Welcome to the Monday edition of the Daily Dose newsletter, our “Fantasy Fallout” day. In this article, you will get a quick rundown of the relevant things we learned from the week’s games from Thursday through Sunday.

We won’t talk about every single player and we usually won’t spend time on studs who go nuts (no one needs to be told to start Tyreek Hill right now!), but rather, the idea is to update you on usage trends, injuries, and other relevant things to help your decisions with your teams.

Ravens at Chiefs

• Ravens RB Justice Hill played on basically all third downs and in the two-minute drill, out-snapping Derrick Henry in a game the Ravens trailed throughout. He is worth a stash in deeper leagues.
• The Ravens played two tight ends (12 personnel) on 39 of 74 snaps (53%) while playing in a trailing game script. Looks like this staff is finally acknowledging that getting both Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely on the field at the same time is a good idea. Likely exploded for 9-111-1 and would have had a second TD as time expired had his second foot come down in bounds. Both are going to be a huge part of the team’s offense going forward. 
• While Xavier Worthy had 20 fantasy points in Week 1, he did so on only three targets and one rush. Not sure that efficiency is sustainable to make him an every-week starter on season-long teams. He will have ups and downs on a high-scoring offense.

Packers at Eagles

• Green Bay QB Jordan Love exited in the final minute with an apparent leg injury. Initial reports are a sprained MCL (out 3-4 weeks), but this is certainly a situation to monitor. 
• Saquon Barkley looked solid behind a strong offensive line (and in a better offensive environment) to the tune of 131 total yards and three TDs.
• Tucker Kraft out-snapped Luke Musgrave 64-17 while running 30 routes to Musgrave’s eight. He appears to be the TE1 in Green Bay’s eyes and is someone for those in need of a tight end to consider.
• Packers rookie RB Marshawn Lloyd was inactive and Emanuel Wilson played 24% of the team’s snaps as he spelled Josh Jacobs. 

Steelers at Falcons 

• Bijan Robinson had 23 of the Falcons’ 26 backfield opportunities (carries + targets) in the season opener. The new coaching staff seems to view him as the alpha in that backfield as Bijan eclipsed that number of opportunities only twice last season.
• Drake London drew just a 13% target share in a game the Falcons trailed most of the way. I wouldn’t hit the panic button just yet, but certainly not a reassuring start for owners who took London in the first or second round.
• The RB opportunities for Pittsburgh ended up at 22 for Najee Harris and only four for Jaylen Warren. Warren did miss the past several weeks with a hamstring injury, but this is a situation to monitor going forward.

Cardinals at Bills

• The Arizona backfield belongs to James Conner, as he out-touched rookie Trey Benson 20-4. 
• Greg Dortch saw a 25% target share in a back-and-forth game. His role as the WR2 this season feels solidified, however he’s probably not worth a bench spot unless you’re in a deep (14- or 16-team) league.
• Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Trey McBride struggled in this one but it is too early to panic. Both are still very talented and played over 85% of the snaps.
• Despite only 23 passing attempts, Josh Allen completed passes to nine different players, with Keon Coleman leading the way with four receptions on five targets. None of the Bills WRs or TEs appear to be “must-starts” for the time being.

Texans at Colts

• Joe Mixon appears to be the unquestioned bell cow back in Houston and received a league-leading 30 carries in a back-and-forth affair with Indy. He’s probably a RB I’d be looking to trade for.
• Despite a low fantasy-scoring game from Jonathan Taylor, he was the only Colts RB to touch the football.  
• Alec Pierce went for 24 points on DK with a line of 3-125-1. He saw just three targets however, and last year only had one game all season where he exceeded 13 fantasy points. Don’t get suckered into thinking he’ll be fantasy-relevant this season as the WR2 job will be back to Josh Downs in the next few weeks.
• The WR targets were evenly spread out for Houston, with Nico Collins leading the way with eight targets, which he converted into 117 yards on six receptions. Tank Dell saw seven targets and newly acquired Stefon Diggs saw six, catching two touchdowns. It appears this offense will once again be ripe for fantasy scoring; however, it will likely be hard to pinpoint which pass catcher it will come from on a week-in, week-out basis. 

Patriots at Bengals

• Rhamondre Stevenson handled 78% of the Patriots’ backfield rush attempts in Week 1, totaling 120 rushing yards and a TD. He was also the only RB to see a target (three). 
• Despite missing Tee Higgins, the Bengals’ offense was better than it appears, as they lost multiple fumbles, one at the goal line, to go along with a Mike Gesicki drop in the endzone. In an elevated role, Andrei Iosivas tied Ja’Marr Chase for the team lead in target share, with each receiving 21%.
• Zack Moss saw 75% of the RB carries in the game, including both carries inside the 10-yard line. He appears to be the RB you want to own from Cincy.

