DFS Alerts
Terrance West (calf) isn't practicing Thursday, Michael Campanaro (ankle) is participating
The running back was dealing with a soft tissue injury to his thigh that played a part in his limited participation in Baltimore’s Week 2 game against the Browns – he only tallied 15 snaps while Buck Allen was on the field for 42. Now he’s apparently dealing with a calf injury. It’s not clear when he suffered the new injury as he didn’t practice yesterday. As long as West is banged up, it’ll be a boost for Allen, who racked up 101 yards and a score on 19 touches against the Browns in Week 2. He’ll face a stout Jaguars defense in Week 3 but they showed some vulnerabilities against the rush this past weekend – they allowed Derrick Henry to pick up 94 rushes and a touchdown on just 14 carries. Although Henry wasn’t used in the passing game, a week prior, Jacksonville allowed running backs Lamar Miller and Tyler Ervin to combine for six receptions and 49 receiving yards. That bodes well for Allen, who will be tasked with running the football and have an active role in the passing game. Considering how tought the Jaguars secondary has been, he could see a sizeable volume of touches through the air. Against the Browns, he was second on the team with six targets and caught a touchdown. There have been some rumblings that RB3 Alex Collins could pick up more work following his performance in Week 2, but Allen should still handle the bulk of the running back duties if West is sidelined.
Other tagged players: Javorius Allen, Michael Campanaro
Rob Kelley (ribs) is practicing Thursday
It’s two days in a row for the running back following his Week 2 injury. Same goes for LB Mason Foster, who’s dealing with a dislocated shoulder. Running back Chris Thompson exploded for 116 yards and two scores last Sunday. He’s better suited for full PPR formats as he picked up seven targets while Samaje Perine took the lion’s share of the carries, racking up 21 for 67 yards to Thompson’s three. They play Oakland in Week 3, a team that’s allowed 4.8 yards per carry over two games, the seventh-highest rate in the league. Reports on Wednesday indicated Foster was doubtful for Sunday but he getting in two days of practices this week is a good sign. The linebacker led the team with 124 tackles last season – 15th in the league – and he’s currently second on the Redskins with 15 this season. His absence would be an upgrade for Marshawn Lynch as Foster is 20th among linebackers in run-stop rate (7.5%), although the team’s leader in the metric is Zach Brown (12.5%, ninth). Foster has been solid as a pass-rusher as well, forcing three pressures and earning a 16.1 pass rushing productivity rating from PFF (10th). Oakland has had the best offensive line in football this year, permitting just four total pressures and one sack; without Foster, the Redskins would be less of a threat to get after Derek Carr. The Redskins-Raiders matchup has the highest total of the week, currently set at 54 points, and it’s one of two matchups above 47.5 points – offensive players from both sides will be popular in fantasy.
Jordan Reed (chest) is practicing Thursday
He was sidelined Wednesday, so this is a move in the right direction for the tight end. Reed is dealing with a lingering toe issue on top of the chest injury and he’s averaged a 5.5/7/42/0.0 line through two games. It could potentially be a good spot for him this Sunday as Oakland allowed Delanie Walker to lead the Titans in receptions (7) and yards (76) in Week 1, but he’ll need to get cleared to play first.
Tall WR Emerges from the Garbage into Viability vs. this Pass D
DeVante Harris (a likely CB matchup for Devin Funchess) is allowing some alarming figures in 2017, but not the least of which is a 158.3 passer rating into his coverage per Playerprofiler.com. The Saints as a unit are leading the charge in fantasy points allowed to the WR position early in the season, making them a mouthwatering matchup for all involved once other factors are considered. The production by the Viking and Patriots have made it clear that the Saints secondary is once again worth targeting in 2017 until we are proven wrong for doing it. So let’s keep doing it. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I think Devin Funchess is something special or that I even like the idea of playing him all that much. However, it might be worth the risk for a cheap salary in DFS tournaments. He’s got a noteworthy height advantage (5 inches) and I could easily see Cam leveraging this in the end zone. This smells like a likely bounce back spot for the Panthers, and Funchess would be the GPP flyer du jour if you believe that is the case. There is nothing I have witnessed on screen nor in the numbers that suggest DeVante Harris is anything short of a sizeable upgrade.
