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Week #1: NFL Game Match-Up Analysis
Michael Nazarek & John Cooney - 9/11/2020

Day	TIME	AWAY		HOME
Thu	8:20 PM	Houston Texans	@	Kansas City Chiefs
Sun	1:00 PM	Seattle Seahawks	@	Atlanta Falcons
Sun	1:00 PM	New York Jets	@	Buffalo Bills
Sun	1:00 PM	Las Vegas Raiders	@	Carolina Panthers
Sun	1:00 PM	Chicago Bears	@	Detroit Lions
Sun	1:00 PM	Indianapolis Colts	@	Jacksonville Jaguars
Sun	1:00 PM	Green Bay Packers	@	Minnesota Vikings
Sun	1:00 PM	Miami Dolphins	@	New England Patriots
Sun	1:00 PM	Cleveland Browns	@	Baltimore Ravens
Sun	1:00 PM	Philadelphia Eagles	@	Washington Football Team
Sun	4:05 PM	Los Angeles Chargers	@	Cincinnati Bengals
Sun	4:25 PM	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	@	New Orleans Saints
Sun	4:25 PM	Arizona Cardinals	@	San Francisco 49ers
Sun	8:20 PM	Dallas Cowboys	@	Los Angeles Rams
Mon	7:15 PM	Pittsburgh Steelers	@	New York Giants
Mon	10:10 PM	Tennessee Titans	@	Denver Broncos

NOTE: THESE DEFENSIVE STATS VERSUS EACH SKILL POSITION WILL BE ON A SEASON-TO-DATE (STD) BASIS.
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DEFENSES VERSUS QBs PASSING
(BEST TO WORST- 2019 FINAL STATS)

Team	G	PCT	ATT/G	YPA	YD/G	TD	INT	20+	40+	SKS
SAF	16	61.3	32.4	5.9	169.2	23	12	34	5	48
NE	16	56.5	33.5	6.0	180.4	13	25	42	5	47
BUF	16	62.9	34.6	6.2	195.2	15	14	34	4	44
BAL	16	58.5	34.0	6.6	207.2	15	13	47	9	37
CHI	16	63.4	35.7	6.6	222.1	17	10	40	7	32
KC	16	60.5	36.4	6.7	221.4	21	16	46	7	45
PIT	16	61.1	32.1	6.7	194.6	23	20	43	6	54
DAL	16	65.0	35.6	6.8	223.5	21	7	55	5	39
MIN	16	65.6	37.6	6.8	233.6	23	17	47	7	48
NYJ	16	62.1	36.6	6.8	236.2	25	12	51	7	35
LAR	16	61.9	35.1	7.0	226.6	23	13	40	6	50
NO	16	61.5	37.7	7.0	241.8	27	13	54	13	51
TB	16	61.4	41.5	7.0	270.1	30	12	57	14	47
DEN	16	64.8	33.6	7.1	225.6	19	10	46	11	40
PHL	16	60.9	35.7	7.2	241.6	27	11	49	15	43
CAR	16	63.8	34.0	7.3	231.0	21	14	53	7	53
LAC	16	70.7	29.0	7.3	200.3	21	11	41	6	30
TEN	16	64.5	37.4	7.3	255.0	25	14	55	8	43
CLV	16	62.0	32.1	7.3	216.9	25	14	48	8	38
GB	16	59.7	34.1	7.4	232.6	19	17	56	15	41
SEA	16	64.0	37.4	7.4	263.9	19	16	53	6	28
IND	16	70.1	35.1	7.5	248.9	29	15	50	9	41
WSH	16	68.7	33.8	7.6	238.9	35	13	56	9	46
ATL	16	65.5	33.5	7.7	244.9	28	12	56	9	28
HOU	16	64.0	36.6	7.7	267.3	33	12	58	12	31
DET	16	62.4	38.2	7.8	284.4	33	7	72	10	28
JAX	16	63.2	32.3	7.9	236.1	22	10	60	12	47
NYG	16	66.4	34.8	8.0	264.1	30	10	67	15	36
ARZ	16	70.0	37.6	8.0	281.9	38	7	72	7	40
MIA	16	63.1	34.1	8.0	262.4	39	13	68	6	23
CIN	16	61.7	31.2	8.3	244.8	25	11	70	12	31
LV	16	64.1	32.9	8.3	256.7	33	9	68	16	32

DEFENSES VERSUS WRs RECEIVING
(BEST OT WORST- 2019 FINAL STATS)

Team	G	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
NE	16	169	2014	11.9	4
BUF	16	201	2175	10.8	7
CHI	16	177	2298	13.0	9
JAX	16	178	2528	14.2	10
LAC	16	173	2063	11.9	11
BAL	16	206	2554	12.4	11
KC	16	154	1956	12.7	11
CLV	16	177	2277	12.9	11
GB	16	157	2487	15.8	11
SEA	16	199	2486	12.5	12
LAR	16	207	2477	12.0	13
CAR	16	227	2812	12.4	13
DAL	16	172	2158	12.5	13
PIT	16	172	2229	13.0	13
TEN	16	203	2662	13.1	13
DEN	16	170	2232	13.1	14
CIN	16	165	2626	15.9	14
ARZ	16	225	2761	12.3	16
ATL	16	187	2638	14.1	16
SAF	16	188	2110	11.2	17
LV	16	174	2681	15.4	17
MIN	16	231	2727	11.8	18
IND	16	200	2646	13.2	18
NO	16	204	2801	13.7	18
HOU	16	193	2664	13.8	18
NYJ	16	205	2578	12.6	20
DET	16	223	3036	13.6	20
WSH	16	190	2406	12.7	21
TB	16	240	3176	13.2	21
PHL	16	195	2809	14.4	21
NYG	16	205	2888	14.1	22
MIA	16	195	2825	14.5	27

DEFENSES VERSUS TEs RECEIVING
(BEST TO WORST- 2019 FINAL STATS)

Team	G	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
MIN	16	84	786	9.4	1
BAL	16	52	575	11.1	3
NYJ	16	65	702	10.8	3
DEN	16	90	974	10.8	3
CAR	16	56	746	13.3	4
PHL	16	65	681	10.5	4
BUF	16	60	575	9.6	5
NO	16	72	772	10.7	5
DET	16	76	843	11.1	5
MIA	16	76	861	11.3	5
CHI	16	96	886	9.2	5
KC	16	98	974	9.9	5
NE	16	64	688	10.8	6
LAC	16	65	693	10.7	6
SAF	16	66	552	8.4	6
CIN	16	66	798	12.1	6
LAR	16	70	893	12.8	6
ATL	16	74	842	11.4	6
GB	16	77	865	11.2	6
HOU	16	77	927	12.0	6
IND	16	82	787	9.6	6
SEA	16	97	1099	11.3	6
DAL	16	104	1016	9.8	6
JAX	16	65	789	12.1	7
TB	16	83	954	11.5	7
PIT	16	65	669	10.3	8
NYG	16	74	825	11.1	8
TEN	16	80	916	11.5	9
WSH	16	85	878	10.3	9
CLV	16	70	806	11.5	10
LV	16	73	877	12.0	10
ARZ	16	98	1173	12.0	16

DEFENSES VERSUS RBs RECEIVING
(BEST TO WORST- 2019 FINAL STATS)

