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Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly source for the nation's best fantasy speculation and advice. Now along with the guys from Guillotine Leagues dot com, here's your host.
Welcome to a week one edition of Fantasy Football Weekly. We all love our teams for now. By Sunday night, half of us are going to be wringing our hands in the other half of our hands up in tryumph, I am Paul Charchie.
Is that what you do? I need a picture of that this week? Hands up there? You hit your hands one of the two? Yeah, you need to post that each week. Which one you are?
Okay? Well, I got too many fantasy teams. I'm probably gonna be a lot of both.
If you one up, one down, it's like jumping Jackson.
That's the voice of Scott Fish and making a show number two appearance. Thort Nystrom.
Hey, guys, how are you guys doing?
Very excited? If you've got a few rostered and started Kadarius Tony or we're here to help. Yes, Oops, a little Jamior Gibbs regret in there too, mixed in. Well, we won't spend a ton of time on the game that already happened. We're gonna break down fifteen matchups in this show, Fantasy Football Weekly style, with letter grades on every meaningful player. We'll give you three player well nine
total players upon me. You can take a chance. We'll answer three tough questions, and we'll play premature speculation where we give you players to pick up now that everybody else is going to try to pick up next week, but they're already on your team.
Nice, we love it.
Let's jump right in with fifteen matchups to get through. Scott Fish Ye Panther's taking on the Falcons. Talk to me about a Panthers team that goes to war with a new look offense minus two receivers or maybe a receiver and a half.
Yeah.
So so let's start out the passing game here. I have almost everyone on the bench for the Panthers. Adam Thielen has mispracticed this week with an injury. Uh, it sounds like he's gonna go, but he's a true coin flip at this point. H DJ Shark is out with
a hamstring injury. Terres Marshall came off the injury report been limited this week with a back injury, but the only one that seems like he's going to get a full compliment is Jonathan Mingo, who I'm going to talk about a little bit next segment.
Right.
Uh, Bryce Young I have on the bench. I'm not going to trust him in his first career game in a game that has the lowest projected to total points from Vegas.
And missing tree startings.
And missing all those weapons he's got. Yeah, and his main weapon is a thirty year old tight end who averages three hundred and fifty yards per yeason per season. So uh, I am I am putting herst with a segrad though, because despite despite the low volume he's had over his career. Uh, the Falcons were fifth worst against tight ends last year. Ten of them had sixty five plus yards and or a score, and simply due to lack of other options in the offense. You almost got it.
I'm given him a C grade. He's had good connection, a good rapport with Bryce Young in the preseason, so I'm giving a se grade hurst there in the running game. The only guy I trust, despite recent talk of more of a split to keep Sanders healthy, is Miles Sanders He's the only one I trust in this and I'm only given him a see. I know there's video of Frank Rake can do stalely talking about the Philly days, his fifty catch seasons and whatnot.
I hope you will catch some passes by this game.
I do too. I hope that's what he gets. The Falcons spent years. Do you remember this charge like three years in a row being the worst at defending running backs against the past. That was a while ago there in middle of the pack last year, but even Hubbard and Foreman last year had legit like six one hundred yard games averaging over four and a half yards per carry.
Miles Sanders, I'm giving the sea. You could talk me into a bee if there wasn't all that splitting talk and the fact that the offense is probably gonna have trouble moving on the other side. I have a few I have a few grades here. I have an a for Bijon Robinson starting out his fantasy career, first rounder
middle of the pack matching man that sounder. I don't know, man, I don't know middle of the pack matchup for his first matchup, but he's a likely three down back, great pass catcher gamescript might might be you know a lot of running. So Patterson is dealing with a thigh injury as well, so if he doesn't go, that's just more work for Beijeon. It was probably gonna be anyway. Onto the passing game, Desmond Ritter. I got on the bench because I watched him play last year. Because our eyeballs,
Yes I have eyeballs. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna wait under two hundred and twenty five yards passing in all four starts. Come on, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. I'm giving c's two. You probably weren't benching them based on where you drafted them. The Panther Panthers, however, allowed the fourth most yards to wide receivers last year. London gets about thirty percent target share. We'll see if that
continues this year. He's also going to see J. C. Horns, so I'm not I'm not super psyched about it, but I'm still gonna give him a C grade here. In his four games with Rider last year, ninety five yards, seventy yards, ninety six yards, one hundred and twenty yards. That's a decent amount of fantasy production. Kyle Pits C grade in the home game versus the Panthers last year, he went five for eighty and a score on nine targets. He's going to be one of the only options in
the options in this offense. But you drafted him as a top seven tight end. You're not mentioning.
Himyah, you only have a C grade on Kyle Pitts.
Yeah, yep, all right.
Bengals taking on the Browns thore Joe Burrow completely cleared off the injury report. Can we start him with confidence?
We can, but I'm going to downgrade him in this game to a B from the usual A. You mentioned he's off the injury report with that calf injury, but I do think that calf injury is going to confine him to the pocket here.
I also think this is kind of a tough matchup for Burrow.
Brown's pass defense twelve DVOA last year and allow the second fewest Fantasy points. Two opposing quarterbacks through for under two hundred and forty yards both times against the Browns last year. He's never gone over two hundred and eighty five yards against them, so this historically top matchup for him. His receivers here Jamar Chase obviously must start. He's obviously in a grade T Higgins.
I give him a B in this game.
He's gonna get shadowed by Martin Emerson. It's a decent but not a great matchup for Higgins, but he's obviously going to get the volume there. The volume is also the reason to play Joe Mixon here.
He's going to get that.
But I think this is a tougher matchup for Mixing than it might appear on the surface. People remember Cleveland's run defense with terrible last year, finished twenty sixth, but I think that's going to be a lot better this year, after you hire Jim Schwartz and after you remade your defensive front. There, the Browns signed Delvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris, both top forty defensive tackles and run defense last year. Also Zadarius Smith, who was twenty six in run defense amongst edges.
So I have to give mix And a B in that one.
Moving to the Browns, the Browns have said all off season they want to pass more here. I'm going to give DeShawn Watson a great B in this game. The Bengals cover two defense wants to take away the deep stuff, keep.
Everything in front of it.
Last year, the Cincinnati pass defense allowed the third fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. I do think this is a bounce back opportunity for Watson if important caveat if he can effectively attack the intermediate area, amark.
So we'll go to his receivers, Amari Cooper.
I give him a c here because, as you guys know, should do be a woozia is back now off that ACL very underrated player.
You go back to the last full.
Season that he had twenty twenty one a WUZI A shadowed six different times. In four of those six games, he held the opposing wide receiver one under fifty receiving yards. So I have to downgrade Cooper in his first game with Watson here the receiver though that I'm upgrading in his first game with Dishall Watson, mister Elijah Moore, because I think they're going to have a lot of success attacking the slot, attacking the intermediate area here. I give
Elijah Moore an a grade in this game. Wow Wow ran seventy five percent of his routes from the slot in the preseason. That is obviously what he's done since college, that's what he's going to be here. And I think this is a Nikky Austin matchup for him against Mike Calton the slot. On the other side, last year, the Bengals gave up the tenth highest receiving yards per game to opposing slots while seeing the eighth fewest slot targets per game. That team stinks at defending the slots when
they get targeted there. For that reason too, I have to give David and djoku in eight great This is a great matchup for Djoku too.
How about a positivity How you beat.
The Cincinnati defense. It's with slot wide receivers in the slot tight end. They're better against the outside receivers obviously taken away the deep stuff whatnot. Last year in Djoku only played versus the Bengals one time, with Deshaun Watson. In that game, nine targets, seven receptions, fifty nine yards end a touchdown.
I really like in Djoku this week.
Nick Chubb is an obviously must start every week, but I got it downgrade him to a be here.
Okay. Last year, the Bengals.
Run defense allowed the sixth fewest explosive run routes, the second lowest misstackles forced per attempt, and they returned their entire defensive line. Last year, Nick Chubb fifty six percent of his runs were on gap schemes. The Cincinnati run defense is really good against that stuff. They love the second lowest yards per carry on gap scheme runs at three point six. Chubb is obviously matchup proof, but I had to ding him from the eight of the B for that reason.
All right, wow, this is you're coming up bold swinging. Yeah, eight grades and Ndjoku and Elijah Moore.
Yeah, that Elijah Moore thing. I looked at one of my lineups and I'm like, I'm gonna swap him out for Skymore, get sky Moore, and it won't work. It's not working for me.
That site must be broken.
I know, I might contact the commissioner. Get sky Moore out of there.
Bucks take on the Vikings. I'm gonna start with the Buccaneers wide outs. Mike Evans a potentially very big game coming from him, and I've got an A grade sitting on him. Because the Vikings are trotting out a very inexperienced set of outside cornerbacks. They're gonna start rookie Makai Blackman and sophomore A Caleb Evans who have a combined two NFL starts and they've seen it combined twenty two NFL targets. That's it last year Evans A Caleb. This
is Evans versus Evans matchup. By the way, A Caleb Evans only played one side of the field, and if they do that again, Evans can go to the other side of the where he'll see Makai Blackman, where he enjoys a six inch fifty three pounds size advantage. So Mike Evans physically dominating Mackai Blackman when at the time they see each other A grade for him. Chris Godwin gets a B grade. Playing mostly from the slot, I think we'll most often see the Vikings most seasoned cornerback
Byron Murphy. Last year. Murphy allowed per game averages of I'm very modest thirty nine yards and point three touchdowns per game. Solid, not spectacular. Godwin will periodically move outside with strong matchups out there. When he does. I like Godwin's opportunity here B grade for him, And if I've got a B grade on Godwin and Evans, I've got B grad and Godwin to a on Evans. I've got to have a B gran on Baker Mayfield. This is week one, might be the most positive matchup for Baker
Mayfield's entire season. Vikings finished thirty first in passing yards allowed last year, twenty eighth and fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, and they overhauled all their cornerbacks as I mentioned, so be a totally new defensive scheme. There could be some disorganization, some chaos, and the Vikings secondary Baker Mayfield a nice plug and playoffs for you. Let's go to one of the buccaneer wide receiver. I'm just gonna mention briefly, Trey Palmer,
their rookie. He's gonna be on the field a lot more than I think people realize. And on paper, this is a really strong matchup in DFS and you're looking for like your three thousand dollars dart throw. Trey Palmer might be that guy, but I can't give him a letter grade until we get a better look at him.