As reported by: PlayerProfiler.com
Kelvin Benjamin and CB Daryl Worley are practicing Thursday
Ryan Kalil (neck) is still out and Cam Newton (shoulder, ankle) appeared to be limited as he didn’t throw during the portion of practice open to the media. Benjamin and Worley are both dealing with knee injuries and weren’t able to participate Wednesday. They’re both fully expected to play Sunday though. Benjamin may have a tougher matchup than it appears. While the Saints pass defense has been atrocious as a whole, rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been a bright spot. He currently ranks 18th with an 82.0 coverage grade from PFF among 103 qualifiers and opposing quarterbacks have only targeted him seven times in coverage. Receivers have caught five of those balls for 58 scoreless yards while his teammates P.J. Williams and De’Vante Harris have given up 10/13/182/1 and 6/7/110/1 lines, respectively. There’s a good chance Lattimore will shadow Benjamin this week, which would provide comparative advantages – and more opportunities – for Devin Funchess and Russell Shepard, who would match up with the weaker corners. Last week, Brandin Cooks struggled in Lattimore’s coverage, only catching one ball against the corner, and finished with a disappointing 2/4/37/0 line. Lattimore is currently in the concussion protocol though; it’s possible he ends up sidelined this week, which would be a huge boost for Benjamin. Another guy to watch out for is Christian McCaffrey. He’s run the fifth-most routes among all running backs this season and the Saints are poor at defending backs in the passing game. In Week 2, they allowed James White, Rex Burkhead, and Dion Lewis to combine for a 12/137/1 receiving line and McCaffrey’s backfield committee partner, Jonathan Stewart, isn’t very involved in the passing game (three targets this year to CMac’s 12).
Other tagged players: Devin Funchess, Russell Shepard, Christian McCaffrey Rex Burkhead (ribs) isn't practicing Thursday, Rob Gronkowski (groin) and Danny Amendola (concussion) are participating
Rob Gronkowski is present at practice like he was yesterday but he ended up officially listed with a DNP yesterday. Per usual, head coach Bill Belichick is playing games with his injury report. Gronkowski’s groin issue isn’t considered serious and he’s fully expected to play Sunday. Burkhead is legitimately questionable after being completely absent two days straight. Wide receiver Danny Amendola (concussion) was also practicing for the second day in a row, he’s trending in the right direction for a Week 3 return.
Other tagged players: Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola Sam Bradford (knee) will practice Thursday
That’ll make it two days in a row for the quarterback. The Vikings QB is still considered day-to-day as he and the team monitor his body’s response to treatment. His continued presence at practice indicates he’s trending in the right direction but we’ll have to see how he does Friday and he could end up being a game-time call. Backup QB Case Keenum was predictably poor against the Steelers, logging a 24.7 QBR. As long a he’s the quarterback, it’s a downgrade for their skill players and an upgrade for opposing defenses.
Bills DT Marcell Dareus (ankle) not expected to play Week 3
The Bills signed DT Deandre Coleman this week to add depth on their defensive line and they’re expected to mix up their rotation. Dareus has scored the 28th-best PFF grade among 120 qualifying interior defenders. If he’s absent, it’ll help C.J. Anderson and Trevor Siemian. Denver’s offensive line has struggled this season, checking in at 24th in pass-blocking efficiency, per PFF. They’ve already allowed 26 pressures and seven sacks this year, good for 23rd and 29th, respectively.
Cowboys CB Nolan Carroll remains in concussion protocol
Dallas is pretty banged up at corner right now with Orlando Scandrick coming off surgery to repair a broken hand and his replacement Chidobe Awuzie dealing with a hamstring injury. Their corners got worked by Trevor Siemian in Week 2; after targeting the group 17 times, he racked up 13 completions for 151 yards and two scores. Carson Palmer will look to repeat that success in Week 3 with Larry Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown, and J.J. Nelson.
Other tagged players: J.J. Nelson, Larry Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown Evan Engram is practicing Thursday, CB Janoris Jenkins, LB B.J. Goodson, and RT Bobby Hart aren't participating
Engram was placed in the concussion protocol as a precaution but he’s expected to play this week. The other three weren’t able to suit up Monday night against the Lions and they’re not trending in the right direction for Week 3. Odell Beckham also practiced, he’s fully expected to play on Sunday. The Eagles appear to be a terrific matchup for TEs right now. Their starting safeties, Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, have earned pass coverage grades of 46.8 and 40.1 from PFF, respectively, and McLeod is banged up. Every-down LBs Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks have scored 41.6 and 34.9 in coverage, respectively. TE Travis Kelce just worked this team for an 8/103/1 line on ten targets. Engram caught exactly four balls in each of his first games and found paint against the Lions Monday night. With everyone else playing poorly on that offense, QB Eli Manning should continue to look for Engram in a favorable spot.
Other tagged players: Odell Beckham, New York Giants Packers LB Nick Perry (finger) isn't expected to play Week 3
Perry will undergo surgery on his finger, which is expected to keep him sidelined this week. His absence will be a downgrade for their pass rush, potentially helping Andy Dalton. Perry has rushed the quarterback on 98.2% of his passing snaps and racked up ten hurries, the eighth-most among edge defenders, per PFF. Cincinnati’s offensive line has been terrible in pass protection, ranking 29th in pass-blocking efficiency while allowing 31 pressures. They’ve faced a pair of tough defensive fronts through their first two games, so they may be able to right the ship against a Perry-less Packers defense.