Vikings at Giants

• Sam Darnold looked quite competent in his first game replacing Kirk Cousins, as did Aaron Jones, who handled 60% of the backfield rushes and compiled 94 yards and a TD on the ground on 14 carries. 
• Jordan Addison left the game in the third quarter after aggravating his ankle injury. He left the locker room unassisted (aka not on crutches) but will likely be reevaluated on Monday. 
• Wan’Dale Robinson saw 12 targets, however almost all were low aDOT throws around the line of scrimmage. Second overall pick Malik Nabers saw seven targets, converting them into 66 yards. His output will likely continue to depend on Daniel Jones’ play and the struggling Giants offensive line.  

Commanders at Buccaneers

• Rachaad White saw the lion’s share of the RB touches but once again proved to be very inefficient, totaling 31 rushing yards on 15 attempts. Bucky Irving saw nine rush attempts but had considerably more juice on his way to 62 yards. He should be scooped up in any league where he is on waivers.
• Jayden Daniels is going to be a fun QB to watch this season. He totaled 88 yards rushing on 16 attempts and added two TDs on the ground while going 17 for 24 passing for 184 yards. 
• The Commanders’ WR room was disappointing, as RBs Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson, Jr. led the team with 52 and 49 receiving yards, respectively. 

Titans at Bears

• Gerald Everett played more snaps and ran more routes than Cole Kmet in the Bears’ Week 1 win over the Titans. The advantage in opportunity didn’t turn into  much, but he should be viewed as the preferred TE option in CHI going forward.
• Tony Pollard dominated the backfield opportunities (rushes + targets) 20-8 over Tyjae Spears, including a 16-4 advantage in rushing attempts. Despite coach Brian Callahan’s comments that the backfield would be an even split, Pollard appears to have an early leg up and appeared to have the spring back in his step.
• Despite finishing with only seven fantasy points, Keenan Allen saw a team-high 38% target share. DJ Moore soaked up a majority of the remaining targets, amassing a 28% target share himself. 

Panthers at Saints

• We are only one game into the year, but Bryce Young looked as bad, if not worse, than he did last year. Young threw two picks and was sacked four times in a game where the Panthers’ defense also looked completely outclassed, allowing 47 points to New Orleans. 
• Taysom Hill was moved around the formation for all four quarters. The most interesting development in his usage was an increase in his role as a true running back, where he saw four carries prior to Jamaal Williams coming into the game in mop-up duty. He should be rostered in all leagues where he has TE eligibility.

Jaguars at Dolphins 

• Tank Bigsby amassed 73 rushing yards on 12 carries, while Travis Etienne only accounted for 44 yards on 12 carries. Bigsby was part of the game plan on the ground starting as early as the Jaguars’ second drive, and that seems unlikely to change after Etienne also had a costly fumble near the goal line. 
• Tyreek Hill was detained prior to the game due to a minor traffic violation. It’s unlikely any discipline comes out of the incident.
• De’Von Achane accounted for 40% of the backfield carries as well as the second-most targets with seven, ahead of Jaylen Waddle’s five. This is extremely telling, as none of Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, or Alec Ingold sustained an injury and this could be indicative of increased usage for Achane in weeks ahead.    

Cowboys at Browns

• Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle were close to an even split out of the backfield, with Elliott receiving the goal-line work. 
• Jake Ferguson left the game early and will undergo an MRI on his knee on Monday. Any missed time by Ferguson would be a massive loss for the Cowboys’ offense, and this situation will be one to monitor.
• Jerome Ford operated as the Browns unquestioned lead back, amassing 18 opportunities on the day. No other Cleveland back saw more than two carries.
• David Njoku also left the game early, suffering an apparent ankle injury. Njoku will undergo further testing on Monday.

Broncos at Seahawks

• Bo Nix struggled mightily in his NFL debut, producing just 138 yards on 42 pass attempts and tossing two interceptions. As bad as that line is, it could have been much worse, as the Seahawks dropped multiple other would-be picks. 
• Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin saw a ton of targets and is likely going to be a factor in PPR leagues at some point soon.
• Some very promising usage for Kenneth Walker led to 103 yards (and a TD) on the ground on 20 carries. The new SEA coaching staff seems set on featuring him in the backfield. Walker left the game with an abdominal injury late in the second half, but he told reporters after the game he is fine.

Raiders at Chargers

• Making his NFL debut, rookie TE Brock Bowers led the Raiders in targets and receptions and was one of the few bright spots for the Las Vegas offense. Continue to start him at TE with confidence.
• For the Chargers, fellow UGA Bulldog Ladd McConkey, made his debut and led LA in targets and receptions, including a 10-yard TD in the fourth quarter to seal the game for the Chargers. 
• On the ground, the Chargers split work evenly between JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, but Dobbins was FAR more effective while recording 139 total yards (and a TD) on 13 touches, compared to 28 total yards on 12 touches for Edwards. I’d favor Dobbins going forward until we see otherwise.

