Titans @ Bills
This week the Titans get their opportunity to increase their posts difference against the Bills who will get another crack and trying to rekindle what they did against the Vikings.
Marcus Mariota was fantastic last week against the Eagles throwing for 344 yards, rushing for an extra 46, 1 INT and 3 touchdowns (1 rushing, 2 passing). Now he and the Titans travel to the Bills who barring the game against a seemingly lost Vikings team, have been awful. Corey Davis finally showed up last week and this week I’d be surprised if he didn’t put up similar numbers where he brought in 9 receptions for 161 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Rishard Matthews leaving seems to have given the passing game a strange shot in the arm it needed. Taywan Taylor, Tajae Sharp and Jonnu Smith don’t make for the greatest supporting cast but it will only take one of them breaking out to make things interesting.
Corey Davis is now the focal point in the passing game but Matthews departure is also allowing Dion Lewis to be utilised more there too as well as on the ground. Derrick Henry meanwhile remains a bit of a disappointment. The 3rd year back out of Alabama? is no longer behind Demarco Murray’s shadow but hasn’t delivered the numbers many expected.
The Titans defence had a lot of promise but hasn’t been elite so far. This week they will get the chance to put up big numbers and are probably right to be the most expensive DST on Draft Kings for this slate. They are my number 1 streaming option and that’s not necessarily due to the talent they have.
The Bills proved the Vikings game was an exception to the rule that they will be terrible this year. Josh Allen has promise going forwards but without much of an O-Line to protect him and very few options to pass to, so he is having to work super hard for little reward. Benjamin, Jones, Clay and any other receiver they’ve thrown at this team just haven’t been able to put up a decent game. If you own any pieces of the Bills you’re either in a deep league or just desperate at this point.
The exception is Shady McCoy but even he is very much not on form. He’s only had 85 yards on the ground and 8 receptions for 41 yards and no touchdowns. Injuries are catching up with him and put simply, he can’t carry the team on his shoulders.
Their defence isn’t helping either. There is a saying in England that they are “a few sandwiches short of a picnic” and I think that maybe sums it up better than anything I could come up with.
Play:
Mariota, Lewis, Davis, Titans DST
Pass:
The whole Bills team
Falcons @ Steelers
This has all the makings of a shootout and is a game to target in both DFS and Fantasy in general. A banged-up Falcons defence vs a generally bad Steelers defence but also a high powered Steelers offence vs a high powered Falcons offence. Vegas has the over/under at 57 and I’m definitely taking the over.
Let’s start with the Falcons as Matt Ryan continues to pay back some of the huge, potentially team crushing contract he signed this offseason. He’s thrown for 1316 yards and 10 TDs so far, in addition to rushing in 2 more. Ryan is clearly enjoying having first-round pick Calvin Ridley assisting Julio Jones and Mohammed Sanu in the receiving game. Ridley has 6 TDs already and he should add to that this weekend if he keeps being used in the redzone. Julio meanwhile is becoming more of a possession receiver who will get a lot of receptions and yards but not necessarily touchdowns. Sanu has become a bit of an afterthought, much like tight end Austin Hooper but you just know there will be a week where one takes off, this has the potential to be one of them.
The run game may be boosted by the return of Davonta Freeman from a knee injury while Tevin Coleman has been steady as the lead back but not spectacular. He has had some tough matchups and this week the game script may not favour the running backs.
I’ve already talked about avoiding both defences so I’ll move onto the Steelers offence. Big Ben now appears to be running the show which has been good for scoring but bad for the team as a whole. Antonio Brown continues to be Antonio Brown and Juju has been very much what most expected him to be, a very good receiver. Vance McDonald is starting to be used more and if he can avoid injury he is trending towards being a top 10 TE which is handy when your team is leaking points at the other end. I was hoping James Washington would see some more action but his time will come.