All right, Let's go to the running backs. Rashad White B grade only one career game with more than thirteen carries, which he turned into one hundred and five yards in that game, and he's gonna get more than thirteen carries here, so I like that part of it. Vikings run defense was decent last year, but they've had two key interior defensive losses running linebacker Eric Kendrickson defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson,
who Thorge just mentioned a moment ago. White's a solid receiver, snaring ninety percent of his targets last year, and as a starter, White average four catches per game. The Vikings give the tenth most running back receptions last year, so I think in totality, Rashad White looking at a nice game, B grade for him.
Baker Mayfield as a heck of a history if throwing a running backs too.
Yeah, there's that rookie running back Sean Taylor is a fascinating prospect. But we're gonna take a wait and see approach and just see how much he gets on the field in this game. Let's go to the Viking side. Justin Jefferson obvious a. I also have some optimism for Jordan Addison. Kevin O'Connell may choose to establish Addison early, I think, just to force defenses to have to play
Justin Jefferson a little more fairly down the stretch. The Bucks have one good corner Jamel Dean, who plays the right side of the field only so he's avoidable by Addison, and then he got He's got lineups against Carlton Davis and d Delaney. Those are positive cornerback matchups for Addison. I think you can you can move him into a flex position as a starter this week for Jordan Addison.
Agreed even better call I'm now I'm gonna take skuy more of Jordan Addison. Love it.
DJ Hockinson B grade. Bucks were NFL average tight end against tight ends last year, but they did a good job against some really good tight ends. They put George Kittle and Mark Andrews on dud games, and in the second half of last year, the Bucks allowed no tight end to top thirty four yards. That's it.
That's a low mark.
That is a lowmark. Levonte David's an elite coverage linebackers. So just the B grade on TJ. Hockinson. So if I've given out AB's and C grades to Kirk Cousins receivers, tells you I do like him.
Here.
The Bucks allowed the second most passing touchdowns last year twenty nine, almost every non backup quarterback through multiple scores against Tampa. Here, I've got an A grade on Kirk Cousins. And then lastly, let's talk about Alexander Madison. Dalvin Cook leaves behind the third most carries and the seventh most rushing touchdowns from inside the five yard line. Also gone Adam Thielen and all of his receiving touchdowns from up close.
So I like Madison to score in this game. Probably Tampa only gave up seven rushing touchdowns all year, which is impressive, But I just think through sheer, volume and opportunity, Madison should be fine. And a B grade for Alexander Madison in this game ty channeleral factor and at some point but not enough that I think we're going to give him a start here when we come back. Three
tough questions for our panel of experts. See if you can go three and zero, and it's not too late to join a guillotine league, you can still do it Thursday night, players count, don't draft, do not draft Cadarius Tony on your guillotine league.
D h A Man.
Yeah, we'll skip that altogether and we'll talk a little bit more about those Chiefs receivers. When we come back to Fantasy Football Weekly, take a chance on me nine players not normally in your starting lineup. These are all guys that you may be able to pick up off the waiver wire or take off your benches and give a start to this week. In particular, we begin at the quarterback position in Scott Fish.
Yeah, I'm going with a guy who I think will have no trouble this year beating his total amount of toilets in his house. It's Russell Wilson. I'm going with him against the Raiders who allowed the fourth moost yards to QBS last year. It's already a decent spot. They ranked thirty first in past DVOA. PFF has them as the third worst ranked secondary entering the year. Wilson went for two thirty seven and two scores and two forty seven against him last year. I think it's just good spot for him.
All right, Russell Wilson, you take a chance with me quarterback Thor.
I'm gonna go with Derek Carr against the Titans.
Derek Carr been struggling the last couple of years with Josh McDaniels.
I don't think too highly.
A Josh McDaniels is offensive, vacuum and red, particularly on the deep bot.
Derek Carr struggled the last.
Couple of years, but if you go back to twenty twenty, Derek Carr was number two in PFF deep passing grade and this is a great matchup for him to get back on track deep. The Titans were dead last and deep passing defensive DVA last year and allowed the fourth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. I also think the game script here, it's gonna skew pass heavy and aggressive without Alvin Kamara.
Derek Carr gets back on track here.
I gotta go with yes, that's right. We knew, Sam Howell, we knew it was coming.
Ye.
Yeah, I know some of you want to take away and see approach, but not with the Cardinals on the schedule. They were a bottom ten fantasy pass defense last year and they looked like they're going to be quite a bit worse this year with the defection of key cornerback
Byron Murphy. Arizona expected to start cornerbacks Marco Wilson in sixth round rookie Ki Trell Clark, and the safety position isn't any better with Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson, neither of them finished his NFL starter worthy safeties by PFF and coverage last year. Sam Howells got wheels and the only mobile quarterback to face Arizona last year Jalen Hurts, who rolled up sixty one rushing yards and two scores
against the Cardinals. You know, new offensive coordinator Eric the Enemy faced Arizona last year in Week one, schemed up Patrick Mahomes for five touchdowns. I'm just saying, let's.
Go to did Patrick Mahomes just do that? Because that's just Patrick?
I hear he's pretty good. Sam Howells my gud. Let's go to the running back position, Scott.
I am going with Zach Sharbonnay. He's the pass catching back, which you already like in a Carrol offense. It's going to run a lot. Ken Walker has had a groin injury for the last a long time. It went away and then it came back. It was the same groin though, just multiple interests one groyd, but it popped back up at the end of the week. He's not on the injury report right now, but I wouldn't I wouldn't be surprised if they're a little cautious with him. Go a
little light. It's a great game script where they should be leading the whole game, where sharp Knick can get some work and Walker can get some rest.
Touchdown, I'm calling a touchdown for Zach sharbonnay cool. All right, Sorry, you're take a chance on me running.
Back deep cutt here, I'm going Kenny Gainwell against the Patriots.
The Eagles backfielder right now.
It has four guys co listed as running back, one which I haven't seen within college.
You know, when I with the college depth charts, they always do that. I haven't seen that in the NFL.
The Patriots do have a strong run defense, but this is the topical point as far as Gainwell goes. The Patriots struggle against receiving backsh tenth highs yards per reception allowed last year to running backs. Gainwell's receiving utility, I think is what gets him involved here. We just need one screen pass touchdown and we're good there. I think in the second half some of these guys are going to get more run. So I think Kenny Gainwell is a streaming option in deeper leagues.
Oh yeah, it's time for Tank big speeding. Yes, he goes up against Indianapolis. I look, I know again, it's tough to start a rookie never seen before, but he's coming off a phenomenal preseason in which he played with the starters. He looked like the best runner on the team, honestly led the NFL in explosive runs and caught the ball.
Well.
I mean, what more do you want from Tank Bigsby? He looks ready here. And last year's Colts NFL average and run defense. They made no offseason moves to materially improved that run defense. They allowed the fifth most running back receptions last year and thirty nine receiving yards per game. I see Bigsby getting most of that this in this game. Last year, in this matchup, the Jaguars had to resort to Trevor Lawrence scoring two goal line touchdowns after Travis
Etn and James Robinson got stuffed Jacksonville. It's got a better option at the goal line this year, and it is Tank Biggsby. Yes, baby, let's bring it on right here in Week one.
All right, Scott did that with hell too.
Green. Let's go to the wide receiver position. Is your take? A chance to me a player here.
I am going with six foot two two and twenty five pound rookie Jonathan Mingo on the outside there for the Indianapolis Colts. All right, sorry, not the Indiapolis coast. Let's try care a lot of Panthers. Uh. With Adam Thielen missing practice and being and having that ankle injury that could act up again. DJ chark out arras Marshall with a back injury. He's the only one locked into
a definite role in the preseason. He ran with the ones the whole time on Bryce Young's thirty one drop backs in preseason, he ran a round on twenty nine of them. He's in there, so pencil him, man, I'm giving I actually gave him a C grade for this, all.
Right, se grade? Yeah, all right, Jonathan Mina could be a B if they're okay, you're taking chance to be wide receiver thor.
I know you're gonna like this one charge. I'm going with Rashid Shahed against the Titans. I heard some of the resons before with Carr, but Shahid had the growing injury earlier in Campany is not listed on the Week one injury reports that were good in that regard. The Titans last year led the NFL with twenty five point nine fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers, and as I mentioned before, they struggled defending the deepa with Shahed
not injured anymore, that's what we're looking at. Last year, Shahed number four yards route per running the entire NFL on go routes. Yeah, Derek Carr is going to be targeting this guy deep. The Titans only did one thing in this offseason to address their struggling secondary. They signed Sean Murphy Bunning, who is decent covering out of the slot, but he has always struggled on the perimeter over his career. Shaheed's going to stack that guy early and often in this game.
We've given you two young wide receivers so far, and take a chance at me. And here comes number three, Oh boy, Green Bay wide receiver Jaden Reid yea perfect spot for a rookie making his first start. He runs mostly from the slot, where he's going to face off against Bear's cornerback Kyler Gordon, who gave up an opposing passer rating of one hundred and ten. Chicago allowed the ninth most fantasy points to slot receivers. Last year, Reid
was highly productive at Michigan State. As you know, well Thor yep, smaller, he's not going to break tackles, but he's got some special trades, particularly after the catch, and he makes some acrobatic off bounce catches that should translate to the NFL. Jaden Reid in a game without Christian Watson for sure, and maybe a gimpy Romeo Dobbs who may or may not play, We'll take Jayden Reid to have a nice first game of his career like that one.
