In Week 2, we spent a lot of time preparing for the overreaction from Opening Day. Thankfully, some plays can still be made from old, misplaced perceptions that have persisted over just two games.
Sporfolio’s NFL Daily Fantasy Sports game-by-game analysis columns are driven by expected game flow. Based on a combination of our Week 3 NFL picks against the spread and our expectations for a given game, we project the actions necessary to make these picks come to fruition. We aim to pinpoint players integral to our predicted game flow for each game of the week. We also include high-scoring and low-scoring matchups that can be used for either DFS plays or over-under picks in our new Top Games to Target column.
Please Note: Our ‘Must-Owns’ are either players around which we are building our entire roster or the top target we want, not considering salary restraints. Which means that some ‘must-owns’ will not make it into our final lineups.
Luke May is our resident NFL DFS expert, and Mario Mergola operates Sporfolio as our expert for NFL Picks Against the Spread.
Washington Football Team at Buffalo Bills
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I am well aware of the fact that Buffalo won by five whole touchdowns last week, but their offense was once again not impressive. Their 314 yards of offense are not a great sign of improvement after a tough first week, and things don’t get any easier. The Washington defense hasn’t played up to its potential yet this year, but they have as talented a defense as any team in the league. Coming off a mini bye week thanks to their Thursday night game, I like Washington to step up this week and slow this Buffalo offense down. I am a fan of Taylor Heinicke, but I don’t expect another showing like what we saw last week. I am looking for this game to be a struggle on both sides ending in a narrow Bills victory.
Targets: Terry McLaurin, Football Team Defense, Stefon Diggs, and Bills Defense
Fades: Taylor Heinicke, Josh Allen, and Devin Singletary
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The general assumption about the Buffalo Bills tends to be that the team’s offense is elite. Not so fast. Buffalo actually ranks 21st in yards-per-game and will now face one of the league’s best defenses. It’s enough for me to look elsewhere for my fantasy players. I won’t dive too heavily into the Washington Football Team’s offense, either, but it’s hard to argue against using someone like Terry McLaurin or Logan Thomas for their respective volumes and prices.
Targets: Stefon Diggs, Terry McLaurin, and Logan Thomas
Fades: Mostly everyone else
Must-Owns: None
Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Even if it does not last beyond the duration of Andy Dalton’s injury, Bears fans are getting an early chance to see what they may have in their franchise quarterback. Obviously coming into a game that is already underway is harder than having a week to prepare, but the brief showing last week against Cincinnati did not inspire a lot of confidence from me. Justin Fields struggled to make plays, and despite his dynamic skillset looked somewhat overwhelmed. He should be more comfortable this week, but a matchup against the Browns is not a great way to make his first start. The Browns’ offense will control the clock with their run game and limit Fields’ opportunities to take the field. And then when he is out there, he has a matchup against a defense loaded with talent at every level. This may not be the prettiest debut for the Bears’ top pick.
Targets: David Montgomery, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and Odell Beckham Jr. (if deemed fully ready to play this week)
Fades: Justin Fields and Baker Mayfield
Must-Owns: Browns Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The obvious storyline of the game between the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears is the first career start for quarterback Justin Fields. Besides the storyline being “obvious,” though, I’m not sure what to do with it. Fields absolutely has potential because of his rushing ability, but he hasn’t proven that his passing game is a legitimate threat — keep in mind, he didn’t beat Andy Dalton for the team’s starting job in the preseason. There is some potential here, but know the risks that go with the reward. The opposite side of the matchup has its own share of concerns, where the Bears’ defense ranks eighth-best in yards allowed. It does, however, struggle against the pass — 24th in net-yards-per-pass-attempt — which opens the door for quarterback Baker Mayfield and his pass-catchers.
