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Kyle Yates’ Week 2 Fantasy Projections (2020 Fantasy Football)

Kyle Yates’ Week 2 Fantasy Projections (2020 Fantasy Football)

I’m not sure if this ever happens to you, but every once in a while I’ll get a word or phrase that seems to be stuck in my head. It’s not like a song lyric that plays over and over, but it’s more so something that you think about frequently over the course of a couple days.

For the past few days, I’ve had the phrase “new look” rattling around in my brain. This isn’t exactly anything profound, by any means, but I can’t seem to escape this particular phrase lately.

The main reason – I’m assuming – is that my wife and I are moving from our first home that we bought right after we got married four and a half years ago to our hopeful forever home. We’re extremely excited to truly settle down and put down roots. Also, if this means that I never have to move again, I’ll be a happy man. We’re moving from a house that’s around 20 years old to a brand new build and that’s assumedly where the phrase that’s been running through my mind has come from.

There’s something about walking into a house where everything in it is new. The carpet has yet to see wear and tear, the walls aren’t scuffed up or chipped (yet), and you’re immediately confronted with the delightful “new house” smell as you walk through the front door. It’s not only the inside though that’s new, but the outside of the home is modern and is a stark contrast to the home that we’re leaving just from the outside perspective.

Why do I tell you all of this information? Well, this week the Fantasy Projections article gets a bit of a new look itself. We had our nice home previously that was fine and got the job done, but we brought in Property Brothers this week and hit the upgrade button.

These projections aren’t meant to be 100% accurate, but are meant to give a glimpse into what the most likely scenario is for the upcoming matchups. My hope is that this serves as a resource for you to assist in setting your lineup for this week.

With all that being said, it’s time to check out the new look of the article and find out which players are in a great spot to succeed this week!

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

Date/Time: September 17, 8:20 pm ET
Odds
: Browns -250
Over/Under: 44.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Browns 25.25, Bengals 19.25

Cincinnati Bengals

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Joe Burrow 23/36 240 2 1 25 0 18.14
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Joe Mixon 19 79 1 2 17 0 16.74
RB Giovani Bernard 3 10 0 4 25 0 5.3
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR AJ Green 0 0 0 6 74 1 16.47
WR Tyler Boyd 0 0 0 6 63 1 15.22
WR John Ross 0 0 0 2 27 0 3.6
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Cj Uzomah 0 0 0 2 21 0 3.11

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Cleveland Browns

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Baker Mayfield 23/35 273 2 1 7 0 17.65
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Nick Chubb 14 70 1 1 11 0 14.79
RB Kareem Hunt 12 56 0 5 45 0 12.7
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Odell Beckham 0 0 0 5 75 1 16.14
WR Jarvis Landry 0 0 0 5 69 0 9.43
WR Rashard Higgins 0 0 0 1 9 0 1.21
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Austin Hooper 0 0 0 5 54 1 13.64

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Quarterbacks: Baker Mayfield struggled mightily last week against the Baltimore Ravens and consistently displayed poor mechanics and terrible decision-making. The spotlight is going to be on in him in this game to see if he can bounce back to the QB that we saw in his rookie season, but there’s a lot that he has to fix to get back to that point. This Bengals defense can be exploited for fantasy points, which should help Baker’s receiving weapons, but it’s impossible to trust Baker as a streaming option in 1QB leagues. Joe Burrow showed some signs of his long-term potential in last week’s matchup against a tough defense, but he’s still not someone that you should consider as a streaming option right now. He’ll need to continue to get adjusted to the speed of the NFL game before he can be relied on.

Running Backs: Nick Chubb disappointed fantasy managers in last week’s matchup, but the Ravens got ahead early and Chubb was game-scripted out. While this is something that managers will have to be concerned about for future games, Chubb should be a key part of this matchup. With the Browns favored to win, it’s likely that Chubb sees a significant increase in his usage this week, which should be music to everyone’s ears. He can be started as a safe RB2 with RB1 upside this week. Kareem Hunt has upside in this matchup with how the Browns should be looking to get back to the ground game and take pressure off of Mayfield. He should see 12-15 touches in this matchup and he always has the potential of scoring on a big play. Hunt can be started as a safe high-end RB3 option with upside for more. Meanwhile, Joe Mixon owners are panicking everywhere because of his performance from last weekend. Sure, it wasn’t a dominant performance by any stretch of the imagination, but we have to remember just how good this Chargers defense really is here. Despite playing a tough defense, he still saw 19 carries on the ground. Did you know that there were only five running backs that saw more work on the ground than Mixon in week one? The touchdown production will come along – maybe even in this matchup – so just be thankful that he’s receiving the workload and feel confident plugging him into your lineup this week.

Wide Receivers: Baker missed OBJ on some big-time throws in week one, but he still saw 10 targets. As long as Baker can progress and hit him on one or two of those throws, OBJ should bounce back into the WR2 conversation with WR1 upside. Jarvis Landry has reportedly been dealing with a hip injury recently, but he is expected to suit up and play on Thursday night. This is a great matchup for him, but there are the lingering injury concerns. With that risk factor taken into account, Landry can be rolled out as a low-end WR3. On the other side of the ball, AJ Green is a fantastic start this week as a WR3 option with upside in this matchup. Denzel Ward will remain on John Ross’ side of the field, which should negate him from any fantasy relevancy, but that leaves Green lined up on Terrance Mitchell. With the target volume that Green saw in week one, he’s a solid bet to finish within the top-24 this week. Additionally, Boyd has a very favorable matchup against Tavierre Thomas, who is allowing a perfect QB passer rating when targeted so far this season. Willie Snead was able to go off against Thomas in their last game, which means that Boyd should have a field day in this matchup. He’s a safe WR2 this week that has tremendous upside.

Tight Ends: Austin Hooper is a sneaky start this week with David Njoku landing on IR. Harrison Bryant shouldn’t see the amount of work that Njoku was and the Browns need another safe receiving option over the middle of the field. While Hooper disappointed in week one, he should bounce back with a nice performance in this matchup.

FantasyProjection Buster: Everything hinges on Baker for these Browns receiving options. While OBJ could absolutely go ham in this matchup, it’s not going to matter much if Baker can’t get him the ball. Baker absolutely has some things to clean up in order for this Browns team to be competitive in 2020, which signifies that he should be included in this section. If he doesn’t perform well, he could absolutely sink every Browns receiving option from a fantasy perspective.

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New York Giants at Chicago Bears

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Bears -235
Over/Under: 42 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Bears 23.75, Giants 18.25

New York Giants

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Daniel Jones 23/37 249 1 1 21 0 14.04
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Saquon Barkley 16 61 1 5 44 0 19.14
RB Dion Lewis 1 5 0 1 6 0 1.51
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Darius Slayton 0 0 0 4 64 1 14.55
WR Sterling Shepard 0 0 0 4 45 0 6.61
WR Golden Tate 0 0 0 3 40 0 5.62
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Evan Engram 0 0 0 4 37 0 5.49

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Chicago Bears

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Mitch Trubisky 23/35 255 2 1 18 0 18
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB David Montgomery 16 62 1 2 16 0 14.79
RB Tarik Cohen 6 26 0 4 37 0 8.37
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Allen Robinson 0 0 0 6 83 1 17.53
WR Anthony Miller 0 0 0 5 59 1 14.2
WR Cordarrelle Patterson 4 20 0 1 8 0 3.13
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Jimmy Graham 0 0 0 3 28 0 4.24

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Quarterbacks: Trubisky looked like a rookie QB out on the field through three quarters last week, but he flipped a switch and brought the Chicago Bears back to a victory. He finished as the QB8 last week with this performance against the Lions defense and he might be inserted right back into streaming consideration against the Giants. It won’t feel pretty, but this defense can absolutely be picked on for fantasy purposes moving forward. Meanwhile, Daniel Jones didn’t exactly look spectacular last week against a vaunted Steelers defense. It would be easy to cut him some slack and chalk it up to a tough matchup, but he runs into another buzzsaw with the Bears defense this week. The Giants offensive line didn’t look like it could stop anyone on Monday night and it will now be tasked with stopping Akiem Hicks, Robert Quinn, and Khalil Mack up front. Jones should be facing pressure again in this game and he’s someone that I’d be looking to avoid, if at all possible.

