Fantasy Football 2017 - Starts of the Week, Week 2 Matchups, Players to Watch

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Episode Summary
Episode: Fantasy Football 2017 - Starts of the Week, Week 2 Matchups, Players to Watch
Release Date: September 14, 2017

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Overview

In this episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright delve into Week 2 of the NFL season. They provide in-depth analysis of key matchups, player performances, and offer strategic recommendations to help listeners optimize their fantasy football teams. The discussion covers Thursday Night Football and several pivotal Week 2 games, highlighting players to watch and start.

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Thursday Night Football: Texans vs. Bengals

The hosts kick off the episode by analyzing the Thursday Night matchup between the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals.

• John Ross Debut: Andy Holloway highlights the anticipation surrounding John Ross's debut for the Texans.

  Andy Holloway [00:11]: "John Ross is going to make his debut tonight."

• Quarterback Concerns: Deshaun Watson’s first start sparks debate among the hosts about his potential impact.

  Mike Wright [02:46]: "Deshaun Watson could put a positive points. That's a fair point."

• Star Players: The performance of elite wide receivers like A.J. Green and DeAndre Hopkins is discussed, emphasizing their value in fantasy lineups.

  Jason Moore [02:28]: "You have a couple elite superstars out there. You got A.J. Green playing."

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Week 2 Matchups

Browns vs. Ravens

A heated discussion unfolds around the Browns facing the Ravens, focusing on defensive matchups and quarterback performance.

• Ravens Defense: The Ravens' strong defensive lineup leads to skepticism about Deshaun Watson's effectiveness against them.

  Jason Moore [09:03]: "The Baltimore Ravens... are going to be able to shut down the opposition."

• Dalvin Cook’s Consistency: Dalvin Cook's performance is scrutinized to determine if his Week 1 success was sustainable.

  Jason Moore [04:46]: "I'm fully bought in, but I'm a little hesitant... I am not over the moon like some people are on Dalvin Cook yet."

• Fantasy Starts: The hosts debate whether to start players like Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson given the Browns' offensive struggles.

  Andy Holloway [12:32]: "Start Crowell, you didn't see much from Duke Johnson in week one."

Bills vs. Panthers

The Bills take on the Panthers, with a focus on wide receiver targets and running back efficiency.

• Wide Receiver Targets: The Bills’ wide receivers received only eight targets in Week 1, raising concerns about offensive output.

  Andy Holloway [16:10]: "Eight targets total. Reminded me of some of these... [Green Beckham]."

• Running Backs to Start: Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart are recommended to be started, emphasizing their roles despite limited usage.

  Andy Holloway [16:46]: "...they're going to have Burkhead... Start him with a..."

Cardinals vs. Colts

Analyzing the Cardinals' matchup against the Colts, the discussion revolves around running back options and quarterback stability.

• Running Back Usage: Kerwin Williams is highlighted as a viable start over Andre Ellington due to his role in the Colts' offense.

  Jason Moore [20:08]: "That would be Kerwin Williams and he should be okay."

• Quarterback Performance: The uncertain performance of Sam Bradford against a tough Colts defense is examined.

  Jason Moore [40:21]: "Was the same Bradford we saw week one against a bad New Orleans Saints offense... Did he level up on the road?"

Titans vs. Jaguars

The Titans face off against the Jaguars, with a focus on running back performances and defensive strengths.

• Le’Veon Bell’s Ceiling: Despite a disappointing Week 1, Bell remains a top-five running back option, though his performance is under scrutiny.

  Mike Wright [38:53]: "Yeah, he'll be in my top five, but I don't. This will be like one of those weird weeks."

Eagles vs. Chiefs

This matchup pits Carson Wentz against Alex Smith, with attention on tight ends and running backs.

• Tight End Opportunities: Alshon Jeffrey’s potential is discussed, given the Chiefs’ defensive weaknesses.

  Andy Holloway [34:19]: "I like the opportunity that Alshon Jeffrey has in this game."

• Kareem Hunt’s Value: Hunt is praised as a top-tier running back with increasing opportunities.

  Mike Wright [32:45]: "Kareem Hunt is a great start. He's going to be in my running back top 12 rankings if he's playing."

New England vs. New Orleans

The Patriots take on the Saints, with a spotlight on wide receivers and the impact of defensive matchups.

• Doug Baldwin’s Potential: Baldwin is recommended as a strong start due to his home advantage and past performance.

  Andy Holloway [53:36]: "Doug Baldwin, my start of the week."

• Sneaky Plays: Chris Hogan is identified as a “sneaky” start option with high upside.

  Jason Moore [36:01]: "Chris Hogan grabs. I think Chris Hogan gets a touchdown this week."

Vikings vs. Steelers

The Vikings encounter the Steelers, raising questions about running back dominance and defensive capabilities.

• Martavis Bryant’s Risk: Bryant is approached with caution due to lack of recent play and uncertain performance.

  Jason Moore [41:56]: "So I got so much flack for being low on Martavis Bryant that I had to go to the judge."

Buccaneers vs. Bears

The Buccaneers face the Bears, with discussions on tight ends and running back opportunities.

• Tariq Cohen’s Involvement: Cohen is spotlighted as a key player to monitor given the Bears’ defensive coverage.

  Andy Holloway [44:38]: "Tariq Cohen lead the league or lead his team in target."

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Player Recommendations and Strategies

Throughout the episode, the hosts offer strategic advice on which players to start, sit, or watch closely based on Week 1 performances and upcoming matchups.

• Dalvin Cook: Despite a strong Week 1, caution is advised due to opposing defenses.

  Andy Holloway [04:46]: "Look, I think he's going to be great. He's going to be a workhorse."

• Tariq Cohen: High potential but requires monitoring for consistent usage.

  Andy Holloway [05:10]: "I want to see what we got in him."

• Charles Clay vs. Darrell Kelly: Recommendations vary based on matchup safety and upside.

  Mike Wright [13:04]: "I think I'd go Buck Allen."

• James White: Strong recommendation to start based on Patriots' offensive strategy.

  Mike Wright [51:55]: "James White had a near 14% target share... I'm very confident playing James White."

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Start Recommendations by Position

Quarterbacks

• Derek Carr (Raiders): Highly recommended due to a competent Raiders defense and potential for multiple touchdowns.

  Mike Wright [46:43]: "My start of the week, I'm sending in the car. Derek Carr because he's going to put up points."

• Russell Wilson (Seahawks): Encouraged to start with confidence despite Week 1 concerns, especially against a home matchup.

  Andy Holloway [48:06]: "Russell Wilson... I think you start him with confidence."

• Jameis Winston (Buccaneers): Considered a startable option with a plethora of offensive weapons despite a challenging tight end matchup.

  Jason Moore [49:18]: "Jameis Winston... you might be looking at Kansas City and thinking that's a really tough matchup."

Running Backs

• Ty Montgomery (Bills): Praised for a monster Week 1 performance and expected continued excellence.

  Andy Holloway [49:58]: "Tom Montgomery is quickly moving up my board in terms of elite running back options."

• Marshawn Lynch (49ers): Highly recommended to start due to his consistent performance and favorable matchup.

  Jason Moore [50:34]: "Marshawn Lynch looked like the old Marshawn. He's a must start against the Jets at home."

• James White (Patriots): Valued for his dual role in rushing and receiving, especially in high-scoring games.

  Mike Wright [51:56]: "I'm very confident playing James White."

Wide Receivers

• Kelvin Benjamin (Buccaneers): Suggested for his physical advantage over defenders and favorable matchup.

  Mike Wright [52:56]: "Kelvin Benjamin... I expect a bounce back game."

• Doug Baldwin (Seahawks): Strongly recommended to start in a home matchup, leveraging past performance.

  Andy Holloway [53:36]: "Doug Baldwin, my start of the week."

• Jeremy Macklin (Ravens): Initially considered but later preferred over due to matchup uncertainty.

  Jason Moore [54:37]: "I would start Jeremy Macklin."

Tight Ends

• Zach Miller (Bears): Recommended due to his high target share and role as a key pass catcher.

  Andy Holloway [55:11]: "Zach Miller is a very safe play. I've made the decision to sign him and start him over."

• Zach Ertz (Eagles): Valued as the primary target in Carson Wentz’s offense, deemed a safe start.

  Jason Moore [55:15]: "Zach Ertz... The clear number one target for Carson Wentz."

