NFL Preseason: Friday, August 12th
Greetings Grinders! The second NFL Preseason slate starts tonight at 7:00 PM ET. If you read my article yesterday, hopefully you were able to profit. We had some hits and some misses. If you didn’t read yesterday’s article, I’ll give you a quick rundown of what we are looking for in preseason. In the first week of preseason, teams are trying to get an extended look at players who are fighting for a roster spot. We’ll usually see the starters for a few series and possibly up to a quarter. Then we’ll see the second-string until halftime and maybe a little of the third quarter. Then, for the remainder of the game, we’ll see guys fighting to make the third-string.
Ideally, we want to use players that are seeing 20+ snaps. If you played last night, you are aware that some starters were able to hit value. For example, the Eagles started their first drive in the Buccaneers red zone thanks to a fumble. That allowed Ryan Mathews to pick up an early TD. In the Saints game, Mark Ingram picked up two touchdowns while playing more than anyone expected. Those weren’t the situations we targeted and we won’t be highlighting those types of plays below.
We have five games to cover, so let’s get right into it. I’m trying to highlight the best plays, but if you see someone you like who isn’t listed feel free to play them.
Detroit at Pittsburgh
Detroit
Quarterback
Depth Chart: Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, Jake Rudock
Top Target: After hosting joint practices with the Steelers the last two days, Coach Caldwell has said the Lions will look to get some of their veterans out of the game early. Last year, most of Detroit’s key starters played fewer than 10 snaps in the preseason opener. Matthew Stafford should give way early to Dan Orlovsky with rookie Jake Rudock mopping things up in the second half. As you probably noticed last night, more snaps do not automatically mean more points. You need your QB to be efficient and preferably throw a TD. I prefer Orlovsky here.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Stevan Ridley, Mike Burton, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington, George Winn
Top Targets: After several starting RBs scored TDs yesterday I’m not going to tell you that you can’t play a starter. I’m just saying that I won’t be going that route. I will tell you that Ameer Abdullah sat out of the team’s scrimmages this week against Pittsburgh and should be considered questionable. Theo Riddick saw the bulk of first-team carries on Tuesday while Zach Zenner got them on Wednesday. This is a crowded situation but I do have interest in Zenner after he led the NFL in rushing last preseason. You can also consider Theo Riddick here for his prowess catching the ball out of the backfield. He should see most of the first-team reps and all you really need is a few check downs to hit value.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Golden Tate, Anquan Boldin, Marvin Jones, TJ Jones, Andre Caldwell, Jeremy Kerley, Andre Roberts, Jace Billingsley, Jay Lee, Quinshad Davis, Alex Chisum, Corey Fuller (PUP)
Top Targets: You can’t read a Lions camp article anywhere on the internet without coming across the names Jay Lee and Quinshad Davis. Lee is a rookie out of Baylor and Davis is out of North Carolina. With some of the veterans sitting early, we should see plenty of Lee and Davis tonight. Lee also caught a team high 6 balls and a TD in the team’s mock game last Saturday. Lee is the top option, but Davis is playable as well.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Eric Ebron (O), Brandon Pettigrew (PUP), Matthew Mulligan, Charles Orson, Adam Fuehne, Cole Wick, Ben McCord
Top Target: Ebron is out with an ankle injury and Pettigrew is on the PUP list so I’m looking at Cole Wick here. Wick is an undrafted free agent but he lined up in Ebron’s spot several times this week and has drawn praise from the coaches. Other guys are listed higher on the depth chart but Wick is the team’s top pass-catching TE.
