QUARTERBACKS
Aaron Rodgers – One of the top quarterbacks on the board, in both price and projections, he is a great play this week. Rodgers has had success against the Falcons in the past and I expect that to continue Sunday night. Being the primetime game, with the highest over/under on the board, this game will be popular including Rodgers. You can pair any of his wide-outs with him and/or even Ty Montgomery in a stack. If playing more than one lineup, get some shares of him.
Matt Ryan – I will have a lot of Matt Ryan on Fanduel as he is $900 cheaper than Rodgers. On DraftKings they are within $100 of each other, so can go either one. This game should be a shoot-out as they have been in the past. He will be popular like Rodgers, but I never worry about QB ownership too much. This game is chalk, but it is good chalk and think we must have a piece of it.
Tom Brady – Brady is in a great spot on the road against the Saints. A pissed Brady, is a dangerous Brady and he should eat against this porous New Orleans defense. I could see him spreading the ball around and hammering Brandin Cooks with targets in Cooks homecoming. My only concern is if they get close Mike Gillislee will take some touchdowns.
HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD
Jameis Winston – This is more of a feeling play than based on any solid statistics. The Bucs game was canceled last week due to the hurricane. They have had quite a bit of time to prepare for this game versus the Chicago Bears. The Bears defense generated only two sacks last week and zero turnovers at home versus the Falcons. I think Winston and the Bucs come out firing and he connects a bunch with Mike Evans and hits a long one or two to Desean Jackson.
Other QBs in play – Cam Newton should be low owned. Russell Wilson also should carry lower ownership than he should after a bad game last week. Big Ben is always good at home. Tyrod Taylor is my sneaky play at QB this week.
RUNNING BACKS
Ty Montgomery – Combine his low price and favorable matchup, Ty Montgomery will be mega chalk for sure. However, this is good chalk and almost a must play. He got 23 touches last week including 19 carries. Whether he can handle a full running back workload may have been answered week one. At least while he is healthy, I see the Packers sticking with him, even near the goal line. The Falcons allow running backs to catch a lot of balls out of the backfield. True to form, they gave up 8 catches to Tarik Cohen last week. Fade him at your own risk. I AM GOING OVERWEIGHT ON HIM IN ALMOST EVERY LINEUP
Melvin Gordon – Gordon is another back who will be popular on Sunday. I don’t mind playing him either at high ownership. He faces a Miami Dolphins defense that was not very good against the run last season. First home game for the Chargers in L.A., look for them to control the clock on the ground. I can see Melvin getting 20+ touches and a touchdown or two.
LeVeon Bell – He should bounce back this week after a pitiful week one performance. My hope is people feel burned and he won’t be as highly owned as he should be this week. Look for a big game running and catching the ball out of the backfield. He gets in the end zone this week as well, at least once if not more. SHOULD GET LOT CARRIES, NO BRADFORD, COULD BE BLOW OUT.
HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD
Ezekiel Elliott – Elliott is in a perceived bad spot going against the Denver Broncos this weekend. However, they are not nearly as good against the run, than they are against the pass. If you don’t want to pay up for Lev Bell, he would be a nice pivot at lower ownership. His ceiling isn’t as high as Bell, but with no more David Johnson, he and LeSean McCoy are the next best fantasy backs.
Other RBs in play – Marshawn Lynch, look for the Raiders to take control of this game early, then feed Lynch. Todd Gurley is in another good spot this week. Jacquizz Rodgers at only $4400 on DK is the starting running back for the Bucs while Doug Martin is out. Mark Ingram, can get a piece of the Saints/Pats game at lower ownership. Should catch a lot of balls. Jonathan Stewart also only $4400 on DK, there are a lot of low end options this week at running back.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Mike Evans – I like Mike Evans in general, and think he is going to have a break out year this season. With DeSean Jackson now on the Bucs, he has someone opposite him to stretch the field. Maybe this will limit him to at least only double coverage and not triple coverage. He doesn’t get much after the catch, but that’s because he is downfield and covered so tight. Yet he still comes up with the catches and touchdowns. Tampa Bay should shake the rust of early, and look for Evans to have a good game especially if Prince Amukamara is out for the Bears.
