One of the true difference makers faces
the Browns who gave up the 9th most FPts to WRs in 2016.
Grab a Helmet
Rishard
Matthews v. OAK: Tennessee’s offense has come a long
way in a short period of time, jumping from 30th overall in 2015
to 11th overall last season. Steady improvement from its franchise
QB and the addition of DeMarco Murray have been largely credited
for this resurgence, but don’t discount Matthews’ contributions.
He developed great chemistry with the young Mariota and rode a strong
second half to a surprising 148.5-point season, good for No.11 at
the position. Who’d have thought Rishard Matthews, a Dolphins castoff,
would almost crack the Top 10 WR ranks playing for an offense that
couldn’t get out of its own way the year prior? Tennessee has added
even more firepower at the WR position, but prized rook Corey Davis
has barely practiced this summer and, consequently, has missed out
on valuable bonding time with Marcus. I’d feel much more comfortable
rolling with Matthews in Week 1.
Martavis
Bryant @ CLE: It’s last chance summer dance time for
the Steelers’ uber-talented Bryant, who’s one more screw-up away
from permanent NFL banishment. He reportedly spent the extended
time off squaring his life away and now, with the league’s full
blessing, will return to game action for the first time since January
2016. What can we expect? It’s hard to tell, which seems to be reflected
in his ADP (4.08). If he’s truly reformed and can play a full 16-game
slate, that number seems laughably high. He’s already proven to
be one of the most dangerous receivers in the league. It he reverts
to his self-destructive ways, however, or can’t stay healthy after
the long layoff, it seems disastrously low. I’m hoping for the former
since I own him in two of my three leagues, but there’s no decision
to make while he’s eligible and 100% fit: He starts.
Pierre
Garcon v. CAR: Say what you will about Brian Hoyer (and
I’m sure Houston fans already have), but he’s a considerable upgrade
over what the 49ers were trotting out at the quarterback position
last season. That horrific 2015 playoff performance with the Texans
notwithstanding, the career journeyman has been a pretty serviceable
option at the position when healthy, especially early last year
when he strung together four straight 300-yard performances for
Chicago. It’s that “when healthy” qualifier that has him playing
in San Francisco this season, where he’ll be paired up with precisely
ONE reliable target, Mr. Garcon. That cuts both ways, of course
(lots of attention from Hoyer and plenty from the opposition), but
I suspect the Niners will be uncompetitive most weeks and that should
work in Garcon’s favor. He’s an early favorite for my all-garbage
time team this season and that starts Sunday afternoon against Carolina.
Grab Some Wood
Kevin
White v. ATL: There isn’t much game evidence to go
on yet (White hasn’t played enough of them), but the whispers
are getting louder that he may already be a bust two+ years into
his professional career. He looked really pedestrian this preseason
for a Bears team short of playmakers on the perimeter. Make that
desperately short now that Cameron Meredith has succumbed to a
season-scrubbing injury, making White the de facto WR1 heading
into Week 1, ready or not. My guess is he’s not at all ready for
this type of responsibility, though he’ll get every opportunity
(and plenty of targets) to justify it. Of course, that also means
he’ll be drawing his opponents’ best cover corner week in and
week out, starting with Pro Bowler Desmond Trufant Sunday. White
has the talent to make a liar out of me, but make him prove worthwhile
before starting him.
Allen
Robinson @ HOU: Some are suggesting Robinson is due
for bounce-back numbers in 2017, reasoning his true value lies
somewhere between a stratospheric 2015 and a disappointing 2016.
“Some” does not include yours truly. Jacksonville’s WR1 is very
talented but still reliant on one of the least reliable/accurate
QBs in the business, Blake Bortles, who somehow lost his job and
then earned it back during a cringe-worthy preseason slate. Making
matters worse, the Jags appear to be drastically changing philosophies
under new GM Tom Coughlin and coach Doug Marrone, emphasizing
ball control and stout defense. That’s another way of saying they’re
not letting Bortles throw them out of games this year. There’s
always an adjustment period with radical schematic changes, but
this one could be brief. The Jacksonville defense is young/hungry
and Leonard Fournette looks like the plow horse capable of easing
the team’s dependence on Bortles’ unpredictable wing.
T.Y.
Hilton @ LAR: Hilton led the entire league in receiving
yardage last season, a fact that somehow eluded me until I started
doing research for this article. If he’d scored a few more
times or maybe even played one more game with Andrew Luck, he
may have challenged for top fantasy honors at the position. I
say that because, unfortunately, the one time he was paired up
with Luck’s backup, Scott Tolzien (Week 12 against Pittsburgh),
he commanded only five targets, a season low. That’s a really
small sample size, for sure, but it would make me really nervous
heading into the opener. Tolzien gets the nod again in Los Angeles
against the Rams and that could spell trouble for his talented
targets, namely the home run-hitting Hilton. Sit T.Y. down if
you’ve got a capable replacement and hope Mr. Luck is back
in action sooner rather than later.
Good luck, folks!
