Notes:
- Fantasy points allowed rankings are from 2016.
- Green highllight indicates plus matchup (top 8)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom 8)
BUF
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16
Passing Game Thoughts: The Jets had to be leaving MetLife stadium
last Sunday thinking they should’ve won. It’s impossible
to place the blame on any one individual, but I’m looking
squarely at Brandon Marshall. Two failed red zone targets and
a horrific drop on the team’s final drive certainly didn’t
help the cause. Eric Decker did what he always seems to do: score
a touchdown. It’s why he is one of the safest options out
there. Even when he lets you down (only two catches for 37 yards),
he doesn’t let you down completely. Decker now has 80 yards
or a touchdown for 17 consecutive games. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled
in his two meetings against the Bills last season combining for
374 yards, 4 TDs and 5 INTs, servicing as mid-range and low-end
QB2. I would not worry about Quincy Enunwa (7-54-1). He functioned
as the de facto tight end given the Jets’ lack of one, but
last week was the exception, not the rule. Marshall and Decker
will dominate the targets.
Running Game Thoughts: “Powell was highly effective in
the shotgun and passing game last season. The thing is –
that’s Forte’s gimmick. If Matt Forte is right, I
can’t see the Jets taking him off the field for any other
reason than to keep him fresh. It’s something we won’t
know for sure until we see it on the field, but my money is on
Forte being just fine.” Oh. Sorry! That was from last week’s
Inside the Matchup. Was I supposed to write something new? One
week does not a season make, but it sure looks like Forte (22-96,
5-59) still has plenty left in the tank. If anything, he was even
better than I expected given how effective he was on the ground.
I wouldn’t necessarily bank on that continuing, but his
passing game floor looks to be mighty high. Forte can be trusted
as a high end RB2 until further notice. Powell is nothing more
than a handcuff.
NYJ
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Passing Game Thoughts: When the
Bills gave Tyrod Taylor six years and $92 million, I don’t
think this was the 2016 debut they had in mind. Taylor threw for
just 111 yards last week and the offense generated a whopping
seven points against a highly questionable Ravens secondary. The
bigger story is the ongoing concern with Sammy Waktins’
surgically repaired foot. There have been conflicting reports
regarding whether he might be shut down. Tests revealed no structural
damage, but pain doesn’t occur for no reason. Odds are there
is something going on the doctors haven’t been able to detect
yet. If it’s purely a pain tolerance issue, I’d expect
Watkins to play through it, which begs the more important question
of how effective he will be? If he is suffering, it would not
be a stretch for the Bills to hold him out Thursday night. He’s
listed as questionable, but with the new injury designation rules,
all that means is his odds of playing are higher than 25% and
lower than 100%. Even if he does play, given the short week and
the respect I am still going to give to Darrelle Revis, it’s
not the worst idea to bench him if you have a better option. Few
things are worse than staring at two points from your WR1 for
three days. The Bills offense thrives on Watkins’ downfield
plays. If he’s limited or out, he drags down Tyrod Taylor
with him. In the three games Taylor played and Watkins missed
last season, Taylor finished as the QB18, QB18, & QB13.
Running Game Thoughts: The Jets run defense is still menacing,
but LeSean McCoy is the clear workhorse back for the Bills. Reggie
Bush was barely seen last week and when he was, he was missing
holes similar to Trent Richardson and mostly going backwards (he
finished with negative rushing yards). The Bills may struggle
to score points Thursday night, but the volume won’t be
an issue for Shady. He should touch the ball upwards of twenty
times. Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle, toe) is listed as Questionable
for the Jets D-line while left tackle Cordy Glenn is out for the
Bills O-line.
CAR
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24
Passing Game Thoughts: Blaine Gabbert squares off against the
Panthers in a poor match up for an evolving offense. Carolina
allowed the sixth fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks in Week
1 and ranked in the top third of the league in 2015. Gabbert shouldn’t
sniff any starting rosters this week but he could post similar
numbers to last week (22-35, 170 yds, 1 TD). Jeremy Kerley wasn’t
even on the 49ers roster until two weeks prior to his 11-target
game in Week 1. He has the slot receiver job locked down and seems
to have found a nice home in Chip Kelly’s offense. However,
he will need to be better than 8.7 yards per catch to have much
value in non-PPR formats. Look for the 49ers to gettight end Vance
McDonald more involved this week after only receiving three targets
a week ago. If the 49ers choose not to run the ball when inside
the red zone, McDonald would be a factor. Quinton Patton and Torrey
Smith will both have opportunities but until the passing game
improves both outside receivers will be extremely risky flex options.
Running Game Thoughts: Carlos Hyde has already started paying
dividends for fantasy owners after his two touchdown performance
last week against the Rams. The Panthers rush defense held C.J.
Anderson to under 100 yards but he was able to average 4.6 YPC
so expect the Niners to force feed Hyde until the Panthers stop
him. If you are the type of owner who needs to mine PPR production
in a deep format Shaun Draughn should be on your radar this week.
He was able to score a touchdown on limited touches in Week 1
but if the Panthers start to pull away in the second half the
49ers may turn to Draughn in garbage time.
SF
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26
Passing Game Thoughts: Potential concussion concerns lingered
over Cam Newton following Carolina’s loss to open the season
but the Panthers’ QB passed every test and was not put into
protocol this week. Newton has only thrown for one touchdown in
two career games against San Francisco but that should change
this weekend. Kelvin Benjamin (6-91-1) was featured in a big way
against the Broncos but was only able to haul in half of his targets.
At times it looked like Cam was forcing the ball into him so keep
him glued in your lineup until further notice. Greg Olsen is as
steady as ever but he hasn’t had much luck in three previous
outings versus the 49ers (12-144-0). He is too reliable and consistent
to bench but temper expectations. Devin Funchess, not Ted Ginn,
Jr. was third on the team in targets after one game. Funchess
should start to benefit from Benjamin being double-teamed but
remains a boom or bust touchdown play for Week 2.
Running Game Thoughts: The 49ers rush defense comes into this
game feeling pretty good after holding Todd Gurley to 47 yards
on 17 carries. Carolina brings a little more to the table with
Cam Newton operating like a second tailback on any given play.