The running game is where the problems are stacking up. Losing an elite guy like LeVeon Bell will hurt any team and many felt James Connor was ready to assume that role after the opening two weeks. However, the two weeks sincere have seen a decline in production and shown where the differences are. Bell says he’s coming back after the bye week but after seeing Earl Thomas end up on IR after playing through a contract dispute he’s not going to want to jeopardise his future earning power. A trade would be complicated to sort financially but it would arguably be the best course of action. But for the game this Sunday, Connor may bounce back to relevancy this week although the shootout game script would make me temper expectations.
Play:
Big Ben, AB, Juju, McDonald.
Ryan, Julio, Ridley, Sanu.
Pass:
Both DSTs
Broncos @ Jets
Two lethargic offences against 2 decent defences make is an almost polar opposite of the Falcons/Steelers game above.
The Broncos still don’t appear to have an answer at quarterback even if I thought Case Keenum was going to be the one. So far 988 yards, 4 TDs and 6 Interceptions doesn’t sound too impressive and only Emmanuel Sanders has appeared to be a decent receiving option for fantasy. I talked about Demaryius Thomas in the Hype Train Station so won’t go into detail but he’s yet to really get going but that is something that will take time. Losing Jake Butt did hurt and Jeff Heuerman isn’t a great tight end option unless you really are struggling.
The running game has a bit more hope but just as much confusion. Royce Freeman was drafted to lead the line but Phillip Lindsey has been the more predominant force so far. The pair are becoming something of a tandem but not a predictably high scoring pair and each week feels like a bit of a dice roll.
The Jets meanwhile are still only a few steps into the Sam Darnold era and without a lot of quality receiving options, it’s difficult for them to put up points. Quincey Enunwa has been serviceable but against the Broncos I’m not sure it’s going to be his week. Robby Anderson is a waiver wire drop candidate and the merry go round at tight end is helping no one.
The running backs have carried a lot of the load and may do so again. Powell and Crowell have combined for 336 rushing yards, 129 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns but Denver will provide a stiff test much like the Jags did last week.
Play:
Sanders, Lindsey, Broncos DST
Crowell, Powell, Jets DST
Pass:
Keenum, Freeman, Thomas
Darnold, Anderson, Pryor
Jaguars @ Chiefs
This is a matchup I’ve been looking forward to since Mahomes proved he was the real deal. His first real test against a strong defence will be tough and the Jags will be out to prove they are still the elite defence of last year if not even better.
If the defence can hold the Chiefs at Bay it’s up to Bortles and co. to pick apart one of the worst defences in football and put up enough points for the win. Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook and Donte Moncrief can all be fired up for this one in my eyes and if ASJ is fine to play and can get a practice in before the game then he should be playable too.
Fournette has already been ruled out due to his hamstring injury but this was probably not going to be his game, it’s mostly going to be up to the passing game to exploit the Chiefs which means TJ Yeldon and Corey Grant might be better weapons to have anyway. Yeldon is a great start in most leagues and if you’re in a deeper game then Grant could be a shrewd pickup for this week.
The Chiefs offence comes with a health warning that if you cover off one guy they have about 3 others that can hurt you. Mahomes has already thrown TDs to 9 different receivers this year and Hill and Kelce already have over 300 yards this season. The Jags are a scary defence but I wouldn’t bench anyone on this offence due to them; there will still be production available and it’s going to be fun to watch.
Mahomes has also proved he can rush with the ball too but hasn’t needed to do so often with Kareem Hunt starting to find his game from last year. The rushing leader in 2017 had a 175 yard, 1TD game against Denver last week and he’s going to have some big weeks although this may not be one of them. I’d still play him though, the game plan could be anything for the Chiefs.
Play:
Bortles, Yeldon, Cole, Westbrook
Mahomes, Hill, Hunt, Kelce
Pass:
Chiefs DST
Packers @ Lions
This matchup features two teams who are just about getting their run game together and have very potent pass offences.
