. Miami was able to apply solid pressure as well, recording four sacks, forcing six throwaways and recovering two quarterback fumbles. This ability to disrupt the pocket was one of the driving forces behind the second-half shutout and allowed the offense to come back and secure the victory. At times the secondary looked overwhelmed, though, especially in the short and intermediate passing game. With the exception of one play, however, they did not allow a pass completion to result in more than a 20-yard gain. By all reasonable measures Miami’s pass defense performed better than expected, and if they can put forth a similar effort against the Bills then there’s little reason to expect that Buffalo will be able to challenge the Dolphins in ways that New England did not. Losing LB Dannell Ellerbe (hip) for the season will be a tough blow to absorb. Following the team’s solid Week 1 performance, Miami will have to be careful to avoid an accidental letdown against a supposedly-lesser opponent, especially when that opponent is coming off an upset win of their own and looks to continue sitting atop the division for the first time in quite a while.

Running Game Thoughts: In the offseason Buffalo made a number of moves concerning its backfield, including bringing in backup ball carriers from other run-heavy times, namely RB Bryce Brown from Philadelphia and RB Anthony Dixon from San Francisco, and giving a contract extension to the elder member of their primary ball carrying duo, RB Fred Jackson. All of this were seen as insurance policies for the young RB CJ Spiller, who has shown injury tendencies but is also one of the single most dynamic players with the ball in his hands. In the opening game Spiller gained 53 yards on 15 carries, recording fewer yards than both Jackson (61) and Dixon (60) despite having more touches than they did combined. He was able to contribute through the air, however, by catching all three of his targets for 11 total yards and one receiving touchdown. On the same number of opportunities, Jackson recorded two more yards but did not score. In all the Bills recorded 193 rushing yards on 33 carries, including the rushing touchdown from their quarterback, a 47-yard burst from Dixon and a 38-yard carry from Jackson in overtime to set up the winning field goal. Arguably, the running back with the greatest potential was the one with the least impressive game, but considering the multitude of viable rushing options available to Buffalo it may only be a matter of time until these totals are reversed and Spiller is the shining star of the offense once again. Based on his injury history and the backfield growing more crowded, Spiller saw his fantasy value slip this offseason, but if he can rebound the investment will pay off handsomely for those owners willing to take a chance on the breakout player from 2012.

By causing fits along the line of scrimmage and disrupting the timing of the passing game, Miami was also able to limit its opponents on the ground, surrendering fewer than 90 yards and giving up only one rushing touchdown. Furthermore, if fly-sweeps from receivers were to be excluded, the Dolphins gave up only 68 yards on 18 carries – less than 3.8 yards per attempt. Much like their Week 1 opponent the Bills are seen as having one star running back, an impressive change of pace back and a third ball carrier who demonstrates good potential in limited work, though the quality in the Buffalo backfield is likely a notch or two higher than their New England counterparts. This all lends itself to the Dolphins having a more difficult time slowing down the Bills rushing attack, though, with less of a threat in the passing game, the overall effect may be similar. It was reported Thursday that starting LBs Koa Misi (ankle) and Phillip Wheeler (thumb) will both miss the Buffalo matchup, leaving the Dolphins thin in the front seven and creating even more difficulty in stopping the rush. With the ability to swap the top two back nearly interchangeably and limited hesitation to have the third ball carrier get time in the backfield, Miami will likely facie a highly capable runner on every given rushing play, and on several occasions may be charged with defending against more than one of them at a time. Though the Dolphins may give up more yards and possibly more touchdowns than they did in Week 1, with the distribution of the workload in the Buffalo backfield the fantasy points are likely to be distributed as well.

Projections:
EJ Manuel: 160 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 25 rush yds
C.J. Spiller: 65 rush yds, 20 rec yds, 1 TD
Fred Jackson: 50 rush yds, 10 rec yds, 1 TD
Anthony Dixon: 40 rush yds
Robert Woods: 45 rec yds
Sammy Watkins: 30 rec yds

Prediction: Bills 21, Dolphins 17 ^ Top

Jaguars at Redskins - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: At the onset of the 2014 season Jacksonville was without two of their best players for the passing game as WR Cecil Shorts III (hamstring) was held out and rookie QB Blake Bortles was holding a clipboard. The team made it clear that the rookie would be brought along slowly, so QB Chad Henne earned the start – not a surprise. It was also expected that Shorts would miss the game, but disappointing nonetheless. To the amazement of much of the football world Henne led Jacksonville to a 17-0 halftime lead, throwing two touchdown passes to undrafted rookie WR Allen Hurns and committing no turnovers. Hurns would finish the day with four catches for 110 yards and two scores. Fellow rookie WR Marqise Lee recorded an additional six catches for 62 yards. The two first-year pass catchers were responsible for nearly 65 percent of the Jaguars receiving yards and all of the team’s touchdowns. Unfortunately for Jacksonville the halftime lead would be flipped on its head in the following 30 minutes, with the offense withering and the defense conceding 34 points, resulting in a 17-point loss despite the strong first-half showing. Shorts will test his hamstring in practice this week, but even if he is declared fit for play history suggests that hamstring injuries have a way of lingering for an extra few weeks. His presence alone should garner the attention of the defense, and as long as he plays that opens up other areas for the two spectacular Jacksonville rookies.

Despite conceding barely over 200 passing yards and just one defensive touchdown the Redskins looked overwhelmed for much of Week 1 despite facing the team with last year’s worst record. Part of that comes from a mere 22 passes being attempted (14 completions) and Washington forcing just one sack and one throwaway from the quarterback. With S Brandon Meriweather (suspension) out for the game and set to miss one more, his replacement was often targeted and was most notably exploited on a 76-yard touchdown reception. The two starting receivers were responsible for 67 percent of the targets, 71 percent of completions, 88 percent of the yardage and 100 percent of the touchdowns allowed by the Redskins secondary, suggesting that the matchups themselves and not the offensive scheme were responsible for the advantage which was seized by the offense. During the game DT Barry Cofield (ankle) went down and he is expected to be put on short-term Injured Reserve, leaving the Washington defensive line without its 3-4 anchor and putting additional stress on the already-overworked linebackers.

Running Game Thoughts: The Jacksonville running back experiment hasn’t quite played out like fantasy owners or Jaguar fans hoped it would. In his first game as the franchise’s number one ball carrier, RB Toby Gerhart gained only 42 yards on 18 carries, averaging a disappointing 2.3 yards per attempt. He added another 15 yards on two receptions out of the backfield, bringing his totals to less than 60 yards on 20 touches. The backup backs added six carries for 14 yards and another eight through the air from two receptions. Amazingly, Gerhart had by far the best statistical day of any Jacksonville ball carrier, suggesting that the problem may lie with the team more than it does with him. The Jaguars have demonstrated a commitment to giving him touches though, so for another few weeks he will receive the benefit of the doubt as fantasy owners and Jacksonville coaches collectively hold their breaths in hopes that their faith in him pays dividends sooner than later.

