Bobby's Dynasty Ranks: WR (Part 3-9/29/17)

This is a continuation of my dynasty WR rankings. If you missed part 1, you can find it here. Part 2 can be found here. This article will list 51-75. Here we goooo (to be read in Mario voice).

51.) Taylor Gabriel, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 26
2016 PPG: 10.6 (43rd)
HC/OC:  Dan Quinn/ Steve Sarkisian
QB: Matt Ryan

You only need to have read my Falcons BDTT to know that I'm fairly high on Taylor Gabriel. He seems to be a lost value in the fantasy community but all he does is produce for the Falcons. Matt Ryan had a perfect rating when targeting him last year.

52.) Chris Hogan, New England Patriots
Age: 28
2016 PPG: 7.3 (86th)
HC/OC: Bill Belichick/ Josh McDaniels
QB: Tom Brady

Hogan was supposed to fade into obscurity as Edelman, Cooks, and Gronk took over. That hasn't quite happened due to the Edelman injury. In fact, the Brady-Hogan connection is still pretty strong.  Hogan has three touchdowns in three games and is still very much a trusted option.


53.) Juju Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 20
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Mike Tomlin/Todd Haley
QB: Ben Roethlisberger

Showing just enough to get excited about. He's incredibly young so he has many years ahead of him too. He's also clearly overtaken Eli Rogers for the slot duties which is a good spot to be in for fantasy purposes.

54.) Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age:21
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Dirk Koetter/Todd Monken
QB: Jameis Winston

I really liked Chris Godwin coming out. So why is he this low? I don't think he'll ever be the first best option on his team. Evans has that wrapped up for a while. I also expect O.J Howard to be the second most targeted on this team for years to come. That doesn't mean Godwin can't serve as a very effective complement though.

55.) Rishard Matthews, Tennesee Titans

Age:28

2016 PPG: 11 (29th)

HC/OC: Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie

QB: Marcus Mariota

It may be Corey Davis' team going forward, but Rishard Matthews is showing us all that he still has life. Eric Decker was who I anticipated would serve as the WR1 this year while Davis learned from him, but it's clearly Matthews who has the trust of Mariota. Ride it out while you can.

56.) Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions
Age: 27
2016 PPG: 9.7 (52nd)
HC/OC:  Jim Caldwell/Jim Bob Cooter
QB: Matthew Stafford

Marvin "The Martian" Jones had a really big start to last year before completely fading down the stretch. Through two games this year his value has been saved by touchdowns but he hasn't much yardage. I still like him enough as a big piece of the high volume Lions passing game.

57.) Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 6.9 (96th)
HC/OC: Pete Caroll/Darrell Bevell
QB: Russell Wilson

Remember when Lockett was the next hot young receiver? That seems like eons ago even if it was only last season. He could be a post hype sleeper but I'm not willing to trust any Seahawk receivers outside of Doug Baldwin at the moment.

58.) John Brown, Arizona Cardinals

Age:27

2016 PPG: 5.5 (117th)
HC/OC: Bruce Arians/Harold Goodwin
QB: Carson Palmer

I used to really love John Brown. I wish him well but it's rough to watch all the injuries he is going through. The Cardinals are really going to need playmakers when Fitz decides to retire, I'm just not as sure as I used to be that Brown can be that guy.

59.) Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers
Age:21
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Ron Rivera/ Mike Shula
QB: Cam Newton

It's hard not to get excited about what Samuel's potential is. Unfortunately, so far it hasn't shown up as he only has 4 catches for 12 yards on the season. I think as Cam gets back in rhythm one of the keys will be getting Samuel going.

60.) Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
Age:24
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Sean McVay/ Matt LaFleur
QB: Jared Goff

When you're wrong you're wrong. I hated Kupp coming into this year but he's clearly a favorite target of Jared Goff. I still don't think he's worth all that much but the first game of his career was certainly encouraging.

61.) Brandon Marshall, New York Giants
Age:33
2016 PPG: 8.6 (71st)
HC/OC: Ben McAdoo/Mike Sullivan
QB: Eli Manning

Marshall has struggled to get going with the Giants offense.He's been outshined by Sterling Shepard so far, though the 8 targets he saw last week are a bit more encouraging. I'm not ready to call him dead fantasy wise quite yet but this ranking reflects that I'm much much much lower on him than I've ever been.


62.) Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins
Age:25
2016 PPG: 9.2
HC/OC: Adam Gase/Clyde Christensen
QB: Jay Cutler/Ryan Tannehill

The Dolphins resigned Stills which is a good sign. However, it's not lost on anyone that his stone hands have only gotten worse with Jay Cutler. The emergence of DVP also hurts him. Landry departing next year could bring back some of his value.

63.) Carlos Henderson, Denver Broncos
Age: 22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Vance Joseph/ Mike McCoy
QB: Trevor Siemian

It's really a shame that Henderson went and got hurt. It's definitely made him the forgotten man among the rookie class. It's somehow made Bennie Fowler also at least slightly relevant in the early going this season. I expect the WR3 for Broncos to actually be a somewhat profitable place to be with the progression of Siemian, and it's Henderson's role when he comes back.

64.)  Eric Decker, Tennessee Titans
Age: 30
2016 PPG:  12 (3 games only)

HC/OC: Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie

QB: Marcus Mariota

It's hard to say whether these three games represent what the season will be like for Decker. The most he's been targeted was four targets in week three which is rough. However, prior to last year's injury, he was so incredibly consistent it's hard to believe he doesn't have at least a flex worthy season or two left in the tank.

65.) Quincy Enunwa, FA
Age:25
2016 PPG: 8.7 (67th)
HC/OC: N/A
QB: NA

I know he's on the IR for the Jets but he's a free agent next season and he's lost for the season. Losing the entire season definitely hurts him, but I believe there has to be a team out there that will take a chance on him. It's possible it will even be the Jets again.

66.) Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 23
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Doug Marrone/Nathaniel Hackett
QB: Blake Bortles

If there is a Jaguar I'm excited about, it's this guy. He flashed in pre-season only to go down with an injury. If you read my Jaguars BDTT you'd know that I think big things may be ahead for King Dede. I just can't bring myself to rank him higher until we see him on the field.

67.) Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age:25
2016 PPG: 9.2 (65th)
HC/OC: Doug Marrone/Nathaniel Hackett
QB: Blake Bortles

Meet the defacto WR1 of the Jaguars. Not an enviable position to be in this season. He should get enough volume to make him relevant but I'm not placing a ton of faith in him. He is a free agent next season and could potentially leave for greener pastures.


68.) Laquan Treadwell, Minnesota Vikings
Age:22
2016 PPG: N/A (he had 1 catch...)
HC/OC: Mike Zimmer/ Pat Shurmur
QB: Sam Bradford

There is someone out there who still has Treadwell ranked? Yup. I know he hasn't done much to date and I'm losing what little hope I had left but he was such a talent in college that I'm not fully ready to give up on him. Mike Zimmer is known for bringing players along slowly, though it will be hard for Treadwell to make waves with Diggs and Thielen ahead of him.

69.) Kevin White, Chicago Bears
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 7.3 (4 games)
HC/OC: John Fox/Dowell Loggains
QB: Mike Glennon/Mitchell Trubisky

Is he injury prone? Absolutely. Is he still relatively young? Yeah. He could be the best WR on the team when Troob is ready to take over. It's a long shot but believe his upside is more than those who come after him on this list.

70.) Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars

Age:25
2016 PPG: 7.7 (82nd)
HC/OC: Doug Marrone/Nathaniel Hackett
QB: Blake Bortles

It was only two seasons ago that Allen Hurns had a 1k yard and 10 td season. I'm not sure I see any repeats in his future. However, he's the only Jaguar under contract for next season of note beside Dede Westbrook.


71.) J.J Nelson, Arizona Cardinals
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 8.7 (69th)
HC/OC: Bruce Arians/Harold Goodwin
QB: Carson Palmer

In my Cardinals BDTT I mentioned that J.J Nelson is basically just a John Brown clone. With John Brown struggling with health he's taken full advantage early this season. He's someone to keep an eye on.


72.) Kenny Britt, Cleveland Browns
Age:29
2016 PPG: 10.7 (32nd)
HC/OC:  Hue Jackson/ Gregg Williams
QB: Deshone Kizer

We were all impressed by Britt's ability to put up 1k yards with the terrible Rams offense last season. So far that hasn't translated over to Cleveland yet. I'm not scrambling to get him.

73.) Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers
Age: 23
2016 PPG: 5.3
HC/OC: Ron Rivera/ Mike Shula
QB: Cam Newton

I know-you don't have to say it. However, he is only 23. Additionally, he should see some additional opportunities with Greg Olsen out. If he can't put it together this year I officially give up on him.

74.) Paul Richardson, Seattle Seahawks
Age:25
2016 PPG: 3.5 (159th)
HC/OC: Pete Caroll/Darrell Bevell
QB: Russell Wilson

He's looked pretty good so far this season but still isn't seeing enough target volume. Health is always a concern with him too. However, being ahead of Jermaine Kearse is a very good thing.


75.) Chris Conley, Kansas City Chiefs
Age:24
2016 PPG: 4.6 (133rd)
HC/OC: Andy Reid/ Matt Nagy
QB: Alex Smith

You may have to wait another year or two for Conley, but I believe when the Chiefs start pushing the ball down the field more he could benefit. Just a gut feeling that he will mesh well with Mahomes. However, it's a shot in the dark since he has to compete with Tyreek, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce.


That's it for my WR ranks folks. Hope you enjoyed them! As always you can feel free to message me @RekedFantasy!

Bobby's Dynasty Ranks: WR (Part 2 9/29/17)

This is a continuation of my dynasty WR rankings. If you missed part 1, you can find it here. This article will list 25-50 in my rankings. Let's have some fun!

26.) Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders
Age: 30
2016 PPG: 12.2 (12th)
HC/OC:  Jack Del Rio/ Todd Downing
QB: Derek Carr

Remember how I mentioned Amari Cooper doesn't score touchdowns? Enter Michael Crabtree. He doesn't get the yards that Cooper does but in two seasons with Oakland he has scored 17 touchdowns. He technically could be cut by the Raiders next year for no dead cap but if he keeps producing like this they will absolutely keep him around until the end of his contract in 2020.

27.) Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
Age: 27
2016 PPG:  10 (48th)
HC/OC: Mike Zimmer/ Pat Shurmur
QB: Sam Bradford

This past season I wrote essentially a love letter to Sam Bradford despite initially hating him. I realized I couldn't be high on the Vikings offense without being high on Bradford. Diggs is a major part of the reason I'm high on their offense but Thielen is definitely the other. I'm hooked on a Thielen as many of my twitter followers know. He had a great finish to the season last year and has picked right up where he left off. Not bad for an undrafted guy huh?