Kickers

• Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots): Boldly recommended as the "boom boom kicker of the week" with a favorable indoor matchup.

  Jason Moore [27:16]: "Stephen Guskowski as my start of the week or as my... boom boom kicker of the week."

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Fantasy News and Updates

• Odell Beckham Jr. Returns to Practice: Beckham is back at practice, making him a potential start for the week.

  Andy Holloway [26:24]: "Odell Beckham Jr. Back at practice today for the first time."

• Injuries and Roster Changes: Updates on player injuries such as Danny Woodhead being placed on IR and Tim Montgomery’s performance highlight the dynamic nature of fantasy lineups.

  Andy Holloway [39:11]: "Danny Woodhead has been added to IR, so the earliest he can return is week 11."

• Play Draft Sponsor: Brief mention of their sponsor, Play Draft, encouraging listeners to join their platform for weekly drafts.

  Andy Holloway [07:40]: "Let's talk about a point of concern here for Buffalo..."

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Conclusion

The episode provides a comprehensive analysis of Week 2 NFL matchups, offering strategic advice on player starts and highlighting key performers to watch. The hosts emphasize the importance of monitoring player usage, matchup strengths, and defensive capabilities to maximize fantasy football success. Listeners are encouraged to engage with the Fantasy Footballers community through their website and social media channels for ongoing support and insights.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Dalvin Cook explodes this week, then, you know, I'm fully bought in, but I'm a little hesitant...”
  — Jason Moore [04:46]

• “Do you want Blal Powell part of an RBBC backfield? Do you want Adrian Peterson part of an rbbc?”
  — Andy Holloway [11:45]

• “Russell Wilson takes care of business, and I'm not worried about him whatsoever.”
  — Andy Holloway [48:06]

• “Marshawn Lynch... he's a must start against the Jets at home.”
  — Jason Moore [50:34]

• “Stephen Guskowski as my start of the week or as my... boom boom kicker of the week.”
  — Jason Moore [27:16]

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For more insights and detailed discussions, listeners are encouraged to join the Fantasy Footballers community at jointhefoot.com and follow them on Twitter at @theffballers.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, Foot Clan. If you listen to this show, you know we are all about equipping you to make great fantasy football decisions each and every week. And we give you the tools that you need. So before we start today's show, I want to remind you about another tool you need to add to the tool belt, and that is the sleeper bot app. If you want breaking news faster than anybody else, if you want all the injury news, if you want sleepers, you want hype coming out of these different team organizations, the sleeper bot app, it's free. You download it, you've got it on your phone, and it's always letting you know the latest breaking news. So you do not miss out on anything. If you've got the news first, you've got an advantage. So check it out. The sleeper bot [e-mail].

[Jason Moore]

Welcome to the fantasy footballers podcast coming to you from the Play Draft studios with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome into the show. The show you know, Joe, Andy, Mike and Jason back.

[Mike Wright]

We got more.

[Andy Holloway]

Thursday, September 14, 2017 the fantasy footballers podcast. Today we have a great show for you. Good, good. Quick question. We'll break down a little bit of news. We've got our starts of the week and we've got some of the Week 2 matchups to get you ready for your fantasy football battles.

[Jason Moore]

Jay Grizz apparently also with us here today.

[Andy Holloway]

It'll be very vicious, vicious battles. You guys, how you doing today?

[Jason Moore]

Doing pretty well. I'm excited for Thursday night Football tonight and to get, you know, once you get that second week of football under your belt, things start to normalize. You can actually try to put together a trend, a little baby trend.

[Mike Wright]

Are you excited for this matchup? For this matchup tonight, Texans, Bengals.

[Andy Holloway]

It'S sponsored by Ambien. No. They could surprise us with. John Ross is going to make his debut tonight.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

You can watch him fix Andy Dalton.

[Andy Holloway]

It could be a lot worse.

[Jason Moore]

Okay. You have a couple elite superstars out there. You got A.J. green playing.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

DeAndre Hopkins. There you go. Miller, drafted high. No, it actually will be fun to watch.

[Mike Wright]

I like the positivity. Brooks.

[Jason Moore]

Brooks bringing the positivity.

[Mike Wright]

It'll be bringing me up.

[Jason Moore]

He's like, the jets aren't playing, so, yeah, we're okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Deshaun Watson, you get to see him start a. Start a game. Mike was not a big fan in reviewing the film.

[Mike Wright]

It's going to be bad.

[Andy Holloway]

You're telling me you're not streaming to Sean Watson?

[Mike Wright]

I am not.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, man. Oh, man. There's probably someone out there that wants to do that.

[Mike Wright]

Please don't.

[Andy Holloway]

Big Clemson fans, please don't. All right.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, for the sake of your fantasy football team, don't do that.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I don't know the other side of the ball. Andy Dalton, negative points last week.

[Mike Wright]

That's. Yeah. Deshaun Watson could put a positive points. That's a fair point.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. On Twitter, you can find us at the FF Ballers. The website's the fantasy footballers.com and the community is jointhefoot.com Quick question of the day, guys. Speaking of week two, doing really well here. What player are you most interested to watch? So Jason just spoke of trends and the ability to see if a player is. I don't know. We always talk about leveling up. Are there players that leveled up? Alex Smith, did you level up?

[Jason Moore]

I'll hop in then and say who I want to see if this is normal for them. And it's Dalvin Cook. So Dalvin Cook, obviously he went ham. He was, you know, complete workhorse and delivered, you know, production on that. But that was at home. That was against the Saints. That game script was perfect for him. So what happens when he goes on the road, goes and plays a better defense in Pittsburgh and when your own defense probably isn't able to control the Steelers as well as they were able to control the Saints, minus Willie Snead at home and the game script won't be perfect. If Dalvin Cook explodes this week, then, you know, I'm fully bought in, but I'm a little hesitant, you know, look, I think he's going to be great. He's going to be a workhorse. He'll be valuable for fantasy. But I am not over the moon like some people are on Dalvin Cook yet.

[Andy Holloway]

Like the man to your left. Yes, I think he's.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I'm unreal. I'm all in on Cook.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And I hope to be, but I'm just not over. I don't want to overdo an at home performance against the Saints. It could be some of that as to why he had such a good game.

[Andy Holloway]

One future super bowl champion Saints that didn't work out well in week one.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

Your reasoning is the same reasoning that I have to watch Tariq Cohen because I want to know how involved he really is. This was a plan in week one. This was intentional by the Bears. They hid him at the end of preseason and then they broke him out as the secret weapon against the Falcons and almost pulled off the upset 12 targets out of the running back spot. Kevin White goes down, he's out for the year. The beneficiary, is it Tariq Cohen. Every single week. How much do we see of him? How much does it matter if you went out and spent 50, 60% of your fab budget like many people did to pick up Tariq Cohen? So I want to see what we got in him. Very impressive week one.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. And just a memo here because our initial rankings came out yesterday and I actually have Cohen the lowest of the three of us and people like what, what's going on, Mike? I mean, because I was the, I was championing Tariq and look, I, I fully believe in him, but I also want to see another week of usage. I think that he was absolutely worth the fab. But before I start giving him, well then this guy's a running back two every single week. I just want to see the production again like Andy the guy. I want to see Kirk Cousins in Washington's offense. It was pretty shaky, been pretty shaky through the preseason. Was shaky week one. Now Kirk Cousins has generally gotten off to a bit of a slow start, especially for fantasy purposes. Now he's got to take on the Rams who decimated a really bad Colts team. Granted the matchup was very favorable, but can Kirk Cousins get things corrected? They have so many capable pass catchers and just should be a really explosive, high powered offense. So I want to see can Kirk Cousins get it going now instead of having to have the slow ramp up and then a mid season dominance by Washington. I want to see it happen right now.

[Jason Moore]

Kirk.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. As Mike said, the way the rankings are up on the website, the fantasy football, I guess I don't know what's going on. Just imagining the amazing performances I'm going to watch tonight on Thursday Night Football. All right, let's, we're going to wrap some of the news into the actual forecast for week number two. So I think we're going to kick it off with these matchups.

[Jason Moore]

Fantasy forecast.

[Andy Holloway]

One quick bit of Thursday Night Football update updates for you. Gary Barnage is scheduled to meet with the Texans. He's a free agent. The Texans lost C.J. fedorowicz for the season, so they need him.

[Jason Moore]

That's, that's pretty interesting. I mean if you've got just a burner spot and you've got open waivers, you might want to grab him before the game. If he signs, he will be used. I mean they, they use the tight end there and they don't have one.