During the 2015 regular season San Francisco almost gave up as
many touchdowns on the ground (20) as they did via the pass (21)
which should play into Carolina’s strength. The yards may
not come easy, but Jonathan Stewart should get enough work in
to post respectable RB2 totals this week. As long as Stewart is
healthy, Mike Tolbert and Cameron Artis-Payne won’t offer
much in support and can be avoided in all formats.
HOU
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28
Passing Game Thoughts: Alex Smith is coming off a gutsy performance
against the Chargers but draws a Texans defense that allowed only
16 completions to the Bears last week. Jeremy Maclin was pedestrian
in two meetings against the Texans last season but left their
last meeting injured. The Chiefs allowed three sacks to the Chargers
in Week 1 and figure to be under the gun often in this game so
Maclin will need to do most of his work underneath on shorter
passing plays making him more of a WR3 this week. One area that
Kansas City has found success against Houston has been with its
athletic tight end Travis Kelce. At six-foot six-inches, Kelce’s
larger frame provides a nice target for Smith to hit over the
middle quickly rather than waiting for plays to develop on the
outside. Considering Houston was the only opponent to allow KC’s
tight end to top 100 receiving yards in 2015 (twice) expect the
Texans to make him a priority this weekend. Chris Conley and the
running backs should split the remaining targets.
Running Game Thoughts: If Spencer Ware is able to find success
against the Texans front-seven this week it will be hard for Andy
Reid to justify him not having a regular role in this offense
after Jamaal Charles returns. Just as the script played out against
San Diego in Week 1, Ware’s work in the receiving game gives
him a chance to eclipse 100 total yards in Week 2. Nonetheless,
Ware’s floor this weekend is considerably lower if Houston
forces the offense off the field quickly. Charcandrick West figures
to be mixed in behind Ware but remains a risky flex play.
KC
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Passing Game Thoughts: The Chiefs were effective against the
pass in their opening game against the Chargers, but the stats
might have looked differently if Keenan Allen wasn’t carted
off the field in the first half. I suspect the Chiefs will wind
up overplaying the run and allow Brock Osweiler to take a few
shots down the field to speedy Will Fuller. He did throw an early
interception against the Bears to remind us that he is relatively
inexperienced as a starter. He should remain consistently average
as a fantasy signal caller, including this week against Kansas
City. However, his ceiling is too low this week to be more than
a QB2. DeAndre Hopkins “only” had eight targets in
the first week of the season. This is more likely to be his norm
in the offense moving forward, rather than routinely seeing double-digit
targets like he did in 2015. Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong
will fight for leftovers but there won’t be enough targets
for either to make a fantasy impact. The offense continues to
ignore the TE as a receiving threat; though Osweiler did attempt
four passes to his two tight ends against Chicago.
Running Game Thoughts: When a running back has high volume in
a team’s offense he can produce like a RB1 even without
finding the end zone. That is exactly what Lamar Miller brings
to the table. As the focal point of an offense that is trying
to keep the pressure off of Osweiler, Miller might be the safest
lock for 20 touches a game every week. He is one of the best RB
starts of the week going up a Chiefs defense that got torched
on the ground in Week 1 to the tune of 146 yards and two scores
by Danny Woodhead and Melvin Gordon. Alfred Blue and Tyler Ervin
tied for the second most carries in Week 1 with one apiece.
CLE
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11
Passing Game Thoughts: Offensive coordinator Marc Trestman must
be salivating a bit thinking about attacking a Browns defense
that just allowed one of the least prepared quarterbacks to ever
start an NFL game (rookie Carson Wentz) to throw for 275 yards
and 2 touchdowns. Joe Flacco was efficient and looked healthy
last week in his first game of the season after an off-season
spent rehabbing a torn ACL. The Ravens led the league in pass
attempts in 2015 and Flacco dropped back 34 times last week. As
expected, Mike Wallace benefited from playing with the strong
armed Flacco, scoring on a deep catch and run. With no real standout
of the depth chart, Wallace should get plenty of opportunities
going forward. With a healthy Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman
in the mix (as long as he’s healthy), Flacco has an interesting
array of weapons and should enter each week with a relatively
high floor. Cleveland isn’t likely to bring much pressure,
which should allow Flacco to sit back and pick apart the Browns’
secondary. The Dog Pound will not be happy.
Running Game Thoughts: Baltimore made Buck Allen inactive last
week, going with a two-man rotation, making life a bit easier
for fantasy owners. However, neither Justin Forsett (13 touches)
nor Terrance West (14 touches) stood out against the Bills defense
so it will still be a difficult rotation to figure out on a weekly
basis. The duo should have an easier time against a Cleveland
run defense that allowed 133 rushing yards last week to Philadelphia.
Looking for a narrative? This could be a revenge game for West
who was released by the Browns citing laziness and immaturity
by the young back. West and the Ravens should take control of
this game early, making both running backs flex options in deeper
leagues.
BAL
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
Passing Game Thoughts: The RGIII era lasted one game in Cleveland.
Griffin was placed on IR with a shoulder injury and with that
journeyman Josh McCown regains his starting job. McCown (63.7
completion %) played reasonably well for the Browns last season
and gives a bump to all Cleveland pass catchers, especially tight
end Gary Barnidge who was invisible last week but put up a career-year
(79-1043-9) with McCown last season. Baltimore finished last season
as the 10th ranked pass defense allowing 233.6 passing yards per
game and held the Bills completely in check last week. McCown
did throw for 669 yards and 3 touchdowns in his two starts against
Baltimore last season so the precedence for success is there.
I don’t recommend chasing those stats however.
Running Game Thoughts: The Browns’ lone touchdown last
week came on an Isaiah Crowell run where he beat the corner back
on a sweep to the pylon from two yards out. The hard runner was
effective but volume (14 touches) was and will likely continue
to be an issue as the Browns project to be in negative game scripts
most of the season. Further hurting his value, Crowell shares
the backfield with second-year pass catching back Duke Johnson
who received more attention from McCown in the passing game. Baltimore
shut down the Bills running game last week so it would be tough
to recommend starting either back anyway. While the defense isn’t
likely as good as last week’s showing, the Ravens’
defenders should have the matchup advantage this week.
