Fantasy Football Weekly week 3

maybe two touchdowns out of that hook up. And that's a way that you can you know, you're adding risk, but you're also adding a reward into your mix, and I think that makes uh. I think that's one of the ways that you can overcome try to overcome the big the big lead. If you're like me and played a sicko who had the goth girly Watkins stack on out. Yep, I'm gonna shoot for the moon this week. You gotta

you know. I'm having some regret. I liked the Rams to bounce back, and if you recall back to our Week one show, I had Jared goff as might take a chance at the quarterback. I wish I'd just spread that analysis out over the whole season, you know, and just said, you know, for the whole season. I think Jared gott and I did think that. I thought the whole rams are going to be better, but I should have been a little bolder about about season long predictions

with that. Um Any quick thoughts on Cooper Cup after too straight disappointing games in the big week one, probably a drop in redraft leagues. I'm holding in dynasty though. I think he's got potential and you never know with Watkins, he could go down at any moment. Yeah, I think we need a little perspective. There was a pass I think it was in the third quarter where it was basically in Cup's hands and it was not loose just at the very last second. Uh. He might have scored

on that play as well. So it's one of those things where if he gets that play, maybe we don't even have these kind of negative feelings going forward. There's been a lot of jeering over my preseason optimism for the forty Niners offense, but they played two great defenses in weeks one and two, and I think what we saw what they can do when they when they get a more standard opponent. I do think there's still remains a lot of upside with those Niners harder than us either. No, yeah,

he looks, he looks. He How about that catche catch of the year is already in the books. It's over. That was catch of the year. I don't care what Odell Beckham does the rest of the season. That was catch of the year. Over the course of the show, we'll do our five tough questions are premature speculation, um, and we will give you nine guys upon whom you can take a chance. We begin rolling right into our matchups. We've got a full slide of games to get to.

We begin with the Steelers taking on the Bears. J Okay, let's go Big Bend. I've got him as a B for the week. The positives are of the Bears brank against the past. A noticeable departure from last year's top ten ranking. On the bad side or the math side, uh, Big Ben is accounted for just zero or one touchdown in seven of his last ten road outings and plus for the regular season last year, Ben only at nine

touchdown passes any completion rate below on the road. Yeah, he averages one touchdown pass per road game over the last three seasons. Uh. For Leivian Belle, I've got him, you know in a UM. I know he struggled a little bit, but you know, the Bears have already allowed three touchdowns to opposing running backs this year and they had the NFL's six worst rushing defense from last year. Plus Bell is in that third week where you perceive him did finally be in football shape. Um. He's getting

the touches, he's getting the carries. James Connor is not a threat. I'm absolutely confident that Bell will be top five this week among the receivers. I've got. Antonio Brown is an a. UM. You know his last fifteen road outings. Uh, he's had a hundred totaly yards indoor, one touchdown ten times. He's not going against Davy roads. He's an easy a.

I've got Martvis Bryant for a b um. He made the most of his four targets last week, three catches, ninety one yards and a touchdown going against Trey Wings. We kind of figured that would do go well. Um. Ed Bouchett of the Pittsburgh He's big Pittsburgh guy, Sather's columnist. He was saying that Brian has been the best player they've had in camp, preseason, all summer. UM, So I take that into account. UM. The Bears whole bottom ten

rankings with passing yards, points allowed, and defensive interceptions this season. UH. The only positive I can say is the Chicago secondary has held the opposing wide receiver two to just four and a half catches, forty three yards and zero touchdowns through two weeks. That's said, I still like Brian in the beak category. UH. For Jesse James, I've got him as a C. On the good side, he has collected

five targets in his last four outings, including the playoffs. UH. For this season through weeks one and two, the Bears have cumulatively allowed a hundred and sixty nine yards receiving and one touchdown to opposing tight ends. So that makes James semi relevant. Yeah. On the downside, James has never scored a touchdown against the non conference foe. I know that's not a big deal, but it it's just worth noting. And he might have missed his window in terms of

getting consistent red zone targets. Now that Bryant is, you know of clear mind, clear body, and Bell should be getting a lot. So there we go. All right, let's flip to the other side of the ball. Okay, for the Bears, UM, let's start with Mike Glennon. I didn't give him a grade this week at all, So yeah, he's a bench uh. For the running backs, chat Cohen, I gave him a b. Uh. He is one of only eight NFL Plakers playmakers to have at least twenty targets through week two. Uh. He has an eight two

catch the target ratio on the season. UM. That's a great one. Yeah, that's what you want. Um. And the Steelers d currently ranked second in sacks, so if you want to take the positive from that, that means that glenn will have to perhaps do a lot of checkdowns and the number one primary option in the checkdown would be Terak Cohen. So solid B. On the downside, he only has a one point eight six yards per carry

uh last week. Last week, that's that's deplorable. UH. For the other running back, Jordan Howard, I've got him as a C grade for the week. On the good side, he collected a hundred total yards and or wasn't touchdown thirteen times in his last fifteen games. However, he's dealing with the shoulder concerned that played itself out last week and I think it will play it out this week

as well. Plus, the Steelers have allowed only a hundred forty yards rushing and two games and have yet to surrender a rushing touchdown to an actual old tailback and actual only fictional tailbacks. Well like they've given up rushing touchdowns to other positions, but not though not running backs. Okay, fine, all right? Uh? Then um for none of the receivers. Are all the receivers benched? And then I've got Zach

Miller B grade for the week he wrecked. He ranks among the top eight tight ends for both receptions and targets. This year he leads the Bears and UH tight ends and wide receivers and targets, and last year UH, the Steelers d ranked twenty or lower against PPR tight ends in the categories of targets allowed, receptions allowed, and net yards given up as well. Thank you, Jay. Brian Denver

takes on Buffalo. Trevor Simeon leads the NFL in quarterback touchdowns with seven, but I'm tough matchup here as he travels to Buffalo. Well, yeah, he's on pace for fifty six total touchdown that happen, I'll take you over on that. Seriously, he should fall back to earth a little bit here. Buffalo is looking like a better run defense than past defense. But it's a matter of how much will the Broncos have to throw the ball. But I'll give us, I

mean I'll give to me to see this week. We'll talk a little bit more about him later over to the well to let's talk about as receivers to Mary's Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. I'll give both of them and be rarely do they both go off in the same game. So I took a little look at the home road splits for each since the start of Demry's, Thomas is averaging about the same amount of targets on the road

versus at home. Emmanuel Sanders, on the other hand, is averaging an extra three and a half targets per game on the road, so we gets leaned on a little more there. So you're starting both. But if you're playing on a site like Fanball, I'm using the targets as a tiebreaker between the two, So I like Sanders a little more at a cheaper price. Tach um over the running backs. C J. Anderson twenty carries twenty five carries in his first few games, getting true bell cow treatment.

We're gonna get a bell cow sounder today. Fantasy bell cow was given me a grief on Twitter that he didn't have. We do we need a bell We do need the bell sounder, bell Cow. Let's let's work that, Zack. Buffalo Rundey looking at Tony. I'm sorry, Buffalo Rundy's looking tough. They've allowed just eighty eight yards on thirty six combined carries between the Jets and Panthers running backs. You gotta

keep rolling out c g though he looks great. Only he and Mike gillissly have double digit red zone rushes so far this year. So he's an easy be almost an A. But it was a tough matchup and I'm benching Jamal Charles. You just want more expected points from the opposition to put Charles in play. So he's on the bench this week. Not much to talk about for Buffalo Lashawn McCoy gets a B in career games following a sub seventy yard rushing performance, as he had last week.

He follows up with ten yards per game and he's had quite a few. He's a good bounce back player. Tough matchup against It is a tough matchup against Denver. That just the run defense just took the love of the game out of Zeke. Yeah, but there's no real desire and so you could tell he quit halfway through that game. But yet eight yards on nine carries for Zeke. I'm thinking, Shady, you'll have a little bit better day. You can't bench him, obviously. It's another tough matchup for him.

And Charles Clay is the only other Bill Worth talking about really in this one. I'll give him a ce. Covering tight ends has proven to be a crack in the arm of Denver's defense in recent years. They allowed the seventh most catches the tight ends. Last year, Jason Witten was just targeted thirteen times for ten catches a touchdown. So Clays and play. He's been on the injury report, but he'll be suiting up on Sunday for sure. He's inside my top ten among tight ends. This early Saturday

morning game. It's in London and it's the early start. So be sure to get you really today. Now go get go, make sure your lineups are set for these guys. For whatever it's worth, dating back to twelve of the eleven games played in London, the average points are fifty three points per outing. That's a courtesy of Jay sent me that stat Thank you for that. So we tend to think of those games as being moro abund But actually there's been a lot of points to be had

in the past few games. But I don't love this matchup, and I'm only got starting grades on a couple of guys. All that said, uh C grades for Terence West. He's a game time decision with a thigh injury. I think he's gonna play. Jaguars are a better past defense than a run defense. They've allowed two rushing touchdowns last week, although frankly Derrick Henry is way way better back than Terence West. There they're giving a hundred seven rushing yards

per game. But this is the Ravens first game without their elite guard, Marshal Yanda, and they have no real answer for his loss. So I'm nervous about West. I'm nervous about Buck Allen, who gets a C grade as well. He'll be the in the Danny woodhead role and he'll he'll get some receptions here. Jaguars have only allowed seven receptions to the position all year, though, and no running back has scored through the air against the Jaguars in