In week two Jacksonville will be presented with another NFC East base 3-4 defense, hopefully enabling the previous matchup to prepare them for the one that is upcoming. With DT Barry Cofield unavailable and the hard-hitting S Brandon Meriweather held out the Redskins defense will be less stout than it could otherwise be, but with linebackers like Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo lurking on the other side of the line of scrimmage the Jaguars should still have plenty to worry about. Last week Washington allowed a 100-yard rusher, but it took 27 attempts for him to reach that mark. He was held without a touchdown, lost a fumble and never broke a run of longer than 10 yards. Even with a dedication to the running game the offense was unable to break through the tough Redskins front seven. Put in a similar situation it would be unreasonable to expect the Jaguars to perform markedly better, so barring an offensive breakthrough of some sort or a defensive misstep another sub-optimal performance is most likely in store for Gerhart and the Jacksonville rushing attack.

Projections:
Chad Henne: 240 pass yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Toby Gerhart: 60 rush yds, 15 rec yds, 1 TD
Cecil Shorts: 40 rec yds
Marqise Lee: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Marcedes Lewis: 45 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: The ugliest game of opening weekend was clearly the one in which Washington was the visiting team, and QB Robert Griffin III and the offensive line contributed more than their fair share to that unflattering designation. Seemingly under pressure all game, Griffin rarely looked comfortable in the pocket, surrendered three sacks and lost a fumble. He gained 267 yards through the air, two more on the ground and recorded neither a touchdown nor an interception. Top receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson were the second and third, respectively, most prolific pass catchers on the team, trailing TE Niles Paul in yardage and in longest completion. On 12 targets Garcon made 10 receptions and gained 77 yards; Jackson gained 62 on eight of nine targets; Paul recorded 86 yards in a perfect four-catch performance which was highlighted by a 48-yard catch and run. Starting TE Jordan Reed (hamstring) left the game and is currently listed as questionable; head coach Jay Gruden said he’s “most likely out” on Sunday. Reed figured to play an important role in the passing game because of the attention which would be paid to Garcon and Jackson, so in his place Paul has the opportunity to be a contributing fantasy spot-starter.

On a positive note, the way Washington’s offense is structured is quite similar to that which scored 34 points in the second half against the Jaguars in Week 1. With multiple capable receivers and tight ends, the ability to spread the field and a set of impressive ball carriers who can contribute out of the backfield, the Redskins will look to emulate the success that Philadelphia found in the second half. If the Jaguars hope to prevent the box score of Week 2 from looking like it did in Week 1 they have to do a much better job of shutting out the tight end and limiting the big plays out of the top receiver. Aside from a 68-yard receiving touchdown, the top receiving target of their opponent was limited to 29 yards on three receptions from nine targets. Jacksonville was able to force two fumbles, one interception and five sacks against a high-powered offense, so if they’re able to do the same against the Redskins that may be too much adversity for the offense to overcome. With Washington’s demonstrated ability to have its passing attack wilt under pressure, and since the Jaguars have shown the ability to play phenomenal defense for at least half of a football game, the potential of the Jacksonville defense is higher than that of the Redskins offense. Both teams are coming off of disappointing opening games following 2013 seasons that were even more terrible. The loser of this contest will almost certainly be the early favorite to earn the No. 1 draft pick for 2015.

Running Game Thoughts: Even though the team was forced to favor the pass more as the game went on, Washington still managed to record 131 rushing yards on only 23 attempts. Last year’s fantasy vulture RB Darrel Young scored the lone Redskins touchdown on the ground from one yard out. As expected RB Alfred Morris saw the majority of carries (14) and earned most of the team’s yardage (91) in the running game, but backup RB Roy Helu contributed nicely with 46 yards on four carries, none of which was longer than 16 yards, meaning he averaged 10 yards per carry on the other three. Either by design or because of defensive disruption, dual threat Griffin was almost entirely confined to the pocket, rushing just three times for only two yards. Excluding a failed wide receiver reverse that lost nine yards, the team averaging nearly 6.4 yards per rushing attempt and a game that got out of reach early due to fumbles, the Redskins may have been able to use the ground game to regain control and better influence the outcome.

If the Redskins are able to establish the run this week like they did the last then Jacksonville may have their hands full once again. In Week 1 the Jaguars gave up 145 yards and one touchdown on the ground in 32 attempts for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. As the game drew toward its close their opponents used two strong running backs to wear down the Jacksonville defense, eventually leading to a game-securing 49-yard touchdown run. Washington should look to do the same, utilizing Morris as usual but supplementing him with as much Helu as possible, keeping both backs fresh and slowing beating the defense into submission. This of course will be expected and the Jaguars are surely to prepare accordingly, so if the Redskins don’t establish the aerial attack early the Jacksonville defense will look to stack the box and try to snuff out the ground game. Led by LB Paul Posluszny, DE Chris Clemons and LB Geno Hayes, all of whom had four or more tackles in Week 1, the Jaguars are able to slow down most rushing attacks that are performing at less than stellar levels. The pressure will be on Washington to set forth its best efforts and secure a victory in front of the home crowd.

Projections:
Robert Griffin III: 245 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Alfred Morris: 95 rush yds, 1 TD
Roy Helu: 45 rush yds, 20 rec yds
Pierre Garcon: 55 rec yds
DeSean Jackson: 50 rec yds
Niles Paul: 60 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Jaguars 21, Redskins 17 ^ Top

Cardinals at Giants - (Thorne)

Passing Game Thoughts: It took until the final three minutes of the second Monday night game, but veteran QB Carson Palmer was able to squeak out a win for Arizona while pulling together one of the best fantasy performances of the week. With a 65 percent completion he connected on 24 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns, committing a fumble but not an interception, and being sacked only twice. Star WR Larry Fitzgerald was held without a target until the fourth quarter and without a reception until the final five minutes of the game. Coverage was shaded to Fitzgerald for most of the game so the rest of the field was open for other pass catchers, the most successful of which was WR Michael Floyd who had five catches for 119 yards. Only Floyd and RB Andre Ellington had more than three receptions. Eleven players were targeted on 36 throws and all of them converted at least one of the 24 total receptions. In what was a defensive battle the Cardinals put their comeback hopes on the shoulder of their veterans. Although Fitzgerald only had 22 yards to show for it, his big reception moved the team from their side of midfield and into scoring range. He may go long period of time and have nothing to show for it than double coverage, but with a completion in 150 straight games it’s hard to imagine him being shut out completely even on the worst of days.