Pittsburgh
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones, Dustin Vaughn
Top Target: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has already ruled out quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown, running backs Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams and center Maurkice Pouncey. Bruce Gradkowski should draw the start here. He’s a bit of an unknown since he sat out 2015 with a shoulder injury. The guy I would target here is Landry Jones who played extensively last preseason.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Le’Veon Bell (O), DeAngelo Williams, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Daryl Richardson, Cameron Stingily, Christian Powell, Brandon Brown-Dukes
Top Targets: This situation is pretty crowded but Coach Tomlin thinned it down a little for us by sitting Williams and Bell. I have interest in Fitzgerald Toussaint here. You probably remember him from last postseason as he was forced to start when Bell and Williams went down. Toussaint delivered 118 total yards and a TD in that game. What you probably remember more though is his fumble the following game against Denver. This is still a pretty crowded situation with Toussaint, Richardson, Stingily, and Brown-Dukes all vying for carries but Toussaint has a chance to hit value with some catches out of the backfield early.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Antonio Brown (O), Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates, Darius Heyward-Bey, Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton, Issac Blakeney, Demarcus Ayers, Levi Norwood, Marcus Tucker
Top Targets: With Brown out and Wheaton missing practice lately we should see a lot of two guys who have starred in training camp. Wide receivers Sammie Coates and Eli Rogers starred on the practice fields this week, Coates on the outside and Rogers in the slot. They have one NFL regular-season catch between them but could play key roles in 2016. They should get plenty of reps in the first half to prove they are worthy of a regular season role.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Ladarius Green (O), Jesse James, David Johnson, Xavier Grimble, Michael Cooper, Paul Lang
Top Targets: If you listened to my advice yesterday on Trey Burton, you already know how much I hate picking Tight Ends. Allow me to redeem myself here. Ladarius Green is out with headaches which will open up time for Jesse James. When asked about James, Tomlin said he won’t be limited because quite honestly, he needs the work. That’s all I need to hear. James will be on plenty of my teams tonight.
Miami at New York Giants
Miami
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Brandon Doughty, Zac Dysert
Top Target: Ryan Tannehill and the starters are expected to see a few series. Tannehill will then give way to Matt Moore for most of the second quarter and we will see Doughty and Dysert for the rest of the game. I like to avoid these four-way splits unless we get some clarity prior to kickoff. My guess is that we’ll want Moore here but you could make a case for Doughty.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Jay Ajayi, Arian Foster (O), Damien Williams, Kenyan Drake (O), Daniel Thomas, Isaiah Pead (Q)
Top Targets: With Arian Foster already declared out and Kenyan Drake out with a hamstring injury we should see plenty of Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas after Jay Ajayi is finished attempting to stake his claim to the starting job. This looks like a good situation to target tonight. Ajayi is the team’s top RB on their depth chart right now. If he gets the starter treatment and Isaiah Pead sits with a hamstring we could see plenty of Damien Williams and Daniel Thomas in the second half. Williams saw 17 carries last preseason for 53 yards and a TD. This doesn’t scream must-play because the Giants defensive line is a formidable opponent but Williams is in consideration.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: DeVante Parker (Q), Kenny Stills, Jarvis Landry, Leonte Carroo, Matt Hazel, Griff Whalen, Rashawn Scott, Brandon Shippen, AJ Cruz, Jakeem Grant
Top Targets: DeVante Parker is a question mark with a hamstring injury and Jarvis Landry said his goal for tonight was get in a great first drive and put on his ball cap. That leads me to believe the starters won’t see a heavy workload. Two names interest me here. Obviously, Leonte Carroo is a very strong play. He was exciting to watch last year at Rutgers and he’ll need to make his case tonight on why he deserves to be in the mix during the regular season. One name that interests me is rookie Jakeem Grant out of Texas Tech. Grant is very fast as he claims to run a 4.12 40 yard dash. You don’t have to worry about Grant being listed last above, he’s the Dolphins fourth slot receiver. He will also return kicks if you want to team him with the Dolphins defense. I don’t think you should go all in on Grant here though. He’s dropped a lot of passes in practice. When he’s impressed it’s because he’s used his speed to get behind the defense. You play Grant hoping for a couple long catches but he could also get you nothing. The other names that interest me here is Griff Whalen. There will be targets to go around tonight.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Jordan Cameron, Dion Sims, Marqueis Gray (O), Dominque Jones, Thomas Duarte, Gabe Hughes
Top Targets: If I’m being honest, I’ll probably have Jesse James on most of my teams tonight. I still like to highlight an option on every team though. With Marquis Gray out, things are thin enough here but none of these guys have generated much buzz in camp. If you want to play a starter you could use Cameron. If not, feel free to fire up Sims, Jones, Duarte, or Hughes if you find them interesting.