Team	G	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
TB	16	83	480	5.8	1
SAF	16	63	400	6.3	0
CAR	16	61	392	6.4	3
NO	16	94	617	6.6	4
CHI	16	87	602	6.9	2
IND	16	109	755	6.9	3
DEN	16	88	616	7.0	2
LAC	16	89	627	7.0	4
GB	16	90	647	7.2	1
ATL	16	84	611	7.3	4
PHL	16	87	645	7.4	1
MIN	16	79	586	7.4	4
NE	16	68	505	7.4	1
PIT	16	75	562	7.5	2
TEN	16	101	757	7.5	3
DAL	16	94	705	7.5	2
BAL	16	60	454	7.6	1
BUF	16	87	671	7.7	3
NYJ	16	93	721	7.8	2
LAR	16	68	546	8.0	4
ARZ	16	94	791	8.4	5
NYG	16	90	758	8.4	0
WSH	16	96	809	8.4	5
HOU	16	104	891	8.6	8
MIA	16	72	629	8.7	6
LV	16	90	797	8.9	6
CIN	16	76	696	9.2	4
CLV	16	71	657	9.3	4
JAX	16	83	770	9.3	4
KC	16	100	951	9.5	5
SEA	16	85	815	9.6	1
DET	16	81	864	10.7	8

DEFENSES VERSUS RBs RUSHING
(BEST TO WORST- 2019 FINAL STATS)

Team	G	ATT	YDS	CpG	YPC	TD
NE	16	300	1217	18.8	4.1	1
IND	16	321	1318	20.1	4.1	4
PIT	16	382	1486	23.9	3.9	5
NO	16	285	1039	17.8	3.6	7
DEN	16	377	1507	23.6	4.0	7
SAF	16	311	1309	19.4	4.2	7
TB	16	300	907	18.8	3.0	8
ATL	16	341	1440	21.3	4.2	8
MIN	16	361	1585	22.6	4.4	8
ARZ	16	377	1584	23.6	4.2	9
BUF	16	322	1407	20.1	4.4	9
HOU	16	343	1581	21.4	4.6	9
NYJ	16	335	1060	20.9	3.2	10
PHL	16	299	1113	18.7	3.7	10
KC	16	357	1736	22.3	4.9	10
LV	16	333	1272	20.8	3.8	11
DAL	16	325	1315	20.3	4.0	11
BAL	16	296	1309	18.5	4.4	11
WSH	16	419	1972	26.2	4.7	11
LAR	16	373	1551	23.3	4.2	12
MIA	16	434	1942	27.1	4.5	12
CIN	16	389	1781	24.3	4.6	12
NYG	16	393	1558	24.6	4.0	13
TEN	16	344	1376	21.5	4.0	13
DET	16	393	1597	24.6	4.1	13
LAC	16	362	1554	22.6	4.3	14
CLV	16	356	1764	22.3	5.0	14
CHI	16	371	1444	23.2	3.9	15
GB	16	360	1748	22.5	4.9	15
SEA	16	308	1318	19.3	4.3	18
JAX	16	356	1896	22.3	5.3	18
CAR	16	378	2011	23.6	5.3	27

O-LINE INDEX: 2020 RANKING (PRE-SEASON)
(BEST TO WORST)

RANK	OLINE	PASS	RUN	2020
1	IND	362	386	386
2	PHL	363	373	379
3	DAL	375	350	370
4	NO	374	342	365
5	DET	359	345	360
6	TB	377	330	357
7	TEN	365	344	356
8	BAL	360	333	353
9	CLV	368	333	351
10	NE	376	330	351
11	GB	352	318	342
12	LV	399	302	341
13	PIT	383	299	341
14	WSH	347	321	337
15	DEN	334	331	337
16	KC	383	296	335
17	CAR	321	310	323
18	SAF	349	304	322
19	LAC	322	311	321
20	ARZ	357	288	317
21	ATL	323	303	317
22	JAX	339	296	315
23	HOU	391	273	313
24	MIN	274	314	313
25	NYJ	330	299	312
26	SEA	324	296	310
27	MIA	296	287	305
28	BUF	343	269	304
29	NYG	329	279	303
30	LAR	295	294	296
31	CIN	343	250	284
32	CHI	313	295	279

TOP 8 O-LINES:

RANK	OVERALL	.	RANK	PASS	.	RANK	RUN
1	IND		1	LV		1	IND
2	PHL		2	HOU		2	PHL
3	DAL		3	PIT		3	DAL
4	NO		4	KC		4	DET
5	DET		5	TB		5	TEN
6	TB		6	NE		6	NO
7	TEN		7	DAL		7	BAL
8	BAL		8	NO		8	CLV

BOTTOM 8 O-LINES:

RANK	OVERALL	.	RANK	PASS	.	RANK	RUN
25	NYJ		25	SEA		25	CHI
26	SEA		26	ATL		26	LAR
27	MIA		27	LAC		27	ARZ
28	BUF		28	CAR		28	MIA
29	NYG		29	CHI		29	NYG
30	LAR		30	MIA		30	HOU
31	CIN		31	LAR		31	BUF
32	CHI		32	MIN		32	CIN

O-LINE RANKINGS FACTORS:

Pass attempts, Sacks allowed, Percentage of sacks to total drop-backs (attempts + sacks), Yards Per Carry including all players, not just RBs, Average rushing yards per game by offense, TDs rushing, First downs rushing, Personnel changes and/or continuity.

KEY STATS KEY:
For RB, WR and TE Positions:

CpG- Carries per Game average

YPC- Yards Per Carry

TDR- Touchdowns Rushing

REC- Receptions

YPR- Yards Per Reception

TDC- Touchdown Catches

For QB:

GP- Games Played (displayed in QB section but relates to all skill positions)

YD/GM- Yards per game

YPA- Yards Per Pass Attempt

C%- Completion Percentage

TD- Touchdown Passes

INT- Interceptions

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RED = DEFENSE STATS ALLOWED

BLACK = OFFENSIVE STATS PRODUCED

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IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!

* KEY STATS SHOW RESULTS FROM LAST SEASON (2019) BUT WILL DISPLAY 3-WEEK TOTALS AFTER WEEK 3, REFLECTING HOT AND COLD STREAKS IN A TIMELY AND MORE ACCURATE FASHION.

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** POINTS SCORED AND POINTS AGAINST CAN GIVE FANTASY COACHES FALSE OUTLOOKS. POINTS SCORED BY DEFENSES AND SPECIAL TEAMS ARE ALWAYS INCLUDED IN SCORE TOTALS AND THOSE ADDITIONAL POINTS CREATE BLOATED POSITIONAL STATS FOR PROJECTION PURPOSES.

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***CpG, Carries per Game average, HAS BEEN ADDED TO RBS STATS TO GIVE FANTASY COACHES A PICTURE OF HOW OFTEN A TEAM IS DEPLOYING THE RBS AS RUSHERS AS WELL AS WHAT DEFENSES ARE FACING EACH WEEK VERSUS RUSHING ATTACKS.

Thu

8:20 PM

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
HOU	D	267.3	7.7	66.5	33	12	31
KC	QB	293.1	8.1	65.6	30	5	25
KC	D	221.4	6.7	65.6	21	16	45
HOU	QB	255.2	7.6	66.5	27	14	49

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
HOU	D	193	2664	13.8	18
KC	WR	181	2696	14.9	21
KC	D	154	1956	12.7	11
HOU	WR	150	1841	12.3	15

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
HOU	D	77	927	12.0	6
KC	TE	108	1346	12.5	5
KC	D	98	974	9.9	5
HOU	TE	71	767	10.8	9

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
HOU	D	21.4	4.6	9	104	8.6	8
KC	RB	19.4	4.2	13	89	7.3	4
KC	D	22.3	4.9	10	100	9.8	5
HOU	RB	21.4	4.5	8	55	8.4	3

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TEXANS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
C. Hyde 529 Dk. Johnson 511	D. Hopkins 971 K. Stills 587 W. Fuller 564 K. Coutee 338	D. Fells 740 J. Akins 655

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	D. Hopkins	15
WR	W. Fuller	71
RB	Dk. Johnson	65
WR	K. Stills	55
TE	J. Akins	55