Rams at Lions

• Puka Nacua injured his knee in the first half, and after returning for a couple of plays, was ruled out for the second half. Cooper Kupp turned into a target machine with Nacua out and looked like his vintage self. He is a top-5 WR for as long as Nacua is out and a top-10 WR as long as he himself is healthy.
• Rams WR Tyler Johnson made a couple of big plays and Demarcus Robinson was more involved once Nacua left the game. Robinson becomes a priority waiver pickup and Johnson is a deep-league option who may split work with rookie Jordan Whittington if Nacua misses extended time.
• Kyren Williams had 19 opportunities and Ronnie Rivers had two, while Blake Corum did not touch the ball. This is still the Williams Show for the foreseeable future.
• Jameson Williams looked like the player the Lions thought they drafted two years ago as he led Detroit in every receiving category with 5 // 121 // 1 line on nine targets. He becomes a weekly consideration as a starter and could hurt the outlook for Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown, as they could have less dominant target shares.
• Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery had 17 and 18 opportunities, respectively. They are both weekly starters.

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening).

QB – Streaming Special

Baker Mayfield, TB, Week 2 at DET

• Why: Mayfield is coming off of a great opening game throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns and he gets to sling it to a pair of stud WRs in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin every week.
• Priority: Low to medium priority add for streamers in single-QB leagues, potentially higher for managers looking to fill in for Jordan Love for a month
• Duration: Baker’s next five games all appear to be reasonable fantasy matchups and are either at home or indoors: at DET, DEN, PHI, at ATL, at NO
• FAAB recommendation: 5% or less in most situations, potentially 10% or more if you’ve just lost your starter and the QB waiver wire is already pretty thin.

RB – Pickup of the Week

J.K. Dobbins, LAC, Week 2 at CAR

• Why: Dobbins is available in about half of Yahoo leagues. If available, he looks like the top waiver target of the week after turning his 10 carries and three targets into 139 scrimmage yards and a TD in the Chargers’ Week 1 victory.
• Priority: High-priority add. Dobbins can be plugged into lineups immediately this week on the road against the lowly Panthers. Longer-term, he has the potential to continue to increase his share of the RB workload (Gus Edwards handled 12 touches for 28 yards last week).
• Duration: Dobbins looks like a long-term hold as long as he’s healthy and contributing to the new-look Chargers offense.
• FAAB recommendation: 40 – 60%

Other RB pickups

Zach Charbonnet, SEA, Week 2 at NE

• Why: Seattle starter Kenneth Walker left Sunday’s win in the fourth quarter with an abdominal injury. Charbonnet, a Day 2 draft pick last season, handled 18+ touches in each of his three spot starts for the Seahawks last season when Walker missed time and showed a three-down skill set.
• Priority: Medium-to-High-priority add. Charbonnet is the type of player I like to have stashed on my benches, he’s a solid addition even if Walker is expected to play this week. He becomes a higher priority as a plug-and-play starter if Walker is expected to miss time. Monitor reports out of Seattle this week.
• Duration: Charbonnet is a great long-term bench stash and potential plug-and-play starter.
• FAAB recommendation: Walker deemed “fine”: 15 – 25%, Walker ruled out multiple games 50%+

Jordan Mason, SF, Week 2 at MIN

• Why: Surprise! Christian McCaffrey was ruled out of his MNF matchup with the Jets. Mason is the presumed next man up in the 49ers backfield as he seemed to have “won” the primary backup RB job in camp.
• Priority: Medium-to-High-priority add. Mason, as the presumed handcuff RB on one of the best teams in the NFL and should be on fantasy rosters in most formats, especially after compiling 147 rushing yards and a TD on 28 carries in McCaffrey’s stead versus the Jets.
• Duration: Potential plug-and-play starter, long-term bench stash at worst.
• FAAB recommendation: 10 – 20%. This is a situation to monitor, both Mason’s MNF usage, and reports of CMC’s health. Based on the fact that CMC has (so far) avoided short-term IR, my best guess is that he is close to a return.

Tank Bigsby, JAX, Week 2 vs CLE

• Why: Bigsby, another Day 2 draft pick last year, seems to have a designed early-down role in the Jaguars’ offense. He handled 12 carries for 73 yards in the loss to the Dolphins, with multiple carries in each quarter.
• Priority: Low-to-Medium-priority add. While Bigsby is not likely to have an even share of carries with Travis Etienne each week, he is again the type of player I like to have stashed on benches, preferably before he becomes a true empty-the-budget, high-priority add. 
• Duration: Long-term bench stash, Bigsby has talent, an existing (if unexciting) role, and tons of contingent upside as the primary backup RB on a solid offense.
• FAAB recommendation: 5% or less. More players worth considering in this FAAB range: Alexander Mattison (nine touches and a TD for the Raiders in Week 1), Ty Chandler (11 touches for the Vikings in Week 1), Tyler Allgeier (some early-down touches for Falcons, high contingent upside), Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor (the two other RBs on the 49ers roster).

