2 years agoTennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry was one of the most notable Week 1 busts. Against the New York Giants, he rushed 21 times for just 82 yards, good for 3.9 yards-per-carry. Since he's not a pass-catcher, his fantasy production has often been reliant upon touchdowns, and his Week 2 outlook should be viewed in that light. The Buffalo Bills' defense looks strong in the front seven, but given Henry's preseason fantasy draft capital, there should be no consideration to bench him. Last year, Henry rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns against the Bills, so perhaps another vintage primetime performance will come for the two-time rushing champion.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: StatMuse.com

2 years agoTennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill faces a tough matchup against a strong Buffalo Bills defense on Monday Night Football. This means he could be one of the lowest-scoring QBs in Week 2, but there's also a scenario where he booms. If Buffalo gets out to an early commanding lead, Tennessee will be forced to pass in an attempt to keep up. It's tough to expect the Titans' offense to be efficient in this matchup, but he could get it done thanks to pure volume. As always, Tannehill is a threat to score rushing touchdowns in the red zone, too. Ultimately, there are better options to stream this week, but there is a wide range of outcomes here for the Titans' signal-caller.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: FantasyPros

2 years agoOakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy went 2-for-4 with a double, triple, run scored and two strikeouts in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Murphy is quickly becoming one of the better hitting catchers in the big leagues, as he currently sports a .253/.333/.443 slash line with 18 home runs, 33 doubles, 64 RBI, 61 runs scored and a stolen base in 479 at-bats over 132 games. He's been a bit cold in the month of September so far (.204 average with a homer and six RBI), but fantasy managers should keep riding him in their starting lineups the rest of the way. Murphy has gone 7-for-24 (.292) in his last six contests.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoThe Detroit Lions defense/special teams came into the season as one of the worst-ranked units in fantasy football, and for good reason. The defense gave up 38 points against the Philadelphia Eagles and isn't attractive in any matchup. The Washington Commanders offense led by quarterback Carson Wentz looked fairly explosive in the season opener, so this game has the potential to be a sneaky shootout. With zero teams on a bye and all team defenses available, the Lions defense simply isn't even close to being a strong fantasy option moving forward.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller

2 years agoOakland Athletics rookie first baseman Dermis Garcia went 1-for-4 on Thursday with two RBI and three strikeouts in the 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Garcia's two-RBI single in the fourth inning provided the only runs for the A's in the ballgame. He's now gone 17-for-59 (.288) with four home runs, 15 RBI and nine runs scored in his first 22 major-league games for the A's this year. Before being called up, the 24-year-old slashed .264/.349/.498 with an .847 OPS, 13 home runs, 44 RBI, 51 runs scored and four stolen bases in 278 plate appearances and 68 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Garcia has proven to be a timely hitter so far for Oakland and could continue to contribute for fantasy managers in AL-only leagues down the stretch.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

2 years agoThe Minnesota Vikings defense will look to slow down the high-powered Philadelphia Eagles offense in Week 2 after holding Aaron Rodgers and company to just seven points in the season opener. Jalen Hurts led the Eagles' offense to 38 points in Week 1, so the Vikings' defense is in for a challenge as they face one of the league's best rushing attacks. There are likely better options available this week in conventional formats.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings kicker Greg Joseph looks like a solid starting option for fantasy managers in Week 2. Joseph was perfect in the season opener, as he converted all three of his field goal attempts and both extra points. In what could be a high-scoring matchup with two good offenses clashing, the 28-year-old should get some opportunities to put points on the board for the Minnesota offense.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoDetroit Lions kicker Austin Seibert doesn't have much appeal in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. Kickers are tough to predict and any kicker can boom or bust any week, but since Seibert doesn't have a strong resume of fantasy production, there are plenty of options to consider before inserting him into fantasy lineups. The Lions offense looks competent, at least, but head coach Dan Campbell isn't the type of coach to settle for field goals on fourth down in the red zone. Seibert made five extra points in Week 1 but didn't notch a single field goal.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. will look to bounce back in Week 2 after seeing just two targets on 19 snaps in the season opener. Tight end Johnny Mundt out-snapped him, but head coach Kevin O'Connell mentioned this week that Smith Jr. would play "a major role" for the team. The 24-year-old figures to see an increased role in the offense moving forward, but doesn't seem like a viable starting option until we get a better feel for what his usage will look like. For the time being, he is nothing more than a low-end TE2 for fantasy managers.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoColorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is not in the starting lineup on Friday against the Chicago Cubs. Blackmon will take a seat after going 5-for-41 (.122) with no homers, four RBI, one run scored and 13 strikeouts in 11 games to begin the month of September. He's now hitting .258/.308/.412 on the year with 16 homers, 74 RBI, 57 runs scored and three stolen base in 493 at-bats. With Blackmon resting, Michael Toglia is in right field and hitting sixth, while Connor Joe will serve as the designated hitter and bat seventh against Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman. Toglia, a 24-year-old rookie switch-hitter, has gone just 11-for-50 (.220) with two long balls and eight RBI in his first 14 big-league games for the Rockies.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press