two years. So I'm nervous about Buck Allen too, so just to see grade for him the whole the rest of all passing games on the bench, including Joe Flacco, Jaguars quietly have an elite past defense, giving up just one four yards per game one touchdown per game. I think that's about what Joe Flacco gets about a Buck eighties seven and one here, which is would be a very Flacco type type game. Ben Watson, I need more than one game sample to show that Ben Watson's back

from the dead. I can't trust him. Jeremy Macklin is scoring back to back games, but draws a much tougher assignment this week against Jacksonville's slot cornerback Aaron Colvin. He's on the bench, then, Mike Wallas has done nothing, Andy draws Jalen Ramsey. Let's go to the Jaguars side of this matchup, where there's only one player to start, and

that's Leonard Fournette. The Ravens excellent defensive tackle Brandon Williams has been ruled out of this game, and that's gonna open up the door for the game plan that the Jaguars want to employ basically every game, which is try to win on the ground, minimize Blake Bortles, and let your defense carry you to and a short victory and a quick game. The Ravens have been very good against the run, but that was with Williams, Brandon Williams, and I like Fournette as a result. He's He's also a

better pass catcher than people think. And the Ravens have allowed running backs fifty six yards per game so far, and that's an area where Fournette, I think, is gonna gonna be pretty involved. You get targeted five times last week, so I think Fournette get turns those five or so five or six receptions into close to fifty receiving yards as well. Leonard Fournette is a B grade let response time. Um is Burnett could be a bell cow this week. Oh there, we are very nicely done. Look at Tony

in the span of one matchup. He's got it on the button button to the whole passing games on the bench. Bortles Lee hearns. The Ravens have allowed one touchdown pass. They've netted eight receptions one touchdown pass allowed eight interceptions. I think I may have said receptions, yes, yes, eight interceptions for some perspective on the eight interceptions through two games. Last year, four teams had eight interceptions on the season, and here comes Blake portals an arsenal of errors. The

Bordau Party. The Bordeau Party. Uh and Lee and Hearns have got negative matchups against Jimmy Smith and Ladarius Webb. I don't like any part of that passing game. When we come back, take a chance on me. Nine players not normally in your starting lineup will tell you who you can start this week from the bench. When we can nine players not normally in your lineup, guys who are in many is available on the waiver wire, we will tell you who they are right now, Beginning at

the quarterback position. In Jay Clemens, I've got Carson Palmer we're talking is facing a Cowboys defense that heading into the season, Pro Football Focus had as the thirty secondary. Plus now they've got injuries to to a woozy Carroll and Scandrick that are testing that depth. His last four home games, Carson Palmer has not three hundred yards passing

each time. J J. Nelson has emerged as the number two receivers also, and I know of his last eight non divisional home games against NFC opponents, Palmer has seven times against during that at time, he's averaging three yards and a robust two and a half touchdown that you have already you've already housed. Random stat of the week Territory, Brian, Thank you, I got in these. Jacoby Brissette at home against the Browns. Brissette didn't do anything special against the

Cardinals last week, but that's because they're the Cardinals. This is the Browns. So Brisette is a threat to run and throw at least a touchdown in this game. Going back to last season, Cleveland has allowed at least two passing touchdowns, and six of their last seven games, only Kyrod Taylor failed to do so in the snow in Buffalo. The Browns have also just faced two running threats at

quarterback since the start of last year. Marcus Mariotta had seven carries for sixty four yards and Tyrod Taylor had seven for forty nine. So Brisettes a dual threat this week. We all think the Dolphins are gonna double off the Jets by points, right, and chure j Gi is gonna get a lot of that. But why don't we dumpster dive and a guy who can capitalize on a giant success. What's to say that the giant is gonna get all

the touchdowns? I think Color looked pretty good and is knocked the rustoff game last week his first time in with the Dolphins. Now he gets this week's matchup against the Jets, who are currently allowing two and a half touchdowns per game to opposing quarterbacks. My biggest concern just really just does a giant house everything? But there's a good chance that he doesn't, and he just merely sets up a passing game for some easy touchdowns. Let's go

to the running back position. Jay My Palmer endorsement was all sets, but for running back, I'm going with d J. Pro Syce purely based on a hunch this week. Um he was targeted six times last week in a very close game against forty niners. I refused to believe the seahawks muddled backfield situation has suddenly become the Chris Carson

Show against opposing tailbacks. Last year, the Titans owned middling rankings with both targets allowed, receptions allowed and receiving yards given up and plus Vegas is under selling this matchup with an over under at forty one, so if we're going over, pro Syce will definitely factor into that. All right, You like him as a PPR option. I kind of do too, Brian, Yeah, pro sys is sneaky, especially on fanball only three play there. I've got Darren Sprawls at

home against my miserable Giants. The Giants allowed more than five catches per game to running backs last year. Sprowls is clearly a pass catching back UH, one of ten running backs with at least twelve targets so far this year. Carson Wentz was sacked six times by the Chiefs last week. The Giants should bring similar heat, meaning Wentz might have to check down a little more than than he's used to.

And yes, Darren Sprowls has just as many red zone carries as le Garrett Blunt, which is ridiculous eat or something. But he will take the lead on Sunday because Blunt is cooked. We'll talk more about that matchup a little later. Theo Reddick goes up against Atlanta, and for all the success the Falcons had last year, they got destroyed by

running backs through the air. They allowed the most receptions to running backs last year, the most receiving yards to running backs last year, and the most receiving touchdowns the running backs last year. That is a trifective defensive ineptitude right there. This year, the Falcons are allowing the most receptions there running backs, the most touchdowns through the air to running backs with two already. And here comes the Lions pass catching specialist, Theo Reddick. Money in the bank.

Let's go to the wide receiver position. People know that I'm obsessed with PPR leagues, and you need to catch the target ratio of at least otherwise I would even cross the street to kick you in the ribs. Okay, that said, Dante Moncreeve has a catch target ratio this year, but I'm willing to overlook that because Jacobycent literally got

into Indians a couple of weeks ago. So he is my guy for this position going against the Browns secondary that ranked heading into the preseason according to Pro Football Focus, and that was with without Joe hayden Um in the lineup. UH last year. Opposing receivers for when facing the Browns at six catch target rate against the Browns. Uh In fact under uh well Greig Williams, who was not who

was with the Rams last year. The Rams last year were bottom ten in targets allowed, catches allowed, and receiving yards given up to opposing white up. All right, So Dante Moncreve you got, I'm going to Shard Higgins at the Colts in the same game. People are at his calling. Higgins is out of nowhere practice squad player, but he was a fifth round pick at a Colorado State university. He had ninety six catches for sevred and fifty yards

and seventeen touchdowns. So he's he's he's not just in the nobody eleven targets last week for seven catches and ninety five yards two catches of twenty plus yards run out of the slot. Yeah, is very good size and Colts rookie slot corner Nate Harrison is in the bottom third of Pro Football Focuses quarterback grades. So look out for Higgins this week. He's gonna have a good game, all right. Devin Funches is my player and I love this matchup. Look, any more body gets the Saint secondaries

automatically in play. But the Saints secondary is ravaged right now. Marshawn Lattimer, who had been there quote top cornerback, is out for this game, and that means that they're gonna be going to war with guys like Davante Harris who was killed by Stefan Diggs and Chris Hogan. Harris should see a lot of time on funches based on how these guys tend to play on the which sides of the field. And get this, Harris Franks dead last at the cornerback position by Pro Football Focus, ranking one hundred

six among cornerbacks in the NFL. I didn't know there were one hundred six cornerbacks in the NFL. Devin Funchius effectively free on Fanball at one hundred dollars. All right, let's go to our first, our first matchup of this segment and probably our only matchup of this segments. Who try to keep onto our clock, and that is Falcons taking on the Lions. Obviously, this feels like a good opportunity for for Julio Jones. They all are yes, I've

got him as an eight grade. Uh, you know, he lit up the Peckers last week for five cuts of hundred eight. Uh. He is going against Darius Slay, so there's some concern there, but he's an automatic A. U. Matt Ryan, I have him for a B this week. Uh. He's going against a Lions defense that currently ranks against the past but only ninth and points allowed. Uh. He

his Uh. He have sixty percent completion rate this year, but at the same times he's lost receiving opportunity or passing opportunities because with the new O C they're getting more running opportunities to both DeVonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Uh. Speaking of which, I've got Freeman as an easy A for the week. Uh. His last four road games indoors, he's averaging a hundred forty two yards and one point three touchdowns. Yes, the Lions have the the NFL's number

for rush defense, but I'm not concerned. Uh. Tevin Coleman, I have him as a C this week. Everyone knows I love Coleman, but at the same time, he got a face the reality here he is he is averaged only ten touches in fifty two total yards through two games. Last year, at this time he was averaging thirteen touches and eighty nine yards a game. UM, And as I mentioned, the Lions have the number four rush defense. I will say though the coleman has scored in six of his

last seven games, including the playoffs. Said something good. Uh, at receiver, I got my Huliore with a NA. I've got Mohammed Sanew with the C grade. Here's the thing I love SNeW he's actually adapted to Steve Sarkisian as the UOC. He's called eleven of fifteen balls among receivers. He ranks in the top fifteen for both catches and targets. Uh. He's accounted for eighty five yards into a one touchdown in four of his last six games. Say yes, exactly, So it's a C plus, it's a pretty good, it's