28.) Golden Tate, Detroit Lions
Age:29
2016 PPG: 11.1 (30th)
HC/OC:  Jim Caldwell/Jim Bob Cooter
QB: Matthew Stafford

It seems weird with how much Matthew Stafford slings the ball that it took me until my 28th receiver to name his top guy. Don't get me wrong, Tate is very consistent but he's just not all that exciting. Maybe that's the secret to his success. He generally has a safe floor and is someone I'd look to pair with a more risky "upside" play to balance things out.

29.) Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers
Age:26
2016 PPG: 10.4 (42nd)
HC/OC: Ron Rivera/ Mike Shula
QB: Cam Newton

I know some of you hate Benjamin because "he's fat". Cam Newton's start to the year certainly hasn't helped Benjamin's case at all. However, if you read this piece I wrote back in the off-season you'd know Benjamin is much better than what people think of him.

30.) Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns
Age: 23
2016 PPG: 7.7 (83rd) (10 games)
HC/OC:  Hue Jackson/ Gregg Williams
QB: Deshone Kizer

You think maybe the Browns should just sit Corey Coleman against the Ravens? That's two years in a row that he's broken his hand playing them. It really sucks because he was demonstrating great chemistry with Kizer before going down.

31.) Willie Snead, New Orleans Saints
Age:24
2016 PPG: 10.4 (41st)
HC/OC: Sean Payton/Pete Carmichael
QB: Drew Brees

You know who was all over Willie Snead before his suspension? This guy. There's still a lot to like about Snead but suspension risks always make me a little more hesitant.

32.) Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
Age: 27
2016 PPG:  9.1 (60th)
HC/OC: Mike McCarthy/Edgar Bennett
QB: Aaron Rodgers

Cobb looked great in the playoffs last season. I took a bet on him in at least one league and so far it's paid off handsomely. He looks like he's back to being the guy he was before he forced himself to be the main guy for the Packers.

33.) Jordan Matthews, Buffalo Bills
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 9.6 (53rd)
HC/OC: Sean McDermott/ Rick Dennison
QB: Tyrod Taylor

Buffalo may not have been the best spot for Matthews to end up. That offense as a whole is struggling this year. However, it's hard to argue with the results that Matthews has gotten the last three years. Additionally, he is a free agent at the end of the season.

34.) Jamison Crowder, Washington Redskins
Age:24
2016 PPG: 10.2 (44th)
HC/OC: Jay Gruden/Matt Cavanaugh
QB: Kirk Cousins

If you read my Redskins BDTT you'd know that I think Crowder is well on his way to becoming a PPR goldmine. He's yet to really go off this year, but he's getting the target volume to be relevant sooner rather than later. He's doing more than some of his teammates.

35.) Sterling Shepard, New York Giants
Age:24
2016 PPG: 9.5 (55th)
HC/OC: Ben McAdoo/Mike Sullivan
QB: Eli Manning

I've been saying since the off-season that Shepard could still be relevant even with Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram in town. The Giants offense has looked like garbage for most of the season, but Shepard has seen seven targets in two of three games. That bodes very well for continued success on his part.

36.) Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Anthony Lynn/Ken Whisenhunt
QB: Phillip Rivers

Back issues can be a major issue for any athlete. That said, I still believe in Mike Williams talent. Very excited to see him get on the field soon. Just hoping he doesn't turn into the next Breshard Perriman, Kevin White, etc (still a little too early to call in my opinion).

37.) Martavis Bryant,
Age:25
2016 PPG: (NA)(Suspended)
HC/OC: Mike Tomlin/Todd Haley
QB: Ben Roethlisberger

Remember how I don't like suspension risks? Martavis Bryant says hello. Additionally, despite all the off-season hype he hasn't managed to do a whole lot since returning from his suspension. I expect fantasy twitter to rage about this ranking.

38.) Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis Colts
Age:24
2016 PPG: 9.7 (51st)
HC/OC: Chuck Pagano/Rob Chudzinski
QB: Andrew Luck/Jacoby Brissett

I've never been a big fan of Moncrief. He's only ranked this high because the amount of touchdowns he scores props up his value. He looks completely lost without Luck out there this year.

39.) Terrelle Pryor, Washington Redskins
Age:28
2016 PPG: 10.9 (30th)
HC/OC: Jay Gruden/Matt Cavanaugh
QB: Kirk Cousins

If you read that same article I linked under Crowder, you'd know that I thought Pryor is incredibly volume dependent. You'd also know that the Redskins haven't targeted a single receiver more than 114 times in the Jay Gruden era. It doesn't add up to a lot of hope for Pryor who is off to a not great start for his expectations. However, he is coming off a thousand yard season so that's something.

40.) John Ross,Cincinnati Bengals
Age:21
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Marvin Lewis/ Bill Lazor
QB: Andy Dalton

Maybe I'm more forgiving of injuries to rookies than most. John Ross's early returns haven't been encouraging, but they haven't been for pretty much any of this year's rookie class. Add in the fact that the Bengals looked terrible until their most recent game and I'm still intrigued.

41.) Zay Jones, Buffalo Bills
Age:22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Sean McDermott/ Rick Dennison
QB: Tyrod Taylor

Another rookie I'm willing to be more forgiving on than most. Many assumed with Sammy out of town Watkins would instantly step into a role. The Bills offense hasn't been that great in general minus Charles Clay. Next year they should have another QB in place, and Matthews could be gone.

42.) Tyrell Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 11.4 (26th)
HC/OC: Anthony Lynn/Ken Whisenhunt
QB: Phillip Rivers

Man did Tyrell step up big last year when everyone was hurt or what? I'd have him ranked higher, but the lack of volume to begin this season is concerning especially since Mike Williams isn't even back yet. In positive news, he's a free agent after this season and could go somewhere a little less crowded.

43.) Cameron Meredith, Chicago Bears
Age: 25
2016 PPG:10.5 (34th)
HC/OC: Doug Marrone / Nathaniel Hackett
QB: Mike Glennon

Meredith being lost for the season was one of the biggest bummers of the off-season. I always love watching un-drafted guys not only work their way onto the team but become stars. He's a free agent next year so he could find himself on a new team as well-or become the top guy for Mitchell Trubisky.

44.) Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions
Age:24
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC:  Jim Caldwell/Jim Bob Cooter
QB: Matthew Stafford

As boring as Tate is that's how exciting Golladay is. The "Babytron" name hasn't quite been earned yet, but he certainly has shown flashes of huge upside. Only thing in his way is that both Tate and Marvin Jones are likely sticking around at least through the 2018 season.

45.) Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Age:34
2016 PPG: 11.9 (19th)
HC/OC: Bruce Arians/Harold Goodwin
QB: Carson Palmer

Larry Fitzgerald is a great piece for a win now team. The question is-is this his last year? Even if he continues to play-would it be without Carson Palmer? Too many question marks surrounding him to rank him much higher than this.

46.) Jeremy Maclin, Baltimore Ravens
Age: 29
2016 PPG: 7.3 (65th)
HC/OC: John Harbaugh/Marty Mornhinweg
QB: Joe Flacco

Maclin was incredibly consistent until last season. His release by the Chiefs was pretty shocking but has seemed to work out for well them. Still-Maclin has managed to save his season so far with two tds despite the Ravens offense not clicking at all. I'd be willing to take the risk on him if he was going at this price.

47.) Will Fuller, Houston Texans
Age: 23
2016 PPG: 7.5 (83rd)
HC/OC: Bill O'Brien
QB: Deshaun Watson

Remember this guy? It seems like some people have forgotten about him just because he broke his collarbone.  He showed some flashes in his rookie season and now gets to play with a competent quarterback. Color me intrigued.

48.) Josh Doctson, Washington Redskins
Age: 24
2016 PPG: N/A (only played two games)
HC/OC: Jay Gruden/Matt Cavanaugh
QB: Kirk Cousins

This ranking is as much myself admitting I don't know who will become the top guy for Kirk Cousins (presumably) as it is an endorsement of Doctson. Still, we haven't quite seen enough of him to say he isn't as good as people thought coming out of college. However, just like Mike Williams there are concerns about injuries here.

49.) Pierre Garcon, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 31

2016 PPG: 10.2 (45th)

HC/OC: Kyle Shanahan/Robert Saleh

QB: Brian Hoyer

Garcon is fresh of a thousand yard season. The touchdowns were a little low but he was still plenty productive in 2016. He's picked up where he left off this season and is now part of Kyle Shanahan's system.

50.) DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 30
2016 PPG: 10.2 (48th)
HC/OC: Dirk Koetter/Todd Monken
QB: Jameis Winston

Just when you thought DeSean Jackson may be reaching the end of his rope he gets paired up with Jameis Winston. He's on the books at least for the next two years before he can be cut with no dead cap. He and Winston should make beautiful music together during that time period.

As always, I'm sure there are some disagreements. Feel free to tweet at me @RekedFantasy. Also be sure to check out my other Dynasty Rankings!

Bobby's Dynasty Ranks: WRS (Part 1 9/28/17)

I'm going to split this article into 3-4 parts similar to what Zach did with his QB ranks. Why? Trying to do a paragraph for each receiver would make anything over 25 too much to read. It's going to be a very similar format to my running back rankings. 

1.) Odell Beckham, New York Giants
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 15.4 (5th)
HC/OC: Ben McAdoo/Mike Sullivan
QB: Eli Manning

Is Odell one of the most talented receivers on the planet? Absolutely. Is he somewhat of a  head case? Ask the kicking net that question. As a Giants fan I still love him, but there are a few question marks. The Giants need to show improvement with their o-line and what the succession plan looks like after Eli before I put my full trust in Odell. I say that knowing he may not re-sign with them, but c'mon it's pretty much a foregone conclusion right? Despite all that, he's been so dominant fantasy wise that he slightly edges out Mike Evans to be my number one dynasty wide receiver.

2.) Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 16 (2nd)
HC/OC: Dirk Koetter/Todd Monken
QB: Jameis Winston

I almost had Mike Evans over Odell if we are being honest. I love the fact that Evans and Winston will be a combo for years. It may have just been a fluke but it's hard to rank Evans over Odell when Odell has never had a season with less than 10 TDs and Evans had only 3 in 2015. I could easily see a scenario where Evans overtakes Odell in the near future though.

3.) Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 28
2016 PPG: 17 (1st)
HC/OC: Mike Tomlin/Todd Haley
QB: Ben Roethlisberger

This is a guy who constantly got fined when the no fun league was penalizing touchdown dances. Must mean he was scoring a lot of touchdowns. Since 2014 AB has caught 36 touchdowns, second only to Odell Beckham's 37 over that same span.