The Giants secondary gave up more yards to one receiver in Week 1 than four other teams did to their opponent’s entire offense. Widely held as the best in the game today, WR Calvin Johnson burned New York for 164 yards and two touchdowns on only seven catches, and the rest of the team added another 15 catches and 182 yards on top of that. The defense forced no turnovers, only two throwaways in 32 attempts and sacked the quarterback only once. Of all the pass catchers, there were more who caught every ball thrown their way (four) than those who missed one or more of the passes intended for them (three). In a similar way there were more receivers who recorded 20+ yard receptions than failed to do so. By all reasonable measures the Giants were atrocious defending against the pass in both scheme and execution, choosing to leave the league’s best receiver in single coverage for most of the night, and on more than one occasion having defenders run into each other while trying to make a play. By the end of the night New York surrendered 346 yards through the air, averaging an outrageous 10.8 yards per attempt, and allowing a five-yard touchdown run from a traditional pocket passer and a successful passing two-point conversion for good measure. Against Palmer, Fitzgerald and the budding talents of Floyd and others, the Giants may be in for another embarrassing evening.

Running Game Thoughts: Listed as questionable with a foot injury RB Andre Ellington was able to suit up and carry the load for Arizona, receiving half of the team’s 26 carries and earning approximately half of the teams 109 rushing yards, averaging 4.1 per attempt. He also added five catches out of the backfield for another 27 yards, bringing his game total to 80 yards on 18 touches. Coming into Week 2 he is technically still listed as questionable and was seen in a walking boot. Ellington is going to miss some practice time as he rests his foot, but with no evidence to the contrary he’s expected to play once again and will likely see another lion’s share of backfield duties. After losing a fumble on Monday night the backup ball carriers saw more involvement, so if he’s able to protect the ball better he should see an increase in his touches and the associated yardage. Between backups RB Jonathan Dwyer and Stepfan Taylor they totaled eight rushes for 25 yards to go along with five catches for 29 yards and a receiving touchdown, but without a score they have minimal fantasy relevance. Against a tough defense Ellington showed good burst, breaking off an 18 yard-run to push the team close to midfield on their final scoring drive, and with another week of healing he figures to be in better condition than he was in Week 1.

For having a sieve-like secondary the Giants front seven was stout by comparison, giving up only 76 rushing yards on 30 carries to one of the better backfield tandems in the league. The longest runs given up by New York were for only 12 and 10 yards, and seven rushing attempts resulted in zero or negative yards gained. Part of what forced their opponent to throw so much in the opening game was the difficulty they had running the ball. On the other hand, when throwing the ball is so successful it’s hard to suggest a dedication to the rushing attack. Arizona in the first game saw some of the same, facing a defense that tried to prevent the running game from being established, opening the way for Palmer and the passing game to take control. After watching what the Cardinals did in Week 1 New York may try to adopt the same philosophy, stifling the run and taking its chance in the passing game, even if it leads to a tragically similar outcome for the Giants.

Projections:
Carson Palmer: 285 pass yds, 3 TDs, 15 rush yds
Andre Ellington: 50 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Jonathan Dwyer: 30 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Larry Fitzgerald: 75 rec yds, 1 TD
Michael Floyd: 90 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: After a disappointing 2013 season the Giants were hoping to get this season started off on the right foot. If Week 1 is any indication of how this season is going to go New York will be in for another tumultuous year. In order the top pass catchers on Monday night were backup TE Larry Donnell, RB Rashad Jennings and the team’s third WR Jerrel Jernigan. The starting receivers combined for four catches on nine targets, gaining a total of 25 yards. Led by an 18 for 33, 163 yard, one touchdown, two interceptions and two sack performance from QB Eli Manning the offense looked anemic and gained an average of only 19.7 yards per drive. With the exception of their two scoring drives (79 and 80 yards) the Giants gained 38 yards on 8 drives (4.75 yards per drive), averaging a paltry 1.27 yards per play. Manning wasn’t given much assistance from his receivers though. Cruz dropped two passes and one of Manning’s interceptions came on a miscommunication with Donnell. Despite giving up only two sacks the offensive line deserves a great deal of the blame for the team’s struggles. In the words of head coach Tom lin, the quarterback “was under pressure most of the night” and their abilities in the running game weren’t much better. This sort of systematic ineptitude is not easily fixable and will likely take a number of weeks to improve, limiting the fantasy usefulness of most of the Giants players, and making even the once-phenomenal Cruz touchdown-dependent.

If there’s any hope for New York to be able to right the wrongs of their passing game they’ll mostly lie in the fact that their opponent this week is traveling from west to east and is coming off of a Monday night game. Unfortunately the Giants also played Monday night and were on the road for that game, so the short-week advantage is significantly less pronounced. In a defensive struggle that turned into a late-game quarterback duel, Arizona surrendered 238 passing yards on 36 attempts, recorded one sack and forced no throwaways. While the secondary was impressive the front seven was relatively unable to pressure the quarterback. This may be enough of a silver lining for the Giants to take advantage of, but may also be a reflection on the strength of the Cardinals Week 1 opponent. With the New York O-line struggling the Cardinals front seven will be looking to pressure Manning much like he was on opening night, and if that happens the secondary will be lying in wait for any errant throws that come their way.

Running Game Thoughts: Against one of the most brutal defensive lines in the NFL and a back seven that is impressive in their own right the Giants found it nearly impossible to run the ball on Monday night. Considering the struggles of the offensive line it’s incredible that RB Rashad Jennings and backup RB Andre Williams were able to gain what they did. The two of them fought for every last one of the 55 yards they gained on 21 carries, with the lone touchdown (Jennings) coming on a one-yard run when the game was all but decided in the fourth quarter. With a first-and-10 from the scoring 29 Jennings was the only offensive player to contribute for the following four plays, consisting for a six-yard rush, a 21-yard swing pass and two one-yard rushes to cap the drive. New York played it close to the vest and minimized the potential for mistakes by turning to their running back in the team’s time of need, paving the way for him to be utilized in the majority of scoring situations and making him arguably the most valuable fantasy player on the Giants roster.

Arizona held its Week 1 opponent to 52 rushing yards, which includes a 20-yard scoring run from a third-and-one situation. Minus that single play the Cardinals allowed only 32 yards on 23 carries, a miniscule 1.4 yards per attempt. As bad as the Giants were on the ground it’s possible that Arizona will come into Week 2 and make them look even worse. Already without DT/DE Darnell Dockett (ACL, season) and LB Daryl Wilson (suspension, season), the Cardinals were dealt another potentially season-long blow with LB John Abraham suffering a concussion and spending the majority of this week contemplating the rest of his NFL future. He has reportedly struggled with memory issues recently and after a 15-year career it’s more than likely that Abraham is weighing his decision knowing that his football days are nearing their end. While the defense has done well absorbing the losses suffered in the preseason it remains to be seen how losing Abraham will affect the unit. If he does choose to hang up the cleats for the sake of his health he’ll undoubtedly have earned the sad but appreciative ovation that awaits him at his retirement press conference.