2 years agoDetroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson posted just 7.8 PPR points in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, fantasy managers who drafted him probably took him as a top-eight tight end, so it's too early to panic and bench him. Ultimately, his upside still places him as a top ten tight end play, at worst. Washington's passing defense was one of the worst in the league last year, so the matchup isn't worrisome enough to steer away from the former Iowa Hawkeye. With D.J. Chark, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and D'Andre Swift in the same offense, Hockenson will have his fair share of unproductive weeks, but again, his upside makes it worth playing him in just about any matchup.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen will look to bounce back in Week 2 after a poor performance for fantasy managers in the season opener. Thielen was targeted just four times and caught three passes for 36 yards against the Green Bay Packers, as Justin Jefferson dominated their secondary the whole game. Thielen has been a top red zone target for quarterback Kirk Cousins over the last number of seasons, which makes him very appealing considering the pass-heavy Minnesota offense could look to throw the ball close to the end zone. Thielen figures to be the No. 2 target in the passing game moving forward, which gives him low-end WR2/FLEX appeal for fantasy managers.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoChicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa is not traveling with the team for their current road trip this weekend at the Detroit Tigers. The 77-year-old missed his 16th game of the year as he awaits medical clearance from his cardiologist to return to managing, and it remains uncertain whether he'll return for any of the team's last 18 games of the 2022 season. There is plenty of respect for La Russa, but there are also strong feelings that allowing bench coach Miguel Cairo to continue as acting manager through the rest of the season would be best for all involved. The White Sox are 11-5 under Cairo as the interim skipper and are playing with a level of urgency the front office has waited for all season.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Daryl Van Schouwen

2 years agoDetroit Lions wide receiver D.J. Chark scored a touchdown in his Lions debut and was clearly ahead of Josh Reynolds in the pecking order. However, his eight targets yielded just four receptions for 52 yards, so it's too early to consider him a strong "fool-proof" fantasy starter. In deep leagues, he's a fine flex option, but he's not a sure thing just yet. It's too early to know if the Washington Commanders are a favorable matchup for wide receivers, but last year, they had one of the worst passing defenses in the league, so there could be strong opportunities for Chark. He carries risk into Week 2, but his explosive skill-set could pay off huge.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoThe Atlanta Braves reinstated second baseman Ozzie Albies (foot) from the 60-day injured list on Friday. In corresponding moves, the club designated right-hander Jay Jackson for assignment and placed infielder Ehire Adrianza (quadriceps) on the 10-day injured list with a strained left quadriceps. Albies is finally back with the Braves after having surgery on July 15 for a broken right foot. The 25-year-old hit .333 with a home run, six RBI and four runs scored in seven minor league rehab games, and he should return to the starting lineup on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Albies will serve as the club's everyday second baseman in his return, pushing rookie Vaughn Grissom to more of a bench role.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Braves Twitter

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson will look to build on his hot start to the season after putting up nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. Jefferson and the Vikings will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on Monday night, where he could be seeing a lot of cornerback Darius Slay. Slay is one of the league's elite corners, however, Jefferson has proven to be matchup-proof time and time again. The third-year stud is a must-start option in all formats and is among the elite players at the wide receiver position.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoDetroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is a must-start moving forward after his 12-target game in Week 1. The Washington Commanders gave up 117 yards on six receptions to Christian Kirk from the slot, so St. Brown could be in for a similar day. Detroit might not be as pass-happy as it was in Week 1, but St. Brown is the clear No. 1 option until further notice. St. Brown is more attractive in PPR leagues, but he's a solid play in all formats. The Lions' offense looks competent led by Jared Goff, so his floor is a WR4 week with a WR 1 ceiling in Week 2.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: FootballDataBase.com

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is primed for a big game on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. He faces an Eagles defense that allowed 181 rushing yards (6.5 ypc) and three rushing touchdowns to the Detroit Lions in Week 1. Cook amassed 108 scrimmage yards in the season opener but wasn't able to find the end zone, as he had workhorse-like usage as he touched the ball 23 times. The three-time 1,000-yard rusher can be locked in as a high-end RB1 this week as he looks to find the end zone for the first time this season.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoDetroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored two touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles but wasn't an efficient runner or receiver in the contest. He could be a touchdown-or-bust guy, meaning his attractiveness as a flex play is dependent on the size of the fantasy league. However, if D'Andre Swift (ankle) is inactive against the Washington Commanders, he is a must-start option as the workhorse back for Detroit. The Lions' offense looks to have enough firepower to score fantasy points, so the featured back in the offense should always be considered. If Swift does play, Williams is a boom-or-bust option.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoDetroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift is apparently dealing with an ankle injury, but all indications are it's not a worrisome or major ailment. He reportedly rolled his ankle in the loss to the Eagles, so there's a solid chance he could be good to go for Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. Washington gave up an RB1 performance to James Robinson last week, and Travis Etienne dropped a receiving touchdown early in the contest. Week 1 statistics shouldn't be taken into consideration too much, but for now, it looks like there will be opportunities for running backs against Washington. Swift is a must-start in all formats if he's active, no matter the matchup.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Sporting News