Running Backs: For all those who want to hold Montgomery’s YPC stats from 2019 against him, you’ve got to find something new now. Montgomery looked fantastic in action on Sunday against the Lions defense and he should be in line for another nice game here. This Giants defense just saw Benny Snell run all over them, which indicates that Montgomery should easily finish within the top-24 at the RB position. As long as the Bears don’t fall behind as significantly as they did last week against Detroit, Montgomery will stay a part of the game plan and should easily see 15-18 touches with a chance to score. Tarik Cohen was a disappointment last week, which is odd considering the Bears were in catch-up mode for the majority of the game against Detroit. It’s hard to trust Cohen in your starting lineup this week, so if you can afford to sit him to wait and see what his involvement in the offense looks like, I’d consider it. Otherwise, I’m expecting low-end RB3 numbers. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley was a major disappointment and saved his day with his involvement in the receiving game. People are going to boxscore scout and determine that Barkley just isn’t good, but this offensive game plan for New York was atrocious. The offensive line was being asked to do things that they’re simply not equipped to do and Barkley was frequently met in the backfield by unguarded defenders. Barkley looked like his normal self out in the open field, but the Giants got too cute for their own good and I expect them to go back to the drawing board this week. Unfortunately, the matchup isn’t fantastic against this Bears defense and Barkley should be under duress all game long again. He’ll still get the workload and the touches out of the backfield as a receiver, but it’s probably best to expect low-end RB1 numbers.

Wide Receivers: Allen Robinson didn’t have the big performance that people were expecting in week one, but Trubisky’s inaccuracy in the first half led to some yards left on the field for ARob. Despite all the trade rumors and contract negotiations this week, Robinson should show up ready to play in a matchup that he should be heavily targeted in. If we are able to get the better version of Trubisky on the field for this game, Robinson could easily finish within the top-10 at the WR position this week. Meanwhile, the snap count for Anthony Miller doesn’t exactly instill confidence for plugging him into your lineup week after week, but he simply produces any time that he’s healthy and on the field. Miller looked great on Sunday and showed a rapport with Trubisky. He’s going to draw coverage from Darnay Holmes in the slot, who just gave up 5 receptions on 6 targets for 56 yards last week too. Miller’s a fantastic start as a low-end WR3 who has upside for more. As for the Giants wideouts, Darius Slayton belongs in your starting lineup as a WR3. He just finished torching the Steelers secondary for big play after big play last week and he’s always a solid candidate to score a touchdown. While his true ceiling may be limited if Golden Tate comes back into the lineup, Slayton’s moved into weekly must start territory in your WR3/FLEX spot. Tate’s availability for this game is in question and it’s not looking like he’s going to suit up. Even if he does play, he’s likely not going to be 100% and we don’t know what his involvement in this offense looks like just yet. However, until we get more news, I have to include him in this article as if he’s playing. With all that being said, Tate can remain on your bench or even your waiver wire in deep leagues. Sterling Shepard showed some involvement in this offense, but he took a backseat to Slayton and his big blow-up performance. The Giants figure to be playing from behind in this game too, so there’s a possibility that we see Shepard finish with 6+ targets again this week, but it’s likely not going to be enough to start him over some of the other options on your roster.

Tight Ends: Jimmy Graham definitely proved that the TE position is a big part of Matt Nagy’s offense with 7 targets in week one, but he looked rusty and mistimed a couple of jumps on throws that he should’ve brought in. With that being said, the way that he can produce for fantasy football is through his involvement in the red zone. He’s still a mismatch in that portion of the field and he figures to be targeted heavily when the Bears are there. If you’re looking for a TE replacement this week, Graham’s most likely on your waiver wire and he could be a quality fill-in in this matchup. You can expect low-end TE1 production if he scores. On the other side of the field, it’s hard to find a player that looked worse on the football field than Evan Engram last weekend. He looked slow in and out of his breaks, he struggled mightily with drops, and just did not look like someone that you can rely on moving forward. Even though you most likely spent significant draft capital to go acquire him in your draft, it’s not a bad idea to move on from him if you can pick up a better option on your waiver wire. He’s nothing more than a low-end TE2 this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: Engram didn’t look great on the field last week, as noted above, but he still saw 7 targets. One of those targets was a wide-open pass in the end zone where he just wasn’t able to reel in a wild ball from Jones. If the Giants get into the red zone, Engram could easily get that end zone target again and reel in a touchdown, which would blow my projections for him out of the water. However, the odds of that happening are pretty low.

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Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Eagles -107, Rams -107
Over/Under: 45.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Rams 23.25, Eagles 22.25

Los Angeles Rams

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Jared Goff 21/34 231 2 2 4 0 13.64
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Malcolm Brown 15 61 1 2 18 0 15.06
RB Cam Akers 10 36 0 1 9 0 5.07
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Cooper Kupp 0 0 0 5 53 1 13.61
WR Robert Woods 0 0 0 5 66 0 9.11
WR Van Jefferson 0 0 0 2 28 0 4.01
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Tyler Higbee 0 0 0 5 50 1 13.5

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Philadelphia Eagles

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Carson Wentz 25/37 291 3 2 11 0 20.71
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Boston Scott 7 28 0 3 26 0 7.06
RB Miles Sanders 8 32 0 2 14 0 5.44
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR DeSean Jackson 0 0 0 4 69 1 14.97
WR Greg Ward 0 0 0 4 43 0 6.42
WR Jalen Reagor 0 0 0 3 31 0 4.38
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Zach Ertz 0 0 0 6 56 1 14.41

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Quarterbacks: Jared Goff didn’t exactly have the best game last week from a statistical standpoint, but he didn’t need to carry the team. Brown scored multiple times, which eliminated the need for Goff to throw the ball a ton. This offense appears to be focused on running the ball a significant amount, which eliminates Goff’s ceiling for fantasy purposes. Goff was borderline fantasy relevant last year on the back of the Rams throwing the ball 50+ times a game, but that doesn’t appear likely to happen again any time soon. In this matchup, Goff’s nothing more than a low-end QB2. For the Eagles, Wentz looked like a rookie QB against the Washington defense and he held onto the ball for way too long. With this makeshift offensive line, Wentz appeared uncomfortable all game long and the play-calling didn’t do much to help him out. I expect the Eagles to go back and watch the film and realize that they need to get the ball out quickly with this OL unit in front of Wentz, which should help keep Carson in rhythm this week. However, based on last week’s performance, you can’t trust him in your starting lineup. Wentz moves to a high-end QB2 in my rankings for this game.

Running Backs: Brown came out of nowhere last week and asserted himself as the lead option in this Los Angeles backfield. He looked explosive, displayed great vision in between the tackles, and he was clearly the superior option on the field. This Eagles defense is a tough matchup, which causes me to manage expectations for Brown this game, but he can still be rolled out as a RB3 with upside if he scores. Meanwhile, Akers struggled in his first game in the NFL and displayed a lot of the poor habits that he developed in college that caused me to keep him down my draft board in the spring. He averaged a mere 2.8 YPC and he doesn’t appear ready to take over this backfield from Brown any time soon. With that being said, Akers still saw 14 carries in last week’s game, which is hard to ignore. Akers is a low-end RB4 this week based on his role in this offense and the matchup against a stout Eagles defense. For the Eagles, Sanders logged a full practice on Wednesday, which indicates that he’s likely going to suit up on Sunday. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s going to receive his full workload. After being injured for around a month, it’s hard to see how the Eagles bring in Sanders and give him 15-18 touches this week. I expect Sanders to get 10-12 touches and that’s enough to put him as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 in my rankings. He can certainly finish much higher than that, but we have to take the injury risk into account. Meanwhile, Scott is a player that should still be involved in the game plan this week, but with Sanders likely coming back into the lineup, it’s hard to see how he sees the type of work to be a safe RB3/FLEX option. Based on where you drafted Scott, you most likely have better options to roll out in your starting lineup.

Wide Receivers: Robert Woods looks to be like the guy that we were hyping up all offseason, which makes me very happy. He’s the clear target leader in this offense and he should be considered a weekly WR2 start with upside. Even with Darius Slay covering him this week, Sean McVay is creative enough to move Woods around the formation and get the ball in his hands. Kupp was a fade candidate within the industry, for the most part, throughout the offseason and that looks to have been the correct call based on his target share. He can certainly score any given week, which will boost him up into the top-12 at the WR position, but he simply isn’t going to see the amount of targets necessary to finish there every single week. Kupp is a fine low-end WR2 start every single week that comes with built-in upside. On the other side of the field, DeSean Jackson was in a prime spot to blow up last week, but he failed to live up to expectations. He was in and out of the lineup all game long and played only 37 snaps out of a possible 68. While there’s reason to temper expectations with Jackson this week, he still belongs in your lineup as a FLEX option. All it takes is one big play and he can single-handedly win you your matchup. Reagor defied the odds last week and managed to suit up despite the shoulder injury. While he was able to reel in one big play downfield, he’s still not at the point that he can be considered a trustworthy start for fantasy. He should remain on your bench unless you absolutely have to start him.