CHIEFS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Dm. Williams 367 L. McCoy 295 Dr. Williams 267 D. Thompson 107	S. Watkins 740 D. Robinson 735 T. Hill 563 M. Hardman 471	T. Kelce 971 B. Bell 397

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
TE	T. Kelce	136
WR	S. Watkins	90
WR	T. Hill	89
WR	D. Robinson	55
WR	M. Hardman	41

Mastermind Moment: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes ripped the Texans for big fantasy points last year, so you start him without question in this kick-off game. Rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire will start, and the coaches love him. He catches the football well, and you likely spent a high draft pick on him, so you start him. It should be interesting to see just how high his use, along with fantasy point total, will be in this game. WR Tyreek Hill could score on any play in the Chiefs passing game, so when healthy, you start him. There has been talk about a bigger role for WR Mecole Hardman. That said, he was inconsistent at best in his prodcution during 2019, so I'd start him only if I'm in a 14+ team league and one of my other normal starting wideouts is injured. The same goes for WR Sammy Watkins, whom accepted a pay cut to remain with the Chiefs. WR Demarucs Robinson is liikely to see spotty targets, making him a big fantasy risk. TE Travis Kelce is the top TE in the league, so you simply start him and smile. Texans QB DeShaun Watson got a big money extension, so he wants to show everyone he deserved it. That said, he may be without WR Brandin Cooks (quad) in this game, a player who did not practice on Tuesday. No matter. The Texans have a healthy WR Will Fuller to pair with WR Randall Cobb and WR Kenny Stills, so there is plenty of experience to go around. If you drafted Watson, you will be starting him this week. RB David Johnson has a lot to prove. He seemingly fell off a cliff in Arizona after suffering a lower body injury. He's healthy now, and the Texans plan to get him heavily involved in their game plan, so you start him. We all know how well he can catch passes. As for the wideouts, Cooks is a risky play due to injury, so I sit him if possible. Fuller is a nice WR2 if Cooks sits this week, while Cobb and Stills are riskier options, but one or both could produce nicely. Start one of them only if you need them, though. As for the tight ends, TE Darren Fells is underrated, but is more TD-dependent in his play. WR Jordan Akins had a nice camp, pushing the team to cut TE Jordan Thomas. Frankly, I'd take a wait and see approach here to see who gets the most love from Watson before starting either player. Bottom Line: This is the first game to be played since the Super Bowl, so you can expect some mistakes here and there, but one thing there will certainly be a lot of is... excitement! Football is finally back, and I can't wait!

Sun

1:00 PM

Seattle Seahawks

Atlanta Falcons

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
SEA	D	263.9	7.4	66.0	19	16	28
ATL	QB	315.6	7.4	67.1	29	15	50
ATL	D	244.9	7.7	67.1	28	12	28
SEA	QB	256.9	7.9	66.0	31	6	48

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
SEA	D	199	2486	12.5	12
ATL	WR	277	3420	12.3	16
ATL	D	187	2638	14.1	16
SEA	WR	196	2873	14.7	20

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
SEA	D	97	1099	11.3	6
ATL	TE	92	989	10.8	7
ATL	D	74	842	11.4	6
SEA	TE	77	733	9.5	7

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
SEA	D	19.3	4.3	18	85	9.1	1
ATL	RB	19.7	3.7	9	88	6.9	5
ATL	D	21.3	4.2	8	84	7.2	4
SEA	RB	24.8	4.6	12	68	7.4	4

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SEAHAWKS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Carson 723

Penny 150

Prosise 123

Lockett 994

Metcalf 927

Brown 373

Moore 312

Hollister 514

Dissly 249

Wilson 243

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Lockett	110
WR	Metcalf	100
TE	Hollister	59
RB	Carson	47

FALCONS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Freeman 658

Hill 235

Smith 149

Jones 812

Ridley 712

Gage 516

Sanu 379

Blake 337

Hooper 724

Stocker 436

Graham 208

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Jones	157
TE	Hooper	97
WR	Ridley	93
WR	Gage	74

Mastermind Moment: This should be a high-scoring game, so get your key Seahawks and Falcons into your lineup if possible. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson should be good for multiple scores against a beatable Falcons defense, making him a must start. RB Chris Carson should score in this game, so you start him too. WR D.K. Metcalf and WR Tyler Lockett are also attractive options this week, so start them too. We shall see who rises to the top as the team's #3 WR. TE Greg Olsen will start, but WR Will Dissly is healthy, and a big playmaker, so I'd think twice about starting any TE here until I see how the Seahawks use them. Falcons QB Matt Ryan should also produce a good game this week, so you start him. You drafted RB Todd Gurley to start him when healthy, so you start him against a very beatable Seahawks run defense. WR Julio Jones and WR Calvin Ridley were high fantasy draft picks, so you start them against the Seahawks. Keep an eye on WR Russell Gage, my deep sleeper at WR this summer. He could become a solid WR3/WR4 for owners in larger PPR leagues. All eyes are on TE Hayden Hurst, as he will start for the first time as a Falcon. The matchup is not a bad one, so start him if you need him, but if you took him as a #2 TE, then sitting him to see how he plays is not a bad idea.

Sun

1:00 PM

New York Jets

Buffalo Bills

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
NYJ	D	236.2	6.8	62.0	25	12	35
BUF	QB	217.3	6.8	58.3	21	12	40
BUF	D	195.2	6.2	58.3	15	14	44
NYJ	QB	215.2	6.6	62.0	19	16	52

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
NYJ	D	205	2578	12.6	20
BUF	WR	191	2411	12.6	14
BUF	D	201	2175	10.8	7
NYJ	WR	193	2413	12.5	12

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
NYJ	D	65	702	10.8	3
BUF	TE	46	604	13.1	4
BUF	D	60	575	9.6	5
NYJ	TE	44	446	10.1	6

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
NYJ	D	20.9	3.2	10	93	7.8	2
BUF	RB	21.3	4.3	4	61	7.5	2
BUF	D	20.1	4.4	9	87	7.7	3
NYJ	RB	21.5	3.3	3	86	8.1	3

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JETS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Bell 782

Powell 164

Montgomery 150

Anderson 927

Crowder 802

Thomas 459

Smith 318

Griffin 662

Brown 297

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Crowder	122
WR	Anderson	96
RB	Bell	78
WR	Thomas	58

BILLS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Singletary 530

Gore 370

Brown 913

Beasley 729

McKenzie 451

Know 646

Smith 319

Kroft 244

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Brown	115
WR	Beasley	105
TE	Knox	50
RB	Singletary	41

Mastermind Moment: Bills QB Josh Allen is a very good fantasy play against a weak Jets secondary without S Jamal Adams. If you own him, he is most definitely worth a start this week. RB Devin Singletary is likely to start, but share the workload with rookie RB Zack Moss. I drafted Moss ahead of Singletary late this summer due to Singletary's fumbling issues. The coaches love Moss, and he can catch passes too. That said, Singletary has a slight edge this week, but both deserve RB3 consideration. WR Stefon Diggs gets his first start as a Bill this week. Against the Jets, he is a solid WR2 in larger leagues. WR John Brown will see some deep throws, and remains a favorite target of Allen, making him an interesting WR4 for the week. WR Cole Beasley will see plenty of taergets out of the slot, giving him a bit of fantasy value for owners in need. TE Dawson Knox has a lot of potential, but he didn't see enough targets in 2019 t obe worth much than a BYE week fill in, so I sit him to see how he's worked into the game plan this week. Jets QB Sam Darnold is working with a gimpy WR corps this week, making him a risky fasntasy play. RB LeVeon Bell will see plenty of touches, but HC Adam Gase likes to use RB Frank Gore too, meaning Bell slides beyond the top 20 fantasy RBs for the week, especially against the tough Bills defense. WR Jamison Crowder is the guy to own and start this week for the Jets at WR. He is healthy, and Darnold loves to target him. Both WR Breshad Perriman and WR Denzel Mims are gimpy, so I sit them to see how they look when they play. Both are new to the team, so give Darnold a game to get them worked into the mix. TE Chris Herndon is another favorite of Darnold, so he deserves some fantasy consideration this week, but only in large leagues.