All right, let's get back to the matchups, including Jaguars taking on the Colts Scott Fish.
Yeah, let's do it. Trevor Lawrence, I got an a grade on here. You probably drafted him as a top eight quarterback anyway, but it's against a bottom ten coltste that didn't really improve much their bottom ten against quarterbacks from a year ago. The defensive backfield entirely made up of rookies and second year players as well, which Trevor Lawrence should have no trouble beating. He's also increased his weapons, adding Calvin Ridley and that tank Bigsby guy you just mentioned.
Oh, you know what you're making to make me do?
Oh Man, Calvin Ridley, I gave a B grade. Seems like he's back. He was a stud before the suspension. Remember he played hurt and he was a stud. He had that foot injury that he was playing on and putting up all those stats. He should find himself close to a top twenty four wide receiver this week. In this matchup, just Ridley's going to be matched up against second year undrafted free agent Darryl Baker junior, possibly Dallas
Flowers rookie, but it's probably Daryl Baker junior. Dallas Flowers would of course go over to Christian Kirk, who I got a C grade on the potential for Lawrence to shoot this one up, and also just the report that they had last year. It's a good matchup for both of them. I have Zay Jones on the bench. Evan Ingram had ninety eight targets last year and was absolutely huge in many games down the stretch. I do have a C grade here. He's probably worth it and he's
probably going to get just enough volume. But I do worry how much Ridley is going to take from that. Of course, Ridley wasn't there last year when Ingram was racking up all those targets. Travis Etn. I got a B grade on and I know you're gonna hate that. I know you're gonna hang it that because you want Tank bagas V to be an A and Etn to be on the bench.
Yes, my perfect world, but yes you've already.
You've already in tanks. In your talk on Tank mentioned to a lot of the points. I'll just add they were ninth worst against running backs last year and etm Etn himself had one hundred plus in this very matchup last year. The Jacks had no problem putting James Robinson and James Hasty in at times. Though. That's why Tank Bigsby was your take a chance on me player Cartavius. Tank Bigsby Cartavius is a great name too.
What don't it kind of been just cart Bigsby And that'd have been pretty cool too. But I know that if he were KRT Bigsby, could I do this?
No?
No, no, nuts.
Yeah, let's let's go over to the Let's go over to the Indianapolis Colts in the backfield. I don't want any of them in Week one. I just don't. Zach moss Is is dinged up. He may play. I don't know if he's gonna play. But uh, Deon Jackson, he was productive but not special last year, but it looks like he might get the start. We all kind of like Evan Hole here. We think he's the most talented back. But it might be a little weak one. But it's week one. It might be a little while till he
gets in. So as long as that's a rotation, and the coach even said they're going to play the hot hand, I have him on the bench. In the passing game, I only have one grade on wide receivers and tight ends, and that's Michael Pittman. He's the alpha in the offense. We don't know how this offense is quite going to run with Anthony Richardson without Jonathan Taylor, but last year he went thirteen catches for one hundred and thirty four yards on sixteen targets in this matchup, and that was
Matt Ryan at quarterback. Alec Pearce has had some chemistry with Anthony Richardson in the preseason. I think it's a little early, and it's not a game where I think a lot of points are going to be put up, so I'd rather have the alpha in a C grade.
It makes sense so that no Johnny Woods is breaking my heart.
No, yeah, I know him out. It's going to be interesting to see how Josh Downs does in that slot role. I like that he's going to get a full compliment of snaps with Johnny Woods out, maybe he gets a little more work, but I have him on the bench. That brings me to Anthony Richardson. Even if the passing is you know how much I love him, You love them. But even if the passing isn't there, if it's more fields in field, can I use field dad, Yes, for sure,
field deed. If it's more fields, we're looking at maybe what one hundred and fifty two hundred yards in a matchup like this, maybe he scores a touchdown, but I will guarantee you based on the designed runs in the preseason, I will guarantee Anthony Richardson gets at least six points on the ground at least all right, so sixty plus yards or a touchdown. Absolutely that he ran so many design runs in the in the in the preseason, and without Jonathan Taylor he might get that goal line work.
We don't know what's going to happen yet. I will say, if he does not get that six fancy points guaranteed.
On the ground, you may get nothing.
I would know that that's true. But I will personally not show my face in the studio next week. I won't come on the show.
Thank you.
That's I will not come in.
I have to face the music.
Yes. Also, if he does get it, and I'm correct, I will, I will stay home and celebrate. That's what I'll do.
Next week Titans take on the Saints thor we get our first look at DeAndre Hopkins as a Titan. What do you think of this passing game?
In this game, I'm gonna give Hopkins in this one, you know, drawing Marshawn Laddimer, Obviously, it's a tough matchup for him. I'm gonna give Hopkins a B though, because he's gonna get peppered with wide receiver one targets.
We know that last year.
You look at Hopkins' win rate against man, against zone, and incontested situations, those all suggest that he was still a low end wide receiver one in the NFL. So I think he's sort of a solid fantasy option in his debut, I'm going to give him a be. Ryan Tannehill, I have to give him a SE. I do think he was better last year than people think. He was still number nine in accurate throw rate, and now he's got the best pass catchers of his entire career to
work with in the NFL. But this is not the week to go crazy on him against Saints pass defense finished number six dv away in the NFL last year. Treylon Brooks is a guy that I'm bullish on over the course of the season, but not necessarily for this game. I give him a grade of B, mostly because he's higher than I thought. Oh I'm sorry to see I come. That makes more sense for Taylor Burtin mostly I'll give him a B in most of the other games this year, but in this one he's got a lone Taylor across
from him. I think that's a tough matchup for Berks. We're gonna give him a SEA. I give chick a kon Quo a bench grade. I would not recommend him this week. The Saints pass defense, sort of like the New England Patriot one, is notorious for stifling tight end production on the other side. Last year, New Orleans allowed the second least Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, so
I got to keep Chick on the bench. The guy who I think this is an awesome matchup for on the Titans offense is Derrick Henry.
Great a.
Obviously, he's a mus start every week, but this week is one of the best matchup you're going to have all year. Henry finished fifth in the NFL and gap concept runs last year. The Saints allowed the fourth highest success rate against gap runs last year, and then over the offseason, New Orleans just stuck band aids on their hemorrhaging defensive front that has not gotten any better. Derrick Henry is going to have a huge opener as far
as the Saints. Derek Carr and Rashid Shahid earlier this or before in this segment, they were both both might take a chance on you guys. Yeah, both those guys I have B grades on. We're going to continue along the same narrative here though with Chris Olave, who I give an a grade two in this matchup. Recall that I said how bad the Titans were against the deep ball. Yes, Chris Olave, awesome deep ball guy. Last year, the Titans allowed the most receiving yards end touchdowns on goal routes
last year. Chris Olave number twelve and deep targets in the NFL and number fourteen in yards per route run on goal routes. We got to give him an a and Christian Fulton, the guy across from him, not very good. One hundred two point four NFL q be raiding against on targets with only two passes broken up last year.
Not great.
How do you go a whole season only break up two passes.
That stuff and he gave up five touchdowns.
It's cuzzy.
The guy I'm fading in that passing game is Michael Thomas. I'm going to keep him on the bench. Actually in this one. I can't trust Michael Thomas until I see it over an entire regular season game. Thirty year old question mark with ten appearances over the last three years. This game, you know, I mentioned I think the game script is going to be more aggressive with the downfield shots and everything else like that. And that's not Michael Thomas.
Not Michael Thomas. He's an intermediate guy coming out of the slot. And Roger McCreery he's not the most athletic guy, but is the most physical guy. Is going to be in a fistfight with Michael Thomas the entire game. Maybe not the funnest game for Michael Thomas to come back in this one. I need to see him get through a full game. The other guy that I like, though
is Juwan Johnson. I give him a B. I was more pessimistic about him earlier in camp with they signed Foster Moreau right and I thought Foster is a better receiver than Troutman, certainly the guy that they shipped out. But Juwan Johnson was getting hype all camp long. Obviously he's going to be the primary receiving tight end again. I think he's going to get more targets, more snaps
this year. Titans last year allowed the most receiving yards to opposing tight ends and the third most receptions to opposing tight ends.
Very very good matchup for Juwan Johnson.
I actually have him as a top twelve fantasy tight end this coming week.
I like it.
And then as far as the Saints run game, obviously everyone will recall Elvin Kamara is suspended and it does not look like Kendray Miller will play, So if nothing else.
Jamal Williams came over from the lines.
He is going to get the volume, but it's still a sort of a tough matchup for him, so I give him a great sea on this.
The volume C.
The volume C yes, outside the top fifty yards per touch last year for Williams and the Titans, the number one run defense DVOA last season.
When we come back, another block of matchups for you, including Arizona Cardinals, a lot of commanders that we like a lot, and some sneaky plays. We'll tell you about those when we come back to Fantasy Football Weekly.
All right, good job that one, or.
Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. We've got other block of matchups for you. You gotta get this Cardinals game over with at some point. Let's just tear off the Vandy and get this thing done. There's really not a lot to like here, we believe all so. They haven't said as of this taping who the quarterback is going to be. We think it's gonna be Josh Dobbs. We'll fly in. We'll find out later. You're not starting him, obviously. Let's
go to the running game. And really, the only guy you care a lot about is James Connor with little threat from the passing game, I think James Connor gets a lot of defensive attention from the Commanders. Washington was a very good run defense last year, and particularly down
the stretch final eight games. They allowed just three touchdowns to running backs ground or air, and all season only Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry managed to top eighty seven yards, and those are far better running runners and far better offenses than this Arizona one. Washington was also an elite defense against pass catching backs, only one runner top thirty three receiving yards. I can only muster a C grade
for James Connor in this one. And the only guy you care about to Marquis Brown, and tragically, he's got a hamstring, so I struggle to recommend him either by a mile the best of the Cardinals receivers, but the Cardinals, you know, the Commander's secondary garbage last year. They've added first and second round rookies at the cornerback position who might help. So maybe garbage time here keeps Brown startable. I'm gonna give him the SE grade both the hamstring injury.