Tight Ends: With Gerald Everett most likely out for this game, Higbee receives a bump up into mid-range TE1 consideration. Higbee went nuclear last season when Everett was out of the lineup and Brycen Hopkins isn’t going to take away targets from Higbee. In a game that Los Angeles might have to throw the ball a little more than what they did last week, Higbee’s a strong start at the position. As for the Eagles, Ertz would have been a massive disappointment for fantasy managers last week if he hadn’t scored a touchdown. He struggled with drops and just looked out of sync with Carson Wentz, which is never the case. With the Eagles going back to the drawing board this week, I expect Ertz to be heavily targeted in the short passing game and rack up the targets. He’s a strong TE1 start this week. While the table above won’t show him due to the logic, Dallas Goedert absolutely deserves consideration as a low-end TE1/high-end TE2. He’s a threat downfield and Wentz was consistently looking for the big play against Washington. It’s unlikely that Goedert sees the amount of targets he did in week one every single game, but he’s always a threat to take one in for six. My projections for him in this game are 4-51-1.

FantasyProjection Buster: Reagor absolutely has the chance to break off one big play with his speed or hit another deep shot over the middle of the field like he did last Sunday, which will wreck my projections for him. It’s impossible to project that, but it is certainly in the realm of possibilities. This makes Reagor a more appealing DFS play than a redraft start.

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Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Cowboys -200
Over/Under: 53 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Dallas 28.75, Atlanta 24.25

Atlanta Falcons

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Matt Ryan 28/43 318 2 1 4 0 19.07
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Todd Gurley 13 56 1 4 29 0 16.53
RB Brian Hill 4 17 0 1 11 0 3.46
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Calvin Ridley 0 0 0 7 85 1 17.75
WR Julio Jones 0 0 0 7 97 0 13.07
WR Russell Gage 0 0 0 5 50 0 7.43
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Hayden Hurst 0 0 0 4 47 1 12.82

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Dallas Cowboys

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Dak Prescott 25/37 285 3 0 16 0 24.99
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Ezekiel Elliott 20 94 1 4 31 0 20.54
RB Tony Pollard 5 24 0 3 25 0 6.33
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Amari Cooper 0 0 0 6 78 1 16.82
WR Michael Gallup 0 0 0 4 66 1 14.86
WR CeeDee Lamb 0 0 0 4 53 1 13.46
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Dalton Schultz 0 0 0 3 31 0 4.52

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Quarterbacks: Ryan is currently on pace to throw the ball 864 times in 2020. While there’s absolutely no way that he hits that mark, we know that the Falcons are going to be airing the ball out every single game. With the weapons that Ryan has at his disposal, the production is going to be there to equate to top-tier fantasy value. As long as Ryan’s healthy, he belongs in your starting lineup every single week. As for the Cowboys, Dak got off to a bit of a slow start in week one, but this is the game that he absolutely explodes. The Cowboys WRs should have a field day against A.J. Terrell and Isaiah Oliver, which means that Dak could easily throw for 3+ touchdowns in this game. With that, plus his rushing ability, Dak has a very good chance to finish as the No. 1 QB this week.

Running Backs: Gurley’s fantasy opportunity was never in question in Atlanta, but it always came down to his long-term health. Will Gurley make it the entire season? We have no way of knowing that right now, but as long as he’s healthy, he’s going to be a weekly low-end RB1 in this offense. As for the ‘Boys, Zeke could easily finish as the RB1 this week with his carry totals and the scoring opportunities that are going to be present in this matchup. This defense just gave up 27.2 fantasy points to the Seahawks RBs and Zeke could easily come close to that number by himself. Meanwhile, Pollard could see an uptick in work in this matchup too, but it’s impossible to trust him anywhere near your starting lineup without a guarantee.

Wide Receivers: As mentioned before, the weapons that Ryan has at his disposal are essentially unfair. Julio is an auto-start every single week and he’ll be lining up across from rookie CB Trevon Diggs in this matchup. Diggs is a solid rookie corner, but he doesn’t stand a chance against one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game. This game is going to be a shootout and Jones could easily see more than the 12 targets he had in week one. Ridley proved that he belongs in the conversation with the best of the best from a fantasy perspective last week when he went 9-130-2. Ridley gets another favorable CB matchup this week against Chidobe Awuzie and there’s a very good chance we see Ridley find the end zone again in this one. Both Ridley and Jones could easily finish as top-5 options in this potential shootout. Meanwhile, Gage has inserted himself into the fantasy starter conversation with a huge performance in week one. The Falcons’ high-passing volume attack means opportunity for Gage over the middle of the field every single week. While I expect Gage’s target totals to come down slightly as Hurst gets acclimated to the offense, he’s still going to be a great FLEX option every single week. For the Cowboys, Amari Cooper got off to a great start last week with 14 targets in a tough CB matchup with Jalen Ramsey. The Cowboys moved Cooper all over the field and made sure he was fed the ball. Cooper now gets a matchup against rookie CB A.J. Terrell and he should be open essentially all game long with his route-running prowess. This game is going to be a shootout and Cooper is the clear target leader in this offense. A top-10 finish at the WR position is in the cards for Cooper this week. Michael Gallup gets a great matchup too against Isaiah Oliver in this game. Gallup was a “weak call” away from having a huge game on Sunday night and there’s a very real possibility that we see him go for over 100 yards and a score in this matchup. All signs point towards Gallup having a great fantasy day. As for Lamb, he’s another player that you should strongly consider starting in this matchup. In these high-scoring affairs, it’s always a smart bet to start as many players as you can because of the scoring opportunities. Lamb came out firing in his first ever NFL game and showed the talent on multiple occasions that made him a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Lamb should see plenty of work in this game and there’s always the chance that he scores in a game that Vegas predicts to get out of hand quickly.

Tight Ends: Hurst got off to a bit of a slow start in week one, but it wasn’t the best matchup for tight ends. This week, Hurst is in a prime spot to have a huge day. The Cowboys have now lost two of their starting linebackers and could be out of sorts over the middle of the field. Hurst should see plenty of opportunity in this game and is a fine start as a low-end TE1. Dalton Schultz will be stepping in for the injured Blake Jarwin, but he’s nowhere near the level of talent and athleticism that Jarwin was. Schultz is a desperation play at best this week and is probably best left on your bench.

FantasyProjection Buster: My projections for Pollard are very conservative, especially when you take into account that he only saw 4 touches in week one, but in this game there’s a possibility that he sees a bit more work than anticipated. Plus, there’s always the possibility that he scores, which would obliterate my projection totals for him.

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Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Buccaneers -375
Over/Under: 47.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Tampa Bay 28.25, Carolina 19.25

Carolina Panthers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Teddy Bridgewater 22/36 240 1 1 14 0 12.99
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Christian McCaffrey 22 83 1 5 32 0 19.73
RB Mike Davis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Robby Anderson 0 0 0 5 70 1 15.36
WR DJ Moore 0 0 0 5 65 0 9.18
WR Curtis Samuel 0 0 0 4 42 0 6.36
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Ian Thomas 0 0 0 2 21 0 3.13

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Tom Brady 21/34 260 2 0 1 0 18.53
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Ronald Jones 17 72 1 2 17 0 15.76
RB Leonard Fournette 10 39 1 1 10 0 11.54
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Chris Godwin 0 0 0 5 74 1 16.11
WR Mike Evans 0 0 0 4 66 1 14.71
WR Scott Miller 0 0 0 2 28 0 4.01
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE OJ Howard 0 0 0 3 32 0 4.59

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Quarterbacks: Bridgewater played well in week one, but this defense is a bit more intense than the Raiders. Tampa Bay was flying all over the field in week one and I expect them to be able to shut down Bridgewater for the most part. He’s someone you can consider in 2QB leagues, but probably best to leave him on the bench in 1QB formats. All eyes will be on Tom Brady though to see if he can bounce back from a poor performance in week one away from the Patriots. The Saints are an incredibly tough defense, so that needs to be taken into account, but Brady absolutely looked out of sync with these new receiving weapons. This is a “get right” game for Brady and this defense shouldn’t be able to stop him or this running game at all. Even if Godwin sits this game, Brady’s a solid start in 2QB formats and could be someone that you consider for 1QB formats if you’re in a pinch.