Sun

1:00 PM

Las Vegas Raiders

Carolina Panthers

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
LV	D	256.7	8.3	70.2	33	9	32
CAR	QB	258.4	6.5	60.3	17	21	58
CAR	D	231.0	7.3	60.3	21	14	53
LV	QB	256.9	7.9	70.2	22	8	29

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
LV	D	174	2681	15.4	17
CAR	WR	189	2322	12.3	10
CAR	D	227	2812	12.4	13
LV	WR	145	1858	12.8	12

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
LV	D	73	877	12.0	10
CAR	TE	69	744	10.8	3
CAR	D	56	746	13.3	4
LV	TE	124	1427	11.5	9

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
LV	D	20.8	3.8	11	90	8.9	6
CAR	RB	19.7	4.8	17	124	8.6	4
CAR	D	23.6	5.3	27	61	6.4	3
LV	RB	24.9	4.3	10	98	6.8	1

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RAIDERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Jacobs 460

Richard 298

Washington 271

Williams 727

Jones 461

Renfrow 435

Waller 922

Moreau 371

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
TE	Waller	117
WR	Renfrow	71
WR	Williams	64
RB	Richard	43

PANTHERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

McCaffrey 1039

Bonnafon 68

Samuel 955

Moore 910

Wright 693

Olsen 790

Manhertz 341

Thomas 302

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
RB	McCaffrey	142
WR	Moore	135
WR	Samuel	105
TE	Olsen	82

Mastermind Moment: Raiders QB Derek Carr is more than ready for the season, but his wideout corps has been overhauled. Against the weak Panthers defense, he is an intriging fantasy option, but you likely won't start him. RB Josh Jacobs is a true stud workhorse back, so you start him with a smile this week. It will be interesting to see how much RB Jalen Richard plays behind Jacobs without RB DeAndre Washngton on the team. WR Henry Ruggs III and fellow rookie WR Bryan Edwards are the new likely starters, with WR Hunter Renfrow playing the slot. You likely drafted these players as depth picks for your fantasy squad, so watch and learn this week. TE Darren Waller will start and is a top 8 fantasy TE play against Carolina. WR Jason Witten could siphon some targets away from Waller, so that is a situation to watch. Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater finally gets his own team to lead, and he should produce solid numbers against the Raiders this week. As with Carr, you are unlikely to start him, but it will be interesting to see how he plays with his new teammates. RB Christian McCaffrey is healthy, and that is all you need to know, other than to start him when healthy. He remains the focal point of the offense. WR D.J. Moore has quickly become a stud WR, but he needs to work well with Bridgewater to be successful in 2020. I think that happens without issue. WR Robby Anderson is working to push a struggling WR Curtis Samuel into a minor role, but he must prove himself first before anything changes. As such, Samuel should start this week, but neither player are top 40 fantasy WRs. TE Ian Thomas (toe) will likely play through injury. Technically, the Raiders are terrible against the tight end, but this is a new season, and with Thomas gimpy, he's far from a lock to produce much. If he is your #2 TE, sit him for sure.

Sun

1:00 PM

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
CHI	D	222.1	6.6	64.0	17	10	32
DET	QB	261.7	7.3	60.2	28	15	43
DET	D	284.4	7.8	60.2	33	7	28
CHI	QB	223.3	6.2	64.0	20	12	45

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
CHI	D	177	2298	13.0	9
DET	WR	199	2968	14.9	22
DET	D	223	3036	13.6	20
CHI	WR	214	2494	11.7	14

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
CHI	D	96	886	9.2	5
DET	TE	66	695	10.5	3
DET	D	76	843	11.1	5
CHI	TE	46	416	9.0	2

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
CHI	D	23.2	3.9	15	87	6.9	2
DET	RB	22.1	3.9	6	76	6.6	2
DET	D	24.6	4.1	13	81	10.7	8
CHI	RB	1.9	3.6	6	111	6.0	4

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BEARS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

D. Montgomery 614

T. Cohen 533

Robinson 1003

Miller 686

Wims 487

Gabriel 445

Holtz 334

Burton 283

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Robinson	154
RB	Cohen	104
WR	Miller	85
WR	Gabriel	48

LIONS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

T. Johnson 311

K. Johnson 274

McKissic 257

Golladay 937

M. Jones 818

Amendola 642

Hockenson 525

James 493

L. Thomas 336

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Golladay	116
WR	Amendola	97
WR	M. Jones	91
TE	Hockenson	59

Mastermind Moment: Lions QB Matthew Stafford has struggled a bit against the Bears in the past, so he's not a lock for a big fantasy game this week. We are watching the hamstring situation of WR Kenny Golladay closely right now, because if he sits, Stafford's fantasy value sinks even lower. RB Kerryon Johnson got little respect in fantasy drafts this summer, but he will start on Sunday, while rookie RB D'Andre Swift (hip) may not even play. If he sits, look for veteran RB Adrian Peterson to play opposite Johnson. Any way you look at it, though, it's a RBBC, one to avoid if possible against a tough Bears run defense. We will update Golladay's status on Sunday morning. WR Marvin Jones is a solid WR4 this week due to the tough opponent. He could also draw top corner coverage if Golladay sits. WR Danny Amendola is a wildcard player, and could factor into a bigger role if Golladay sits. TE T.J. Hockenson says his ankle is still a minor issue, and with the Bears as the opponent, he's not a top 15 fantasy TE play for the week. Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky usually plays well against the Lions, so you might consider him in DFS. That said, I don't trust my season-long fantasy squad to him this week. RB David Montgomery (groin) may or may not play. We'll update his status later in the week. If he sits, RB Tarik Cohen has solid value, especially in PPR leagues, since he is the likely fill-in starter. WR Allen Robinson gets his, especially against the Lions, so you start him. WR Anthony Miller is an intriging fantasy play against the Detroit, as he had a big game against them last season. Consider starting Miller if you need him. I'd sit the rest of the Bears WR corps. TE Jimmy Graham says he's found the foutain of youth in Chicago. Yeah, right. I'll believe it when I see it. That said, if he can produce against anyone, it will be the Lions.

Sun

1:00 PM

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
IND	D	248.9	7.5	59.8	29	15	41
JAX	QB	251.4	6.8	61.8	24	8	42
JAX	D	236.1	7.9	61.8	22	10	47
IND	QB	207.1	6.5	59.8	22	10	32

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
IND	D	200	2646	13.2	18
JAX	WR	217	2868	13.2	19
JAX	D	178	2528	14.2	10
IND	WR	150	1841	12.3	15

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
IND	D	82	787	9.6	6
JAX	TE	53	459	8.7	3
JAX	D	65	789	12.1	7
IND	TE	86	967	11.2	7

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
IND	D	20.1	4.1	4	109	6.9	3
JAX	RB	19.3	4.2	3	93	7.4	2
JAX	D	22.3	5.3	18	83	9.3	4
IND	RB	19	4.6	0	6	9.2	1

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2019 1 OUTLOOK:

WEEK 1 SNAPS:

Mack 510

Hines 339

Pascal 799

Hilton 478

M. Johnson 412

Rogers 406

Doyle 798

Alie-Cox 354

Ebron 325

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Pascal	72
TE	Doyle	72
WR	Hilton	68
RB	Hines	58
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JAGUARS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Fournette 904

Armstead 150

Conley 866

Chark 851

Westbrook 747

Cole 370

Devalve 325

Koyack 260

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Chark	118
WR	Westbrook	101
RB	Fournette	100
WR	Conley	90

Mastermind Moment: The Jaguars defense no longer has any teeth, so that makes the Colts offense primed to produce many big games for oners this week. As such, QB Phillip Rivers, WR T.Y. Hilton, and TE Jack Doyle are all highly ranked, so if you can start them all, do it. A report emerged today that the Colts apparently only draftted RB Jonathan Taylor to back up and spell RB Marlon Mack, whom remains the starter. That said, Taylor has too much talrent to rid the bench very long. This week, Mack is a better option, but not by much. Both players could score. WR Parris Campbell and WR Michael Pittman are intriging fantasy plays for owners in large leagues this week. Hopefully, one will emerge as the clear #2 WR for the Colts. One more thing aboth the Colts... Do not hesitate to start their defense this week, as the Jaguars offense is far from a good one right now. As for the Jaguars, there's not any player I would die to get into my lineup this week. Perhaps, RB Chris Thompson has some value in larger PPR leagues. That is about it. Yup, QB Gardner Minshew and WR D.J. Chark will have to earn my recommendation in 2020. Oh, there is one guy to watch... TE Tyler Eifert. He's healthy and clicked well with Minshew early in camp, so that could lead to something, if Eifert can stay healthy. That is a BIG IF...

