2 years agoSo, Austin Cindric is on the bubble as Bristol looms Saturday night. The good news is that Cindric will start ninth in his Team Penske Ford. The not so good news is that quite a few drivers are eyeing that 12th position which Cindric holds currently. The driver is among seven Ford's who qualified in the first 11 positions on the grid. Now can he maintain that momentum come the later stages on Saturday? Bristol has not shown the usual wear it does in practice so maybe Cindric has a shot at contending on a track he has less experience at.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoChristopher Bell has been racking up points on the stages in the NASCAR Playoff Chase. Because of that and some nice finishes, Bell is locked into the "Round Of 12" already without even winning a race. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will start a solid eighth on Saturday night. Like Denny Hamlin, Bell and his No. 20 have been quite consistent early on in the postseason. Now, can that continue? Short tracks have seen Bell finish in the top ten in six of his last 13 appearances. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoTwo DNF's have put Kevin Harvick in an extremely bad bind. The Stewart-Haas Ford will start seventh on Saturday night from the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. Simply, the No. 4 car stands dead last in the chase a full 35 points behind the 12th place cutoff. There are plenty of mathematical theories to advance Harvick into the "Round Of 12". However, it is still as simply as "win and get in". Harvick first has to be in a position to win. The Ford driver won in 2020 and was the runner-up last year. Watch for the "third" Stewart Haas car on Saturday night.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoRyan Blaney and his Team Penske car have been pretty solid. The No. 12 Ford stands fifth in the playoff chase and 36 points above the cut line. Blaney will now start sixth at Bristol. The bigger question is can Blaney win this week on the short track? He has led 10.5% of the laps on the 0.533-mile course over the past three years and has two top-five results, too. Blaney has a pattern of nearly winning at quite a few places. When does that turn into a checkered flag? That's a great question.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoKyle Larson leads all active drivers when it comes to led laps percentage at Bristol Motor Speedway (15.8%). The Hendrick Motorsports Racing driver has two top-ten results in his three races over the past three years. That includes the win last September where the No. 5 Chevy led a race-high 175 laps in all. Other than April of 2019, Larson has scored a driver rating of 103 or better in six of his previous seven races on the Tennessee track. The 0.533-mile course suits Larson well as he loves the banking and the lower line. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoDenny Hamlin keeps rolling along in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The No. 11 car ended up fourth in qualifying on Friday as Hamlin is almost a lock to advance to the Round of 12. Behind consecutive second-place results, Hamlin is even a bit of a threat at Bristol. The driver has an average finish of 10.6 on the 0.533-mile course and has two top-five results. That has all come in his past five appearances. The Toyota tends to have some pretty solid late lap speed where they gain tenths of a second on the other cars. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoAlex Bowman and his Hendrick Motorsports Racing car were quite agile on Friday in practice and in qualifying. Overall, Bowman and his No. 48 Chevy ended up third with a lap just under 15 seconds. Though Bowman is below 15th in average finish at Bristol, he is sixth in the playoff chase -- 30 points above the cutoff line. Longer runs did indicate some slowing but a half second is not so alarming on the surface. Bowman may start well but that 250 lap final phase may be problematic for the Chevy. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoChase Briscoe needs all the help he can get as the Stewart-Haas Racing driver is now nine points away from 12th place in the NASCAR Playoff Chase standings. It helps that he is qualified second for the Bristol race on Saturday. However, he likely needs a top-ten result or better. Briscoe's Ford finished 13th on the dirt track as he went for the win but spun out Tyler Reddick and himself instead. That gave Kyle Busch a gift of a win. Briscoe has the ability to get to the front but can he stay there? Discipline is essential for Briscoe as he tries to advance to the "Round Of 12". --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoAric Almirola snagged the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday night. Almirola got around the 0.533-mile track in just 14.946 seconds. The one thing about the 500-lap race at Bristol is it goes by extremely fast. Almirola and the Ford's were quite fast on the high-banked turns. This may be a track that he does not necessarily excel at but the Stewart-Haas setup looked great in practice this week. It will be something to see what happens in race conditions. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR,com

2 years agoNew York Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah (hamstring) is doubtful ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Browns. He had been declared a game-time decision. However, it now appears he won't be out there for Week 2 after not practicing on Friday. Nevertheless, Tyler Conklin may see more targets if Uzomah is ruled out officially, so he has streaming potential for managers in deep formats looking to fill a void.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: New York Jets