WR Pickups

Brandin Cooks, DAL, Week 2 vs NO

• Why: Cooks, as anticipated, played the No. 2 WR role for the Cowboys behind CeeDee Lamb and turned seven targets into a 4-40-1 stat line in their comfortable victory over the Browns.
• Priority: Medium. Cooks should probably be on fantasy rosters in all leagues other than those with the shallowest of benches, but this is probably more about who you’d be cutting from your specific roster to add him.
• Duration: Worthy of a bench spot in most cases, eventual bye-week spot starter on a good offense.
• FAAB recommendation: 5% or less.

Demarcus Robinson, LAR, Week 2 vs NO

• Why: Rams superstar WR Puka Nacua has been placed on short-term I.R., meaning he will miss at least the next four games. Robinson is in his second season with the Rams and has mainly operated as a field-stretching third WR, but he should see more targets in the short term.
• Priority: Low to Medium. Robinson is worth a roster spot as a potential No. 2 target in a solid Rams offense while Puka is out.
• Duration: Short-term flex option.
• FAAB recommendation: 5% or less.

Gabriel Davis, JAX, Week 2 vs CLE

• Why: Davis, an offseason free-agent acquisition, started his Jaguars career by leading the team in WR snaps, routes run, and receiving yards in their Week 1 loss to the Dolphins.
• Priority: Low. While we need to be paying attention to any WR leading his team in opportunities, the Jaguars have made significant investments in other pass catchers as well, including rookie WR Brian Thomas, who caught all four of his targets, including a TD, in Week 1.
• Duration: Worth a flier to see if he continues to lead the Jags’ WR room.
• FAAB recommendation: 5% or less. More players worth consideration in this FAAB range: Devaughn Vele and Josh Reynolds (each received eight targets Week 1 for the Broncos), Jerry Jeudy (eight targets and a TD in the Browns’ Week 1 loss).

Tight End Pickups

Isaiah Likely, BAL, Week 2 vs LV

• Why:  Likely led the Ravens in targets, catches, and receiving yards in Week 1, caught a TD pass, and nearly came down with a second one. Likely now has 70+ receiving yards in five of his 34 career regular-season games. Even more pertinent is the fact the man plays TE, a position where we are constantly searching for options with a pulse.
• Priority: High-priority add. Likely might be a favorite to remain a top-three passing game weapon for the Ravens. Mark Andrews won’t be bracketed by multiple defenders all game every week and I’d anticipate Zay Flowers to remain a focal point himself, but the Ravens’ other passing options appear uninspiring.
• Duration: Long-term hold, potential starter at TE
• FAAB recommendation: 30 – 50% in most cases. If you lost your starting TE Week 1 or don’t feel you have a long-term answer at the position, spending all or most of your FAAB on Likely is not a terrible plan to address TE.

Defense (Top pickups for Week 2)

1. Chargers (at CAR, then at PIT in Week 3)
2. Broncos (vs. PIT)
3. Jaguars (vs. CLE)

These are the guys who public perception may be low on but have brighter days ahead…..as well as the guys who may be coming off a big game but have a tough schedule or potential role change in their future.

BUY LOW

Mark Andrews, TE, BAL

• The usage (or lack thereof) for Andrews in Week 1 was the hot topic after the Ravens’ loss to the Chiefs. However, Andrews has a history of being shut down by Kansas City and was still running vertical routes and on the field a lot (75% snap share and route share). The emergence of Isaiah Likely should be a good thing for Andrews, not a bad thing, as it will draw attention away and not allow defenses to focus so much on him. Both Likely and Andrews can/should finish as top-10 tight ends this year and each will have some big spike weeks.

DK Metcalf, WR, SEA

• Metcalf had a rough opening game, as both game script and matchup didn’t do him any favors. The Seahawks’ offense struggled to get going in the first half and Patrick Surtain and the defense did a nice job slowing down their passing game. The Broncos’ offense was also completely unable to move the ball, which allowed Seattle to not force the issue. Much brighter days are ahead for Metcalf, and if any owner is panicking, you should pounce!!

Jaylen Warren, RB, PIT

• Warren had a very rough opening week, as he played only 32% of the snaps (less than any game last year) and received only two carries and two targets. However, he was facing a very good Falcons defense that was a top-10 run defense in 2023 and was coming off an injury that cost him time during the preseason. Over the next three weeks, Warren faces: The Broncos, who just got shredded by Kenneth Walker, the Chargers, who were 22nd in run defense DVOA in 2023, and the Colts, who just gave up 159 rushing yards to Joe Mixon. There’s a good chance you can get Warren for very cheap right now, and some managers might even cut him. This is the time to buy!!

Jayden Reed, WR, GB

• Reed is coming off a massive game in Week 1 where he actually led all wide receivers in fantasy scoring. So how is he a Buy Low? Well, the Jordan Love injury likely has people a little gun-shy about the Packers offense and a lot of people may be thinking of Reed as a “sell high” player as a result. He might not have the type of game he had Week 1 again all season, but he is clearly a dynamic and special player for the Packers. If you can get him for around the value he had prior to his dominant performance, you should do it.