Sun

1:00 PM

Green Bay Packers

Minnesota Vikings

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
GB	D	232.6	7.4	62.1	19	17	41
MIN	QB	233.1	8.0	68.5	26	8	28
MIN	D	233.6	6.8	68.5	23	17	48
GB	QB	251.1	7.0	62.1	26	4	36

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
GB	D	157	2487	15.8	11
MIN	WR	137	2142	15.6	16
MIN	D	231	2727	11.8	18
GB	WR	192	2461	12.8	13

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
GB	D	77	865	11.2	6
MIN	TE	83	736	8.9	8
MIN	D	84	786	9.4	1
GB	TE	63	703	11.2	5

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
GB	D	22.5	4.9	15	90	7.2	1
MIN	RB	26.8	4.7	17	98	7.2	0
MIN	D	22.6	4.4	8	79	7.4	4
GB	RB	22.3	4.4	17	101	8.4	8

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PACKERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Jones 663

Williams 373

Adams 678

Allison 638

Valdes-Scantling 542

Lazard 479

Graham 622

Lewis 487

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Adams	127
RB	Jones	68
TE	Graham	60
WR	Valdes-Scantling	56
WR	Allison	55

VIKINGS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Cook 604

Mattison 197

Diggs 772

Johnson 538

Thielen 436

Rudolph 793

Smith 612

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Diggs	94
RB	Cook	63
WR	Thielen	48
TE	Rudolph	48
TE	Smith	47

Mastermind Moment: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins will not produce big games most weeks in this run-first offense. That means you leave him on your bench. With RB Dalvin Cook healthy, he is the lead guy for this team, and a must fantasy play most every week... when healthy. Without WR Stefon Diggs, the primary target becomes WR Adam Thielen. He has burned the Packers for big numbers in the past, so you should start him with confidence at home this week. WR Bisi Johnson and rookie WR Justin Jefferson will vie for the #2 WR job, but both will play a lot. I'd sit them to see how their play goes before starting them for fantasy. TE Kyle Rudolph will cede some playing time to TE Irv Smith, as the coaches want to get the big guy more involved. This is another sit and watch situation to see how they look in 2020 with the team. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers always struggles against the Vikings, so that makes him a risky play, especially with little help opposite WR Davante Adams. You probably drafted Rodgers as your backup anyway, so sit him if you can. RB Aaron Jones remains the starter, but the Vkings will limit his production. Still, he's a solid RB2 this week. RB Jamaal Williams and rookie RB A.J. Dillon will vie for the time opposite Jones in this run-heavy offense. Sit them, watch and learn. Beyond a must start Adams, WR Allen Lazard has taken a step foward to win the #2 WR job, but he's not exactly a must start play. Perhaps he's better suited for DFS. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling really diappointed last year, but Rodgers has sung his praises this summer. OK, MVS, time for the training wheels to come off. Show us you are worthy of fantasy consideration! TE Jace Sternberger could start, but that is not a lock to happen. Watch and learn here!

Sun

1:00 PM

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
MIA	D	262.4	8.0	60.3	39	13	23
NE	QB	259.6	6.7	61.0	25	9	28
NE	D	180.4	6.0	61.0	13	25	47
MIA	QB	257.3	6.7	60.3	22	18	58

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
MIA	D	195	2825	14.5	27
NE	WR	219	2562	11.7	16
NE	D	169	2014	11.9	4
MIA	WR	221	2805	12.7	15

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
MIA	D	76	861	11.3	5
NE	TE	37	419	11.3	2
NE	D	64	688	10.8	6
MIA	TE	66	729	11.0	5

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
MIA	D	27.1	4.5	12	72	8.7	6
NE	RB	25.0	3.9	14	121	8.7	2
NE	D	18.8	4.1	1	68	7.4	1
MIA	RB	17.6	3.0	5	81	7.0	2

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DOLPHINS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Laird 290

Ballage 252

Drake 209

Walton 197

Gaskins 125

Parker 905

Hurns 522

Wilson 439

Williams 404

Gesicki 701

Smythe 482

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Parker	128
TE	Gesicki	89
WR	Wilson	62
WR	Williams	60

PATRIOTS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

White 490

Michel 420

Burkhead 264

Edelman 1004

Dorsett 564

Meyers 416

Sanu 379

Watson 467

LaCosse 433

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Edelman	153
RB	White	95
WR	Dorsett	54
WR	Sanu	47
WR	Meyers	41

Mastermind Moment: Patriots new QB Cam Newton is really excited about the chance to redeem himself. He should produce fairly well against the beatable Dolphins this week. That makes him a top 12 fantasy QB play. RB Sony Michel is the likely starter with RB Damien Harris (pinky) on IR for at least three games. Michel is TD-dependent, but does deserve consideration as a RB3 this week. RB James White is always a solid RB3 play, especially in PPR leagues. I don't expect RB Rex Burkhead to see enough action to warrant a fantasy start, unless word comes that the Patriots actually plan to limit Michel in this game. And that won't happen, because HC Bill Belichick does not share his plans no matter what the media says. WR Julian Edelman was clearly Newton's favorite target this summer, so expect a lot of hook-ups there. That makes Edelman a solid WR3 this week. WR N'Keal Harry and the rest of the corps could be fantasy fodder most weeks, but let's give it a chance first... watch and learn! The tight end corps features a couple of rookies, so let's see who emerges before trying to guess what Belichick does. Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is not to be trusted against the Patriots tough secondary on the road. RB Jordan Howard seems likely to start and see any goal carries, but RB Matt Breida could provide the spark that gets the Dolphins offense in gear. As such, neither are top 30 fantasy RB plays this week at New England. WR DeVante Parker and WR Preston Williams are both beat up a bit, and Parkers faces off against Mr. Gilmore this week. This is not a formula for good fantasy production. As a result, neither player are top 30 fantasy WR starts. The rest of the wideout corps have no real fantasy value. TE Mike Gesicki is beat up a bit, but should have a solid fantasy season. That said, this week will be a tough one, so start him only if you need him.