4.) Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 28
2016 PPG: 15.6 (4th)
HC/OC:  Dan Quinn/ Steve Sarkisian
QB: Matt Ryan

Antonio Brown and Julio Jones are very close to each as well in my ranks. Julio loses out only because Antonio Brown has better touchdown potential. However, you have to like the fact that it seems like Matty Ice is less close to retirement than Big Ben.

5.) Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
Age:24
2016 PPG: 14 (8th)
HC/OC: Sean Payton/Pete Carmichael
QB: Drew Brees

Since 2004 there have been only four wide receivers to have 1100 rec yards and at least five touchdowns in their rookie season. You guessed it, Michael Thomas is one of those four. The only other one since 2010? Odell Beckham. You have to worry a tad about MT without Brees, but he should be fine.

6.) Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

Age:23
2016 PPG: 11.9 (21st)
HC/OC:  Jack Del Rio/ Todd Downing
QB: Derek Carr

I might be starting to listen to the haters a little. I get it. Cooper can't seem to score tds to save his life and has some drop issues. However, if you read my Raiders BDTT you know Cooper is one of four players since 2007 to have 1000+ yards and a 13 YPR in his first two seasons in the league. The touchdowns will come eventually...right?

7.) A.J Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 29
2016 PPG: 15.3 (6th)
HC/OC: Marvin Lewis/ Bill Lazor
QB: Andy Dalton

I think it's blasphemy to have A.J. Green outside the top five and yet I'm doing it. I still believe in Green for the next few years, but he is 29 and the Bengals' O-line struggles aren't doing him any favors. Still you could do a lot worse than having Green as one of the top receivers on your team.

8.) DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Age: 25
2016 PPG: 9.9 (50th)
HC/OC: Bill O'Brien
QB: Deshaun Watson

I'm aware that DeAndre Hopkins season last year scared many of you off. However, can we really blame him when he was catching passes from Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage? This season he has yet to have less than 10 points in .5 ppr leagues and is clearly building chemistry with Watson. I hope you bought low while you could.

9.) T.Y Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Age:27
2016 PPG: 14.3 (7th)
HC/OC: Chuck Pagano/Rob Chudzinski
QB: Andrew Luck/Jacoby Brissett

I've been a huge T.Y guy for a long time. I just love his game and love that his name allows me to have names like "Suit and T.Y" for my fantasy teams. Obviously, he isn't living up to expectations this year but that's hard to do when your franchise QB is out. He's tied to Andrew Luck for a long time and that's an excellent thing.

10.) Brandin Cooks, New England Patriots
Age:24
2016 PPG: 13.8 (9th)
HC/OC: Bill Belichick/ Josh McDaniels
QB: Tom Brady

If you read my Patriots BDTT, not only did you get some sweetStar Wars references but you saw that I loved Cooks even before Edelman went down. He finally showed what he can do last week when he went off for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns. Even if you're worried about life after Brady, I think the Patriots have that well in hand.

11.) Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

Age: 29
2016 PPG: 12.9 (11th)
HC/OC: Pete Caroll/Darrell Bevell
QB: Russell Wilson

Is there a guy who continues to be undervalued despite constantly producing more than Baldwin? Between the 2015-2016 seasons only 14 players have more total yards than Baldwin, and only 2 have more TDS. It's time to wake up and realize you want Wilson's top receiver on your team.

12.) Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
Age:24
2016 PPG: 11.6 (23rd)
HC/OC: Mike Zimmer/ Pat Shurmur
QB: Sam Bradford

Diggs lit the world on fire in his first three games last season before tailing off. So far he's on a better pace in terms of touchdowns, and I don't think he's actually going to fall off the map like he did last year. The Vikings offense is incredibly improved, and Diggs had been playing through some injuries towards the end of the year.

13.) Sammy Watkins, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 8.6 (70th) (8 games)
HC/OC: Sean McVay/ Matt LaFleur
QB: Jared Goff

Weird to think that we'd be sitting here talking about one of Jared Goff's receivers as a top guy but here we are.  I thought there was a chance Goff would transform but I'm not going to lie and say I fully believed it. When he is healthy, Sammy is one of the best talents in the game. Health is a key thing for him though. Additionally, he could be on a new team this time next year.

14.) Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
Age:23
2016 PPG: 11.7 (22)
HC/OC: Andy Reid/ Matt Nagy
QB: Alex Smith

I'll be the first to admit that I had my doubts about Tyreek Hill long term. I thought he was just a gadget player but he's looked good in the three game sample we've had this season. I still have some concerns because I love Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce. I'm just not sure Tyreek will ever be "the guy" on the offense but he continues to produce anyway.

15.) Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age:24
2016 PPG:  10.2 (45th)
HC/OC: N/A (out for the year-free agent next year)
QB: N/A (free agent next year)

Losing a year to an ACL injury is never good for a player's value. In positive news Allen Robinson is a free agent next year. One can only hope that he finds his way off the Jaguars (apologies Zach), and onto a team that can better utilize his talents.

16.) Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Age:25
2016 PPG: N/A (1 game)
HC/OC: Anthony Lynn/Ken Whisenhunt
QB: Phillip Rivers

During the off-season we heard nothing except that Allen wouldn't be getting enough volume to produce like he has in the past. However, in three games this season he hasn't seen less than 9 targets. I would like to see him get into the end zone a bit more but the early returns are certainly encouraging.

17. Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins
Age: 24
2016 PPG:11.5 (25th)
HC/OC: Adam Gase/Clyde Christensen
QB: Jay Cutler/Ryan Tannehill

People don't like Jarvis Landry since he isn't flashy. Between 2014-2016 he was tied for the 4th most receptions with 288. That's why he's a PPR monster. He may move on from the Dolphins after this season but I could think of some pretty juicy landing spots...like the Patriots new slot man anyone?

18.) Devante Parker, Miami Dolphins
Age:24
2016 PPG: 8.4 (73rd)
HC/OC: Adam Gase/Clyde Christensen
QB: Jay Cutler/Ryan Tannehill

Guys, Parker is finally happening! Jay Cutler clearly loves him, and Parker is currently a top scorer early in the season. I know it's early but I've believed in Parker for a while. With the departure of Landry imminent it's about to be his team.

19.) Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 13.1 (10th)
HC/OC: Mike McCarthy/Edgar Bennett
QB: Aaron Rodgers

Still kicking myself over this one. I sold my only share low when he was a rookie because the drops were really bothering me. Hard to argue with what he did last year and he's still seeing a ton of target volume this season.

Update: This was written before Thursday Night's game. Wishing Davante Adams a speedy recovery.

20.) Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Age:28
2016 PPG: 11.9 (20th)
HC/OC: Jason Garrett/Scott Linehan
QB: Dak Prescott

It's really easy to knock Dez for the injuries the past two seasons. Especially since those injuries have almost all involved his legs in some way.  He also hasn't quite gotten on the same page with Prescott, though they are working on it. Still, it's hard to rank him any lower because we know what he's capable of when healthy.

21.) Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Age:29
2016 PPG: 11.3 (27th)
HC/OC: Vance Joseph/ Mike McCoy
QB: Trevor Siemian

Did you know the last time that DT didn't get at least 1000 yards was 2011? Yeah, that's pretty great consistency. He does have to share some of the work with Emmanuel Sanders, but he's still the guy I want for his play making ability. Doesn't hurt that he's a year younger than Sanders either.

22.) Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans
Age:22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie
QB: Marcus Mariota

Do I like the idea of Corey Davis being tied to Marcus "Marigota" for a long time? Absolutely. Do I also need to see more from him before I can possibly rank him any higher? You got it dude.

23. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Age: 32
2016 PPG: 16 (3rd)
HC/OC: Mike McCarthy/Edgar Bennett
QB: Aaron Rodgers

Jordy is amazing. To come off an major injury and put up the numbers he did in his age 31 season is insane. I never want to bet against him, however we do need to keep in mind he is 32. I'd still want Jordy on my team but would want to pair him with some youth to take over sooner rather than later.

24.) Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 27
2016 PPG: 10 (49th)
HC/OC: Doug Pederson/ Frank Reich
QB: Carson Wentz

Alshon would be a top tier talent if he could just stay healthy. The last time he played a full season was 2014 so color me skeptical. He's a one year deal with the Eagles so he should be motivated to prove himself, and if he ends up their long term he'll get to work with Carson Wentz for at least a few years. He and Wentz need to get on the same page before I believe this to be a good thing though.

25. Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos
Age: 30
2016 PPG: 11.5 (24th)
HC/OC: Vance Joseph/ Mike McCoy
QB: Trevor Siemian

Speaking of Emmanuel Sanders, since joining the Broncos he has been the picture of consistency. He and DT have accounted for almost all of the teams targets and I don't see that changing any time soon. Look for more of the same from him.


There you have it. I'm not going to lie. I struggled a lot with this. I moved a lot of people up and down as I went. There are some I believe are deserving to be part of this list that didn't quite make the cut (but will definitely be in part 2!). I'm sure many people will disagree with my ranks, so feel free to tweet at me @RekedFantasy.

Until next time

Rek

Bobby's Dynasty Ranks: RBS (9/27/17)

I've been meaning to post these for a while and thinking about something to do in-season. While this is a big undertaking, it's something I want to do. I'm going to be borrowing the way my good buddy Zach formatted his article, but the ranks and comments will all be mine.  That means I'm generally looking at a three year window for my ranks. Hopefully, my leaguemates don't use these ranks against me-but who are we kidding they totally will.
.

1.) Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 23.1 PPG (1st)
HC/OC: Mike Tomlin / Todd Haley
PFF O-Line Rank: 3rd

Until the injury, it's likely that I would have had David Johnson here. I'm somewhat surprised myself that I have Le'Veon Bell as my number one considering I don't like suspension risks. However, running back seems like a very volatile position (see: Jeremy Langford), so you have to take production where you can get it.

You know a guy is deserving of the top spot when he's considered off to a "slow start" and he has 10+ points in .5 ppr leagues 2 out of 3 weeks.

2.) Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Age: 22
2016 PPG: 20.4 (3rd)
HC/OC: Jason Garrett / Scott Linehan
PFF O-Line Rank: 9th

Look, I hate the Cowboys as much as the next person but as Zach put it Zeke fell just six yards of being the third rookie rb to hit 2000 YFS. He's another guy that is considered off to a "slow start" this year but he has over 16 points in the .5 prr formats 2 of the 3 weeks. That's especially impressive when you consider that one of those games was against the Giants who were the only team to bottle him up last year.