Projections:
Eli Manning: 155 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rashad Jennings: 45 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Victor Cruz: 35 rec yds
Rueben Randle: 30 rec yds
Larry Donnell: 40 rec yds

Prediction: Cardinals 27, Giants 10 ^ Top

Cowboys at Titans - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: After spending time mending a back injury, it took a while for Tony Romo to knock the rust off during the Cowboys’ Week 1 opener against the 49ers. Three interceptions later, Dallas was in a hole from which they could not escape and was buried by San Francisco. Romo’s fantasy owners couldn’t have been pleased with his turnovers, single touchdown and 281 yards. The quarterback also failed to get Dez Bryant or Jason Witten going, with only six of Romo’s 37 throws going to Bryant. The Cowboys have a tough task this week against the Titans. In their victory over the Chiefs, Tennessee managed to sack Alex Smith four times and intercept him three times while holding him to just over 200 passing yards.

Running Game Thoughts: While the Cowboys’ passing game was lacking, they did find success on the ground. And by “they” I mean DeMarco Murray. He was the lone running back to carry the ball against the 49ers, and ran for 118 yards and one score with a YPC average of 5.4. Murray may not reach quite that level of success against the Titans, but his fantasy owners should still roll with him despite the fact Tennessee held Jamaal Charles to 19 yards on seven carries last week.

Projections:
Tony Romo: 275 pass yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
DeMarco Murray: 80 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Dez Bryant: 85 rec yds, 2 TD
Terrance Williams: 60 rec yds
Cole Beasley: 40 rec yds
Jason Witten: 65 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Jake Locker was very good during Tennessee’s win over Kansas City, connecting on 66 percent of his passes for 266 yards with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. Justin Hunter led the team with 63 yards, and while he has breakout potential, fantasy owners are better off putting their faith in Kendall Wright, who led the team with six receptions and had one score despite gaining only 46 yards. The Titans will face a Dallas defense that allowed nearly 100 receiving yards to Anquan Boldin and did give up two touchdowns to Vernon Davis.

Running Game Thoughts: The Titans are minus Chris Johnson in the running game, but they added Dexter McCluster and drafted Bishop Sankey to go with Shonn Greene. Each back contributed in the team’s win over the Chiefs, with Greene leading the way with 71 yards on 15 carries, and McCluster and Sankey combining for another 15 carries, but for just 54 yards. None of the backs managed to find the end zone, but that’ll change this week.

Projections:
Jake Locker: 225 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, 20 rush yds
Shonn Greene: 65 rush yds, 1 TD
Dexter McCluster: 20 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Kendall Wright: 70 rec yds, 1 TD
Nate Washington: 55 rec yds
Justin Hunter: 35 rec yds
Delanie Walker: 40 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Titans 24, Cowboys 21 ^ Top

Lions at Panthers - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: Matthew Stafford had a stellar game in the team’s opening week win over the Giants, with 346 passing yards and a pair of touchdown throws while avoiding interceptions. Of course, it’s very helpful to have Calvin Johnson, who did what Megatron does and killed New York with 164 yards and a pair of scores. Stafford also hooked up with Golden Tate six times for over 90 yards, so the only thing missing for fantasy owners was rookie tight end Eric Ebron. He didn’t catch a pass and was targeted only twice in the contest. They face a Panthers team this week that allowed eight receptions by tight ends last week, so there’s hope yet for Ebron.

Running Game Thoughts: Reggie Bush is dealing with a knee malady that may kept him limited in practice on Wednesday. Bush was elevated to a full practice on Thursday and is expected to play this week against the Panthers. Joique Bell had a touchdown and 51 rushing yards on 15 carries last week against the Giants but was only targeted once in the passing game. Bush, totaled 15 touches (9 runs, 6 receptions) making him clearly the better PPR running back through one week. Regardless of who gets the majority of the snaps and targets this week, it will be difficult for either back against a Panthers defense that is stout against the run. Carolina gave up 75 total yards to the Tampa running back in Week 1.

Projections:
Matthew Stafford: 295 pass yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Joique Bell: 40 rush yds, 25 rec yds
Reggie Bush: 25 rush yds, 35 rec yds
Calvin Johnson: 110 rec yds, 2 TD
Golden Tate: 65 rec yds
Eric Ebron: 50 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Cam Newton – to the surprise of many – did not suit up for last week’s game against the Bucs, yet the Panthers still came out ahead. Newton will suit up this week and fantasy owners should not hesitate in using him. They should also continue to put Kelvin Benjamin in their lineups, as the rookie had an impressive debut with 92 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Greg Olsen added 83 yards and a score as Derek Anderson seemed fixated on the tight end. They’ll square off with a Lions team that handled the Giants passing attack with relative ease, though it’s an attack without much weaponry. No Giants wide receiver topped 30 yards last week against the Lions.

Running Game Thoughts: With Newton being sidelined, the Carolina running game was centered on their backs, with DeAngelo Williams leading the way, picking up 72 yards on 14 carries. Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert received nine and seven carries, respectively, but neither gained more than 20 yards, and neither should be in fantasy lineups this week. Williams missed practice on Thursday with a thigh injury leaving his status in doubt. Check injury reports this weekend to confirm his status.

Projections:
Cam Newton: 245 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 35 rush yds, 1 TD
DeAngelo Williams: 65 rush yds, 1 TD, 20 rec yds
Jonathan Stewart: 30 rush yds, 15 rec yds
Kelvin Benjamin: 75 rec yds
Jerricho Cotchery: 45 rec yds, 1 TD
Greg Olsen: 80 rec yds

Prediction: Panthers 27, Lions 24 ^ Top

Rams at Buccaneers - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: There wasn’t much to like in the first half of the Rams’ blowout loss to the Vikings when Shaun Hill was at quarterback, and not much to like in the second half when Austin Davis was the team’s quarterback. Hill’s injury has makes him questionable for this week against the Bucs, but even if he does play, fantasy owners will probably avoid him and all other St. Louis players who catch or throw the ball, though Jared Cook might be someone to consider in deep leagues considering the team’s opponent. The Bucs couldn’t stop Carolina rookie Kelvin Benjamin last week, and had difficulty with Greg Olsen as well, but the Rams are so deficient offensively it may not matter.

Running Game Thoughts: There was plenty of hype around Zac Stacy in the offseason, and understandably so, considering he gained almost 1,000 yards in essentially 12 games last season. Yet he seemed to struggle a bit in the preseason, and picked up only 43 yards on 11 carries in the team’s loss to Minnesota. Still, the Rams had to throw far more than they wanted last week considering the huge hole they got themselves into, and though Tampa can be tough on running backs, Stacy is talented enough to make himself valuable to fantasy owners.

Projections:
Shaun Hill: 220 pass yds, 1 TD
Zac Stacy: 80 rush yds, 1 TD
Benny Cunningham: 20 rush yds, 25 rec yds
Brian Quick: 60 rec yds
Kenny Britt: 40 rec yds
Tavon Austin: 30 rec yds
Jared Cook: 55 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: Josh McCown had a less than stellar debut for Tampa, with 183 passing yards to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Granted, he was facing a very good Carolina defense, but fantasy owners will need him to do more, especially with Vincent Jackson. Targeted nine times, Jackson had only 36 yards on four receptions, as tight end Brandon Myers led the way with 41 yards on six catches. They’ll face a Rams defense this week capable of putting serious pressure on quarterbacks, even without defensive end Chris Long.