Targets: Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham, Jr. (if healthy), Browns defense, and David Montgomery
Fades: Everyone else from Chicago
Must-Owns: None
Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: After watching Aaron Jones completely dismantle this Lions defense on Monday night, I am having a hard time imagining the Ravens not running all over them this week. Obviously, the Ravens’ backfield situation is hard to trust at the moment, but if this game goes how it should, there will be enough rush attempts to make multiple Ravens’ runners viable fantasy options. The Lions’ offense has shown spurts of strong play in each of the last two weeks, but their overall talent level is too low to keep them in games against teams that are simply better than them. The one thing the Lions’ offense does have going for them is their offensive line which has looked very good. If they can continue to give Jared Goff time in the pocket, the quarterback is set to have a big season as his team constantly plays from behind.
Targets: Lamar Jackson, Ty’Son Williams, Latavius Murray, Marquise Brown, Jared Goff, D’Andre Swift, Quintez Cephus, and T.J. Hockenson
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: After watching the Baltimore Ravens run all over the Chiefs on Primetime, it’s going to be difficult to find someone who thinks the Detroit Lions are up to the task of stopping them. Still, if we’ve seen one thing from Detroit, it’s that it has some fight in its offense. It probably isn’t enough to do much, but there are skill position players from the Lions who can make their way into a lineup because of increased volume. As for the Ravens’ offense, no one is a true fade.
Targets: Lamar Jackson, Ty’Son Williams, Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, Jared Goff, D’Andre Swift, and Quintez Cephus
Fades: None
Must-Owns: T.J. Hockenson
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Considering how much I have believed in the Colts since the start of last season, it feels impossible that they are about to be 0-3 to start this season. With that said, how can I have much faith in them with the health of Carson Wentz in serious doubt? Wentz is dealing with some degree of injury to both of his ankles. He may be able to play through the pain, but Wentz has a history of poor play, and if he is playing with two injured ankles, my faith in him will not be very high. Either way, I do like Jonathan Taylor this week. His volume is fairly steady every week, and he is seeing his price continue to drop after consecutive mediocre weeks. Last year’s standout rookie is likely to break out sooner rather than later, and the struggling Titans’ defense may be a good chance to get his season going. The Titans’ offense was exactly what we expected them to be last week, and if A.J. Brown can return to his elite level of play, they are going to be a handful for opposing defenses moving forward.
Targets: Michael Pittman Jr., Zach Pascal, Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Julio Jones, and A.J. Brown
Fades: Carson Wentz
Must-Owns: Jonathan Taylor
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: By Sunday afternoon, either the Indianapolis Colts will be 0-3, or both the Colts and Tennessee Titans — two playoff teams from last year — will be 1-2. Granted, no one is running away with the division just yet, but we will be three weeks into the year without either team hitting its stride. Then again, that’s largely due to the incredibly difficult schedule both teams had to play to date — and, really, including Sunday’s head-to-head matchup. Either way, we should see more of the same intention by the two teams — even if the execution is poor — where the Titans will use running back Derrick Henry, but the real twist is on the other side of the matchup. Tennessee has been dominated through the air, but Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is nursing an injury. If he’s playing, I’m considering him, but I might go as far as target his backup in case Wentz is inactive, too.
Targets: Carson Wentz or Jacob Eason, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Jr., Zach Pascal, and Derrick Henry
Fades: Ryan Tannehill and Tennessee’s pass catchers
Must-Owns: None
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Through two games so far, the Chargers’ offense ranks 3rd in the league in yards but 27th in the league in points. That is a borderline impossible trend to continue, and it is only a matter of time before some regression kicks in and the Chargers score 40 points in a game. A matchup against the Chiefs is arguably the perfect setup for them to finally have their game. We know all about the Chiefs’ offense and that the Chargers will have to score to remain in this game, but the Chiefs’ defense has really struggled so far this season. They rank 32nd in the league in yards allowed and 28th in the league in points against. I may have been wrong on the Chargers game last week, but this week feels even better to be high on them. The big three in Kansas City is always a great option, but I really find myself wanting to play Clyde Edwards-Helaire as well this week. The Chiefs are never going to lean on the running game that much, but it is in their best interest to have their top back feeling confident, and after his critical fumble last week, they may go out of their way to try to help him rebound.