3.) David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
Age: 25/26
2016 PPG: 22.9 (2nd)
HC/OC: Bruce Arians / Harold Goodwin
PFF O-Line Rank: 17th

I'm going to borrow another stat from Zach here: David Johnson was only the 10th player last season to put 2000 YFS and 20+ touchdowns. Let that sink in. Zach noted that he is worried about the decline of Carson Palmer, and that's reasonable. However, given his multifaceted game, I'm confident that DJ can overcome any quarterback deficiencies. I'd have him ranked higher if he wasn't going to miss the majority of this season.

4.) Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 23
2016 PPG: 11.0 (25th)
HC/OC: Sean McVay / Matt LaFleur
PFF O-Line Rank: 18th

Bye Jeff Fisher! Thanks for playing. It's no secret that I believed Sean McVay had the capability to turn around the Rams offense. However, to turn around the Rams offense this quickly has been impressive. It's hard to say if Jared Goff will keep up the pace all season, but if he does it will only help Gurley.  Gurley is certainly enjoying the turnaround, and his owners should be thinking of him as a top asset again.

5.) Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 25
2016 PPG: 16.1 (7th)
HC/OC: Dan Quinn / Steve Sarkisian
PFF O-Line Rank: 6th

Is it just me or since his breakout in 2015 has Freeman felt a little underrated? I know the presence of Tevin Coleman hurts him in some people's eyes, but he has back to back seasons of 1500+ YFS. The Falcons offense hasn't slowed down as much as people thought it would without Kyle Shanahan, and Freeman is going to continue to feast.

6.) Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
Age:22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Andy Reid/Matt Nagy
PFF O-line Rank:15th

I'm just going to include a tweet here:

Kareem Hunt has the 2nd-most fantasy pts (87.80) among rookies through their first 3 games since the merger. He's 2nd to Billy Sims in 1980.

— Careen Falcone (@FalconeC) September 25, 2017

If that's not enough for you just know that Andy Reid's RBs always seem to find fantasy success. It may only be a three game sample, but I'm a full believer in "Crispy Kareem" Hunt.

7.) Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 17.7 (4th)
HC/OC: Anthony Lynn / Ken Whisenhunt
PFF O-Line Rank: 21st

I think it's time we stopped judging running-backs solely by their YPC. It's clear that teams are placing more and more value on the ability to catch the ball too. Gordon is a nice hybrid back who seems to have a nose for the end zone.  The fact that he's this productive despite the Chargers noted o-line struggles is a major part of the reason I have him this high.

8.) Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
Age:22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Mike Zimmer/Pat Shurmur
PFF O-line Rank: 14th

Two rookies back to back? Not even Leonard Fournette or Joe Mixon? A funny thing happened since the combine-we actually got to see these players in game action. That's not to say I don't still like either of those two players, but Cook ranks above them for his pass catching ability. Additionally, the Vikings offense is clearly emerging which can only help Cook's long term value.

9.) Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Doug Marrone / Nathaniel Hackett
PFF O-Line Rank: 13th

It wasn't long ago that I tried to get the first overall pick to take Leonard Fournette. I'd still draft him high if we were re-doing rookie drafts today. However, Allen Robinson could leave the team next year and their quarterback situation is very unsettled. I do like that he's the focal point of the offense at the moment, but it's going to become problematic kong term unless the passing game can open more lanes for him.

10.)  Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
Age: 22/23
2016 PPG: 14.3 (8th)
HC/OC: John Fox / Dowell Loggains
PFF O-Line Rank: 5th

Jordan Howard would have ranked higher on this list, but it's hard to keep the faith entirely with Cohen in town. Additionally, until the Bears start playing ahead *cough* play Mitchell Trubisky *cough* it's going to be hard to see the volume that would make him truly elite. Still after last year and this previous week's performance he has shown enough to make my top ten.

11.)  Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 13.5 (16th)
HC/OC: Adam Gase / Clyde Christensen
PFF O-Line Rank: 26th

Let me get things started here: Jay Ajayi had two 200 yard games against the "weak" Buffalo Bills defense. However, he also had a very legitimate 200 yards against a tough Steelers defense. I know some of you don't trust his knees, but they have held up so far. As I mentioned early, don't look at these guys expecting to get production for the next 5+ years. Take the house money and run.

12.) Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
Age: 21
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Ron Rivera/ Mike Shula
PFF O-Line Rank: 12th

It's not much of a secret that Cam Newton has struggled so far. That might explain why Christian McCaffrey isn't quite on the same level as the rest of his rookie brethern yet.  It doesn't help that Jonathan Stewart has managed to stick around despite all of fantasy twitter calling for him to be irrelevant. I fully admit that I believe McCaffrey can be and will be a quick riser, but this is as high as I can rank him until he shows me more.

13.) Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 21
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Marvin Lewis/Bill Lazor
PFF O-Line Rank: 31st

It shouldn't be lost on anyone that as soon as Lazor took over Mixon saw 101 yards from scrimmage. Lazor said he wanted to get "the running back" more involved. Not the running backs. One specifically. It's clear that means Mixon. We are about to see what made him a high round talent despite his off-field issues.

14.) Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers
Age: 24
2016 PPG (includes being a WR): 7.9 (41st)
HC/OC: Mike McCarthy/ Edgar Bennett
PFF O-Line Rank: 8th

If there is a ranking I expect to get called out for this is the one. There are other guys I'm tempted to put here too, but Ty Montgomery has landed in the perfect situation. Don't you want a running back who is in the prolific Green Bay offense and knows how to catch passes? I know his YPC this season is scaring some of you but he has huge touchdown upside and will bounce back in the YPC category as well.

15.) Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers
Age: 27
2016 PPG:13.7 (10th)
HC/OC: Kyle Shanahan
PFF O-Line Rank: 27th

I'm old enough to remember when Kyle Shanahan was banging the table for Joe Williams. Or when Matt Breida was going to be the lead back. Also when Carlos Hyde was going to be cut. Somehow, not only has he stayed with the team but he's excelled. Imagine that, a good player finding success. Weird right? Heavy sarcasm aside, Carlos Hyde has proven he's a good fit for Shanahan's system. That is very good news for his future value. Just ask Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.

16.) Derrick Henry, Tennesee Titans
Age:23
2016 PPG: 7.1 (75th)
HC/OC: Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie
PFF O-Line Rank: 4th

Derrick Henry is like Fetch. We keep trying to make him happen and he's just not happening. Considering he's still only 23 there is still time. The Titans are an emerging offense and I expect Henry to be a big part of it-it may just not be as soon as this as this season.

17.) Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons
Age:24
2016 PPG: 13.5 (14th)
HC/OC: Dan Quinn / Steve Sarkisian
PFF O-Line Rank: 6th

Many including myself were expecting some touchdown regression for Coleman this season. Through three games he only has one so far, so it may be coming to fruition but it's a little too early to tell. However, he's still incredibly valuable in PPR formats of any sort. He's also a UFA in 2019. May need to wait a bit but he could easily be a lead back for a team in his age 26 season.

18.) DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans
Age: 29
2016 PHC/OC: Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie
PFF O-Line Rank: 4thPG: 16.7 (6th)

DeMarco likely has another productive year in him. However, he can be cut by the Titans for no cap hit while saving 6.5 million next season. With Derrick Henry ready to take over you can bet your bottom dollar this is his last season as a Titan. Whether another team takes a chance on a 30 year old to be their lead back is a major question mark.

19.) LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
Age: 29
2016 PPG: 18.3 (4th)
HC/OC: Sean McDermott/ Rick Dennison
PFF O-Line Rank: 10th

This ranking is mostly about age. The Bills are clearly in a rebuild, and I'm not sure how much longer past this season it makes sense to keep trotting McCoy out there. Additionally, without much around him this season he hasn't been able to get as much production as in the past. We'll see if that holds up all season, but I'm just not as confident in his value as I used to be.

20.) Alvin Kamara, New Orlean Saints
Age: 22
2016 PPG: N/A
HC/OC: Sean Payton/ Pete Carmichael
PFF O-Line Rank: 16th

Alvin Kamara has already been heavily involved in the passing game for the Saints. Considering the value that we witnessed Darren Sproles provide in that role that's a very good sign. Add in the fact that Mark Ingram is constantly in Sean Payton's doghouse and the future is bright for Kamara. He could easily move up this list in quick order.

21.) C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos
Age: 26
2016 PPG:  13.5 (20th)
HC/OC: Vance Joseph/ Mike McCoy
PFF O-Line Rank:  25th

If Vance Joseph is having the time of his life, then CJA has to be right behind him. He's shown some of the form that made many like him in 2014. I think he's been judged rather harshly (myself included) since not repeating that 2014 season. The progression of Trevor Siemian as a quarterback should only help.

22.) Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Browns
Age: 24
2016 PPG: 11.6 (28th)
HC/OC:  Hue Jackson/ Gregg Williams
PFF O-Line Rank: 2nd

To say that Crowell has been a disappointment so far this season would be an understatement. He was very good last season, and the Browns did everything they could to improve their O-line this offseason. Still, it's hard to get many attempts when you're constantly playing behind. As Deshone Kizer improves it may help boost Crowell up to the value that more of us were expecting.

23.) Mark Ingram,  New Orlean Saints
Age: 27
2016 PPG: 13.7 (11th)
HC/OC: Sean Payton/ Pete Carmichael
PFF O-Line Rank: 16th

Speaking of Mark Ingram-when he does get to see the field he is very productive.  I was really hoping that he would get traded to a team that could use him more.  He's managed to stay very involved in the offense though and is definitely still a usable RB2.

24.) Ameer Abdullah, Detriot Lions
Age:24
2016 PPG: N/A (only two games)
HC/OC:  Jim Caldwell/Jim Bob Cooter
PFF O-Line Rank: 24th

Who has two thumbs and expects to get flamed for this take? This guy! Jokes aside, it's hard to get that excited about the lead back on a team that is clearly built to air the ball out. Additionally, Theo Riddick eats into his value quite heavily. Barring an injury to Riddick, I just don't see the superstar that some do on Twitter.

25.) C.J Prosise, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 23
2016 PPG: 4.6 (6 games)
HC/OC: Pete Carroll/Darell Bevell
PFF O-Line Rank: 32nd

It was close between who I was going to include at the end of this article. I was really tempted to put Theo Riddick here, but the upside and age of C.J. Prosise really won me over. It may be a mistake, but at this point rather take the shot on the guy who has a potentially bright future. He showed flashes of what he can do last week but he also came up with an ankle injury.

That's it for my ranks. I'm sure there are many you disagree with. If you're curious where I'd rank other players feel free to message me on twitter @RekedFantasy.