[Andy Holloway]

That's pretty much the Case, one other little tease for you. We talked about Tariq Cohen and that offense in Chicago, the limited pass catching options. I'm going to talk about one of those pass catching options in the starts of the week, so stay tuned for that. All right, first matchup, let's talk about the Browns and the Ravens. Ravens are eight point favorites at home. The game is only a 39 point over under. And the expectation here for me is a very difficult time for desean Kizer in this game. So where do you see the storylines for fantasy coming out of this game? Danny Woodhead, he is out for at least four weeks. Isaiah Crowell had a ton of work in Week one but wasn't very efficient with that work. And the breakdown with Weston Allen?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, I've talked about for the last couple weeks the Ravens defense and their cornerbacks, they are fully legit. That's why I pumped the brakes on Corey Coleman in this game. I don't expect, you know, I think he'll be the number one Browns receiver at the end of the game. Well, actually that might not be true. I think the number one wide receiver at the end of the game might be Duke Johnson, if you consider him as such. But what you have with the Baltimore Ravens is you've got a team that's going to be able to shut down the opposition. They want to run the ball and I think they're going to be in a game script where they will be able to. So I don't expect too much from the passing game. That being said, Joe Flacco plays much better at home. His home road splits. We don't talk about him a lot because he's Joe Flacco's not fantasy relevant, but his home road splits are up there with the Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger that get all the play. He plays much better for fantasy at home than he does on the road. That's why I'm buying into Jeremy Macklin this week. I think the matchup is fine. I don't expect there to be a ton of passing volume. But against the Browns at home with Flacco, I think he'll be safe this week. We'll talk about him a little later.

[Mike Wright]

In week one, the Ravens threw the ball under 29% of the time. That's unheard of. Yeah, it really is in today's NFL.

[Jason Moore]

I also don't expect five turnovers from DeSean Kaiser the way that Andy Dalton you don't.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm shooting for six.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, it's very possible.

[Jason Moore]

I'D still take the under.

[Mike Wright]

Kaiser was looking for huge plays. He was second last week in deep passes, in deep pass percentage, and he holds on to the ball. The Ravens are going to get sacks. Which sacks will lead to turnovers? I mean, this is.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, Terrell Suggs, three sacks.

[Mike Wright]

Right. The question for me is really Terrence West. The Cleveland Browns pretty much shut down Le'Veon Bell. Now, that was Le'Veon Bell, who had no preseason, no training camp, probably rusty. But was that just. Was that more on Le'Veon Bell not being ready to play an NFL game, or was that the Browns could Do they have a decent run defense?

[Andy Holloway]

And that's what you start to learn right now because obviously in week one, they were the best in the league. And does that continue? Is that an outlier? Is that a trend? That's exactly what we're talking about here. Where the Ravens last year, Mike brought it up. I mean, last year they passed the ball 65% of the time. In week one, they didn't even have to pass the 30% of the time. You had two running backs with what, more than 19 carries each? I think Wes had 19. I think Javorius Allen had 21. 21. So that's not the norm. But we'll start to learn the norm in this game. As far as fantasy starts, you're starting Isaiah Cruelty.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

The commitment to the run is what matters to me. And take it from a guy who lost David Johnson and you scan the league and you look around for total carry count and you look around for all these RBBCs and every opportunity that I have to pick up a running back, they all look the exact same. It's like, gross. Do you want Blal Powell part of an RBBC backfield? Do you want Adrian Peterson part of an rbbc? Do you want, you know, Thomas Rawls part of an rbbc? It doesn't matter who you pick if you don't have one of those main guys. You know, I was looking at trading for Marshawn lynch just because I 18 carries looked okay. So you starting Crowell, you didn't see much from Duke Johnson in week one. And do you start Buck Allen? Would you flex Buck Allen in this specific matchup not knowing what his role will be absent of Danny Woodhead?

[Mike Wright]

I would.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I would as well.

[Mike Wright]

When you're talking flex and I mean, maybe you're in that situation where you have to running back to Javori Sound and I'm okay with that. The they were at least committed to him. I Don't expect him to outrush Terrence West. Terrence west is the much better runner.

[Andy Holloway]

But can I put you on the spot with a Buck Allen question?

[Mike Wright]

Sure.

[Andy Holloway]

Buck Allen in this matchup or Rob Kelly against the Rams?

[Mike Wright]

Kelly.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, last one. Buck Allen in this matchup or would you go with Gio Bernard tonight against Houston?

[Mike Wright]

I think I'd go Buck Allen.

[Jason Moore]

I would go Buck Allen there as well.

[Andy Holloway]

Buck Allen or John Brown? Flex question.

[Mike Wright]

The flex.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, that's.

[Mike Wright]

I'm going to go John Brown.

[Jason Moore]

So that would be a matchup dependent one. If you're going up against the beast and you want a high upside, I think John Brown has a real shot to have a great game. But if you need a safe floor, if you're the favored guy in your matchup, then I would go Buck Allen. I think his. He has less of a chance of putting out zero to two fantasy points than John Brown does.

[Andy Holloway]

We should circle back to John Brown here in a couple matchups. We're going to talk about the Cardinals. I have some thoughts about some good starts in that game. All right. The Bills travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Bills had a buy in week one face the Jets. And the Panthers are seven point favorites here. 43 point over under highlights from this game. I think Tyra Taylor is a very okay start in this game.

[Mike Wright]

Tyrod Taylor is almost always an okay start because of the rushing floor. You, you're guaranteed 40 rushing yards from Tyrod Taylor and you can look at that however you want. You know, that's almost, that's a touchdown. If you're in a four point, that gives you some leeway. He can throw two interceptions because you know that they're going to get wiped off by rushing production. So he, Taylor is lucky.

[Andy Holloway]

He gets to throw two.

[Mike Wright]

Just, just say like however you want to look at it, you're plus four points.

[Andy Holloway]

Here's the rushing leaders. Here's the rushing leaders at the quarterback position for week one. Russell Wilson, 40 yards. Tyrod Taylor, 38 yards. Then it was Cousins with 30, Mariota with 26, Dak Prescott with 24. Matt Staff. Your Matt Stafford was 10th with 15 yards and Cam Newton was not on the list. Cam Lute. Cam Newton, I believe, rushed off. I think he had like either three rushes for six yards or six rushes for three yards. I mean it was, it was minimal.

[Mike Wright]

Cam Newton, to his credit, I think that he's being wise in this situation. He knows that he cannot get hit on that shoulder right now because it's going to hurt and he doesn't want to have any setbacks here. I mean, you got to. You got to protect your body.

[Andy Holloway]

You saw the impact on Russell Wilson last year when he was hobbled. He couldn't run, he couldn't take chances, and it impacted his fantasy numbers.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, the good news is the Bill's defense is not great. So I think the opportunity for Cam to have an okay game the way that he had last week against the 49ers is there. He's an okay start. Definitely not someone I love right now, but, you know, you're going to be. You're going to be.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's talk about a point of concern here for Buffalo. I don't know if you guys already looked at the stats, so if you have. Have not, don't peek. How many times were the Buffalo Bills wide receivers targeted in week number one?

[Mike Wright]

I already looked.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you know the answer to that question?

[Jason Moore]

I do not.

[Andy Holloway]

Total targets for the wide receiver position?

[Jason Moore]

Total target. Well, so I'm going to assume low.

[Mike Wright]

And how low can you go?

[Jason Moore]

I would guess, I don't know, 17.

[Andy Holloway]

You would be wrong.

[Mike Wright]

Very wrong.

[Andy Holloway]

Eight times, the fewest in the NFL. Eight targets total. Reminded me of some of these. What was the Tennessee Titans a couple years back when there were Delaney Walker targets and nothing else. That was back when what you had. Who am I thinking of on the outside in Tennessee?

[Mike Wright]

What, when Wright was there?

[Andy Holloway]

No, when he went to Philly. And the name's escaping me.

[Mike Wright]

Green Beckham.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, Green Beckham. Yeah. So, Buffalo, we can talk all we want about how much we might like Jordan Matthews or Zay Jones or Andre Holmes, who had a touchdown last week, but eight total targets?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it's not going to get it done.

[Jason Moore]

And yet I might get it done to, like, one player.

[Mike Wright]

And yet Tyron Taylor was 14 yards of completion.