SELL HIGH

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE

• Stevenson had a massive game in the Patriots’ upset of the Bengals, touching the ball 28 times and amassing 126 yards from scrimmage. However, the Bengals are a team in disarray right now and the Patriots have a rough schedule coming up. They face Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks defense in Week 2 before games against the elite defenses of the Jets and 49ers. Stevenson’s touches and efficiency are likely to take a big hit when they aren’t playing from ahead.

Travis Etienne, RB, JAX

• Etienne isn’t coming off a huge game like Stevenson, but his fantasy line looked fine in Week 1. However, usage was highly concerning, as he split work almost evenly with Tank Bigsby (15 opportunities for Etienne, 12 for Bigsby). Etienne also coughed up a fumble at the one-yard line, which could hurt his usage in that area going forward. He’s not a “must sell”, but if you can get a back with a more secure workload or an upgrade at a different position, you should consider it.

This article is intended to highlight some players who may have a positive or negative weekly outlook relative to their baseline value. 

“Starts” are players who might generally be on fantasy benches but might have a terrific perceived matchup or game script/environment, or the potential for an expanded role due to past performance or injuries to teammates or opponents. 

“Fades” are players who were likely drafted as fantasy starters or have performed as automatic starters lately but face a particularly tough week due to a poor matchup or a lack of short-term role clarity due to an injury, etc. 

Here are a few of my notable starts and fades for Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, with some notes on my thought process included:

QB

Start: Brock Purdy, QB, SF (at MIN)

• Purdy moved the ball well against a tough Jets defense on MNF in Week 1 without superstar dual-threat RB Christian McCaffrey and while the team seemed to ease newly-extended WR Brandon Aiyuk back into action.
• The Vikings blitzed at the highest rate in the league last season. They weren’t as aggressive Week 1, but they didn’t need to be against the lowly Giants.
• With or without CMC this week, I like Purdy to return QB1 value by beating the Vikings’ blitz packages with his ability to get the ball out quickly to some of the best run-after-catch weapons in the NFL.

Fade: Joe Burrow, QB, CIN (at KC)

• The Bengals were one of the biggest disappointments in the league in Week 1, losing as a touchdown favorite at home against the New England Patriots and scoring only 10 points.
• The Chiefs have one of the top defensive minds in the league in DC Steve Spagnuolo, who has familiarity with Burrow and the Bengals since the two teams have seemingly played at least once each of the past several seasons.
• Key WR Tee Higgins seems likely to miss his second consecutive game to open the year with a hamstring injury.
• Keep Burrow on benches in single-QB leagues this week if you have a reasonable replacement to fill in for him, as there will be better days ahead for the Bengals’ offense.

RB

Start: J.K. Dobbins, RB, LAC (at CAR)

• The new-look, run-first Chargers go on the road to take on a pathetic Panthers team who just put arguably their best overall player, DL Derrick Brown, on season-ending injured reserve.
• Dobbins outproduced teammate Gus Edwards in Week 1 with 139 scrimmage yards on 13 touches, far outpacing Edwards’ 28 scrimmage yards on 12 touches.
• Dobbins is a great RB2/flex option this week if he maintains a 50/50 split with Edwards, with further upside if he’s able to handle a greater share of the RB touches.

Fade: Tony Pollard, RB, TEN (vs NYJ)

• Pollard came out of the gates strong in Week 1 at Chicago, seemingly taking control of what was assumed to be a muddled backfield by handling 20 touches for 94 yards. In contrast, Tyjae Spears logged eight touches for 32 yards.
• The Titans scored first against the Bears, led by two scores at halftime, and controlled much of the game until mistakes on special teams and by QB Will Levis swung the game back in the Bears’ favor.
• Titans first-year HC Brian Callahan has indicated this week that he’d like to get Spears more opportunities and closer to a 50/50 split with Pollard.
• I believe that Pollard’s impressive Week 1 usage had more to do with a first-time HC navigating through a lopsided game script than the fact that he has completely lapped Spears for opportunities in the backfield. Consequently, I like the idea of fading him this week against a talented Jets defense licking their wounds coming off of a loss.

WR

Start: Chris Godwin, WR, TB (at DET)

• The Buccaneers, coming off a 37-20 win over the Commanders, go on the road at Detroit in a game with the highest total on the slate (51.5).
• Godwin caught all eight of his targets for 83 yards and a TD in Week 1, operating primarily as the team’s slot WR between star WR Mike Evans and rookie WR Jalen McMillan.
• We heard all offseason that new Bucs OC (and former Rams OC) Liam Coen would be using Godwin in the “Cooper Kupp role” in the Tampa Bay offense. Well, Kupp himself just generated a 14-110-1 line on a staggering 21 targets against these same Lions last week.
• I like Godwin as a mid-to-high end WR2 this week in PPR leagues and a no-brainer flex option in standard leagues in what is likely to be one of the higher-scoring games of the weekend.