Any play could be his last, and you're really risking a lot, so start him at your own warning. A C grade on Marquise Brown. Okay, let's go to the commander side, beginning with Sam Howell. Might take a chance on me quarterback. We love Sam Howell in this one, and I like his receivers. Johan Dotson, love his chances for a big game hard work. No, I can't go double a r Mark. I can't do it. Dotson is eric b Enemy's field stretching receiver, averaging a crazy fourteen
point seven yards per reception last year. Those fifth best in the league, and last year Arizona allowed the most yards after the catch. Big place coming for Johan Dotson potentially here. Cornerback Antonio Hamilton allowed a one hundred plus passer rating in four of his six starts. So I like the opportunity for Johan Dotson in this game. I've got a B grade on him. Got a C grade on Terry McLaurin. I would like the matchup more. The turf toe looks to be okay, but man, those are
tricky receivers. Yes, they can limit your acceleration, they can limit your cutting. I think those are two important factors in this game. So I got a C grade on him here It could very well be the Commanders get ahead and then just don't pass that much. Maybe so, and maybe they rest McLaurin and they rest his toe. So I can only muster a se grade on McLaurin, the guy I love and who you should with all of these tight end injuries. Yes, go get Logan Thomas.
I started him in place at Kelsey in the league night. I'm super happy about it.
It's silly done. I've heard tight ends can thrive into Eric Beta be offense. I've heard he can scheme open a tight end or two. Last year, the Cardinals allowed the most tight end receptions and the most tight end touchdowns. Logan Thomas is your official FFW.
I love how we have one of those every year, like the Giants were that one year the Cardinals. I love that there's one that just cannot.
Beat up on every year.
Absolutely for streamings so easy. So I've got a.
B grade and Logan Thomas position adjusted, he'd be an A at just the tight end position given all the other injuries there, Let's go to the running backs for Brian Robinson. If it's not gonna happen now, when I didn't love the version I saw last year. But you gotta get better here. Cardinals ranked twenty seventh and run defense by Pro Football Focus. Last year. They allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing runners. There's no obvious
improvements in the defense for the Cardinals. Let's try Brian Robinson with a B grade here, and let's consider Antonio Gibson. If you believe he's gonna take the Jeric McKinnon role for Eric b enemy as a pass catcher, this might be his best opportunity all year. Cardinal's destroyed by runners through the air last year, allowing the most running back receptions, for the most running back receiving yards, and the second most running back receiving touchdowns. So Antonio Gibson nice player
here as well, will give him a C grade. Let's go to our next game, that is the Raiders taking on the Broncos.
Scott, Yeah, on the Raiders side, I don't like much in the passing game. I don't like this offense. I don't like a Jimmy g Led offense against a Broncos team that was third best against quarterbacks last year, second best against wide receivers. The only passing game option I am even starting in this one is DeVante Adams, and
he's only getting a B grade. He had a great game last year, one hundred plus yards in both games against the Broncos last year, but that was with Derek Carr slightly different offense, and this year he's going to be going up against pat certain Patzertan. I just I don't think it's a good spot for him. I've got a B grade on him, with an A grade though, Josh Jacobs with his new one year deal, I think they're gonna do to Josh Jacobs what they did to Josh Jacobs last year. Yes, a ton of work won't
make Jimmy g do much. Last year he had one hundred and seventy five yards and two scores in the first matchup and one hundred and sixty yards in the second matchup. Now, the pass game isn't worthy of being feared, so that might bring those numbers down a little bit. But I got an A grade on Josh Jacobs. Over on the other side, Russell Wilson was might take a
chance on me player. I mentioned how much they allowed to quarterbacks and wide receivers last year, how their defense is thirty first past dy of Voa, and they have the third worst secondary entering this year, according to Pro Football Focus. So I have some grades out here. I got a B grade on Sutton. You could talk me into an A, but a B grade on Sutton. When Judy was out last year, Sutton had huge target shares near thirty percent. He went five for fifty two to one,
and five for eighty in this matchup. Judy missed both of those games. We'll see if Judy plays in this one. If I have Judy on my team, I am not starting him. It's a late game. I don't want to have that be an issue to that something comes up late, late in the afternoon. I want to make that decision before the game start. Denzel mams Man. I love Denzel mams He's one of three healthy options for Russell Wilson.
In college, he only dropped seven balls and most of his most of his work, a lot of his work, over third of his work was deep downfield, twenty plus yard downfield. In fact, he had twenty plus yards per catch in college over two seasons. He just needs I got a SE grade. All he needs is one big one. Marvin Mims Marvin moms C grade. All he needs is one big one. I'm keeping Dulcinch and Troutman on the bench. I don't I don't know how this joker role is
gonna work. They were splitting so much in preseason. No thanks. As far as the run game, Champagne says Javonte Williams is in for a big role. We'll see if that's true. He's often used two backs. He's also a liar exactly. I actually wrote in here I trust him as much as I trust my five year old stories from kindergarten. So, given the matchup against the seventh worst d from a year ago, a team that allows a ton of receptions and receiving yards to backs a year ago, I have
a B grade on Javonte Williams. You could maybe even snick sneak in a C grade for some maj Pierryn.
Ooh okay, let's go to the final matchup of this segment, forty nine Ers taking on the Steelers. Kenny Pickett coming off a very promising preseason thor.
Sure is Yeah, I'm gonna give him a great B in this one. It's a weird matchup, right. San Francisco has a pass final defense, but they have that very good pass rush, So I think Kenny Pickett his utility in this game HiT's as much about the pass pro as it is about his performance itself. Yeah, I do think Darnel Washington helps out with that more twelve personnel in this game. Darnald Washington one of the best blocking
Titans we've seen come out the past several years. The forty nine Ers allowed the fourth highest completion rate in tenth most deep passing yards on deep balls last year, which brings me into the Steelers wide receivers love George Pickens in this game. I'm giving George Pickens a greade of a wow. Deanna Johnson, I'm gonna give him a B. Pickens and Johnson last year they tied for the team lead with sixty one goal routes a piece. Johnson was targeted on thirty four percent of them, Pickens was on
forty one percent. You look at the forty nine Ers outside cornerbacks Ward six foot one, one ninety eight lenor five to ten to two to one. Pickens is six foot three and tire five pounds of dynamite. I think you're gonna see some mossing going on there with pick And chucking it up to him deep Friarm with the tight end there. I don't think it's as good of a matchup for him. I give him a great see
in this one. San Francisco gave up the twelve fewest receiving yards at tight ends and eight fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends last year. I also think this isn't a very good matchup for Naje. Harris kind of goes without saying he's got to split the carries with Jalen Warren, who I got a bench on Warren. I'm gonna give Nase a see though in this one. Low end started with this matchup San Francisco. I love the second fewest rush yards and the lowest explosive run rate last year.
Very good run defense. Moving on to the forty nine ers.
Yet you have sort of a matchup specific thing for the wide receivers going on on this side too. Pittsburgh loves man coverage. They always have I Yuki san Francisco's man beater, whereas deebo is the zone beater. You can just look throughout this thing. I UK versus man coverage was number fourteen last year, and targets per route, per route, run rate and number nineteen in yards per route run rate if I can talk percent and two point four
for those two things. Deebo versus man coverage last year sixteen percent, so fourteen percent lower on target per route run rate and one point four yards per route run That's a full yard less than Auk. So I give Ayuk and I give Debo a C in this one. George Kittle is questionable with the groin injury, as you guys know, I give him a great B. If he plays, are gonna have to monitor that one. Pittsburgh was sort of middle of the pack against tight ends last year.
I expect him to be again. Brock Perty, I'm also going to give him a seed. Last year he did not face one pass defense that ranked better than thirteenth in defensive DVOA against the pass. But I do think Perty is startable in super flex formats, and then of course Christian McCaffrey startable week that's obvious. Give him give him an a here, but if he has a thermonuclear game, it's got to come through the air as opposed to
on the ground. Steelers give up the fifth highest yards per reception to opposing running backs last year, but they had the third highest stuff rate in the league last year.
All right, I like it well done. This is uh, this is a Steelers offense that I find fascinating. I believe the addition of Broderick Jones on that offensive line has got to help. First rounder there. You mentioned Elephantine tight end Darnell Washington in passing, who I'm fascinated by. They called him the big O at Georgia because he is gigantic and he wore the number zero. I think he's gonna be a sneaky, a little bit of a
better receiver than people think. You're not not fantasy startable or rosterable, but Darnell Washington.
Is just it's it's good for the offense, you know, rising tide, raises elboats. You know, maybe that kind of work will help the whole team.
And if nothing else, is gonna be hard to keep him off the field because he's a third offensive tackle for you, just a maller.
But the receiving could come along. Georgia didn't use him much.
There because they have Brock Bowers, one of the best receiving tight end prospects we've got the last decade.
Brock Bauers is going to go in the top ten of next year's draft, maybe the top five of next year's draft. I mean, he's he is. His NFL potentials unbelievable.
It's different.
Yeah, And if Darnell Washington hadn't played behind him, he'd probably have been drafted higher. A lot more targets on a lot more targets. Yeah. Absolutely. You can still join
a guillotine league. You know the format works. You start with eighteen teams because there's eighteen weeks of the season, and instead of playing head to head every week, the low scoring team gets cut from the league and all their players go to the waiver wire, where the rest of us build superstar rosters to go to war every week. It's the freshest, funnest way to play fantasy football. Guillotine leagues dot com. You can play private leagues with your friends.