[Andy Holloway]

It's funny, because that's not even receptions. That's just total targets. That's the times. How many drawbacks did he have? And then he looked at wide receivers eight times.

[Mike Wright]

Charles Clay, baby. Charles Clay.

[Jason Moore]

Charles Clay and the running backs. Those two are where you're going to get the production from the Bills offense.

[Andy Holloway]

Unfortunately, Charles Clay is once again banged up, so you need to monitor him this week. But that's the truth. He always is. Because I love the upside of Charles Clay. I love the option for you to start him this week. If you were a player that, you know, you had a mediocre tight end performance of week one. Clay was the pickup.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I do worry a little Bit. I mean, the Panthers are usually good against the tight end. I mean, you know, when you've got the middle of the field covered with the guys that they've got Luke Kuechley out there, they know that Charles Clay is important and they have the guys that can guard him. So I don't love the start of Charles Clay this week, but I do like Charles Clay rest of season a lot.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Greg, say are you, are.

[Mike Wright]

You comfortable rolling out both McCaffrey and Stewart this week?

[Jason Moore]

We were.

[Mike Wright]

Last week it was against San Francisco.

[Jason Moore]

I think the Bills are a shade or two above San Francisco. Sorry, Bill's fans. Oof.

[Andy Holloway]

Jonathan Stewart was fifth in the league last week in yards after contact and if you look at total carries, rushing attempts, he's in that top 10 as well. He had 18 rushing attempts in week one. And so they've also said they're going to limit the reps for Christian McCaffrey. They don't want to, I think that the metaphor was they don't want to take all the wear off the tire, so to speak. So I think you can start both. I really do. And I think McCaffrey, you're looking for him to produce fantasy points in the passing game. Seven targets last week. Are you. Is there anybody else in this game? Kelvin Benjamin.

[Mike Wright]

I love Kelvin Benjamin this game.

[Andy Holloway]

This is a big bounce back opportunity.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Would you buy him now?

[Mike Wright]

I mean it's always everything depends on the cost.

[Andy Holloway]

But if you can get $18.

[Mike Wright]

If you can get it, because I mean, you're buying them low. It wasn't a great week in what looked like a fantastic matchup. So yeah, if you can.

[Andy Holloway]

He had one, one catch last week, 25 yards.

[Mike Wright]

I'm certainly interested if I can, if I can get him low.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, last week he did. He was targeted five times. So that's something where, you know, the opportunity was there, the production wasn't. Maybe it's a goodbye low. The Cardinals. Oh, the Cardinals. They take on the Indianapolis Colts.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, the Cardinals.

[Andy Holloway]

Now the Colts are at home and yet they're seven and a half point dogs in this matchup. It's nice to see somebody else believing in them Cardinals because these three homers here, I don't think we have a bright. No, a bright future.

[Mike Wright]

Over under is 44.

[Andy Holloway]

The over under is 44.

[Mike Wright]

I'll take the under.

[Andy Holloway]

Carson Palmer, Jacoby Brissette or Tolzine, we don't know yet. And this is going to be the start for Kerwin Williams. But the RBBC of Williams, Chris Johnson, And Andre Ellington.

[Mike Wright]

That was news though, that yesterday the Arians came out and said Kerwin Williams.

[Andy Holloway]

Will be the starter and that Chris Johnson was signed. So Chris Johnson is there third on.

[Jason Moore]

The depth chart right now.

[Andy Holloway]

Yep. Andre Ellington will be utilized in the passing game. Let's talk a little bit about. I think we've already said, like if you had to start one running back from Arizona, I guess I'll ask you that question. Who would you start?

[Jason Moore]

That would be Kerwin Williams and he should be okay. I mean, the Indianapolis Colts are one of the best teams to play against.

[Mike Wright]

With the game script. I do expect the Cardinals still to win this game and which then could limit Andre Ellington as a pass catcher. And you're just looking for and hoping for a rushing touchdown here. And you got to go. The probability is Kerwin Williams, Frank Gore.

[Andy Holloway]

Marlon Mack, the backfield in Indianapolis. I know, Mike, yesterday your pump the brakes was the entire Colts offense. Yep. Is. I mean, are you holding true to what you said? You're not starting a single player on that entire offense?

[Mike Wright]

I am not.

[Jason Moore]

I am willing to start Dante Moncrief. Oh, I know.

[Andy Holloway]

How can you start Dante Moncrief? I don't understand. Here's one catch last week.

[Mike Wright]

Pull me once.

[Andy Holloway]

Here's how total receptions for the wide receivers for Indianapolis last week.

[Jason Moore]

Sure. Here's how I could choose to do the to start Dante Moncrief. It's a combination of what you saw in Arizona with Detroit last week. Okay. The secondary cornerback for Arizona has been a problem for a while. Justin Bethel is not a great cornerback. He's slowly getting better, but he's still a matchup that you target in fantasy football. I think that will be Dante Moncrief. And you saw when Jacoby Brissette came into the game. Oh, lo and behold, Dante Moncrief gets a 50 yard bomb. And it was a good pass and a great reception. I believe that Jacoby Brissette, assuming he's the starter, will be able to, you know, take advantage of the bad matchup for the cornerback with a good wide receiver. So I don't love it. I'm not saying, hey, get your Moncrief in. I'm just saying if you're in a situation where you're choosing between a couple lower guys, I think Moncrief has at least the opportunity to score a touchdown. You know the Colts are going to score, right? I guess there's no guarantee right now.

[Mike Wright]

The only way I'm playing Moncrief is I know something has happened in my life. I have ingested something poisonous, right? I need to get it out of my body. I need to vomit to save my life, right? I'll plug Moncrief in because that will induce some visceral sickness inside my body and I'll be safe. So that feels like I'm doing it. It feels like.

[Andy Holloway]

We're playing the same clip from last week where Jason said to start Moncrief over Hilton, which by nature you're saying right now, you're saying the only start I do is Moncrief. Are we going to water bet Moncrief Hilton again?

[Jason Moore]

No, no, no, no. I would start doing Crefe. Hilton and Moncrief to me are darn near the same.

[Andy Holloway]

But what if, what if, because Hilton.

[Jason Moore]

Will be the number one target, but he'll have the better coverage, the number two target will have worse coverage.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, so you're starting Hilton.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, if you look at the rankings right now that I have, Hilton and Moncrief are lower end flex type of possibilities to plug in. That's.

[Mike Wright]

That's how I see more like impossibilities. Am I right?

[Jason Moore]

Well, all right. Okay, let's, let's take a break here before we get to the next game. Want to tell everybody a little bit more about play draft. You've heard us talk about them forever. They are our studio sponsor and we play them all the time. We'll do a draft against each other tomorrow. But you hear us talk about, you know, draft [e-mail] ballers and you might want to know, well, what is it like, how does it work? If you're not familiar, they are drafts that last for just one week and there's no management. You just set it, you forget it. Once you're done drafting that, that's it. There's no trades, no waivers. Draft even takes care of last minute injuries for you. Draft start like every couple minutes they're starting. I mean, just non stop. So you can join one right now. The best part, you could play for cold hard cash. Okay. Drafts start from just $1. So there's a draft for everyone and you can win some money right now. You will get a free entry into a real money draft. When you make your first deposit, just go to playdraft.com ballers or take out your, you know, your iPhone, your Android and go to the store and search for draft and then put in the promo code ballers either way and join us in a really fun fantasy football game.

[Andy Holloway]

All Right.

[Mike Wright]

I just want to update the foot clan real quick because people were asking me. We had talked about. We're doing, you know, a food bet.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

With draft every week. And some were like. Because the footage was supposed to happen yesterday.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And I was on the clock. It was my turn to eat something gross. So we go out. Andy orders me some. What were they?

[Andy Holloway]

Garlic mussels.

[Mike Wright]

Garlic mussels. I have a rule that states my food must have between two and four legs.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Nothing from the sea for Mike.

[Mike Wright]

Like, full on Swanson.

[Andy Holloway]

So I knew this was.

[Mike Wright]

So this was a bad choice. And the waitress comes out with the regular lunch. There's no muscles. And I'm just.

[Andy Holloway]

He had been sweating profusely.

[Mike Wright]

I am George Clooney from Perfect Storm. Like, in the shadows. I have slunk down into the booth hoping that this will just disappear. Then Andy says, we're waiting on the muscles. And then her face says, oh, no, I have forgotten this. And so the mussels don't come, but the payout for the muscles was, you know, an apology. And then she gave us a piece of cake.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

I feel like I have done my service.