Fade: DK Metcalf, WR, SEA (at NE)

• The Seahawks go on the road to New England in one of the three games with a total below 40 points this week.
• The Patriots’ defense features one of the rising defensive stars in the league in second-year CB Christian Gonzalez, who has shown the ability in his brief career to handle some of the toughest WR shadow assignments in the league. He was a key to the team holding Bengals star WR Ja’Marr Chase in check last week. 
• Metcalf was shadowed by one of the top CBs in the league last week in Pat Surtain II and was limited to three catches on four targets for 29 yards.
• Metcalf was drafted to be a starter and I’m usually in favor of sticking with my studs after a tough Week 1. This is simply a case of Metcalf facing two of the better CBs in the league back to back to start his year. I’m looking for other options to play over DK this week before his matchups start to look more favorable going forward.

TE

Start: Colby Parkinson, TE, LAR (at AZ)

• The Rams go on the road to Arizona in a high-total game (49.0).
• Parkinson acted as an every-down player for the Rams in starter Tyler Higbee’s absence, securing four of five targets for 47 yards in the team’s Week 1 loss at Detroit, good for TE7 on the week in PPR leagues.
• The Rams will be without star second-year WR Puka Nacua for at least a month after he was placed on short-term IR with a knee injury, leaving a void behind Cooper Kupp in the Rams’ passing game.
• I like Parkinson as a back-end TE1 this week based on being an every-down player with a good QB against one of the more exploitable defenses in the league; he’s still available in more than half of Yahoo leagues for those in need of a spot start.

Fade: Isaiah Likely, TE, BAL (vs LV)

• It’s a challenging week to recommend a TE fade as three of the top 15 or so players drafted at the position (David Njoku, Jake Ferguson, Dalton Schultz) have either been ruled out already, or are at risk of missing Week 2.
• Likely burst onto the scene last week, was probably a high-priced waiver pickup in your league, and seems poised to maintain a healthy role in the Ravens’ offense. If you acquired him, you might be asking – why wouldn’t I start him?
• This comes down to your specific team. If you have one of the top 10 or so TEs drafted who is also currently healthy, I’d recommend starting that player over Likely this week. Most of those players are favorites to play nearly every snap for their offense and we’re just not sure that’s the case for Likely yet, especially in scenarios where the Ravens are playing from ahead.

Some things in fantasy football are easy. We know we should start Tyreek Hill and Breece Hall. We know we should bench the backup running back who is only on our roster in case of injury. A lot of the decisions are made for us. However, there are a lot of things that are not so simple. All of the “in between” situations are what can make the difference between a few wins and losses, and therefore it can be the difference between a successful season or a failed season. Every Friday, we are here to help!!

I’ll take questions each week in our #fantasy-football channel in our Discord from people looking for Start/Sit advice and give my thoughts. This article on Fridays will feature a few of those questions and responses, so join our Discord to be a part of the conversation or ask questions of your own!!

Join us tomorrow for Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 2!

Question 1:: Play 1 RB/2 Flex: Jordan Mason, James Conner, Derrick Henry, Drake London, Diontae Johnson? (PPR) (PSUBALTFAN)

Answer:: This one is really tough for me. Assuming CMC does not play for the 49ers, I would start Mason and Conner for sure. Then it comes down to Henry or London. Since it is full-PPR my lean is to the wide receiver (London) over the situational running back with very low receiving expectations. That being said, I did the NFL Edge game writeup for the Ravens game this week and this is a terrific setup for Henry to score multiple touchdowns. My final answer is Mason and Conner as clear workhorses, then flip a coin for London or Henry. Definitely don’t start the Panther.

Question 2:: Amari Cooper or Tony Pollard (Rhamondre Stevenson and Jordan Mason are my other Rbs) for a flex spot. (0.5 PPR) (gjlreid)

Answer:: First of all, I agree with you on Rhamondre and Mason being the locked-in running backs for this roster over Pollard. The Patriots seem committed to their backfield for now and Mason is a top-10 RB this week. For the Flex spot, my lean is to Amari Cooper over Pollard. I see Cooper as a player who can win any week for you with his ceiling outcomes, and unless you clearly have a better option, you should have him in your lineup because you don’t want to miss one of those two or three weeks that he can win for you almost single-handedly. The fact that he is involved in this question as a “Flex” tells me you have solid, and likely more consistent, options already locked into your lineup at the WR spots. Ride the variance train with Amari.

Question 3:: Marvin Harrison, Jr. or Christian Kirk in 0.5 PPR? (garbage time)

Answer:: I suspect there are a lot of people considering situations similar to this in Week 2. This is still pretty clearly Harrison for me. This is an elite prospect who had one poor game against a very good team. If you have him on your roster, you selected him with one of your first couple of picks. I like Kirk fine this week, but no chance am I benching Harrison in one of the higher-total games of the week after just one bad outing.