You can join a public contest for cash totally up to you. Also, all of my player rankings available for free for week number one at Guillotine leagues dot com. When we come back three tough questions, see if you can go three to zero against our panel of experts. When we return, Hey, it's our number two of Fantasy Football Weekly. Paul Jarchi in Scott Fish and Thorn Eistrom with you. Thank you for joining us. This is a game we like to call three tough questions.
Tough question number one.
Obviously, every player and every situation is different, but broadly speaking, how much should you react to the revelations that will emerge from week one? Is it a lot, a little, or not at all? We begin with Scott Fish.
Yeah, so we work in an industry where we have to analyze based on already a small sample size looking back at last year's seventeen to twenty one data points. Maybe it's not baseball, right, and week one is the one of what twenty and it's the most current, it's the most updated. We've seen how the offenses are schemed. We've seen how the defenses are schemed. We've seen usage and snap counts and targets per route run. I mean, no one wants to get Frisman Jackson, right, that's for sure.
I knew you would mention him.
I will always mention Frisman Jackson with stuff like this comes up. But it is the most recent data points, so it's not not at all. I don't know that it's a lot, because it's only one point. It's it's if I have to choose between these three, it's a little, but I'd say it's more like thirty seven percent than it is like twenty percent. Right, it's a it's a it's a decent chunk. It's just not a.
Lot, a lot. Okay, maybe I should have put it up A lot, some, some or not at all.
I'm going send.
I'll just changing the question on the foe like a lot, some or not at all? Okay.
Four.
Broadly, how much should you react to the revelations that will emerge in Week one? A lot, some or not at all?
I would say some, but closer to a lot than to none. You know, it's like Scott was saying, you have to make situational assumptions in the preseason when you know, when you do your draft, everything like that. But you get finite data points in week one, so that that piece of the pie heading into Week two I think is bigger than in any other individual week. You can't underreact to it like the data you get in week one, so I'd say closer to a lot.
There are definitely strong takeaways from week one, especially in the cases of pure talent that exposes itself and also a lack of talent that exposes itself and teams aren't hiding things. You really hit on this, Scott. You know they're playing to win. I mean, you know they're not out like hiding their best players. They're trying to win games and put their best players in position to win.
So and I think a lot of times you can identify the Week one flukes like Carson wentz is four touchdown game from Week one of last year, and the other thing I think that you can very much take away from those mid to late round flyers you were hoping we're gonna hit. You can look at and go, this is not gonna work out last year Week one like Michael Carter, rex Burghead, Antonio Gibson, Darryl Henderson all bombed in Week one. Those are all guys that maybe
you thought were gonna help you. They didn't help you, And I think you can read into that. I can't say a lot because there are misleading things that happened in Week one, but we will go with the correct answer of some. But we're as thor as you put it, we're on the a lot side of some.
Yes. For absolutely Number.
One tough question number two.
Should you cut any cheaps wide receivers you may have drafted. Let's begin with Thor.
Only if his name is Cadarius, Tony, get Cadarius off your rosters. I think it's too early to judge on the rest. But this is obviously a big stock up Game four where she Rice and it is obviously a very disappointing development for sky Moore, so he'd be stocked down.
But I'm only cutting Cadarius of those guys, all.
Right, Scott, are we cutting all of our chiefs wide receivers we may have drafted.
I think the key point is all and it also depends on what's on your waiver wire. Uh so, Ross you could probably pick back up later. It seems like he's going to be behind people Sky and Tony. I think that they're gonna get a lot more chances, and we're gonna see a different offense when the number one receiving threat is back on the field and they aren't, you know, hyper focused on stopping those two. So we're gonna see a completely different way that they're going to
deal with those two receivers. But like Thors said, Rashi, Rice, he breaks this all part of your comment because he looked decent and I like his long term potential.
So you'll know when the question is should you cut all the Chiefs wide receivers you may have drafted? Yeah, this is a different question. Then will any of the Chiefs wide receivers have like a decent season?
Oh yeah, it's not absolutely.
That's not the same question because it's possible that one of the two, one of the two Chiefs wide receivers are going to end up with decent year long stats. But it doesn't matter if you can't predict when the good games are gonna happen, when the bad games are gonna happen. I need to know when can I put Skymore in my lineup? When can I put Rahi Rice in my lineup? On this show? Let me ask you to this, thinking ahead to the rest of the shows
you're gonna do this year. How many times is a Chiefs receiver going to get a B grade?
Not often, I've I've been We're years into not wanting to start Chiefs wide receivers, like many years into they spread around outside of Kelsey. So B grade is right, and a B grade's the threshold of confidence. These are take a chance on me players most of the season.
That's all they are, That's what they're just take a chance.
Their season, take a chance on me.
And I'm including Rashid Rice in this. It's nice that he scored a touchdown, but if that hadn't if that had been a six yard touchdown, if that had been just a six yard catch, sidelines too, he had he had the three catches twenty nine yards. He was only on the field for twenty snaps.
Yeah, that's a problem.
You know it's gonna be the rotation is going to be maddeningly unpredictable, and I gotta start my lineup before the game kicks off.
So you just want to sabotage drop that Week one.
It's not even know if it's a sabotage drop at this point.
But I do.
People will pick them up, they will, but I'm dropping all Chiefs receivers.
Tough question number three.
All Right, your last chance for a big season long prediction right here, The highest scoring player in fantasy football this year will be who Scott?
So I immediately think quarterback, and you immediately want to go to Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes or whatever. I just I ever wanted maybe maybe I'm or Jalen Hurts. Maybe I'm just a little bored. But I'm gonna go a few a few spots deeper and go Justin Herbert. Two years ago he went for five k and thirty eight touchdowns, five thousand yards and thirty eight touchdowns in twenty twenty one. Last year, he went for forty seven hundred yards and twenty five touchdowns.
Hurt down here, hurt down.
Here most of the season, and without Keenan Allen for and Mike Williams for I think auld combined something like eleven games between the two of them. He's now got Kellen Moore, He's now got a better depth forth receiver in Quentin Johnson. I just I can see him being a five thousand and forty plus touchdown guy again. Maybe run a few more in without being injured. He's my goal.
Justin air bear all right four, the highest scoring player in fantasy football this year will be who I'm following.
Fisher's the same route but with a different guy. Lamar Jackson for me, I'm going to put him at the top. I love him in Todd Monkins's air Raid system, and Baltimore finally has good receivers. You go back to when Lamar Jackson was at louisvo it was spreading the field, forcing the defenses to defend deep. He's a very good passer, very underrated. That's when he got all the rushing opportunities. I think spreading the field, getting those guys out there, that's it's.
Also going to open up Lamar Moore running there as well.
All right, I love the addition as a flowers. I think that will help that off starts a lot. That neither of those are the correct answer though, that's bad. Yeah. In ESPN scoring system, Jalen Hurts scored over one hundred Fantasy points, more than any running back, wide receiver, a tight end, but still behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. But here's where Jalen Hurts is going to be even better this year. A the rushing. He scored thirteen rushing
touchdowns before they had figured out the Tushe push. Now with the Toushe push, that thirteen becomes what seventeen I mean, could be sitting on Could it be sitting on a league leading number of runs touchdowns? Very possibly for Jalen Hurts. But it's really the passing that can elevate Hurts last year modest numbers thirty six hundred passing yards twenty two scores. That was Derek Carr who got bench for two games and still put up thirty six hundred yards and twenty
five scores. Hurts has got the upside to get better given who his receivers are to be more like four thousand passing yards and thirty passing touchdowns. That would make him the clear cut highest scoring player.
In the league. Okay, I thought about it.
Let's go back to the matchups Texans are taking on the Ravens, and you guys know how I feel about Damian Pierce.
No is that could you tell us the sound of a Pierce Darrow that's a dart throw, but you feel like he's a dart throw player.
That's he's really naughty.
He's in a C grade here.
No, well, I can only muster a B grade because I don't like the matchup and the entire passing games on the bench. Let's go with the passing game first. Houston's passing games on the bench.
C J.
Stroud's preseason was not great. He looked inaccurate, he did not look poised. His mechanic were off. I didn't like what I saw there first. Start rookie trying to implement a brand new offense from a brand new offensive coordinator. And the Ravens secondary's good. It's not great, but it's good. The cornerback. Houston could pick on his rak Yassin, who is already on his third team, But I just don't trust the Texans passing game in this situation, and I
need to see. I want to see a little something first. So I've got the entire passing game on the bench. Let's go to Damian Pierce. Baltimore is a good run defense. They allowed the sixth fewest fantasy points. They ranked seventh in PFF grade last year against the run, just three point nine yards per carry against, good for third best.
Baltimore returns pretty much everybody from last year's defense. Only one back cracked one hundred yards against the Ravens all year, and it took Najee Harris twenty two attempts to get there. Everybody expects Pierce to have an expanded receiving role. I do too. He's gonna need it. Ravens allowed the sixth most running back receptions, the fifth most running back receiving
yards last year. The good news is, if there's one touchdown to be had from Houston's offense in this game, in a tough game at the Ravens, I think Damian Pierce gets it, hopefully chips in some of the receiving that we think we were going to develop. And I've got a B grade on Damian Pierce. Better days ahead. If he flops in this one, go try to trade for Damian Pierce as one of the tougher matchups on the schedule. Let's go to the Baltimore side. I'm gonna
start with JK. Dobbins. The Texans allowed a league worse of one hundred and seventy eight total yards and one and a half touchdowns per game to opposing running backs last season. Now, the Texans defense should be improved. You've got a new defensive minded head coach in Demico Ryans, and he oversaw San Francisco's league best run defense. And the Texans added Sheldon Rankins, Denzel Perriman, Corey Littleton, and
they added Will Anderson in the draft. I mean, those are all people that should improve the front seven here. So Dobbins an assassin at the goal line and a touchdown feels very likely here. A grade for JK. Dobbins, yep. I can't go to to Gus Edwards. I got it. I think it could be mop up time though in a lot opsided win, so you could start him in an absolute pinch here. But we're not going to do that. Let's go to the passing game. I want to start with the receivers. I got a se grade on Zay
Flowers in his first game. He looks very promising. He's the healthiest of the Ravens receivers, and he'll go up against Houston cornerback Tavier Thomas in the slot. Thomas does not have a long resume, particularly for a guy in a sixth season, but he's graded up pretty well last year. Did not allow more than twenty four yards or any scores in any game last year, including six as a starter.