PIT
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9
Passing Game Thoughts: Andy Dalton likely won over anyone in
his locker-room that still had any doubts about his toughness
with a gritty Week 1 performance. The Red Rifle was sacked seven
times but still threw for 366 yards and a touchdown. This week
could be more of the same as he’ll face a team known for
blitzing and getting after the quarterback when the Bengals travels
to Heinz Field. Surprisingly on Monday night, the Steelers only
rushed three the majority of the time and dropped eight players
into coverage - a strategy that worked well against Kirk Cousins
who struggled, throwing a pair of interceptions. Against the more
composed and surprisingly mobile Dalton, that strategy may not
be as sound. The Bengals will be without Tyler Eifert (ankle)
once again and will continue to work in new comers Brandon LaFell
and rookie Tyler Boyd. However, Dalton knows where his bread is
buttered and will continue to pepper A.J. Green with targets and
let the tall and lanky wide-out do his thing. Green caught 12
of 13 targets for 180 yards and a score last week making Revis
Island his own personal playground. The Steelers would be wise
to come up with a scheme to contain Green this week.
Running Game Thoughts: The Bengals chose not to test the stout
Jet run defense last week, running the ball only fourteen times.
Jeremy Hill saw nine of those carries and while he only gained
31 yards he showed tremendous power and determination in bulling
his way over multiple defenders during his touchdown run. The
sledding doesn’t get much easier this week against a Pittsburgh
team that only yielded 55 yards on the ground in Week 1 and only
91.2 yards per game in 2015.
CIN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
Passing Game Thoughts: Big Ben Roethlisberger is proving to be
one of those quarterbacks that make everyone around him better.
Without the suspended Martavis Bryant and Le’Veon Bell,
the injured Markus Wheaton and the retired Heath Miller, Ben went
out and still moved his team up and down the field at will against
the Redskins Monday night. Antonio Brown continues to be uncoverable
and could realistically approach 2,000 receiving yards this season
while Eli Rogers seems to have solidified his role in the slot.
Watch the usage rates this week if Markus Wheaton (shoulder) returns.
The Bengals held the Jets to 188 passing yards in Week 1 and picked
off Ryan Fitzpatrick to seal the win as time ran out. While Roethlisberger
should present a much bigger challenge than the journeyman, last
season the Bengals were more than able to hold their own against
Ben, picking him off four times while only allowing him to throw
for one touchdown during their two regular season contests.
Running Game Thoughts: The 33 year-old DeAngelo Williams continues
to defy Father Time finishing Week 1 as the top running back in
fantasy football. There’s little reason to doubt that he
doesn’t continue as a RB1 for the next two weeks while filling
in for the suspended Le’Veon Bell. The Steeler offensive
line created big running lanes for the veteran back who exploded
through them gaining yardage in chunks. The Steelers should be
able to move the ball on the ground against a Bengals defense
that allowed the Jets to run for 152 yards last week.
DET
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1
Passing Game Thoughts: So much for the “exotic smashmouth”
brand of football the Titans were expected to run this season.
Marcus Mariota attempted 41 passes in Week 1, despite the Titans
having a first half lead. Mariota made two costly mistakes, an
interception and a fumbled exchange, which led directly to two
Minnesota touchdowns, but the second-year player should shake
it off and bounce back against a defense that gave up 368 yards
and 4 touchdowns to Andrew Luck last week. Unfortunately for Mariota
his team’s wide receiver depth chart is far less inspiring
that what Luck has to work with. Rookie Tajae Sharpe had a nice
preseason and first NFL game, but the rail thin Sharpe could have
a tough time if matched up with the Lions Darius Slay who was
one of the better cover corners in the league last season. The
Titans admittedly didn’t involve TE Delanie Walker (5 targets)
in the offense enough last week. Look for Walker to be a focal
point in Week 2.
Running Game Thoughts: The Titans’ two-headed monster at
the running back position was held at bay last week against a
tough Vikings’ front-seven although DeMarco Murray’s
two receiving scores brought a smile to the faces of his fantasy
owners. Murray and Henry combined for just 18 carries. Better
days should be ahead for the imposing duo. The Lions only gave
up 82 yards on the ground last week, but the Colts have long struggled
with their running game. The Titans will need to run the ball
well if they have any chance to win this week. Their game plan
must be to keep the high powered Detroit offense on the sidelines
while eating up some clock.
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12
Passing Game Thoughts: Matthew Stafford has been one of the best
quarterbacks in the league since Jim Bob Cooter took over the
offense in the middle of last season. He won a shootout against
Andrew Luck and the depleted Colts secondary last week and will
face the weak Tennessee secondary in Week 2. The loss of super-star
Calvin Johnson has forced Stafford into spreading the ball around
and so far so good with the new approach. Stafford completed nearly
80 percent of his passes last week (31-39) and the making four
players fantasy relevant in the process. The Titans defense failed
to pressure Shaun Hill last weekend which should give Stafford
plenty of time to hit his targets. Marvin Jones, Golden Tate,
Anquan Boldin, Theo Riddick and tight end Eric Ebron should have
little trouble exploiting their matchups this week.
Running Game Thoughts: This is a backfield that can be very effective
but drive fantasy owners nuts, as it is a true three-headed committee.
It looks as if rookie Dwayne Washington has beat out Zach Zenner
(a healthy scratch) for the “big back” role as Washington
was given two goal-line carries scoring with one of them last
week. Ameer Abdullah’s role should be expanded from his
rookie season but Theo Riddick continues to be used as a third-down
back and will likely see an increase in carries as well. Both
Abdullah and Riddick were very effective last week and with each
scoring a touchdown, but the touchdowns cannot be counted on each
week. The Titans held the Vikings and Adrian Peterson to only
65 yards, so expect the Lions to attack through the air where
they will meet very little resistance.
MIN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Passing Game Thoughts: While Aaron
Rodgers ultimately ended up having a good day for fantasy owners
(two passing TDs one rushing TD), the Packers’ passing offense
carried over some of its struggles from 2015. Rodgers threw for
just 199 yards against an improved but still young Jacksonville
defense and often looked out of synch with his wide receivers.