Question 4:: I need 1 RB and 2 Flex out of: J.K. Dobbins, Travis Etienne, Chris Godwin, and Rashee Rice (0.5 PPR) (relativity2MC)

Answer:: Rice and Godwin are locks for me in the two Flex spots. Both teams have high points expectations and both receivers have explosive ability and high-volume roles, giving them a nice combination of floor and ceiling. That leaves us with a choice at running back between Dobbins and Etienne. Things change fast in the NFL and both of these backs are involved in relatively even timeshares with another RB. The difference is that Dobbins faces a Carolina team that was awful in Week 1 and lost a key run defender in the process, while Etienne faces a very good Cleveland defense. I’ll surprise some people and take Dobbins here.

Question 5:: League 1: I have 2 Flex spots and I am trying to decide amongst Khalil Shakir, DJ Moore, Zack Moss, and Jayden Reed. Full PPR. Obviously Moore and Reed are the better talents, but with their QB play, should I think about Moss/Shakir at all?

League 2: Pick 2 of 3: JK Dobbins, Jayden Reed, Tank Dell. PPR. (riverfish1)

Answer:: League 1: Moore is a no brainer for me as I trust his talent and think the Bears will improve significantly from their dud of an opener. Also, with Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze both banged up, it could be a very busy week for Moore against a Texans team that got burned for several big plays by the Colts in Week 1. For the second spot, I’d go with Reed as a potential big-play option for the Packers since his skill set is the one Green Bay is likely to use in creative ways with Jordan Love out of the lineup. Losing Love hurts Reed less than it hurts the other Packers wide receivers.

For the second league, I would lean Dobbins and Dell. I am really sold on the running game for this Chargers team and the matchup is just so, so good for Dobbins this week. Slight lean to Dell over Reed due to the higher scoring expectations for the Texans over the Packers. 

The weekend is here and it’s time to get our lineups set before Sunday’s full slate of games. Each week, the Saturday edition of the Daily Dose will feature my rankings for all players who have yet to play a game this week. Obviously this will not include the Thursday games, but feel free to hit me up in Discord if you have some tough decisions around guys who play on Thursday. 

Most of the leagues I play in are full-PPR, 12-team leagues and these rankings are designed for those settings – you may need to make some slight adjustments based on your own league settings.

QB :: 

1. Lamar Jackson
2. Jalen Hurts
3. Patrick Mahomes
4. Anthony Richardson
5. Kyler Murray
6. Dak Prescott
7. Jayden Daniels
8. C.J. Stroud
9. Jared Goff
10. Brock Purdy
11. Baker Mayfield
12. Matthew Stafford
13. Joe Burrow
14. Caleb Williams
15. Justin Herbert
16. Trevor Lawrence
17. Justin Fields
18. Daniel Jones
19. Aaron Rodgers
20. Derek Carr
21. Kirk Cousins
22. Geno Smith
23. Sam Darnold
24. Deshaun Watson
25. Gardner Minshew
26. Will Levis
27. Malik Willis
28. Bo Nix
29. Jacoby Brissett
30. Bryce Young

RB :: 

1. Breece Hall
2. Saquon Barkley
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Kyren Williams
5. Jonathan Taylor
6. Jahmyr Gibbs
7. Isiah Pacheco
8. Joe Mixon
9. Jordan Mason
10. Alvin Kamara
11. James Conner
12. Derrick Henry
13. Josh Jacobs
14. Najee Harris
15. David Montgomery
16. J.K. Dobbins
17. Travis Etienne
18. Rhamondre Stevenson
19. Jerome Ford
20. Rachaad White
21. Zach Charbonnet
22. Aaron Jones
23. Brian Robinson
24. Devin Singletary
25. Tony Pollard
26. D’Andre Swift
27. Zack Moss
28. Chase Brown
29. Ezekiel Elliott
30. Zamir White
31. Rico Dowdle
32. Justice Hill
33. Tyjae Spears
34. Austin Ekeler
35. Jaylen Warren
36. Chuba Hubbard
37. Jaleel McLaughlin
38. Javonte Williams
39. Alexander Mattison
40. Gus Edwards
41. Tank Bigsby
42. Samaje Perine
43. Ty Chandler
44. Bucky Irving
45. Tyler Allgeier

WR :: 

1. CeeDee Lamb
2. Cooper Kupp
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown
4. A.J. Brown
5. Justin Jefferson
6. Garrett Wilson
7. Deebo Samuel
8. Ja’Marr Chase
9. Nico Collins
10. Rashee Rice
11. Mike Evans
12. DJ Moore
13. Chris Godwin
14. Malik Nabers
15. Marvin Harrison, Jr.
16. Chris Olave
17. DeVonta Smith
18. Drake London
19. Brandon Aiyuk
20. Davante Adams
21. Michael Pittman
22. Xavier Worthy
23. Zay Flowers
24. Christian Kirk
25. Terry McLaurin
26. Amari Cooper
27. Stefon Diggs
28. Tank Dell
29. DK Metcalf
30. Jayden Reed
31. Jameson Williams
32. Brian Thomas
33. Calvin Ridley
34. Rashid Shaheed
35. Demarcus Robinson
36. Ladd McConkey
37. Greg Dortch
38. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
39. Tyler Lockett
40. Romeo Doubs
41. Christian Watson
42. Diontae Johnson
43. George Pickens
44. Gabe Davis
45. Keenan Allen
46. Brandin Cooks
47. Josh Palmer
48. Jerry Jeudy
49. Adonai Mitchell
50. Quentin Johnston
51. Courtland Sutton
52. Wan’Dale Robinson
53. Tyler Johnson
54. Jakobi Meyers
55. Andrei Iosivas