Until next time,

Rek

Week 1 LopsidedTrades Notebook

We’ve finally got a week in the books! Minus the Miami Dolphins & Tampa Bay Bucs of course. Hope my readers in Florida are safe! This is kind of my personal notes on what happened in Week 1 but since I finished it (besides the Monday games) in a timely manner I figured I'd post it. Definitely no guarantees I post this weekly because usually I get through half the games and its already week 2. If people like the info, I'll try to be consistent with it. It is a ton of stuff, recaps but also interesting stats and snap data that you may not have picked up on yourself. There were a LOT of disappointments and some big injuries. But among it all, some big surprises as well. I’m going to take a look at each matchup in Week 1 and highlight points of interest for dynasty football. Snap totals are a big part of what I like to use for predicting playing time going forward, and those will be coming from the amazing www.pro-football-reference.com of course!

Kansas City Chiefs 42 @ New England Patriots 27

Let's start with the Patriots. This was a surprising result on both ends. You just don’t see the Patriots look as unprepared and outplayed as they did in Week 1. For Brady, this was his first game below 50% completion rate since 2013. He was able to put up respectable yardage with 267 pass yards but really his accuracy was subpar all day. It started when he overthrew a WIDE open Dwayne Allen on the very first pass. There were some nice throws and both Gronk and Brandin Cooks very nearly had touchdowns. Danny Amendola led the team as the only truly reliable receiver with a line of 6-100-0 on 7 targets but left with a concussion and will be very questionable for Week 2. Brandin Cooks had a respectable debut thanks to a 54 yard reception and ended up at 3-88-0. Gronk was the big disappointment at receiver but like I said, he was super close to a really nice touchdown catch. Chris Hogan also disappointed with just one 8 yard catch on five targets. He did have three carries for 17 yards interestingly. James White’s rushing and receiving numbers were underwhelming but combined it totaled 68 yards on 13 touches. Over a full season that would be nearly 1,100 yards! And we know he will have some 5, 6, 7 reception games too. So I’m actually pleased with him. For as bad as the offense was, Gillislee getting three goal line touchdowns (all one or two yards) was seriously impressive. From within 5 yards of the end zone, the Patriots had 6 total plays. One target to Gronk, one carry to James White (a loss of yards) and four Gillislee carries with three TDs. The dude is going to score a ton this year. Rex Burkehead and Dion Lewis were not very involved. Burkehead had 10 snaps (out of 81) and 4 touches, Lewis had 6 and 2. Also of note, Phillip Dorsett was active and in on 18 snaps but received just a single deep target. It will take him some time to get fully acclimated to this offense but he is definitely worth owning in dynasty, especially with Danny Amendola already hurt and only four WRs on the roster.

For the Chiefs...wow. Heading into the game many were wondering how many games it would be until we saw Patrick Mahomes. It is now safe to say he is pretty safe for the whole season after one of his greatest performances ever. (I would put his 45-44 loss to the Colts in the playoffs ahead). Smith’s 28/35 passing (80%) was nothing surprising - he’s had games of 80% completions twice each of the past two seasons. However the more aggressive 368 yards and 4 TDs was shocking. He had a perfect deep throw to a wide open Tyreek Hill for a 75 yard touchdown and also hit Kareem Hunt deep for a 78 yard TD. Tyreek Hill finished with a fantastic 7-133-1 on 8 targets and also added 5 rush yards on two carries. There is no doubt in my mind he is a top 20 receiver this season. However Kareem Hunt stole the show with the greatest RB debut of all time, exceeding the likes of guys like Adrian Peterson (160 yards, 1 TD) and Marshall Faulk (174 yards, 3 TD). The Patriots had absolutely no answer for Hunt and he had individual plays of 50+ yards both rushing and receiving. He finished at 17-148-1 on the ground and 5-98-2 through the air on 5 targets. Even taking away Hunt’s best 58 yard run he had a 5.6 YPC which shows just how dominant he was. The last time Bill Belichick allowed a player to put up 200 yards, it was Knowshon Moreno in a memorable Sunday night shootout of Brady v Manning. It took Moreno 38 touches. Hunt had just 22. I was highly skeptical of Hunt going into Week 1 but I saw all I needed. I am 100% sold on him being the real deal and unquestionably a top ten RB. Charcandrick West backed him up and played on 24 snaps but had just two touches, though one was a 21 yard TD. Of the rest, Travis Kelce was just 5-40-0 on 7 targets but I’m not really worried about him at all. Especially now that teams will have to respect Kareem Hunt and the run game. Albert Wilson caught all 5 of his targets for 37 yards and Chris Conley added two catches for 43 yards. Neither will be fantasy relevant barring injury but both are solid players. Overall an incredible game for the Chiefs and this offense suddenly looks like it has what it takes to win in the playoffs. It’s a long season but look for them to keep it up next week @Philly.

Buffalo Bills 21 vs New York Jets 12

It was nice to have such a predictable game after the Patriots surprise. The Jets looked awful and the Bills offense ran through Shady. With 4 teams left to play, Tyrod is the QB5 on the week reminding us of his high floor capability thanks to his mobility. Through the air Tyrod was an alright 18 of 24 for 224 yard 2 TD 1 INT. But adding 38 rush yards turned from a mediocre day into a very solid one. That’s going to be the case throughout the year so long as the Bills don’t dump him for Peterman. LeSean McCoy had the third most touches in week one at 27. He was great with them as well. Despite failing to score he put up 159 yards and his 5 receptions made him great in .5 and full PPR. I was quite surprised he was THIS effective running against the Jets but I guess the loss of Sheldon Richardson really hurt them. Mike Tolbert had the lone rush TD and had 54 yards on 13 touches. He won’t get that many touches on a regular basis but he will definitely be a threat to steal touchdowns all year and is the clear #2. Among receivers, Charles Clay was the #1 target and finished with a solid 4-53-1 on 9 targets. After being the #1 TE during the fantasy playoffs (weeks 14-16) he kept up that mojo. He has clearly developed some chemistry with Tyrod and definitely has a chance to finish top 12 for the first time in his career. After getting very little practice since coming to the Bills, Jordan Matthews did in fact start and had two receptions for 61 yards, the highlight being a 47 yard catch. He only had three targets but I am taking it as a positive. I am excited to see what he can do with a few more weeks of practice with Tyrod. Zay Jones also started but had an inauspicious debut. He caught just one of his four targets for 21 yards. That was disappointing. He will likely be up and down as a rookie. Andre Holmes was the WR3 and played 39 snaps. He received a single target but it was a goal line touchdown. At 6’5” he could be a guy they look to in the end zone regularly but for now I am still not interested.

For the Jets, Josh McCown’s 66.7% completion percentage was good. The positives end there though as his 4.8 yards per attempt were 25th of 27 QBs ahead of only the Texans duo. He had two interceptions and no touchdowns. I’ll be surprised if he starts for than 2-3 more games before losing the job. Bilal Powell and Matt Forte pretty much split RB duties 50/50. Both were ineffective with 39 and 36 yards respectively. Powell had 5 receptions for 17 yards and Forte 3 for 20 so they do offer some PPR value but without improving yards they just won’t be worth much. At this point in their careers I think Powell is clearly the better RB and I was hoping for at least a 60/40 split in his favor. Without that he is not worth much at all. Among receivers Robby Anderson and Jermaine Kearse were the starters. Kearse was the best with a 7-59-0 line on 9 targets, providing some surprising PPR value. Anderson had 8 targets but had a line of just 4-22-0. He offered deep threat upside with Bryce Petty but it looks like that just isn’t there with McCown. For as long as McCown starts, it looks like Kearse will be worth owning in deep PPR leagues, but like I said I don’t expect that to be for long. Rookie Ardarius Stewart was the #3 and had 2 catches for 10 yards on 5 targets. He’s merely a bottom of roster guy you are stashing for this year. Will Tye was the primary TE and caught all three of his targets for 34 yards. Yes at 3-34-0 that makes Tye something of a bright spot. But with Austin Seferian-Jenkins returning for Week 3 I can’t really get behind him. It’s going to be an ugly ugly year for the Jets, I’m just hoping Bilal Powell gets more usage.

Atlanta Falcons 23 @ Chicago Bears 17

While it didn’t show up in the score, this was more of the same for Matt Ryan despite the loss of Kyle Shanahan. He had a 70% completion rate and a Week 1 best 10.7 yards per attempt. Without a doubt I am still buying him as a top 5 QB. Most people don’t realize the Bears gave up the 7th fewest pass yards last year and even held Aaron Rodgers to his lone game without a TD pass at Soldier field. This was a tough week 1 matchup and Matt Ryan impressed. Even taking away his big 88 yard TD pass to Austin Hooper he still had 8.0 yards per attempt. And let’s talk about Hooper. He was a breakout candidate and this is a great start but don’t read TOO much into it. He was wide open on that 88 yard TD although he did have a great stiff arm before getting into the end zone. Outside of that he had just one other target although that too went for big yardage. On two targets he isn’t yet reliable but that is the kind of play that usually leads to more targets. Julio Jones only had 5 targets but caught 4 of them totaling 66 yards. It wasn’t a huge game but it was fine enough. Mohamed Sanu actually led the team in targets with 9 and finished at 6-47-0. It looks like he is the starter opposite Julio so that generally means you’ll get decent targets. He is a good bench guy in PPR. Taylor Gabriel was the #3 and I was hoping for bigger things from him. He started out nice with 2 catches for 32 yards early on but would have just two more targets and a single 4 yard reception the rest of the way. I still like him but it wasn’t the greatest start. The run game was the real disappointment as that was Chicago’s weakness last year. The two RBs combined for 53 yards on 20 carries (2.65 YPC) but Devonta Freeman did at least have a touchdown. Tevin Coleman was the preferred passing back with a 4-42-0 day on 6 targets to sort of save his week from a fantasy perspective. At 58 total yards he is once again looking to finish at around ~900 yards on the season which means he will need to continue catching a healthy amount of passes and/or scoring touchdowns to be a good fantasy play.

For the Bears there were some ups and downs. Mike Glennon was alright. His 65% completion rate was nice but he had 17 of 40 passes go to his RBs. Why throw so many times to his RBs? Well if it works, keep doing it! Tarik Cohen had an amazing debut with 113 yards and a touchdown and TWELVE targets. As long as Mike Glennon starts it seems Cohen will be his trusted short yardage option. Honestly Tarik is everything I thought Donnel Pumphrey would be. Jordan Howard entered the season as one of the elite tier RBs and it was a pretty disappointing Week 1. He scored but was overshadowed by Cohen and had a 4.0 YPC and 66 yards. Over the final 9 games of last season, 77 rush yards was his lowest total. It’s troubling but I’m not very concerned yet. At TE Dion Sims and Zach Miller split duties. They combined for 9 targets, Miller was the more effective of the two at 4-39-0 on 6 targets but it seems like barring touchdowns neither will be effective for fantasy. At WR Kevin White got the start but it looks like this season will end the same as the previous two, in disappointment and injury. White broke his collarbone and is going to miss most if not all of the season. When playing he had just 2 catches for 6 yards. It is time to give up on him. Kendall Wright was the other starter and he did okay. 3-34-0 on 4 targets. You have to think he will get quite a few targets going forward without White The injury didn’t come until the 4th quarter so we didn’t get to see the full effects of it here BUT three of Wright’s four targets came on the Bears final drive. Josh Bellamy and Deonte Thompson were the next guys up at receiver but both are JAGs.