a pretty wealth plus a lot of leagues. And then for at tight and I've got Austin Hooper for an eight grade this week. Uh. He has posted a touchdown in three of his last six outings. In the last calendar year, the Lions have allowed either eighty five plus yards or one touchdown to the lakes of Jason Winton, Kyle Rudolph Evan, Ingram de Laney Walker see Dave Fedora, which, Richard Rodgers, Kobe Fleiner, the list goes on and on. Uh. So I've got him for an a alright Lion side

of the ball. Okay, Matthew Stafford, I've got him as an eight grade. He is my number two quarterback for the week. He's off to a blazing start. His last eleven games against NFC South opponents, He's hit three hundred yards passing and or three touchdowns all eleven times. Uh. For running backs, I've got a Mere Abdullah for a C grade. Yes, he ran for a career best eighty six yards last week against the Giants, but the Lions basically went into operations shutdown with the passing game once

they got up by two touchdowns. Um. Plus, the Falcons have allowed uh more receptions to a posting tailbacks than any other team this season. That technically falls to theoretic who gets a C grade? Uh A Meir didn't get targeted at all last week, so all that good stat

for going against Atlanta de essentially applies to Riddick. Riddick, Cohen Um, Terry Coleman, and Time Montgomery combined for fourteen catches, eight yards and two touchdowns their very first two weeks against the Falcons, Riddick has collected five or more targets than seven of his last ten games at the Lions. UH. For receivers, let's go Golden Tate B grade. The Falcons

UH ranked and passing yards last season this year. They ranked in the same category last year tat average six catches, ninety four yards and two touchdowns against defenses that played quarterbacks that gave up that had thirty or more touchdown passes on the bedside. Desmond Truffont ranked seventh among quarterbacks last year in yards allowed for snap. But there's no guarantee that he'll be guarding tight for every snap anyway. UH. For Eric Ebron at tight end, I've gotten a B grade. UH.

Ebron checked this out. UH. He in his office. Last nineteen games, he has collected five or more targets seventeen times. He's not garbage. UH. He caught all five of his targeted balls last week for forty two yards one touchdown. UH. And then last week Martella Spending of the Packers collected eleven targets. That was his highest helly in two seasons. UH. And one last guy, I've got Kenny Golladay the receiver

C grade. Fantasy owners should feel compelled to take a chance on him at the flex spot because he had two touchdowns an opening week and as I mentioned before, the Lions essentially went into operations shut down against the Giants. So do not take what happened last week and kind of make it seem like it's going to be the case every week. The Lions still need to throw the ball to win. Eric Hebron has scored his first touched down in a year last week. You're are you're a

little higher on him than I am. Well, the PPR I need. I need him to score. I need him to find the M zone. Well, we need everyone to score. But from a PPR, I can live with the guy that gets five targets every single game. When we come back, Giants taking on the Eagles, Giants offense has been brutal to this point. Brian will tell you whether or not there are some options for fantasy players in that offense when we come back your distinct Fantasy Football Weekly on

the Fan. Welcome back to Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan. Paul Giarchie and j Clemen, So Brian Johnson with you. Plenty more matchups to get you on a full slate of games today. We begin with the Giants taking on the Eagles. Brian, the Giants offense has obviously been a disaster, but they get in theory healthy Odell Beckham for this game.

He was great against the Eagles last year. Yeah, I gotta give Beckham in a based on his two games against Philly last year, the most recent game twenty targets, eleven catches for a hundred and fifty, had two touchdowns in the first meeting. So, as you said, he's been practicing all weeks, should be further along from that ankle injury. We'll see how much healthier Odell Beckham. As I wouldn't go a because I just you know, it was only on the field for thirty two snaps and they only

target him like four times last week. I worry that does that turn into like four, you know, four catches in forty yards this week? Is he fully there? I think they'll shoot him up enough. Will he'll fully be there to be able to run around? You're right? So I hope you're right. I'm I'm more I'm more nervous than you are. His battery made Brandon Marshall epitomizes the grossness of the Giants right now. I'm giving him a

see though. Could have had a nice line last week, dropped a thirty yard or uh failed to high point in ed zone target, could have had a touchdown. Just looked gross, but the opportunities were there. Uh here's the silver lining. Secondary wide receivers did well against Philly last year as they focused on Odell Beckham. Victor Cruz had eight catches for eighty four yards. Roger Lewis Junior scored

in the other meeting as the number two receivers. So there is hope for Marshall here, as there is for Sterling Shepherd. Oh b J has obviously been hurt, but Shepherd leads Giants wide receivers in targets and he scored in both meetings against the Eagles last year. I'm putting Evan Ingram on the bench this week. I had starting grades on him the first two weeks and those paid off sort of, uh definitely last week. But um Philly has allowed since two thousand and eleven point to five

touchdowns per game. It's crazy. So Ingram was on the bench this week. Eli Manning, you can give him a set six yards and a touchdown his last time in Philly. Oh line is a serious concern, as you mentioned, but the Giants are throwing the ball more than seventy two percent at the time. You gotta give Eli one more chance here. If he doesn't get it done against Philly, Yeah,

he's probably droppable. Sadly, Uh to the running backs, Shane Veren, you gonna give him a see third among running backs in receptions, caught six balls for seventy two yards in his last game against Philly. Chris Thompson had a nice game against the Eagles in Week one with four catches for fifty two yards and a touchdown. And Verreen are very similar players, So Areen is in play this week, but I'm putting out Orleans dark Wall and Paul Perkins

on the bench. Dark Wae deserves more. Run average five point seven yards per carry against Detroit last week on only three carries, but Paul Perkins one point four yards per carry on seven attempts. He's brutal. He droppable to easily droppable. You like Manning more than I do. You can talk all about the matchup last year. This offensive line is so much worse than last year's offensive line that I'm I'm very very nervous about, very nervous, but I I started on the three wider starting grades on

the three wide receivers. So Manning is in play. It's a bottom bottom level ce but he's somewhat in play. But over to the Philly side, Carson Wentz, as hot as he's been, I'm only gonna give him a c only one touchdown to three interceptions and two games against New York as a rookie obviously not a rookie anymore. But this Giant's defense is still very legitimate. It certainly matters up Genorris Jenkins plays in this game. He didn't. The whole thing pivot on genors Jenkins um, assuming he plays.

The Giants haven't allowed more than two passing touchdowns since Week fifteen of they've allowed more than one passing touchdown, and by that I mean too obviously because they haven't led more than two just three times last year. So it's a legitimate secondary, very good defense as bad at as bad as the offense is. Wentz is not an auto start, but he is a sea level start, as is Alshon Jeffrey. For Jeffrey, doesn't it all just hinge on whether or not Jens Jenkins goes. Do I like him?

If I like him? If Jenkins is out and I don't like him. If Jenkins plays, that that's the bottom line. Really, he's a b. If Jenkins sits, see if Jenkins starts, Uh, let's just assume Jenkins is playing. The Giants allowed seven team catches the Philly wide receivers in two games last year. That's eight and a half wide receiver catches per game. That's brutal. So I'm benching Nelson Aguilar and Tory Smith. Torry Smith might even play in this game, by the way,

zach Ertz, that gets to be uh. Starting middle linebacker b J. Goodson looks like no go again for the Giants. Uh. Earth's had two good games against New York last year, and UH both tight ends they faced this season, Jason Winn and Eric Ebron scored a touchdown, so Arts is certainly startable. Darren Sprowles was might take a chance on me running back, and La Garrett Blunch, who was more like le Garrett Roach if you know what I'm talking about us on the bench. Because he's coming off the

zero carry performance last week. He was he was on the field for one play. They threw him and he didn't catch it. Uh, that one's tricky. I I wouldn't be surprised if they go back to black that you can't trust the now hold them, start them, you hold them. Maybe he scores, you keep them. If not, you can just drop them. Tampa takes on the Minnesota Vikings and on Tampa side have got some B grades to hand out,

including let's start with the passing game. Jameis Winson, who has now scored in thirty two of his thirty three career games. You can bank on at least one touchdown and maybe not much more than that though. Over the past two seasons, Minnesota's just giving up one point three passing touchdowns per game, and Winston's go to target, Mike Evans star was one of his toughest matchups of the year.

That's Xavier Roads, and we'll use that as our segue to Evans, who also has a B great Over the last eight teen games, the top wide receiver against the Vikings has reached eighty five yards one time. That's the Xavier Rhads factor. So we always talked the receiver's tough starts. Roads who's the head Thomas Thomas, Antonio Brown and no kidding, no kidding, and uh last week held Antonio Brown under the fact, held Antonio Brown to one hundred twenty fewer

yards than Antonio Brown had in the opening game. Yeah. Uh. This on Jackson though, is also get to be grade because of the matchup that he's got, which should be with Trey Wayne's speed receiver Martavis Bryant roasted Wayne's last week. And so here's Jackson who led the NFL with twenty yards per catch indoors last year, twenty and he's the deep speed guy. And we've seen deep speed beat Tray before.

So we're gonna give him a B grade. Uh. Bright and Howard at tight end are sharing snaps and targets, so I think that neutralizes both of them there on the bench. C grade for Jackies Rogers, who looked ordinary last week, Well he is ordinary, so he looked like himself, but he was playing with the flu last week, So there's your excuse. Vikings only giving up three point one yards per carry and even a lite talents like laby On Bell Bell needed thirty touches to get to ninety yards.