Running Game Thoughts: Doug Martin suffered a knee injury that has caused him to miss practice this week, so his status remains very much up in the air. If he can’t play against St. Louis, Bobby Rainey will get the bulk of the carries. Tampa did next to nothing on the ground last week outside of a 54-yard run by Jorvorskie Lane, and though the Rams did allow 185 yards on the ground last week, 102 of those were on three carries by wideout Cordarrelle Patterson.

Projections:
Josh McCown: 235 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Bobby Rainey: 60 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Doug Martin: 25 rush yds, 20 rec yds
Vincent Jackson: 85 rec yds, 1 TD
Mike Evans: 50 rec yds
Chris Owusu: 25 rec yds
Brandon Myers: 30 rec yds

Prediction: Rams 20, Buccaneers 17 ^ Top

Eagles at Colts - (Smith)

Passing Game Thoughts: It took more than three quarters for the Eagles to even tie the Jaguars last week, but Philly did ultimately win, and fantasy owners had to be pleased as well. Nick Foles tossed a pair of touchdowns with one pick to go with 322 yards, 97 of which came via Jeremy Maclin. Maclin also scored a touchdown, as did Zach Ertz, who was behind only Maclin with 77 receiving yards. The Eagles have a number of excellent weapons, but in the passing game, Maclin and Ertz are the two that fantasy owners should be depending on at WR and TE, respectively, including this week against a Colts team that allowed three touchdowns to a tight end last week.

Running Game Thoughts: LeSean McCoy averaged 3.5 YPC while picking up 74 yards last week, but Darren Sproles made up for it with a YPC average of 6.5 while gaining 71 yards and scoring a touchdown. McCoy is – and will remain – one of the top backs in fantasy, but it will be interesting to see how much Sproles cuts into his touches. At this point, fantasy owners shouldn’t worry about it, but down the road it’s something to keep an eye on. The Colts gave up 94 yards and 1 TD to Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson last week, ranking in the middle of the pack in FPts allowed to running backs. Sproles is an intriguing flex option if Chis Polk ends up on the Inactive list again.

Projections:
Nick Folk: 305 pass yds, 1 TD
LeSean McCoy: 85 rush yds, 2 TD, 25 rec yds
Darren Sproles: 40 rush yds, 35 rec yds
Jeremy Maclin: 70 rec yds
Riley Cooper: 50 rec yds
Jordan Matthews: 35 rec yds
Zach Ertz: 80 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: With the Colts getting behind the Broncos early last week, Andrew Luck had to throw and throw often to try and get his team back into the contest. He ended up with 53 tosses and completed 35 of them for 370 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Reggie Wayne led the team with nine catches and 98 yards, while Dwayne Allen continues to impress from the tight end position. Luck and Co. should have an excellent opportunity to shine this week against the Eagles. Philly allowed Chad Henne to throw for more than 260 yards and two scores, while allowing someone named Allen Hurns to score twice and pick up 110 receiving yards.

Running Game Thoughts: There isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said about the poor trade Indy made for Trent Richardson. It simply hasn’t worked out, and Richardson seems unlikely to be what anybody thought when he was the third pick in the draft a few years ago. He had 20 yards on six carries last week, and fantasy owners should be more interested in Ahmad Bradshaw than Richardson at this point.

Projections:
Andrew Luck: 315 pass yds, 3 TD, 1 INT, 20 rush yds
Ahmad Bradshaw: 55 rush yds, 1 TD, 30 rec yds
Trent Richardson: 35 rush yds, 25 rec yds
Reggie Wayne: 80 rec yds, 1 TD
T.Y. Hilton: 65 rec yds, 1 TD
Hakeem Nicks: 30 rec yds
Dwayne Allen: 50 rec yds, 1 TD
Coby Fleener: 25 rec yds

Prediction: Colts 28, Eagles 24 ^ Top

Seahawks @ Chargers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Russell Wilson has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league since his arrival, but he has never been much of a fantasy superstar. That could change in 2014. Wilson got off to a decent start in Week 1 as he threw for two touchdowns and rushed for 29 yards. Although his passing yardage total (191) was less than spectacular, it’s worth considering that the Seahawks didn’t really need him to pass much in the second half of their win over the Packers. Unlikely targets Derrick Coleman and Ricardo Lockette caught the two touchdown passes, but it was the returning Percy Harvin who really made his presence known in this game. Harvin, who missed essentially the entire 2013 season, was a focal point of the Seahawks offense from the very first drive. He caught all seven of his targets from Wilson for 59 yards while also adding 41 yards as a runner. The only other fantasy-relevant receiver on the roster, Doug Baldwin, was held quiet on the night with only three catches for 14 yards on five targets. Although Baldwin has been one of the more underrated targets in the league for a few seasons now, his importance in the Seahawks offense in 2014 may be less than it has been in the past due to the healthy return of Harvin. The Seahawks passing offense will have a desirable matchup in Week 2 as they travel south to San Diego. The Chargers are fresh off of a disappointing loss to the Cardinals where they allowed Carson Palmer to beat them up for over 300 yards and a pair of scores. One interesting note, however, is that the Chargers were able to hold superstar wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to just one catch on the game. While it’s hard to know whether that was due to the defense keying on Fitzgerald and taking him away or the Cardinals offense just coming into the game with an odd gameplan, the numbers are still important to note. Harvin is still worth a start this week, but other members of the Seattle passing game should probably remain on your bench (or unrostered) until we see something more substantial from them.

Running Game Thoughts: Those who came into the 2014 season expecting a slow start for Marshawn Lynch had a good bit of egg on their faces after as Lynch finished tied with Le’Veon Bell as the highest-scoring fantasy running back in the league for Week 1. Lynch, who carried the ball 20 times for 110 yards, conceded only six carries on the day to backup Robert Turbin and remained on the field at the goal line where he scored a pair of touchdowns. Depth tailback and dynasty league favorite Christine Michael remained sidelined with an injury, but it appears as if Turbin will be the team’s primary backup for Lynch. Still, neither player has much value as long as Lynch is healthy, which he has been in recent memory. This week he will have an opportunity to go up against a San Diego Chargers run defense that looked excellent through the first half of 2013 when they did not allow a single rushing touchdown until Week 9, but from that point on were one of the worst in the league as they conceded 12 rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs over their final nine games. The Chargers did allow a league-most 11 receptions to the Cardinals running backs in Week 1, but don’t get too excited. Lynch isn’t likely to be an important member of the Seattle passing game as he caught just one pass in Week 1 and has never been much of a pass-catcher in the past. Still, Lynch is one of the best fantasy options for Week 2 and should be started in all formats, even PPR.