Baltimore Ravens 20 @ Cincinnati Bengals 0

Another surprising result as the injury hampered Ravens demolished the Bengals, mostly through their defense overwhelming Dalton and the Bengals o-line. Dalton was awful with 170 yards, 0 TDs 4 Ints and a lost fumble. He was also sacked 5 times. He managed to throw just enough to give A.J. Green a respectable line of 5-74-0 on 10 targets. Giovani Bernard was the only other bright spot with 79 yards on just 8 touches, looking like his old self returning from a torn ACL. It seems strange that he only had 2 targets given how much pressure Dalton was under. Joe Mixon actually led the three-headed attack at RB in touches but at just 24 yards on 11 touches it was a huge disappointment. Even Jeremy Hill was better. It’s just one game but he certainly isn’t running away with this job just yet. With John Ross out, Tyler Boyd and Brandon LaFell were the other two main WRs and both were bad. Tyler Eifert had just one official target, which he caught for 4 yards. He also had another 7 yard catch called back by a penalty. Overall it was a disaster and with the Bengals line truly being one of the very worst, this is definitely a huge concern.

The Ravens perhaps luckily were able to play a conservative control the clock style of offense. Joe Flacco threw only 17 times, the fewest of any starting QB besides Tom Savage who was benched. He completed only 9 of those passes but did have a long touchdown to newcomer Jeremy Maclin. Danny Woodhead was actually the most featured player on the Ravens very first drive. He did exactly what you’d expect with three receptions for 33 yards and a 4 yard carry. Unfortunately he left with a hamstring injury. He was set for a big day so it is a real shame. The Ravens ran the ball 40 times between Terrance West and Javorius Allen. Allen was something of a forgotten man but interestingly had more snaps and carries. West was slightly more effective and got the touchdown. He is definitely the guy to own but with no other healthy back currently on the roster, Allen will see consistent touches as well and has proven in the past that he can catch, though he had just 1 target in this game. For the WRs Maclin led the way with a 2-56-1 line on 4 targets. Perriman also had four targets but just one catch for 5 yards. Mike Wallace had a single target which he caught for 8 yards. After a 1000 yard season that was a big disappointment. At TE Nick Boyle and Ben Watson both played a majority of snaps. Maxx Williams also played some. Each of the TEs received a single target, it doesn’t look like they will feature TEs heavily this year. You can’t take away too much from this game because I just don’t see the Ravens dominating most of their games or even necessarily leading many. Next week they face the Browns and I am actually expecting a much closer game and hopefully we’ll get a better sense for the pass game.

Pittsburgh Steelers 21 @ Cleveland Browns 18

A strong showing for the Browns in Kizer’s debut! The game was tied until 45 seconds left in the first half but Jesse James scored at that point and then added another TD in the 3rd to seal the deal. Following the trade of Vance McDonald many people thought that meant the end of Jesse James but he was actually the second most targeted Steeler with two goal line touchdowns. Big Ben only had three pass attempts inside the 10 yard line and all three(!) went to James for two touchdowns. It’s just one game but that is very interesting. He is certainly worth owning in dynasty and deep leagues. He finished 6-41-2 on 8 targets. Antonio Brown was one of the few superstar WRs who fully delivered. He caught all 11 of his targets for 182 yards. No score, but hey no one is complaining about that line! No doubt he was happy to see Joe Haden on his sideline this year. As was Roethlisberger no doubt. He put up 263 yards and the 2 TDs to James with an interception. Outside of those two though, Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant both really disappointed. Bell had just 47 yards on 13 touches. Last season just one of his twelve games was below 100 yards and even there he at least had 70. It’s troubling but just one game. Martavis Bryant and Eli Rogers both played a majority of snaps but combined for just 4 catches for 25 yards. I suppose we’ll have to chalk it up to rust for Bryant, whom many had very high expectations for. It’s also worth noting he has always been an inconsistent player. I’m going to give him a pass for the first 3 games or so, but you have to look for improvements.

The Browns started off horribly with a 3 and out followed by a blocked punt TD for the Steelers. On the second drive Kizer converted a nice 3rd and 11 to David Njoku but then was sacked twice and the Browns punted. They scored a touchdown on their third drive but really seemed to come into their own in the second half when they had three longer drives, albeit one resulting in an interception. Kizer had a rush TD and also threw one to preseason favorite Corey Coleman to make the game close near the end. Overall a solid debut. Following what should have been a revamped offensive line, big things were expected for Isaiah Crowell but with 33 yards on 17 carries, it was more of the same from 2017 when he was either great or awful rushing. He did add 33 yards receiving to somewhat save his day. Matthew Dayes was the backup RB used sparingly while Duke Johnson was the WR3, never lining up in the backfield. This was a surprise seeing he was quite successful out of the backfield last year and even this preseason. Additionally the results out of the slot were not great with just 2 catches for 20 yards on 5 targets. I’m hoping he at least gets SOME usage out of the backfield and that this was just a game plan against the Steelers. We shall see. Corey Coleman didn’t have his first target until the Browns 5th drive of the game but once he did, things went very well with a line of 5-53-1 on 6 targets. He could be well on his way to a big breakout 2nd year. Kenny Britt also continued on his preseason performance. In this case, that wasn’t a good thing. Despite starting he had just one catch for 13 yards. Ricardo Louis as the WR4 had a line of 2-32-0 on 3 targets and could possibly overtake Britt at some point. David Njoku is the TE of the future but it is a split with DeValve for the moment and DeValve held him off here. The two both played well though and combined for 6-62-0 on 7 targets. Overall a promising game for the Browns!

Dallas Cowboys 19 vs New York Giants 3

Despite the Giants success last year, this one went much like I expected. Without Odell, Eli Manning dinked and dunked his way though this game without success. Shane Vereen led the team in targets and catches with 9-51-0 on 10 targets. If healthy he will certainly see a lot of work this season. Sterling Shepard was the #2 target with a 7-44-0 line on 8 targets. Again, very short yardage. Brandon Marshall was invisible in this game with one catch for 10 yards at the very end of this game in meaningless garbage time. He had 4 targets total. It is definitely troubling especially when you consider how bad he was last year. The bright spots were Evan Engram at 4-44-0 on 5 targets with a team long 31 yard catch. For a rookie TE in his debut that is very solid. Second year player Roger Lewis as the WR3 led the team in yards at 4-54-0 on 6 targets. Its a nice game but with Odell back soon, there isn’t room for him unless Marshall really is done. Shane Vereen had 0 carries while Paul Perkins and Orleans Darkwa combined for 10 carries and 30 yards. They couldn’t really do anything on the ground. You have to hope Odell will help the run game by forcing defenses to focus in on him. This was a bad game but this team will look very different with their best player on the field.

The Cowboys did exactly what they wanted with Dak continuing to play mistake free solid football at QB and Zeke getting a league high 29 touches. Keep in mind, the Giants defense is supposed to be VERY good. They did a good job on Zeke who had a long run of 10 and a 4.3 YPC but he did manage 140 yards overall. Dak threw for 268 yards and a TD and was sacked just once. Dez Bryant was targeted 9 times but ahd just 2 catches for 43 yards as Janoris Jenkins mostly kept him in check. Terrance Williams was pretty good as the outside receiver in 3WR sets, he had a line of 6-68-0 on 7 targets. We pretty much know what Williams is at this point so he’s probably going to be worse than that in most games. Cole Beasley played more snaps but had just 5 targets and a 3-32-0 line. The lone touchdown pass went to ol reliable Jason Witten with a line of 7-59-1 on 9 targets. Witten became the Cowboys all time leader in receiving yards last night. Witten had just three touchdowns last year so this was a good sign. However it’s also worth noting he had a 9-66-0 line in Week 1 last year as well and was just okay the rest of the season so let’s not get too excited for the 35 year old dad runner. Worth noting Brice Butler was the WR4 and Ryan Switzer played just two snaps on offense.

Detroit Lions 35 vs Arizona Cardinals 23

Despite the score this game was actually pretty ugly for both teams. Well for the Lions it was ugly until about halfway through the third quarter when Stafford really turned it up. For the Cardinals, it was just BAD with one garbage time TD making it look better than it really was. Carson Palmer was legitimately bad in this game with three interceptions and 269 yards on 48 attempts. He struggled to get the ball downfield to anybody. It did not help that the run game was very bad as well. I’ve been saying I’m worried Palmer is about done and it sure looked like it here. David Johnson had two fumbles and lost one but he was the brightest spot receiving with a 6-68-0 line on 9 targets. As a runner he had 23 yards on 11 carries. Of course the big news is that he injured his wrist and we are waiting to find just how long he will be out. Kerwynn Williams is the primary backup and had 6 touches for 12 yards though he did score at the goal line. Don’t expect big things for however many games he starts. Larry Fitzgerald was the top targeted receiver and finished with a nice PPR line of 6-73-0 however it was on 13 targets which was an uncharacteristic 46.2% catch rate. He also had a drop which is something that almost never happens (4 drops on 147 targets last year). John Brown had a line of 4-32-0 on 8 targets and added a 10 yard run. I’d really put more of these low catch %’s on Palmer than the WRs. For all the Jaron Brown praise he had just one target which he did not catch. Instead, J.J. Nelson as the WR4 was the most efficient receiver with a line of 5-43-1 on 6 targets Three of those catches and the touchdown came on the Cardinals final garbage time drive so take it with a grain of salt.

Stafford started off slow but finished strong when they needed him most. He finished with 292 yards, 4 TDs and an interception. The Lions also struggled to run the ball with Abdullah, Riddick and Washington combining for 23 carries for 51 yards. It was an extremely underwhelming return for Ameer Abdullah. He had 41 total yards on 18 touches. Theo Riddick was pretty disappointing too but his 6 catches and a score offset the 26 yards. As long as he continues to put up receptions he’ll be fine. Golden Tate was the top target continuing his possession ways with a 10-107-0 on 12 targets. He added 7 yards on 2 carries. Marvin Jones started and scored but had just 2 targets, catching both for a 2-37-1 line. That is kind of a red flag for me especially considering the rookie hype train on Kenny Golladay is back in full effect! Golladay was electric with two touchdowns and a 4-69-2 line on 7 targets. T.J. Jones added 4 targets on just 19 snaps, again troubling considering Marvin Jones had 68 snaps and just two targets. Eric Ebron had a verrrry quiet day with 2 catches for 9 yard on 3 targets. Don’t read too much into it! The Cardinals were gave up the fewest points to opposing TEs last year. They gave up two touchdowns and not a single TE had more than 53 rec yards. If Ebron gets dropped, I’d still be looking to scoop him up.