[Andy Holloway]

You have not to this. Here's what I'm saying. Well, here's the thing.

[Mike Wright]

I got you free cake.

[Andy Holloway]

You did give me free cake. Since you both lost last week. And normally on a regular week, there's one loser of the competition, and that person eats something terrible because I've won one today. Here's what's happening at lunch today. Mike, you are choosing Jason's. Jason, you are choosing Mike's. That is what is happening here.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I like it.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

So you are choosing. You're punishing one another.

[Mike Wright]

Get ready to eat a big old bowl of Mac and cheese. Oh, man.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to put meatballs on your Mac and cheese so hard.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Brooks, you need to make sure.

[Jason Moore]

All right. So don't you.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm going to put meatballs on your Mac and cheese so hard.

[Mike Wright]

Dude, don't get me a cheeseburger.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Here's some fantasy football news. You want to. You want to hear about fantasy football breaking news. Odell Beckham Jr. Back at practice today for the first time. Just individual drills right now. He's not going full team, but if he's back at practice, please start this week.

[Mike Wright]

I think he starts.

[Andy Holloway]

I've got more breaking news. Oh, you know, we joke about Jason being the boom boom kicker of the week, which is on today's show. Right. Like the boom boom kicker of the Week.

[Jason Moore]

Oh no.

[Andy Holloway]

There's only one player in our league of record that just spent $11 on a kicker.

[Mike Wright]

Dang it. I put a bid on him. I hope no one saw.

[Jason Moore]

I knew you would.

[Andy Holloway]

Jason purchased you. Darn Goskowski. What was your bid, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

It was just like 2 bucks. I was.

[Jason Moore]

I don't care.

[Andy Holloway]

$11 is what Jason just paid for a kicker.

[Jason Moore]

Boom boom. Guess who my boom boom kicker of the week is?

[Andy Holloway]

Unbelievable. I bid on him for zero.

[Jason Moore]

Look, my team right now. Well, let's talk fantasy. What's the next match?

[Andy Holloway]

This is fantasy. I'm giving them an insight into our league of record where you value kickers the very most of anybody.

[Jason Moore]

I don't value kickers the very most, but Andy has taught me this over time. When you have to like what he's doing right now with the David Johnson. Sometimes you have to buy yourself weekly wins. You have to go, I need to win this week because I'm in a poor matchup.

[Mike Wright]

$11. I got him.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, you did.

[Mike Wright]

Was I second highest? All right, let's move on to. Probably move on to the matchups.

[Andy Holloway]

The Tennessee Titans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

[Mike Wright]

I was Jaguar. Dang it.

[Andy Holloway]

That just means Jason overpaid. 43. $43, 43 point over under the Jaguars. The Jaguars are two point underdogs at home. Mario de Bortles, you've got DeMarco Murray. A lot of people really disappointed in DeMarco Murray in week one. I'm. Look, I've seen DeMarco Murray play for long enough. I'm not going to put him in that. You know, I think they, they were disappointed because it was the matchup with Oakland. That's.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's why. But the thing is to, to focus on. Derek Henry didn't do anything either. And DeMarco Murray got the bulk of the touches. That's. That's the important piece of that puzzle. It sucks you didn't get fantasy output, but Murray is still the guy.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, absolutely. And I believe basically his performance fell into like I think only one time last year he had under 50 yards in rushing. So. Leonard Fournette had a great week one. Impressive on film and off.

[Mike Wright]

He was a beast.

[Andy Holloway]

TJ Eldon is practicing in full. Will be back this week. Chris Ivory spelled Fournette last week and.

[Mike Wright]

What was interesting is on quite a few third downs they put, they put Ivory in to be the pass catcher. I mean what, what is the deal with that? If you're gonna, if you're gonna have a guy who is Maybe the pass catching is a little iffy. Just keep Fournette out there.

[Jason Moore]

Right. And you have TJ Yelden who's.

[Mike Wright]

Well, Yelden didn't play weak. That's what I'm talking about.

[Andy Holloway]

Unlike the Titans of the past and unlike the Buffalo Bills of this year, the Titans wide receivers were targeted 29 times which was number one in the league. You saw a number of targets go Corey Davis way. I think the timetable of Corey Davis relevance for fantasy was sped up immensely with his week one performance. I'm a big Corey Davis fan. I think Corey Davis is going to have a Great year. Wide receiver 2 capable year. What about Eric Decker though Mike? That was a disappointing performance fantasy wise in week one.

[Mike Wright]

It certainly was. He did. I mean he was getting some targets, some opportunity. It just didn't happen in week one. I actually am though. I'm downgrading all the pass catchers. I buy into Jacksonville's pass defense. It if I and Decker, Matthews, Davis, none of these guys are top options for you. So this isn't like I'm taking advantage of a matchup. It's I would prefer to bench the all of them if I had the firepower on my bench.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I agree it's the combination of good opposing defense but also you don't usually know where it's going to go anyways. So I think this is a game where DeMarco Murray hopefully rebounds in a in a big way. I wouldn't want to start a single one of the pass catching op options outside of Delaney Walker.

[Mike Wright]

Yep. Hearns are leading.

[Andy Holloway]

Jacksonville forced three fumbles last week. You just spoke about their defense. Are you streaming Mariota and are you playing the Jacksonville defense in this game at home against Tennessee who can be very high scoring.

[Jason Moore]

Mariota I think is an okay stream even though you say I don't. I mean when when I half of the equation was Jacksonville but the other half was just you don't know where the ball's going to go to pick is it going to be Decker or Rashad Matthews or Corey Davis or Taywan Taylor. You know they have so many good options there but you know similar to like with the Patriots when we go we're not sure if it's going to be Chris Hogan this week or if it's going to be but you know Tom Brady usually is going to be okay and I think this is one of those things where Mario to his combination of being a dual threat will allow him to be safe. I don't have him as you know a top five guy this week because of the defense. But if you're streaming an option, I think he's, you know, he's much safer than Andy Dalton this week playing against a difficult matchup.

[Mike Wright]

The problem for the Jaguars, I mean all those sacks. The offensive line for Houston was an abomination. Okay. I'm talking about week one when I was watching what was happening. I mean it was, it was a disaster for, for both Savage and Watson. I mean, pressure immediately. Clays Campbell was. Four sacks was a dominant. But my point on that is the Titans much better offensive line. So I don't expect that kind of a defensive performance again from the Jags.

[Andy Holloway]

I had to choose between Marquis Lee and Alan Hearns to sign as a flyer and I chose Marquis Lee this week.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Lee is the play for this particular matchup.

[Andy Holloway]

The Eagles take on the Chiefs this week. You have Carson Wentz facing off against Alex smith, the number one fantasy football quarterback. Chiefs are five and a half point favorites at Arrowhead, 47 and a half point over under. You're looking at some opportunity here for both offenses. I think you're going to see. You know, it'll be neat to see what Kareem Hunt can do in his second week. He put up a performance that was nearly double any other fantasy running back in week one.

[Mike Wright]

So just, I want to preface this, Folklon, prepare for a bit of a letdown because he's not going to get you 50 fantasy points this week.

[Andy Holloway]

No, no. But what does he do this week against that Eagles defense?

[Mike Wright]

I think he is a great start. He's going to be in my running back 1 top 12 rankings if he's playing. He's a great running back, great opportunity. And you saw this. I mean, all his production to him, he played, I believe, around 57% of the snaps. So he can do even more once he's building up the rapport. And Andy Reid has full comfort in leaving him in on third downs. So it's Kareem Hunt is every week he's. He's already an. Every week started for me.

[Andy Holloway]

For a lot of people where they got Cream Hunt though, they are going to have to make a decision like would you play Kareem Hunt or would you rather play Ty Mongo against Atlanta? Because those are scenarios that could happen.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's a. I think that's a fair point.

[Jason Moore]

A really good. I would still lean Kareem Hunt. I would do by a hair. And the reality is, if you've got both those guys, get one in your flex. I mean, you're playing both of those. I have both as a top 10 option for this week. But that being said, I do think that the Eagles defense is underrated. I don't think I get enough credit right now, you know, compared to, say, Jacksonville. And it's like, oh, the. Their defense is awesome. I think the Eagles are a great, you know, normal streaming.

[Mike Wright]

They're not a pushover, that's for sure.