Sun

1:00 PM

Cleveland Browns

Baltimore Ravens

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
CLV	D	216.9	7.3	59.0	25	14	38
BAL	QB	209.4	7.6	65.7	37	8	28
BAL	D	207.2	6.6	65.7	15	13	37
CLV	QB	240.4	7.1	59.0	22	21	41

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
CLV	D	177	2277	12.9	11
BAL	WR	115	1419	12.3	17
BAL	D	206	2554	12.4	11
CLV	WR	185	2629	14.2	12

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
CLV	D	70	806	11.5	10
BAL	TE	125	1522	12.2	14
BAL	D	52	575	11.1	3
CLV	TE	41	497	12.1	9

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
CLV	D	22.3	5.0	14	71	9.3	4
BAL	RB	24.6	5.0	14	49	8.3	6
BAL	D	18.5	4.4	11	60	7.6	1
CLV	RB	22.4	4.9	12	91	8.0	1

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BROWNS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Chubb 715

Hunt 309

Beckham 993

Landry 976

Ratley 258

Harris 550

Seals-Jones 243

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Landry	138
WR	Beckham	133
RB	Chubb	49
RB	Hunt	44

RAVENS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Ingram 504

Edwards 397

Hill 197

Snead 679

Brown 563

Roberts 552

Boykin 425

Boyle 769

Andrews 457

Hurst 457

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
TE	Andrews	98
WR	Brown	71
WR	Snead	46
TE	Boyle	43

Mastermind Moment: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson torched the Browns last year, so nothing changes here. If you drafted him, you took him high and should start him when healthy. RB Mark Ingram is not geting much respect, but he is the starter, so you should start him against a very beatable Browns run defense. Rookie RB K.J. Dobbins will have a role on the team, but is a bit of a fantasy risk until we see what it is. Sit the rest of the RB corps here. WR Marquise Brown will see more targets, especially on deeper routes in 2020, so that makes him an intriging fantasy play against the Browns this week. WR Willie Snead, WR Miles Boykin, and the rest of the WR corps should be avoided until more consistent play and production happens, something that is not a lock to occur. TE Mark Andrews burned the Browns last year for good games, so you start him with confidence this week. Browns QB Baker Mayfield knows he must improve to get the Browns to the promised land. The question is can he improve that much? His footwork has improved, but until we see him in a real game, questions will be there. I sit him on the road agianst the Ravens quality defense. You drafted RB Nick Chubb early, so you will start him this week, hoping for a long run or two with a score, but the Ravens should limit him. RB Kareem Hunt should see plenty of work in the passing game, making him an interesting fantasy start at Baltimore. WR Odell Beckham Jr. is a STUD. The issue here is can Mayfield get him the football on a more regular basis? If you own OBJ, you will likely start him this week, but temper your expectations. WR Jarvis Landry is the player that Mayfield has the best connection with, making him a decent WR3 in larger fantasy leagues this week. Forget about the rest of the Browns WR corps. TE Austin Hooper debuts as a Brown this week, with a lot of questions. Can Mayfield connect with him on a consistent basis? We shall see. In the meantime, Hooper is outside my top 15 fantasy TEs for the week.

Sun

1:00 PM

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Football Team

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KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
PHL	D	241.6	7.2	63.8	27	11	43
WSH	QB	200.3	6.7	62.2	18	13	50
WSH	D	238.9	7.6	62.2	35	13	46
PHL	QB	253.9	6.6	63.8	27	8	37

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WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
PHL	D	195	2809	14.4	21
WSH	WR	179	2075	11.6	14
WSH	D	190	2406	12.7	21
PHL	WR	146	1647	11.3	11

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TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
PHL	D	65	681	10.5	4
WSH	TE	44	467	10.6	3
WSH	D	85	878	10.3	9
PHL	TE	155	1610	10.4	12

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RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
PHL	D	18.7	3.7	10	87	7.4	1
WSH	RB	19.7	4.4	7	75	8.8	1
WSH	D	26.2	4.7	11	96	8.4	5
PHL	RB	24.1	4.4	14	90	9.0	4

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EAGLES WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Sanders 613

Howard 280

Agholor 690

Jeffery 493

Arcega-Whiteside 489

Hollins 395

Ertz 932

Goedert 770

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
TE	Ertz	135
TE	Goedert	87
WR	Jeffery	73
WR	Agholor	69
RB	Sanders	63

WASHINGTON WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

Peterson 402

Thompson 310

McLaurin 764

Harmon 482

Quinn 425

Richardson 399

S. Sims 310

Sprinkle 600

Hentges 230

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	McLaurin	93
RB	Thompson	58
WR	S. Sims	56
WR	Quinn	47
WR	Harmon	44

Mastermind Moment: Eagles QB Carson Wentz is dinged a bit, but ready for the season to start. Against Washington, he is a top 12 fantasy QB play with his WR corps a bit gimpy. RB Mile Sanders is also gimpy, but if he can practice fully on Friday, should be ready to go. If he starts, you start him against a mediocre Washington defense. RB Boston Scott will back up Sanders and give him breathers here and there, but unless Sanders sits, Scott has little fantasy value. WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder/foot) is unlikely to play, while WR Jalen Reagor (shoulder) may or may not play himself. We will update their status later in the week. WR DeSean Jackson is healthy, and will start as the lead WR, so that makes him a solid WR3 this week against Washington. Watch and learn for the rest of the WR corps. TE Zach Ertz is upset about his contract situation, which should motivate him even more. He remains a must fantasy play when healthy. TE Dallas Goedert deserve some consideration for fantasy owners in need against Washington. Do not be surprised if he scores this week (along with Ertz). As for Washington, the only guys to seriously consider for fantasy starts are RB Antonio Gibson (in a RBBC) and WR Terry McLaurin. I do not have a high opinion of QB Dwayne Haskins, so we shall see if his play change my mind. The rest of the RBs, WRs, and TEs do nothing for me for fantasy. Yeah, I heard a lot about TE Logan Thomas impressing in camp... Watch and learn!

Sun

4:05 PM

Los Angeles Chargers

Cincinnati Bengals

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
LAC	D	200.3	7.3	66.0	21	11	30
CIN	QB	249.6	6.5	57.8	18	16	48
CIN	D	244.8	8.3	57.8	25	11	31
LAC	QB	290.5	7.8	66.0	24	20	34

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
LAC	D	173	2063	11.9	11
CIN	WR	213	2756	12.9	9
CIN	D	165	2626	15.9	14
LAC	WR	178	2499	14.0	8

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
LAC	D	65	693	10.7	6
CIN	TE	77	721	9.4	6
CIN	D	66	798	12.1	6
LAC	TE	68	792	11.6	6

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
LAC	D	22.6	4.3	14	89	7.0	4
CIN	RB	20.7	3.9	5	65	8.0	3
CIN	D	24.3	4.6	12	76	9.2	4
LAC	RB	21.3	4.1	12	148	8.4	1

CHARGERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Ekeler 599 Gordon 427	Allen 931 Williams 839 Patton 506	Henry 614 Green 378

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Allen	149
RB	Ekeler	108
WR	Williams	90
TE	Henry	76
RB	Gordon	55

BENGALS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Mixon 653 Bernard 443	Boyd 978 Tate 647 Erickson 615 Ross 403	Uzomah 644 Eifert 491

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Boyd	148
WR	Tate	80
WR	Erickson	78
TE	Eifert	63

Mastermind Moment: Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor gets his first start as the Los Angeles QB this week. While he could produce decent numbers, no fantasy owners will trust their season- long team to him. He is only a placeholder until rookie QB Justin Hebert shows he is ready to play. RB Austin Ekeler is the real deal, and while RB Justin Jackson and rookie RB Joshua Kelley will take some touches away, Ekeler will produce enough to be a solid RB1 this week. WR Keenan Allen was drafted as a WR2 by most fantasy owners, so you will start him this week. Against the Bengals, that is a good idea. WR Mike Williams (shoulder) may or may not play, but you should bench him until he's healthy. The rest of the wideout corps have no value at this time. TE Hunter Henry is a serious weapon, and is a top 10 fantasy TE play at Cincinnati. Bengals rookie QB Joe Burrow makes his first NFL start this week. He should do fairly well this week, but given the fact it's his first game, you should bench him to ensure he can produce something of value before starting him. RB Joe Mixon is the heart and soul of the Bengals offense, so you start him with a smile. He should do well in this game. WR A.J. Green is on track to play, saying he's finally 100% healthy. He and WR Tyler Boyd make for solid WR3s for fantasy this week. Sit WR John Ross and rookie WR Tee Higgins to see how much playing time each get. TE C.J. Uzomah is not a TE you want to start for fantasy right now. That could change, but let's make sure he develops some chemistry with Burrow first. Watch and learn!