While it’s likely that this passing game will get back on
track eventually, going on the road to division rival Minnesota
as the Vikings open a brand new stadium may not be the jumping
off point. Minnesota gave up 252 yards last week to Tennessee’s
passing game but that came on 41 attempts and included a lot of
dump off passes. While owners are not going to bench Rodgers,
Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb, expectations should be tempered.
Running Game Thoughts: Eddie Lacy (18 touches) reportedly dropped
some weight this off-season after struggling in 2015, but he still
resembles the Fat Eddie Lacy on my television screen. He did however
look quicker and was effective running the ball. He was the clear
lead back over James Starks (5 touches) and his conditioning seemed
improved and those are the things his owners were most interested
in seeing in Week 1. He’ll face a difficult task against
a Minnesota team that is coming off a game where they held the
Titans to 64 yards and which features one of the best front sevens
in the league. This may turn into an old fashioned NFC North defensive
battle when all is said and done.
GB
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Passing Game Thoughts: It’s expected that Sam Bradford
will make his Vikings debut this week after the team spent a first
round pick two weeks ago to acquire him. Reports state that he
is taking almost all of the first team reps this week in practice.
However, the team has not announced a starting quarterback for
the game and Shaun Hill was adequate last week and more well-versed
in the playbook. Either way, the passing game is likely to struggle
against Green Bay’s solid defense. Green Bay was the 6th
ranked pass defense in 2015 allowing only 227.6 passing yards
and gave up only 20 touchdowns through the air and did a solid
job against Allen Robinson (15 targets, 6-72) in Week 1. Stefon
Diggs and TE Kyle Rudolph are the only fantasy considerations
in the pass game.
Running Game Thoughts: Thirty-one year old Adrian Peterson provided
further ammunition for his naysayers, running for only 31 yards
on 19 carries while lacking explosiveness. While the Titans clearly
didn’t respect the Vikings’ passing game, Peterson
failed to exploit some of the holes he did see and it’s
fair to ask if he’s heading towards the down-slope of his
career. It will be difficult to bounce back against a Packers’
team that will be game planning to stop him and only allowed a
league best 48 rushing yards last week. The Vikings will need
to come out throwing the ball downfield in order to open things
up for the veteran, but that may prove difficult for either Bradford
or Hill who both prefer the dink and dunk approach.
CHI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Passing Game Thoughts: It was a successful debut for the No.
2 pick in the draft, Carson Wentz. Despite having very few preseason
reps, Wentz looked like a seasoned pro (278 yds, 2 TDs), albeit
against one of the league’s worst defenses. Unfortunately
for the youngster things do get tougher this week as the Eagles
travel to Soldier Field to take on a Bears team that only allowed
215 passing yards last week and were ranked in the top 5 against
the pass in 2015. Jordan Matthews was Wentz’ go-to-guy in
Week 1 and that’s likely to continue especially with tight
end Zach Ertz missing this week’s game with a rib injury.
Veteran Brent Celek may see and expanded role, but it could be
third year player Trey Burton as the player fantasy owners want
to keep an eye on. He’s coming off of solid preseason and
is more athletic than the lumbering veteran. Coach Doug Pederson
has stated that the team will change up the offense this week
in order to give the Bears some different looks in order to try
help Wentz further succeed, but Brock Osweiler struggled last
week with a better array of weapons available to him, so fantasy
owners shouldn’t expect much from this passing attack.
Running Game Thoughts: Ryan Mathews is off to a good start in
his role as the feature back and was given 22 carries in Week
1. While all four backs saw carries last week for the Eagles,
Mathews easily outpaced them all. The coaching staff will likely
continue to lean on the run in order to ease the burden on their
rookie quarterback and Mathews has always been successful when
healthy. He saw the goal-line carries last week and that should
continue with the rest of the depth chart consisting of smaller
backs like Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner and Wendell Smallwood.
Sproles should continue his role as a third-down back and could
see heavy targets in what should be a conservative game plan on
Monday Night.
PHI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
Passing Game Thoughts: Jay Cutler got off to a good start last
week, but faltered while under constant pressure from the Houston
defense in the second half. The Bears’ offensive line is
one of the weakest in the league so that could happen often, especially
this week against an attacking Jim Schwartz defense that sacked
Robert Griffin three times last week while holding Cleveland to
only 168 passing yards. Cutler’s interception last week
was arguably not his fault, but we all know he’s prone to
turnovers when pressured. Expect the Eagles to bring the heat
but the blitzing could lead to a few big plays like last week
when they gave up receptions of 58 and 44 yards. Alshon Jeffrey
is one of the league’s best deep threats and the Eagles
will be without top corner Leodis McKelvin giving him a matchup
advantage whether its Nolan Carroll or Jalen Mills he draws in
coverage.
Running Game Thoughts: Any thoughts about a RBBC for the Bears
were put to rest in Week 1 when Jeremy Langford (19 touches) was
given a three-down role and performed reasonably well against
a tough Texans defense. Langford has great speed but struggles
to break tackles or gain yards after contact. The Eagles allowed
120 rushing yards last week, so if Langford can find a hole he
could see a few big gains. While he’s not a great pass catcher,
he may be utilized more than usual on screens to help counter
the Eagles’ blitzes.
ARI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27
Passing Game Thoughts: The No. 1
overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Jameis Winston showed why
Tampa Bay invested so much in him with a huge Week 1 performance,
destroying a division rival as he torched the Falcons for 281
yards and four scores and just one interception. Winston continues
to do a great job of spreading the ball around the field which
forces defenses to play conservatively against the team’s
top pass catcher, Mike Evans, who is off to a great start after
a five-reception, 99-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 1.
This week, the Bucs will now have a substantially tougher matchup
as they head to Arizona to play against Patrick Peterson, Tyrann
Mathieu and the Cardinals. A Tom Brady-less and Rob Gronkowski-less
New England team defeated Arizona in Week 1 so there’s something
to be hopeful for if you’re an owner of Winston, Evans or
even Vincent Jackson. Be careful, though, as the upside might
be limited. Arizona held opposing QB’s to 225 or fewer passing
yards in four of their eight home games in 2015.