TE :: 

1. Travis Kelce
2. Trey McBride
3. Sam LaPorta
4. George Kittle
5. Mark Andrews
6. Evan Engram
7. Brock Bowers
8. Isaiah Likely
9. Kyle Pitts
10. Dallas Goedert
11. Colby Parkinson
12. Taysom Hill
13. Dalton Schultz
14. Noah Fant
15. Hunter Henry
16. Cade Otton
17. Pat Freiermuth
18. Tyler Conklin
19. Chig Okonkwo
20. Jordan Akins
21. Gerald Everett
22. Luke Schoonmaker
23. Tucker Kraft
24. Zach Ertz
25. Mike Gesicki
26. Cole Kmet
27. Juwan Johnson
28. Greg Dulcich
29. Hayden Hurst
30. Theo Johnson

DEFENSE :: 

1. Jets
2. Steelers
3. Ravens
4. 49ers
5. Chargers
6. Jaguars
7. Cowboys
8. Browns
9. Eagles
10. Chiefs
11. Texans
12. Colts
13. Broncos
14. Packers
15. Bears
16. Seahawks
17. Patriots
18. Lions
19. Commanders
20. Saints

Join us Sunday morning for Final News on Sunday’s slate, including key inactives and any notable late line movement!

Happy Sunday Morning!

If you’re new here: we are madmen about “respecting your inbox”! Outside of two or three offseason updates, the only emails you’ll receive from us are A) our weekly strategy overview on Thursdays (Angles Email!!!!), and B) our Sunday morning “Inactives // Late Line Movement” email.

Line Movement ::

Every week in this space, we hit on the games that have seen “significant” line movement — which, in general, we term as games with two or more points of movement off their opening line, or games with a lot of late-week movement. (If you’re new here: this can be a valuable DFS tool toward not just understanding where lines are, but where sharp bettors are saying the lines should be. Said differently: Line movement indicates later-week sentiment, which can help us better understand the game environments available to us.)

Raiders at Ravens opened at 44.0 and is set to close at 41.0. Most of that line movement is on the side of Las Vegas, with Baltimore’s Vegas implied team total growing throughout the week (got up to -10.0 on Thursday). Vegas is not expecting the Raiders to fare well in this spot.

Giants at Commanders opened at 41.5 and is set to close at 43.5. The spread has remained the same throughout the week, with the public expressing growing certainty that points will be scored here.

Saints at Cowboys opened at 44.5 and is set to close at 47.0. Furthermore, the spread has remained consistent throughout the week. The public likes this game environment.

Buccaneers at Lions opened at 48.5 and is set to close at 51.5. Another game environment seemingly ripe for fantasy production this week.

Browns at Jaguars opened at 43.5 and is set to close at 41.5. Both teams are dealing with key injuries on both sides of the ball.

Colts at Packers opened at 43.0 and is set to close at 41.0. Welcome to the Malik Willis experiment in Green Bay. Joking aside, both teams should attack relentlessly on the ground in this spot.

Rams at Cardinals opened at 50.0 and is set to close at 48.0. The spread has swung wildly here this week, with an open of Rams -2.5, to Cardinals -1.5, to a close of a pick ’em. What’s most interesting about that movement is that there hasn’t been any Earth-shattering news from either team this week, as it’s more a case of uncertainty with the Rams and their offensive injuries, including Puka Nacua and three offensive linemen.

Inactives ::

CB Marshon Lattimore is inactive for the Saints, boosting the individual matchup for Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb against a team perennially near the top of the league in man-coverage rates.

Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson is inactive, as expected. Look for second-year TE Luke Schoonmaker to see significant run as the starting tight end for the Cowboys.

WR Josh Downs is inactive for the Colts, as expected.

QB Jordan Love is inactive for the Packers, as expected. Malik Willis will draw the start under center in Green Bay. Expect the Packers to attack relentlessly on the ground for as long as the game environment allows.

OTs Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin are inactive for the Browns, as is TE David Njoku.

WR Jordan Addison is inactive for the Vikings, as expected. Justin Jefferson could see immense volume against the 49ers.

RB Kenneth Walker is inactive for the Seahawks, as expected. Zach Charbonnett will draw the start.

That does it for this week.

I’ll see you at the top of the leaderboards!

-Hilow