As reported by: Ian Rapoport Other tagged players: Andy Dalton Tyler Eifert (knee, back) not expected to play Week 3
Eifert has missed two practices in a row and beat writer Jay Morrison believes the tight end is “likely out” Sunday. It’s bad news for a Bengals offense that has been struggling so far the season. Eifert’s production has been poor as a result; through two games, the tight end has only caught four passes for 46 scoreless yards. His absence could cause Andy Dalton even more trouble. Over the course of his career, Dalton has averaged 21.85 fantasy points (255.89 yards, 1.76 touchdowns) across the 37 games with Eifert and 18.49 (226.6 yards, 1.35 touchdowns) in the 67 without him, per RotoViz. In turn, A.J. Green has also seen a slight decrease in production when Eifert is out; he’s averaged 18.55 PPR points in 34 games with him (6/9.97/88.32/0.62) and 16.91 in the 52 games without him (5.42/9.15/80.88/0.54). Green should be able to post a big game against the Packers, but it’s a little hard to trust this offense at the moment. Dalton has been woeful – although he’s played a pair of tough defenses, to be fair – and after the team failed to score a touchdown through two games, they fired their offensive coordinator. Eifert’s absence would allow the Packers to hone in on Green, potentially hurting his efficiency and ability to create space in and around the end zone. Even so, Green Bay’s secondary will be a welcome reprieve from their tough opening schedule and Green appears to be a solid target this week with or without Eifert. His market share should be massive and he’ll match up with Damarious Randall the most, who’s allowed 0.48 fantasy points per route defended this season (per PFF), the second-most among starting CBs this week. The issues may come if Randall constantly has support from another defensive back in the form of a double team.
As reported by: Jay Morrison Other tagged players: A.J. Green, Andy Dalton Robby Anderson (knee) and DL Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder) aren't practicing Thursday
Tight ends Jordan Leggett (knee) and Neal Sterling (ankle) were also sidelined. All four of these players were absent from Wednesday’s practice as well. While the Jets practice, Anderson is running routes on the sideline with a brace supporting his knee. If he misses time, it would provide a bump in volume for Jermaine Kearse, Jeremy Kerley, and potentially Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who’s returning from a two-game suspension this week. On Wednesday, Head coach Todd Bowles seemed to imply Seferian-Jenkins would be limited in some capacity – or possibly inactive – this weekend when he said the tight end needed to get in better shape. However, with their tight end group banged up, he may need to suit up. Kearse is a volume-based fantasy target in an inefficient offense. He currently leads the team with 11 receptions and 123 yards and he’s the only player on the team who’s caught a touchdown this year – he pulled down two against the Raiders in Week 2. Not surprisingly, the Jets have the second-lowest implied total this week (18 points).
As reported by: Darryl Slate Other tagged players: Jordan Leggett, Neal Sterling, Jermaine Kearse, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jeremy Kerley This WR Gets an Upgrade Due to the Matchup
We’re attacking all the Gaines this week. If you are named Gaines, watch out. Denver is traveling cross-country to the Ralph, and that makes me think this will be a close game. We should be expecting this game to be competitive at a minimum. Gaines has defended just 24 routes per game this season and hasn’t been tested much by the meager offensive efforts produced by the Jets and Panthers. Gaines has thusly survived with mid-range evaluations in his first two games, and not much production to speak of. The Broncos offense looked potent last week and should present a much bolder challenge for the Bills. Gaines will need to prove last year is not representative of his skills before I steer clear anytime soon. He allowed 54 receptions on 72 targets for 648 yards and 8 TDs with the Rams. Ouch. 139.1 passer rating per Sports Info Solutions Inc. His Player Profiler coverage rating of -.19 was ranked 94. This is clearly a guy who we can target. He was beaten with consistency last season. Demaryius also has the benefit of superior athleticism in this spot. He sports a 99th percentile heigh adjusted speed score, as opposed to Gaines who registered in the 23rd percentile. Thomas also has a 5-inch height advantage. With superior athletic traits supporting historical production at opposite ends of the spectrum, it is obvious that Thomas is the better player and commands an upgrade in this spot.
As reported by: Sports Info Solutions Inc. Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey (ankle) isn't practicing Thursday
Ramsey continues to battle an ankle injury. He wasn’t able to practice at all last week but still played in their game against the Titans and returned to a limited practice Wednesday. Despite being banged up, Ramsey provided lockdown coverage against the Titans; he didn’t give up a single reception and was only targeted once. On the season, he’s allowed a 37.5% catch rate and 0.07 PPR points per cover snap, per PFF. Simply put, when considering WR/CB matchups, he looks like a corner to avoid. If he plays this weekend, he’ll see a combination of Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman while Jeremy Maclin works out of the slot against Aaron Colvin. Across a two-game sample this year, Colvin has allowed a 66.7% catch rate but only 0.21 PPR points per cover snap. Tight end Delanie Walker was the most productive player in Tennessee’s passing game last week, leading the team in receptions (4) and yards (61). In Baltimore, 36-year-old Ben Watson led his squad in the same categories, pulling down 8-of-8 targets for 91 yards. With a tough cornerback group working on Flacco’s receivers, the quarterback may need to look back towards Watson against this weekend.
As reported by: ESPN Other tagged players: Breshad Perriman, Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin, Joe Flacco, Benjamin Watson