Running Game Thoughts: He got enough
touches, but Doug Martin struggled on the ground last week against
a less-than-spectacular Atlanta run defense. Martin rushed for
just 62 yards on 18 carries, a 3.4 yards per carry average, and
he failed to score a touchdown. His otherwise lackluster fantasy
day was salvaged by some decent production in the passing game,
but it was actually backup RB Charles Sims who got into the end
zone with a reception. It won’t get any easier in Week 2
when Martin faces an Arizona defense that just got done holding
LeGarrette Blount and the Patriots backfield to 3.25 yards per
carry. Arizona also allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to
opposing running backs in 2015. While Doug Martin is tough to
bench given his workload, it’s possible that this game turns
into more of a passing shootout, which might mean a higher dosage
of Sims than usual.
TB
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13
Passing Game Thoughts: Every year
we hear about how Larry Fitzgerald is going to fall behind on
the depth chart in Arizona, but it just doesn’t seem to
happen. And why should it? The veteran caught eight of his 10
targets in Week 1 for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns, solidifying
his place as the team’s top pass catcher for now. The concern
turns to fellow receivers Michael Floyd and John Brown, who both
struggled a bit in Week 1. Floyd did make three receptions for
61 yards which is a low-end day for him but not an absolute disaster.
Meanwhile John Brown was targeted just four times, making just
one reception for eight yards, in a game that Carson Palmer threw
37 times. Brown is very clearly the third option in this offense
as he played substantially fewer snaps than both Fitzgerald or
Floyd and as such will remain a very hit-or-miss option from week
to week.
Running Game Thoughts: While many
of the other top running backs struggled in Week 1, second-year
back David Johnson picked up right where he left off in 2015 as
he rushed for 89 yards on 16 carries – an impressive 5.5
yards per carry average – while adding a touchdown on the
ground and four receptions for 43 yards as a receiver. The fact
that Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington combined to touch the ball
just three times in Week 1 just solidifies the reality that the
younger Johnson is the workhorse in this high-powered offense.
The Bucs defense was beaten up by the duo of Devonta Freeman and
Tevin Coleman in Week 1, particularly in the passing game, which
is definitely an area where Johnson excels. The Cardinals will
be looking to make a statement after dropping their Week 1 game
to the Patriots, so look for them to lean heavily on Johnson in
this game, making him one of the premiere plays in all of fantasy
football this week.
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
Passing Game Thoughts: Owners of Russell Wilson were disappointed
as their star quarterback got off to a slow start in Week 1, throwing
258 yards with just one touchdown and an interception. The real
disappointment, though, was that the typically mobile Wilson was
able to muster just 16 yards as a runner, largely due to suffering
a sprained ankle against the Dolphins. Wilson and his coaches
expect that he will be ready to go, but his fantasy potential
takes a huge hit if his ankle is causing him any problems. Wilson
is certainly capable of putting up good numbers through the air
as he showed in 2015, but the real advantage he has over most
of the field is his mobility. Doug Baldwin is the only player
who should be considered a probable starter on most fantasy teams
as he was targeted 11 times in Week 1, nine of which he caught
for 92 yards and a touchdown. Fellow receivers Tyler Lockett,
Jermaine Kearse and tight end Jimmy Graham are all players who
you could consider if you’re in a tough situation, but the
likelihood of one of them – let alone multiple of them –
having a big game is fairly low.
Running Game Thoughts: After splitting carries and being listed
as the backup in Week 1, Thomas Rawls will take over the starting
duties for the Seahawks in Week 2. Christine Michael will return
to his backup role, but it would not be at all surprising to see
these backs split the touches somewhat evenly, even conceding
a couple of passing downs to rookie C.J. Prosise. None of these
players showed much to be excited about in Week 1, but Rawls will
be the one who should be called upon if you have to start someone
from the Seattle backfield. The Rams defense looked like Swiss
cheese in Week 1 as they were gashed by Carlos Hyde and Shaun
Draughn for a combined 106 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Los Angeles’ offense might be the worst in the entire league
which could mean that Seattle gets out to a lead early and begins
to lean heavily on their running game, particularly late in the
contest.
SEA
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31
Passing Game Thoughts: We knew
it’d be bad, but few could have predicted that the Los Angeles
offense would look quite as horrendous as it did in Week 1. Case
Keenum threw for just 130 yards on 35 attempts with no touchdowns
and two interceptions. Rookie Jared Goff currently sits waiting
his opportunity to get on the field, but head coach Jeff Fisher
continues to insist that the embarrassing performance that Keenum
displayed in Week 1 does not change the fact that he is the team’s
starter. We’ve seen Fisher do this in the past with the
likes of Kerry Collins and Vince Young, so it’s entirely
possible that the Rams will be eliminated from playoff contention
by the time that Goff ever sees the field. It’s extremely
tough to trust anyone in this passing game, but if you’re
looking for a low-end Flex option out of this dumpster fire, Tavon
Austin is where your attention should go. Austin was targeted
12 times in Week 1 and while most of those passes were short,
he could be a decent PPR asset if he and Keenum can get on the
same page. Unfortunately, this already terrible passing game will
be up against the Legion of Boom in Week 2. Stay away. Stay far,
far away.
Running Game Thoughts: It’s
just one game, but it’s hard to not have your finger on
the panic button regarding Todd Gurley after a disastrous Week
1. In Gurley’s defense, it wasn’t entirely his fault.
The 49ers stacked the box against the Rams, daring Keenum to beat
them through the air and he simply couldn’t do it. On the
bright side, Gurley did touch the ball 18 times even in a game
that the Rams lost by four scores, which tells us that he is going
to be on the field a lot this season even in passing situations.
Still, things won’t get any easier for Gurley as he now
goes up against Seattle, one of the league’s best defenses.
Gurley did have a productive day when these teams played in Week
15 of the 2015 season as he rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown.
While he’s certainly the focal point of this offense which
gives him one of the higher downsides in the league at the position,
Gurley’s upside limits him to being a low-end RB1 in this
specific matchup.