That's it against Minnesota. So Rogers is a c at best. You could keep him on the bench and then'll be fine. Let's go to the Vikings case Keenum will be your quarterback again. I thought he looked pretty darned bad last week, and he makes me very nervous about all parts of the passing offense. Although they should be better this week, easier defense. They're at home and a second start for Keenum, so I'm giving cautious Sea grades on feeling Diggs and Rudolph.

Rudolph scored a touchdown on the opener, but just nine targets in the two games. The Bucks have allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in their last twenty six outings. That's it. So Rudolph gets to see and it's a hesitant Sea at that I have to ask real quick charge. Yes, should people be adding Teddy Bridgewater in two quarterback leagues right now? No? Uh? Stefan Diggs uh conscious two passes last week with Keenum. Keenum didn't get time to go

to Digs deep. That worries me. He's also gonna get cornerback Brent Grimes, who was shockingly great last year after being shockingly awful the year before that. We'll call him inconsistent. Diggs gets a C grade here. You can start him. I like Theelan's matchup a lot better. He goes up against corner Robert McClean, who currently ranks one dred third among cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus. And as a slot guy, you know he's gonna get his targets, and I like

that for feeling. The best start, though, of the Vikings, the one you can feel good about is Dalvin Cook. You can safely assume that the Vikings are going to de emphasize case Keenum and that means giving the ball to Cook a lot. He does go up against the Bears, the Bucks defense that held the Bears Runners to just one yard per carry last week, but Jordan Howard was injured and Cook should be better. He's average nineties six total yards per game, and he should be a factor

in through the air as well. To recoon eight receptions against this Bucks defense last week. So it'd be grade for Cook, and I think he you absolutely keep him in your line. Let's go to Saints versus Panthers. JA. This is a this is a kind of a thorny one because the Panthers defense has been really really good. So a lot of the sort of auto starts Saints

guys are max a little bit nervous about. We will give the Panthers problems for having the number two past defense and the number one scoring defense, but keep in mind their their first two quarterbacks where Brian Hoyer and Tyrode Taylor. Yeah, and I've said Drew Brees. I've got him with an A grade. Michael Thomas receiver also has an eight grade for the week, but regarding Breeze, of his last six trips the Carolina's stadium, where there's a lot of high grass, he owns rock solid averages three

yards passing and one point eight touchdowns. I've got a Greek grade B B grade. Sorry about that. For mark ingram and running back. Uh, yes, I know it's a modeled situation there. But at the same time, he leads the threesome in both touches and total yards for weeks one and two. He has also scored four touchdowns in his last eight games against the Panthers. Uh. For the C grade, let's go Alvin Kamara. I've got no grade,

by the way, bench grade for Peterson. Alvin Kamara, this is the only thing that keeps me, keeps my sanity Right now, he's averaging six and a half targets in his first two games at the receiving spot. We have Michael Thomas for an a Brandon Coleman. I will give him a C for this reason. Uh, he doubled his production with targets and receptions from week one while scoring a touchdown last weekend. I can take some positivity from that. Keep in mind, this is still the Panthers, the same Pets.

Panthers secondary. They got lit up for three hundred yards by Julio Jones last weekend. They're just not magically better. And for Coney Kobe Bleiner, Kobe Fleaners say that three times fast, I've got a B grade. He has scored a touchdown in both games. And if we've learned anything from Kobe Fleaner, you ride the hot wave it all times. For the Panthers, we've got Cam Newton with the B.

I'll keep it short. He is not three hundred yards passing and or three touchdowns and four of his last five outings against the Saints, and the Saints have allowed five hundred yard passing games their last seven times going against the posing cornerbacks. I've got a B grade for

Christian McCaffrey. The Saints are the only team to give up cumulative of averages of five hundred plus total yards for both weeks one and two, Plus the Panthers playmakers must account for Greg Olsen's targets and red zone touches. That vacuum needs to be full, and I think first

up goes to Christian McCaffrey. I love McCaffrey. I gotta solid a grade on him in this game because New Orleans is dead last in the NFL and receptions and receiving yards to running backs, and without Greg Olson, I see the middle of the field turning into McCaffrey territory, running out of the slot, coming out of the backfield and into the middle of the field. I think he's going to be your prime beneficiary to greg Olsen's demise here. That's fine. I've I've got a B plus grade basically

for him. Uh, you don't even have to agree with me. I'm wrong a lot. I don't want to agree with you, but this is rather out. It's it's against the Saints. I'd like Brannan's chances against the Saints frankly, Uh, Jonathan Stewart, I've got a C grade, and I don't mean that in a negative way. Either. The Saints currently ran against to run the scenes have also surrendered either a hundred yards rushing and or one touchdown to the opposing to the primary running back of the opposing team for both

weeks one and two. For the receivers, I've got Devin Funches as a C grade. I know that sounds preposterous, been keep in mind the Saints have given up five hundred total yards cumutively for weeks one and two. I believe there's uh no mar Marshawn Latimer and Sterling Moore for Week two, So I think that means Keenan Lewis might defend uh Funchius. I think he mentioned this on a on a different radio show, charge that Keenan Lewis.

I think it was ranks a hundred and sixteen among the cornerbacks in Pro football focuses ranking something like that. So you definitely gotta go Devin Funches. Uh. For my

final receiver, Kelvin Benjamin B grade. The Saints easily the worst past events in the NFL three ninety seven yards the game Benjamin has also caught six of eight U caught six of eightd targeted balls last week for seventy seven yards against the Bills, who are respectable defense plus, the Saints have allowed a wide receiver to gain either seventy five yards or score a touchdown twenty seven times

over their last thirty two games. Unfortunately, at Dixon as the number one tight end in place of Greg Olson, he doesn't warrant a grade at all. Along with the mere beard Russell Shepherd and five Whittaker Brown's takeown the Colts, Brian and for Isaiah crow Well, it has been a dismal start. Tell me this is the game where you can put him in your your lineup with confidence. I don't know about with confidence, but it's a game where

you can put him in your lineup. Even though the Colts are surprisingly allowing two point five yards per carrying. Uh those numbers are kind of propped by the clown college backfield of the Cardinals sans David Johnson last week. But Crowell is averaging just two point six yards per carry himself. So if it's not you can start him this week. I'm giving him a sea. But if he doesn't get it done. Uh, it might be drops Ville time for him. It's not not drop, but you're gonna

drop him from your consciousness. I think he's I think he turns into more like a flex guy with a bad game here. I think he already is a flex guy. Well, depending on your roster. But anyway, Duke Johnson, I'm putting him on the bench. Four carries on the season and catch totals of two and three so far. So do something first, Duke, and then we'll talk about you a little more. Richard Higgins was might take a chance on the wide receiver to shown Kaiser. It was here to

take a chance on the quarterback. There's a nice little pairing we mentioned in the beginning of the show if you're chasing a lot of points from Rams or Niners players, So check your waiver wire there. Over the Colts, Uh, Tye Hilton, Tye t Y Hilton gets a b Cleveland surrendered big game Santonio Brown and Jeremy Macklin. So there's hope for Hilton this one. The Browns are obviously a bit of relief for him after facing the Rams on the road in Arizona last week. Much easier matchup for

t y as it is for Donte Moncreeve. Who's Jays take a chance for me wide receiver Jack Doyle. I'm giving an a probably on fan ball for he's probably the top option. I would say it's gonna be very chalky, justifiably so, though he's in a great spot. Cleveland has been broodal against tight ends for years. They allowed two touchdowns to Jesse James in Week one, thirteen catches for a hundred and twenty one yards to Baltimore tight ends last week. Uh Doyle caught all the of his targets

from Brissette last week. He'll continue to garner plenty of attention. Uh Jacoby respect Brissette. Speaking of might take a chance of the quarterback, this matchup is a riddle to take a chance of me players. But and then there's Frank Gore. Here's a nice stat from Jay. Uh sent it to

me yesterday. In eight of their last nine road games, the opposing number one running back has topped one yards indoors score a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns, and Marlon Mack is out of this one, so Gore, we'll see even more carries. A very solid play. I would be outstanding. When we come back. Five hot questions, particularly for those owners of DeMarco Murray, you will want to see if you can go five and oh when we come back. Welcome back Football Weekly. Our number two a quick reminder

to play the green Belt Premium Crush Charts Challenge. It is totally free to play. Go to grain Belt dot com. Put together a roster of your favorite players for this week. No limitations on the roster. Anybody you want to beat

my roster. Every point by which your team beats my team, you get an entry into our end of week drawing, and if we draw your name, you find yourself at Manny's for the winner's banquet, shaking hands with general manager Dave Wilson, and potentially being the two thousand dollar grand prize winner. Last week's winner, Matthew Hartman. Matthew Hartman will be joining us at the winner's banquet, could be you. Hot Question number one, what's the appropriate level of panic

for DeMarco Murray owners? None? Some or severe panic? Jay? I have none. Um there's a perception out there that Mary only dominates the action when the NFL world doubts his progress. There's some validity to that, but at the same time, once you get a healthy hamstring, I'm not worried about him resuming his role as the RB one for this year. All right, Shelley, revisit our storied history of DeMarco Murray, and he really should because last preseason,