Projections:
Russell Wilson: 230 pass yds, 2 TD, 20 rush yds
Marshawn Lynch: 80 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Robert Turbin: 25 rush yds
Percy Harvin: 60 rec yds, 30 rush yds, 1 TD
Doug Baldwin: 50 rec yds
Zach Miller: 40 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: The first half of Monday night’s game between the Chargers and Cardinals saw neither team successfully finish a drive with a touchdown. It was a boring, awful offensive display by both teams and the departure of 2013 Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was fairly obvious. Rivers enjoyed a career resurgence under Whisenhunt’s system, finishing as the No. 6 fantasy quarterback for the season while throwing for nearly 4,500 yards and 32 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. Rivers didn’t look terrible on Monday night but it is a little bit concerning that he was not able to exploit a banged up Arizona defense a bit more than he did. Two players who did have noteworthy games, were tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Malcom Floyd. Gates, who many expected a role reduction from in 2014, caught a team-high six passes for 81 yards while Floyd caught four passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. One other thing that we saw is that the Cardinals were able to essentially take 2013 breakout receiver Keenan Allen out of the game. Cornerback Patrick Peterson was tangled up with him for much of the night and Allen made only five catches for a measly 37 yards.

With the Chargers matching up against a healthy and even more terrifying secondary in the Seahawks, Allen may not be a guaranteed start this week as he had been through the second half of last season. I still think that Allen is going to be a great starter going forward and could even be a potential buy-low candidate if he doesn’t do much on Sunday. He’s likely to see a lot of attention from one of the league’s top corners in Richard Sherman and it’s hard to expect him to make much of that situation. This will be a tough game for all of the members of the San Diego offense, really. The Seahawks were a historically excellent secondary in 2013 and showed no signs of slowing down in Week 1. If there is one position that the Seahawks are not quite as excellent against, it’s tight end. They still allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2013, but that being one of their worst numbers should go to show you just how dominant this team is defensively.

Running Game Thoughts: A disappointing overall offensive effort from the Chargers in Week 1 led to some underwhelming fantasy numbers from the running backs. Free agency acquisition and third-string back Donald Brown barely saw the field against the Cardinals as Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead dominated the snaps, but what’s interesting is how those snaps broke down. Mathews, the team’s top back in 2013, was on the field for just 39 percent of the team’s snaps, while Woodhead was on the field for 51.5 percent of the snaps. Despite this, it was Mathews who touched the ball most of the group with 14 total touches while Woodhead had only seven touches. This usage is not necessarily an indicator of what is to come, but it is worrisome for fantasy purposes that Mathews was on the field so little despite the Chargers leading in the game for much of the second half. What may be even more worrying, however, is that Woodhead was targeted just once in the passing game all night after being one of the most-targeted backs in the league in 2013. His receiving numbers made Woodhead a viable every week Flex starter in PPR leagues, but this new offense did not make use of his receiving skills nearly as much, at least for Week 1.

It will be tough to touch any of these players as we head into an incredibly difficult Week 2 matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle allowed the fourth-fewest amount of fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2013 and there really is no reason to believe that they won’t be great against them again this season. Given the difficulty of finding reliable production from the running back position early in the season, many owners will likely be forced to trust Mathews and even Woodhead in Week 2, but if you’re deciding between them and other close options, you may want to consider giving the San Diego backs a break in this game.

Projections:
Philip Rivers: 210 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Ryan Mathews: 50 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Danny Woodhead: 20 rush yds, 30 rec yds
Keenan Allen: 60 rec yds
Malcom Floyd: 50 rec yds
Antonio Gates: 40 rec yds, 1 TD
Ladarius Green: 20 rec yds

Prediction: Seahawks 27, Chargers 17 ^ Top

Texans @ Raiders - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: In a game dominated by the Texans defense, not much was asked of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in his first game in Houston. That was probably a good decision because other than being mistake-free, Fitzpatrick really didn’t do anything special in Week 1. On the day, he went 14 of 22 for 206 yards and one touchdown while adding 10 yards on the ground. Fitzpatrick’s numbers were a bit inflated, however, as his touchdown came on a flukey 76-yard pass to second-year wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins caught three other passes for just a combined 13 yards, so expecting a repeat of that huge play every week is a bit much. Veteran wideout Andre Johnson did look good in Week 1 as he caught six of the nine targets that went his way for 93 yards. Johnson hasn’t missed a beat despite a new quarterback, so he should be treated about the same as he was in previous years, where he was one of the best and most consistent PPR wide receivers in the game.

The Texans passing game will have a nice matchup against an Oakland Raiders defense that just got done allowing Geno Smith to complete 23-of-29 passes in Week 1. They weren’t much better in 2013, either, as they allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks throughout the season, including allowing the Texans duo of quarterbacks, Matt Schaub and Case Keenum, to throw for 304 yards against them in Week 11.

Running Game Thoughts: One of the most controversial fantasy picks heading into the 2014 had to be Houston running back Arian Foster. Foster, who rushed for only one touchdown in eight games during the 2013 season, was going as early as a late-first round pick in some leagues, while slipping as far as the fourth round in others. In Week 1, Foster looked pretty good. Well, his fantasy totals did, anyway. Although he failed to get into the end zone, Foster rushed for 103 yards on 27 carries. The 3.8 yards per carry are a bit disappointing, but it’s only one game and the Washington defense knew that the run was coming late in the contest. The bright side is that the Texans trusted him to take essentially all of the carries in Week 1. Backups Jonathan Grimes and Alfred Blue took only one carry each, so it’s safe to say that Foster’s job is secure for the foreseeable future.

Foster will have a delightful matchup in Week 2 as he goes up against an Oakland Raiders defense that allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2013. They got off to an awful start in Week 1, too, as they allowed the New York Jets and their duo of running backs Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory to rush for 174 yards and a touchdown. Going back to Week 13 of the 2013 season, the Raiders defense has allowed a ridiculous average of 31.8 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. These horrendous numbers give Foster a realistic opportunity to finish as the top-scoring fantasy running back in Week 2. If the Texans passing game can start clicking, look for Foster to be used late in the game to punish this horrible defense.

Projections:
Ryan Fitzpatrick: 165 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Arian Foster: 100 rush yds, 1 TD, 15 rec yds
Andre Johnson: 90 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: The only rookie quarterback who has a starting job early in the 2014 season is Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr. Carr had his moments where he looked like a rookie, but the overall performance really wasn’t too bad. He went 20-of-32 for 151 yards and threw two touchdowns in his debut, a road loss to the Jets. Although that stat line isn’t spectacular, it’s not bad considering that the Jets defense is typically pretty good. They didn’t allow a quarterback to throw more than two touchdowns against them in any of their final eight games of the 2013 season, and that includes a game against Drew Brees and the Saints. Although we can’t expect Carr to toss two touchdowns per game, the fact that he didn’t look horrible in Week 1 is great to see. The frustrating thing, however, is that no receiver really stood out as Carr’s go-to target. Rod Streater led the team with five catches for 46 yards and did score a touchdown while newcomer James Jones caught three passes for 34 yards and a touchdown if his own. But the player who Carr targeted the most was actually Denarius Moore, who caught just two of the eight pass attempts that went his way for eight total yards. It’ll be very difficult to trust any of these players as they go up against a solid Houston Texans defense that just got through done shutting down Robert Griffin III. They are one of only two defenses (Minnesota) who did not allow a passing touchdown in Week 1. The Texans will be without 2014 top overall NFL draft pick Jadeveon Clowney who will miss the game with an injury, but J.J. Watt himself will be plenty enough damage against this less-than-stellar Oakland offensive line. Carr has potential to be good down the road and one of these receivers might eventually separate themselves as someone who you can trust in fantasy, but for now, owners would be wise to bench their Raiders.