DEN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10
Passing Game Thoughts: The Colts might have lost their home opener,
but fantasy owners were ecstatic to see Andrew Luck back on his
game, finishing second only to Drew Brees with a whopping 37.4
fantasy points. As we expected heading into the season, the primary
pass catchers in the offense are T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief,
but with Hilton (knee) having missed multiple days of practice
this week, it is now becoming a concern that he will be limited
or possibly not be available at all for Sunday’s game against
the Broncos. If Hilton cannot play, Moncrief becomes a very viable
WR2 in all formats even though Denver has one of the best secondaries
in the league. One potential trap for fantasy owners are the Indianapolis
tight ends, Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle, who combined for three
touchdowns in Week 1. Given Denver’s dominant edge pass
rush and Indianapolis’ poor offensive line, it can be expected
that the tight ends will be used to chip, if not double-team block
Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware quite frequently, which will limit
both of their chances in the passing game.
Running Game Thoughts: He might be the least exciting decent fantasy
player in the entire league, but Frank Gore continues to get the
vast majority of snaps at running back. The Colts are certainly
a pass-first offense (71%-29% split in Wk1), which limits Gore’s
upside, especially in matchups like this where he will need to
be used more as a blocker than as a receiver in order to keep
Andrew Luck standing. Gore’s usage will completely rely
on Indianapolis not falling behind early. Thankfully, the Denver
offense isn’t as high-powered as in years past, so it’s
possible that this will be a low-scoring game, which is right
up Gore’s ally. He’ll be doing well to get 15-plus
carries for 50 to 60 yards with and the possibility of a touchdown.
IND
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4
Passing Game Thoughts: There were times when he looked good,
but also times where Trevor Siemian looked awful in his first
NFL start against the Panthers in Week 1. Thankfully he’ll
have a much easier matchup here win Week 2 as he’ll be against
an Indianapolis defense that was torched for 340 yards and three
touchdowns by Matt Stafford and the Lions. Don’t expect
similar production from Siemian, but the upside for Emmanuel Sanders
and Demaryius Thomas is substantially better in this contest than
it was against the Panthers when both receivers struggled (9-97
combined). Thomas is dealing with a hip injury so Sanders is the
receiver you want, but Thomas is certainly a threat to do damage
any time he’s on the field. Another sneaky play in this
game might be tight end Virgil Green. The Colts gave up five receptions
and a touchdown Eric Ebron in Week 1 and with the Colts lacking
in the pass rush department, Green won’t be required to
stay home and block.
Running Game Thoughts: Where was that in 2015 C.J. Anderson? One
of the biggest disappointments in all of fantasy football a season
ago, Anderson piled it on a very good Carolina defense in Week
1 (20-92-1, 4-47-1). In Week 2, he’ll have one of the best
possible matchups as the Colts got absolutely humiliated by the
Lions running backs last week. The Lions backfield combined for
an astonishing 229 total yards and four total touchdowns. It’d
be hard for any team to reproduce that type of production, but
given Denver’s seeming commitment to the running game, Anderson
has to be considered one of the premiere RB options in Week 2.
Worried about Devontae Booker? Don’t be. Anderson received
24 of the 28 running back touches last week.
OAK
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30
Passing Game Thoughts: They lost
a division game at home in Week 1, but Matt Ryan and the Atlanta
offense looked good. Ryan threw for 334 yards and a pair of touchdowns,
one to each of his top two receivers, Julio Jones and Mohamed
Sanu. Jones will look to ramp up his production this week in what
could be a shootout against a Raiders defense that struggled in
Week 1. The Oakland defensive backs, namely Sean Smith, were beat
deep quite a few times by Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead, which
certainly bodes well for Jones who is one of the better deep threats
in the league. Both Jones and Sanu are dealing with ankle injuries,
but both are expected to play on Sunday with Jones slotting in
his usual spot as a high-end WR1 while Sanu is as a Flex option.
Ryan himself is a QB2 most weeks is in the QB1 conversation in
this matchup, provided that Jones is on the field.
Running Game Thoughts: After finishing
the 2016 season as the highest-scoring running back in fantasy
football, those who drafted Devonta Freeman were certainly hoping
that he’d continue to see the lion’s share of the
touches in the Atlanta backfield. That might be the case going
forward, but it certainly wasn’t in Week 1 as second-year
back Tevin Coleman touched the ball 13 times to Freeman’s
15. Coleman was far more effective with his touches, particularly
in the passing game where he compiled 95 yards on five receptions.
Freeman has typically been considered the better receiver of these
two backs, but we could be in for a full-on timeshare if Coleman
has improved in that area, which could be an absolute nightmare
for fantasy owners. Freeman should still be considered the better
player to own for now, but his value sits in the RB2 range while
Coleman is now in the conversation as a Flex option. The Raiders
defense couldn’t stop anything in Week 1 and as a result,
Vegas has this game with a relatively high over/under at 49.5.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Passing Game Thoughts: Derek Carr
was incredibly clutch in Week 1 as he led the Raiders back from
a deficit and scored a game-winning two point conversion on a
pass to Michael Crabtree. Carr was feeling it as he threw for
319 yards and a touchdown, including completing six passes for
139 yards to Amari Cooper and seven passes for 87 yards to Crabtree.
Both receivers are solid fantasy options this week, as is Carr
himself, who will be throwing against an Atlanta defense that
allowed Jameis Winston to light them up for four touchdowns in
Week 1. DB Desmond Trufant will likely stick to one side of the
defense and should end up on Cooper the majority but not all of
the time.
Running Game Thoughts: The offseason
has been full of controversy in the Oakland backfield as numerous
reports have come out that the team is not fully committed to
starter Latavius Murray. That didn’t seem to be the case
in Week 1 as Murray ended up with a 60%-40% snap count split in
his favor, rushing for 59 yards and a score on 14 carries in what
was a pass-heavy shootout with the Saints. The backup running
back spot is still a work in progress, as both DeAndre Washington
and Jalen Richard both saw action. Murray appears to be a safe
option for fantasy purposes, especially at home against an Atlanta
defense that conceded 137 total yards and a touchdown to the Tampa
Bay running backs in Week 1.