last preseason, where I was something of a soothsayer. The problem is my vision is my my ability to forecast is so good, Brian, that I'm oftentimes a full year ahead of myself. But but please continue, But then you're you're on. Well we'll find out. I have severe panic for DeMarco Murray. Uh. The bottom just fell out for him last year, starting in Week nine. From that point on, he hit twenty carries only twice and topped one hundred yards just once. Derrick Henry, on the other hand, after

starting in Week nine average five. I'm sorry, he averaged five carries per game in his first seven weeks and did not score. Then after it's starting in week eight, he averaged ten plus carries and scored five touchdowns for the remainder of the season. He has looked great this season so far. Derrick Henry, that is averaging five point nine yards per carry. DeMarco Murray is averaging just three point three yards per carry. He's already banged up. He's

looking bad, and I'm very very I'm severely worried. Unfortunately, don't own him anywhere, which the correct answer is severe. While his hamstring is healing, he's giving Derrick Henry the platform to show his potential as a bell count running back. And what is he answered? Six yards per carry for Derrick Henry so far, Henry is uh, it's listen. I think if you were to replay last year, you're doing yourself at disservice here. Henry is an awesome back. He's

built for goal line use. And while it will, it will return back to something of a time share, I'm sure of it when Murray is fully healthy. But the timeshare is gonna flip to what the opposite of what it was last year. This thing is gonna be seventy three seventy thirty Henry. And for Murray that's gonna mean he's gonna be a dicey flex guy most weeks, and a guy you're gonna be, You're gonna be hoping can cobble together a a meaningful fantasy game, much like Derrick

Henry's owners were in that situation last year. Now it's gonna be Murray. You wouldn't drop him. But the appropriate level of panic for a guy that you you picked up at the end of the first round is severe. Question number two. Appropriate level of panic for a J. Green owners none, some or severe levels of panic? Brian, it's none for me. I only panic with A. J. Green if he's injured, coming off an injury, something along

those lines. He's one of He's one of eleven wide receivers with double digit catches and at least a hundred and forty receiving yards so far this year, he's fifth and targets. He's an elite talent. I know the old line is very dicey for since, but Green isn't a one trick pony who needs four seconds to run down a stem route. He can get it done all over the field. The Bengals will get him the ball as long as he's healthy. I have no panic for EJ.

Gen Alright, J we're talking about a guy. He was a reasonable candidate for a hundred catches, a hundred fifty targets, and fift hundred receiving yards last year had he not gotten injured. Okay, that ted catches one yards that he has. Now, if it was in a vacuum, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I'm not really too worried about it. Plus, keep in mind, over the next what nine games, Green

will face the Browns, the Colts, and the Titans. Uh, well face the Browns twice, so he'll have four opportunities against those teams over the next nine weeks. I do like the schedule analysis here, but you should have some level of panic on A. J. Green. Numbers aren't terrible, as you mentioned, but he hasn't scored. And here's why I'm worried. The offensive line is so bad. Dalton simply cannot set up for passes downfield. And that's what we've

loved about A. J. Green, the explosive, big plays. Now he's a chain mover right now because they can't set up the downfield stuff. That's not going to change. We want for him to live up to the top five billing that most people gave him in the preseason. He needs downfield past attempts. That offense is not gonna let that happen. The offensive line will not let that happen.

Vann's hot question Number three Trevor Simeon leads all quarterbacks with seven total touchdowns trend or mirage, Jay, this is an absolute mirrage basically over the last five years. To finish number ten among quarterbacks for for touchdowns, you're basically looking at it. Uh, you need thirty one, Okay, So to finish tenth touchdown Yeah, to finish tenth, about that,

we'll see me in his career. But but to win the title, you need to have a pace of what two point eight touchdowns per game or is anything in that forty four range. Keep in mind, see me in has only hit that two point eight mark four times in his career out of sixteen starts. I'll buy that he is more confidence than ever. I'll buy that Thomason Sanders are doing well. But keep in mind, the Broncos have the number one rushing offense right now. There's just

no way, uh Simeon gets gets to forty touchdowns? All right, Brian, Yeah, I don't have a whole lot to add there. I just I also don't like simeon schedule moving forward. UM this week against Buffalo, I don't think he's gonna need to throw the ball a ton. Broncos should win that game. Then he has Oakland next week. That's sort of a neutral matchup, but then it's his he has a by Giants at Chargers at Chiefs. Those are really tough matchups.

And uh, find someone in your league whos a believer that this is the real deal, but that's not me, and uh, you know, trade Simeon to that guy and feel pretty good about it. You know, I didn't really write the question the right way. What I meant it to more mean is, broadly speaking, Trevor Simeon as a good quarterback. Fan is a good fantasy quarterback Trenton Mirage. But the way I wrote the question, you guys answered it. Obviously he's not going to be the number one quarterback

at the end of the year. I took your question is top ten, like that's how and that is how he meant. All right, good? Uh that for within the realm of effectively a top ten or top twelve a QB one, which is really where I was trying to go with that question. The answer is trend He's got viable targets all over the field. He's got two excellent receivers. He's even looking to Virgil Green. He's got two pass

catching running backs and just eye test. If you if for everybody who's leaning on what you saw last year, and you didn't watch Trevor in the preseason and you didn't watch him through these two games, you don't realize that he is a different quarterback. Don't read last year. He was a jittery guy with a wobbly arm and an inaccurate passing. All that's disappeared this season. In this his second year of work, he has gotten dramatically better and he will be a QB one for the rest

of the year. Devan, he's hot. Question number four, that's I don't love him this week. That's a tough matchup this week. And he's gonna come to Earth this week. And don't forget Dallas was forced to put a few cowgirls in their secondary last week. I think four touchdown pass that was certainly part of it. That was certainly it should Russell Wilson owners just drop him outright, Brian. So, Russell Wilson is second in rushing attempts and rushing yards

among quarterbacks right now. That shows he's healthy on lake last year. He's also second in passes from inside the ten yard line, so he's active in the red zone throwing the ball, which is good to see. Yes, we know his offensive line is awful, but it was last year too, when he managed to average van d passing yards, one point eight passing touchdowns and twenty four rushing yards over his final eight games when he when he got sort of healthy at the end of last year. That's

over twenty points per game in standard fantasy leagues. I'm not dropping him. I'm hoping he is a good showing against Tennessee a soft secondary, and the Colts next week another bad secondary, and then I'm trading and pisone who's looking for a quarterback? All right, jay Uh. It's one of those things. What can you live with? Basically at night, can you sleep well dropping a guy? If I dropped Russell Wilson, He'd be picked up before I woke up in the morning. It's that simple. He had five games

last year of three or more touchdowns. That's an elite level. That's basically Matthew stat like maybe a little shade of Matthew Stafford category there. Um. The Seahawks finally have clarity, but they're passing attack in terms of Doug Ball win Hie Lockett Uh Paul Richardson, Jimmy Graham, and c J. Process as the receiving option. The Seattle O line isn't necessarily built for power rushing compared to years past. This

tells me that he needs to throw the ball. And yes, I know, he's had three straight games of under sixty percent completion ray and no more than one touchdown. But this is a short term thing, especially when you have the Titans, Colts, Rams, forty Niners, Redskins, and Eagles all coming up. Drop him right now. He's quarterback twenty seven in fantasy scoring. I'm shocked you're saying, I know. It is hard to believe, isn't it. Um. Yeah, well he

will he move up from twenty seven. Yeah, probably, but there's no help coming for this offensive line. They have no ability to make it better. The passing game is contained to just dump off stuff. He's rarely afforded a clean pocket. In the twenty games Russell Wilson has played since the start of last year, including his rushing, he's averaging one point three touchdowns per game. The context your question suggests that he should get dropped if if you

bump him down to number two. That's basically in a twelve team league. That's twenty four guys. He can easily get in that top twenty four basically doing nothing. He's twenty seven right now. We're gonna drop him out right because you can go if you want, you gotta matchup you like, you can go find him. Somebody else will jump on him, and that's fine, and they can. They can enjoy his one point three touchdowns, his two hundred thirty passing yards per game. Enjoy that wasn't even that's two,

aren't thirty? Going back to last year, at least try this year, at least try to trade Simeon. You can't. I love that. I love that. Let's absolutely do that. Hot question number five. In three games, Todd Gurley has already scored as many touchdowns as he scored all of last year. Are you selling high on Todd Gurley? Jay? I'm selling high in a public auction like where I tell every single owner that I'm selling and let's just

see what we can get. Plus I have knowledge that uh in the next in the coming weeks, they've got two games with the Seahawks, two games with the Cardinals, and four outings against the a f C South, which is a lot better than you think against the run. Okay, yeah, and you failed to mention j in the matchup he has his by coming up at the Giants Houston at Minnesota following the bye. Those are all brutal matchups, but

Gurly has looked good, especially catching the ball. Last year, the average two point seven catches and twenty received being yards per game, did not catch a touchdown. So far this year he's doubled those numbers everaging more than four catches per game for he seven yards and has two receiving touchdowns. So yeah, you can get a king's ransom. So I'm selling high on Gurly hot yea, I'm selling high to look I'm and I'm a total believer in Sean McVeigh and I think he's a butting offensive genius.

