2020 GAME CAPSULES AND - PLAYER PROJECTIONS WEEK 1 SUNDAY AFTERNOON MATCHUPS Matt Wilson
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2020 GAME CAPSULES
AND
PLAYER PROJECTIONS
WEEK 1
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
MATCHUPS
By
Matt Wilson
FantasySharks.com Senior WriterPHILADELPHIA EAGLES (0-0)
WASH. FOOTBALL TEAM (0-0)
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
FEDEX FIELD LANDOVER, MD
LINE: PHI –6 .0 O V E R / U N D E R : 42.0
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
EAGLES OFFENSE 14 12 24.1 11 121.2 16 11 239.6 27
TEAM DEFENSE 27 27 27.2 31 146.2 14 18 238.9 35
TEAM OFFENSE 31 32 16.6 22 98.9 9 32 175.8 18
EAGLES DEFENSE 10 15 22.1 3 90.1 13 19 241.6 27
PHI LADELPHI A EAGLES
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Miles Sanders (hamstring), Alshon Jeffery (foot surgery),
Jalen Reagor (shoulder)
BYE: Week 9
After battling through key injuries to capture the NFC East crown last season, the Philadelphia
Eagles return with essentially the same personnel and coaching staff. Unfortunately, the injury
bug is already chomping on the Eagles again. Miles Sanders (hamstring), Alshon Jeffery (foot),
Jalen Reagor (shoulder) and Lane Johnson (ankle) are among their walking wounded.
Philadelphia already lost Andre Dillard and Brandon Brooks on their offensive line. The
Eagles should still challenge for the playoffs since the Dallas Cowboys are the only legit threat in
the NFC East. Battles between Philadelphia and the Washington Football Team are usually high
scoring, and this one should be, too.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
This past season, Carson Wentz started all 16 games for the first time since his 2016 rookie year
and passed for a career-high 4,039 yards to go along with 27 touchdown strikes even though the
Eagles endured a huge number of injuries at wideout. Philadelphia’s receiver corps looksimproved on paper with a healthy DeSean Jackson (core muscle surgery) returning and with
rookie first-rounder Jalen Reagor (shoulder) in the mix. Last season, Washington gave up the
12th-fewest quarterback fantasy poimts but the fifth-most touchdown passes to the position. The
overhauled Washington secondary is nothing special, and Wentz should have a nice game with
monster upside if he and DJax go off (more on that coming up).
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Thanks in large part to Jordan Howard (Dolphins) going down with a shoulder injury, Miles
Sanders took command of the backfield during the second half of 2019 and cranked out some
stellar every-down runner fantasy performances. Boston Scott also enjoyed some extra playing
time alongside Sanders, emerging as the primary third-down/chainge-of-pace guy. Doug
Pederson loves his tailback timeshares, but the Eagles backfield belongs to Sanders. He’s a
strong start against a Washington defense that coughed up the second-most rushing yards and the
fourth-most running back fantasy points in 2019. Scott deserves flex consideration in deep PPR
leagues.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
If DeSean Jackson is on your team, this is as good a week as any to start him. With Jeffery
(foot) and Reagor (shoulder) both sidelined, Philadelphia is short-handed at the position. The
Wentz-to-Jackson connection has been impressive during the preseason, and Jackson probably
wants to score once or twice against Washington, one of his former teams. Yup, the revenge
motive is in play. A monster outing from Jackson is possible. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, coming off
a dismal 2019 rookie debut, probably will start on the outside opposite of Jackson. While JJAW
isn’t fantasy starter material, keep an eye on him. Arcedga-Whiteside looked good during camp.
Greg Ward occasionally impressed during fill-in starts lasts season, but I don’t think he’ll do
much while operating out of the slot in this contest. Washingon closed out 2019 ranked 17th in
wideout fantasy points allowed, and its reshuffled secondary actually could be worse. UPDATE:
Reagor could suit up for Week 1, but he wouldn’t be a safe play.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
Zach Ertz is obviously a must-start versus a Washingotn defense that yielded the 13th-fewest
tight end fantasy points but also the seventh-most scoring grabs to the position in 2019. While
Philadelphia was battling wideout injuries during the second half of last season, as noted, Dallas
Goedert saw more action, averaging 7.9 targets per contest during that stretch With injuries to
Jeffery and Reagor, Goedert should remain involved, but he’s a risky deep PPR league start.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS R US H R US H RE C RE C
PLAYER RE C
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Carson Wentz 335 2 22 0
RB Miles Sanders 110 1 3 20 0
RB Boston Scott 30 1 5 48 0
RB Corey Clement 10 0 0 0 0
WR Alshon Jeffery -- -- -- -- -- -- --WR DeSean Jackson 4 89 1
WR Greg Ward 5 57 0
WR Jalen Reagor -- -- -- -- -- -- --
WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside 2 20 0
WR John Hightower 0 0 0
TE Zach Ertz 6 61 1
TE Dallas Goedert 4 40 0
FGA FGM XPA XPM P TS
PK Jake Elliott 2 2 4 4 10
P/A SK INT FU M TD
DT Eagles 23 5 1 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 15
Philadelphia defeated Washington 37-27 at FedEx Field.
Carson Wentz passed for 266 yards and three scores and logged a 3-9-0 rushing line.
Miles Sanders amassed a 19-122-1 rushing line and a 6-50-1 receiving line (6 targets).
Boston Scott compiled a 6-26-0 rushing line and a 7-39-0 receiving line (7 targets).
Alshon Jeffery missed the contest due to a foot injury.
DeSean Jackson missed the game because of a core muscle injury and surgery.
Greg Ward made seven grabs for 61 yards and one touchdown (9 targets).
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside didn’t log any receptions (2 targets).
Zach Ertz caught five passes for 61 yards and one touchdown (10 targets).
Dallas Goedert snagged five balls for 55 yards (6 targets).
W AS HI NGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
INJURIES TO MONITOR: None
BYE: Week 8
The Washington Football Team underwent a massive offseason housecleaning, making changes
at general manager, head coach (Ron Rivera), offensive coordinator (Scott Turner) and defensive
coordinator (Jack Del Rio). Even the team name was changed. It’s Year 1 of what looks like a
lengthy rebuild for Washington, and the youngsters are going to play. Are there any fantasy gems
besides Terry McLaurin?
