Stevie Johnson: The Vikes allowed 80 receiving
yards to both Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate last week.
Grab a Helmet
Stevie
Johnson @ MIN: Keenan Allen’s playing fast and loose
with our hearts again, yo-yo’ing from a spectacular performance
in Week 1 (17 targets, 15 receptions, 166 yards) to a catastrophic
one in Week 2 (4 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards). If you can guess
how he’ll perform in Week 3 against the Vikes, you’re a better shot
caller than me. If you can’t and would rather opt for someone a
tad steadier, think about the guy running patterns across the formation
from Allen, his new running mate, Stevie Johnson. The former Bills
star has commanded six Philip Rivers targets apiece in his first
two games as a Charger and he’s caught all but one of them for 127
yards and two TDs. That’s a slick 12.4 points/game, good enough
for a top 15 ranking among all wideouts. This just in: QBs love
guys who get open and catch passes.
Ted
Ginn Jr. v. NO: Ted Ginn, Jr. might be one of the league’s
very best at getting open, using his elite speed to create separation
from opposing DBs. Unfortunately, he makes up for it by being possibly
the league’s absolute worst at catching passes. He’s already dropped
several Cam Newton tosses in two games, including a brutal bobble
that would have been a surefire 35-yard touchdown strike in the
opener. Add that score to his fantasy tally and he’d have precisely
the same number of points as a more notable Jr., Odell Beckham.
Intriguing, huh? OK, maybe not so much since he’s been teasing us
for eight-plus years. Still, the Panthers don’t have a ton of other
options and their opponent this weekend, New Orleans, is giving
up 9.7 yards per attempt, 31st overall through two weeks. If you
feel like getting sneaky, Ginn, Jr. might be your guy.
Jeremy
Maclin @ GB (Monday): As usual, I’m feeling a bit cheeky
(or maybe punchy?) as we wind things down this week. What better
time, then, to shoot for the moon and call the most epic shot of
all, an actual touchdown reception by an actual KC receiver? Yup,
I think the streak ends Monday night and I think Maclin’s the guy
to do it…against my beloved Packers, no less. Andy Reid et al. will
have had a week and a half to process last Thursday night’s debacle
and something tells me they’ve spent time figuring out ways to diversify
in the red zone. Jamaal Charles is terrific, but everyone knows
he’s coming. Maclin can best Green Bay’s average corners and probably
wouldn’t command tons of attention with Charles and Travis Kelce
on the field. If I’m right, go me. If I’m wrong, go Pack. See what
I did there?
Grab Some Wood
Sammy
Watkins @ MIA: I’m not sure what’s crazier, that Tyrod
Taylor is the third highest scorer at the QB position through
two weeks or that he’s managed to accomplish that despite hardly
utilizing the team’s most gifted wide receiver, Sammy Watkins.
After being completely shut out in Week 1 (what?), the talented
Watkins was more of a factor against the Pats in Week 2 (six grabs,
60 yards, and a score). However, he’s still only the third most
valuable pass-catcher for the Bills behind Percy Harvin and Robert
Woods. Make that fourth most if you include LeSean McCoy’s receiving
totals. Once his rookie contract expires, Watkins will most likely
move on to greener pastures and could presumably be a star in
the right system. Buffalo under Rex Ryan is the wrong system.
Pawn him off on someone who still believes before he slides further
and further toward fantasy oblivion.
Travis
Benjamin v. OAK: Call this the hunch of the week. Benjamin
has been sensationally productive so far, parlaying seven total
targets and six catches into an astonishing 38.4 fantasy points.
That’s good for third overall at the position and translates into
a 6.4 points-per-catch average. That doesn’t even include his
punt return touchdown, mind you, though your scoring system might.
Is it any wonder everyone’s racing to the waiver wire to snap
him up? Here’s the problem: That kind of production isn’t remotely
sustainable and Benjamin accomplished all of this with Johnny
Manziel under center. Now that Josh McCown has cleared the league’s
concussion protocol, he’s been reinstated by Coach Pettine as
the starter. McCown didn’t target Benjamin even once on his only
drive of the season, a 17-play monster to kick things off in Week
1. See where I’m going with all this? Benjamin might be fool’s
gold.
Charles
Johnson v. SD: Remember all that preseason chatter
about Johnson potentially being Teddy Bridgewater’s favorite
target? I’m not 100% certain he isn’t, but I am 100%
certain about this so far: It may not actually matter. You have
to hit that “Next Page” link to find the first Vikings
receiver in the FF Today Rankings and, for the record, it’s
not Johnson. It’s Mike Wallace checking in at No.56, below
representatives from every other NFL team, including those beleaguered
Chiefs. Safe to say the Vikes’ freshened up passing game
is off to a bit of a slow start this season? Bridgewater has been
efficient and there will definitely be better days ahead. For
now, though, none of them (Wallace, Johnson, or Jarius Wright)
should be anywhere near your starting lineup until they prove
capable of stringing together several games worth of solid stats.
Avoid all purple guys except you-know-who.