But he's played the Colts, the Redskins and the forty Niners and now he gets into the meat of the schedule which you mentioned, Brian, and it is brutal, it is awful. He's got really one positive matchup between now and week seventeen when he sees the Niners again. That's it, just one really positive matchup. If you can get a king's ransom for Todd Gurley, go do it. Working one more matchup into the segment, and that is the Texans

taking on the Patriots. Hang on, I just gotta flip a couple of pages here to get to that page. Here we go. Brady and gron robvious eight grades and Gronc should play through the groin injury practice all week on it. But let's just note this. Groin injuries are known to aggravate easily, so there's a little bit of danger and Gronc. Brandon Cooks also in a grade. Houston has not a lot of wide receiver touchdown this year, but they're giving up the sixth and they're giving up

the six few s yards to the position. But injuries a huge factor this week. Cornerback Kevin Johnson already ruled out others. Starting quarnerback Jonathan Joseph left last week's game, and he's a true game time decision. Johnson's replacement is the untested Marcus Burley, which represents a great opportunity for Cooks and should draw. And Burley should draw Cooks most of this game. So I really like Brandon Cooks to break out of the two game mini slump that he's

been in as a member of the Patriots. Let's stay with the passing offense a little further. Chris hogans if Jonathan Joseph is active, I like Hogan lasts. If he doesn't, I really like him a lot. Uh. Joseph would draw this matchup mostly, and Brady's gonna have better options around the field if Joseph is on the field, Dan Hogan, So, Hogan's a C grade here. If Joseph is inactive, you can bump Hogan up to an A grade. Danny Amandola gets a C grade. He draws Houston's only health. He's

starting cornerback slock eyed Kareem Jackson, who is solid. Uh, not unbeatable, but he's solid. But I just think there's better options all around the field than Danny Amondola in this game. James White, as we segue to the running backs, Jaguars have allowed one running back receiving touchdown in their last twenties six games, so it's it's a tough matchup for James White here, and White was invisible in last

year's meeting between these two teams. Rex Burkehead, though, will not play in this game, So I've got a barely starting grade on James White, and then there's Mike Gillisle. Mike Gillisle has one more touchdown than all of the rest of the Patriots. I keep getting these questions like,

do I you know, can I start gillis Lee again? Yes, you can always start Gillislee if you think the Patriots are gonna score more than a couple of touchdowns, even one touchdown, the single most likely guy to score any given Patriots touchdown is Mike gillis Lee. So if you think the Patriots are gonna score this week, say four touchdowns, and Gillsy is the most likely guy to score any of them. And he's again, he scored more than the rest of the rest team combined. You have to keep

starting him. The Patriots are gonna score as many touchdowns of the Asley can in this game because Bill O'Brien is of the Belichick tree, and Belichick loves to beat the ever living he does, doesn't he I won't say the word he's mercurial out of his former coaches and former teams. They throw against the Browns when they're up forty in the fourth quarter. It's amazing. When these teams played each other last year, Blunt la Garrett Blunt scored

twice in the matchup. Gillis Lee is better than Blunt is I've gotta be grade on guilty because the yardage is not going to be there, but the touchdowns likely. Well, let's go to the Houston side. Lamar Miller gets a B grade. He's been home home to this point, averaging

a scoreless sixty rushing yards per game. He has a good chance to end that streak this week, though, against the Patriots team that's allowed the most total yards to opposing running backs two hundred fourteen total yards to running backs on a per game basis. Thanks Kareem Hunt. Thanks Kareem Hunt. That's a lot of it, of course. Also, though let's keep an eye Lamar Miller's a beat, let's keep an eye in on Donta Foreman, whose workload increased

sharply last week. He's available on your waiver wire. I think he's a guy you should strongly consider going and getting. Last week, he got thirteen carries, Miller had eighteen. I thought Foreman looked better of the two. The Patriots are gonna keep allowing these huge days to runners that could feed two different runners, and I've actually got a C grade on form and it's starting grade on Foreman in this one. Last week, both mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara

put up decent Fantasy gate days on the Patriots. Let's go to the passing game. The DeAndre Hopkins is the only guy you care about here. He leads the NFL and fourteen targets per game. But events, yeah, but against Bill Belichick, do you want to be the guy that Belichick knows that he needs to stop? Usually not. I mean that's the deal on Belichick. He takes away whatever you do best. Well, the only guy that even throw

too is DeAndre Hopkins. So it's accursed as much of a as much of a as it is a blessing. Where you get helped though, is that the pages have been torched by opposing receivers for two eleven yards and a touchdown per game. So I'm keeping a B grade on DeAndre Hopkins. But there is danger there. Deshaun Watson is benchable. His arm is not gonna get you wins. Maybe you could consider his legs here, but I don't know. Russian quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick put up thirty two scoreless yards

against the Patriots last year. Tyrod Taylor had forty eight yards and one score, so maybe there's an angle with the legs, but I don't love Watson in this matchup. When we come back, we'll pound through many more matchups, including the Raiders taking on the Redskins. Marshawn Lynch. Will he be dancing on the sidelines again? Find out when we returned to Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fan. Welcome back to the show. It's Fantasy Football Weekly on the Fans.

Don't normally do a lot of groveling here, but we're we're grabbling a little bit because we we lost our eight or nine year old iTunes feed for this show, and now we had to start a new iTunes feed, so we lost, you know, years and years of rankings and comments and stuff like that. If particularly if you like the show, we hope you'll go back to iTunes and help other people find it by leaving us ratings and reviews for the show. Let's go back to the matchups.

Raiders take on the Redskins. Marshall and Lynch turned only I think like thirty thirty plays into a pretty solid game last week. What do you do you like him here against the Redskins? JA? Yes, I do. I've got him, uh for a B grade. Keep in mind that Todd Gurley last week against the they thank you, thank you, he had a hundred and three six toty yards and

two touchdowns. Then keep in mind that Marshawn of his last twelve games against the NFC East, he has notched a hundred total yards intoor one touchdown ten different times. And for that towards stretch with Seattle, he averaged a hundred twenty three tot yards and one point one touchdowns per game. I wish that the you know, the same NFC East guys were still on the field from three and four years ago. That would be great. I'm just saying he has had an incredible history against that division

for whatever reason. I've got Derek Carr for an eight grade. He's my number one quarterback for the week, so I'll keep it short. Uh. Then I've got Michael Crabtree coming off a three touchdown game last week. He also has an A grade. Of his last twenty four regular season outings, he's accomplished either eighty five receiving yards in or one touchdown sixteen times, and during that span he's collected double digit targets nine times and produced two different games of

three touchdowns. Amari Cooper gets a B grade, basically feeding off cars A grade for the week. Uh, he won't have the attention of Josh Norman or likely won't have it from the majority of the game, and of his last what six road games, Mari has collected eight or more targets five different times. At tight end, I've got Jared Cooke with the C grade. Cook shockingly owns top twelve tallies among tight ends for both catches and targets and for opposing teams the tight ends their team's reception.

Of the last two weeks, We've got Zach Ertz and Gerald Everett basically leading their teams and receptions and targets against the Redskins. All right, for Cousins, I've got him number four for the week. I think Raiders Redskins will be the highest scoring game on Sunday, So I think Cousins number four grade. I'm not really worried about anything. I will say this. Of his last six nationally televised games since the two thousand fifteen playoffs, for that exclusive window,

check this out. Cousins is average three and seventy six yards passing and one and a half touchdowns for whatever it is. Plus, the Raiders are twelve ranked against the past this year. Uh, Rob, here's the deal with the running backs, Rob Kelly, Chris Thompson's Magi Ryan. We don't know what's gonna happen yet. We need to almost wait until Sunday night. But then we're gonna be in the bind because we don't know what's going on with Rob Kelly and his injured rip. You might miss the game.

He might put on a flat jacket and test it. You know. I think for Kelly and p Ryan, p Ryan is basically a C grade. If Kelly sits. Uh. If Kelly plays, Kelly's a C grade and p Ryan you don't do anything for him. Chris Thompson, I'll give him a C plus basically because I think Kirk Cousins will need to rely on them in the passing game. But this, this whole segment is all about the receivers, Okay,

and the tight end Tarrell Prior gets a B grade. Okay, Posing wide receiver ones have average what six and a half catches, sixty eight yards and one touchdown against Raiders this season. He had double digit targets at home. For Week one, Jamison Crowder, I'm going real quick on Prior. Sorry, it's a revenge game for him against the right. He's had like four other teams to have a revenge game. Back was going to play one team this week, and

it's they gave up on quarterback Terrell Prior. Maybe they didn't give him a chance to be wide receiver and maybe that never No, now he's gonna show him. Yeah, Okay, Jamison Crowder, I know he struggled since getting that essential promotion to the R wide receiver too, by I'm giving him a B grade this week. He's obviously he's going against the four rank pass defense plus. For Week one, Tessa's Corey Davis collected six catches, ten targets in sixty

nine receiving yards. And for Week two, Jermaine Curse had two touchdowns sixty four yards against the Raiders, So I like him there. And for Jordan Read, Jordan Read is

my number one tight end for the week. I know he's been nicked up a little, but he still has to catch the target ratio of eight percent this year while working himself back in the shape and then keep in mind the Raiders were bottom ten defense against the past last season and allowed Delaney Walker to register seven catches and seventy six yards a Week one Dolphins take

on the Jets. For the Dolphins side, is there anything left after ja Agi gets done running through what was once a great Jets run defense and is now terrible. We'll see, But yeah, Ji, he gets the fantasy fons a this this week. A one of two running backs to carry the ball more than twenty five times last week. Hit that bell cow button if you want. Without Sheldon Richardson, the Jets are allowing five point four yards per carry.