Running Backs: CMC is a weekly auto-start and it’s going to be a rare occurrence that he falls outside of the top-5 at the RB position. However, there’s reason to be cautious with CMC this week and adjust your expectations for him. The last two matchups that CMC has faced off against this Todd Bowles Tampa Bay defense, he’s had the following combined statistics: 38 carries for 68 yards and 1.79 YPC with one rushing TD. Additionally, he’s seen 11 targets for six receptions and 42 yards and a score. Those are certainly not elite numbers and there’s a possibility that we see numbers like that here again. It’s impossible to sit CMC – and I don’t think you have to do that – but it’s going to be a tough battle for him to finish as a top option at the RB position this week. On the other side of the ball, Jones is creeping up into must-start territory with this matchup. While the Saints defense held Jones in check, he still ripped off some decent runs and looked like a much-improved back as compared to previous seasons. This Panthers defense just saw Jacobs rumble in for three touchdowns against them and there’s a very good chance that we see Tampa lean on the run game in this one. Jones could easily finish as a top-15 option this week and he deserves to be started everywhere that you can. Meanwhile, Fournette showed nothing to indicate that he should be considered for fantasy football anytime soon, but this is a matchup that you may be able to roll him out as a FLEX option if you’re desperate. He’ll need to score a touchdown in order for you to feel happy that you took the chance on him, but there’s a very good chance of that happening against this defense. With that being said, it’s only if you absolutely need him.

Wide Receivers: D.J. Moore struggled in week one, but he was consistently targeted through that game, which is a good sign for fantasy managers. While this is a tough matchup, Moore should be a fine WR2 start, especially in PPR leagues. Anderson broke out in a big way in week one and reminded everyone that he’s still a really talented football player. The Panthers should be airing the ball out in this one, which means even more opportunity for the speedy wideout. Anderson’s a great WR3/FLEX option this week and moving forward. Samuel saw a significant target share in week one, but he failed to do much with the opportunity, which unfortunately has been the tale of his career so far. Samuel should draw coverage from one of the league’s best up-and-coming CBs in Sean Murphy-Bunting, which means that Samuel should be left on your bench in all formats. It’s going to be a very difficult path for him to return fantasy relevance in week two. As for the Buccaneers, there are huge question marks surrounding this receiving corps right now with the news that Godwin is in concussion protocol. It’s looking very unlikely that he plays right now, but these situations are hard to predict this far out, which is why I have left him in the projections listed above. If Godwin does sit, Evans moves up into top-12 consideration in this matchup. Evans will face coverage from Donte Jackson in this game, which is a tough matchup on paper. However, Evans is one of the league’s most skilled receivers, especially downfield, and should be heavily targeted if Godwin sits this one out. Start Evans as a WR2 in this matchup with WR1 upside regardless. Watson saw some work in week one, but he’ll get a bump up if Godwin sits out. He would move into a desperation FLEX play, if needed. Meanwhile, Miller is the intriguing play in the event that Godwin sits. Miller saw a significant target share in week one, but this was with Evans only seeing a few looks, which won’t be the normal in this offense. However, if the slot role in this offense opens up, Miller could easily see 8-10 targets again and be a valuable FLEX option in PPR formats.

Tight Ends: Thomas was barely used in this offense last week and shouldn’t be someone that you’re considering for fantasy football in any format. Meanwhile, OJ Howard saw the majority of the targets last week and was able to reel in the touchdown. The uncertainty of his role in this offense is concerning, but there are some rosters that desperately need a fill-in option. In this matchup, Howard’s a fine streaming candidate. However, Gronk looked like a player who had taken a year off of football and needs some more time to get back up to game speed. Until we see that happen on the football field, it’s probably best to look elsewhere at the TE position.

FantasyProjection Buster: Gronk always has the potential to be utilized in the red zone and break my projections for him. It’s unlikely that he sees a significant number of targets in this game, but he always has the potential to cash in one for six.

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San Francisco 49ers at New York Jets

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: 49ers -295
Over/Under: 41.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: 49ers 24.25, New York 17.25

San Francisco 49ers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Jimmy Garoppolo 21/31 230 3 1 0 0 19.21
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Jerick McKinnon 5 22 0 4 28 1 12.75
RB Tevin Coleman 8 32 0 1 10 1 10.69
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Kendrick Bourne 0 0 0 3 35 1 10.99
WR Mohamed Sanu 0 0 0 2 28 0 3.97
WR Trent Taylor 0 0 0 2 21 0 3.21
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE George Kittle 0 0 0 4 55 0 7.51

__________

New York Jets

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Sam Darnold 20/33 228 2 1 8 0 15.91
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Frank Gore 11 42 0 2 18 0 7.18
RB Le’Veon Bell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Jamison Crowder 0 0 0 8 90 1 18.96
WR Chris Hogan 0 0 0 2 26 0 3.79
WR Breshad Perriman 0 0 0 2 27 0 3.53
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Chris Herndon 0 0 0 5 59 1 14.42

__________

Quarterbacks: Jimmy G put up some decent stats in week one, but the majority of it was on the back of one big play from Mostert. With the uncertainty at WR for this team, plus Kittle’s absence from practice all week, it’s hard to feel confident plugging Jimmy G into your lineup. The matchup is good, but there are too many question marks surrounding his outlook to recommend him as anything more than a 2QB option. On the other side of the field, Darnold has next to no one to throw the ball to and should be under duress all game long with this 49ers defensive front. You can leave Darnold on your waiver wire or bench.

Running Backs: Mostert is a fine RB3 play this week and he always has the chance to break off a huge run, but this Jets defense just held the Buffalo RBs in check last week. Mostert certainly has upside, but it’s hard to see a path for him to finish as a top-20 option outside of a big play. Coleman was barely utilized in week one, but could see an uptick in targets if Kittle misses this game. He’s a FLEX play at best though. McKinnon was able to score in week one, but the workload simply isn’t a guarantee yet for us to feel confident plugging him into our lineup as anything more than a FLEX option. As for the Jets, Le’Veon Bell’s absence has vaulted Gore into the starting role for a NFL team yet again. However, this offense is barely going to put points up on the board and the 49ers have one of the most stout run defenses in the entire league. Gore shouldn’t be considered as anything more than a desperation FLEX start. If you are even considering the other Jets RB in this game, Kalen Ballage, my condolences.

Wide Receivers: Unfortunately, there aren’t really any 49ers WRs that I feel comfortable recommending in this matchup. Although one of them could take advantage of a soft matchup, there’s no way of knowing which one it will be. As for the Jets, Crowder is the only WR that you should be considering in this matchup, but he has now missed the last two practices with a hamstring issue. There’s always the possibility that he plays through the injury and guts it out, but this is a situation that is worth monitoring as we near Sunday.

Tight Ends: Kittle would be a smash auto-start this week, but he’s reportedly going to be missing the entire week of practice. He still hopes to play, but it’s not looking good for a player that should probably rest this week. If he does suit up, you have to start him, but you might not be able to expect top-tier production from him. If he does sit, Jordan Reed becomes an interesting name to monitor that could be worth a pickup and start from your league’s waiver wire. Herndon is worth picking up and starting if you desperately need a TE this week. With the news that Crowder is a long-shot to play in this game, Herndon could easily see 12+ targets and be a valuable start in PPR formats.

FantasyProjection Buster: Mostert’s likely always going to be my answer for the 49ers and this section. Due to his game-breaking speed, he can always break one tackle and take a huge run to the house, but this matchup doesn’t look good for him and the 49ers rushing attack.

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Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Steelers -345
Over/Under: 40.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Pittsburgh 24, Denver 16.75

Denver Broncos

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Drew Lock 22/34 253 1 1 9 0 13.02
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Melvin Gordon 14 57 1 3 28 0 16.24
RB Royce Freeman 9 35 0 4 30 0 8.41
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Courtland Sutton 0 0 0 4 61 1 14.32
WR Jerry Jeudy 0 0 0 5 61 0 8.5
WR Tim Patrick 0 0 0 2 26 0 3.55
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Noah Fant 0 0 0 3 42 0 5.89

__________

Pittsburgh Steelers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Ben Roethlisberger 22/34 256 2 0 5 0 18.78
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Benny Snell 15 62 1 1 10 0 13.81
RB James Conner 11 40 0 2 20 0 7.17
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Diontae Johnson 0 0 0 6 72 1 16.09
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 0 0 0 5 65 1 15.01
WR Chase Claypool 0 0 0 2 29 0 3.88
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Eric Ebron 0 0 0 2 28 0 4.01

__________

Quarterbacks: Lock showed several examples of his arm strength on Monday night, but this defense is no joke and it’s probably best to only consider him in 2QB formats. Meanwhile, Big Ben looked rusty throughout the first half of Monday night’s game, but he rebounded in the second half and started to get back into rhythm. This Broncos defense may still seem like a tough matchup, but they’ve lost some key pieces. Roethlisberger can be rolled out as a low-end QB1 this week.