Running Game Thoughts: The two-headed monster between Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew was in full effect in Week 1...and the results were absolutely dreadful. The duo rushed for just 26 total yards on a combined 13 attempts. This would’ve made some sense if the Raiders passing game was playing horribly, but Carr actually looked decent in his debut NFL game. The Jets defense might’ve been focused on slowing down the running game, but even still, Jones-Drew and McFadden showed what many experts thought - that neither of them is an every-week fantasy starter.

If there is a matchup where one of these players could succeed, however, it might actually be this one against the Texans. While Houston’s defense isn’t bad overall and J.J. Watt can dominate by himself, Jones-Drew actually has a fairly strong track record of consistency against Houston. The former Jaguars running back had a dreadful 2013 season, but rushed for a total of 187 yards and a touchdowns in his two games against the Texans. He also added 80 receiving yards in those games. Unfortunately for the Raiders, Jones-Drew may very well miss Sunday’s contest with a hand injury. If he is unable to play, look for Darren McFadden to take the majority of the touches. This won’t likely be a high-scoring affair, so McFadden could get plenty of touches in the event that he is the main back. In the event that he touches the ball 20 or so times, McFadden should be able to produce low-end RB2 numbers in this game.

Projections:
Derek Carr: 170 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Latavius Murray: 25 rush yds, 10 rec yds
Darren McFadden: 45 rush yds, 20 rec yds
Rod Streater: 40 rec yds
James Jones: 30 rec yds, 1 TD
Denarius Moore: 30 rec yds
Mychal Rivera: 25 rec yds

Prediction: Texans 20, Raiders 13 ^ Top

Chiefs @ Broncos - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: 2013 was a career year for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. After being pegged as a bust, then as a product of the system in San Francisco, Smith set his sights on proving the doubters wrong in his new role as a member of the Chiefs. The Chiefs were one of the absolute worst teams in the league in 2012, but with Smith and a number of other players stepping up, the Chiefs exceeded all expectations and earned themselves a playoff spot. Smith had career-best numbers in passing yardage (3,313), touchdowns (23) and rushing yardage (431). But even given those marks, he was still a QB2 in most fantasy leagues. The expectations weren’t high coming into the 2014 season, but Smith looked absolutely horrendous in Week 1 when he and the Chiefs hosted the Titans. Despite his team being behind almost the entire day, Smith threw for just 202 yards on 35 attempts with just one touchdown and three interceptions. While it does make sense that Smith struggled against the Titans in a game where he was without his top receiver Dwayne Bowe who missed the game due to a suspension, there is some reason to be worried about this passing game. The team really did not focus on adding much in terms of skill position players over the off-season and they actually lost an underrated playmaker in Dexter McCluster.

Bowe will be back this week as the Chiefs head to Denver to face the Broncos, but it will be very hard to trust anyone in the passing game for the foreseeable future. That’s definitely frustrating for fantasy owners who might be looking at this weekend’s game as a favorable matchup. Smith did throw for a total of 523 yards and four touchdowns and only one interception in the two games he played against the Broncos in 2013, but this is a new and improved Denver defense. The additions of DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward are all obvious improvements from what the team had before. Smith is a must-start only in two-QB leagues and no one else in the passing game should really be relied on this week unless you’re in a very deep league.

Running Game Thoughts: Struggles from Smith and the passing game are really nothing new, but the fact that Jamaal Charles rushed for only 19 yards and had just seven carries against the Titans in Week 1 has to be throwing up red flags for fantasy owners. Try not to rush to the panic button and sell low on Charles, but there is reason to be a bit worried that he may not be in for quite the elite fantasy production that we’ve been used to seeing from him in recent seasons. Charles is playing in an offense that, quite frankly, overachieved in 2013. It would be absolutely incredible if he were able to replicate his numbers, particularly touchdowns, from last season, but fantasy owners need to know that even if he does not come close to doing that, he could still finish as a top five running back this season.

We will have an opportunity to see if his dismal Week 1 performance was a trend or mirage this week as he goes up against a Denver Broncos defense that he has owned in recent years. Over his past seven games against the Broncos, Charles has put up an impressive 885 total yards. If Smith and the passing game struggle to find rhythm again, Charles’ numbers could suffer a bit as the team will be forced to pass to keep up with the high-powered Denver offense. Still, Charles remains an unquestioned RB1 in all formats and must be started unless we see a string of games similar to the one we got in Week 1.

Projections:
Alex Smith: 250 pass yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Jamaal Charles: 70 rush yds, 1 TD, 40 rec yds
Dwayne Bowe: 50 rec yds
Donnie Avery: 50 rec yds
Travis Kelce: 35 rec yds, 1 TD

Passing Game Thoughts: For one half of football, it appeared as if the Broncos offense had not missed a beat since its incredible, record-shattering 2013 season. The team scored on every offensive drive in the first half of the Colts game, but then the offense began to sputter a bit as they were only able to score seven points in the second half. Those seven points ended up being the difference in the game as the Broncos moved to 1-0 but the team definitely missed the contributions of wideouts Eric Decker and Wes Welker who were big-time playmakers for the team a season ago. New addition to the offense Emmanuel Sanders seemed to fit in great as he caught six passes for 77 yards while it was tight end Julius Thomas’ seven receptions for 104 yards and three touchdowns that led the team in all passing statistics. The team’s top receiver, Demaryius Thomas, struggled on opening weekend as he was locked up against shutdown cornerback Vontae Davis for much of the day.

Without anyone of that caliber on the Chiefs roster, look for D. Thomas to get back to his usual, highly-productive self in Week 2. He, Sanders and J. Thomas are must-starts in all formats this week as Peyton Manning crushed the Chiefs for over 725 yards and six touchdowns in the two games he played against them in 2013. Another yet-to-be-known wrinkle in this game is that there is a real possibility that the suspension that Welker is currently serving could be lifted prior to Sunday’s game. It’s unlikely to happen but if so, add Welker to your lineup but keep your expectations light. He missed some time recently due to a concussion and has not been a locked-in part of the gameplan this week, so a big game is not likely.

Running Game Thoughts: Given the success that running back Knowshon Moreno had in this same offense just a season ago, many expected that second-year back Montee Ball would step in and take off right where Moreno had left off. But after one week, the results are a little foggy. From a fantasy standpoint, Ball’s 67 rushing yards with a touchdowns and 16 receiving yards were certainly enough to make us happy, but the fact that he rushed for fewer than three yards per carry is a bit concerning. Typically we’d expect more in a back who shares the field with a passing game as potent as the ones that Peyton Manning trots onto the field, but for one week we will give Ball the benefit of the doubt. He should have a better opportunity for big time fantasy production in Week 2 as the Broncos host the Chiefs.