QUARTERBACK MATCHUPFollowing a rough start to his 2019 rookie debut, Dwayne Haskins’ play improved dramatically late in the season. During his final one-and-a-half contests (Week 15 and Week 16), Haskins passed for 394-4-0, connecting on 72.1 percent of his throws before going down with a high ankle sprain. On the season, the cannon-armed pocket passer connected on just 58.6 percent of his throws, amassing 1,365 yards and seven touchdowns versus seven picks. By the way, Haskins threw for a career-high 261 yards and two touchdowns during his last clash with the Eagles. Haskins is learning his second playbook in as many seasons, and the Washington receiver corps remains very thin behind McLaurin. This past season, the Philadelphia Eagles gave up the seventh-most passing yards, but their upgraded secondary looks improved with the additions of Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman (slot corner). RUNNING BACK MATCHUP Following the release of Adrian Peterson (Lions), Washington has opted to use a committee. J.D. McKissic is tentatively listed as the starter, but I suspect it’s out of respect to him since the fifth- year pro is the elder statesman of the group. Don’t expect to see McKissic, a smallish passing- down specialist, pounding it between the tackles 15-20 times like Peterson still can. Dynamic rookie Antonio Gibson is obviously the most intriguging one here, and talented Bryce Love is in the mix after an ACL injury erased his 2019 rookie campaign. Early-down plodder Peyton Barber is likely another veteran safety net. Last season, Philadelphia gave up the fifth-fewest rushing yards to tailbacks, and Washington has kept its committee backfield plans a secret. If you can, keep them all benched until we get a read on how Turner will use each player. If you need to gamble, give Gibson a shot. No promises. WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP Washington made few offseason upgrades at this position, so Terry McLaurin, Haskins’ teammate at Ohio State, and Steven Sims are the only two shows in town, so to speak. McLaurin, used mainly as a deep threat in 2019, led Washington with 58-919-7 (15.8 yards per catch) on 93 targets. If he hadn’t missed Week 17 due to a concussion, a 1,000-yard season was realistic for him. Turner plans to use McLaurin in a featured role, so he should be a target monster all season. McLaurin likely will battle Slay most of the afternoon, but keep in mind that Slay, when he’s playing his best, is a very good corner but not a shutdown one. Speedy but smallish Sims came on during the closing weeks of the 2019 regular season (Week 14 through Week 17), amassing receiving lines of 4-40-0 (seven targets), 5-45-1 (11 targets), 6-64-2 (nine targets) and 5-81-1 (eight targets), respectively. I’ve projected a touchdown grab for him with only so-so confidence. This past season, the Eagles gave up the 10th-most wideout fantasy points, but their secondary is improved, as noted. TIGHT END MATCHUP The tight end is an important option in Turner’s offense, and he seems to prefer Logan Thomas over Jeremy Sprinkle. There are rumors flying that Thomas could see more action than expected against a Philadelphia defense that yielded the third-fewest fantasy points to the position. I wouldn’t start Thomas, but he deserves a spot on your watch list for now.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS R US H R US H RE C REC
PLAYER RE C
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Dwayne Haskins 265 2 10 0
RB J.D. McKissic 18 0 4 27 0
RB Antonio Gibson 52 0 4 34 0
RB Bryce Love 24 0 1 12 0
RB Peyton Barber 15 0 0 0 0
WR Terry McLaurin 6 78 1
WR Steven Sims 5 50 1
WR Dontrelle Inman 3 24 0
WR Antonio Gandy-Golden 0 0 0
TE Logan Thomas 3 30 0
TE Jeremy Sprinkle 1 10 0
FGA FGM XPA XPM P TS
PK Dustin Hopkins 3 3 2 2 11
P/A SK INT FU M TD
DT Washington 34 4 1 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 15
Washington lost to Philadelphia 37-27 at FedEx Field.
Dwayne Haskins threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns and logged a 3-26-0 rushing line.
Adrian Peterson (Lions) amassed a 16-66-1 rushing line & a 3-25-0 receiving line (3 targets).
Chris Thompson (Jaguars) compiled a 2-26-0 receiving line (3 targets) but no carries.
Terry McLaurin caught five passes for 130 yards and one touchdown (5 targets).
Steven Sims made five grabs for 45 yards and one touchdown (11 targets).
Jeremy Sprinkle caught two passes for 13 yards (2 targets).MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-0)
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-0)
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
GILLETTE STADIUM FOXBOROUGH, MA
LINE: NE – 5 .5 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.5
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
DOLPHINS OFFENSE 27 25 19.1 32 72.3 10 12 237.8 22
PATRIOTS DEFENSE 1 1 14.1 6 95.5 7 2 180.4 13
PATRIOTS OFFENSE 15 7 26.3 18 106.4 17 8 247.6 25
DOLPHINS DEFENSE 30 32 30.9 27 135.4 15 26 264.4 39
MI AM I DOLPHI NS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: DeVante Parker (hamstring), Preston Williams (knee),
Mike Gesicki (hamstring)
BYE: Week 11
During the offseason, the rebuilding Miami Dolphins landed their designated franchise
quarterback – rookie fifth overall selection Tua Tagovailoa – but we’re not going to see him
until the team thinks he’s 100 percent recovered from hip surgery and ready to take the helm.
Looking to simplify their offense and score more points, the Dolphins lured spread attack
maestro Chan Gailey out of retirement. With new faces Jordan Howard and Matt Breida in the
backfield, don’t count on Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the team in rushing for the second season in
a row.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
Ryan Fitzpatrick knows Gailey’s scheme from their time together with the Buffalo Bills and,
more recently, the New York Jets. Fitzpatrick isn’t afraid to attack downfield, and the 37-year-
old triggerman isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run when necessary. During his last clash with the
New England Patriots (at Gillette Stadium), Fitzpatrick passed for 320-1-0 and rushed for onescore, which is about what I’m expecting again. Last season, the New England defense gave up
the third-fewest quarterback fantasy points, but Fitzpatrick will hold his own as a so-so two-
quarterback league play.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Early-down grinder Jordan Howard and change-of-pace guy Matt Breida aren’t saviors for this
offense, but both guys are solid players. Howard, operating in the Philadelphia Eagles’ famed
RBBC this past season, had been running well (4.4 yards per carry) before a shoulder injury
essentially ended his campaign in Week 9. He logged a 119-525-6 rushing line, and, flashing
limited receiving chops as usual, a 10-69-1 receiving line. Howard had two 1,100-yard
campaigns with the Chicago Bears (2016-17). Breida averaged 10.4 touches per game with San
Francisco and compiled career best numbers in 2018: 153-814-3 rushing and 27-261-2 receiving.
Since the Dolphins usually will find themselves in must-throw situations late in games, Breida
will be the guy in the backfield because he can move the chains more effectively as a receiver
than Howard. Both guys are weak plays versus a New England defense that yielded the third-
fewest running back fantasy points in 2019.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
Fitzpatrick had a big hand in helping DeVante Parker resurrect his career last season, and
Fitzmagic helped put then-undrafted rookie free agent Preston Williams on the fantasy map, too.
Parker topped the Dolphins with career highs of 72 receptions (T-20th at the position) for 1,202
yards (fourth) and nine touchdowns (T-3rd) on 128 targets (8.0 per game; 13th). Williams
erupted quickly, cranking out a 32-428-3 receiving line during the first half of the season.