Running Backs: With the news that Phillip Lindsay is expected to miss this game, Gordon becomes a strong candidate to see anywhere from 15-18 touches. However, this defense just held Saquon Barkley in check and could very easily live in the Denver backfield, which will make life very difficult on Gordon. If you do end up starting him, you’re hoping that he can find the end zone to return value this week. Gordon’s a low-end RB2 in this matchup. On the other side of the ball, there’s now a battle for touches after Conner went out early on Monday night and Snell came in and put up a dominant performance. Conner’s still a question mark for this game due to the ankle, but even if he does play, it’s unlikely that he receives the full workload. Conner’s a risky RB2 play this week if he suits up. Snell was fantastic in last week’s matchup and may have forced Mike Tomlin to change his philosophy on RB usage. If both Snell and Conner play, they may cancel out each other’s true ceilings, but both could have RB3/FLEX appeal.

Wide Receivers: Sutton was spotted at practice on Wednesday, but we still don’t know if he’s going to be back in the lineup for this game. If he does play, I’m expecting a low-end WR2 performance with the matchup. Jeudy was able to put together a nice debut, but the targets may not be there if Sutton does return to the lineup. Jeudy’s a FLEX play at best even if Sutton sits with the CB matchup against Joe Haden or Mike Hilton. Juju broke back onto the scene with a two touchdown performance last week and he should be in line for another decent game against this Broncos secondary that is now missing some pieces. Bryce Callahan is a good slot corner, but Juju should still be able to put together a solid WR2 performance. Johnson is the extremely intriguing WR play in this matchup though with the A.J. Bouye injury in the Broncos secondary. Johnson struggled in the first half, but got into a rhythm with Big Ben later on and led this team in targets. He’s going to draw primary coverage from Michael Ojemudia and Johnson should have no trouble consistently creating separation. He’s a fantastic WR3 start this week with tremendous upside.

Tight Ends: Fant put together a dominant performance in week one with Sutton out of the lineup. Even if Sutton does return, the absence of Lindsay could open things back up for Fant from a target perspective. Start Fant as a low-end TE1 even in a tough matchup here. Ebron showed some chemistry with Big Ben, but he’s not going to see enough targets to be truly relevant for fantasy football unless he scores. Ebron’s a low-end TE2 this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: Ebron is a red zone mismatch, which means that he can emerge as a low-end TE1 on the back of three targets and one of them converting for a score. It’s near-impossible to project, but it’s never out of the realm of possibilities.

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Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Titans -360
Over/Under: 44 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Tennessee 26.25, Jacksonville 17

Jacksonville Jaguars

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Gardner Minshew 19/30 210 2 1 23 0 16.67
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB James Robinson 14 52 0 1 7 0 6.45
RB Chris Thompson 2 8 0 2 21 0 4.08
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR DJ Chark 0 0 0 5 58 1 14.15
WR Keelan Cole 0 0 0 5 52 1 13.51
WR Laviska Shenault 0 0 0 4 45 0 6.32
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Tyler Eifert 0 0 0 2 19 0 2.89

__________

Tennessee Titans

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Ryan Tannehill 23/36 270 2 0 15 0 20.27
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Derrick Henry 26 116 1 3 29 0 21.91
RB Darrynton Evans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR AJ Brown 0 0 0 4 54 1 13.54
WR Corey Davis 0 0 0 4 59 0 8.16
WR Adam Humphries 0 0 0 4 43 0 6.57
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Jonnu Smith 0 0 0 5 60 1 14.51

__________

Quarterbacks: Minshew gave the metaphorical middle finger to everyone who doubted him last Sunday by going 19/20 passing against the Colts defense. While that’s a beatable matchup, it’s still extremely impressive. He gets a bit of a tougher matchup here with Tennessee, but Minshew has shown enough to be considered a viable streaming option here on out. As for the Titans, they picked up the pace of play last week, which means more fantasy opportunity for Tannehill and his receiving weapons. This is a game where the running game should be firing on all cylinders, which simply opens things up for the QB. Tannehill’s a low-end QB1 in my rankings this week.

Running Backs: James Robinson was impressive in his debut and he’s been given the full workload for this Jaguars team. While it’s unlikely that that ever leads to top-tier fantasy production on this team, it’s still an encouraging sign for someone that you selected super late or picked up off of waivers. In this matchup though, Robinson is nothing more than a FLEX play. On the other side of the ball, Henry has loved facing this Jaguars team in the past and he’s in line for a monstrous game. With the workload, plus the matchup, Henry’s a virtual lock for a top-5 finish this week.

Wide Receivers: Cole has bounced back from the fantasy doghouse and is someone to absolutely keep an eye on this week to see if his usage last week was a fluke or not. He’s always had the talent to be a valuable WR for fantasy football, but he’s never been able to get on the field. Chark had a disappointing week one, but he’s too talented for Minshew to not look his way regularly every game. I’m expecting a bounce back performance here from Chark even against these Titans corners. He’s a low-end WR2 this week. Shenault was an excellent pickup in the draft for Jacksonville and he looks to be a key part of their offensive game plan moving forward. With that being said, he’s not someone that you should rely on this week for anything outside of a FLEX play. As for the Titans, Brown looked to be struggling with either a lingering injury or the altitude in Denver last week because he did not look like his normal self. This is concerning for Brown moving forward and expectations for the young wideout need to be adjusted. Brown’s still a fine WR2 play, but we may need another game sample to find out if there’s an injury there that we don’t know about. Davis broke out for Tennessee – finally – but he’s now dealing with an injury and might not be 100% for this week’s game against Jacksonville. If he plays, he’s a fine WR4/FLEX start, but I’d prefer to wait and see another week before I roll him into my starting lineup.

Tight Ends: Smith has now inserted himself into consideration as a weekly must-start at the TE position and should be in your lineup this week against this Jacksonville defense. However, Eifert has not shown enough involvement in the Jaguars offense yet to be trusted for fantasy purposes.

FantasyProjection Buster: Davis has shown up throughout his career in spurts and then has disappeared for long stretches previously. This time it could absolutely be different, but there’s reason to be cautious. While I’m obviously optimistic that he’ll remain a key part of the Titans offense, there’s always the possibility that he finishes with 2 catches for 20 yards. We’ve seen it happen before and the injury certainly doesn’t help matters.

__________

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Packers -245
Over/Under: 49.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Packers 27.75, Detroit 21.75

Detroit Lions

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Matthew Stafford 25/40 282 2 1 6 0 17.85
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Adrian Peterson 15 77 1 1 11 0 15.52
RB D’Andre Swift 5 19 0 3 23 0 5.64
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Marvin Jones 0 0 0 5 63 1 14.98
WR Danny Amendola 0 0 0 5 46 0 6.97
WR Kenny Golladay 0 0 0 4 48 0 6.55
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE TJ Hockenson 0 0 0 4 48 1 12.86

__________

Green Bay Packers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Aaron Rodgers 26/40 287 3 0 7 0 24.2
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Aaron Jones 16 73 1 3 24 0 17.15
RB Jamaal Williams 8 27 0 3 23 0 6.64
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Davante Adams 0 0 0 9 110 1 21.66
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling 0 0 0 4 55 1 13.52
WR Allen Lazard 0 0 0 3 38 1 11.29
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Josiah Deguara 0 0 0 2 16 0 2.48

__________

Quarterbacks: Stafford looked like the Stafford of old last week, but not having his top receiving weapon certainly hurt his overall ceiling. With no guarantee that Golladay is back in the lineup this week, it’s probably best to look at Stafford as a mid-range QB2 this week. Meanwhile, Rodgers came out on fire last week and seems like a man on a mission this year. The matchup was fantastic last week, but this one looks about just as good. The Lions are down several corners and they just gave up three passing touchdowns to Trubisky. Rodgers could go off again in this game.