Targets: Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton, Jared Cook, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce
Fades: Both Defenses
Must-Owns: Justin Herbert and Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: With the amount of weight I place on teams possibly regressing, I am sure that, eventually, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense will run into a wall and slow down. I just can’t look for such an outcome just yet, despite how fond I am of the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense. The reality is that both offenses are in-play, even if this has the setup as last week’s game between the Chargers and Cowboys that turned out to be a dud for fantasy purposes. I’m in for this weekend’s AFC West matchup.
Targets: Everyone from both offenses
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None, but I can make a case for Justin Herbert
New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Without question, this is one of my least comfortable games of the early part of this season. These are two teams that rarely play each other, are very well-coached, and are somewhat hard to figure out how good they actually are. The Saints could not have played much worse against the Panthers after playing a nearly perfect game against the Packers in Week 1. The Patriots on the other hand lost a close game to an okay Dolphins team before beating up on a very weak Jets team. Overall, these teams have a few things in common: they have very good coaches, solid to very good defenses, and quarterbacks that they don’t ask to do a whole lot. I’m expecting to see a lot of handoffs, a lot of short passes, and not a lot of points in this game.
Targets: Alvin Kamara, Damien Harris, and James White
Fades: Everything else about this game
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The matchup between the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots was one of the more difficult to grasp, both because of the similarities between the teams and the lack of familiarity on the field. Ultimately, we should expect solid defense from both sides. But, is that enough to completely bail on the offensive players? I’m not sure. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick always makes it a point to take away an opponent’s best weapon, but I find it hard to think running back Alvin Kamara has two consecutive down weeks.
Targets: Alvin Kamara, Mac Jones, and Damien Harris
Fades: None, but I can’t see myself using too many players from this game
Must-Owns: None
Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Last week, the Falcons showed me more or less exactly what I was expecting to see: their offense is not nearly as incompetent as it looked in Week 1, but their defense is far from stout. Oddly enough, the Giants actually showed me a very similar concept as well. Their offense showed signs of life last week against a strong Washington defense, and in this positive matchup, there is reason to expect somewhat of a repeat performance. What is actually more surprising about the Giants is that their defense has looked nothing like the strong group they had last season. In two games, against what should be considered below average offenses, the Giants defense ranks 26th in the league in yards allowed and 25th in points against. Despite these two teams being a combined 0-4 to start the season, I find myself very interested in this game from a fantasy perspective.
Targets: Essentially all offensive players are viable targets
Fades: Both Defenses
Must-Owns: Kyle Pitts
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The good news is that either the Atlanta Falcons or New York Giants will get their first win of the season. The bad news is that there are no guarantees it will be pretty. Really, the bigger problem is that, while both offenses have weapons, we have barely seen them used to their fullest potential. Is this the game it suddenly snaps into place for someone? Maybe, and that’s why I would want some exposure to the offenses. I just want to be careful to not expect too much in any one direction.
Targets: Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley, and Kyle Pitts
Fades: Both defenses
Must-Owns: None, but I am sure I will use someone from this game
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: It should come as no surprise whatsoever that I have all but no interest in this game. The Bengals impressed me in Week 1, but it seems like that may have been a product of a vulnerable Vikings defense as the Bengals really struggled last week against a much better Bears defense. The Steelers’ offense has had a rough go over the first two weeks as they rank a disappointing 28th in the league in yards of offense. Considering the improvements the Bengals have made to their defense this season, I am not expecting the Steelers to turn their offense around much this week. This game has all the makings of a classic AFC North slugfest with very little offense to speak of.
Targets: Joe Mixon, Najee Harris, and Steelers Defense
Fades: Both Quarterbacks and all Wide Receivers
Must-Owns: Bengals Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: In researching the AFC North battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, I was pleasantly surprised with one element: the Bengals’ defense is quite good. Couple that with how inept the Steelers’ offense has been at times, and I don’t know how we can target anyone from Pittsburgh unless we are trying to be completely ‘contrarian.’ The same is probably true for Cincinnati’s offense against a Steelers defense that is not only excellent but completely dominated Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in his only head-to-head matchup. I’m sure there is a play here worth making, but I’m only looking to this game if I have one roster spot to fill and want to differentiate.