Averaging 7.5 targets per contest, he was on pace to compile a 64-856-6 receiving line before he
went down in Week 9 with a torn ACL. Last season, the Patriots ceded the fewest wideout
fantasy points. Stephon Gilmore is expected to shadow Parker, even though Parker gashed him
for 8-137-0 the last time they met. Don’t expect big outings from either Parker or Williams.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
Give Fitzpatrick a nod for also getting Mike Gesicki on track last season. Averaging 7.8 targets
per contest during the second half of 2019, Gesicki finished with a 51-570-5 receiving line. He
didn’t have much success in scoring situations, however, catching just one of six passes inside
the 10-yard line, but that’s something that Gailey can fix. Gailey has rarely used tight ends as
dominant pass catchers in his scheme, but Gesicki, listed at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, isn’t a
traditional tight end. He often operated out of the slot in a wideout role last season, using his 4.5
wheels to stretch the seam. Even though the Patriots gave up the sixth-fewest tight end fantasy
points, I think Gesicki will find the end zone against them for the second game in a row.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS R US H R US H RE C RE C
PLAYER RE C
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 279 1 18 1
QB Tua Tagovailoa -- -- -- -- -- -- --
RB Jordan Howard 62 0 2 12 0RB Matt Breida 23 0 5 40 0
RB Patrick Laird 4 0 2 14 0
WR DeVante Parker 7 89 0
WR Preston Williams 5 67 0
WR Jakeem Grant 2 10 0
WR Isaiah Ford 0 0 0
TE Mike Gesicki 5 42 1
TE Durham Smythe 1 5 0
FGA FGM XPA XPM P TS
PK Jason Sanders 3 3 2 2 11
P/A SK INT FU M TD
DT Dolphins 24 4 2 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 17
Miami slipped past New England 27-24 at Gillette Stadium.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 320 yards and one touchdown, and amassed a 5-15-1 rushing line.
Patrick Laird compiled an 11-21-0 rushing line and a 4-48-0 receiving line.
DeVante Parker caught eight passes for 137 yards (11 targets).
Preston Williams missed the game because of ACL surgery.
Isaiah Ford caught seven passes for 54 yards (9 targets).
Mike Gesicki logged four receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown (7 targets).
NEW ENGLAND PATRI OTS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Damien Harris (hand)
BYE: Week 6
We’re in uncharted fantasy territory here. For the first time in 19 seasons, a guy named Tom
Brady (Buccaneers) isn’t leading the New England Patriots offense. Cam Newton is now the guy
under center. The backfield looks the same unless Damien Harris (hand) plays himself into the
rotation at some point. The receiver corps looks thinner than the group from 2019, and the top-
two tight ends are both rookies. What will the Newton Patriots offense look like? Stay tuned.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
This past season, Cam Newton suited up for only two contests before suffering a foot injury and
had to go under the knife before the rebuilding Carolina Panthers released him. Since the NewEngland playbook is considered “calculus,” it would make sense for the Patriots to use Newton
in a simplified balanced attack from the get-go, featuring short and intermediate throws, to help
reduce the number of hits that he takes. Newton will scramble regularly on bootlegs and designed
runs (he should crack the top-10 in rushing at the position) because Newton wouldn’t be Newton
if he didn’t scramble. The Dolphins have two good cornerbacks – Xavien Howard and Byron
Jones – so Newton won’t get much out of his wideouts this week. Consider Newton a so-so play.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
During 2019, Miami allowed the sixth-most rushing yards and the 12th-most running back
fantasy points. Even though the Dolphins revamped their front seven during the offseason, I still
think New England will have success attacking on the ground with early-down grinder Sony
Michel. During Newton’s last couple of seasons in Charlotte, he used Christian McCaffrey as a
safety valve target. James White isn’t a dynamic dual threat like McCaffrey, but White is
without doubt an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Expect Newton to lean on him in this
matchup. Rex Burkhead will backup both Michel and White but won’t receive enough touches
to have standalone value.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
With Mohamed Sanu gone, 34-year-old Julian Edelman and second-year pro N’Keal Harry are
the top-two guys at the position – unless Bill Belichick has something up his sleeve. Can
Edelman be productive with Brady gone? Can Harry shake off a dismal 2019 rookie debut and
play better? The Dolphins have two good cornerbacks in Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, as
noted, so it’ll be a long day for New England’s wideouts. Maybe Edelman will make a little noise
against rookie 30th overall selection Noah Igbinoghene in the slot. I wouldn’t start any Patriots
wideouts until we get a read on their usage.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
Rookie Devin Asiasi brings good size, nice mobility, solid hands and silky smooth route-running
skills to the table. A dangerous after-the-catch runner, Asiasi averaged 14.6 yards per reception
across 44 catches for 641 yards and four touchdown grabs during his 2019 breakout campaign at
UCLA. Newton likes to throw to his tight ends – don’t forget about Greg Olsen (Seahawks) – but
rookies at the position rarely make a fantasy impact. Asiasi is just a watch-list candidate for now.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC REC
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Cam Newton 260 1 44 1
RB Sony Michel 78 1 0 0 0
RB James White 16 0 7 62 1
RB Rex Burkhead 40 0 3 28 0
RB J.J. Taylor 0 0 0 0 0
RB Damien Harris -- -- -- -- -- -- --
WR Julian Edelman 6 57 0
WR N’Keal Harry 4 56 0WR Damiere Byrd 3 20 0
WR Matthew Slater 1 11 0
TE Devin Asiasi 3 26 0
FGA FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Nick Folk 2 1 3 3 6
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Patriots 23 5 1 2 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 17
New England lost to Miami 27-24 at Gillette Stadium.
Tom Brady (Bucs) passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns.
Sony Michel amassed an 18-74-0 rushing line and wasn’t targeted.
James White compiled a 2-4-0 rushing line and a 3-33-1 receiving line (3 targets).
Rex Burkhead piled up a 6-48-0 rushing line and a 1-6-0 receiving line (1 target).
Julian Edelman made three grabs for 26 yards (7 targets).
N’Keal Harry caught three passes for 29 yards (7 targets).
LB Elandon Roberts hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass.GREEN BAY PACKERS (0-0)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-0)
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
U.S. BANK STADIUM MINNEAPOLIS, MN
LINE: MIN –2 .5 O V E R / U N D E R : 45.5
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
PACKERS OFFENSE 18 15 23.5 15 112.2 18 17 233.3 26
VIKINGS DEFENSE 14 5 18.9 13 108.0 8 15 233.6 23
VIKINGS OFFENSE 16 8 25.4 6 133.3 19 23 220.2 26
PACKERS DEFENSE 18 9 19.6 23 120.1 15 14 232.6 19
GREEN BAY PACKERS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: None
BYE: Week 5
The Green Bay Packers’ ground-and-pound attack propelled the team to an NFC North division
title and a trip to the NFC Conference Championship, While the Packers have become a solid
contender again, it looks like the days of steady big passing outings from Aaron Rodgers have
gone the way of the dinosaur. The only notable offseason addition to the offense was the addition
of rookie second-rounder A.J. Dillon, a power runner (he never misses leg workouts), to provide
depth for the injury-prone Aaron Jones. Who is the second option in the passing attack behind
Davante Adams? We don’t know yet. Green Bay didn’t need one last season. Stay tuned.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
Turning 37 in December, Aaron Rodgers is still good enough to light up defenses, but he
operates as a…dare I say it…game manager more times than not nowadays. With the Packers
emphasizing the run, as noted, the signal caller posted a mortal 4,002-26-4 passing line this past
season. Green Bay occasionally let Rodgers open up the offense (three 300-yard outings and a
couple of 400-yard games, all with multiple touchdown strikes), but he failed to eclipse 250passing yards in 11 outings and failed to throw more than one touchdown pass in nine games. The
Minnesota Vikings defense will feature three new starting cornerbacks, but I doubt the Packers
will test the overhauled secondary. Minnesota was vulnerable to the run in 2019 and will be again
this season. Expect a pedestrian outing from Rodgers.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Hey Mike McCarthy – here’s what happens when you give the must-start Aaron Jones the ball in
a full-time role. Battling through some nagging injuries, Jones started all 16 games for the first
time in his career and cranked out a career-best 1,084 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 236
carries. The every-down tailback also logged 49 receptions (ranked second on the team) for 474
yards and three scoring grabs, which were also career-best numbers. Rookie A.J. Dillon, the
biggest ball carrier to come out of the draft (6-foot, 247 pounds), likely will cut into Jones’ early-
down touches, but Jones will retain his RB1 value. Jamaal Williams is the change-of-pace guy
again, but he looks like a risky option. Williams’ usage declined during the second half of 2019.