Music to my years that never gets old. And New York also owns the second highest opponent rushing play percentage. So with Ji, he's gonna eat in this one. I'm gonna give Jarvis Landry a B and PPR and C and standard leagues. That's basically the story of his life and fantasy football. Only caught three passes in both games

against the Jets last year, three in each game. Uh did see thirteen targets last week and Jets slot corner Buster Screen has been torched many time, many a time in his career and been ribbed on this show many times as well, So good matchup for Jarvis Landry as it is for Devanta Parker. Even though we only had one catch for seventeen yards and two catches for eight yards against the Jets last season, we also went Michael Crabtree did to New York last week. Davanta Parker is

certainly cut from the same cloth. Went healthy. He was missing practice with an ankle injury, but he returned in full yesterday. But I just don't know how much the Dolphins are gonna need to throw in this game, so that's why he's getting a B and not in a Julius Thomas is going on the bench. Decent matchup, but the last time he topped thirty receiving yards was Week two of sen so he's got to prove it before

he can play on anyone's fantasy team. And then Jay Cutler was going to take a chance on the quarterback chart, and then for the Jets. Not a whole lot to talk about here other than Jermaine Curse, who gets his. Of course, Jermaine Curs is tied for second and wide receiver touchdowns with J. J. Nelson, Nelson Aghilar, Kenny Golladay and Benny Fowler two weeks into the season. Miami has allowed double digit PPR points to ten different wide receivers over the last six games, and Curs has been the

only wide receiver worth throwing too. So we should see some heavy volume in this one, and then I'm benching the running backs. No back has more than fifteen carries or seventy yards on the season with a gun to my head. I'll play him at fourte because of his six catches and fifty eight receiving yards. But I'm not giving up on below palele charge. I haven't many leagues I'm holding four day is gonna retire. I'm sticking to that. What you better to stick to the narrative because it's

been brutal so far. Has Um. Speaking of Jermaine Curse, I am starting him in the free to play Chase Charge game, which you can go to Famile dot com slash charts Play against me for free and um and he's um, he's in my lot. Play for free. Beat you win a ticket to the Week seventeen Championship with a fifteen thousand dollar prize pool. Also wins some cash along the way. This week, you'd be remissed to not get in this game, correct, Cowboys take on the Cardinals.

Zeke mailed it in last week and now things don't get any easier this week against the Cardinals defense that's holding opposing running backs to two point five yards per carry. They ranked number one against the run last year, they're excellent against the run this year. Zeke's just a B starter for me, and honestly, he would trend more towards Seed than a let's go to the passing game or Dak Prescott is a C grade. It's only two games, but so far, Dak I don't to my eyes, Dak

hasn't evolved as a sophomore. Trevor Simeons evolved more than I've seen Dak Prescott evolved in from year one to year two. Now it's in Parks. Turer Simming was a lot worse last year, but anyway, his accuracy has been worse than last year. It took him fifty passes Dac fifty passes last week to get to two hundred thirty eight yards. That's it. He'll travel to Arizona. He faces a solid secondary with Tony j Offerson and Patrick Peterson and Honey Badger. Speaking of Honey badger. You know, he's

not that good anymore. He's he draws the slot coverage and that means cool Beasley. But he's been bad. He was shaky last year, he's been bad this year. I think it's a solid opportunity for col Beasley comes in with a C grade. Des Bryant C grade, that's it. And he ranked second in the NFL twenty three targets. So they're throwing the balls away a lot. But this is a tough matchup. He'll get Patrick Peterson for the whole game. Peterson held t Y Hilton to four receptions

in forty nine yards last week. In their previous matchup, which was Peterson held Dez Bryant too to catches fifteen yards on ten targets, so a lot. Let him not like about Dez Bryant in this game. Let's flip over the Arizona side. Jay's take a chance to the quarterback was Carson Palmer. I've gotta be grade on him. I like him as well. Larry Fitzgerald should get some extra action this week because John Brown has already been ruled out. J J. Nelson may not play in this game. He

looks like a true game time decision. The passing offense should go through Larry Fitzgerald here. Be sure to check out especially Orlando Scandrick's status. He is the slot cornerback who would guard him. Scandrick did not play last week, and he's a game time decision. If Scandrick doesn't go. I really like Fitzgerald and he would bump up to a potential A grade without Orlando Scandrick in As for J. J. Nelson,

it's the hamstring injury that I mentioned earlier. He has scored in six of the last seven, so if he does go, still a good start. This is a secondary likely without cornerbacks Nolan Carroll and m Chi Dobie. A woozy I think is how you say it, a woozy. We're gonna go with that. You are correct, Yes, the first time I've gotten that right. If J J. Nelson doesn't go, consider Geron Brown as a sneaky pick up off the waiver wire and start against this beat up

secondary on the bench. Kerwin Williams start be great on Chris Johnson, easily the most effective runner for the Cardinals last week, and he'll get the bulk of the carries. It gets a team that just allowed Denver to roll up one hundred seventy eight rushing yards last week. How hard was it for you to just say be john or be great for Chris Johnson? I hate you know,

you know what I feel about christ Johnson. I'm not I'm not a fan of Chris Johnson at all, but the reality is he's the best runner on that team and this is a pretty darn good matchup. When we come back, we sell three more matchups to go. We've got premature speculation to go, and we will try to

work in some phone calls as well. Enlightened final second Advantasy Football Weekly Fault Charchi and Brian Johnson, Jake Clemens with you premature speculation, guys, you can pick up this week that are I'm generally on the waiver wire that people will be trying to get next week, but you already got him. I love that, Jay who you got? I've got Davante Booker running for the Broncos his last ten games last year as a rookie, height total yards in or one touchdown six different times. For the final

two weeks. He had ten targets of Week sixteen, and then a hundred nine totally yards and two touchdowns week seventeen. Basically, had he not gotten hurt, he might have been the guy right now, So go ahead and jump and get him. He's a must handcuff for anyone that owns C. J. Anderson. I'm going Jets tight end Austin Seferian Jenkins. I mean the guy who was so fat. They're not gonna lot on the field this week. That's not confirmed yet, guy just roll. That makes him more of a premature speculation

because he will be further along next week. And I don't like the match up a whole lot this week. Uh But starting Week four Jacksonville, Cleveland, New England, Miami, Atlanta, those are all plus matchups outside of New England for tight ends I don't know right now, will Tie and Eric Tomlinson, who cares about those guys that are in John tight ends, A s J will come in and bump them right down on the depth chart. Don't forget Gary Barnage was a pro bowler because of Josh McCown.

I could do the same for a s J, who is arguably the most physically talented pass catcher on that team, went in shape, transforming his life. Give him a shot. We'll see what you can do. My premature speculation guys Orleans dark Wa running back for the Giants. He's not a special talent, but Paul Perkins is averaging one point nine yards per carry. That makes dark One was career ravage of three point nine looking downright explosive. This is

a desperate Giants team and a desperate coaching staff. They will be making changes to this offense and dark One could emerge as the primary ball carrier as quickly as this week, and frankly I would welcome it. We also touched on donte form and earlier in the show recommend him for the for as a pick upout opportunity as well if he is if he is available, All right, let's get down to our final set of matchups. Chiefs take on the Chargers. Jay cream Mont obvious start, Yes,

obvious a tailback leader in rushing yards, receiving yards and touchdowns. Boom, Alex Smith, I've got a C grade for him. Yes, the Chargers have a good past defense statistically, but uh Smith last year two games average three hundred thirteen passing yards and two touchdowns. I've got a B grade for Tyreek Hill. Uh. Slot receivers have either scored two touchdowns or posted double digit catches versus the Bolts this season.

Brandon Flowers one of those slot defenders. He's allowed the third most yardage per snap of any quarterback last season night Travis Kelsey. It would be an A grade, but I do have one small caveat. He has never scored against the Chargers, so he's like a B plus. Uh. Then for the Chargers, h Philip Rivers has a B grade UH the Chiefs currently against the pass uh for this year, Rivers is either thrown for three hundred yards

or or tally three touchdowns per outing. The only downside is he's never accounted for three hundred yards passing and or three touchdowns in his last six games against the Chiefs. Melvin Gordon is an A grade. Just move on. Keenan Allen. A lot of people were doubting him, but I think he's risen up. Uh. It's Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen are the only two NFL whiteos to have double digit targets for both weeks one and two. That's

the list. Uh. Tybrell Williams, I've given him a great see He's average five catches sixty yards, six targets his last three games. That's not so great, but the Chiefs ranked seven against the past. Here's the thing. I don't see Marcus Peters defending Tybrell Williams very much. Marcus Peters was the number two cornerback according to Pro Football Focus

last year. Tyrrell is spared from that experience, and for a C grade at tight end, I've got Hunter Henry who bounced back from me an invisible Week one to post seven catches and eight yards last year. And then keep in mind Zach Ertz at five catches and ninety seven yards against the Chiefs in Week two. Bengals take out in the Packers the Bengals offense, and needless to say is everybody's fully aware no touchdowns. Yet you get on the board this time? I think so. A J.