Aaron Rodgers is undeniable in his brilliance but he does still need people to throw the ball to and this week that is a bit complicated. Devante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison are all on the injury report which means the next 3 guys up are Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Equanimous St Brown and J’Mon Moore. All 3 are rookies and not seen much playing time so far. MVS was tabbed earlier in the week as the next man up so if all 3 miss or even if 2 are absent he could be a fantastic streaming option. Many will claim that this will increase Jimmy Graham’s workload but I genuinely believe Rodgers isn’t a man to target the TE unless the team is in the redzone. If Adams is out then Graham has upside purely based on TD potential so is still a strong play, but he won’t be a target monster.
The running game may be leaned on a lot more and especially those with odd catching ability. Ty Montgomery may find himself playing back at WR in the slot and he could be a very good play in PPR. Aaron Jones looks to be getting more touches but needs one break out game to convince everyone that it’s his job. Jamaal Williams will still see the ball but he’s pretty close to droppable now.
Green Bays defence slaughtered the Bills as many other teams will so don’t factor that into your thoughts too much, but there are signs that they have improved compared to last year but I’m not sure the Lions are a team I’d want to be plugging them in against.
Matt Stafford, Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay are a fantastic passing game combination and thankfully week 1 was a one-off and things have improved since then. All of those options are good to plug in if they are fit, they just lack a tight end who provides any kind of production. They strangely miss Eric Ebron but I suppose if he were there it’s take away production from the other 3.
The running game has heated up now that Kerryon Johnson is seeing more of the ball. The dynamic rookie is taking over as many predicted and it’s making the likes of Blount and Riddick irrelevant.
To have a good run game for Fantasy usually you need a good defence and the Lions aren’t really there right now. This week they are a hard fade because even with the 4th, 5th and 6th choice options at receiver, Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers.
Play:
Rodgers, Montgomery, Valdez-Scantling, Graham (Other WRs if fit).
Stafford, Johnson, Tate, Jones, Golladay
Pass:
J.Williams, Packers DST
Blount, Riddick, Lions DST
Ravens @ Browns
The Browns were very hard done by against Oakland with a lot of very questionable decisions from the officials leading to a sense of injustice. The team is close to being decent, but they just need how to turn nearly winning into winning. The Ravens meanwhile are as they have been for a while now. Underwhelming on offence and good at defence.
Joe Flacco is still not a good QB but so far this season he has 1252 yards, 8TDs and 2INTs which is a better line compared to usual. Michael Crabtree has barely got going and it’s hard to predict which Tight End will see the targets on a weekly basis. The big plus point has been John Brown getting a clean bill of health and delivering on the promise he’s had for so many years. Brown and the Ravens DST have arguably been the only two reliable Ravens plays and the Defence will benefit from the return of Jimmy Smith this week.
The running game has been hard to predict and hard to take if you own Alex Collins and it’s hard to even suggest playing him or Buck Allen unless it’s a deep league. Collins has been rested a bit this week to be fully ready for the game so either the Ravens have a big game planned for him or the injury he is nursing will hold him back. Flip a coin, you'll have as much chance of being right as I do.
On the other side Baker Mayfield is still acclimatising to the NFL and this could be a tough test. He’s going to turn over the ball at least once but should still have some decent offensive production but this is definitely not a week to plug him in. Antonio Callaway and David Njoku should only be considered if you have nothing else but Jarvis Landry should still be played so long as he doesn’t miss the game through injury.
The running backs have been a mixed bag with Carlos Hyde having good games, Nick Chubb having some great runs and Duke Johnson just not being used properly at all due to game script. Chubb and Hyde are playable but with a bit of a warning that this game may not be high scoring. On that basis, the Cleveland Defence is a streaming option but not a massively recommended one.
Play:
J.Brown, Ravens DST
Hyde, Chubb, Landry
Pass:
Flacco, Collins, Crabtree
Mayfield, Callaway, Njoku
Giants @ Panthers
One QB is highly rated, the other has two rings. It’s a strange league and the contrast between these two QBs and indeed the situation their teams are in is remarkable.
