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Fantasy Football Player Notes

Week 1 Rankings

Isiah Pacheco Note
Isiah Pacheco photo 30. Isiah Pacheco RB - (vs . DET)
Pacheco will reprise his role as the team's early down grinder this year. He was efficient as a rusher, ranking 18th in explosive run rate and 14th in yards after contact per attempt (minimum 100 rushes per Fantasy Points Data). Last season, he only saw a 2.3% target share and a 14.8% route per dropback rate. If you're plugging him into your lineup this season, it likely should be when he has an easy matchup on the ground. Luckily for Pacheco, Christmas came early, as the Lions couldn't stop anyone on the ground last season. Detroit gave up the third-most rushing touchdowns, allowed the seventh-most missed tackles, and surrendered the fifth-highest yards before contact per attempt. Last season, 65.9% of Pacheco's runs were on zone concept plays, as he was fourth-best in zone run success rate with the tenth-highest yards per carry on zone runs. Detroit allowed the sixth-highest success rate on zone runs. Pacheco is a low-end RB2/strong flex play.
27 weeks ago
Skyy Moore Note
Skyy Moore photo 75. Skyy Moore WR - (vs . DET)
Fantasy GMs were hurt and wanting more last year as Andy Reid kept Moore capped all year in a part-time role. Every offseason report for Moore this summer has been glittering as he has been dubbed a starter in two wide receiver sets. This fact is huge as Kansas City was 24th in 11 personnel rate (three wide receivers on the field) last season. In the limited role we saw Moore in last year, he was immensely productive from an efficiency standpoint. Among 119 wide receivers with at least 150 routes run (per Fantasy Points Data), Moore ranked seventh in YAC per reception and tenth in missed tackles forced per reception. We'll see how much Moore plays in the slot versus outside in this game, but when he's lined up on the perimeter, he'll face Cameron Sutton (50.7% catch rate, 69.6 passer rating allowed in 2022) and Jerry Jacobs (55.0% catch rate, 74.9 passer rating allowed in 2022). This isn't a good matchup for Moore's YAC game. Last year, Detroit allowed the fourth-lowest YAC per reception and fifth-lowest missed tackles allowed per reception. Moore is a WR4.
27 weeks ago
Marquise Brown Note
Marquise Brown photo 76. Marquise Brown WR - (vs . DET)
I think it's smart to avoid starting WRs when we don't know who their starting QBs will be. Especially when it's a combination of a Day 3 rookie and journeyman veteran with zero track record of any success at the NFL level. Case in point, Marquise Brown should be on ALL benches in Week 1 versus an underrated Commanders secondary. Hollywood Brown played five games without Kyler Murray (three which overlapped with DeAndre Hopkins also playing), Brown was down to just 5.4 points and 35 receiving yards per game. He also posted similar production in the final two games of the season with both Hopkins/Murray sidelined.
27 weeks ago
Jerick McKinnon Note
Jerick McKinnon photo 80. Jerick McKinnon RB - (vs . DET)
McKinnon ran hot to close the year in 2022. If you've drafted him, it's for his PPR appeal, but sadly, this isn't a week to consider him in your flex. McKinnon had an 11.7% target share last season while leading the Kansas City backfield with a 43.1% route per dropback rate. He was 15th in yards per route run with a 23% target per route run rate. Detroit shut down backs in the passing game last season, allowing the second-fewest receptions and the lowest receiving yards to the position. They were also 17th in yards per reception while surrendering zero receiving touchdowns. McKinnon is a desperation flex play in PPR formats.
27 weeks ago
Kadarius Toney Note
Kadarius Toney photo 87. Kadarius Toney WR - (vs . DET)
Andy Reid has declared Toney good to go for Week 1. Color me skeptical about that. In ten games last year with Kansas City (including the playoffs), Toney was an efficiency darling and target-per-route run king. He had 2.60 yards per route run and a ridiculous 29.4% TPRR. Those are beautiful numbers in a bubble. When you also add in the context that he surpassed 32% of the snaps played once, Toney's scintillating efficiency stats get a heavy dose of cold water. If Toney plays Week 1, it's likely on a strict snap count, so you're praying he runs hot with targets on limited usage and scores a touchdown. Both of those things could happen, but that's asking a lot.
27 weeks ago
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Note
Clyde Edwards-Helaire photo 146. Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB - (vs . DET)
Irv Smith Jr. Note
Irv Smith Jr. photo 148. Irv Smith Jr. TE - (vs . DET)
Three years into Irv Smith Jr.'s career, we have no real idea of how good he can be. The former second-round draft pick has lost 13 games to injury over the last two years. But Smith just turned 25 and is in a great situation as the starting tight end in an offense triggered by QB Joe Burrow. It might be best to wait at least a week before plugging Smith into your lineup, however, as he opens the season against a Browns defense that allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2022.
27 weeks ago
Rashee Rice Note
Rashee Rice photo 170. Rashee Rice WR - (vs . DET)
Mecole Hardman Jr. Note
Mecole Hardman Jr. photo 174. Mecole Hardman Jr. WR - (vs . DET)
Richie James Jr. Note
Richie James Jr. photo 182. Richie James Jr. WR - (vs . DET)
Noah Gray Note
Noah Gray photo 188. Noah Gray TE - (vs . DET)
Avoid Noah Gray. If Kelce sits, I wouldn't be picking up Gray with the idea of starting him. Even in limited action, Gray has not been an impressive player, with a career 0.78 yards per route run and 10.2% TPRR. If you need a streaming tight end, look for Juwan Johnson, Gerald Everett, or Logan Thomas (if you're exceptionally desperate) on the waiver wire. Each player is below 45% rostered in Yahoo leagues and has a strong to exceptional matchup for Week 1.
27 weeks ago
Keaontay Ingram Note
Keaontay Ingram photo 189. Keaontay Ingram RB - (vs . DET)
Justyn Ross Note
Justyn Ross photo 198. Justyn Ross WR - (vs . DET)
Justin Watson Note
Justin Watson photo 243. Justin Watson WR - (vs . DET)
Blake Bell Note
Blake Bell photo 275. Blake Bell TE - (vs . DET)
Matt Bushman Note
Matt Bushman photo 353. Matt Bushman TE - (vs . DET)
Deneric Prince Note
Deneric Prince photo 386. Deneric Prince RB - (vs . DET)
Jody Fortson Note
Jody Fortson photo 389. Jody Fortson TE - (vs . DET)
Cornell Powell Note
Cornell Powell photo 415. Cornell Powell WR - (vs . DET)
Montrell Washington Note
Montrell Washington photo 429. Montrell Washington WR - (vs . DET)
La'Mical Perine Note
La'Mical Perine photo 440. La'Mical Perine RB - (vs . DET)
Gerrit Prince Note
Gerrit Prince photo 442. Gerrit Prince TE - (vs . DET)
Hassan Hall Note
Hassan Hall photo 448. Hassan Hall RB - (vs . DET)