Sun

4:25 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New Orleans Saints

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
TB	D	270.1	7.0	60.6	30	12	47
NO	QB	276.9	7.6	71.9	36	6	25
NO	D	241.8	7.0	71.9	27	13	51
TB	QB	320.4	8.1	60.6	33	30	47

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
TB	D	240	3176	13.2	21
NO	WR	205	2417	11.8	16
NO	D	204	2801	13.7	18
TB	WR	223	3566	16.0	26

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
TB	D	83	954	11.5	7
NO	TE	70	956	13.7	12
NO	D	72	772	10.7	5
TB	TE	74	837	11.3	5

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
TB	D	18.8	3.0	8	83	5.8	1
NO	RB	20.8	4.5	10	124	9.4	6
NO	D	17.8	3.6	7	94	6.6	4
TB	RB	21.1	3.6	14	82	8.7	1

BUCCANEERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Jones 415 Ogunbowale 361 Barber 339	Godwin 937 Evans 792 Perriman 645	Howard 782 Brate 431

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Godwin	121
WR	Evans	118
WR	Perriman	69
TE	Brate	55
TE	Howard	53

SAINTS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Kamara 626 Murray 434	Thomas 942 Ginn 608 Smith 458	J. Hill 649 Cook 502

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Thomas	185
RB	Kamara	97
TE	Cook	65
WR	Ginn	56

Mastermind Moment: Saints QB Drew Brees should produce nicely in his home game against the Bucs in what could be his final opening contest. That makes him a top 5 fantasy QB play. RB Alvin Kamara is healthy, and hopefully ges his new deal soon. If he starts, like he should, then you start him. RB Latavius Murray deseves a bit of fantasy consideration in larger leagues this week. WR Michael Thomas is THE WR to own for fantasy, making him a no-brainer start. WR Emmanuel Sanders is the new #2 WR, but is a risky fantasy option due to the good chance he will see less chances than he used to get with other teams. Watch and learn in his case. The rest of the wideout corps are very risky fantasy plays due to inconsistent targets. TE Jared Cook may see less targets with Sanders on the team, but remains a serious scoring threat, keeping him a top 12 fantasy TE option. New Bucs QB Tom Brady looks good to go in his new uniform. The Saints have a quality defense, and WR Mike Evans (hamstring) may not play, making Brady a possible risky option for fantasy. RB Ronald Jones is the starter, but RB Leonard Fournette will breathe down his neck. Against a solid Saints run defense, Jones is barely a top 25 fantasy RB play. I sit Fournette until his role becomes known. We will update the playing status of Evans later in the week. WR Chris Godwin looks like a good fit for Brady, making him a must fantasy play this week. WR Scotty Miller could fill a Julian Edelman role on the team. Watch and learn! TE Rob Gronkowski is healthy, so that make him a top 12 fantasy TE play this week. I'm curoious to see how much playing time TE O.J. Howard gets in this game.

Sun

4:25 PM

Arizona Cardinals

San Francisco 49ers

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
ARZ	D	281.9	8.0	64.1	38	7	40
SAF	QB	251.8	8.4	69.2	28	13	36
SAF	D	169.2	5.9	59.2	23	12	48
ARZ	QB	237.3	6.9	64.1	20	12	50

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
ARZ	D	225	2761	12.3	16
SAF	WR	152	2122	14.0	15
SAF	D	188	2110	11.2	17
ARZ	WR	238	2593	10.9	11

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
ARZ	D	98	1173	12.0	16
SAF	TE	102	1154	11.3	7
SAF	D	66	552	8.4	6
ARZ	TE	40	545	13.6	4

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
ARZ	D	23.6	4.2	9	94	8.4	5
SAF	RB	26.7	4.8	19	77	9.8	6
SAF	D	19.4	4.2	7	63	6.3	0
ARZ	RB	17.5	4.6	14	77	8.6	5

CARDINALS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Johnson 437 Drake 405 Edmonds 207	Fitzgerald 887 Kirk 791 Byrd 455	Williams 488 Clay 396

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Fitzgerald	109
WR	Kirk	108
RB	Johnson	47
WR	Byrd	46
WR	Johnson	42

49ERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Coleman 381 Mostert 362 Breida 255	Samuel 709 Sanders 487 Bourne 465 Pettis 313	Kittle 804 Dwelley 360

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
TE	Kittle	107
WR	Samuel	81
WR	Sanders	53
WR	Bourne	44

Mastermind Moment: 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is ranked beyond the top 15 fantasy QBs, since the team is run-heavy. That said, he should be good for at least one score. RB Raheem Mostert has impressed this summer, and looks ready to produce well at home against a beatable Cardinals run defense. That makes him a top 20 fantasy RB play. RB Tevin Coleman and RB Jerick McKinnon will see some playing time, but are unlikely to produce well enough for serious fantasy consideration. McKinnon is a pass-catching back, so that may change down the road if he can prove that he can stay healthy. Both WR Deebo Samuel (foot) and WR Brandon Aiyuk (hamstring) are uncertain to play, so we will update their status later in the week. The rest of the wideout corps are big fantasy risks. TE George Kittle remains the bread and butter of this passing game, so if you own him, you start him. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is a top 5 ranked QB for the 2020 season, but slides beyond the top 10 fantasy QBs for the week due to the tough opponent. RB Kenyan Drake looks good to go, so if you own him, you start him. He ripped the 49ers for a big game last year. I'm not saying he will repeat that feat, but his potential makes him a solid RB2 with upside in week #1. WR DeAndre Hopkins will debut as a Cardinal this week. His talent alone makes him a no-brainer fantasy play. WR Christian Kirk and WR Larry Fitzgerald do not rate in the top 50 fantaasy WRs this week due to the tough road opponent. None of the Cardinals TEs have any real fantasy value at this time.

Sun

8:20 PM

Dallas Cowboys

Los Angeles Rams

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
DAL	D	223.5	6.8	65.0	21	7	39
LAR	QB	291.8	7.4	62.8	22	17	22
LAR	D	226.6	7.0	62.8	23	13	50
DAL	QB	306.4	8.2	65.0	30	11	23

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
DAL	D	172	2158	12.5	13
LAR	WR	249	3218	12.9	15
LAR	D	207	5477	12.0	13
DAL	WR	224	3475	15.5	20

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
DAL	D	104	1016	9.8	6
LAR	TE	110	1168	10.5	5
LAR	D	70	893	12.8	6
DAL	TE	95	900	9.5	7

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
DAL	D	20.3	4.0	11	94	7.5	2
LAR	RB	20.9	3.8	17	37	9.2	10
LAR	D	23.3	4.2	12	68	8.0	4
DAL	RB	24.2	4.7	14	69	7.6	3

COWBOYS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Elliott 937 Pollard 199	Gallup 846 Cooper 845 Cobb 720	Witten 845 Jarwin 434

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Cooper	119
WR	Gallup	113
WR	Cobb	83
TE	Witten	83
RB	Elliott	71

RAMS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Gurley 787 Brown 222	Woods 986 Kupp 884 Cooks 701 Reynolds 480	Higbee 696 Everett 440

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Woods	139
WR	Kupp	134
TE	Higbee	89
WR	Cooks	72
TE	Everett	60