Jones looks like a solid start versus a Minnesota defense that ranked 19th in rushing yards
allowed to tailbacks and 16th in fantasy points allowed to the position. Dillon is a candidate for a
goal-line score but only modest yardage.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
The only sure thing here is the must-start Davante Adams. After pacing the team with 111-1,386-
13 on 169 targets two seasons ago, Adams’ numbers slipped this past season mainly because he
missed four contests due to a toe injury. Leading the team in receiving for the third straight
season, Adams wrapped up 2019 with 83-997-5 on 127 targets. Adams should have fun toying
with an overhauled Vikings secondary that features three new cornerbacks. Allen Lazard and
Marques Valdes-Scantling aren’t starting options, but keep an eye on them. Lazard compiled 35-
477-3 on 52 targets last season. The 35 receptions made him the second-most productive Packers
wideout, but Lazard eclipsed the 70-yard mark in only one contest. Rodgers has been talking up
Valdes-Scantling throughout the preseason, but the deep threat is considered a long shot to move
the fantasy needle.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
The Packers dumped the fading Jimmy Graham (Bears) because they think the sticky-handed and
speedy Jace Sternberger (4.76 jets) will make a second-year leap. An ankle injury limited him to
zero catches in 60 snaps played across six 2019 regular-season games. The Packers' third-round
selection in the 2019 draft, however, made a little noise in the playoffs, catching all three of his
targets for 15 yards and one touchdown during Green Bay's NFC Championship loss to San
Francisco. Rodgers targeted Graham 60 times last season. Sternberger is a bench stash right now,
but the opportunity for a breakout is there.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC RE C
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Aaron Rodgers 265 1 10 0
RB Aaron Jones 115 1 4 30 0RB A.J. Dillon 36 1 0 0 0
RB Jamaal Williams 22 0 3 23 0
WR Davante Adams 9 100 1
WR Allen Lazard 5 52 0
WR M. Valdes-Scantling 2 30 0
WR Equanimeous St. Brown 0 0 0
TE Jace Sternberger 4 30 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Mason Crosby 1 1 3 3 6
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Packers 23 5 1 0 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 16
Green Bay downed Minnesota 23-10 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Aaron Rodgers passed for 216 scoreless yards.
Aaron Jones compiled a 23-154-2 rushing line and a 2-6-0 receiving line (3 targets).
Jamaal Williams amassed a 6-33-0 rushing line and a 2-19-0 receiving line (2 targets).
Davante Adams hauled in 13 passes for 116 yards (16 targets).
Allen Lazard caught five balls for 45 yards (9 targets).
Marquez Valdes-Scantling made one grab for six yards (1 target).
M I NNES OTA VI KI NGS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: None
BYE: Week 7
The 2019 NFC North runner-up didn’t make many major changes to its offense during the
offseson. Stefon Diggs (Bills) was shipped out of town, replaced by rookie first-rounder Justin
Jefferson. Assistant head coach Gary Kubiak, who oversaw the installation of the Minnesota
Vikings current offensive scheme, which included his famous zone-blocking ground game, has
replaced the departed Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator and play caller. With a slightly
weaker passing attack, the offense now revolves more around Dalvin Cook. Can the Vikings
continue their run-first ways if their overhauled secondary gets torched? We could see more
throwing than expected from Kirk Cousins and company.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUPWith the throwback Minnesota offense emphasizing a run-heavy attack, most of Kirk Cousins'
passing numbers took some hits last season. He dropped from sixth to 24th in the league in
attempts (444; a five-year low) and from 10th to 16th in passing yards (3,603; a five-year low).
However, Cousins still finished a respectable eighth in touchdown passes (26), and he has tossed
at least 25 scoring strikes in five consecutive campaigns. This past season, the Green Bay
Packers defense surrendered the fourth-most rushing yards to enemy tailbacks and the fourth-
fewest quarterback fantasy points, so you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how the
Vikings will attack the Packers defense. Cousins’ favorite target, Adam Thielen, could have a
rough game (more on that coming up). Cousins is a weak play.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Suiting up for a career-high 14 games last season, the must-start Dalvin Cook racked up a
personal best 250-1,135-13 rushing line (4.5 yards per carry), but his production as a receiver is
what makes the fourth-year pro special. Cook’s 53 receptions for 519 yards on 63 targets were
top-10 numbers at the position. It’s a no-brainer that the Vikings will pound Cook early and often
against a Green Bay defense that hemorrhaged the fourth-most rushing yards to the running back
position this past season. Cook is in the final year of his contract and has every reason to give his
best effort. While Cook should have a nice outing, don’t be surprised if he has a good outing but
not a great one. The Minnesota offensive line could be down as many three starters due to
injuries. I don’t expect Alexander Mattison to receive enough touches to have standalone value.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
With Stefon Diggs (Bills) gone, Adam Thielen is the unquestioned No. 1 wideout, and that’s
fine. Of the two, Cousins has always seemed to have a better rapport with Thielen. Ankle and
hamstring ailments limited Thielen to only 30 receptions during an injury-wrecked 2019
campaign after he had compiled 91-1,276-4 and 113-1,373-9 (career best) receiving lines during
the two previous seasons, respectively. Despite Thielen’s injury woes, he still had a nose for the
end zone. The seventh-year pro hauled in six scoring grabs and tallied one rushing touchdown.
Olabisi Johnson played more snaps than expected as a rookie because Thielen battled injuries.
Johnson hauled in a nice 69.8 percent of his 45 targets, amassing a 31-294-3 receiving line
during a credible rookie NFL debut. With Packers’ No. 1 cornerback Kevin King expected to
shutdown Thielen, Johnson, who played very well and earned a starting gig during training camp,
has the best chance to score. Rookie first-rounder Justin Jefferson, the designated replacement
for Diggs, will start the season on the second team. This past season, Green Bay gave up the
11th-fewest wideout fantasy points.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
It looks like a timeshare again. The Vikings want Irv Smith and his 4.63 wheels to be more
involved during his sophomore campaign, but it doesn’t look like they’re ready to phase out red-
zone specialist Kyle Rudolph completely. Last season, the Packers allowed the 13th-most tight
end fantasy points. Neither Smith nor Rudolph cleared 10 receiving yards or scored in both of his
2019 clashes with the Packers. Consider them both weak plays, but monitor Smith.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONSPASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC REC
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Kirk Cousins 250 1 10 0
RB Dalvin Cook 90 1 4 38 0
RB Alexander Mattison 28 0 1 11 0
RB Mike Boone 5 0 0 0 0
WR Adam Thielen 5 52 0
WR Bisi Johnson 4 57 1
WR Justin Jefferson 3 34 0
WR Tajae Sharpe 1 11 0
TE Kyle Rudolph 2 20 0
TE Irv Smith 3 27 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Dan Bailey 3 3 2 2 11
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Vikings 24 4 0 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 16
Minnesota lost to Green Bay 23-10 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Kirk Cousins passed for 122 yards and one touchdown.