The Houston pass defenses you remember may remember from last year sneaky good see grade on Zay Flowers see grade. And Rashad Bateman, who should be near full health at this point. In last year's offense, he ran mostly from the left side of the field. That would put him primarily on Darryl Stingley Junior. Last year's first round rookie year was pretty good. Last year not great, but pretty good.
Should be better in year two. The new Todd Munken offense should really should really help Bateman here, who suffered from low volume under Greg Roman for years. So I've got a se grade on Bateman. I don't love the matchup, but I do like him. If you were at I were sure he was one hundred percent healthy, he had probably started here. We're not going to OBJ. He's got to prove he's completely healthy off his second ACL, and he missed time this week in practice. I don't like that.
Mark Andrews not healthy. Unfortunately we're already here hamstring injury. Were he healthy, I would give him an A grade, And if he does not go, Isaiah likely would be an amazing waiver wire starter in this matchup. Good tight ends roasted the Texans last year. Evan Ingram, Dalton Schultz, Travis Kelce, Gerald, Everett, Logan Thomas all top sixty yards, half of them scored touchdowns. Hopefully Andrews can go and
then you kind of have to start him here. But if he can't, Isaiah likely a great waiver wire addition. So I've given good not great grades to all these receivers. This puts me onto a B grade and Lamar Jackson maybe not the smash spot. It feels like for the first time since getting drafted, totally new offense for Lamar Jackson. He's got all these new receivers, right, OBJ, Zay Flowers and Integrate. Bateman and Obj didn't play for most of training camp. There's a lot of moving parts in what
could be sort of a rusty offense here. And last year, as I mentioned, Texans allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the league fifteen, and they were top ten in passing yards allowed. And they were good against rushing quarterbacks, allowing just seventeen quarterback rushing yards per game and only two quarterback rushing touchdowns all year. So I can only give you a B grade on Lamar Jackson in this game. Let's go to our final matchup of this segment, and
that is the Dolphins taking on the Chargers. Scott, I think Dolphins are gonna get destroyed in this game. No Tarren Armstead from their offensive line, which is a big loss.
Yeah, this is a game where the projected total is well into the fifties, the highest of the highest of the weekend. I do expect it to be somewhat of a shootout, but in the favor of the Chargers almost the entire game. I have a B grade. Onto two had his worst full game of the year against the Chargers last year, going for just one hundred and forty five yards in a score. Granted, that was his worst game of his Of last year, he only had three
games below seventeen Fantasy points. Two he got concussions, and one was this one. It makes sense though, because the Chargers defense, although riddled riddled with injuries last year, were one of the best in the NFL. Let's see. Let's go over to the wide receivers, non Cheetah or Penguin wide receivers. The tight ends routinely struggled to get even three catches. And if you don't catch what I mean, Tyreek Hill, the Cheetah and Jalen Waddle, they get almost
everything in that offense. They should be able to move around to avoid a Sante Samuel most of the time, but he'll be on Waddle most of the time. So Waddle gets the B, Tyreek Hill gets the A. They're both great for great spike weeks. Tyreek Hill had ten targets, racking up eighty one in a score in this game last year. You're not benching Tyrek Hill. Why am I wasting time on you? Not? You're also not starting Durn's Duram Smythe, even though Brian Brian would love you too.
But let's let's go over to the run game. The only guy I'm willing to start is Raheem Moster, and I'm pretty pretty hesitant on that because I think it'll be a little bit of a committee. Devin a Chain coming off that injury, he should be he should be ready to go a little risky though in his first game, so iv An Aukman should also be ready to go. But the Chargers were fifth worst against running backs just
a year ago, sixth worst the year before. Maybe Brendon Staley focuses on stopping the past too much and doesn't just lets teams run on him. Maybe that's the problem. So with Jeff Wilson going to IR, Moster's going to get the sneaky C grade here, probably going to get enough volume. Just a note on that Broncos d it was injury plague last year, but it held quarterbacks and wide receivers to the seventh lowest yards per game at
just two hundred and five yards per game. Wow, that's really not a lot, So to A getting a B might be aggressive from me on that one. Over on the other side, justin Herbert, the Dolphins allowed him. The Dolphins allowed the fourth most Fantasy points and fifth most yards to qbs a year ago. Three hundred and six. Three hundred and sixty seven of those yards came from Herbert.
That was his highest total of the year. Uh, that was That was a game where I'm sorry, that was his highest total of the year.
Uh.
The Miami Dolphins are a banged up secondary missing already missing Jalen Ramsey, who's on IR and Herbert's gonna have his full complemental weapons. He's gonna have Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Josh Palmer did very little when both of them were healthy last year, so he's on the bench. I have an A grade on Keenan Allen, a B grade on Mike Williams. The slight problem is Xavian Howard did shadow him last year, probably will shadow him this year. That's why only the B grade. He's gonna need to
get a big one to get a score. He did last year one hundred and sixteen yards in a score. So Gerald Everett C grade kind of crapped the bed last year in the matchup. But new o c Kellen Moore gave Dalton Schutz a Schultz a lot of volume. I'm hoping that goes to Everett here c grade in what I think is a shootout and Elsin Eckler's an eight grade.
Yeah, we don't have to spend a lot of time Ontil Neckler obviously starting him every week for sure. I think the Dolphins might be sneaky bad this year.
We find out.
Interesting how if I'm wrong?
Interesting I'm wrong. We don't root for bad things on the show. We like fun offenses. They have a fun offense. You know it has a fun offense.
The Eagles. We're gonna talk about the Eagles offense when we come back. It's a tricky matchup against an often good Bill Belichick defense. We'll fight out if Thorn Eistrom is starting all Eagles or do you need to show caution on some find out when we return to Fantasy Football Weekly. Welcome back to Fantasy Football Weekly. Paul Charchian with you. You can follow me on Twitter at Paul Charchian. Scott Fish is at Scott Fish twenty four. Thorn Eistrom is at thor Ku thor k U.
Don't worry, it only takes them about seven years to start getting your Twitter exactly exactly.
It's gonna be a while. You can assume that's going to be the case. Thorpe Eagles traveled to the Patriots. Patriots struggled against RPOs run pass options last year, and Jalen Hurts is great at it. I still like Jalen Hurts a lot and what could otherwise be a tougher matchup.
Yeah, charge your pick.
For most Fantasy points in the league this year, and I think he's got a good shot to start out number one after this matchup, clearly giving him an a second most RPO dropbacks in the NFL. Like you're mentioning, Patriots allowed second highest yards per attempt on our pos and eleventh highest passer rating. The other thing the Patriots love to do is you guys know Bill Belichick. Staple is the man coverage. This is double stack week for Hurts, Brown and Smith.
A J.
Brown eats man coverage for breakfast. He always has second highest yards per route run versus man last year Brown and he led all wide receivers with six touchdowns versus man last year, and DeVonta Smith on the other side twenty second in targets per route run versus man, fourteenth and yards per route run overall there against Man was and he was number two in the NFL with five touchdowns against Van Covers show this is a very good
matchup for the Eagles passing game with Dallas Goddard, though, I think for him, he's got a score to be startable. I'll give him a seed just on that possibility in a week where a whole bunch of tight ends their status is questionable. Patriots gave up second most touchdowns to opposing tight ends last year, but again they're notoriously tough against tight ends as I mentioned before, eighth fewest receiving
yards to tight ends last year. So we're going to give Goddard to see DeAndre Swift at those the three other guys at the slash RB one on him. I will give DeAndre Swift a see in this one. The Philly ran zone concept runs forty four percent plays left year. Patriots allowed third lowest yards per carry on zone runs. I mentioned that they have a good run defense, but I also mentioned before when I mentioned that Kenny Gainwell
was my taking chance on a running back. Patriots struggled defending the running backs in the passing game, so Swift also will factor into that potentially.
That's why I give him a CEE.
As far as the Patriots, we are benching all the Patriots passing game except for Jujus Smith Schuster here, and the reason for that is the Eagles boundary cornerbacks course Darius Slay and James Bradberry return. I think they're gonna take care of those outside guys. Mac Jones doesn't take a lot of chances anyways. But as far as Jujus Smith Schuster, he's gonna lead this team in targets, I think pretty easily. You're going to funnel those targets into
the slot. So that's what makes him potentially startable here. But I can only give Juju a ce KNOW for my grade. And then as far as the Patriots running game, I'm gonna give Rimondre Stevenson a SE as well. Philly's gonna remain zone heavy on defense under Seawan Decide taking over for Jonathan Gannon, but same sort of conceptually here.
Stevenson had the seventh.
Most gap runs last year in the NFL, six highest yards per carry on gap runs. He also this was an interesting stat. Romandre Stevenson led the Patriots passing game in target share again coverage last year. Yeah, nineteen point five percent target share as a receiver.
So I do think he's gonna get the volume. It's just how much.
Are they going to score and be in a position to score? So we'll give Rimandre ACiE.
Yeah, that's the worry, right, and then if they if there is a rushing touchdown to be had, is this where Zeke factors in? Another frustrating point. Potentially it could be.
Yeah, but Romondrie very good of course at grinding out the short step. But Zeke, like you mentioned last year, he was siphoning off a lot of those touchdowns around the goal line.