SD
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
SD FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
SD FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
SD FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5
Passing Game Thoughts: There was a lot of hype around Blake Bortles
and the Jacksonville passing game – at least from a fantasy
standpoint – to start the season. They failed to produce
huge numbers in Week 1 in what should have been a decent matchup
against the Packers, but Bortles did throw for 320 yards in the
loss. This week’s game against San Diego has shootout potential
and look for the Jaguars to rely heavily on their passing game
with Chris Ivory (illness) still expected to be out. Allen Robinson
was targeted (15) more than any player in the league in Week 1
and while he only caught six of those passes for 72 yards, the
fact that Bortles is looking for him on more than 1/3 of his attempts
certainly bodes well for his production going forward. He could
see lots of attention from one of the league’s best young
corners, Jason Verrett, but the volume is likely to come his way
making him an easy WR1. Allen Hurns and Julius Thomas could sneak
into lineups this week depending on situations as both have a
real possibility of getting into the end zone.
Running Game Thoughts: It’s hard to get overly excited about
the Jacksonville backfield when Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon are
both on the field because they’re both likely to get significant
playing time in a pass-heavy offense. But an undisclosed medical
situation held Ivory out in Week 1, which led to a decent fantasy
day for Yeldon who compiled 69 total yards and a touchdown. His
rushing production left quite a bit to be desired (39 yards on
21 carries), which will only add fuel to the fire of Ivory being
the team’s primary early-down back when healthy. Ivory is
now out of the hospital and has been doing cardio work, but he
hasn’t practiced as of Thursday so his likelihood of playing
is low at the moment. If he does, neither he nor Yeldon should
be relied upon as anything more than a Flex option. If he doesn’t
play, the total touches and passing game usage should make Yeldon
a potential low-end RB2, especially against a San Diego defense
that got walloped by Spencer Ware in the passing game last week.
JAC
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
Passing Game Thoughts: The first
major injury of the 2016 season came when San Diego’s Keenan
Allen tore his ACL early in the team’s loss to the Chiefs.
With Allen once again out for the season, Philip Rivers will once
again be throwing to a bunch of pass-catchers he has little to
no rapport with. Travis Benjamin joined the team this offseason
and should see a significant uptick in targets, but the player
who might see the biggest upgrade in fantasy value is Tyrell Williams.
Williams is a big-bodied perimeter target who has the ability
to go deep, in a similar mold to Malcom Floyd who retired this
past offseason. His production might be inconsistent at the beginning
but this matchup against Jacksonville should give us a good idea
as to how he’ll be used. Antonio Gates and Danny Woodhead
are the trusted veterans, who should both see plenty of targets
going forward and are very viable options in PPR formats.
Running Game Thoughts: After a disastrous
rookie season, Melvin Gordon finally scored his first regular
season NFL touchdown in Week 1 against the Chiefs. He liked the
feeling so much that he did it again later in the game. Oddly
enough, it was Danny Woodhead who actually led the team in rushing
attempts with 16 to Gordon’s 14. Woodhead is typically utilized
more in pass-heavy games due to his elite pass catching ability
out of the backfield, so this might have just been an aberration,
but it’s definitely something we should watch in this week’s
game against the Jaguars. Woodhead remains the better overall
fantasy back in PPR formats, but both players should be strongly
considered as fantasy options even against a Jaguars defense that
shut down the Green Bay backfield (18 carries, 69 yds) in Week
1.
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Passing Game Thoughts: There is no QB I hate playing against
more than Drew Brees. He torches me every time. In case you were
wondering, yes, I faced him last week. And I distinctly recall
facing him last year the week the Saints played the Giants. Brees
had a decent month that week, throwing for 511 yards and seven
touchdowns. The Giants defense has improved since last season,
but it’s difficult to judge them based on one game against
the ghost of the Cowboys offense. What we can say is Brees was
airing out like usual last week and Brandin Cooks looks to be
all sorts of a WR1. If you have Saints, you should start them,
except Coby Fleener. It appears there may be some truth the preseason
discussion that Fleener is struggling with the playbook.
Running Game Thoughts: Mark Ingram has always looked like “just
a guy” to me. And this was before Tim Hightower came off
the street and looked just as good as Ingram to close out 2015.
His value stems entirely from volume. Early in his career, he
didn’t get the volume so he wasn’t useful. The last
couple seasons, the volume has been there and he has been an RB1
when on the field. Last week, the Saints scored 34 points and
Ingram touched the ball just 14 times. He only had two targets
in the passing game, ceding the majority of work to Travaris Cadet.
The Giants actually did a solid job of containing Ezekiel Elliott
last week and I don’t think Ingram is anywhere near as talented
as Zeke. Once again, you are sending Ingram out there hoping for
volume and it should be there. But then again, it should’ve
been there last week.
NO
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25
Passing Game Thoughts: Eli Manning was very efficient last week.
He completed 19 of just 28 passes, but three of them went for
touchdowns. His lone interception looked horrific, but it appeared
to be Sterling Shepard’s fault. Speaking of Shepard, he
only saw four targets, but he made the most of them including
a sterling (I’m probably going to make this joke every week)
grab over a defender for his first professional touchdown. Giants
receivers make for nice fantasy plays this week, but I expect
this to be the Odell Beckham show as he mimics what Amari Cooper
did to this Saints secondary last week (6-137). As if it could
get any worse, the Saints will be without their top corner, Delvin
Breaux, as he has been lost due to a broken fibula. This one,
like most Saints games, should be a high scoring affair.
Running Game Thoughts: Rashad Jennings is going to be a floor
option and nothing more. He saw the volume we expected, but he’s
never going to blow the top off with yardage or receptions. He
needs to score, which he was unable to do last week. Shane Vereen
was more effective both on the ground and through the air (6.3
ypc, 7.7 ypc). He deserves a larger role, but we should at least
take solace in the fact that he’s no longer losing touches
to the likes of Andre Williams or Orleans Darkwa. Jennings and
Vereen were the only two running backs to touch the ball for the
Giants last week (19-9 split for Jennings). I expect a lot of
passing in this one so the upside of both backs is limited.
WAS
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22
Passing Game Thoughts: For the first time since Jon Kitna way
back in 2010, a Cowboys starting QB not named Tony Romo wasn’t
an unmitigated disaster. The Cowboys probably beat the Giants
with Romo, but I wouldn’t say Dak Prescott is the reason
they lost. He missed some throws and didn’t do enough with
his legs, but ultimately, he put the team in a position to win.