Dalvin Cook missed the game because of a chest injury.
Alexander sat out the contest due to an ankle injury.
Mike Boone amassed an 11-28-0 rushing line and a 1-5-0 receiving line (1 target).
Adam Thielen did not play.
Stefon Diggs (Bills) hauled in three passes for 57 yards and one touchdown (5 targets).
Kyle Rudolph made one grab for seven yards (2 targets).
Irv Smith logged two catches for four yards (3 targets).INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-0)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (0-0)
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
TIAA BANK FIELD JACKSONVILLE, FL
LINE: IND – 8 .0 O V E R / U N D E R : 45.0
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
COLTS OFFENSE 25 16 22.6 7 133.1 17 30 194.3 22
JAGUARS DEFENSE 24 21 24.8 28 139.3 23 16 236.1 22
JAGUARS OFFENSE 20 26 18.8 17 106.8 3 16 235.0 24
COLTS DEFENSE 16 18 23.3 7 197.9 8 23 248.9 29
I NDI ANAPOLI S COLTS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Trey Burton (calf – injured reserve)
BYE: Week 7
An Indianapolis Colts offense that finished 2019 ranked 25th overall and 16th in scoring should
improve across the board thanks to some talent additions. Even though some insist that Philip
Rivers’ arm is fading fast, he’s still an upgrade over Jacoby Brissett. Rookie second-rounder
Jonathan Taylor can do everything that Marlon Mack can, except that Taylor is bigger and
faster with far better receiving chops. It probably will take rookie second-round pick Michael
Pittman some time to get acclimated to the NFL, but he’s the big-bodied possession wideout
type that Rivers loves to target. By the way, Trey Burton (calf), the replacement for Eric Ebron
(Steelers), will spend the next three weeks on injured reserve.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
After he led the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers offense for 14 of his 16 seasons with the
franchise, Rivers will make his first career start for Indianapolis. Although he'll turn 39 in
December and supposedly has lost some yards on his deep ball, Rivers still has the necessaryphysical skills, smarts and experience to elevate a talented offensive unit. Rivers squares off against a depleted Jacksonville Jaguars defense that's just a shell of its dominant "Sacksonville" self from previous years. Jacksonville’s two starting cornerbacks have a combined three years of NFL experience, but Indianapolis probably will ease Rivers into the mix with a run-heavy attack against a soft Jaguars front seven. Expect him to crank out just moderate passing yardage with a touchdown pass or two. RUNNING BACK MATCHUP The Jonathan Taylor hoopla cooled off after Frank Reich announced that Marlon Mack will draw the Week 1 start, but Reich also said his team will "ride the hot hand" in the backfield. In other words, expect both runners to be heavily involved. The matchup versus a Jaguars defense that ranked 28th versus the run and yielded the eighth-most running back fantasy points last season is clearly a favorable one. During Mack’s two 2019 clashes with the Jaguars, he compiled rushing lines of 14-109-1 and 15-77-2, respectively. Since Taylor's chances of supplanting the lesser talented Mack as the primary ball carrier in just one game seem remote, it looks safe to start Mack as a No. 2 tailback. I also think Taylor will find the end zone. He deserves starting consideration as a No. 3 runner or flex option. Nyhein Hines is a popular preseason sleeper because Rivers has a long history of throwing to his tailbacks. Since Hines hauled in 63 passes on 81 targets as a rookie (2018), he clearly can handle a heavy receiving load. Can the 5-foot-9, 196-pound Hines run effectively enough to operate in an Austin Ekeler role? Ekeler, listed at 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, isn't much bigger. Hines, however, has averaged just 3.8 yards per carry across 137 totes of the rock for 513 yards and four touchdowns. Since the Colts should have plenty of success running the ball, they won't need to throw a lot, which means that a Hines breakout performance is unlikely. He still deserves flex consideration in deep PPR leagues. WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP Despite the addition of Rivers, T.Y. Hilton is the only safe play in this group until we learn how Indianapolis plans to use Zach Pascal, secoind-year guy Parris Campbell and rookie Michael Pittman. According to media reports, Rivers and Hilton have quickly formed a solid rapport with the two hooking up regularly on 40- and 50-yard bombs. Last season, the Jaguars defense gave up the eighth-fewest wideout fantasy points, but Jalen Ramsey (Rams) and A.J. Bouye (Broncos) are both long gone. Hilton likely will battle rookie ninth overall selection C.J. Henderson. Even though the Colts will go run heavy, there's a good chance that Hilton will get behind the secondary for at least one long scoring play. TIGHT END MATCHUP Everybody knows that Rivers loves to throw to tight ends. Indianapolis had planned to use a one- two punch at the position with Jack Doyle and Trey Burton (calf) stepping into the Eric Ebron (Steelers) role, but Burton has landed on injured reserve and will miss at least the first three weeks of the season. Third-year pro Mo Alie-Cox will replace Burton, but Alie-Cox (15 career receptions) won't be much of a threat to steal targets. This past season, the Jacksonville defense allowed the 13th-most tight end fantasy points, and only eight defenses gave up more scores to the position. Even though Indianpolis likely will go run heavy, Doyle deserves starting consideration and could outperform our projections.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC REC
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Philip Rivers 267 2 0 0
RB Marlon Mack 75 1 2 12 0
RB Jonathan Taylor 62 1 1 10 0
RB Nyheim Hines 12 0 4 30 0
WR T.Y. Hilton 5 89 1
WR Zach Pascal 1 10 0
WR Parris Campbell 3 33 0
WR Michael Pittman 2 16 0
TE Jack Doyle 6 57 1
TE Trey Burton -- -- -- -- -- -- --
TE Mo Alie-Cox 1 10 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Rodrigo Blankenship 2 2 4 4 10
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Colts 20 5 1 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 17
Indianapolis lost to Jacksonville 38-20 at TIAA Bank Stadium.
Jacoby Brissett passed for 162 scoreless yards and cobbled together a 4-17-0 rushing line.
Marlon Mack compiled a 15-77-2 rushing line and a 0-0-0 receiving line (1 target).
Nyheim Hines amassed a 7-34-0 rushing line and a 3-22-0 receiving line (5 targets).
T.Y. Hilton made three grabs for 72 yards (3 targets).
Zach Pascal caught one pass for 10 yards (3 targets).
Jack Doyle logged one reception for six yards (4 targets).