Yeah, forty five career touchdowns just from inside the five yard line for Ezekiel Elliott. Packers traveled to the Bears. Now, a lot of moving parts in this one. Christian Watson's been ruled out. Romeo Dobbs has got the hamstring of his own, and he was having a nice preseason before the hamstring injury, and if he were at full strength, I'd be talking him up big time for this one. But hamstring injuries and wide receivers bad combo. And I'm
nervous here now. If they take Dobbs completely off the injury report before Sunday's game, I would say, fine, let's put him into your starting lineup. But otherwise I don't trust hamstrings on wide receivers. I can't do it, and I'd have to give him a bench grade for Romeo Dobbs. Jayden Reid was might take a chance on me wide receiver. We're gonna start him.
In this game.
And that brings us to Jordan Love. General manager Ryan pulls through a lot of draft picks at the Chicago defense, but not a lot in the secondary. And it's still beatable Chicago dead last and pass rush last year by Pro Football Focus. So Love's gonna have time in the pocket. And here's the other thing. Bears all had the most quarterback rushing attempts for the most quarterback rushing touchdowns. And Love is sneaky. He's got some sneaky wheels. I think
people don't jet nationally. I don't think people really realize that Love is as good a running threat as he is. It'll be a factor in this game. And I like him here. So if he had all his receiving weapons, I'd give Jordan Love a bee, but with a short Watson potentially also Romeo Dobbs. I can only give Jordan Love to see in this game, but I do think he is startable. All right, Let's go to the running back.
So with all of these problems with the receivers and all the injuries, I gotta believe we're gonna see a lot of Aaron Jones. And by the way, the first start for Jordan Love at really the first real start for Jordan Love.
I got it.
We're gonna see a lot of running in this game. And why not. Aaron Jones murdered the Bears in Week two of last year, but got bottled up in the Week thirteen matchup. I see, as I mentioned, a lot of extra carries and an excellent receiver by the way, for Aaron Jones and the Bears good in that department last year. I think you can still count on a good like four ish receptions out of Aaron Jones, maybe
forty receiving yards. AJ Dill be great on Aaron Jones, B Grant and AJ Dillon to crushed the Bears in the week's thirteen matchup one hundred and nineteen total yards and a touchdown, and again, like Jones, some extra carries coming. He got almost all the goal line work last year, and with the Bears allowing the second most rushing touchdowns last year, I gotta like Dylan's chances of getting a touchdown in this game, So B Grade and AJ Dillon as well. I think this is one of the best
matchups for AJ Dillon all season. Let's go to the Chicago side. I'm gonna start with Khalil Herbert expected to be the starter here, but we're gonna see a potentially frustrating amount of Danta Foreman and Thors guys Roshawn Johnson in the mix as well, particularly at the goal line, which I don't see Herbert scoring in many games, and Johnson is really built for goal line use. Foreman is
to a lesser extent. Last year, Green Bay was bottom ten and rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs, while only addressing the issue with rookies Lucas van Ness and Carl Brooks. So I think Herbert likely finishes the nondescript but flex worthy box score, which you're gonna have to get used to, like sixty total yards, and probably doesn't score C grade.
Or sixty TOI yards in a score like David Montgomery last night.
I don't think. I don't think Herbert's just gonna get used at the stripe. You'd have to score from distance, and I don't trust him to do it. That's just my opinion. Let's go to the receivers. The receiver. Only Chicago receiver you can really care about s DJ Moore,
but he's got a tangle with excellent quarterback Jaiir Alexander. Now, Alexander normally only plays one side of the field, but for special opponents, they will let JayR Alexander shadow, and Chicago fits the bill perfectly because outside of DJ Moore, there's nobody else that's worthy of JayR Alexander. So I think he's gonna shadow here, and he is a problem. He ranked his coverage corner number five by Pro Football Focus. He'll howed just thirty three yards and zero point one
touchdowns per game in his coverage. So I can't give DJ Moore more than a B grade in this game, cole Kmet is a needed starter for many of you. Green Bay allowed the second fewest receptions and yards to tight ends last year, and when Comet duds, he duds hard. His non touchdown games last year netted an average of two catches for thirty yards. That's not good from your tight end is never scored against Green Bay, and last year Comet had a zero catch game and a seventy
two yard catch game against Green Bay. I've got a C grade on cole Kmet, so that brings us to justin fields. He played arguably the best game of his career against the Packers last year. In Week thirteen. He completed eighty percent of his passes, he ran for seventy one yards and a touchdown. The green Bay secondary unchanged from last year, an above average group, and I mentioned I'm not that keen on DJ Moore here, but I still got an A grade on totality in justin fields.
Who's likely to run for over fifty yards probably finds his way to one passing touch.
You don't want to guarantee sixty No.
No, that's your dad, I don't want it. That's your trademark. I want to take that from you. We're not gonna We're not going to mess with Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney in this matchup. All right, Scott, final matchup of this segment, do it? Rams taking on the Seahawks. Rams absolutely hamstrung Without Cooper cup here, that offense designed to go through him, wad.
A wide receiver. Matthew Stafford reportedly can't name not a good sign. So it's like, yeah, so I have the entire passing game on the bench except for Tyler Higbee from Week eight on last year, So ten games, only two quarterbacks top two hundred and forty passing yards against the Seahawks, which makes sense when you see that they have like Jamal Adre Adams and Quandre Diggs and Tyrek Woollen,
and they added Bobby Wagner. They stole them from this The Rams they're playing this week, not stole, I shouldn't say that, but and they were dealing with a lot of injuries. So the only thing that Rams passing offense really has going for it is gamescript because they'll probably be behind. But I don't trust all the We don't know what the splits will be between targets between the pass catchers. The only one I do trust is Tyler Higbye, who
may end up being Stafford's security blanket. Seattle was the worst, one of the worst teams against fantasy tight ends last year. Ten tight ends topped eighty yards and or scored against them. That's a lot of volume, and as mentioned, Stafford his name, so he'll get some C grade. Tyler Higbee B grade on cam Acres. Acres ended last year with three straight games of one hundred and twenty five plus total yards
and really five straight Fantasy startuple games. The Seahawks maybe improved, they got Bobby Wagner obviously, as I just mentioned, but it was the fourth worst against running backs last year. Even though the game script won't be great for Acres because they'll be passing a lot, I don't think that that affects Kyrien Williams, who's supposedly the pass catching back. If you look at the games last year, the touchcounts Acres to Williams were twenty four to three, twenty to seven,
fifteen to three. Like, something's really going to have to change for you to even consider Karen Williams, and we need to start see it first. So he's on the bench over on the other side, Gino Smith, I have an A grade on much like I mentioned with the Raiders and the Jaguars, much like I mentioned with the Raider second talking about Russell Wilson and the Jaguars matchup against the Colts. The Rams secondary is almost consistently, almost
entirely set up of first and second year players. And then they added Duke Shelley, so now they at least have one vet former Viking, Duke Shelley, who was actually pretty good last year. All right, yeah, he was, all right, Yeah, the Rams secondary, But PFF grades the RAMS secondary as the worst secondary in football entering the season. Gino was
already great last year. He added JSN Jackson Smith In Jigba who is practicing in full and should go and pass catching option, Zach Charboney, who was my take a chance on me player for the wide receivers. I got a B grade on both Lockett and Metcalf. I could be leaned into an A, but they might they might monopolize each other in JSN might get just enough that I'm gonna keep him down to a bee. It's a
good matchup. Rams were seventh worst, seventh allowed the seventh most yards to wide receivers last year and lost Jalen Ramsey, JSN Jackson Smith. And but I'm given a C grade too. He looked really good in the preseason and he's gonna see a lot of single coverage coming out of this lot. Ken Walker. Ken Walker B grade rams were twelfth the worst against running backs last year, lost Bobby Wagner. He was added to the injury port with that groin injury
came off it. If he goes, I think he's going to get enough volume in a game script where they can run a lot late that he will get a B grade If he doesn't go. Wheels up for Zach Shu, A grade for Zak Shacke, Yeah, I agree, a grade for Sharbone if Walker doesn't go, not go. Yeah.
When we come back, it's the season premiere of premature to.
Majur Speculo speculation.
Yes, we'll give you players to pick up off the waiver wire now that everybody else will be trying to pick up next week. Find out who they are when we come back. Final segment Fantasy Football Weekly for week number one. We always start this segment with premature speculation. This is where we give you a player to pick up this week that reels me trying to pick up next week. But you win the time Machine and you already got him.
Yes, I love that time Machine.
I love the time Machine sound. I think that's critical.
I like the Quantum Leap one a little bit warm.
All right, Scott, what is your who is your premature speculation player?
I am going with Texas High School all time receiving leader, Marvin. Do not call me Denzel charts in, Scott Mims. He is thirty seven percent rostered on Yahoo and fifteen percent rostered on ESPN, which by my math is sixty three percent too low on Yahoo and eighty five percent too low on ESPN. He's a great deep ball threat, and he's got the single coverage all year for the Broncos. Get him before he blows up this week with Jerry Judy, you know, potentially.
Not going Yeah, yeah, Marvin Mims. All right, Thor, who is your premature speculation player?
I'm going with Rams wide receiver Poka Nkua. Have been banging the drum for him all summer. We're going to keep banging it. Good size, six foot two to two pH five and super versatile Pooka Nkua. He averaged nine point two yards per carry on thirty nine career carries. One of five of those carries ended up in the end zone. Jaron Hall, I'm not sure if he gets
drafted if he didn't play with Puka at Byu. In the games where Pooka played a full game last season, Jaron Hall four three hundred yard games out of seven. In the five where Puka didn't play a full game or didn't play at all, Jaren Hall only had one three hundred yard game in those ones.
So he raises the level at the quarterback, raises.
The bar and with Cooper Cup out here for the Rams, I think Puka's gonna get starter snaps. We know that Van Jefferson to Touawl, Bench Kronic, et cetera are not very good. Puoka's only owned a two percent of Yahoo leagues right now.
That needs to change.
And you call him discount debo, right, disc deeb. So that's that's your comp's right, that's your comp for listeners. I like it.
H Pukah Nikua, I got a Samoan heritage. I'm going with gotta be need So I don't know what kind of sounder. We can get for him a coconut sounder. Cocain makes sound they when they fall in Gilligan's head.