Unfortunately, Terrance Williams does not understand how the clock
works. The biggest takeaway from last week’s game is Dez
Bryant’s invisibility in this offense. Prescott was a check-down
machine, peppering Jason Witten (14) and Cole Beasley (8) with
targets. He took a couple shots to Bryant, but when you roster
Dez Bryant on your professional football team, you need to make
a concerted effort to get the ball in his hands – similar
to how the Steelers force feed Antonio Brown at least a couple
of short throws every week. Bryant may or may not be lined up
against Josh Norman this week. It would behoove the Cowboys to
move Bryant around like the Steelers did with AB. Step 1: Avoid
Norman. Step 2: Roast Breeland. Step 3: Profit. Dez can no longer
be relied on as a WR1, but he should be far more involved than
he was last week.
Running Game Thoughts: Alfred Morris actually outplayed Ezekiel
Elliott last week, which served to reignite the rage I felt when
the Cowboys drafted Zeke over Jalen Ramsey this year. Morris would
be absolutely fine as the feature back in this offense. With that
being said, Zeke is still the better player and the Cowboys offensive
line had a rare off day, particularly on many of Elliott’s
runs. If what DeAngelo Williams did last Monday night (26-143-2,
6-28) is any indicator, the rookie should have a much easier go
of it in his second career start.
DAL
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6
Passing Game Thoughts: Will the real Kirk Cousins please stand
up? Oh? What’s that? That was the real Kirk Cousins last
week? Yes it was. Cousins even by his standards, had a brutal
outing on Monday night. The Steelers sat back and rushed three
or four and dared Cousins to find a way to beat them. They said
to Cousins, “take your time.” Except he didn’t.
In the face of no rush and no pressure, he unleashed hurried and
inaccurate passes. His non-pick in the first quarter was particularly
awful. There is good news though. Despite Cousins’ poor
play, Jordan Reed was heavily targeted and looks to be every bit
of the elite TE we thought. And DeSean Jackson is back! He was
barely drafted as a top 36 WR, but looks like his usual WR2 self.
As long as he’s healthy, he is going to be startable. The
Cowboys contained Odell Beckham Jr. last week, but this defense
is very exploitable, particularly by teams with multiple receiving
options – one of which is the Redskins.
Running Game Thoughts: The Redskins ran the ball even worse than
I could have imagined. Ehh. That’s not entirely true. It
went about as bad as I expected. Matt Jones is not an NFL caliber
starting running back. His best “skill” is making
sure he falls down on first contact. He has trouble making guys
miss and doesn’t break tackles. Chris Thompson out-snapped
him and outplayed him just like he did all of last season. CT
even saw a goal line carry, which he converted. Admittedly, that
likely had to do with the Redskins being in a no-huddle situation.
Thompson’s involvement is encouraging, though, and his workload
should continue to increase as the Redskins inept front office
begins to realize what more knowledgeable football minds already
knew: Matt Jones is not the answer at running back. If I had to
guess, I’d say he’s droppable within a couple of weeks.
NE
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
Passing Game Thoughts: Ryan Tannehill didn’t light up the
stat sheet last week, but he did throw for 257 yards and 1 TD
and added another on the ground. Wait, what’s that? He didn’t
have a 71-yard TD pass to Kenny Stills? There’s a high chance
that goes down as the worst drop of the season. So while Tannehill’s
numbers were actually 186 yards passing with only the rushing
TD, he should’ve had a QB1 type game. He played way better
than I anticipated and did so against what’s supposed to
be a top 5 defense. The thing is – the Patriots are also
a top defense. I’m not entirely sure Tannehill’s success
wasn’t a product of Seattle’s failures. I expect a
much worse performance this week from all Dolphins. The only member
of this passing game I trust is Jarvis Landry.
Running Game Thoughts: Similar to the Redskins, this is a backfield
you want to stay far, far away from. Jay Ajayi’s career
is closer to over than it is to taking off. Meanwhile, current
starter Arian Foster looked awful last week. Again, Seattle does
still have a strong defense, but Foster wasn’t just inefficient
(2.9 ypc), he looked slow and very much like a 30 year-old running
back coming off a serious injury. New England’s front-seven
did a respectable job on David Johnson last week. Foster is in
for a long afternoon.
MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21
Passing
Game Thoughts: We saw four QBs make their first career
starts last week. I thought the guy taking the big stage for the
first time in the national spotlight looked the best out of all
of them. Jimmy Garoppolo commanded the Patriots’ offense
not unlike Tom Brady. He hit up his pass catching running back,
James White. He utilized Julian Edelman underneath. He found Chris
Hogan for a big score. He looked to be fully in control. There
is no question in my mind that he is one of the 32 best QBs in
the league and deserves a starting role somewhere. For as long
as Edelman is healthy, he will be a PPR WR1. He is just fine with
Jimmy G and will obviously be even better when Brady comes back.
The biggest question for this week is whether Rob Gronkowski (hamstring)
will make his 2016 debut. He’s been practicing, but reports
from Foxboro are he still doesn’t quite look like the Gronk
we’re used to. He is going to be a true game time decision,
but if he’s active, even at less than 100%, you must start
him.
Running Game Thoughts: LeGarrette Blount started and handled
22 carries last week. He wasn’t electric. He was typical
Blount. He was serviceable and he found the end zone. It will
never be pretty with Blount, but he’s probably an RB2 going
forward. James White filled the “insert pass catching back
here” role in the Patriots offense quite nicely. He saw
seven targets, catching five for 40 yards. These two are unlikely
to see much fluctuation in their value or production outside of
touchdowns, which are unpredictable. You know what you’re
getting. The Dolphins did a respectable job against Christine
Michael and Thomas Rawls last week (28-96, 6-44) combined.
BUF
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
NYJ
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
CAR
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
SF
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
HOU
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
KC
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
CLE
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
BAL
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
PIT
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
CIN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
DET
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
MIN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
GB
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
CHI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
PHI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
ARI
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20 
TB
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
SEA
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
DEN
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
IND
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
OAK
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
SD
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
JAC
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
NO
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
WAS
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
DAL
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
NE
FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
Passing
Game Thoughts:
