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Inside the Matchup
Divisional Playoffs
1/12/18

By: Andy Swanson | Jason Katz | Nick Caron | Jake Gordon



ATL @ PHI | TEN @ NE | JAX @ PIT | NO @ MIN

Notes:
- Green highllight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)

Falcons @ Eagles - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: 2017 saw a huge statistical drop-off for Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL Most Valuable Player award winner. That lack of production certainly has affected the rest of the Atlanta offense which went from being one of the most efficient offenses of all-time to just an above average unit with the ability to go off from time to time. Ryan had zero games this season with more than two touchdown passes but he did throw at least one touchdown pass in all but one contest, making him one of the more consistent scorers at the position even if he ended up being only a bottom-end QB1/high-end QB2 in most formats.

That same type of production continued on Wild Card weekend when the Falcons came into Los Angeles and won despite Ryan throwing for just 218 yards and one score. It’s hard to see much more than that happening this week as the Falcons head on the road again, this time to the cold weather in Philadelphia, to face an Eagles defense which has worked to keep their struggling offense in games since Carson Wentz went down. Over their final two regular season games, both at home, the Eagles defense held Derek Carr and Dak Prescott to a combined 319 total passing yards with just two touchdowns and two interceptions. They allowed just 16 total points in those two contests, which certainly leads us to believe that they’ll be able to keep things competitive with the Falcons, as long as Nick Foles doesn’t give them bad field position all day long.

It’s easy to hear the name Julio Jones and just immediately throw him at the top of the receiver rankings list for the Divisional Round but his production will likely come more in the form of volume than it will big plays against this Philadelphia defense. That could mean a low yards-per-reception average and a low chance for a touchdown, thus making him a solid WR1 but maybe not the top overall receiver on the board.

PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19

Running Game Thoughts: A combined 32 rushing attempts between Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman helped catapult the Falcons to a road win against the Rams this past week but things are a lot different heading into the divisional round. The Rams ranked 31st in the league in fantasy points given up to opposing running backs but the Falcons’ divisional round opponent, the Eagles, were at the opposite end of that spectrum, giving up the second-fewest fantasy points to the position throughout the regular season. While they did give up 95 and 103 yards respectively to Marshawn Lynch and Ezekiel Elliott over their final two regular season games, they had previously not allowed a single 100-yard rusher all season long. There is concern that the Philadelphia defense is wearing down after the offense has not been able to move the ball efficiently down the stretch but a week off should have at least helped rejuvenate this unit a bit, giving them a much better chance to keep the Freeman and Coleman duo in check. The Falcons will likely look to pass more often in this game than they run, which will likely lead to a lower workload for Freeman and Coleman who have, for whatever reason, not been utilized much in the passing game this season. Freeman is still the better play of the two but neither player is an excellent option in what could be a difficult matchup.

Value Meter:
QB1: Matt Ryan (low-end)
RB2: Devonta Freeman
WR1: Julio Jones
Flex: Tevin Coleman, Mohamed Sanu (low-end, PPR)
Bench: Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy, Austin Hooper

Passing Game Thoughts: Over the final two weeks of the season, the Eagles rank in the bottom five in the league in total yardage, points per game, third down efficiency and a host of other extremely important statistics, which should have Philadelphia fans worried about their chances heading into their first playoff game of the season. Sure, one of those games saw the Eagles turn to their backups for the final two-thirds of the contest, but the lack of offense generated by Nick Foles since taking over for the injured Carson Wentz would seem to indicate that we should not be relying on this team to generate much, even in what should be a positive matchup on paper against the Falcons and their middle-of-the-pack fantasy defense against QBs.

Obviously things have changed dramatically since Wentz went down, but the fact that Alshon Jeffery has just one catch on four targets over the past two games is a major concern, not just from an effectiveness measurement but we might also be seeing a schematic shift under Foles. On a positive note, Foles did play in the Week 15 matchup when Jeffery was targeted 10 times, catching four of those passes for 49 yards and a touchdown; but even that only brings his total to 14 targets in the three games since Foles took over. The upside is still there for Jeffery, but look at him as more of a boom-or-bust option than usual until he proves otherwise. The other pass catcher in this offense that we focus on is Zach Ertz, who finished the season at third among all tight ends in scoring. The difference between Ertz and Jeffery, however, is that Ertz has not seen nearly the drop off in targets that Jeffery has. He was only targeted twice in limited playing time in Week 17 but he saw an impressive 23 targets, 15 of which he caught for 137 yards and two scores over Weeks 15 and 16. That kind of usage could realistically make Ertz the most sought-after fantasy tight end this week, if not only behind Rob Gronkowski. The only other Philadelphia receiver who should be looked at this week is Nelson Agholor, who has also remained involved since Foles took over, catching 14 passes over the final three weeks of the season. Still, he is the third option in an offense that has not been particularly effective, so be careful relying on him.

ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21

Running Game Thoughts: While the Eagles seem to finally be realizing that Jay Ajayi gives them the best chance to win games, the truth is that he’s still not seeing much more than half of the offensive snaps for this offense, while Corey Clement and LeGarrette Blount continue to vulture playing time and fantasy points. None of these players is involved significantly in the passing game, so it all comes down to who is getting the most touches out of the backfield, and where those touches are happening. Blount is still believed by most to be the team’s primary “goal-line back” but the Eagles simply haven’t been in the position to give him many carries in that area of the field. If that’s not happening, Blount’s fantasy value goes from decent to negligible at best. He’s essentially a touchdown-or-bust type of player, which is not something we want to be relying on if we don’t have to. Clement has shown explosiveness and is certainly underrated but his workload hasn’t been enough that he can be relied on, especially in a game where odds makers have predicted a Philadelphia loss. That type of negative game script will likely lead to none of the Eagles backs being particularly impressive from a fantasy standpoint, but Ajayi is at least worth taking a look at as an RB2, if for no other reason than his big play ability combined with the 10-to-15 touches he’s been getting most weeks down the stretch.

Value Meter:
RB2: Jay Ajayi
WR2: Alshon Jeffery
TE1: Zach Ertz
Flex: Nelson Agholor
Bench: Nick Foles, Corey Clement, LeGarrette Blount, Torrey Smith, Marcus Johnson, Mack Hollins, Trey Burton

Prediction: Falcons 24, Eagles 20 ^ Top

Titans at Patriots - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: Last week’s comeback victory was one of the most damaging wins in football history…for the Titans. Because of that win and that win alone, Mike Mularkey is going to get at least two more years. That means at least two more years of an offense straight out of 1990 and a passing game that does not suit Marcus Mariota and his particular skills. For this week, Mariota should be throwing a lot in a game the Titans are likely going to be down early. It is fair to say there’s no chance he throws another touchdown to himself and it’s also unlikely he throws another one to Eric Decker, who caught the game winner against the Chiefs. Decker has been invisible all season because he is no longer good at football, but he caught a perfectly delivered Mariota strike to pull ahead of the Chiefs. What may have gone unnoticed is that just before Decker’s touchdown, Mariota mistimed an easy touchdown to Corey Davis who was all alone streaking up the right side. Davis has taken over the number one wide receiver role and is going to be a screaming value in 2018.

Rishard Matthews was surprisingly ignored by Mariota last week with just one catch on two targets. Delanie Walker was the only Titan consistently producing with six catches on eight targets for 74 yards. The Titans went down by three scores relatively early, yet Mariota still threw for just 205 yards. He did add 46 on the ground, but his passing numbers continue to prove that his value is in his rushing. He needs to run to be fantasy viable. With the Patriots playing stout defense and Belichick having two weeks to prepare, I don’t have much confidence in any of the Titans. Walker is unlikely to be on many playoff fantasy rosters as I’m sure most of you, like me, expected the Titans to be watching this game rather than playing in it. The same goes for Matthews and Mariota. In daily lineups, Walker is overpriced and Mariota, while a sneaky contrarian play, just hasn’t displayed the ceiling he had in 2016, making him hard to trust even with projected favorable game script.

NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20

Running Game Thoughts: DeMarco Murray has played his last down as a Titan. Derrick Henry actually did more than his usual shtick of running into the backs of linemen a bunch of times before breaking off a 30+ yard splash play. Last week, he had the 35-yard touchdown and he was consistently gaining solid yardage throughout the game. Henry touched the ball 25 times and totaled 191 yards. He is also unlikely to be on many playoff rosters, but has a high volume floor and will be heavily involved regardless of the score. He won’t be as efficient against the Patriots as he was against the Chiefs, but Henry is a very strong daily option in a week where most people can be expected to go with guys like Alvin Kamara, Dion Lewis, and Le’Veon Bell.

Value Meter:
QB2: Marcus Mariota
RB1: Derrick Henry
TE2: Delanie Walker
Bench: Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis, Eric Decker

Passing Game Thoughts: Tom Brady has been the starting QB of the New England Patriots since 2001. He’s appeared in a whopping seven AFC Championship games and all he has to do to reach an eighth is beat a Titans team that hasn’t beaten the Patriots since December 16, 2002, which is the last time the Patriots had a season with single digit wins. At age 40, Brady led the NFL in passing yards with what was just his fifth highest total of his career.

Brady’s performance unquestionably tailed off as the season ended with his yardage and touchdown totals down and his interceptions up. He still threw just eight picks on the year, but six of them were in his final six games. Brady did not bring Brandin Cooks to new heights as many expected. Cooks’ target count was right in line with 2016, but he caught 13 fewer balls for 91 fewer yards. Cooks is still the best receiver on the Patriots and Brady’s number one option this week, but I would not trust him in daily or playoff lineups.

Rob Gronkowski finished as the league’s best tight end, which is literally a yearly guarantee if he stays relatively healthy. Gronk is probably underpriced as an elite WR1 masquerading as a TE.

Chris Hogan is going to play this week, but coming off a lengthy layoff, he is not on many playoff rosters. He could be a contrarian play in daily lineups, though. Danny Amendola is too far down the totem pole and even more so now that Hogan is back.

The Patriots are going to score a lot of points and win this game easily, but the game script will not favor a pass heavy approach and Brady simply hasn’t been throwing much in games where he hasn’t had to. I would be weary of the Patriots this week.

TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15

Running Game Thoughts: Rex Burkhead returning this week muddies the waters as Dion Lewis finished the season on an absolute tear as the feature back. Lewis scored a touchdown in each of his final three games, including two in each of his last two, over which he averaged 30 touches. I don’t expect him to touch the ball as much against the Titans, especially with Burkhead back. Logic says Burkhead will be reinstalled as the goal line back, but Lewis was just fine in that role while Burkhead was hurt. Additionally, Burkhead was still favoring his knee at practice so it is unclear how active he will be if he indeed suits up. I do think the Patriots like Burkhead more than James White (and they like everyone more than Mike Gillislee), but Lewis is the clear preferred option and the safer fantasy bet. He is also the guy likely to be found more commonly on playoff rosters. White is not a fantasy option despite being the hero of last year’s Super Bowl. The reality is he’s just not as good as Burkhead and Lewis. If I had to pick one for this week, it would be Lewis.

Value Meter:
QB2: Tom Brady (only seven QBs (Bortles doesn’t count) this week and he’s not top two)
RB1: Dion Lewis
WR3: Brandin Cooks
TE1: Rob Gronkowski
Bench: Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Rex Burkhead, James White

Prediction: Patriots 30, Titans 13 ^ Top

Jaguars @ Steelers - (Gordon)

Passing Game Thoughts: Many doubters, myself included, didn’t think Blake Bortles would make it through the regular season as the starter let alone win a playoff game. Bortles certainly wasn’t the reason the team made the playoffs but he was certainly the reason the team didn’t miss the playoffs. Turnovers throughout last season and into this preseason cast serious gloom into the offense’s 2017 outlook. 17 weeks later they finished the regular season ranked fifth in the league for scoring and are the unlikely answer to the question which NFL team ran the most offensive plays from scrimmage during regular season? All of that in a year where Allen Robinson tore his ACL in Week 1.

Despite typing everything above, the Jacksonville’s passing game isn’t brimming with fantasy potential. Blake Bortles has only played the Steelers twice in his career. Small sample size sure, but zero touchdowns and three interceptions can’t be overlooked. He’ll be playing on the road where he carries a six-to-eight touchdown to interception split this season. Factor in the Steelers pass defense gave up the fourth fewest passing yards per game and it’s tough to imagine there being enough production to allow more than one receiver to have a quality fantasy day. Marqise Lee remains the best bet to lead the team in targets on Sunday. He’s much safer than Allen Hurns, Keelan Cole and Marcedes Lewis. Having Hurns and Lee back has pushed Cole right out of the fantasy spotlight almost as quickly as he emerged. The deeper and more dependable pass-catching options will certainly help Bortles but it won’t be enough to drastically change the game-calling. Unless the Steelers have a two-touchdown lead in the second half, the Jaguars will remain committed to the run. Consequently, the risk may be greater than the reward for everyone in Jags’ passing game.

PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30

Running Game Thoughts: Losses to the Bears and Jags earlier in the year exploited Pittsburgh’s rush defense. The Steelers are surely spending a lot of time preparing for Jacksonville’s top ranked rushing attack. Pittsburgh has come a long way defending the run from where they were at the beginning of the year but the Jags know what they need to do to win this game. Leonard Fournette’s first career 20-point fantasy outing came in Week 5 against the Steelers. Whether or not history repeats itself, the Jags are not about to shy away from trying to win this game in the trenches. It could become a brutally epic low scoring affair in the process but it does make Fournette a lock to see 15 touches with plenty of scoring potential if the team can be at least mildly effective with the pass. Utilizing T.J. Yeldon as an outlet receiver will likely get squashed by the Pitt defense more often than not. The former ‘Bama rusher has emerged as the second-best fantasy running back in the offense and makes the team tougher to defend when Fournette isn’t on the field. He’s good for a key play or two but won’t get enough opportunities to be a difference maker in the fantasy game.

Value Meter:
RB1: Leonard Fournette
WR2: Marqise Lee
Bench: Allen Hurns, Keelan Cole, Marcedes Lewis, Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon

Passing Game Thoughts: The Steelers passing attack has been playing without Antonio Brown for a few weeks now but that won’t be the case this weekend. AB returned to practice this week from a torn calf muscle and will be ready to go up against CB Jalen Ramsey. Pittsburgh knows how to get Brown involved no matter who lines up opposite of him on defense. Do not attempt to overthink this decision by saying he is coming off injury or that the matchup is poor. Brown is a top five fantasy wideout 99-percent of the time and Big Ben isn’t about to ignore his favorite option. Roethlisberger hasn’t gone over 15 fantasy points in three of the Steelers final four games. He is always possible of making a play you never expect but he hasn’t been asked to throw the Steelers to victory too often in 2017. Attacking the Jags via the pass isn’t necessary with Bell in the backfield so expect another middle of the road performance from Ben and this passing game. That will make the secondary pass-catchers touchdown or bust fantasy plays. Martavis Bryant and JuJu Smith-Shuster are potential bargain performers this weekend but only one is likely to post solid numbers. Lingering trust issues between Roethlisberger and Bryant have me leaning towards the emerging rookie. Neither tight end offers much fantasy upside but if you play in a weekly lineup and want to use a stars and scrubs strategy, Vance McDonald is used more in the passing game than Jesse James.

JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22

Running Game Thoughts: The rushing attack really helps the Steelers win games on third downs. Keeping the offense out of third and long is paramount against Jags’ excellent combination of pass rush and blanket coverage. Luckily, the Steelers have converted on 44-percent third downs during the regular season (only the Atlanta Falcons have been better at 45-percent). Keeping the chains moving typically allows the team to win the time of possession battle (Pittsburgh ranked 5th this year) and increases their ability to deploy Le’Veon Bell in various ways. Bell finished the regular season by scoring over 22 fantasy points in three of the final four games to help the Steelers secure a first round Bye. The offense runs through Bell, making him the safest and strongest fantasy running back option this week. He’s playing well at the right time, is playing at home against in inexperienced Jacksonville football team. I do see a low scoring game, but if the Jags can allow a hobbled LeSean McCoy to post a 3.9 YPC on 19 carries last week Bell shouldn’t have an issue topping the century mark on the ground. Add in his usual complement of fantasy points from the passing game and he will yield a high return on those who invested in him in all formats. Stevan Ridley didn’t need much time to snatch up backup duties. He won’t see many chances this week but he offers more upside over the rest of the playoffs than Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Value Meter:
QB1: Ben Roethlisberger (low end)
RB1: Le’Veon Bell
WR1: Antonio Brown
Flex: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Martavis Bryant
Bench: Jesse James, Vance McDonald, Stevan Ridley, Fitzgerald Toussaint

The Jags are built for playoff football and the Steelers have been looking past everyone to get to the Patriots. The closer the game, the more I like the Jags to pull off the upset in a race to 20 points.

Prediction: Jaguars 20, Steelers 17 ^ Top

Saints @ Vikings - (Swanson)

Passing Game Thoughts: Despite setting an NFL record for completion percentage in a season, Drew Brees finished outside the top 12 in fantasy points scored per game for the first time since 2004. His 20.1 points per game were tied for 14th among quarterbacks with Josh McCown of the New York Jets, with fantasy stalwarts (sarcasm implied) like C.J. Beathard and Blake Bortles less than one point behind.

The reduction of fantasy points by the veteran quarterback is not a reflection of poor play on Brees’ part, but rather a change in philosophy for the Saints and an improvement of a defensive unit that no longer requires the New Orleans offense to play catchup in shootouts. Brees finished the season with only one game in which he threw for three or more passing touchdowns, and he managed to reach the 300 passing yard plateau just three times in the regular season.

In a classic battle of one of the league’s top offenses versus the league’s top defense in limiting points to opposing quarterbacks, Brees and the Saints will likely once again lean on their league-leading ground attack against the Vikings on Sunday. Minnesota allowed a league-best 12 passing touchdowns in 16 games and only one passing touchdown since Week 12. Perhaps more impressive, Mike Zimmer’s defense allowed opponents to convert on third down just 25% of the time, far and away the best rate in the league.

Look for Xavier Rhodes to once again shadow leading receiver Michael Thomas like he did when the teams played Week 1 at US Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Saints 29-19 in that contest, as Rhodes limited Thomas to just five catches for 45 yards and zero touchdowns.

Although the Vikings won the first matchup over the Saints, the New Orleans offense was a work in process in September and rookie sensation Alvin Kamara had not yet evolved into the weapon he is today. It will be interesting to watch how Mike Zimmer game plans for Kamara in the passing game, especially when he blitzes and the Saints counter with one of their many screens.

DFS players looking for a cheap tight end play may be lured by Josh Hill and his 3/49/1 surprise performance last week against the Panthers. It is possible that Brees and head coach Sean Payton may look to surprise the No.1 ranked defense against tight ends with a designed play in the red zone, but starting Hill and his low target numbers (no more than four targets in any game) is a risk.

MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32

Running Game Thoughts: There is no weakness in the Minnesota defense, as Zimmer’s unit ranks first in fewest points to quarterbacks and running backs. The Vikings allowed only seven rushing touchdowns in 16 regular season games; a number that is significantly skewed by an outlying three-touchdown performance by Jonathan Stewart Week 14. Only one running back managed to reach the century mark and only six opposing backs scored more than ten fantasy points in a game.

Accolades aside, if there is one rushing attack that can break down the Viking wall and dominate Minnesota on the ground, it is the New Orleans Saints tandem of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. The Vikings shut down Ingram and Kamara in the opening weekend of the season, limiting the dynamic tandem to just 109 total yards on 22 touches, as the Saints were intent on making Adrian Peterson a thing at that time.