New York Giants
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib, Logan Thomas
Top Target: One of the most predictable things over the last few preseasons has been Eli Manning’s playing time. Coach McAdoo has already announced Eli Manning will not play tonight. Ryan Nassib will play the first half and Logan Thomas the second. We don’t need to overthink this one. Nassib is the top option at QB tonight.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, Andre Williams, Orleans Darkwa, Paul Perkins, Bobby Rainey, Marshaun Coprich
Top Targets: The Giants were somewhat famous within the DFS community last season for using a four-headed monster at RB. Things aren’t much better in the preseason. Jennings will play some, Vereen will play some, Andre Williams is trying to secure a role, Orleans Darkwa will get some carries, and then Paul Perkins, Bobby Rainey and Marshaun Coprich could see some work. I can’t see how any of these guys are a candidate for more than 5-7 carries.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Geremy Davis, Victor Cruz (Q), Tavarres King, Dwayne Harris, Roger Lewis, Myles White, Darius Powe, KJ Maye, Anthony Dable, Kadron Boone
Top Targets: The Giants seem to have more media at their practices so it’s easier to understand their positional battles. That means I can provide more names here of guys you can look at. If Odell Beckham plays, it won’t be much. Victor Cruz is also unlikely to play. That should open up the door for some exciting young players. To be honest, I love all these guys and it is going to be tough to choose. Sterling Shepard and Geremy Davis seem to be in line for the first-team reps which will bleed into the second quarter. The other guy I love is Roger Lewis, he’s in a tight battle with Darius Powe for one of the last WR spots. Lewis has a strong collegiate resume and has impressed in camp.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Larry Donnell, Will Tye, Will Johnson, Matt LaCosse, Jerell Adams, Ryan Malleck
Top Targets: Picking a TE is tough. From what I understand, the Giants have sort of an open competition here. You would think Larry Donnell has the job locked down but even a guy as far down as Jerell Adams was expected to make a push. The guy you want here based on talent and reps is Will Tye.
Minnesota at Cincinnati
Minnesota
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill, Joel Stave, Taylor Heinicke (O)
Top Target: I’ve yet to find anything definitive on playing time for the Vikings starters. I have to assume Bridgewater will play most of the first quarter, Hill will follow and then Stave for most of the second half. I have only mild interest but I prefer the volume Stave offers over the slight talent upgrade that Shaun Hill provides.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Jhurell Pressley (O), CJ Ham, Kevin Monangai
Top Target: Adrian Peterson hasn’t been ruled out but he almost never plays in the preseason. Even if the Bengals don’t play many of their starters, they had a very stout run defense last year. What we should see is a mixture of McKinnon, Asiata, Ham, and Monanga. That’s certainly welcome news as last preseason the Vikings went seven deep at RB in their first game. I don’t project any of these players for more then 5-7 carries so I’ll look elsewhere.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Stefon Diggs, Charles Johnson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Laquon Treadwell, Adam Thielen, Isaac Fruechte, Jarius Wright, Terrell Sinkfield, Moritz Boehringer, Troy Stoudermire, Marken Michel,
Top Targets: Stefon Diggs and Charles Johnson pretty much have the starting job locked down here. The main guys I’m interested in here are Patterson, Treadwell, Thielen, and Boehringer as a deep, deep flyer. I would rank them Treadwell, Thielen, Patterson, and Boehringer a distant fourth. Treadwell is close to being a cash game option as he could see time with the first-team as well as some red zone targets if the situation arises.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Kyle Rudolph, MyCole Pruitt, David Morgan II, Brian Leonhardt, Kyle Carter
Top Target: This one is easy. A year ago MyCole Pruitt was the hero of the Hall of Fame game as he hauled in 5 catches for 54 yards and a TD. He has impressed in camp again this year. He’s my number three option at TE behind Jesse James and CJ Uzomah.
Cincinnati
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Andy Dalton, AJ McCarron, Keith Wenning, Joe Licata
Top Target: The theme of this column at QB is pretty much don’t play a starter. Instead, try to decide whether you want the reps a third-string can offer or the talent a second-stringer provides. In this case, I’ll again side with McCarron’s talent over any reps that Wenning and Licata would see.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Jeremy Hill, Giovani Bernard, Cedric Peerman, Rex Burkhead, Tra Carson, Bronson Hill
Top Targets: By now you are probably starting to notice I don’t like many RBs tonight. I think your flex spot should be used on a WR. As far as the Bengals go, Hill and Bernard should play the first quarter. I would never advise to take a starter but people will do it anyways. I would rather have Bernard as he is the PPR threat here if I picked a starter. The rest of the game we should see veterans Cedric Peerman and Rex Burkhead try to hold off rookies Tra Carson and Bronson Hill. This is just a little too crowded for my liking.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: AJ Green, Brandon LaFell, Tyler Boyd, Brandon Tate, James Wright, Mario Alford, Jake Kumerow, Cody Core, Alonzo Russell, Michael Bennett, Alex Erickson, Antwane Grant
Top Target: When the Bengals and Vikings meet Friday at Paul Brown Stadium, you’ll want to keep an eye on receiver Tyler Boyd. The second-round pick should play several series as coaches evaluate what he can do both as an outside receiver and in the slot in game-like situations at this level. The rookie electrified his constantly changing college offense at Pitt. He has done the same so far in Cincinnati. Coach Marvin Lewis said Thursday that Boyd has exceeded his expectations. “He’s taken it, and he’s grasped it and ran with it,” Lewis said of Boyd’s opportunity. You are pretty much insane if you fade Tyler Boyd tonight. For that reason, he’s the only Bengal WR I’m mentioning.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Tyler Eifert), Tyler Kroft (Q), CJ Uzomah, John Peters, Matt Lengel
Top Target: If you can’t trust Jesse James or MyCole Pruitt the other TE to consider is CJ Uzomah. With Eifert and Kroft battling injuries Uzomah has played extensively with the starters. Similar to James, we shouldn’t expect Uzomah to get pulled early as he needs the reps.
Cleveland at Green Bay
Cleveland
Quarterback
Depth Chart: Robert Griffin, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler, Austin Davis
Top Targets: This situation screams avoid. We know that Griffin will start and play a few series, then there’s what happens behind Griffin tonight. How much of an opportunity will rookie Cody Kessler get in his first NFL game? And where do Josh McCown and Austin Davis fit into the equation? Jackson has said he would like to play all four quarterbacks in some capacity but hadn’t decided how much each would play the last time he met with reporters.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Raheem Mostert, Terrell Watson, Glenn Winston
Top Target: The running back I most want to see is Terrell Watson, who was on the Cincinnati practice squad last season. Jackson likes him. He’s a physical, bruising type back. In practice, Watson has made a strong impression. You could also interest me in Raheem Mostert as well. Mostert is a smaller back though which is why I like Watson (a goal-line type back) better.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Corey Coleman (O), Terrelle Pryor, Andrew Hawkins (O), Marlon Moore, Taylor Gabriel, Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins, Rannell Hall, Darius Jennings, Jordan Payton, Dennis Parks, Josh Gordon (O)
Top Targets: This will be an interesting situation to try to solve. With Gordon, Coleman and Hawkins out, there should be plenty of snaps to go around for Pryor, Moore, Gabriel and a host of other talented players fighting for a spot. Even though Pryor is nominally a starter he needs all the work he can get after converting from QB to WR. I would stick to Pryor, Moore and Gabriel here.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Gary Barnidge, Randall Telfer, EJ Bibbs, Connor Hamlett, JP Holtz. Seth DeValve (O), David Reeves.
Top Target: The Bengals had hoped to get rookie Seth DeValve onto the field but that has stalled while he deals with a hamstring issue. Given that we already have James, Pruitt, and Uzomah as options at TE, there is no one I can really recommend here.
Green Bay
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Aaron Rodgers, Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan, Marquise Williams
Top Target: You had to feel bad for Marquise Williams and Joe Callahan when Sunday’s Hall of Fame game was cancelled. Both would have played extensively. They should still get their opportunity tonight though. Brett Hundley is still sidelined with an ankle injury so we should be looking at Joe Callahan and Marquise Williams splitting time tonight. Both are in play, Callahan was a very impressive Division III QB, but obviously that was against Division III competition. Williams was known more for his rushing than passing last year at North Carolina but he can still wing it. Both should put the ball in the air plenty tonight as the Packers try to evaluate their WRs
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Eddie Lacy, James Starks, John Crockett, Brandon Burks, Brandon Ross
Top Targets: We can pretty much play the same guys we would have liked this past Sunday again tonight. For me, that guy is John Crockett at RB. In four preseason games last season, he piled up 169 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to land him the third-string job. A year of development later and he’s in pole position to start the regular season behind Lacy and Starks. He’s one of my top targets at what is a very thin RB position tonight.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Jordy Nelson (O), Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, Ty Montgomery, Ed Williams, Trevor Davis, Jamel Johnson. Geronimo Allison, Herb Waters, Harvey Binford
Top Targets: Jordy Nelson will not play. Randall Cobb will probably play a little, but the Packers should give Davante Adams, Jeff Janis, Jared Abbrederis, and Ty Montgomery all playing time, as those players are in the mix for the #3 job. Picking the right one will be difficult. I’ll lean Jeff Janis here as he needs to build on his success last postseason and also because Jeff Janis never disappoints in the preseason. Other than Adams, Janis, Abbrederis and Montgomery, you can also take a look at Geronimo Allison who has some chemistry with Marquise Williams from practicing together.
P.S. If you use TY Montgomery make sure he is playing as he just came off the PUP list this week.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Richard Rodgers, Jared Cook, Justin Perillo, Kennard Backman, Henry Mitchell, Casey Pierce
Top Targets: Jared Cook just came off the PUP list but as of right now he has not been ruled out. Given that I’ve already mentioned several TEs in better spot I think it is best to target Packers WRs and avoid TE.
Oakland at Arizona
Oakland
Quarterback
Depth Chart: Derek Carr, Matt McGloin, Connor Cook
Top Target: When asked how much the Raiders starters will play, Del Rio said he is not dead set on an amount of time but it will be a couple of series but no more than a quarter. That isn’t enough to play Derek Carr but I have seen some rumblings that McGloin could cut into Cook’s second-half playing time. If that’s the case, McGloin is our target here.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: Latavius Murray, Taiwan Jones, DeAndre Washington, Jalen Richard, George Atkinson
Top Target: Per SB Nation’s Levi Damien, “Washington is the team’s fifth round rookie running back. We should see a lot of him in the first preseason game in part because Latavius Murray and the starters with only see a couple series and in part because undrafted fellow rookie Jalen Richard may not play in the game. Richard was not on the field with the team for Wednesday’s practice. Not participating in the practice before a game usually signals a player won’t be available. Washington will be playing not only to try and earn more snaps from Murray, but to beat back the upstart former tryout Richard who has looked like his equal in camp.” He’s also a top target at a very thin RB position tonight.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Seth Roberts, Andre Holmes, KJ Brent, Johnny Holton, Joe Hansley, Jaydon Mickens, Nathan Palmer, Marvin Hall, Maxwell McCaffrey
Top Targets: The Raiders are pretty set at the top of their depth chart with Crabtree and Cooper. The main battle here is Seth Roberts and Andre Holmes trying to hold off undrafted free agent Johnny Holton. It’s incredible that an UDFA like Holton is already listed sixth on the depth chart. There are a lot of WRs to pick from tonight but if you want a low-owned guy GPP play look Holton’s way. He has dazzled in camp.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Lee Smith, Clive Walford, Mychal Rivera, Gabe Holmes, Ryan O’Malley, Colton Underwood
Top Target: The tow names that interest me here are guys that are lower on the depth chart than I expected in Mychal Rivera and Gabe Holmes. There was talk that Rivera could be traded during the draft and at this point he’s definitely at risk of being cut. Holmes is headed the other direction as he climbs the depth chart. Neither are top options tonight though.
Arizona
Quarterback:
Depth Chart: Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Matt Barkley, Jake Coker
Top Targets: I’ll be shocked if Carson Palmer plays more than two series tonight. The Cardinals will want to get Palmer and Stanton through their snaps as quick as possible to get a look at Matt Barkley. From what I’ve heard, Jake Coker is just a camp arm and isn’t a consideration. Barkley should see the most snaps tonight as he’ll need them to convince the Cardinals to keep three QBs.