Running Backs: The Lions RB trio is a huge question mark right now for fantasy football, but AP looked like the superior option last week. He ran extremely well against the Bears defense and he could have another solid outing against this Packers run defense. He’s a back-end RB3 this week. Swift will be known for a while for the drop he experienced in the back of the end zone, but he needs to be given the benefit of the doubt. He’s still an extremely talented RB and could form a nice one-two punch with AP in this backfield. It’s hard to trust Swift as anything more than a RB3 this week, but it could pay off if you roll the dice. For the Packers, there aren’t any RBs that you should be considering for fantasy football outside of Jones, who could absolutely go nuclear in this matchup. David Montgomery was able to run well against this Lions defense and the Packers should be frequent visitors to the red zone. Multiple scores for Jones this week is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Wide Receivers: Golladay is a fine WR3 option if he plays, but it’s looking unlikely that that happens with his injury woes right now. Jones is a fine low-end WR2 start in this game that always comes with the potential to score. If you’re in need of a WR3/FLEX option in Full PPR leagues, Amendola saw the targets last week to warrant consideration only in that format. Quintez Cephus‘ 10 targets last week were encouraging, but he wasn’t able to do much with them. It’s going to be hard to trust him anywhere near your starting lineup this week. On the Packers side of the ball, Adams is a no-brainer top-tier start this week and every week moving forward. With Rodgers playing the way that he is right now, Adams is in consideration weekly for the overall WR1. Lazard is an intriguing FLEX play in hopes that he scores a touchdown again this week, while MVS is in the same category. It’s unlikely that both score a touchdown every week, but they’re worth considering in the event that they can make a big play and win you your week.

Tight Ends: Hockenson looks to be fully recovered from his ankle injury and should be a weekly TE1 when Golladay is out of the lineup. However, there aren’t any Packers TEs that you should be considering this week.

FantasyProjection Buster: MVS is the player that I feel the least confident in my projections for this week. He was able to put up a huge performance on the back of a big TD play, but he also struggled with drops in that game. A lot of people are going to consider plugging MVS in after his big game, but there’s a strong chance that he doesn’t reel in a touchdown. In that case, he’s going to disappoint fantasy managers that took the shot on him.

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Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Bills -235
Over/Under: 42 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Bills 23.25, Miami 17.75

Buffalo Bills

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Josh Allen 24/36 258 1 1 48 1 23.06
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Zack Moss 13 44 1 2 13 0 12.57
RB Devin Singletary 10 40 0 4 24 0 8.18
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Stefon Diggs 0 0 0 6 70 1 15.98
WR John Brown 0 0 0 5 71 0 9.63
WR Cole Beasley 0 0 0 4 48 0 6.96
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Dawson Knox 0 0 0 2 24 0 3.49

__________

Miami Dolphins

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 22/30 197 1 1 15 0 11.37
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Myles Gaskin 10 38 1 3 28 0 14.3
RB Patrick Laird 0 0 0 3 25 0 3.78
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Preston Williams 0 0 0 4 50 0 7.15
WR Isaiah Ford 0 0 0 2 25 0 3.71
WR Jakeem Grant 0 0 0 2 22 0 3.4
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Mike Gesicki 0 0 0 4 47 1 12.94

__________

Quarterbacks: Allen might not be the most accurate QB in the NFL, as evidenced by his two huge misses in the end zone last week, but he is a top-tier fantasy football QB when you factor in his rushing ability. It’s hard to look at the 14 rush attempts from Allen in week one and not fully buy in to his ability to be a consistent top-10 option at the position for fantasy. Allen should continue to utilize his legs on a defense that just saw Cam Newton gash them all game long last week. Allen’s a top-5 option at the position in this matchup. Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, is someone that you want to avoid for fantasy purposes. He’s going to be missing Parker in this game and doesn’t have the star firepower around him to compensate for it.

Running Backs: Moss struggled mightily on the ground last game, but he should bounce back slightly in this matchup. He’s nothing more than a low-end RB3 though until we see him put together a solid YPC at the NFL level. Singletary saw significant work through the passing game last week, but continued to struggle from an efficiency standpoint with a 4.6 YPR average on five catches. Until we see Singletary’s efficiency increase, he’s nothing more than a RB4/FLEX play that you’re hoping is able to score. As for the Dolphins RB situation, this is one that you might want to avoid if you have the chance. None of these options are enticing from a fantasy perspective in a tough matchup.

Wide Receivers: Diggs got a significant number of targets last week, but he draws a tough matchup against Miami’s corners this week. He’s a mid-range WR3 this week. Brown looked great last week and should have had multiple scores, but it appears that he’s dealing with a foot injury. While it’s too early to determine whether or not he’s going to play or not, it’s a situation that should be monitored. He’s a WR3 option if he does suit up. As for the Dolphins, Williams is the only WR you should be considering plugging into your lineup, but he should draw coverage all game long from Tre’Davious White. This is not a good matchup for Williams and I’d be looking elsewhere if I can. If I have to start Williams, I’m expecting WR3 numbers at best.

Tight Ends: Knox isn’t someone that you should be considering outside of 2TE leagues. Meanwhile, with Parker’s likely absence and Williams’ matchup taken into account, Gesicki stands to be the main beneficiary. Gesicki could push for low-end TE1 numbers based on opportunity and target workload alone. He’s someone worth considering if you’re in need of an option at the TE position.

FantasyProjection Buster: Williams has a wide range of outcomes in this game. He could either defy the odds and reel in a score against one of the league’s best corners or he could be completely shut out by White and really hurt fantasy managers. It’s hard to determine which side of the line he’s going to come down on.

__________

Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts

Date/Time: September 20, 1:00 pm ET
Odds
: Colts -167
Over/Under: 48.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Indianapolis 25.75, Minnesota 22.75

Minnesota Vikings

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Kirk Cousins 19/27 226 2 0 8 0 17.86
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Dalvin Cook 14 55 1 2 20 0 14.61
RB Alexander Mattison 8 34 0 3 29 0 8.09
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Adam Thielen 0 0 0 5 72 1 15.67
WR Justin Jefferson 0 0 0 3 38 0 5.16
WR Olabisi Johnson 0 0 0 2 27 0 3.72
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Kyle Rudolph 0 0 0 2 22 1 9.43

__________

Indianapolis Colts

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Philip Rivers 25/38 271 2 1 1 0 16.94
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Jonathan Taylor 16 66 1 3 22 0 16.04
RB Nyheim Hines 8 32 0 5 38 1 15.64
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR T.Y. Hilton 0 0 0 5 57 1 13.98
WR Parris Campbell 0 0 0 6 76 0 10.4
WR Michael Pittman Jr. 0 0 0 2 21 0 2.92
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Jack Doyle 0 0 0 3 29 0 4.36

__________

Quarterbacks: Neither of the QBs in this matchup are exactly enticing from a fantasy perspective. While the Colts defense just get taken advantage of by Minshew, the Vikings are going to aim to run the ball until they absolutely have to throw it. This just doesn’t create enough opportunity for Cousins to finish as a viable streaming option above some of the other options at the position. The Colts are going to attempt to take the ball out of Rivers’ hands as well and lean on their run game in this game. With that in mind, plus Rivers’ propensity for turning the ball over, it’s unlikely that he comes anywhere near the top-12 at the QB position this week.

Running Backs: Cook didn’t see a ton of work last week, but he was able to score multiple times. I expect to see his usage increase this week and he always is a threat to cross the end zone line. Even though this is a tough matchup on paper, I expect Cook to return low-end RB1 value. On the Colts side of the ball, Taylor is now deemed the starter with Mack’s season-ending injury. He could easily see 17-20 touches in this matchup and he should become the player that we expect to see at the NFL level sooner than later. JT can be rolled out as a safe RB2 this week. Hines burst onto the scene last week and appears to be a key fantasy football contributor moving forward. Hines should remain heavily involved through the receiving game and we’ve seen how easily he can turn that opportunity into a score. Hines is a great RB3/FLEX option this week that gets a slight boost in Full PPR leagues.

Wide Receivers: Thielen is the only Vikings WR that you want to look towards in this matchup and he should have a great day. Thielen broke away for a couple of big plays last week and there’s no reason to think that that won’t happen again here. Thielen’s a safe WR2 with WR1 upside moving forward. Hilton’s a fine play in this matchup, but he didn’t exactly do anything in week one to instill confidence. Hilton’s a WR3 this week that could finish higher if he ends up finding the end zone. Campbell also belongs in starting lineups this week as a FLEX option due to his connection with Rivers.

Tight Ends: Neither of these TEs listed above should be considered for fantasy football rosters outside of TE premium formats.

FantasyProjection Buster: Rudolph always has the potential to fall into the end zone and see the targets in the red zone, but it’s nearly impossible to project when those games are going to be.

__________

Washington Football Team at Arizona Cardinals

Date/Time: September 20, 4:05 pm ET
Odds
: Cardinals -305
Over/Under: 46.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Arizona 26, Washington 19.5

Washington Football Team

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Dwayne Haskins 23/36 243 1 0 11 0 14.83
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Peyton Barber 15 50 1 1 8 0 12.21
RB Antonio Gibson 9 39 0 4 35 0 9.47
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Terry McLaurin 0 0 0 5 67 1 15.38
WR Dontrelle Inman 0 0 0 3 48 0 6.46
WR Steven Sims 0 0 0 4 41 0 6.11
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Logan Thomas 0 0 0 4 32 0 4.97

__________

Arizona Cardinals

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Kyler Murray 26/38 266 1 1 56 1 24.28
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Kenyan Drake 15 61 1 2 17 0 15.02
RB Chase Edmonds 6 27 0 3 21 0 6.27
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR DeAndre Hopkins 0 0 0 9 107 1 21.36
WR Larry Fitzgerald 0 0 0 5 43 0 6.61
WR Christian Kirk 0 0 0 2 27 0 3.76
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Dan Arnold 0 0 0 2 22 0 3.18

__________

Quarterbacks: Haskins was able to survive a tough defense with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that didn’t exactly equate to top-tier fantasy production. He’s someone that you can leave on the waiver wire in 1QB leagues. Murray looked like he was in a tough spot with the matchup against the 49ers last weekend, but he was able to keep his fantasy day afloat with 13 rush attempts and a rushing touchdown. This is another tough defensive line that should harass Murray all game long, but as long as he’s running as much as he did in week one, it doesn’t quite matter. Murray will be a QB1 again this week as long as he can keep up his rushing production.

Running Backs: Barber scored multiple times last week, but he looked atrocious outside of that. Barber’s nothing more than a RB4 this week that will have to score for you to feel comfortable starting him. Gibson showed flashes here or there throughout the game against the Eagles, but wasn’t able to break away for that patented big play. He wasn’t utilized heavily as a receiver either, which limits his fantasy outlook moving forward. Until we see Gibson put together a solid outing at the NFL level, he’s nothing more than a RB4 in this offense. On the other side of the ball, Drake wasn’t involved much in the receiving game last week, but saw 16 carries on the ground. That’s promising moving forward, but this is another tough matchup for Drake. He’s a RB2 against this defense. Edmonds was involved heavily out of the backfield as a receiver last week, but he’s still not going to see enough work to be considered a safe start for fantasy purposes.

Wide Receivers: McLaurin is the only Washington receiver that you should feel comfortable starting this week and I don’t exactly feel super confident in saying that. McLaurin should be viewed as a low-end WR2 in this matchup. As for the Cardinals side of the ball, there’s only one WR that you should be considering and that’s Hopkins. He absolutely asserted himself as Murray’s favorite target in this offense right away and he has a very good chance of competing with Davante Adams for the No. 1 overall WR this week.

Tight Ends: Thomas was able to do some nice things last week, but I want to wait another week before plugging him into my starting lineup to know if this was just a fluke or not. The Washington offense needs him, but I’m willing to wait one more game.

FantasyProjection Buster: Based on what we saw last week, Thomas has to be the answer here. While I’m certainly not optimistic on his outlook this week, there’s a chance that he becomes a fantasy relevant option based on necessity. As I mentioned, I want to wait a week before I put him into my lineup with confidence, but he could absolutely find the end zone again this week.

__________

Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans

Date/Time: September 20, 4:25 pm ET
Odds
: Ravens -295
Over/Under: 50 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Baltimore 28.5, Houston 22.75

Baltimore Ravens

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Lamar Jackson 17/26 213 2 0 62 1 28.72
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB JK Dobbins 9 39 1 1 4 0 10.63
RB Mark Ingram 11 46 0 1 9 0 6
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Marquise Brown 0 0 0 4 67 1 14.88
WR Willie Snead 0 0 0 3 29 0 4.14
WR Miles Boykin 0 0 0 2 22 0 3.08
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Mark Andrews 0 0 0 5 63 1 14.72

__________

Houston Texans

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Deshaun Watson 23/35 264 1 1 33 1 21.86
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB David Johnson 11 42 1 4 35 0 15.53
RB Duke Johnson 4 16 0 1 12 0 3.34
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Will Fuller 0 0 0 5 71 0 9.83
WR Brandin Cooks 0 0 0 4 55 0 7.72
WR Randall Cobb 0 0 0 3 41 0 5.8
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Darren Fells 0 0 0 2 21 1 9.12

__________

Quarterbacks: You start Lamar Jackson. End of discussion. Watson, however, is a different story. This is a tough defense for Watson to face and there’s a possibility that we see Watson struggle again like he did with the Chiefs defense. Watson finished as the QB12 last week and there’s a possibility that we see him finish around that range again this week.

Running Backs: There are major question marks surrounding the usage of these Ravens RBs. The comments from OC Greg Roman don’t help either, but we have to try to sift through the noise and try to make our own educated guesses. The Ravens should get back to utilizing their RBs heavily in this matchup and we could see Ingram utilized as the lead back again. However, there’s a very likely chance that we see Dobbins continue to be utilized around the goal line. Both of these players are FLEX worthy starts this week because one of them will perform. Unfortunately, we just have no way of knowing which one it’s going to be. As for the Texans, David Johnson is the only one that you should be considering starting. He looked great in his first game back in action, but he does get a tough matchup in this one. Johnson’s a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 this week.

Wide Receivers: Brown is a fantastic play this week as a WR2 with upside. This Texans secondary shouldn’t be able to contain him and there’s a very good chance we see him absolutely explode with lining up against Bradley Roby. Very few corners can contain Brown’s speed and this is a matchup where he needs to be in your starting lineup. Otherwise, there isn’t a Ravens receiver that I feel comfortable recommending as a starter. One could certainly cash in like Snead did last week, but that’s not always a guarantee. As for the Texans receivers, Fuller is probably the only one that you want to roll out in your lineup this week, but it’s going to be hard for him to return more than WR3 value. This defense should stifle Watson and, without the big plays downfield, Fuller’s nothing more than a WR3 in this matchup.

Tight Ends: Andrews is an automatic start every game. He belongs in your starting lineup and has TE1 overall upside this week. However, Fells is a touchdown-or-bust option that I’m not intent on rolling out there unless I’m desperate.

FantasyProjection Buster: Fuller absolutely could break off one big play and make my projections look foolish, but the percentage chance of that happening in this game isn’t very high.

__________

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers

Date/Time: September 20, 4:25 pm ET
Odds
: Chiefs -375
Over/Under: 50 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Kansas City 28, Los Angeles 19.5

Kansas City Chiefs

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Patrick Mahomes 22/34 287 3 1 16 0 23.04
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire 17 77 1 3 26 0 17.72
RB Darrel Williams 7 26 0 1 12 0 4.44
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Tyreek Hill 0 0 0 4 68 1 15.02
WR Demarcus Robinson 0 0 0 3 39 1 11.4
WR Sammy Watkins 0 0 0 4 53 0 7.3
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Travis Kelce 0 0 0 6 73 1 16.13

__________

Los Angeles Chargers

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Tyrod Taylor 26/38 303 2 0 23 0 22.43
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Joshua Kelley 9 42 1 2 12 0 12.15
RB Austin Ekeler 14 60 0 4 39 0 11.87
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Mike Williams 0 0 0 6 86 1 17.4
WR Keenan Allen 0 0 0 7 83 0 11.76
WR Jalen Guyton 0 0 0 1 14 0 1.88
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Hunter Henry 0 0 0 6 63 1 15.19

__________

Quarterbacks: Both QBs in this matchup are enticing fantasy options. Mahomes is an automatic start every single week based on where you drafted him. However, Taylor has some appeal as well as a streaming option. The Chiefs figure to get out to a lead in this game, which means that the Chargers are going to have to throw the ball a little bit more than they would probably like to here. Taylor didn’t show any hesitancy to air it out downfield last week and he also carries some added upside with his mobility. Don’t be shocked if Taylor finishes as a top-12 option.

Running Backs: CEH is an every week high-end starter now even though the matchup isn’t fantastic. The scary thing with CEH is that he can see an uptick in his fantasy production if he starts to see some more work out of the backfield as a receiver. He’s a top-tier RB1 this week. On the other side of the ball, Ekeler is still an every week start even though he hasn’t been as involved so far this season as a receiver. He’s still seeing a ton of work on the ground and Taylor’s going to need him this week if they are indeed playing from behind. He’s a solid RB2. Additionally, Kelley’s an intriguing FLEX option in a game that figures to see plenty of scoring opportunities. He’s established himself as the goal-line back in this offense and he could easily score again this week.