JACKS ONVI LLE JAGU ARS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Devine Ozigbo (hamstring – injured reserve), Dede
Westbrook (shoulder), Ryquell Armstead (COVID-19 List), Josh Oliver (foot – season-
ending injured reserve)
BYE: Week 7After watching the Jacksonville Jaguars dump a lot of high-priced talent during the last year and a half, there’s little question that the franchise is purposely tanking this season to start a rebuild in 2021. If you also factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, this is far from an ideal time to hire a new offensive coordinator (Jay Gruden) and install a new scheme, but Frank DeFilippo apparently wore out his welcome quickly after just one season on the job. Leonard Fournette (Bucs) also wore out his welcome after three seasons. Rookie second-rounder Laviska Shenault has promise, but Jacksonville’s two veteran additions, Chris Thompson and Tyler Eifert, aren’t going to help much. QUARTERBACK MATCHUP The Jaguars offense now belongs to Gardner Minshew. During his 2019 rookie debut, Minshew compiled a serviceable 3,271-21-10 passing line in 14 games played (233.6 passing yards and 1.5 touchdown strikes per outing). The sixth-round selection also surprised as a runner, finishing sixth among all quarterbacks in carries and fifth in rushing yards. Under pass-happy Gruden, expect to see Minshew throwing a lot out of necessity. Jacksonville has replaced Fournette with a very young and unproven committee backfield that likely will struggle. In addition, a talent- depleted Jaguars defense probably won't be able to stop anyone, forcing the team into plenty of shootout and come-from-behind situations. This past season, the Indianapolis Colts defense gave up the eighth-most passing yards and the 15th-most quarterback fantasy points. The Colts secondary, however, could improve if free agent Xavier Rhodes rebounds from his down 2019. I suspect Minshew will benefit from garbage-time production, making him a solid play. RUNNING BACK MATCHUP What had looked like a very murky backfield situation now looks much clearer. With Devine Ozigbo (hamstring – injured reserve) and Ryquell Armstead (COVID-19 List) out of the mix, undrafted rookie free agent James Robinson will start and handle the bulk of the early-down touches while eighth-year pro Chris Thompson serves as the passing-down/change-of-pace guy. The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Robinson is a power runner. While the Illinois State product lacks a home-run gear (just 4.64 wheels), Robinson is considered a solid receiver. During the 2019 regular season, the Indianapolis defense finished 15th in running back fantasy points allowed and a rock-solid seventh versus the run. Consider Robinson a middling No. 3/No. 4 running back play. The Colts also allowed the most catches to the running back position, and the Jaguars will be throwing a lot. Thompson deserves flex consideration in PPR leagues. WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP Coming off a 1,000-yard season, D.J. Chark will operate as the featured wideout in Gruden’s offense. He looks like the only sure thing in this group, but there’s a problem. This past season, the Indianapolis defense ranked 23rd versus the pass and gave up the 13th-most wideout fantasy points, but Chark is expected to draw coverage from rebound candidate Xavier Rhodes and likely will struggle. However, I think Indianapolis’ other cornerback, Rock Ya-Sin, will have trouble containing deep-threat Chris Conley, who will start on the outside opposite of Chark. Treat Conley as a dart throw. In case you hadn’t heard, Dede Westbrook has been demoted to third string, and rookie Laviska Shenault will take Westbrook’s place in the slot. Shenault has enough raw talent to surprise, but he’s too risky to trust in starting lineups right now.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
Gruden is expected to utilize the extremely injury-prone Tyler Eifert in a part-time pass-
catching role, which probably will include red-zone specialist duties. Eifert is familiar with
Gruden's scheme because of their time together with the Cincinnati Bengals (2013). Last season,
the Indianapolis defense gave up the 11th-most tight end fantasy points, and just seven teams
allowed more scoring grabs to the position. It's a plus matchup for Eifert on paper, and the
Jaguars are expected to throw a lot while chasing points. Consider Eifert a boom-or-bust play.
My confidence in the touchdown projected for him is low.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC REC
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Gardner Minshew 286 2 0 0
RB James Robinson 67 0 3 25 0
RB Chris Thompson 15 0 6 46 0
RB Devine Ozigbo -- -- -- -- -- -- --
RB Dare Ogunbowale 0 0 0 0 0
RB Ryquell Armstead -- -- -- -- -- -- --
WR D.J. Chark 5 50 0
WR Chris Conley 4 68 1
WR Laviska Shenault 22 0 4 47 0
WR Dede Westbrook 2 20 0
WR Keelan Cole 0 0 0
TE Tyler Eifert 3 20 1
TE James O’Shaughnessy 1 10 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Josh Lambo 2 2 2 2 8
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Jaguars 34 3 1 0 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 17
Jacksonville routed Indianapolis 38-20 at TIAA Bank Field.
Gardner Minshew passed for 285 yards and three scores, and amassed a 5-7-0 rushing line.
Leonard Fournette (Bucs) missed the game because of a neck injury.
Ryquell Armstead compiled a 10-33-0 rushing line and a 5-52-1 receiving line. (9 targets)
Devine Ozigbo amassed a 9-27-0 rushing line and a 3-23-0 receiving line (5 targets).
D.J. Chark caught four passes for 34 yards (5 targets). Chris Conley made three grabs for 38 yards (6 targets). Dede Westbrook hauled in seven passes for 72 yards and one touchdown (8 targets). Keelan Cole logged three receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown (4 targets).
CHICAGO BEARS (0-0)
DETROIT LIONS (0-0)
S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
FORD FIELD DETROIT, MI
LINE: DET –3 .0 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.5
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
BEARS OFFENSE 29 29 17.5 27 91.1 8 25 205.7 20
LIONS DEFENSE 31 26 26.4 21 115.9 13 32 284.4 33
LIONS OFFENSE 17 18 21.3 21 103.1 7 10 243.8 28
BEARS DEFENSE 8 4 18.6 9 102.0 16 9 222.1 17
CHI CAGO BEARS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: David Montgomery (groin), Eddy Pineiro (groin – injured
reserve)
BYE: Week 11
Aside from signing 33-year-old Jimmy Graham and drafting rookie second-rounder Cole Kmet,
the Chicago Bears made very few changes to an offense that sank to 29th overall and 29th in
scoring last season. Matt Nagy will continue to call the plays, and it’s reasonable to assume that
he’ll be more dedicated to establishing the run. This is essentially the same collection of players
that scored 44 touchdowns two seasons ago, and Nagy apparently thinks 2019 was a fluke. I
think the league has a better feel for how to defend his gimmicky offense. Projecting for Chicago
is difficult because the Detroit Lions will feature an overhauled defense that could improve
dramatically with at least seven or possibly eight new starters.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
Mitch Trubisky, the Bears’ No. 2 overall selection in the 2017 draft, won his preseason
quarterback derby against Nick Foles, but it’s crystal clear to everyone that this is Trubisky’s
last chance to establish himself as Chicago’s franchise passer. Trubisky battled through nagginginjuries and regressed last season. Healthy again, he should run a lot more at the very least, but
Trubisky’s accuracy with his arm – he’s a very streaky passer – is what will make or break his
career in the Windy City. Trubisky tossed three touchdown passes in each of his two 2019 starts
against a Lions defense that yielded the sixth-most quarterback fantasy poimts. Will Trubisky
play better? Will the reworked Detroit defense do better against the pass? It’s tough call.
Consider him a boom-or-bust play.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Nagy took plenty of deserved flak for his insanely uneven usage of David Montgomery (groin)
early in the 2019 season, but surprisingly poor offensive line play sometimes factored into the
mix. From Week 1 through Week 7, Montgomery’s carries ranged from a low of two to a high of
21. However, from Week 8 through Week 17, Montgomery never carried fewer than 13 times in
a contest, averaging 17.1 totes of the rock per game during that stretch. According to media
reports, Montgomery was on track to start against a Detroit Lions defense that coughed up the
seventh-most running back fantasy points in 2019. During his two clashes with Detroit last
season, Montgomery rushed for 60 yards and 75 yards, respectively, and scored once. I suspect
the revamped Lions linebacker corps that now includes Jamie Collins and Reggie Ragland will
improve against the run, which is why I’m cool on Montgomery this week.
