It was a hit-or-miss Week 2 and we’re looking for more wins and consistency moving forward. For every Nick Chubb and Amon-Ra St. Brown smash, there was a Saquon Barkley and Davante Adams miss. Nonetheless, another week means more information to digest to adjust our brains to find the best plays.
Let’s ride!
QUARTERBACKS
Kirk Cousins $6,700 (vs DET)
Kirk Cousins has returned home to his comfortable afternoon timeslot after getting dogged on primetime yet again. He faced a Lions defense that looks much-improved on offense but is lacking on defense. They’ve been bullied through the air over the first two weeks and I expect Justin Jefferson & co. to run wild against a porous secondary. It’s a big bounce-back week for Cousins — and it wouldn’t hurt if Dalvin Cook decides to show up in Week 3.
Joe Flacco $5,300 (vs CIN)
Hear me out, hear me out! Flacco is third in the league in passing yards. Their team isn’t really running the ball much and instead, using both of their backs in the passing game. Garrett Wilson just had his coming out party, so the Jets actually have some skilled weapons. He’s ridiculously cheap at this price facing a Bengals team that’s still hungover from it’s Super Bowl run.
Other intriguing options:
Tua Tagovailoa $6,100 (vs BUF), Jared Goff $5,800 (at MIN), Marcus Mariota $5,500 (at SEA)
RUNNING BACKS
D’Andre Swift $7,200 (at MIN)
While Swift has had a slightly larger share of snaps than backup Jamaal Williams, this week tends to favor a game script more beneficial to Swift. The Lions are going to Minnesota as six-point underdogs which would tip the scales towards Swift and his pass-catching ability. He dominates third-down usage and two-minute drill work while being one of the best weapons Detroit has in a chance to upset the Vikings. Amon-Ra can’t stay this hot this long, can he?
Leonard Fournette $6,500 (vs GB)
With nearly all of the Bucs receivers unavailable for a variety of reasons, Fournette is Tom Brady’s only reliable weapon remaining. Lenny has been a workhorse this year with over 20 carries in both games while dominating snaps. He also has a great matchup against the Packers who could not stop David Montgomery on the ground last Sunday night. I love Fournette this week and he should once again see great volume in an ideal spot.
David Montgomery $5,900 (vs HOU)
The Bears’ offense REALLY needs to get going and start putting up points. Montgomery has been the few bright spot thus far as he carved up the Packers’ defense last week. Now, the Bears are home favorites over the Texans which leans favorably towards a run-focused game script led by Montgomery.
Other intriguing options:
Joe Mixon $7,600 (at NYJ), Travis Etienne $5,400 (at LAC), Nyheim Hines $5,000 (vs KC), Rhamondre Stevenson $4,800 (vs BAL), Sony Michel $4,400 (vs JAX)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tyreek Hill $7,600 (vs BUF)
Sure, there’s a little recency bias here, but Tyreek absolutely balls out when his team is playing as an underdog. The Dolphins are once again dogs against the Bills this week in what has the look of a shootout on paper. While most would probably target Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, I’ll be looking to TyFreak and that game-defying speed.
AJ Brown $7,300 (at WAS)
AJ Brown had a quiet week on MNF, but this looks like a prime bounce-back spot against a very bad Commanders’ defense. The Eagles’ offense has looked amazing to start with an improved Jalen Hurts and we know they don’t really focus on the running game in particular. Sitting clear on top of the target totem pole, I can see a nuclear response from Brown this week much as we saw in Week 1.
Drake London $5,800 (at SEA)
While we all thought it would be Kyle Pitts leading the way offensively, it’s rookie Drake London that has burst onto the scene as Atlanta’s top pass catcher. London is dominating snaps, routes run, and targets, and is arguably the alpha in Atlanta. He’s putting up WR1 numbers at a low-end flex price.
Treylon Burks $4,900 (vs LV)
It’s been a slow start, but we’re seeing rookie Treylon Burks come into his role in Tennessee. Yes, they were dominated by Buffalo, but Burks’ snaps, routes run and targets were near the top of all receivers just behind Robert Woods. You see the flashes from Burks who just looks much better than Woods at this point. This week’s game against the Raiders presents a very generous matchup and a potential breakout spot for the rookie.
Other intriguing options:
Cooper Kupp $9,900 (at ARI), Amon-Ra St Brown $7,200 (at MIN), Jaylen Waddle $6,800 (vs BUF), Tee Higgins $6,100 (at NYJ), Adam Thielen $5,900 (vs DET), Allen Robinson $5,700 (at ARI), Curtis Samuel $5,100 (vs PHI), Jakobi Meyers $5,000 (vs BAL), Chris Olave $4,500 (at CAR), AJ Green $4,100 (vs LV), Mack Hollins $3,300 (at TEN)
TIGHT ENDS
Darren Waller $5,800 (at TEN)
Waller found the end zone last week as a goal-line mismatch thanks to his unfair size advantage. He had a solid target share on the day, but with Hunter Renfrow not practicing, that aerial pie could be getting even bigger this week against the Titans.
Tyler Higbee $4,500 (at ARI)
Averaging 10 targets per game, Higbee has been a staple for the Rams’ offense thus far. Sure, Cooper Kupp is dominating, but Stafford’s familiarity with Higbee has him above Allen Robinson right now. Higbee gets a Cardinals’ defense that gets tormented by tight ends on a weekly basis.
Other intriguing options:
Dallas Goedert $4,700 (at WAS), Zach Ertz $4,600 (vs LV), Gerald Everett $4,400 (vs JAX), Tyler Conklin $3,800 (vs CIN), Evan Engram $3,700 (at LAC), Juwan Johnson $2,900 (at CAR)
DEFENSE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers $3,100 (vs GB)
Tampa’s defense has been amazing to start the year, shutting down both Dallas and New Orleans. Green Bay could pose more of a challenge with Aaron Rodgers, but nearly all of his receivers are dealing with injuries and have missed practice time. And quite frankly, they aren’t very good either. As long as they can contain Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, I think the Bucs should be just fine.
Atlanta Falcons $2,700 (at SEA)
I sneaky like this underrated defense. The Falcons have solid corners, but I just don’t trust Geno Smith and the Seahawks’ offense. After a very emotional Week 1 win, I think we saw their true colors in Week 2 — aka a lack of offensive ability. I think this is a good cheaper option. But, you could also go with the Jets if you think they can get to Burrow through that horrific offensive line.
Other intriguing options:
New York Jets $2,400 (vs CIN)