Eli Manning has all the weapons but barely the time or ability to utilise them. The O-Line gives him barely any help and even if they did, his best years are well and truly behind him. That being said, OBJ and Shepherd find ways to remain relevant and with Evan Engram still missing, Shepherd is seeing more of the action. OBJ will never be far from things on or off the field but you can see him starting to get more frustrated with the offence he finds himself in.
Saquon Barkley has proven to be the guy everyone thought he would be, but again the Achilles heel for him is the players trying to keep him upright. He has volume and talent though so will never be a guy you can sit.
The defence has been questionable at best for the Giants and I can’t see many weeks where I would advise playing them right now.
That makes this match interesting as Cam Newton has the ability to put up numbers despite not having many weapons around him. The total opposite compared to their opponents. Newton’s ground yards make him a fantasy superstar but in real life, it’s not quite so beneficial. Christian McCaffrey is seeing a lot of the ball as you’d expect but Cam takes away a lot of his production. CJ Anderson hasn’t been a relevant factor like a lot of people said he may be in the preseason.
This leaves the passing game and even that is a struggle. With Greg Olsen going down it’s been left to Funchess and rookie DJ Moore to take the strain and while both have upside they aren’t exactly the players that you can plug into your starting line up and feel confident or even comfortable. That being said I’d be inclined to roll the dice on them this week if you’re struggling for options.
The Panthers DST should have a ball against Eli but the high hopes people had for them haven’t quite come to fruition just yet.
Play:
Barkley, OBJ, Shepard
Newton, McCaffrey, Funchess, Moore, Panthers DST
Pass:
Manning, Giants DST
Anderson, any TE.
Dolphins @ Bengals
And finally, the last game on the early slate to cover is the Dolphins and Bengals clash featuring two teams I’m finding very hard to predict.
The Dolphins started 3-0 before crashing back to normality against the Patriots. Ryan Tannehill scored one point and his receivers didn’t fare very well either. Kenny Stills, Danny Amendola, Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson is an intriguing combination but not a great recipe for big scores weekly. If Devante Parker comes back into the fold after his injury then I’m not sure you can call any of those receivers reliable. It’s so crowded, which also leaves Mike Gesicki out in the fantasy cold.
The run game isn’t faring much better. Kenyan Drake was a 3rd round pick in most fantasy leagues but so far has 1TD, 107 yards on the ground and 10 catches for 55 yards. He’s not living up to his value and even Frank Gore is keeping pace with him. I’m struggling to play Drake until I see something to suggest he’s going to be worth it. Their cause has not been helped by the defence which has been 'hit and miss' so far, but Minkah Fitzpatrick is proving to be very handy in IDP.
The Bengals meanwhile are finding scoring pretty easy but defending is more of a challenge. The defence may be helped with Vontez Burfict returning (well at least until his next suspension) but they are a shootout type team which makes for nice fantasy production and DFS targets.
Andy Dalton and AJ Green have always been a lethal combination and now Tyler Boyd has figured out how to play in the NFL with Brandon LaFell no longer the options for broader. John Ross is being used as more of a gadget player but if he shows signs of becoming stronger and getting injured less often he could see more usage also. That won’t happen just yet though. Losing Tyler Eifert was a big blow as he was starting to get it together again but it’s now all on the less exciting Tyler Kroft and Uzomah to pick up the baton.
Joe Mixon is expected back from his knee injury this week and will be hoping to get straight back at it this week. Goo Bernard will still see action but not to the level of the last few weeks and is probably able to return to benches or waiver wires very soon.
A quick side note for the Bengals, they play Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Tampa Bay in the next 3 games so Andy Dalton could be worth streaming for a few weeks along with his weapons.
Play:
Stills
Dalton, Mixon, Green, Boyd
Pass:
Drake, Everyone else
Bernard, Kroft
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