Wide Receivers: For the Chiefs, Hill belongs in your starting lineup every week. However, it gets interesting when you look at Watkins and trying to determine if his week one was another fluke game. I believe that you can roll out Watkins as a FLEX play this week though, but this is a situation that’s definitely worth monitoring moving forward. Robinson is also a sneaky deep-league FLEX play. Last week, he saw a couple of end zone targets that he should’ve come up with, but he wasn’t able to reel them in. He won’t see high target totals, but he could absolutely find his way into the end zone this week. Otherwise, Mecole Hardman simply doesn’t see enough work to be considered for fantasy football purposes.

Tight Ends: Kelce’s a solid option to finish as a top-5 option at the TE position this week and he needs to be in your lineup every single game. As for the Chargers, Henry’s also a solid option at the TE position this week in a matchup that figures to see the Chargers throw the ball quite a bit.

FantasyProjection Buster: The numbers here for Taylor are pretty aggressive, but based on the projected pass attempts, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. However, there’s also the possibility that this Chiefs defense makes life tough on Taylor all game long and he’s not able to connect with Williams on a couple deep shots that would boost his passing yardage total.

__________

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

Date/Time: September 20, 8:20 pm ET
Odds
: Seahawks -190
Over/Under: 45 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: Seattle 24.5, New England 20.5

New England Patriots

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Cam Newton 18/27 182 2 0 52 1 26.46
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB James White 6 23 0 4 33 1 13.52
RB Sony Michel 13 51 0 0 0 0 5.05
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR N’Keal Harry 0 0 0 4 45 1 12.59
WR Julian Edelman 0 0 0 5 59 0 8.53
WR Damiere Byrd 0 0 0 1 9 0 1.31
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Ryan Izzo 0 0 0 2 17 0 2.51

__________

Seattle Seahawks

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Russell Wilson 23/35 267 2 0 20 0 20.67
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Chris Carson 13 56 1 4 32 0 16.94
RB Carlos Hyde 9 36 0 0 0 0 3.57
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Tyler Lockett 0 0 0 7 85 1 17.81
WR DK Metcalf 0 0 0 5 74 0 10.16
WR David Moore 0 0 0 2 25 0 3.36
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Greg Olsen 0 0 0 3 36 1 11.37

__________

Quarterbacks: As long as Newton’s healthy and his rushing production doesn’t take a dip, he belongs in your starting lineup. The Patriots are going to want to keep the ball in the ground as long as they can in this matchup to keep the ball out of Wilson’s hands. Newton could very easily see close to his 15 carries from last week in this matchup, which instantly boosts him into top-7 consideration at the QB position. On the other side, Wilson’s an every week must-start if the Seahawks allow him to continue to air the ball out. Even against a good Patriots defense, Wilson’s a fantastic start for fantasy.

Running Backs: Michel, White, Burkhead, and Taylor aren’t really exciting options for fantasy i this matchup. Michel could fall in the end zone, but those goal-line looks are most likely to go Cam’s way. Additionally, White will see some work as a receiver, but it might not be enough to return anything more than RB3 value. As for the Seahawks, Carson saw very little work out of the backfield as a runner last week, but he was dominant as a receiver. I expect that to change this week and balance out a little bit, as evidenced by the projections above, and Carson is someone you can trust as a RB2 in this matchup.

Wide Receivers: For the Patriots wideouts, Edelman is most likely the only one that you can feel comfortable starting as a WR3. He’ll see his guaranteed targets this week, but could see an uptick if the Patriots do end up having to play catch up. Harry could have some FLEX appeal in deep leagues, but otherwise it’s probably best to keep him on your bench. For the Seahawks, both Metcalf and Lockett are solid starts this week, but they’re facing some tough corners with this Patriots defense. Both are solid WR2 starts this week still though.

Tight Ends: Greg Olsen can be rolled out as a touchdown-or-bust option this week, but otherwise there aren’t any other players in this matchup at the position that you should be looking towards.

FantasyProjection Buster: As long as Wilson’s throwing the football as much as he did last week, he could easily shatter any projections for him that I view as conservative. He’s one of the best pure passers in the league and if he put up another four touchdowns on this Patriots defense, I would not be shocked.

__________

New Orleans Saints at Las Vegas Raiders

Date/Time: September 21, 8:15 pm ET
Odds
: Saints -230
Over/Under: 49.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals
: New Orleans 27.75, Las Vegas 21.75

New Orleans Saints

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Drew Brees 22/30 229 2 0 1 0 17.29
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Alvin Kamara 13 58 0 7 58 1 21.17
RB Latavius Murray 17 68 1 3 23 0 16.78
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Emmanuel Sanders 0 0 0 5 65 0 9.08
WR Tre’Quan Smith 0 0 0 2 24 0 3.24
WR Deonte Harris 0 0 0 0 4 0 0.54
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Jared Cook 0 0 0 4 56 1 13.49

__________

Las Vegas Raiders

POS NAME COMP/ATT PASS YDS TDs INTs RUSH YDS TDs FPTS
QB Derek Carr 23/34 252 2 1 7 0 16.74
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
RB Josh Jacobs 19 76 1 4 30 0 18.38
RB Jalen Richard 0 0 0 3 23 0 3.67
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
WR Henry Ruggs 0 0 0 4 57 1 13.8
WR Hunter Renfrow 0 0 0 3 36 0 5.11
WR Bryan Edwards 0 0 0 2 26 0 3.57
POS NAME CARRIES RUSH YDS TDs RECS REC YDS TDs FPTS
TE Darren Waller 0 0 0 5 60 1 14.5

__________

Quarterbacks: With the loss of Michael Thomas, Brees is someone that you should be looking to avoid starting, if at all possible. It’s likely that the Saints lean on the run game in this matchup, which limits Brees’ upside. Without MT to rack up the passing yardage, it’s hard to see how Brees can do enough to finish inside the top-12 this week. Meanwhile, Carr is someone that you should absolutely avoid in 1QB formats with this matchup against the Saints defense. Brady struggled mightily against them last week his loaded receiving corps and it’s hard to see a path for Carr finishing inside the top-15 at the positon this week.

Running Backs: Murray is a fantastic RB2 option this week, in my opinion. With MT out, the Saints will want to lean on their run game a bit more, which gives Murray even more opportunity. He saw significant work last week and there’s a possibility that he scores in this game. Additionally, Kamara might not see an uptick in carries, but he could see even more work as a receiver out of the backfield.  With his nose for the end zone, Kamara’s a solid bet to finish in the top-5 at the RB position in week two. For the Raiders, Jacobs is coming off a monster game last week and he’s starting to see the targets out of the backfield that we’ve all wanted to see for a while now. However, this is a very tough matchup for him this week and it’s unlikely that he delivers the same level of performance. Jacobs is a low-end RB1 this week against the Saints defense.

Wide Receivers: With Thomas out, Sanders gets a bump up, but it’s unlikely to lead to a top-20 finish unless he scores a touchdown. With more of a projected leaning on the run game, there’s less targets to go around and Sanders simply won’t walk in and inherit MT’s ridiculous target share. Smith gets a slight bump up too, but he’s not worth looking at outside of deep leagues as a desperation FLEX play. As for the Raiders, we’re still awaiting word on Ruggs’ availability for week two, but it’s not looking good at this point. He could always get in a practice on Friday and play on Sunday, but it’s looking like a long-shot right now. Edwards would be the main beneficiary here, but he would only move up to a desperation FLEX play as well with having Marshon Lattimore most likely covering him. Renfrow should be worked back into the game plan if Ruggs misses and could be a viable FLEX play in Full PPR leagues, but otherwise there aren’t any other receivers that you should be looking at here in a tough matchup.

Tight Ends: Cook stands to benefit the most from Thomas’ injury in New Orleans. He should see an increase in targets and he’s always a threat to score in this offense. Cook moves into mid-range TE1 consideration. Additionally, Waller should benefit if Ruggs sits this one out too. Waller would be a mid-range TE1 in this game with Ruggs, but he could move up into the top-5 conversation if a few more targets open up.

FantasyProjection Buster: Smith absolutely can make one player miss and take one to the house, which would also help inflate Brees’ yardage numbers, but based on the matchup, it’s not looking like that’s likely to happen.

__________

 


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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.

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