Green Bay Packers 17 vs Seattle Seahawks 9

Another very disappointing offense in Week 1. The Seahawks struggled to move the ball all day and had five three and outs. Russ did rush for 40 yards on two carries if you want some positives. Eddie Lacy started but was completely irrelevant with 3 yards on five carries. C.J. Prosise did not fair much better with 11 yards on four carries. It was baffling that Prosise did not have any targets in this game since that is where he made his mark last year. It was 7th round rookie Chris Carson that ended up leading the RBs in snaps and was easily the most effective with 49 yards on 7 touches. I guess if Rawls is fully healthy you give him an opportunity to be the lead guy since you named him the starter, but I don’t see anyway Chris Carson isn’t ahead of Lacy and Prosise right now. At WR Doug Baldwin was mostly shut out with just one target and catch in the first half. He started to come alive later on and finished by catching all four of his targets for a 4-63-0 line to lead the team in yards. The leader in targets however was Paul Richardson. Finally healthy, he is looking pretty good and finished with a 4-59-0 line on 7 targets. A pair of disappointments really hampered this pass offense in Tyler Lockett and Jimmy Graham. Lockett lost out on the starting job to PRich and then had just one 8 yard catch while playing on just 53% of snaps. Jimmy Graham was worse with 8 yards on three catches despite seven targets! He also had a drop. It was an awful game for him.

For the Pack it was business as usual - or as close to it as you can get when facing the Seahawks defense. Aaron Rodgers completed 66.7% of his passes for 311 yards and a touchdown. He also threw one interception. Ty Montgomery surprised many by playing as a true three down back. He was in on 90% of the snaps! He put up 93 yards and a score on 23 touches. As far as I am concerned, that is a tremendous debut as feature back against such a tough opponent. At WR all three Packers played extensively with Randall Cobb leading the way and continuing his return to dominance from last years playoffs. He finished at 9-85-0 and that is now four straight games of 9.7 points or better in .5 PPR. Jordy also delivered big time with a 7-79-1 performance. It looks like he is set for yet another top five season. Davante Adams couldn’t match his teammates performances. He had a 3-47-0 line on 7 targets. Even last year he had a problem with inconsistency but I suppose I won’t be too harsh on him in this matchup. Martellus Bennett was also quiet with a 3-43-0 line. 

Jacksonville Jaguars 29 - Houston Texans 7

My favorite team was good! This feels weird! As good as this score is, the offense didn’t actually do a whole lot. Bortles had just 125 yards passing but hey a touchdown and no turnovers, that is what they need from him. The leading receiver was Allen Hurns at 3-42-0 on four targets. Allen Robinson played just three snaps and had already had a 17 yard catch. Unfortunately that was it for the game and probably the season after suffering an ACL injury (they haven’t officially called it a tear just yet, but it is looking that way). That is a huge blow to this team as he is a difference maker in the pass game that Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee just haven’t been. Marqise Lee did not have a single catch on his four targets. UDFA rookie Keelan Cole was the next man up at WR though he also did not have a catch on two targets. All three of those receivers had a drop, so it could have been a better day for Bortles and the offense. Leonard Fournette tied Ezekiel Elliott for most touches on the week at 29. He totaled 124 yards and a score. You have to consider it a great debut. The surprise was Fournette getting three catches. I’m not sure if that will be a regular thing. Chris Ivory backed Fournette up and had 53 yards on ten touches, also solid. Next week the team gets the Titans and we’ll have to see what happens if they can’t get an early lead and control the clock.

For the Texans there isn’t a whole lot to take away because they were so thoroughly dominated on the line of scrimmage. The two QBs were sacked 10 times and had a total of four turnovers. Deshaun Watson led the team to a touchdown on his first drive and was definitely the better of the two QBs but I’m not sure this was the best time to bring him in. Lamar Miller had as nice a game as he could’ve in this situation with 96 yards on 19 touches. His job is not in danger for the moment. Tyler Ervin actually backed him up and had four receptions for 18 yards but otherwise unnoticeable. D’onta Foreman had just one carry for four yards. Bill O’Brien has vowed to use him more often going forward. At WR Hopkins had a league leading 16 targets but could only turn it into a 7-55-1. On the bright side, six of those catches and the TD came with Watson so if you own Hopkins that is definitely who you want throwing the ball. Braxton Miller and Bruce Ellington were the other primary WRs but neither had a catch and Ellington left with a concussion. C.J. Fiedorowicz also left with a concussion but was off to a great start with 4 recs for 46 yards. He was only in on 30% of snaps before leaving. As a result he saw very little action with Deshaun Watson but his final catch was with the rookie.

Oakland Raiders 26 @ Tennessee Titans 16

This was expected to be a high scoring shootout but didn’t quite turn out that way. Both teams started out decently with a quick touchdown but the Titans failed to find the end zone the rest of the way. Mariota played his signature mistake free ball with a 61% completion rate and 256 passing yards on 41 attempts. He saved his day with a rushing touchdown on 26 yards on the ground. He had 6.2 yards per attempt, well below his career average and very disappointing considering his new weapons. DeMarco Murray also struggled with 60 yards on 14 touches. Derek Henry was better with 25 yards on 4 carries. Delanie Walker was the best receiver with a 7-76-0 line on 9 targets He was PFF’s highest graded TE at least through Sunday. Rishard Matthews was the leading WR at 5-71-0 on 9 targets. However, Corey Davis was right behind him at 6-69-0 on 10 targets. That was excellent considering he missed much of the preseason. Eric Decker played the most snaps but you wouldn’t know it from the box score. Three catches for 10 yards on 8 targets. I’d call that a disastrous debut and he will certainly lose targets and snaps to Corey and Rishard if that keeps up. Taywan Taylor only played six snaps but had two catches for 14 yards. I think he has a bright future ahead of him.

Derek Carr was great, going 22/32 (68.7%) with two touchdowns and zero turnovers. Marshawn’s debut as a raider was a success with a 4.2 YPC, 19 touches and 92 yards. He was used as the feature back as expected. Deandre Washington and Jalen Richard played about the same number of snaps behind Lynch. Richard was more effective with 28 yards on 6 touches. Washington had 22 on 5 touches but just 4 of those yards came on the ground. The most notable situation for the Raiders pass attack was their red zone offense. Amari Cooper has infamously been avoided in the red zone and with no success when he was targeted. That changed on Sunday! Cooper was targeted on 4 of Carr’s 6 red zone pass attempts. He only caught one but it was good for a touchdown. He finished 5-62-1 although it was on 13 targets so results are mixed. Michael Crabtree was far more efficient, finishing at 6-82-0 on just 7 targets. I still expect him to be the favored red zone target going forward. Seth Roberts received only one target but it was a red zone target that he converted into a touchdown, exactly what they just paid him to do. Jared Cook had a pretty nice day catching all five of his targets for 56 yards. This offense is going to be very good.

Los Angeles Rams 46 vs Indianapolis Colts 9

The Rams absolutely dominated on both sides of the ball in a tremendous debut for the young Sean McVay. It was Goff’s first 300 yard game (306) and he also completed 72.6% of his passes against the Vontae Davis-less Colts defense. Next week should be a somewhat tougher test against the Josh Norman-led Redskins. Unfortunately it wasn’t all change from last year as Todd Gurley had 40 yards on 19 carries. He did score though. He also had 56 yards on 5 receptions. No matter what the situation a 2.1 YPC is unacceptable. He has to improve after an awful 2016 in that dept or he’ll be the next Trent Richardson. No wide receiver played more than 66% of the snaps as Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp all played fairly equally. It was the rookie that was the most successful, continuing his nice preseason. He had a 4-76-1 line on 6 targets. At this point following consistent praise from reporters throughout all of the preseason I am ready to buy in. Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods were pretty similar with lines of 5-58-0 and 3-53-0 respectively. You have to think Watkins pulls ahead as we get on further in the season. I think it’s also worth noting that Tavon Austin played just 7 snaps so it doesn’t look like he will be a thing. At TE Gerald Everett played on 45% of the snaps and hauled in his lone target for 39 yards. Not a bad debut.

Scott Tolzien was awful and was benched for a guy who presumably doesn’t even know the playbook. Tolzien was 9 of 18 with TWO pick sixes. He had just 128 pass yards and no touchdowns. Frank Gore had 52 yards on 11 touches, Marlon Mack had 45 on his 11 but also fumbled and had just a 2.4 YPC. Mack did get the score though. The Colts had 4 carries inside the 10 and Mack had three of them. Turbin had one and Gore had zero which doesn’t make too much sense to me. But hey, Pagano gonna do Pagano. T.Y. Hilton was 3-57-0 on 7 targets and also lost a fumble. Donte Moncrief was the other starting WR and had just one catch. It happened to be a 50 yarder from Brisset though, so there’s that. Kamar Aiken was the WR3 and had just two targets catching one for 3 yards. Jack Doyle was something of a positive. Despite just three targets he caught two of them for 20 and 21 yards. It might be a struggle until Luck gets back but he is going to have a nice year. I’m not sure if you can put Brisset in yet next week vs the Cardinals but I don’t see how you can put Tolzien back in either.

Carolina Panthers 23 @ San Francisco 49ers 3

As much a success as McVay’s HC debut was, Kyle Shanahan’s was not. With an experienced QB and decent and proven RB1 and WR1, you’d think Shanny would make things happen. It wasn’t so. Hoyer did complete 68.6% of his passes but at a very mediocre 5.5 yards per attempt he had just 193 pass yards. He also had two turnovers. I fully expect C.J. Beathard to start at some point this season but I will say it was a tough first start for the Shanny and Hoyer-led offense. Carlos Hyde fared quite well given the struggles around him. He had 77 yards on 15 touches. His 6 receptions tied a career high. Matt Breida backed him up but with 11 yards on 4 carries he won’t be taking the job anytime soon. Pierre Garcon also had a nice game with 10 targets and a 6-81-0 line. Marquise Goodwin was the other starter but had a 3-27-0 on 6 targets. Trent Taylor played the slot but had just one catch for 8 yards. At TE rookie George Kittle got the start and was pretty much the exclusive TE with 6 targets and a 5-27-0 line. He definitely showcased PPR potential this year.