Increased defensive attention often erased the speedy Tarik Cohen last season. He dropped from
99-444-3 rushing (4.5 YPC) to 64-213-0 rushing (3.3 YPC). His receiving line dipped from 71-
725-2 on 91 targets to 79-456-0 on 104 targets. Chicago’s best chance to get Cohen going again
is to be a lot less predictable with his usage. Can Nagy do it? Cohen is a middling flex option in
PPR leagues.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
Allen Robinson is Chicago’s only must-start player, and he and Anthony Miller are the only
two Bears wideouts that matter. This past season, Robinson compiled a career high 98 catches for
1,147 yards and seven touchdowns on a whopping 154 targets while catching passes from the
erratic Trubisky. Miller, usually operating out of the slot, is the No. 2 wideout and Robinson’s
only serious competition for targets. Miller’s 52-656-2 receiving line on 85 targets was decent,
but more had been expected after he compiled seven scoring grabs as a rookie in 2018. Miller
amassed 36 of his 52 receptions during the second half of the 2019 season, Robinson should hold
his own against Desmond Trufant, and I think Miller can get behind rookie third overall selection
Jeffery Okudah for a scoring grab, assuming Okudah will journey into the slot. If he doesn’t,
Miller should have a nice outing.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
Even though the Lions gave up the third-most tight end fantasy points, it’s hard to get behind
aging and slowing Jimmy Graham or rookie Cole Kmet as fantasy options. It won’t surprise me
if the Bears manufacture a tight end touchdown in this game, but I don’t know who will catch it.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONSPASS PASS RU S H R US H REC REC
PLAYER RE C
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Mitchell Trubisky 287 2 42 0
RB David Montgomery 65 0 2 17 0
RB Tarik Cohen 20 0 5 38 0
RB Cordarrelle Patterson 10 0 0 0 0
WR Allen Robinson 9 100 1
WR Anthony Miller 5 78 1
WR Ted Ginn 1 14 0
WR Javon Wims 0 0 0
WR Riley Ridley 0 0 0
TE Jimmy Graham 4 30 0
TE Cole Kmet 1 10 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM P TS
PK Eddie Pineiro -- -- -- -- --
PK Cairo Santos 2 2 2 2 8
P/A SK INT FU M TD
DT Bears 24 4 1 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 13
Chicago defeated Detroit 24-20 at Ford Field.
Mitch Trubisky threw for 338 yards and three scores, and rolled up a 4-4-0 rushing line.
David Montgomery compiled a 16-75-0 rushing line and a 2-12-1 receiving line (2 targets).
Tarik Cohen amassed a 3-9-0 rushing line and a 4-26-0 receiving line (4 targets).
Allen Robinson made eight grabs for 86 yards and one touchdown (12 targets).
Anthony Miller hauled in nine balls for 140 yards (13 targets).
Backup tight end Jesper Horsted caught the third touchdown pass.
DETROI T LI ONS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Kenny Golladay (hamstring), D’Andre Swift (hip), Bo
Scarbrough (undisclosed)
BYE: Week 5
The Detroit Lions were rolling along at 3-3-1 with Matthew Stafford on pace to throw for close
to 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns while leading a potent offense under Darrell Bevell. However,Stafford was lost at midseason due to cracked bones in his back. The offense went dormant, and the defense couldn’t stop anyone as Detroit closed out 2019 with nine straight losses. A healthy Stafford is back under center, and the Lions upgraded their stable of running backs, adding rookie second-rounder D’Andre Swift and veteran Adrian Peterson. An overhauled Detroit defense will feature at least seven new starters. QUARTERBACK MATCHUP If the must-start Matthew Stafford had stayed healthy for the entire 2019 season, it would have been his eighth campaign with at least 4,200 passing yards in the last nine years but just his third campaign with at least 30 touchdown tosses during that time frame. Still in his prime at 32, Stafford returns for 2020 with the medical green light to go full speed ahead with a talented supporting cast. The Chicago defense clocked out of 2019 allowing the second-fewest quarterback fantasy points, but the Bears slipped during the second half of the season. They don’t look as dominant under Chuck Pagano. Chicago will start rookie second-rounder Jaylon Johnson at one corner spot. Robert Quinn (ankle) isn’t expected to play, and Kahlil Mack (knee) won’t be 100 percent if he suits up. I like Stafford’s chances to have a big game. UPDATE: Kenny Golladay looked very iffy to play. If he sits, Stafford’s production will take a hit, but I still think he’ll have a decent outing. RUNNING BACK MATCHUP Injuries have simplified what had looked like a complicated backfield…at least for this week. Kerryon Johnson is expected to start and handle the bulk of the passing down work, while Adrian Peterson will receive a share of the early-down touches. Bo Scarbrough (undisclosed) is out of action, but rookie second-round selection D’Andre Swift (leg) was on track to make his rookie debut. Last season, the Chicago defense yielded the seventh-fewest running back fantasy points and the 12th-most rushing yards to the position. Johnson looks like the safest play as a No. 3 fantasy running back or flex option based on his workload. I wouldn’t trust the touchdown- dependent Peterson or Swift this week. WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP The must-start Kenny Golladay has scored in three of his last four games against a Chicago defense that surrendered the second-fewest wideout fantasy points in 2019, and I don’t expect Kyle Fuller to slow him down. I recommend Marvin Jones as a No. 3 fantasy wideout in PPR leagues since he’ll likely battle rookie Jaylon Johnson. Jones could outperform the projections. Danny Amendola failed to score or top 35 receiving yards in two 2019 matchups against Chicago nickel cornerback Buster Skrine. UPDATE: Golladay looked very iffy for Week1. Check his status Sunday morning and have a backup plan ready. TIGHT END MATCHUP Recovering from a major injury that shortened his 2019 rookie season, T.J. Hockenson, a popular preseason sleeper, is coming off an NFL debut that was disapointing even by rookie tight end standards. The Lions aren’t giving up on the immensely talented Hockenson, and neither should you. However, even though the Bears finished 2019 ranked just 18th in tight end fantasy poimts allowed, I would take a wait-and-see approach with Hockenson.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS RU S H RU S H REC REC
PLAYER REC
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Matthew Stafford 344 2 10 0
RB Kerryon Johnson 60 1 4 40 0
RB Adrian Peterson 50 0 1 11 0
RB D’Andre Swift 15 0 1 10 0
RB Ty Johnson 0 0 0 0 0
RB Bo Scarbrough -- -- -- -- -- -- --
WR Kenny Golladay 6 110 1
WR Marvin Jones 5 78 1
WR Danny Amendola 5 55 0
WR Quintez Cephus 0 0 0
TE T.J. Hockenson 4 40 0
FG A FG M XPA XPM PTS
PK Matt Prater 1 1 3 3 6
P/A SK I NT F UM TD
DT Lions 20 5 2 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2019 Regular Season – Week 13
Detroit lost to Chicago 24-20 at Ford Field.
