DFS Alerts
Gronk, Amendola, and Dorsett are practicing Wednesday
Dont’a Hightower (knee) and Matt Slater (hamstring) are out there as well while Rex Burkhead wasn’t seen at the start of practice. Gronk suffered a groin injury against the Saints but all reports indicate it isn’t serious; he’s fully expected to play in Week 3. Dorsett was forced from their Week 2 game with a knee injury, although he appears to be fine. Fellow receiver Amendola is dealing with a concussion and a knee injury; his return to the practice field is a good sign for his chances of suiting up against the Texans Sunday. He should still be considered questionable.
As reported by: Mike Reiss Other tagged players: Danny Amendola, Phillip Dorsett
Dolphins LB Rey Maualuga won't practice Wednesday
Miami is very thin at linebacker without Maualuga and Lawrence Timmons. They brought in Stephone Anthony through a trade with New Orleans to add some depth but the former first-rounder has been a bust so far. While their defensive front played well against the rush in their first game, holding Melvin Gordon to 13 yards on nine carries, the linebackers let him get loose in the passing game for seven catches and 65 yards.
As reported by: Adam Beasley Ryan Griffin cleared concussion protocol, expected to play Week 3
This was expected following Evan Baylis’ release Tuesday. Griffin will step into the TE1 role now that C.J. Fiedorowicz is on the injured reserve. Quarterback Deshaun Watson could use his help. After cutting Jaelen Strong, Houston is down to DeAndre Hopkins and Braxton Miller at receiver, so they’ve been using running back Tyler Ervin out wide. It’s possible Will Fuller returns this week, although he seems like a long shot coming off a broken collarbone. Even if Fuller returns, Griffin will be a much-needed safety valve for the rookie QB and he could pick up a steady volume of targets now that he’s the lead TE. Fiedorowicz averaged 7.4 targets over his final 12 games last season.
As reported by: Aaron Wilson Colts CB Vontae Davis (groin) will practice on a limited basis this week
Davis hasn’t played yet this season but he returned to a limited practice last Friday. It looks like he has a shot to suit up this week, which would provide a much-needed improvement for their struggling secondary. The cornerback had a down year in 2016, earning a poor 47.3 PFF grade, but he was battling injuries the entire season. The Colts are hopeful he can overcome his groin injury and regress towards his elite form. In 2014, he scored the second-best mark among all cornerbacks and limited opposing QBs to a 38.8 rating when targeting him, per PFF. While it’s doubtful he can have that type of success in his age-29 season, he should still be an upgrade for their pass defense. His presence could potentially help Rashard Higgins as the Browns receiver ran nearly all of his routes out of the slot – nine of his 11 targets came from the position, per Next Gen Stats. Davis could make things more difficult for outside receivers Kenny Britt and Ricardo Louis, opening up more opportunities for Higgins.
As reported by: George Bremer Other tagged players: Ricardo Louis, Kenny Britt, Rashard Higgins Redskins LB Mason Foster (shoulder) not expected to play Week 3
Foster will seek a second opinion on his dislocated shoulder this week but it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to play on Sunday. 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 will 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 are 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.
As reported by: Ian Rapoport Other tagged players: Marshawn Lynch, Derek Carr Ravens DT Brandon Williams dealing with a foot injury
Baltimore hasn’t released many details on the injury, although they don’t believe it will be a long-term issue. It’s possible he’s sidelined this weekend against Leonard Fournette and the Jaguars though, which is definitely a boost for the RB. Williams has earned PFF’s eight-highest grade among 120 qualifying interior defenders (85.4) and he’s 17th in rushing defense specifically (82.2). Given Baltimore’s strong secondary that’s already tallied a ridiculous eight interceptions through two games, Jacksonville will likely try to keep the ball out of Blake Bortles’ hands as much as possible. Fournette should get the ball early and often and if game flow allows, they’ll keep feeding him. So far this season, they’ve allowed 4.0 yards per carry, which ranks 18th.