[Andy Holloway]

I like the opportunity that Alshon Jeffrey has in this game. I nearly made it my start of the week. Marcus Peters does not shadow, so you're going to be able to put Alshon Jeffrey in positions to succeed. And I think with what we've seen from Carson Wentz, this could be an Alshon Jeffrey game. You had the kind of breakaway broken play for Aguilar last week that I don't think anybody expects to happen repeatedly. I would expect Austin Jeffrey to have a better week, too. What do you do with the running back situation in Philadelphia? Is it hands off?

[Mike Wright]

Yup.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Mike Wright]

No, thank you.

[Andy Holloway]

All right.

[Jason Moore]

Aguilar, I think I had mentioned, you know, that because Marcus Peters was there and Alshon's there, number one, that maybe Aguilar would be a better second option. But Philip Gaines is there. That's who he's going to be running into. So I'm kind of tempering my expectations on Aguilar for this week as well.

[Andy Holloway]

New England travels to New Orleans. That's the expectation. 56 point over under six and a half point underdogs. The Saints are 66 and a half point underdogs. I think this is obviously a game where Tom Brady gets the opportunity to bounce back. I think James White has a great game. I think you see Brandon Cooks exacting some revenge on Sean Payton and unfortunately against me in our league of record. What are some sneaky plays from a game that should have some sneaky plays? You know, you saw Tommy Lee Lewis targeted on a couple deep balls last week by Drew Brees. So there has to be some. Some sneaky plays.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, Tommy Lee Lewis is the sneakiest of sneaky.

[Andy Holloway]

I think he's a great dfs.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's ours. That's the only kind of sneaky start he.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, because the problem is you don't want to pick him up and take a roster spot.

[Mike Wright]

No, thanks.

[Jason Moore]

He might be this week one for 50, right? Exactly. I would much rather pick up and play and have Chris Hogan, who people are disappointed with after week one. But the reality was he had down the field targets that just didn't connect and now he's got a great matchup where the Saints are going to be able to score at home against the Patriots. And so then the Patriots are going to be able to score against the New Orleans Saints. You see this, this is a great thing for fantasy football. So I think Chris Hogan grabs. I think Chris Hogan gets a touchdown this week. I've got him decently high in my rankings. He is the sneaky start.

[Andy Holloway]

Who's going to score again?

[Jason Moore]

Chris Hogan.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, okay.

[Jason Moore]

What I say.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I was just. You were saying the Patriots are going to score on the Saints. The Saints are going to score on the Patriots.

[Mike Wright]

Everybody. Everybody is getting touchdowns.

[Andy Holloway]

Kobe Fleener.

[Mike Wright]

I like Kobe Fleener a lot. I mean, he's. He's a fine play.

[Andy Holloway]

Adrian Peterson.

[Mike Wright]

No, actually, if you. If you're looking for rushing touchdowns from Adrian Peterson, maybe you get it.

[Andy Holloway]

But I think you're going to see double. I'm going to predict it right now going on record that you're going to see double the snaps that Peterson had last week.

[Jason Moore]

So.

[Mike Wright]

So he's going to play 10 snaps.

[Andy Holloway]

That's not true. You know, he had more than that.

[Mike Wright]

12 snaps.

[Andy Holloway]

I think 16 to 20.

[Jason Moore]

Another sneaky play could be Alvin Camara, especially if they get down at home. You saw the usage he was in on second downs. He was used in passing situations. I'm excited. He's another one of those guys that I could have answered the quick question with. Who are you wanting to pay attention to? Because this is an opportunity to succeed as opposed to on the road in Minnesota.

[Andy Holloway]

Danny Medola listed now with a knee injury on top of his concussion.

[Mike Wright]

Man.

[Andy Holloway]

So this is why we like Chris Hogan.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. This is not unexpected from Amendola.

[Andy Holloway]

If.

[Mike Wright]

But honestly, if Amendola is cleared and.

[Jason Moore]

He plays, you put him in.

[Mike Wright]

I will put him in my lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Even if you get a half out of him.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I will play.

[Jason Moore]

You will. You'll get one half, but it'll be productive.

[Andy Holloway]

The Minnesota Vikings, fresh off of their impressive offensive performance, take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, fresh off their disappointing offensive performance. The Steelers are six point favorites at home in this game, 45 and a half point over under. Vegas is siding with the rusty side of the Pittsburgh Steelers as opposed to any sort of trend. Bradford had a monster week. Big Ben got it done in the second half of that matchup. Dalvin Cook left. Bell, Love Bell. Certainly a disappointment in week one. Mike's talked a lot about him having no camp, no opportunity to kind of shake the rust off, but maybe Cleveland just has a very good rushing D. The thing Is the Vikings have a pretty good rushing D as well. Lev Bell. What's the ceiling this week? Is he going to be in your top five?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he'll be in my top five, but I don't. This will be like one of those weird weeks where he won't be my number one guy. He is right now, but I'm already evaluating that situation. But he'll still be in the top five.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, geez. That freaked me out.

[Mike Wright]

That really startled me.

[Andy Holloway]

I know. I tried to guess the pause and you were not pausing, but I hit the button anyway. Danny Woodhead has been added to IR, so the earliest he can return is week 11. Jeremy Lankford has been called up to the active roster, so Langford now is joining the Buck Allen Terrence west rotation. Mike Striking. Good luck getting back into your thought after that.

[Mike Wright]

What? Where am I?

[Andy Holloway]

What were you talking.

[Mike Wright]

Who are you people? All right, so I don't even know, man. I don't even know.

[Andy Holloway]

Where am I?

[Jason Moore]

Sam Bradford is another interesting guy. You know, was the same Bradford we saw week one against a bad New Orleans Saints offense legit or defense? Was. Is he legit? Did he level up on the road? This whole Minnesota offense, Diggs, Thielen, Cooks and Bradford, I want to see them on the road against a difficult team and see if that can help. That's, you know, are they good enough as a team to be able to succeed?

[Mike Wright]

It's.

[Jason Moore]

I think we get an almost upset here. Is this.

[Andy Holloway]

No, no, I don't believe in that. I think Pittsburgh takes care of Minnesota at home. Yeah. I think the Steelers defense is underrated. I think that you're going to see. Would you start very difficult environment.

[Jason Moore]

Asking for a friend. Would you start the Steelers defense against what you saw last week and the new Dalvin Cook Minnesota Vikings?

[Andy Holloway]

I'd like another option. I'd much rather start somebody like Tampa against Chicago this week. Even though, you know, Chicago didn't perform or didn't produce fantasy points for Atlanta's defense last week, I am starting Diggs and Thielen. I think those are great options. Both finished in the top five and fantasy points last week. So until further notice, I think you can count on the targets and the receptions there. Antonio Brown's a lock. Let's talk about Martavis Bryant because you're saying plug him in.

[Mike Wright]

Plug him in. I get it.

[Jason Moore]

It's.

[Mike Wright]

It's the Vikings have a good defense and they held, you know, Ted Ginn in check for the most part. Martavis Bryant is it. If there's Ever a time to play him, you play him at home.

[Andy Holloway]

What if he duds in this game? What is your thought then? You got two the first two games out of the gate. It's kind of, you know, it's going to.

[Mike Wright]

It's going to feel really, really bad. And perhaps you want to bench him until you see him. Like, you talk about rust for Le'Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant hasn't played football in years.

[Jason Moore]

So I got so much flack for being low on Martavis Bryant that I had to go to the judge. And I'm telling you, you're going to want to sit Martavis Bryant this week.

[Mike Wright]

There's no way.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, you know, you two need to figure out a water bet right here, right now, based on that.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

Just some sort of fantasy point threshold.

[Mike Wright]

Top.

[Jason Moore]

You're saying top 20.

[Mike Wright]

You're saying don't play him.

[Andy Holloway]

Top 24. Top 24.

[Mike Wright]

I'll take a top 24.

[Jason Moore]

Let's do it. Water bet.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, the fact is, though, if you're saying don't play someone, that means they're not even in your top 36.

[Jason Moore]

Top 24. Water bet, Mike. So, yeah, I know I'm confident enough.

[Mike Wright]

Because I am courageous. I am not the coward over there saying bench a guy.

[Andy Holloway]

I would be very cautious.

[Mike Wright]

I bet he doesn't finish on the top 15.

[Andy Holloway]

I say don't take a week one victory lap on Martavis. But you did make a bold call this week. You said, sit him down at home.

[Jason Moore]

Trey Wayne's is going to be fun for him.