2 years agoMinnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has some streaming appeal in Week 2 as he faces off with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Cousins has been a notoriously poor performer on Monday night primetime games, but the new pass-heavy offense he operates in should set him up for fantasy success against an Eagles defense that just gave up 35 points to the Detroit Lions. After starting off the season with 19.1 fantasy points, Cousins could offer fantasy managers borderline QB1 numbers in what could be a high-scoring affair between two good offenses.--Tommy Adamopoulos - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com

2 years agoArizona Cardinals wide receiver Andy Isabella (back) is not expected to play in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders. He is dealing with a strained back, but the injury is not considered long-term. The 25-year-old has been unable to practice this week and will not be available against the Raiders. He caught one of three targets for 10 yards during Sunday's Week 1 loss to the Chiefs. Isabella, Rondale Moore (hamstring), and DeAndre Hopkins (suspension) are out. A.J. Green and Greg Dortch should see an uptick in targets with Moore sidelined, but both are dart throws at best in deep-league formats.--Brad Camara - RotoBallerSource: Aaron Wilson

2 years agoDetroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff posted a low-end QB2 performance against the Eagles, and a similar day can be expected against the Washington Commanders. Goff benefited from a come-from-behind game script last week but still didn't produce monster numbers. The contest against Washington should be a closer game from start to finish, so he should have a low floor and limited ceiling. However, Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Chark, T.J. Hockenson and D'Andre Swift form a very solid pass-catcher group, so there's always a chance he outperforms expectations. Dak Prescott's fantasy managers may be looking for a streamer this week, but there are probably a few better options than Goff. For now, it's tough to know whether or not Washington is a favorable matchup for QBs.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: FootballDataBase.com

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had just 10 receiving yards in Thursday's 27-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Those 10 yards came via three receptions. Smith-Schuster was only targeted three times, which ranked fifth on the team. It was a worrisome performance for fantasy managers, who had been operating as if Smith-Schuster was the No. 1 receiver in Kansas City. Don't bail on the former Steeler, but the distribution of targets is worth monitoring going forward. Consider Smith-Schuster to be more of a WR3 play than the WR2 play that we expected he would be.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling tied for the team lead in targets in Thursday's win over the Chargers, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes looking his way seven times. MVS caught just two of those passes for 13 yards, though. It's encouraging to see how much the team is trying to get Valdes-Scantling the ball, but with so many players in this receiving game, his floor makes him too low to trust most weeks in fantasy.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman was targeted four times in Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Chargers, hauling in three of those for 49 yards. Hardman also got a carry on a third-down play, but lost four yards. The Chiefs are spreading the ball around so far and Hardman has now been targeted 10 times in two games. He's an intriguing deep-league target in fantasy, though the nature of this offense means that he'll have a low floor, since Patrick Mahomes has so many people to throw to.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson caught a 41-yard touchdown in Thursday's 27-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Overall, Watson caught two passes for 50 yards. Those were his only two targets. The Chiefs were spreading the ball around a lot on Thursday, so don't expect Watson's usage to mean too much in the grand scheme of things. He's intriguing in fantasy, but not intriguing enough to pick up off the waiver wire yet.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the Chiefs in targets, receptions and yards in Thursday's win over the Chargers, but all of those numbers were lower than fantasy managers expect from Kelce. In the 27-24 win, Kelce was targeted seven times, catching five passes for 51 yards. He won't face this Chargers defense every week, so consider Kelce to still be the top tight end in fantasy football going forward.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire showed that this is fully his backfield in Thursday's 27-24 win over the Chargers. He led the team with eight carries for 74 yards, including a longest run of 52. He also caught four passes for 44 yards. Edwards-Helaire was also off the field for a bit in the first half after his knee was stepped on, so Jerick McKinnon's four carries and Isiah Pacheco's two carries are possibly higher than they should have been. It's clear through two games that Edwards-Helaire has the trust of this coaching staff. Consider him a solid fantasy RB2 going forward.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 years agoKansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes went 24-for-35 for 235 yards in Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes threw a pair of touchdown passes. He lost one yard in the run game. It definitely wasn't a classic Mahomes performance and the numbers could have been worse if an interception wasn't called back by penalty, but the former MVP did what needed to be done to get the win. Mahomes is still a top five fantasy quarterback and should play better against the Colts.--Justin Carter - RotoBallerSource: ESPN