Mastermind Moment: Rams QB Jared Goff is an interesting fantasy play this week at home against the Cowboys. That said, I just don't get the feeling that he will blow up in this game, as Dallas' secondary is improved. As a result, he's not a top 12 fantasy QB option. The Rams running game in a big 3- headed RBBC, with RB Malcolm Brown likely to start this week. Fantasy owners of rookie RB Cam Akers must be patient, as HC Sean McVay says he wants the best back to win the starting job. Hopefully, that is Akers, but that is not a lock. This week, I'd sit all three backs and sit back and watch... and learn. Both WR Robert Woods and WR Cooper Kupp are solid WR2 options at home against the Cowboys. Kupp has a leg issue, but should be fine. WR Josh Reynolds is the new #3 WR, at least for this week. If he struggles, then look for WR Van Jefferson to get his chance. That said, now is not the time to start either player. TE Tyler Higbee blew up down the stretch last year, and enters 2020 as the starter. Against the Cowboys, he is a top 5 fantasy TE play. Keep an eye on TE Gerald Everett, as coaches want to get him more involved. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has become an elite fantasy QB, so if you own him, you start him. This week is no different. Stud RB Ezekiel Elliott has recovered from COVID-19, so you start him when he's healthy, no questions. WR Amari Cooper is dinged, but should be good to go this week. If he starts, then you start him, but do not expect a big game due to Mr. Ramsey. WR Michael Gallup is a solid WR3 this week, while rookie WR CeeDee Lamb makes his debut. Lamb could surprise in this game, but I usually sit rookies to see how they fit in with their new team before I start them. Lamb is no different. TE Blake Jarwin starts with TE Jason Witten in Las Vegas. Tha said, I'm not a big fan here, so start him if you like, but he's not in my top 15 fantasy TEs for the week due to the inconsistent targets he will get.

Mon

7:15 P.M.

Pittsburgh Steelers

New York Giants

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
PIT	D	194.6	6.7	61.8	23	20	54
NYG	QB	254.4	6.7	61.9	30	17	43
NYG	D	264.1	8.0	61.9	30	10	36
PIT	QB	200.9	6.3	61.8	18	19	32

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
PIT	D	172	2229	13.0	13
NYG	WR	212	2598	12.3	20
NYG	D	205	2888	14.1	22
PIT	WR	169	2166	12.8	11

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
PIT	D	65	669	10.3	8
NYG	TE	95	913	9.6	7
NYG	D	74	825	11.1	8
PIT	TE	53	408	7.7	3

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
PIT	D	23.9	3.9	5	75	7.5	2
NYG	RB	18.8	4.2	9	69	6.6	2
NYG	D	24.6	4.0	13	90	8.4	0
PIT	RB	21.5	3.7	7	93	6.9	4

STEELERS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Samuels 362 Conner 328 Snell 166	Johnson 652 Washington 634 Smith-Schuster 573	McDonald 684 Vannett 391

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Johnson	92
WR	Washington	80
WR	Smith-Schuster	70
RB	Samuels	57
TE	McDonald	55

GIANTS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Barkley 728 Gallman 163	Slayton 701 Tate 624 Shepard 602	Engram 444 Smith 433

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Tate	85
WR	Slayton	84
WR	Shepard	83
RB	Barkely	73
TE	Engram	68

Mastermind Moment: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger looked great in camp, coming off a major elbow injury. Against the weak Giants secondary, he is a top 10 fantasy QB play. Start him if you need him. RB James Conner is the workhorse back the Steelers will use, and he is healthy, so if you own him, you start him against the Giants. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is healthy and has Big Ben back, making him a solid WR2 this week. WR Diontae Johnson is gimpy, so we will update his status later in the week. If he sits, WR James Washngton would deserve a bit of fantasy consideration, filling the team's #2 WR job against the Giants. WR Chase Claypool has some hype regarding his talent and practice sessions this sumer. Watch and learn. TE Eric Ebron will be used all over the field by the coaches, as they like the mis-matches he draws. Tht gives him some interesting fantasy value this week. TE Vance McDonald is the forgotten man, but should be watched to see if he can manage to draw some of Big Ben's attention again. Giants QB Daniel Jones does not draw a top 20 fantasy QB ranking this week against a stout Steelers secondary. RB Saquon Barkley is a STUD and he's healthy, and we always start our healthy STUDs. WR Sterling Shepard and WR Darius Slayton are not top 40 fantasy WRs this week due to the tough opponent. WR Golden Tate (hamstring) may or may not play, so it's best to sit him, since this is a Monday night game. TE Evan Engram is healthy, making him a top 8 fantasy TE option against Pittsburgh. His talent alone rates him a solid play.

Mon

10:10 P.M.

Tennessee Titans

Denver Broncos

KEY STATS: Position Defense vs Position Offense

QUARTERBACK:

TEAM	POS	YD/GM	YPA	C%	TD	INT	SKS
TEN	D	255.0	7.3	66.3	25	14	43
DEN	QB	212.6	6.7	61.9	16	10	41
DEN	D	225.6	7.1	61.9	19	10	40
TEN	QB	247.3	8.8	66.3	29	8	56

WIDE RECEIVER:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
TEN	D	203	2662	13.1	13
DEN	WR	154	2046	13.3	9
DEN	D	170	2232	13.1	14
TEN	WR	171	2571	15.0	17

TIGHT END:

TEAM	POS	REC	YDS	YPR	TD
TEN	D	80	916	11.5	9
DEN	TE	69	804	11.7	6
DEN	D	90	974	10.8	3
TEN	TE	76	948	12.5	7

RUNNING BACK:

TEAM	POS	CpG	YPC	TDR	REC	YPR	TDC
TEN	D	21.5	4.0	13	101	7.5	3
DEN	RB	22.4	4.2	11	89	6.2	1
DEN	D	23.6	4.0	7	88	7.0	2
TEN	RB	23.0	4.8	16	47	9.0	3

TITANS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Henry 589 Lewis 366	Davis 713 Brown 678 Sharpe 431 Humphries 375	Smith 701 Pruitt 439

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Brown	84
WR	Davis	69
WR	Humphries	47
TE	Smith	44

BRONCOS WEEK 1 OUTLOOK:

2019 SNAPS:

RB	WR	TE
Lindsay 513 Freeman 506	Sutton 933 Hamilton 653 Sanders 355	Fant 695 Heuerman 397

2019 TARGETS:

POSITION	PLAYER	TARGETS
WR	Sutton	124
TE	Fant	66
WR	Hamilton	52
RB	Freeman	50
RB	Lindsay	48
WR	Sanders	44

Mastermind Moment: Titans QB Ryan Tannehill got a new lease on life when he took over the starting job in Tennessee last year. He nearly got the team into the Super Bowl. That said, the Broncos secondary is still a good one, which keeps Tannehill a mediocre fantasy play at best this week. 2019 rushing champion RB Derrick Henry is healthy, so if you own him, you start him against everyone. WR A.J. Brown got a lot of hype this summer, and is a solid WR2 this week against the Broncos. WR Corey Davis is dinged, so he's best left on your fantasy bench. Davis is on his last chance to show the Titans he deserves to start. The rest of the Titan wideout corps are very risky options at best. TE Jonnu Smith is a borderline fantasy start in large leagues this week. He can make the big plays, but too often disappears. Broncos QB Drew Lock may not have WR Courtland Sutton (shouder) this week. Againsrt the tough Titans defense, Lock should be benched regardless. RB Melvin Gordon and RB Phillip Lindsay are both top 30 fantasy RB plays. Gordon should see most of the goal work, but do not be surprised if Landsay out-points Gordon this week against a fast defense. We will update Sutton's status later this week. WR Jerry Jeudy will debut in the NFL this week, and Broncos fans are excited. They should be, as he is a precise route-runner. Jeudy would get a fantasy bump if Sutton sits. The rest of the Broncos WR corps are big risks for fantasy. TE Noah Fant is an interesting sleeper play for fantasy this week. He does not rank in the top 15, but has some potential to produce a nice game, especially if Sutton sits.

End.

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