Despite two pass TDs, Cam Newton was really disappointing. He had just 171 yards (6.8 YPA) but more importantly he had just 3 rush yards on 6 carries. After setting a new career low by far in rush yards last year, that is extremely troubling. Without the rushing ability Cam is not really a top ten QB. At RB, Christian McCaffrey played far more snaps than Jstew, 47 to 29 but the touches were far more even with Jstew actually slightly ahead. Stewart had 82 yards and a score on 20 touches. CMC had 85 yards on 18 touches but also lost a fumble. CMC is far more dynamic with his receiving ability. He had 5 catches and 7 targets, confirming my belief that he is going to be awesome for PPR. Devin Funchess and Kelvin Benjamin were the starting WRs but really struggled. The two combined for three catches and 45 yards on 7 targets. Behind them, Russell Shepard, Damiere Byrd and Curtis Samuel all got limited action. Samuel did not see a target and that disappoints me. Shepard had a 40 yard TD finishing 2-53-1. At TE Greg Olsen was very quiet with 2 catches for 18 yards. Greg Olsen was the TE18 over the final 8 weeks of last year. At 32 you do hesitate and start to wonder.

Philadelphia Eagles 30 @ Washington Redskins 17

This was an ugly game for Washington. They had 4 turnovers and just a single offensive touchdown. Cousins threw for 240 yards and a score. He also added 30 rush yards but had three of those turnovers while completing just 57.5% of his passes. The run game was equally bad as Rob Kelley was 10 for 30 and Chris Thompson was 3 for 4. Thompson at least was able to provide value receiving going 4-52-1 there. At WR, Terrelle Pryor Sr. was clearly the WR1. He had 11 targets. Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon had just two 11 target games total last year (both by Garcon) so that was really notable. However he didn’t do THAT much with them going 6-66-0 and also had a drop. He will need to do better to justify his ADP and I am skeptical of that. Jamison Crowder had an awful day with a muffed punt for a turnover and going just 3-14-0 on 7 targets. Ryan Grant was the WR3 and actually really impressed going 4-61-0 on 6 targets. We’ll see if it holds but the fact that he was playing over Josh Doctson and Brian Quick was noteworthy in itself. Speaking of Doctson, he was in on 20 snaps and did not receive a single target. Yikes. Jordan Reed was quiet with a 5-36-0 line on 8 targets but the Eagles have been one of the best teams defending tight ends for at least a good five years now. In fact, Reed has had just one game with more than 38 yards against the Eagles. I’m not worried.

Carson Wentz had some ups and downs but overall it was a solid day. He had an excellent 66.7% completion percentage, finishing with 307 pass yards 2 TDs and 2 turnovers. At RB none of the players were in on more than 50% of the snaps. Darren Sproles had the most snaps thanks to his versatility but LeGarrette Blount led the team in touches with 47 yards on 15 touches and a rare Blount receiving TD. Sproles had 8 targets and finished with 45 yards on 7 touches. Wendell Smallwood was highly ineffective with 9 yards on 5 touches. This is not going to be an exciting corps and you’ll be chasing Blount TDs for any value here. Given that this offense isn’t the Patriots, I’ll pass on that. At WR Nelson Agholor did not get the start and had the third most snaps but kind of shocked the world with a 6-86-1 game on 8 targets. Alshon Jeffery managed just 3-38-0 on 7 targets and Torrey Smith started but was even worse a 1-30-0 on 3 targets. At TE where Zach Ertz has finished seasons strong and started them slow, he really wowed. He caught all 8 of his targets for 93 yards. He finished as PFF’s #2 graded TE. Is this finally the year he is good start to finish? It may very well be.

Minnesota Vikings 29 vs New Orleans Saints 19

This one honestly went much like I expected (You’d know I am very high on the Vikings offense if you read my Vikings articles a few weeks ago!). The Vikings looked fantastic all around and the Saints looked pretty much like the Saints as usual. They struggled to run the ball, so much for the revamped RB corps. Drew Brees ended with pretty strong numbers - 291 pass yards and a TD with no turnovers. It really all came with the game already more or less out of hand. The Saints final three drives ended in scores and accounted for 231 of their 344 total yards. Overall I’d say he fared well. The same cannot be said for the run game where the tri-headed attack of Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara and Adrian Peterson combined for 53 yards on 19 carries (2.8 YPC) with no back outperforming the others. Alvin Kamara led the way with 31 snaps. Ingram had 26 and Adrian Peterson had just 9. In the pass game we did start to see a difference where Mark Ingram caught all 5 of his targets for 54 yards. However four of those were on consecutive plays near the end of the game on the drive that resulted in the only Saints touchdown. Why they waited that long to get Ingram more involved is beyond me. Just Sean Payton things. Kamara also flashed his PPR value catching 4 of 6 targets for 20 yards. It was just an okay debut for him. Adrian Peterson was easily the worst as he can’t really catch and had just one target which was not caught. It’s only one game but it looks like he is not going to have a career resurgence. At WR Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn got the start although Brandon Coleman was also in on the majority of snaps and actually outsnapped Ginn - thanks to his size I am sure they like him on the outside in 2WR sets. The Vikings have one of the best secondaries so I am not too worried about low totals here - the Vikings gave up the 3rd fewest points to opposing WRs last year. Michael Thomas had a 5-45-0 line on 8 targets. It is the 8 targets that I am happy about. That would be 128 over a full season. Ginn fared slightly better with a 4-53-0 line on 5 targets. Brandon Coleman was just 2-13-0 on 3 targets, dropping the lone target he didn’t catch. Tommylee Lewis had the biggest play - a 52 yard catch. The Saints have loved to employ a deep threat specialist that is only in for a few plays a game in the past, it looks like Lewis has that role now. Perhaps the real surprise was Coby Fleener looking competent after a disappointing first season in New Orleans. He caught 5 of his 6 targets for 54 yards and a score. Perhaps with Brandin Cooks gone, he will be more trusted this season.

For the Vikings everything was clicking and Sam Bradford had one of the best games of his career. For a guy that just set the record in completion percentage last year, it is hard to believe that this was the highest comp % of his career. AND he was more aggressive downfield. He completed 84.4% of his passes for 346 yards, 3 TDs and no turnovers. Even against the lowly Saints defense that is phenomenal. Adam Thielen in particular could not be stopped and was wide open on several deep throws. He finished with an excellent 9-144-0 on just 10 targets. That was his third 100 yard game in his last five. He was also in on 100% of snaps! Stefon Diggs was also extremely successful with a 7-93-2 line on 8 targets. One of his touchdowns in particular was an excellent catch and toe tapper. Those two really look like they will be a fearsome duo for opposing defenses all year. Dalvin Cook was yet another rookie RB with a very successful debut. He passed opponent Adrian Peterson’s Vikes record for most rush yards by a rookie in Week 1 (Peterson had more YFS though). He finished with 137 yards on 25 touches. I do wonder how he will fare against a tougher defensive line as he was hit behind the line of scrimmage on multiple occasions last night. The Steelers should be a better test. Laquon Treadwell was in on 55% of snaps but you wouldn’t know it from the box score or even if you watched the game. He was basically invisible. He had just one target which he caught for 7 yards. Jarius Wright was in on just 15 snaps (23%) but even he had two targets. Treadwell still has a long long way to go. Kyle Rudolph was pretty quiet but thankfully found the end zone. He finished 3-26-1 on three targets. I think it was more a fact that he had no problem finding his WRs than Rudolph struggling. Last note for this one - the RB snap count was as follows: Cook 51 (78%), McKinnon 11 (17%) and Murray 3 (5%). It looks like McKinnon was the clear #2 as he had 6 touches including a 25 yard catch. Murray only had two touches, the first not coming until the 3rd quarter and he fumbled it. Not great folks, not great.

Denver Broncos 24 - Los Angeles Chargers 21

The Denver Broncos were in command for most of this game getting ahead just enough so that when they started to collapse they were able to hold on as Younghoe Koo missed the game tying field goal as time expired. Giving consideration to the opponent I think Philip Rivers played great. He finished 22/33 (66.7%) for 192 yards 3 TD and 1 Int. He faced a lot of pressure but was sacked just once. Keenan Allen was the most targeted receiver with 10 and finished 5-35-1. I’m fine with that against Denver. Tyrell Williams was the other starter and led the team in rec yards finishing 5-54-0 on 7 targets. Travis Benjamin was the WR3 and had the Chargers longest play of the game, a 38 yard TD where he used his great speed to get open and make this a game! He was very quiet otherwise and finished 3-43-1 on 4 targets. It is worth noting Dontrelle Inman was inactive. After having 800 yards last year he may have a role on this team as well. At RB, Melvin Gordon was used extensively as expected with 23 touches, 79 yards and a TD. Not great, but not bad against the Broncos. After finishing below 4.0 YPC in each of his first two seasons, that wasn’t really the start I wanted to see. At TE it appears Hunter Henry has not in fact taken over for Antonio Gates. Gates was in on 66% of snaps while it was just 39% for Henry. That said, neither was fantasy relevant as Gates was 2-17-0 on 3 targets and Henry had ZERO targets. That was quite shocking. It is worth noting that the Broncos fantasy weak spot was tight ends last year and they gave up the 14th most points to TEs and 939 rec yards! It’s not so much the lack of targets for Henry but rather the big snap difference between Gates and Henry. That is extremely concerning. I’d look elsewhere in redraft.

It was a nice season debut for Siemian. He completed 60.7% of his passes for 219 yards 2 TDs and an interception. He flashed some mobility with 6 carries for 19 yards and a score as well. The lone interception was only partially his fault as it was knocked down by the defender but bounced off the receiver’s foot into the hands of Safety Adrian Phillips. The Broncos employed more 3WR sets than usual but Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders still led the way in targets. DT was the clear top guy this week though with 5-67-0 on 8 targets. Sanders was less successful with a 3-26-0 line on 6 targets. He did have a really nice moment where on 2nd and 19 he basically ran horizontally across the entire field and managed to gain the first down. The real surprise was Bennie Fowler and targeted four times. However two of those targets were in the end zone and he caught both for two touchdowns. He finished 3-21-2. That said, I’m not going to read too much into it and I’m not running out to grab him. RB was something of a timeshare until late in the game when Jamaal Charles lost a fumble in a crucial situation. Charles fumbled midway through the 4th quarter and the Chargers scored on the very next play to make it a 3 point game. Charles did not see another touch. Prior to that he looked decent with 40 yards on 10 carries. I was disappointed that he was not more involved in the pass game. He received one target which he did not catch. C.J. Anderson received the most action and he was in on 70% of snaps. He finished with 21 touches for 88 yards. CJA had 4 touches from within the opponent’s 10 yard line but failed the find the end zone, getting stuffed at the goal line at least twice. At TE Virgil Green led the team in snaps but A.J. Derby and Jeff Heuerman also were in on 20% or more of snaps. Derby had the most targets catching all three of his targets for 34 yards. It doesn’t look like any will have big fantasy value.