Stopping Kamara and Ingram will not be an easy task the second time around, especially in the passing game where Kamara thrived as a receiver out of the backfield. Look for Payton to try to establish the ground game to help Brees work the play action pass, but the majority of damage done by Ingram and Kamara will be done in the air. Kamara and Ingram combined for 74 receiving yards on nine receptions Week 1 and the tandem should be able to top that mark with at least 100 receiving yards on Sunday.

A fractured leg for starting left guard Andrew Peat in the Wild Card win over the Panther will limit the effectiveness of a Saints offensive line that ranked No.2 in pass and run blocking according to FootballOutsiders.com. Senio Kelemente played well in Peat’s stead against the Panthers, but he will be tested against the Vikings defensive line of Linval Joseph, Tom Johnson, and Everson Griffen.

Value Meter:
QB1: Drew Brees (High-End)
RB1: Alvin Kamara (High-End)
RB2: Mark Ingram (High-End)
WR1: Michael Thomas (High-End)
TE2: Josh Hill (High-End)

Passing Game Thoughts: Much has been said this week about the glaring difference in playoff experience between Drew Brees and Case Keenum, as Keenum is set to make his playoff debut, while Brees has 12 playoff games under his belt. Experience at the quarterback position in the playoffs is an asset, and the Saints own a significant advantage in that department. But if Keenum can play the efficient way he did in the regular season and limit turnovers, the Vikings have an excellent shot at moving on into the conference championship round.

Keenum finished the regular season as the 20th ranked quarterback in fantasy at 19.2 points per game. Although he tailed off in his final two games with just two passing touchdowns and 328 combined yards against the Packers and Bears to close out the season, the journeyman backup set career marks for touchdown passes (20), yards (3547), completions (325), and completion percentage (67.6).

Wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs finished the regular season tied in points per game at 9.6 apiece, with Thielen finishing eighth in receptions at 91, three ahead of perennial first-round pick Julio Jones. The likelihood of Marhson Lattimore shadowing Diggs on the outside makes Thielen a more attractive option in DFS.

Although New Orleans has not allowed a touchdown to a tight end since Week 11 against the Redskins, the Saints did allow six receiving touchdowns to opposing tight ends, and Kyle Rudolph could play a big factor in this matchup.

Running Back Jerick McKinnon is another interesting player in this game based on the fact that New Orleans is tied for second for the most receiving touchdowns allowed to running backs out of the backfield. Christian McCaffrey, Chris Thompson, Elijah McGuire, and Tevin Coleman all managed to post 100 yards or a touchdown against the Saints in 2017, with McCaffrey completing the feat in each of the team’s matchups.

NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28

Running Game Thoughts: The trio of Dalvin Cook, Jerick McKinnon, and Latavius Murray combined to rank 5th overall in fantasy points scored at the running back position in 2017. Cook looked impressive by averaging 14.1 fantasy points through the first six weeks of the season before sustaining a season-ending knee injury against the Lions. McKinnon initially became the top fantasy option out of the Minnesota backfield in the absence of Cook, only to be usurped by Murray once the veteran from Oakland regained his health.

Both Murray and McKinnon will be vital keys to the success of the Vikings on Sunday, as Minnesota offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will look to take advantage of a Saints defense that allowed the 18th-most fantasy points this year.

15 running backs managed to score ten or more points against the Saints, highlighted by a 17/131/1 game by rookie Aaron Jones of Green Bay Week. You can run on the Saints, as evident of the fact that four different running backs, including Cook Week 1, reached the century mark in rushing yards.

The Vikings will look to Murray and McKinnon to control the ball and the clock with the hope of keeping Brees and the New Orleans offense off the field. Anything less of 20 carries for Murray will be a shock, and McKinnon will be active in the passing game against a Saints team that allowed the second most receiving touchdowns to running backs.

Value Meter:
QB1: Case Keenum (Mid-Range)
RB1: Latavius Murray (Low-End)
RB2: Jerick McKinnon (High-End)
WR1: Adam Thielen (Mid-Range)
WR2: Stefon Diggs (High-End)
TE1: Kyle Rudolph (Mid-Range)

Prediction: Vikings 21, Saints 17 ^ Top