[Mike Wright]

Three butt catches this week. From our taste, that's the prediction. Three butt catches, no hands, just butt cheeks.

[Andy Holloway]

I understand that. That's why they're bringing Gary Barnage back in Houston. They want to improve their butt catches per game statistic. They're very into metrics over there. The Bears. The Bears.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. He's good.

[Jason Moore]

How's his butt?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, yeah. It's your area of expertise. Bears, Buccaneers, Bucks finally get to play in 2017. 7 point favorites at home. 43 and a half point over. Under. I think that's right. I think that's right. I'm not expecting I would actually take the under in this matchup. I think you're just going to see some of the things you see in the beginning of a year. First game for DeSean Jackson in this offense. Opportunity for Jaquiz Rogers getting the start. Do you start Jaquiz Rogers against this Bears defense at home?

[Mike Wright]

I do.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I do, too.

[Mike Wright]

I do. I would have him as a top 24 option.

[Andy Holloway]

Brooks is nodding. He would start to quiz.

[Mike Wright]

I think Brooks has to.

[Andy Holloway]

Is that just.

[Mike Wright]

I don't know. I'm just, just guessing.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you starting him in one of your leagues, Brooks?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, yeah, definitely.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

You do get the.

[Andy Holloway]

I didn't know you had him.

[Jason Moore]

You do get the advantage here too, of coming off a training camp, having that week one bite. It's a really weird thing and they'll have a disadvantage as time goes on. But they've got now two weeks to prepare for the Bears and, you know, while the Bears have to shift gears and for the first time prepare inside of a week. So I, you know, I think there is some advantage there to the Buccaneers offense now.

[Mike Wright]

Jordan Howard was added to the injury report on Wednesday. It's a shoulder. He was a limited participant. Do we have any, any hesitation and he is frowning like he had not heard that.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm just frowning that I didn't spend more money on Tariq Cohen based on that news. I think that I don't, I don't have any concern.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he's going to play. But Cohen is a very interesting player to watch, especially this week.

[Andy Holloway]

That's why he's on that list for me. I just want to see what the involvement is and how much they have to use him because they don't have other options. They have Kendall Wright and Josh Bellamy and my start of the week, Zach Miller.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, the Buccaneers Spoiler. The Buccaneers, look, they have a strong front seven. They have good linebackers. So it won't be as easy and.

[Andy Holloway]

It won't be up the middle for Cohen. That's the thing. It's going to be. It's going to be Mike Glennon freaking out and finding Cohen underneath.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Which he's going to do.

[Mike Wright]

And the thing is he's going to freak out. That's for sure.

[Andy Holloway]

The thing is, is Cohen is and has been a big play guy, whether in preseason or the first game of the regular season. He is that Darren Sprols. It only takes one play to make him fantasy relevant for that week. So I'm very excited to see this, this matchup. You know, you're starting Mike Evans. I don't know if there's anybody else to talk about. Is there a tight end on the Buccaneers side?

[Mike Wright]

I would be willing to start Cameron Brait. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I wouldn't remember how open Austin Hooper was once.

[Andy Holloway]

One time.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

It only took 12 targets, so. Right.

[Mike Wright]

But Jameis Winston targets Cameron Braid far more than Matt ryan has it.

[Andy Holloway]

O.J. howard is going to get targets, too.

[Mike Wright]

He's also going to block more than Cameron Braid. Just saying, the guy coming off of.

[Andy Holloway]

A great year, that's put you top 12. I mean, you're saying you're willing to start him. That means you're willing to go. You're basically saying, I'm going to start Cameron Braid over all of these week one flashes, whether it's a cook, whether it's Zach Miller in the same game. Are you willing to start him over Zach Miller?

[Mike Wright]

Ooh, maybe. Maybe that's an eval. Stay tuned to the rankings, ladies and gentlemen.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, it's time for our starts for this week, too.

[Jason Moore]

Starts of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. You want to start at the quarterback position?

[Jason Moore]

Sure.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Mike, why don't you kick it off?

[Mike Wright]

I'm scrolling down. All right, this one. I'm not going to overthink it. My start of the week, I'm sending in the car.

[Jason Moore]

Sending the car.

[Mike Wright]

J E T S Derek Carr.

[Andy Holloway]

Send in the car. Send in the car.

[Mike Wright]

Because he's. He's going to put up points. I mean, they were very impressive. And what was even more impressive for me was that the Raiders defense was actually competent, unlike what they were for the majority of last season. So this is a. This is just, you know, putting that confidence on Derek Carr. I expect at least two touchdowns, so. Top 12 quarterback, easy.

[Andy Holloway]

It was interesting. They. They passed the ball on. On 50% of their first downs in week one.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it absolutely makes sense. And they're. They're trying to get Amari Cooper even more involved. And once. Once Amari Cooper really unleashes, you know, then really big things can happen for.

[Andy Holloway]

It's actually funny that the top five teams that passed the most on first down was. It was Derek Carr, Trevor Simeon, Alex Smith, Sam Bradford, and Carson Wentz.

[Mike Wright]

Just what I would expect.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, or not. The point is they all won. The top five teams, the highest percentage of very interesting passing on first down, all won.

[Mike Wright]

It's almost like passing is more valuable than running today's NFL.

[Andy Holloway]

That's a ridiculous conclusion based on that information. Russell Wilson is my start of the week. Look, you drafted him to start him, but week one might have gotten you a little worried. And I want to give you the comfort of a home matchup for Seattle. I think Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson takes care of business, and I'm not worried about him whatsoever. So I think you start him with confidence. Don't overthink it. Don't try to struggle Alex Smith over him. Don't go grab Trevor Simeon over him. Don't be cute. Just play Russell Wilson.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And I'm going to, you know, stick to a very similar line. I don't think the Bears are great by any means. And I think Jameis Winston, we just talked about that. He's got the extra week to prepare. I think he has the weapons. We kind of forget about Jameis because he had that week one bye. But you've got Sean Jackson, you got O.J. howard, you brought up Cameron. Brait was good last year. You got Mike Evans. This is an offense that should be able to score, including Jameis Jaquez Rogers being able to catch the ball. So Jameis Winston, if I've got him, you know, I'm starting him. I don't think he'll be a top five quarterback, but he's certainly going to be a startable quality option this week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's move over to the running back position. I'll kick it off. I've got time on gummery. Get him in your lineup. This means making a decision for many of you because of where you got time Montgomery. If you're faced with that decision of putting him in as that running back to over a lot of other options. I think Tom Montgomery has an absolute monster week. The carry totals were there, yet his most career touches last week that he's had ever since he came into the NFL. He looked the part. Jamal Williams only had, I believe, two touches in this game. So I think Tom Montgomery is quickly moving up my board in terms of elite running back options. Start him. Start him with a. Start him with a smile.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Full confidence on time.

[Mike Wright]

Smiles are free.

[Jason Moore]

I love the idea of starting Time Montgomery, but I'm going to pick an old man who I'd start over time Montgomery.

[Mike Wright]

What?

[Jason Moore]

Yes, he is Frank Gore. Well, don't you put that evil on me.

[Mike Wright]

No, I'm talking about him over time Montgomery.

[Jason Moore]

Well, I'm talking about my number five ranked running back this week, and that is Frank Gore. Marshawn Lynch. Look, Marshawn lynch looked good last week. His fantasy day was nothing, you know, overtly special. But when you watch the film, how did Marshawn look to you guys? Did you.

[Andy Holloway]

He looked outstanding.

[Jason Moore]

He looked like the old Marshawn. He's got the great offensive line. They are at home. They are 14 point favorites against the Jets. I'm calling for the double touchdown from Marshawn lynch this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Love it.

[Jason Moore]

I think a touchdown is a virtual guarantee. He is a must start against the jets at home. And that's that says nothing. Like, I am not buying into the narrative thing. That's all based on what I just said. However, there is still the narrative. This is his first Oakland Raider home game.

[Mike Wright]

We're going to this way.

[Jason Moore]

No, I'm. That was, I mean, when I, when I looked and made this start of the week, it was based on the fact that Oakland has the highest expected point total from Vegas for a home team. And I'm like, well, I love running backs in a plus home situation. Oh, now I see why. Because the jets are going to be able to score. And then after all that, it dawned on me. I was like, oh my goodness. This is beast mode at Oakland for the first real time.