Randall Cobb – He is my favorite Green Bay receiver this week. Cobb had 13 targets last week, catching 9 balls for 85 yards. Hard for me to imagine him doing any less this week, unless Rodgers targets Davante Adams more. Even if he does, I think there is plenty to go around in this game including Jordy Nelson as well.
Tyreek Hill – I really like Hill this week and may pair him with the Chiefs defense (see Chiefs write-up below). He is now clearly the number one guy in K.C. with Jeremy Maclin gone. He had a huge week one versus the Patriots catching 7 of his 8 targets for 133 yards and a score. Expect that to continue this week at home versus the Eagles.
Julio Jones – Obvious play of the week and he will be popular. Very hard fade in my opinion.
Stefon Diggs – He and Adam Thielan are inexpensive on both major sites. My concern is Sam Bradford is now questionable for this game and they are on the road in Pittsburgh. If Bradford plays, he should still see plenty of targets. We have seen him put up some monster games the past two years and always has those ceiling games of 30+ DK points in him. OFF DIGGS WITH BRADFORD OUT
HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD
Desean Jackson – Jackson signed with Bucs in the off season and I think he is a perfect complement to Mike Evans (see above). END OF PARAGRAPH GOT CUT UP, REALLY LIKE HIM
Other WRs in play – Devonte Parker, Terrelle Pryor, Doug Baldwin, Ted Ginn, Chris Hogan, Brandin Cooks, Adam Thielan OFF WITH NO BRADFORD, Marquis Lee ADDED – M. BRYANT, M. SANU, K. ALLEN
TIGHT ENDS
Rob Gronkowski – He’s Gronk.
Travis Kelce – Kelce caught five of his seven targets last week, but for only 40 yards and no touchdowns. He should be targeted heavily again by Alex Smith. He does lack huge touchdown upside, as he only scored four times last season. Yet, he dominated in catches and yards scoring over 18 DK points six times. This included an 11 catch, 160 yard game versus the Broncos last December. (He did add a score in that game for 36 total DK points).
Greg Olsen – I like Olsen to bounce back this week at very low ownership. He is at home versus the Bills. He let people down last week, like his teammate Benjamin. He was barely a factor last week, but I expect Newton to make it a point to get him the ball on Sunday. Newton also is running less, so he could get some red-zone targets as well.
HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD
Jordan Reed – Reed is always a risk due to his concussion history. He also is now dealing with a toe injury. However, he still got 8 targets last week, catching 5 balls for 36 yards. He is one of the few tight ends with 10 catches, 100 yards and 2 touchdown ceiling. He will be low owned on the road against the Rams. I feel a decent to big game coming from either him or Pryor possibly this week.
Other TEs in play – Coby Fleener will be chalky on DK. Martellius Bennett – A good way to get a piece of the primetime game for cheap. He is only $3900 on DK.
DEFENSE
Oakland Raiders – Should be chalk this week facing the New York Jets at home.
LA Rams – I think you can go back to them this week. Face Kirk Cousins and the Redskins, who had four turnovers and gave up four sacks last week.
Baltimore Ravens – Shut out the Bengals last week on the road. Face off against the Browns at home where they usually do well.
Other Defenses in play – Chargers, Bucs, Panthers, and Seahawks
HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD
Kansas City Chiefs – I like playing the Chiefs this week and pairing them with Tyreek Hill. If Hill should happen to return a punt for a touchdown, you get the points for him and the defense. I am not sold on the Eagles offense just yet and Kansas City is a hard place to be a visiting team. I could see them getting to Wentz for some sacks and maybe a pick six. This is definitely more of a gut-feel play for GPPs only. They are on the cheaper end of the defenses.
KICKERS
Pick one that fits your lineup. Who the heck knows. If I must… Phil Dawson is min price at $4500. Justin Tucker is always a good play if you have money left over. Otherwise, pick kickers from games with good weather and high over/unders like Will Lutz, Matt Bryant and Stephen Gostkowski.