Targets: Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and both defenses
Fades: Everyone else
Must-Owns: None
Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The Cardinals’ offense has been borderline unstoppable in the early goings of this season ranking second in the league in both yards and points. The Jaguars’ defense has struggled mightily, and they have been especially bad at defending the pass. It seems like a very safe assumption that Kyler Murray’s strong season is going to continue in possibly his best matchup yet. My only question for this game is whether or not the Jaguars’ offense is going to finally click and be able to keep them in a game. It has been a difficult start to Trevor Lawrence’s NFL career, but after watching what Kirk Cousins was able to do against this Cardinals’ defense last week, I have a bit of hope for the Jaguars this week. Considering how affordable to skill players are for the Jaguars, and how concentrated the offense is between their three wide receivers, you can easily put together a good game stack for this matchup.
Targets: Chase Edmonds, DeAndre Hopkins (if healthy), Christian Kirk, Rondale Moore, A.J. Green, Trevor Lawrence, DJ Chark Jr., Marvin Jones Jr., and Laviska Shenault Jr.
Fades: James Conner
Must-Owns: Kyler Murray
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: With how the Arizona Cardinals’ offense is playing and how poorly the Jacksonville Jaguar’s defense has looked, the straightforward expectation is that Arizona thrives again and we can use the usual suspects in a fantasy lineup. I don’t disagree with that approach, but I remain a buyer of Jacksonville’s offense. The main reason is exactly because of the typical outcome where the Jaguars are often trailing and forced to throw. We saw quarterback Trevor Lawrence pile up counting statistics in Week 1 but get shut down by the Broncos in Week 2. Arizona’s defense just allowed 371 passing yards to the Vikings.
Targets: Everyone on both offenses
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None, but I think it’s a ‘must’ to have someone from this game
New York Jets at Denver Broncos
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I’m not here to rub salt in any open wounds, but Zach Wilson and the Jets have been more or less exactly what I was expecting. It has been a massive struggle for the rookie quarterback, and this week is not looking like the time for him to turn things around. Whenever a team has to travel to Denver it feels like a massive disadvantage, but that disadvantage is amplified in the early stages of the season when players are still trying to fully get into game shape. To make matters even worse for the Jets, the Broncos’ defense is as advertised as they have jumped out to be a top-five group in the league to start the season. It’s looking like another long week ahead for Jets fans and one final cakewalk for the Broncos before their schedule begins to toughen up.
Targets: Braxton Berrios, Melvin Gordon III, Javonte Williams, and Courtland Sutton
Fades: The rest of the Jets Offense
Must-Owns: Broncos Defense
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: One of the reasons why we break down each individual game of the main slate is so that we can give an appropriate and fair amount of time to a matchup without comparing it to others. Put another way, we don’t skip games like the one between the Denver Broncos and New York Jets just in case there is some path to offense. The only path I can see, however, is strictly from the positive correction that should be in the near future for New York’s offense. It can’t be as bad as we just saw in Week 2, even though the opponent’s defense is just as good. I won’t use more than one player from the Jets, but I will consider it if I need to finish a roster with a ‘contrarian’ target. I can support using one player from the Broncos as well, but the Jets — led by a defensive-minded head coach — are well aware that their offense won’t carry them to victories. They need some defense, and they are capable of slowing down Denver enough that the fantasy points might not be there.
Targets: Zach Wilson, Corey Davis, Teddy Bridgewater, Melvin Gordon III, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, and Denver’s defense
Fades: None, but I would only use multiple players from here to be ‘contrarian’
Must-Owns: None
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: While I haven’t been a big supporter of the Dolphins offense since Tua Tagovailoa took over last season, the offense was infinitely more appealing with him than it is with Jacoby Brissett under center. I love to support a team that is coming off being shut out, but with how many good offenses and matchups there are, I don’t see how I can justify advertising any interest in Brissett or this Dolphins offense at all against a Raiders defense that has been surprisingly effective this year so far. I am also slightly down on the Raiders offense this week despite generally being a big supporter. Between the tough matchup with the Dolphins defense, the injury scare to Carr’s ankle last week, and the simple regression that is likely to occur after averaging nearly 400 yards passing through two games, I think we see the Raiders offense come back to life this week. I think they do enough to win and may warrant some attention, but I’m not expecting too much from them this week.