[Andy Holloway]

For a team that passed 50% on first down, a down in which Marshawn lynch always owned in Seattle, he still had 18 carries in week one. So that's impressive to me. 18 carries in a game you were winning or that was competitive. And a team that passed 50% on first down. Very impressed with Marshawn Lynch. I love that start this week. Mike, who's your running back start of the week?

[Mike Wright]

My running back start of the week? James White. I love the matchup. You get the Patriots in a high scoring game with the Saints last week, James White had a near 14% target share. He was identical with Chris Hogan. He's going to get targets. And here, here was the interesting thing. He had 33% of the carries of the running back carries. I mean that's, that's not what you expected when, when James White started the season. It, it looks like the Patriots are going to roll with Gillislee and James White and Burkhead is just going to every once in a while get happened to get on and get a snap or two. But White and Gilsey are going to be the predominant running backs and I just. So I want a piece of that action. So I'm very confident playing James White.

[Andy Holloway]

The way you're talking about James White seems to extend beyond this week.

[Mike Wright]

That is very correct.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, Mike, why don't you give us your wide receiver? Yeah, you're doubling up, sir Mix a lot. Yep.

[Mike Wright]

Kelvin Benjamin. I like this matchup as well. He should see E.J. gaines. He got banged up last week. But here's the thing. Calvin Benjamin has a 6 inch 50 pound advantage if E.J. gaines is the one who is predominantly covering him.

[Jason Moore]

And that, that's nice.

[Mike Wright]

And look, Kelvin Benjamin. Kelvin Benjamin is not a separation guy. He is a contested catch guy out bodying people and he can certainly out body E.J. gaines. I expect a bounce back game and I like Kelvin Benjamin this week.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm stacking it up. Russell Wilson, he disappointed you week one. So did Doug Baldwin who basically was non existent in that matchup. It all gets right this week. Don't, don't fear go start Doug Baldwin. I think at home. Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, big weeks. Doug Baldwin, my start of the week.

[Jason Moore]

Doug Baldwin is another guy. If you're unaware that has much better home road splits. So he's coming home. I'm going to go with Jeremy Macklin. You know, I talked about the Joe Flacco home road splits. I don't expect there to be a ton of volume but I'm making him my start. Not as one of those absolute must starts but he's, he's going to be one of those questionable guys this week where a lot of people are going do I start him or another guy. And I think you're going to get production from Jerry Macklin. I think he will be the number one wide receiver option at home for Joe Flacco. I'm confident to start him.

[Andy Holloway]

I feel like because of the way you qualified that I'm going to need to put you on the spot and give you some start sit questions for Jeremy Macklin. Real quick, would you start Calvin Benjamin or Jeremy Macklin?

[Jason Moore]

I would start Jeremy Macklin.

[Andy Holloway]

Would you start?

[Jason Moore]

No, I would not. I would start Kelvin. I wanted to go Macklin but it's just not the truth.

[Andy Holloway]

Jeremy Macklin or Devonte Adams?

[Jason Moore]

Devonte Adams. He was almost my start of the week. In fact, I'm telling you, if you're out there and you're worried I had a close friend who was benching Devonte Adams. I think that's a mistake.

[Andy Holloway]

Jeremy Macklin or Adam Thielen?

[Jason Moore]

I would go Jeremy Macklin.

[Andy Holloway]

Jeremy Macklin or Jarvis Landry?

[Jason Moore]

I would go Jeremy Macklin.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, I already gave you mine. Jason, you went with Macklin. Why don't you give us your tight end?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, my tight end is Zach Ertz. He's my guy this year. He was great. Week one. The clear number. Love that target Share the yeah. The clear number one target for Carson Wentz. And you might be looking at Kansas City and thinking that's a really tough matchup. They've been good against tight end for.

[Andy Holloway]

Shut down Gronk week one.

[Jason Moore]

But yeah, the reason they shut down Gronk was because they have an incredible player in the middle of the field who tore his Achilles and his out. So now they have a hole right there where the targets are going to go, I think, Zachary. It's a safe start. And plug.

[Mike Wright]

Don't do it, Andy.

[Andy Holloway]

They have a hole at the.

[Mike Wright]

Don't do it, Andy.

[Andy Holloway]

Tight end.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Zach Miller, my start of the week at the tight end position. He was second in targets last week. Kevin White's gone for the year. I've already illustrated the delightful situation Mike Glennon finds himself in with Kendall Wright and Josh Bellamy as pass catching options. I wouldn't be surprised to see Zach Miller, Tariq Cohen lead the league or lead his team in target. So Zach Miller, I think, is a very safe play. I've made the decision to sign him and start him over. Austin Hooper and Evan Ingram in our league of records.

[Mike Wright]

A good, good choice.

[Andy Holloway]

And so, Jason, you went with Ertz. I said Zach Miller. It's the double Zach. Is there a Zach left over for you, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

Nope.

[Andy Holloway]

Zachary Fleener, maybe.

[Mike Wright]

I'm gonna let it ride, baby. Colby Fleener. He's at home. Willie Snead.

[Andy Holloway]

You actually have that as a note. Let it ride with an exclamation point.

[Mike Wright]

Willie Snead is still out and you may not want to hear this. He played pretty well last week. I know that the touchdown was garbage. Garbage time. But there could be some garbage time in this one as well. But he looked solid and we've known from. Jason explained this in his ridiculously bold hot take on our hot take show that Kobe Fleener could be a top five. It. It takes tight ends some time to acclimate to this system. So I'm going to ride Kobe Fleener out until he lets me down. And that's why he's my start of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, you want to run back those start of the weeks real quick.

[Mike Wright]

So we got Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Derek Carr, Ty Montgomery, Marshon, James White, Doug Baldwin, Brandon Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin and Zach Miller. Zach Ertz, Kobe Fleener.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, that was Jeremy Macklin instead of Brandon Cooks.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, yeah. Sorry, Jason. I had another. You didn't want to bring him up?

[Jason Moore]

Well, yeah, I forgot to bring him up because Brandon Cooks. Look, you're going to start.

[Andy Holloway]

Nobody's not starting.

[Jason Moore]

That's why I didn't bring him up. He is. He's an obvious start of the week, but. Oh, he going to start hard. You going to be good, I think. I mean, I've got him as my number two wide receiver this week. He's playing in New England and where. Or in New Orleans, where he is used to playing. There's huge over under. I mean, We've seen him disappear in games like that before to be sure. I don't think it's going to happen. I think that New England needs him in order to succeed. Jason Moore's ironclad locked and loaded, 100% guaranteed boom boom kicker of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

Do I need to add $11 to that?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, you saying I put my money where my mouth is?

[Mike Wright]

I was really hoping that.

[Jason Moore]

That he snuck through because you don't even have a kicker. You drop them to pick someone up. I noticed that and it was for that reason. I knew that. And when I told you that yesterday and I mentioned that I knew you didn't have a kicker. That's why I had to pay up, because I went, oh, I shouldn't have done it. Because now you knew that I knew that you needed a kicker. So I'm going with Stephen Guskowski as my start of the week or as my I'm sorry, Ironclad locked and loaded, 100% guaranteed boom boom kicker of the week. There's just too many points. It's indoor. There will be opportunities, plenty of extra points, some field goals.

[Andy Holloway]

No, you don't need to explain yourself. You just. You just have to pick somebody.

[Jason Moore]

Goskowski.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. You're giving this segment too much credibility.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, last week, Matt Bryant. That worked out.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, roll them again this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Roll them again.

[Jason Moore]

It's going to be good.

[Andy Holloway]

That is it for today's episode. We'll be back with the rest of the matchups tomorrow. And make sure you keep it right here. Check out jointhefoot.com Become a part of our fantasy football community. Thank you to everybody who listens to this show, supports this show. We appreciate everybody who sends in questions for the mailbag. We know we can't get to every single one of them, but I promise you we get to as many as we can. We're always trying to take care of our listeners. An example that would be Sunday morning. Mike hops on a periscope with everybody, answers as darn questions as he can. And occasionally he will do his hair beforehand. Most of the time he will not.

[Mike Wright]

That's false. I always looking good.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, that's even the same as doing your hair.

[Mike Wright]

Even when my hair is not done, it's still done.

[Jason Moore]

I like it.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, you've pulled off the whatever I'm wearing is what I'm wearing life goal.

[Jason Moore]

I chose this.

[Mike Wright]

If you're gonna play some DFS, check out playdraft.com.

[Jason Moore]

Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy footballers Podcast. Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter at theffballers.