We could do a Kuna matata and put in Pooka's name for the pua oh.
I like it all right, Just whip that a'll figures Okay, Well, yeah, let's do that. Speaking of two percent owned Rashid Shaheed Saints receiver. Now you already talked about him for you, and you outlined a lot of the reasons you like Rashid Shaheed this week against Tennessee. I do too, and that's part of the reason you need to get him before the Tennessee games. But just a recap of last year undrafted from Weaver State debuts mid season, has a
bunch of splash plays. Looks totally a fit for the NFL. Deep ball guy caught eighty two percent of his passes really healthy, a dot of eleven and a half yards, and that was with Andy Dalton. I think he can do better with mister tar Carr.
So Also, he passes the eyeball test, very important.
We love the eyeball test around here. Yeah.
Absolutely, Rashid Shaheed, Let's go get him. I've got a bunch of my leaks as well. All right, let's go to our Sunday night game. It's Cowboys taking on the Giants. This is a Dallas passing game that goes head to head with Wink Martindale's blitz packages. What do you like here?
Yeah, Win Burndale, who sent more blitzer than any other defensive coordinator in the NFL last year, and he also loves man coverage.
So that's that brings us to Cede Lamb.
When Dak Prescott is under pressure, when he gets blitzed, he looks the CD immediately throws it there all the time. Ceedee Lamb last year forty two percent target share on blitzes. That's ridiculous. It just shows you that's the trigger for Prescott, looks over there, chucks it up to him. Lamb was also top ten amongst all wide receivers with at least fifty routes run last year and basically every stat that
I could find against both the blitz and man coverage. Yeah, gotta give Ceedee Lamb an a. He is in play to be one of the highest scoring receivers this week. Dak Prescott. I gave him a b Okay matchup. For him again, he gonna look at CD, but only a B for him. I also gave a beat to Brandon Cooks because if Adri Jackson shadows CD LAMB, that means Cooks is gonna get Deanna Banks.
Banks does not.
Have great ball skills yet, He's still a work in progress, fabulous athlete.
But we always like to.
Target corner rookie cornerbacks, both DFS and Fantasy early on in their rookie season, So I like Cooks for that reason. All the other passca catching options for Dallas I'm gonna keep on the bench this week. I do love the matchup for Tony Pollard, though I give him an A. I think he's gonna hit some dingers this week. Giants run defense last year allowed the third highest explosive run rate in the NFL. The Giants also allowed the highest yards per carry on gap runs and the second highest
on zone runs. Very good matchup for Tony Pollard going to the Giants. This is one that depends a lot on if Darren Waller plays. If he does not, we're gonna be ben or if he does, we're gonna bench all the Giant wide receivers. But I mean, if he does play. We're gonna give Darren Waller an a grade in this game.
I have an idea. So I'm in the league with Darren Waller.
Of course, of course, of course you got up.
I drafted Darren Waller. I was debating, should I trade Darren Waller to himself?
Who Darren Waller?
Should I play Darren Waller against Darren Waller?
What do you think you play Darren Waller this week?
I do not.
Okay, So then you need to trade Darren Waller to Darren Waller so we know if Darren Waller puts Darren Waller into his lineup, that means he's healthy.
This is brilliant.
Now you're gonna have to offer him just sweetheart deal. The master Darren Waller will trade for Darren Waller.
Well, you gotta imagine he likes himself for this year, I would hope. So, yeah, then we'll know every single week what his status is. I love this. Let's do it. Yeah, okay, every figured it out.
We Darren Waller report. We'll go to your league and tell us whether or not Darren Waller is star perfect, brilliant perfect.
And I wish we knew that intel because if we did I think there's a sneaky good matchup for Darren Waller.
He's gonna get the volume all season.
The Giants are just gonna pound with targets, and especially in this game, when you're going up against a team that has Trayvon Diggs on one side Stefan Gilmour on the other side, You're going to funnel even more volume into this slot.
So this one's a Darren Waller parade here.
Second most slot tight ends allowed last year for the Dallas Cowboys to opposing slots. I think Waller has a big game if he plays, so I give him an A if he plays, But of course we might need Scott Fish to get us some intel on that.
Daniel Jones, I give him a C in this one.
I think a lot of his fantasy value is going to have to come from running, but I will give one sliver of hope as far as him in the pocket, Dallas allowed the ninth most play action touchdowns last year to opposing quarterbacks, eleventh highest passer rating on play actions. Dimes had the third most play action drop backs in the NFL last year. As far as the run game, Saquon Berkley, I'm gonna give him a b running back to high running back two on volume alone, but this
is a tough matchup for him. Cowboys allowed the tenth lowest yards per carry on gap runs last year. Sixty percent of Saquon's runs were gap runs. Dallas also allowed the eighth lowest receiving yardage two opposing running backs last year, so that could be tough for sake.
One two, Bill's take on the Jets and the Monday nighter, and this might be the toughest matchup of the year for the Bills offense as they travel to the Jets. Didn't ever think we'd be talking about this the Justinigans this way. Let's start with the wide receivers and Stefan Diggs scoreless in both matchups with the Jets last year because of that head to head matchup with Sauce Gardner
in part. Now, Sauce does not does not shadow. He plays one side of the field, but he erases that side of the field, giving up just twenty one yards per game in his coverage and zero point one touchdowns. Sauce Gardner totally legit and you might be thinking, well, Steph Diggs could just run from the other side of the field. Dj Reid is really good. Yeah, he ranked fifteenth at the cornerback position by Pro Football Focus and Coverage.
So there's nowhere to hide for Steph Diggs here. Two dud games last year, including three catches thirty seven yards in the most recent game against the Jets. So I've just got to be great on Steph Diggs, the great on Gabe Davis, who did nothing in this matchup last year matching up against Sauce and read. He's healthier for this matchup, which helps, but he's just a dart throw in a very difficult matchup. I love gave Davis scottam
Rostered a lot, but I can't really advocate for him here. Say, with the passing game Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, I can't start either one in their first NFL game. It feels like it's a total wild card situation. We love Kinkaid's upside, but week one for rookie tight end. Maybe you know, Sam Laparty got a lot of use, but he didn't have somebody as polished to Dawson Knox to potentially take reps away from him. I just I'm taking
a wait and see on this. The Jets allowed the sixth most yards and the fifth most receptions of tight end So not impossible, but I'd rather wait and see. I'm not normally skittish on on players like this.
I've Kincaid in a lot of places. I'm glad I can put him on the bench for now.
Yes, a luxury not many people have at the tight end position right now. So where does that leave Josh Allen? I just got to be great on him, right so you know, we look at I mentioned the difficult matchups
for Diggs and Davis. Now the good news is the Jets, by the way awesome after Week three of last year allowing a meager two hundred passing yards and zero point six passing touchdowns allowed, and even worse from Week four forward last year, thirteen of fourteen opposing quarterbacks through zero or one touchdown against the Jets. Now, last year, Josh Allen salvaged too otherwise bad passing games by running in
touchdowns in each game. You know, and he might hear too, he could run in touchdowns any time, but there's danger. So just to be great on Josh Allen, where does that leave us with James Cook? You might be asking, so up ticking usage coming for sure now with Singletary out. Jets allow the fourth fewest touchdowns to opposing running backs last season, and they finished this Pro Football Focus's sixth best run defense overall. I worry about Damian Harris stealings
more touches than people think. Still easier to run New York the pass. Cook will get enough work I think through the air to make him startable CEE grade on James Cook. But I can't go higher than that. Let's go to the Jets side. I want to start with Garrett Wilson. We all love Garrett Wilson here, but I got a little bit. I'm a little bit nervous that he's gonna get shadow coverage from Tradevius White, who's finally back to full health for the first time in two years.
White gave up just one score last year, and when healthy, he can be absolutely elite. Fortunately, Buffalo secondary can be yielding. They give up eighteen wide receiver scores last year. That was the third most, and Garrett Wilson averaged a healthy eighty five yards in his two games against Buffalo last year. With Zach Wilson and Mike White at quarterback, So only because of Tredevious White. I've dropped him down to a B grade. Otherwise it would have been an A grade
for Garrett Wilson. We're very excited about him. Alan Lazard boring but startable. Particularly with White glued to Garrett Wilson. That puts Lazard on kiter Elam a far easier matchup. He ranked his pro football focus is seventy fourth coverage cornerback. All of his zards in play. If you need a mundane like six catches sixty yards and the familiarity well, and yeah, the familiarity is not too bad. So where does that leave us with Aaron Rodgers. You may be wondering,
fared okay against Buffalo last year. He played Buffalo last year as a member of the Packers. Obviously, he threw for two hundred yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay. He's got a lot of the same weapons that he had in Green Bay, right Randall Cobb and Aaron Allen Lazard. But Buffalo didn't give up any explosive passing games really and pretty much every starting quarterback to face Buffalo just did okay. And that's kind of what I expect from Aaron Rodgers. A good not great game and to be
grade for him. And lastly, Dalvin Cook and Breese Hall. Cook and Hall I think likely split reps about evenly here. In a tougher matchup, i'd advise you to just take away and see approach here. But I like this matchup for the Jets runners. Buffalo's run defense ranked twenty six
par Pro Football Focus. They allowed four and a half yards per carry, and the Jets had success running on the bills last year with Michael Carter and Zanovin, so I think there's an opportunity to start both Cook and Brice Hall, but because they're sharing, I can only give them a C grade. Okay, all right, that wraps up a very complete episode of Fantasy Football Weekly for Week number one. I'll encourage you to check out all the player rankings that you may have missed at Gillotine leagues
dot com. We've got them there available for you for free, and you can still join a Guillotine League, the funnest, freshest way to play fantasy football. We'll be back next week for week number two. Will be so much smarter. Then we'll do even better.
Then.
Is that a shot of me not being here?
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