2 years agoNew York Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios (heel) practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday. Fortunately, he logged full sessions on Thursday and Friday, so there's a good chance he'll be available against the Cleveland Browns. The 26-year-old played better than expected in Week 1, finishing by catching five of his six targets for 37 yards in the loss to Baltimore. Still, since he's considered questionable, managers should monitor his status right up to kickoff. However, even if Berrios is in uniform, his fantasy services are best reserved for managers in deep formats.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: New York Jets

2 years agoThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense/special teams will look to build on its Week 1 performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. Tampa Bay held the Cowboys to 244 total yards while racking up four sacks and one interception. The Bucs' defense allowed 45 points to the Saints over the team's last two meetings. Sunday's over/under is 44, with the Bucs favored by three points. Tampa Bay's DST should be able to get to quarterback Jameis Winston and contain a Saints offense that could be without star running back Alvin Kamara (ribs), making the Bucs a borderline starting option in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Pro Football Reference

2 years agoNew Orleans Saints running back Dwayne Washington (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Buccaneers. Under normal circumstances, Washington's status for any game wouldn't mean a thing. However, with Alvin Kamara (ribs) and Mark Ingram II (ankle) uncertain for Week 2, Washington could be in line for a more prominent role. Nevertheless, Tony Jones Jr. may also get some touches with the Saints' backfield banged up. Yet, if Kamara is good to go, everyone else's fantasy potential will drop significantly.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Breshad Perriman (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. The 29-year-old joins Mike Evans (calf), Julio Jones (knee), and Russell Gage (hamstring) on Week 2's injury report. Perriman logged 26 snaps in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys but failed to record a catch on three targets. He could see a target uptick with Chris Godwin (hamstring) already ruled out. Perriman is buried on the Bucs' wide receiver depth chart and, if active, is not a recommended start in a tough matchup against the Saints in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Greg Auman of The Athletic

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton did not see a target in his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. He logged 30 snaps and was second behind starter Cameron Brate, who logged 68% of the snaps in Week 1. Tampa Bay is banged up at the wide receiver position with Mike Evans (calf), Julio Jones (knee), and Russell Gage (hamstring) all questionable for Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. Chris Godwin (hamstring) was ruled out earlier. Otton could see an expanded role if any of the three wideouts cannot suit up. The rookie is ahead of veteran Kyle Rudolph on the tight end depth chart but is a dart throw at best in a tough matchup against the Saints in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith (shoulder) was a limited participant at practice throughout the week and is questionable to play on Sunday against Tampa. The 26-year-old didn't suit up in Week 1 after suffering the injury during the final game of the preseason. With Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, and Chris Olave in the lineup, Smith's fantasy potential isn't promising, so his availability for Week 2 will only impact the most desperate managers.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Ryan Succop will look to build on his Week 1 performance when the Bucs take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. He went 4-for-5 in field goal attempts and drilled his only extra point in the Week 1 win against the Dallas Cowboys. Sunday's game against the Saints has an over/under of 44.5. Succop hasn't fared well against the Saints in the team's previous two matchups, totaling just three points in both games. Despite the team's past struggles against New Orleans, Succop is one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL and remains a high-end option in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoMiami Dolphins wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (toe) is questionable for Sunday's game against Baltimore. Wilson didn't practice on Wednesday but logged limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. The toe issue doesn't appear serious, so there's a good chance he'll be in uniform in Week 2. However, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle the primary targets for Tua Tagovailoa, Wilson's fantasy upside is severely restricted if he plays.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Miami Dolphins

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate will look to rebound in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints after securing one of three targets for seven yards in the Week 1 win against the Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans contained star tight end Kyle Pitts and limited him to just two catches for 19 yards in Week 1. Brate logged 68% of the snap share and is Tom Brady's top pass-catching tight end. Tampa Bay has so many weapons with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, Russell Gage, and Leonard Fournette that it's hard to see Brate making any immediate fantasy impact this season. Brate is a boom-or-bust option in a tough matchup against the Saints in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoGreen Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) is questionable for the Sunday Night Football showdown against the division-rival Chicago Bears. The All-Pro continues to make his way back from a torn ACL. However, he has dealt with several setbacks since the injury occurred in January of last year, so the team will undoubtedly be cautious before giving him the green light. With that said, the 30-year-old was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Friday while missing Thursday's session altogether, so there's a chance he may be out there. Nevertheless, with offensive linemen Elgton Jenkins (knee) and Jon Runyan (concussion) also questionable, quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have even more problems in Week 2 than he had during the opener.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Rachaad White rushed six times for 14 yards and brought in both targets for seven yards in his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. He could see an uptick in usage if Leonard Fournette (hamstring), questionable with a hamstring injury, cannot suit up for Week 2's matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The 23-year-old played a complementary role behind Fournette in Week 1, and fantasy managers can expect more of the same this Sunday. Unless Fournette is surprisingly inactive, White is mainly a flex option in deep PPR formats.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoTampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has struggled against the New Orleans Saints and is 0-4 in the regular season against them since arriving in Tampa Bay. In his previous game against the Saints, the 45-year-old owns a 6:8 TD: INT ratio over the last four games against New Orleans. Chris Godwin (hamstring) has been ruled out, but many of the Bucs' skilled position players such as Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Mike Evans (calf), Julio Jones (knee), and Russell Gage (hamstring) are questionable for Week 2. Brady remains a must-start option despite his struggles against the Saints.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoThe New England Patriots defense/special teams will look to contain the Pittsburgh Steelers offense in Week 2. The over/under of 40.5 for Sunday's game is one of the lowest on the slate. New England's defense racked up three sacks and forced two fumbles but couldn't get Miami to turn the ball over in Week 1. The Patriots' defense should have the opportunity to rack up fantasy points against an ineffective Mitch Trubisky and the Steelers' offense in Week 2. New England is 13th among all defenses in Rotoballer's Week 2 rankings and is a borderline streaming option against the Steelers.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Pro Football Reference