Targets: Myles Gaskin, Kenyan Drake, Darren Waller, and Raiders Defense
Fades: The rest of the Dolphins Offense and Derek Carr
Must-Owns: None
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The biggest storyline of the game between the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders is the absence of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This isn’t the end of the world for Miami, though. Indeed, Tagovailoa gives the team a far better chance to win than backup Jacoby Brissett, but the situation pushed the Dolphins’ defense into the spotlight. That’s where it was last year, and it shined brightly. I’m ‘all-in’ on the Raiders this year, but the matchup is difficult for the team’s offense to do well for a fantasy lineup. I will still consider some players from both offenses, but this won’t be anywhere near my building block.
Targets: Jacoby Brissett, Myles Gaskin, DeVante Parker, Miami’s defense, Derek Carr, Kenyan Drake, and Darren Waller
Fades: None
Must-Owns: None
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: At full strength, these are undeniably two of the very best teams in the league. The only problem for the Buccaneers is that their defense is not at full strength, and it has shown so far. They rank a lackluster 23rd in the league in yards allowed, and they have been especially vulnerable through the air where they have allowed the third-most passing yards in the league through two games. I am never one to count out Tom Brady, but I don’t love this matchup for him, and with potentially no Antonio Brown, he is playing with one more missing weapon. I expect the Rams to attack the beat-up secondary of the Buccaneers all game long, and I am not sure Brady will have enough time in the pocket to make the plays to keep his team in this game.
Targets: Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Matthew Stafford, Robert Woods, Van Jefferson Jr., and Tyler Higbee
Fades: Tom Brady, the Buccaneers’ Running Backs, and Sony Michel
Must-Owns: Cooper Kupp
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Can we all pause for a moment and appreciate the greatness of the matchup we are about to watch on Sunday? The Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the two best teams in the NFC, and the spread has teetered in the middle since its open. We should be in for one of the best games of the season. But, how will that play out for fantasy purposes? Considering the skill of both defenses, it’s not impossible that they lead the way and shut down the opposing offenses. The reality, however, is that the Buccaneers are built to score and when the Rams have been forced into battles against solid offenses, they have been able to match — think about the epic fight between the Rams and Chiefs a few years ago. Everyone is in-play for me on Sunday afternoon.
Targets: All offensive players
Fades: Both defenses
Must-Owns: Cooper Kupp
Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: To put it nicely, the Vikings’ defense has been vulnerable through the first two games of the season. In each of their first two contests, the Vikings have allowed over 400 yards of offense. With how Russell Wilson is playing, and how good he historically plays in the early stages of the season, it is hard to imagine the Vikings slowing down the Seahawks. Tyler Lockett has been beyond dominant to start the season, but we know how much Wilson loves DK Metcalf, and it would not be surprising to see Wilson borderline force passes to Metcalf this week to try and give him his turn at a big game. Given the likelihood that Vikings are trying to play keep up with the Seahawks, and the obvious injuries that Dalvin Cook was dealing with last week, it seems like a safe assumption to say Kirk Cousins will be throwing the ball quite often in this one as well. The real surprise for the Vikings has been the emergence of K.J. Osborn. He has been just as involved, and just as productive as both Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen this season. Given his role and production through weeks, the game script here, and the positive matchup, Osborne is far too cheap and is an easy plug and play this week.
Targets: Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen
Fades: Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison
Must-Owns: DK Metcalf and K.J. Osborne
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: Two of the teams with arguably the most disappointing losses in Week 2 will meet in a head-to-head matchup, and the offenses should be on full display. Indeed, the Minnesota Vikings would probably prefer a more methodical game, but the reality is that the team’s defense has struggled and that puts pressure on the offense to keep pace. There’s a chance that the game is slightly lower-scoring overall simply because both teams played wild contests last week and want to show some stability, but the talent on the respective offenses will probably win out in the end.