Green Starr with him. Give him an a just because ESPN's Teddy Bruski predicts the left two hundred yards in this game. So if he doesn't tweeked Teddy, it's his fault. Uh. Brandon LaFell gonna give him to see. La Fell has twelve targets this year, as opposed to Tyler Boy, John Ross and something called Cody core who have combined for six tarts in the day you did uh. Tyler Effort is out of this game, so Lafel has sneaky upside and a likely shootout scenario. Number two receivers have fared

well against Green Bay. Joe Mixon is the only running back. I'm giving a starting great Joe and give him a sea. He is being out snapped by Joe Bernard, but has got more touches than any other Bengals running back. Last week, the Packers surrendered one forty five yards and three touchdowns with Lanta running backs, and offensive coordinator Bill Laser is on the hot seat. He's got to give him Mixing

the ball and give him the ball first. What Kaye's yea, but he does not want to be on the hot seat like the old guy who wasn't giving the ball to Joe. I do believe there's a good scenario, a good, a good case to be made for trading four Joe Mixon right now because he's dirt cheap and it and Bill Laser will probably shake some things up, including let's get the most talented running back we've got on the field a lot more often. P Us he cannot like

he cannot do any worse than they've already done. No, Yeah, to know where to go, but up basically what I was going with there than Andy Dalton desperation see a healthy ife road and make it more viable, and I'd rather go with to take a chance on the quarterback in this game. For the Packers, Aaron Rodgers a for

auto start. Uh Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. I'll give them both in a even though Jordi is a question questionable he is expected to play um Randall Cobb is out, that nice Geronimo or not out, but he's looking doubtful likely will be out. That makes Geronimo Allison a thing. Again. I would go grab him, especially if you're a Cobo and aren't expecting to start him in this game. With Cob about Alison could see a healthy amount of targets.

I'll give Martell's Bennett a desperation see uh since he's not great against sight ends, but they've only faced Baltimore and Houston and uh so without Cobb, I think that opens up the middle to feel a little bit for Bennett. But Bennett had a bad, bad game last week. A bunch of drops and he was he looked terrible. Richard rod Richard Rodgers and Lance Kendricks are annoyances. They've combined to steal eight targets too. They always step in at

the wrong time. So yeah, I'm a bench and Benett Now I've changed my mind, all right, and time Montgomery gets a b has garnered twenty nine of Green Bay's thirty three rushing attempts, but it's only gained eighty nine yards on twenty nine carries a long run of eight yards. With injuries on the Packers offensive line, Montgomery could see a lot more work in the passing game. Houston running backs had six catches last week, so that's probably how

it makes make his head in this game Seattle. It takes on Tennessee as our final matchup, and Russell Wilson earlier I recommended that you just drop him out right. I've got a C grade on him here. I think gets startable, but you know, these first half the seasons

are killing him. In the last three seasons and games played in the first half of the year, he's got just two games he's had more than one touchdown, and so I think we're looking at one and maybe we can eke out a second touchdown out of out of Russell Wilson. Here. Tennessee is allowed only only three passing touchdowns in the two games, So you know, we'll try to get to one touchdown here. If it's gonna go to somebody, it's probably gonna go to Baldwin, who's leading

the team in every receiving category. That's not saying a lot though. Leading the team in every receiving category in Seattle means you're five catches for fifty two yards and no touchdowns. Uh, Tennessee allowed. The has allowed the seventh most yards and second most um touchdowns too wide receivers last year. So you know, maybe there's something to be had here for Baldwin. But I don't love it. Let's

stay with that. Let's go with Jimmy Graham. He's gonna try to try to play hurt with an ankle injury, but just four catches for nine yards so far. They're making him staying in block and he's gonna be a game time decision, so he's on the bench. I don't think you can go with him here. And then for Richardson and Lockett, they kind of cannibalize each other. I don't. I don't think there's enough success here to go around against against Tennessee for you to feel confident with either one.

But they could share a touchdown. But I don't have a strong feeling for either one for which one might have more success. So I recommend to leave both on the bench, and I've got bench grades on them. Let's suck Chris Carson. Tennessee is not allowed more than seventy six rushing yards in any game and does lead. However, the Seahawks and all the Russian categories get twenty touches

last week, which was great. Uh. The X factor here, those Thomas Rawls he rolled in last week's game is a game time decision with an ankle injury, and now he's healthy, He's not even on the injury report. Rawls may end up getting more looks than he got last week, and that could eat into into Carson. I've got a C grade on Carson against a good Tennessee run defense, Let's go to the Tennessee side. No Corey Davis in this game. He will not play, and that that hurts

this passing offense. I've got C grades around for most of the members of the passing offense. Mariota's a sea. He has not scored multiple touchdowns since a way back in Week twelve of last year, and Seattle's past defense remains a lite. Aside from Aaron Rodgers. The average quarterback game against the against against the Seahawks going back to last year nine passing yards per game, just zero point three touchdowns. All right, and moving on, Let's go to

uh tight end. Delanny Walker. Seattle is allowed just three tight end scores in the last twenty games, so he's only a C grade. As well. I mentioned Corey Davis is out. That means that Richard Matthews gets Richard Sherman, so he's dead to us. Opposite him, Eric Decker, if you want your five catches for fifty yards and at least he's not on Sherman, he can help you that way. Lastly, let's go to the running back. So he talked about Murray and Henry a lot. Murray comes into this game

of the hamstring injury. Don't even know if he's gonna play. He hasn't topped forty four yards rushing in four straight games going back to last year. Henry's the man right now. Six yards per carry. Murray may not go. He gets a B grade. Fourteen carries last week, and he looked good in him in every game in which he has had four teen carries or more than throughout his career, he has scored a touchdown. Last week, Carlos Hide rolled up one hundred yards on Seattle. If you have Henry

in your lineup, keep him in there even if Murray plays. Yeah, I agree with that. To him there be great for Henry, and I don't know that changes much with a hobbled Henry or hobbled Murray on the field. All Right, We're gonna try to work in a few phone calls here at the bitter end. I'm sorry it took this long, but we will do our best to get to your calls. Many of you have been on hold a long time, better part of two hours. Thank you, Mike, you are first. Hey guys, uh or uh idea for all and a

non pr Adams are Crow well not PPR. I would go uh. I think I'll go Adams this week. Wade Europe next, Hello, good, thanks, we can't hear you. Wade. I'm gonna put you on hold. You can get us off a speaker Brian, you are next? Hi? Um, well, what I wanted to ask about. I have five running backs and from to start, but that's not gonna work for a no loan. I need you to bring it down to two, Brian. So how about I asked between two defenses? Okay, more or Minnesota. Oh I love Baltimore.

Baltimore against Border Party all day. Yeah, there's a great opportunity for them. And one other question, why don't you guys go to three hours when they can get in more calls and they don't have to go I know, wouldn't that be nice? Saturday's it Sauce would be very very bitter with us. We did that, Wade. You're back, Hello, I am back. Yeah. I was saying I was on old a long time. You've been during again exactly. Um. So I need to pick a tight end up off

the craft beat because I have Jimmy Graham. I don't want to start them. I need I need the short version here. Wait, I don't need the long version. Clay available and I have uh the tight end new I mean tight end available. Cleaner is available. Yeah, if for just this week, I've got cleaner higher, but clay long term out like a lot better because Willie s Need is gonna come back, and I think he will ultimately end up eating into somewhat Fleaner has given us. So

that's that's how I would approach it. Brian in Portland, thank you for calling in again? Yeah, hi, uh dat Parson went Okay, I'm good Carson Wentz this week. Uh you know, no offense to a press cut, but basically went says the momentum, he's got the better receivers uh and and the better matchup. Yeah, and we can offend players all we want. Don't feel bad about that. Ben, You're up next a quick guy. Abdulah or I guess Abdula who or Funchius? Is that what you said? Yeah? Okay,

I'm Atlanta is very bad against pass catching backs. I know read ricks in the mix, but Abdul will get his share there, So I'm gonna Abdulah, Joel and Duluth. Hello. I love the show, guys. Thank you what you do? Half point and team League. DeAndre Hopkins or Death Bryant. DeAndre Hopkins. I told you all these negative stats on Death Brian, and he only got a C grade for me in this game. And it looks like a brutal matchup with Patrick Peterson. So I just I don't like

Dez this week. Andrew Hello, ah yeah, Brandon Coleman stefan big standard storing. I know I gave Coleman a C grade, but I'll go digs in this matchup, alright, Even with Case Keen and Paul, You're next PPR Carson Wins or derrith Con. I don't know who's gonna catch more s is in a PPR league between those two, but I'm going Derek Carr. Rich Your next full PPR Kyle Rudolph or Kobe Fleaner. I told you a lot of reasons I was worried Aboutkyle Rodolf this week. I'm going to

Fleaner one more time. Thanks Rich, Andy, you our last call of the day. Um Hey, so halfway PPR Manny Sanders or Calvin Benjamin, I would go, I've got Sanders slightly below Benjamin, especially consistant Scope Benjamin. There. Yeah, Saints Secondary all beat up with injury and they were awful to begin with. Calvin Benjamin for all of your for all of your panthers. If not now, when right do you miss any part of the show? Take up the

podcast cafe and fan on demand. Tony has made a solemn oath to post the podcast immediately, already started building it already. I love it, absolutely fantastic. You can also hear it on the I Heart Radio app, and we encourage you to leave rankings and reviews for the show Saturdays, with Sauce coming up next and a seven o'clock start for this show next week