2 years agoNew England Patriots kicker Nick Folk did not attempt a field goal and converted his lone extra-point try in the Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins. New England's offense has struggled since the preseason, and the veteran's ceiling depends on if the Patriots can turn things around this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sunday's game against the Steelers has an over/under of 40.5 points, one of the lowest point totals in the Week 2 slate. While Folk is one of the more reliable kickers in the NFL, he might not see enough opportunities in Week 2, making him a borderline streamer against Pittsburgh.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew England Patriots running back Pierre Strong Jr. (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after practicing in a limited fashion this week. The Patriots placed running back Ty Montgomery (knee) on the injured reserve Wednesday, sidelining him for at least three games. The 23-year-old could see an uptick in usage but remains behind top options, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. New England did elevate J.J. Taylor from the practice squad; there's a chance Strong could miss Week 2. Strong is not a strong fantasy option despite seeing an uptick in usage in New England's ground game and can be left on the bench in most formats.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: New England Patriots

2 years agoNew England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry will look to rebound against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 after modest results against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. He caught two of three targets for 20 yards in the Week 1 loss to Miami. The 27-year-old continues to be in a timeshare with teammate Jonnu Smith but did log four more snaps in Week 1. The Steelers rank third in DVOA against opposing tight ends. New England's offense has struggled since the preseason and only mustered seven points in Week 1. While Henry is quarterback Mac Jones' top red zone target, with the recent struggles on offense, Henry is a touchdown-dependent option and a TE2 against the Steelers in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (knee) led the team in receiving in the Week 1 loss against the Miami Dolphins. He caught four of six targets for 55 yards. The 25-year-old dealt with a knee issue in Week 1 but was removed from the injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt and rank 25th in DVOA against the team's opposing WR2. Meyers is 45th in the latest Rotoballer Week 2 rankings among all wide receivers and is a solid flex option in PPR formats.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker was limited to one catch in his debut with the Patriots in Week 1's loss to the Miami Dolphins. He will look for better results against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that allowed Ja'Marr Chase to rack up 129 yards on 10 catches in Week 1. Pittsburgh will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt and is 22nd in DVOA against the opposing team's WR1. Parker logged 57 snaps in Week 1 and has the opportunity to rebound in Week 2, but the Patriots' offense has looked sluggish since the preseason. Parker is a flex play at best as he looks to rebound from Week 1's subpar results against the Steelers in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson should see an increased role in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England placed top-catching running back Ty Montgomery (knee) on injured reserve earlier in the week. Stevenson should see an uptick in targets while Montgomery is sidelined. The 24-year-old rushed eight times for 25 yards and caught both of his targets for two yards in Sunday's 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Steelers defense will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt and recently allowed Bengals running back Joe Mion to rack up 145 total yards. Look for quarterback Mac Jones (back) to utilize check downs and screens while handing the ball off to Harris and Stevenson to prevent further injury to his back. Stevenson is a solid flex play but a better fantasy option in PPR formats in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer

2 years agoNew England Patriots running back Damien Harris split the work out of the team's backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson in the Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He rushed nine times for 48 yards and caught two of three targets for 10 yards in Week 1. The Steelers defense will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt and recently allowed Bengals running back Joe Mion to rack up 145 total yards. Look for quarterback Mac Jones (back) to utilize check downs and screens while handing the ball off to Harris and Stevenson to prevent further injury to his back. Harris is borderline RB2 against the Steelers in Week 2.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Rotoballer