Targets: Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, Kirk Cousins, and Minnesota’s wide receivers
Fades: Dalvin Cook and both defenses
Must-Owns: DK Metcalf
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers – Read Dan DeAngelis’ SNF Betting Guide Here
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: After watching these two teams play last week, the takeaways should be that the Packers’ offense is fine and Week 1 was a fluke and that the 49ers’ offense is officially running out of running backs and might be in trouble moving forward. While that is all fair, I cannot look at this matchup and see anything other than how badly the 49ers have dominated the Packers over the past couple of years. For whatever reason, the Packers simply cannot figure this team out, and I’m not sure that a win against the Lions or the 49ers being down a couple of running backs is going to make me think that has changed. I trust Rodgers and the Packers to keep the game a little more competitive than we’ve seen in recent matchups, but I think the 49ers continue their dominance over the Packers and play this game with a lead for much of it.
Targets: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle
Fades: Aaron Jones
Must-Owns: Whatever 49ers Running Back is healthy enough to lead the pack
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: The purpose of this section is to write about storylines, and there is no denying or hiding from the storyline that will be plastered all over Sunday Night Football: the San Francisco 49ers’ repeated dominance of the Green Bay Packers. The approach to Week 3’s matchup is simple, but it is difficult to get a grasp on whether or not other DFS players will be buying into the 49ers’ narrative or the one that says Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is finally going to get some revenge a fully healthy 49ers team. Therefore, if we want to differentiate, the play is probably to go with a combination of San Francisco’s passing attack and Aaron Jones for Green Bay. They are likely to be overlooked given how well the 49ers have run the ball and how players will look to use someone like Davante Adams with Rodgers. Personally, I find it hard to fade Rodgers in any situation, as he will be throwing if his team is losing anyway.
Targets: Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Davante Adams, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Trey Sermon (yes, again), and Deebo Samuel
Fades: None
Must-Owns: George Kittle
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Luke’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: If there is one thing that I can say confidently about either of these teams, it is that the Eagles’ defense was probably the most underestimated group in the league coming into the season. Through two weeks, they have faced off with two offenses that I generally think are pretty good, and they have allowed a total of 23 points (good for second-best in the league so far) while allowing the fourth-fewest yards in total. The Cowboys’ offense has plenty of high-end talent, but I am expecting them to find this matchup somewhat tough in a critical early-season divisional matchup. Making matters worse for me in trying to figure out my interest in the Cowboys’ offense is the fact that Tony Pollard seems to be essentially splitting touches with Ezekiel Elliott now. It is hard to say Pollard doesn’t deserve it, but it still makes this offense that much harder to judge on a weekly basis. Given the difference in quality between these two defenses, I am inclined to like the Eagles to win this matchup, but overall, I think there will be fewer fantasy standouts than most people will be expecting.
Targets: Dak Prescott, Cedrick Wilson (if Amari Cooper is out), Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, and DeVonta Smith
Fades: Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard
Must-Owns: CeeDee Lamb (especially if Amari Cooper is out)
Mario’s DFS Take
Storyline/Notes/Thoughts: I generally fall in love with one of the two Primetime games — and make that the focal point of my Primetime lineup — and Monday Night Football is this week’s main target for me. Specifically, I am loading up on players from the Philadelphia Eagles in a game against a Dallas Cowboys defense that is still extremely vulnerable. I can also make an argument for fading the Cowboys’ offense — which I will be doing with my Showdown lineup — but we do have to respect what quarterback Dak Prescott can do. That pushes Dallas’ pass-catchers onto my list of potential plays.
Targets: Everyone from Philadelphia’s offense, Philadelphia’s defense (in a Primetime lineup), and Dallas’ pass-catchers
Fades: Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and Dallas’ defense
Must-Owns: Jalen Hurts