Running Back:
Depth Chart: David Johnson, Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington, Stepfan Taylor, Kerwynn Williams, Elijhaa Penny
Top Targets: The Cardinals have more RBs than I’d like to see on their roster. The reason for that though is that injuries decimated this unit in 2015. We know that Johnson & Johnson are the top two here with Ellington likely to retain some sort of pass-catching role. I don’t think either of those three have anything to prove. What I’ll be watching tonight is whether Stepfan Taylor, Kerwynn Williams or Elijhaa Penny can make a case to move up the depth chart or even make the team.
Wide Receiver:
Depth Chart: Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, Jaron Brown, JJ Nelson, Chris Hubert, Jaxon Shipley, Brittan Golden (O), Franky Okafor, Amir Carlisle, John Brown (O)
Top Targets: The Cardinals are just a bit thin at WR with Brown and Golden out. Once the starters are finished with their series or two they should give way to the likes of Jaron Brown, JJ Nelson, and Chris Hubert. The one I’m excited about is Hubert. It’s somewhat of an upset that Hubert is already ahead of Golden. He’s made waves in camp and he should get an extended look tonight to see if that translates to the field.
Tight End:
Depth Chart: Darren Fells, Jermaine Gresham, Troy Niklas, Ifeanyi Momah, Gerald Christian, Hakeem Valles
Top Target: I hate to do this, but I think I’ve highlighted the three TEs you need to play already. Since you are unlikely to use a TE in flex I don’t see anyone here worth targeting.
Let’s Talk About Defense
After I posted yesterday’s article several of you asked me what I’m doing for defense. My answer is that I want to target scoring opportunities. I’m not worried about how many points Vegas thinks will be scored against my defense. I want sacks, fumbles and interceptions. Let’s quickly make the case for why you should or shouldn’t play each defense.
Detroit will face a mixture of Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones, and Dustin Vaughn. Also, Pittsburgh will be without Pouncey at center. There are certainly sacks and turnovers to be had here.
Pittsburgh will face Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, and Jake Rudock. We also know that Tomlin plans to hold out many of his veterans. I’m not as excited about this as Stafford and Orlovsky could carve up this defense.
Miami will face Eli Manning, Ryan Nassib, Logan Thomas. Even though Manning won’t play much, Nassib is a competent backup. Also, we have to downgrade Miami’s sack potential just slightly as Suh is not playing tonight. In addition to that, New York has several WRs we like.
New York Giants will face Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore, Brandon Doughty and Zac Dysert. Reading through various Miami blogs I learned the Miami defense has owned the Miami offense in scrimmages and practice. The Miami defense has especially owned the trenches and I think the Giants defensive line could do the same tonight. This is a great place to look for sacks and turnovers.
Minnesota will face Andy Dalton, AJ McCarron, Keith Wenning and Joe Licata. The Vikings aren’t known as a top defense but they should hold their own against the likes of McCarron, Wenning and Licata
Cincinnati will face Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill, Joel Stave. I know for sure that LB Burfict will sit this one out and I believe Adam Jones will as well. With that said, the Bengals have a very good defense and I’m not terribly scared of Hill and Stave.
Cleveland will face Joe Callahan and Marquise Williams. Cleveland also has some very good young talent. While others are using the Packers WRs you could certainly talk me into the Cleveland defense here.
Green Bay will face Robert Griffin, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler and Austin Davis. The Browns are also missing several of what I consider their best WRs in Gordon, Coleman, and Hawkins. The Packers have an underrated unit and it’s possible the Browns could struggle to move the ball.
Oakland will face Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Matt Barkley and Jake Coker but it mostly sounds like Matt Barkley. You can certainly use Barkley tonight but feel free to pick on him too. The man has been known to throw a few interceptions in his day.
Arizona will face Derek Carr, Matt McGloin and Connor Cook. Arizona had an excellent defense last season but you certainly shouldn’t be expecting the starters to play much. With that said, McCloin and Cook could provide some turnovers here.
That should do it for tonight’s preseason slate. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or come join me in the Week 1 Preseason Thread.