Ball had two of his most-productive fantasy games of the season against the Chiefs back in 2013 as he rushed for a total of 142 yards on just 21 total carries, including pair of touchdowns...and that was while he was splitting carries with Moreno. If the Broncos get out to an early lead, expect them to rely heavily on Ball who took all but four of the team’s running back touches in Week 1. That kind of job security in an offense that should put up around 30 points per game is a recipe for fantasy success and Ball should definitely be in your lineup this Sunday.

Projections:
Peyton Manning: 310 pass yds, 3 TD
Montee Ball: 80 rush yds, 2 TD, 10 rec yds
Demaryius Thomas: 100 rec yds, 1 TD
Emmanuel Sanders: 70 rec yds, 1 TD
Julius Thomas: 60 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: Broncos 38, Chiefs 20 ^ Top

Bears @ 49ers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: One of the top sleeper quarterbacks heading into the 2014 season, Jay Cutler got things started quickly in Week 1. Although he and the Bears were unable to take the win in Buffalo, Cutler’s 349 yards and two touchdowns were good enough to make him a top-10 fantasy QB for the week despite also throwing two interceptions. All this despite injuries to both his top two receivers, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. Both of the giant pass-catchers were slowed and missed snaps in the game, which led to more targets for tight end Martellus Bennett who caught eight passes for 70 yards and a touchdown while running back Matt Forte added eight catches of his own for 87 yards. It’ll be difficult for either of those players to improve on their numbers, but 71 yards for both Jeffery and Marshall are definitely something that fantasy owners can be looking for improvements on going forward as they get healthier. The unfortunate thing is that both receivers are listed as questionable and will be game-time decisions for the Sunday night game against the 49ers. This puts fantasy owners in a very tough situation as both players are must-starts against practically any defense if they are on the field, but we won’t have an opportunity to make those decisions in advance. Thus fantasy owners will be rolling the dice on the duo.

Even if they are healthy, though, this isn’t a particularly great matchup for the Chicago passing game. San Francisco is coming off of an impressive Week 1 performance where they humiliated Tony Romo and the Cowboys in their home opener. It wasn’t just that one game, however, as the 49ers were excellent against opposing passing games in 2013 as well. They allowed the third-fewest amount of fantasy points to the position on the year and allowed only one quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) to pass for more than two touchdowns against them in a single game. Given the health of Jeffery and Marshall, fantasy owners should consider looking at bench options for this week.

Running Game Thoughts: It was a tough Week 1 for most of the preseason top running backs in fantasy, but Bears running back Matt Forte looked good as ever, rushing for 82 yards and adding 87 yards in the passing game. What’s impressive about his performance against the Bills is that Forte ran the ball on just 26 percent of the team’s plays, which should mean that he has opportunity for growth in that area going forward. Don’t expect him to continue to catch eight passes per game, but Forte is definitely one of the best receiving backs in the league and should continue to be a PPR monster going forward. He’s one of the few players in this Chicago offense who escaped Week 1 without any significant injury of note, so he will likely be relied on heavily this week as the Bears head out west to San Francisco to play the 49ers.

The 49ers defense has been excellent against the run for years now and 2013 was no different. They finished with the sixth-fewest amount of fantasy points allowed to running backs, while not allowing a single 100-yard rusher or a multi-touchdown game after Week 6. This is absolutely a tough matchup for Forte and the Bears, but it would be almost impossible to imagine that fantasy owners would have a better option on their bench than Forte. He’ll get the touches to be fantasy relevant in almost every game this year, so try not to worry about him too much.

Projections:
Jay Cutler: 270 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 10 rush yds
Matt Forte: 80 rush yds, 1 TD, 40 rec yds
Brandon Marshall: 75 rec yds, 1 TD
Alshon Jeffery: 70 rec yds
Martellus Bennett: 40 rec yds

Passing Game Thoughts: Many experts predicted a breakout season for Colin Kaepernick in 2013, but after a disappointing year, the hype seemed to have cooled on him a bit heading into 2014. After one week this year, though, it appears as if the experts might have just been a year too early on their breakout expectations. Kaepernick made the Cowboys look horrible in Week 1 as he completed 16 of his 23 passes for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Although those numbers don’t sound great on the surface, it should be remembered that he compiled them in a game when his team was winning by multiple touchdowns in the first quarter. Not only that, but wide receiver Michael Crabtree appeared to be hindered by a hamstring injury. With Crabtree slowed, it was Anquan Boldin who benefited by catching eight of the nine passes thrown his way for 99 yards. The player who put up the best fantasy day, however, was tight end Vernon Davis who caught four passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns. Davis is one of the premiere red zone threats in all of football and remains a favorite target in the 49ers passing game.

All of the players in this passing game have a decent matchup as they host the Chicago Bears and their defense, which is fresh off of allowing EJ Manuel to complete 16 of his 22 pass attempts in Week 1. The Bears finished in the top-10 in fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks a season ago, but that shouldn’t make fantasy owners too worried. One player who has a particularly appealing matchup in this game is Vernon Davis. The Bears allowed the second-most receiving yards to opposing tight ends in 2013, including seven separate games where they allowed at least 80 yards to the position.

Running Game Thoughts: People have been predicting the falloff of San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore for years, but it’s really never happened. Gore continues to be “the guy” in the Bay area for right now, but after an impressive NFL debut by rookie running back Carlos Hyde, the gap may be shrinking. Hyde rushed for 50 yards on just seven carries while Gore struggled to get to just 66 yards on 16 attempts. Hyde’s impressive day was also highlighted by a beautiful touchdown. It’ll be hard for the 49ers to keep Hyde off the field if he can continue to make the explosive plays he did in Week 1, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll be sitting Gore down anytime soon.

With that being the case, both players will likely see a decent number of snaps and carries in this Week 2 matchup against the Bears. It’s a great opportunity because the Bears were awful against opposing running backs in 2013, allowing the second-most amount of points to the position in the year. They allowed at least 14 points (standard scoring) to opposing running backs in each of their final 13 games of the 2013 season. They looked horrible again in Week 1, too, as they allowed the Bills’ running backs to rush for a total of 174 yards against them, while adding 28 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. Trusting Hyde with a spot in your lineup in an average league is probably a bit too much at this time, but Gore has a real opportunity for a huge game this week and should be in your lineup if you can fit him in.

Projections:
Colin Kaepernick: 225 pass yds, 2 TD, 25 rush yds
Frank Gore: 110 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds
Carlos Hyde: 40 rush yds
Anquan Boldin: 70 rec yds
Michael Crabtree: 50 rec yds, 1 TD
Vernon Davis: 70 rec yds, 1 TD

Prediction: 49ers 27, Bears 20 ^ Top