Matthew Stafford missed the game because of a back injury.
David Blough passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
Kerryon Johnson sat out the contest due to a knee injury.
Bo Scarbrough amassed a 21-83-0 rushing line and a 0-0-0 receiving line.
Kenny Golladay made four grabs for 158 yards (5 targets).
Marvin Jones caught three balls for 40 yards and one touchdown (6 targets).
Danny Amendola logged three catches for 32 yards (8 targets).
T.J. Hockenson reeled in six passes for 18 yards (11 targets).
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (0-0)
CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-0)S U N D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 3 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET
BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM CHARLOTTE, NC
LINE: DET –3 .0 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.5
2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS
SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS
UNIT RANK
RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD
RAIDERS OFFENSE 11 24 19.6 13 118.3 13 9 245.4 22
PANTHERS DEFENSE 23 31 29.4 29 143.5 13 31 231.0 21
PANTHERS OFFENSE 19 20 21.3 14 113.7 20 20 228.1 17
RAIDERS DEFENSE 19 24 26.2 8 98.1 15 25 256.7 33
LAS VEGAS RAI DERS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Tyrell Williams ( shoulder – season-ending injured reserve ),
Marcus Mariota (pectorals – injured reserve)
BYE: Week 6
Last season, the Oakland Las Vegas Raiders repaired their ground game. This season, it’s all
about upgrading the passing attack. They hope their two talented starting rookie wideouts – first-
rounder Henry Ruggs and third-rounder Bryan Edwards – will help risk-adverse Derek Carr
morph from a conservative game manager to an aggressive downfield gunslinger. This is the
softest matchup on the Raiders schedule this month, and it comes with high-scoring potential.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
This past season, Derek Carr passed for a career-best 4,054 yards but only 21 touchdowns by
making a living as a game manager and check-down specialist with a big assist from Darren
Waller. Jon Gruden wants Carr to throw deep a lot more, which is obviously why the team
drafted the lightning-quick Ruggs and Edwards. Last season, the Carolina Panthers hemorrhaged
the most quarterback fantasy points, and their overhauled secondary doesn’t look any better. If
you need to start Carr, this is as good a week as any to do so. He could surprise in what profiles
as a shootout.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
Despite missing three late-season outings due to a bum shoulder, the must-start Josh Jacobs put
together a nice rookie campaign. He finished seventh in the NFL in rushing thanks to cranking
out a 242-1,150-7 rushing line and kicked in a modest 20-166-0 receiving line on 27 targets.Jacobs carried 18.6 times per contest and averaged 89 rushing yards per contest in 2019. The
Raiders have promised to use him more as a receiver, but we’ll believe it if we see it. This past
season, the Panthers defense coughed up the most running back fantasy points and most rushing
yards to enemy tailbacks, and their revamped defense isn’t going to do much better.
WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP
Here’s where things get interesting. Since Tyrell Williams (shoulder) has been lost for the
season, the kids are going to play. Rookie 12th overall selection Henry Ruggs will start on the
outside. Ruggs lists at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds with blazing 4.27 wheels. Some think Gruden sees him
as another Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), and Gruden wants the lightning-quick rookie involved from the get-
go. Rookie third-rounder Bryan Edwards is a possession guy. Edwards wrapped up his South
Carolina career (he was a four-year starter) with the third-most receptions (324) and fourth-most
receiving yards (3,045) in SEC history. The versatile Edwards checks in at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and
his 40-yard dash time is listed as between 4.45-4.50. Hunter Renfrow was expected to line up in the
slot again. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Renfrow came on strong at the close of his 2019 rookie
campaign, racking up 35-490-4 in his last seven games while averaging 5.0 receptions and 70 yards
per contest and leading all Las Vegas wideouts with 49 receptions on the season. Carolina’s
reworked secondary isn’t very scary. I trust Ruggs more as a dart throw because of his speed, and
Renfrow deserves flex consideration in deep PPR leagues.
TIGHT END MATCHUP
The popular 2019 sleeper racked up one of the most improbable breakout campaigns in the
history of fantasy football. Quickly becoming Carr's go-to guy, the must-start Darren Waller
averaged 7.3 targets, 5.6 catches and 71.6 receiving yards per game to rack up a 90-1,145-3
receiving line. Regression is likely because of the upgrades at wideout, but Waller will remain
entrenched in the fantasy TE1 conversation. The Panthers gave up the seventh-fewest tight end
fantasy points in 2019 and their linebacker corps still looks serviceable, but Waller will take care
of business.
WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS
PASS PASS R US H R US H RE C RE C
PLAYER RE C
Y DS TD Y DS TD Y DS TD
QB Derek Carr 326 2 5 0
RB Josh Jacobs 120 1 2 18 0
RB Jalen Richard 20 0 2 20 0
RB Devontae Booker 10 0 0 0 0
WR Tyrell Williams -- -- -- -- -- -- --
WR Henry Ruggs 4 89 1
WR Bryan Edwards 5 57 0
WR Hunter Renfrow 6 62 0
WR Zay Jones 0 0 0
TE Darren Waller 7 70 1
TE Foster Moreau 1 10 0FGA FGM XPA XPM P TS
PK Daniel Carlson 3 3 3 3 12
P/A SK INT FU M TD
DT Raiders 31 2 1 1 0
PREVIOUS MATCHUP:
2016 Regular Season
Oakland/Las Vegas defeated Carolina 35-32 in Oakland.
CAROLI NA PANTHERS
INJURIES TO MONITOR: Curtis Samuel (hamstring)
BYE: Week 13
Even the mega-talented Christian McCaffrey couldn’t save an aging and Cam Newton-less
Carolina Panthers team from a 5-11 finish that resulted in a massive franchise housecleaning
during the offseason. New head coach Matt Rhule and new offensive coordinator Joe Brady come
from college programs known for high-octane offenses, which makes the Panthers’ rebuild an
interesting one to watch. The Carolina offense has the potential to manufacture gobs of fantasy
points this season.
QUARTERBACK MATCHUP
A sneaky productive new-look Panthers offense will feature aggressive high-volume throwing.
That’s what Brady will have to do. The Carolina defense underwent a major offseason renovation
and won’t be able to stop anyone, so expect Teddy Bridgewater to be throwing frequently in
shootouts and catch-up situations. Critics say the 28-year-old triggerman doesn’t have a good-
enough arm to challenge defenses downfield. However, Brady says Bridgewater’s deep ball is
way better than everyone thinks. Last season, the Las Vegas Raiders defense allowed the 10th-
most quarterback fantasy points. The Raiders have a promising young secondary, but the team
hasn’t always played its best on the road under Gruden. If you need Bridgewater, this is one of
his more favorable matchups of the season.
RUNNING BACK MATCHUP
The must-start Christian McCaffrey isn’t going to duplicate the massive 2,392 combo yards and
19 touchdowns on the massive 403 touches that he racked up in 2019. Brady has wisely vowed to
reduce McCaffrey’s workload a bit. The Panthers will have to throw a lot most weeks, but
McCaffrey will see more than enough action as a runner and as a receiver to crank out elite No. 1
fantasy running back stats. Keep in mind that Newton is no longer around to vulture goal-lineYou can also read