As reported by: Baltimore Sun Other tagged players: Leonard Fournette Saints CB Sterling Moore dealing with a pectoral injury
Following their loss to Sam Bradford and the Vikings in Week 1, New Orleans promoted Moore to their third cornerback spot ahead of De’Vante Harris. Although Moore wasn’t great across his 32 snaps against the Patriots, earning a 48.1 pass coverage grade from PFF, he was better than Harris, who’s currently dead last among 103 qualifiers with a 33.9. His Week 3 status is currently up in the air as Moore seeks additional opinions to assess the injury. Harris typically plays left cornerback. If he plays, Devin Funchess will be matched up with the worst cover corner in then league when in three-wide sets.
As reported by: The New Orleans Advocate Other tagged players: Devin Funchess Orleans Darkwa may become Giants featured back in Week 3
New York’s ground game has been dreadful this season; they’re 26th in yards per carry (3.2) and dead last in rushing yards per game (48.5). Part of that is due to poor offensive line play but some of it falls on their current starting running back Paul Perkins, who’s averaging 1.9 ypc. Due to game flow, he’s only rushed seven times in each game this season but the Giants may have seen enough to make a change. Darkwa has picked up 5.2 ypc, albeit on six attempts, and looks like the better back. Perkins doesn’t offer much upside and he hasn’t managed a single rush longer than four yards yet this year. At the very least, it looks like Darkwa will have a chance to shoot his shot. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan believes there will be an open competition between the two in practice and added it “might actually be the week Darkwa gets featured.” This isn’t an appealing backfield to target this week in DFS but it’s one to keep an eye on as Darkwa could become a sneaky option in the coming weeks.
As reported by: ESPN Other tagged players: Paul Perkins Bills DT Marcell Dareus (ankle) questionable for Week 3
Coach Sean McDermott said he’s concerned about Dareus’ availability this weekend and they’ve signed DT Deandre Coleman as a backup plan. 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.
As reported by: ESPN Other tagged players: C.J. Anderson, Trevor Siemian Healthy and Ready to Thrive
The talent has always been there for Eric Ebron; it has always been a matter of staying healthy. That does not appear to be a problem right now, and Ebron looked spry on his way to a 5/42/1 line on Monday against the Giants. While that may not look like a monster performance on the surface, you have to factor in the fact that the Lions only threw the ball 21 times in the game. Ebron caught every pass that was sent his way, and I expect him to be a big factor moving forward. Jack Doyle is the chalky cash game value at tight end this week, so don’t be afraid to pivot to Ebron in GPPs in a game that could be a shootout.
The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease
I am fully buying the squeaky wheel narrative for one A.J. Green this week. The Bengals have made a coordinator change, and Green came out and criticized the team for not getting him the ball in the first two games. There will also likely be a very pass-happy game plan in place here, as the Bengals are large road underdogs at Lambeau Field. The targets should be plentiful, and I think Green puts up 125+ yards and finds the end zone in this game.
A Breakout Spot Awaits
McCaffrey is one of my favorite tournament plays of the week. Yes, he has struggled running the ball over the first two weeks, but this matchup is about as fantastic as it gets. The Saints allow fantasy points in droves, and athletic players give them fits. McCaffrey is a strong bet to break a big gainer in this game, and he is going to make value some weeks solely thanks to those chunk plays. Despite his struggles on the ground, C-Mac has garnered 12 targets in the passing game over the first two weeks, and he should be more involved on that front sans Greg Olsen. He is an absolutely elite tournament play on all sites this weekend. Take advantage of those who are afraid to pull the trigger based on his early struggles.
Leading the Charge
Could the Lions be one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season? They have looked very good through two weeks, primarily due to a surprisingly stifling defense. Matthew Stafford didn’t have to throw the ball a lot last week as the team cruised to an easy win, but don’t let the quiet box score fool you. The game script should call for more passing this week in a game against the defending NFC Champion Falcons, and this game has a Vegas total approaching 50 points. I could see the Lions focusing on the short passing game with regularity in this one, and Stafford would be a huge beneficiary with some easy yardage numbers. Give him a look as a low-owned QB option in tournaments.
Dolphins acquire LB Stephone Anthony from Saints
Miami is in desperate need of a linebacker with Rey Maualuga not ready to play and Lawrence Timmons suspended indefinitely. They sent an undisclosed 2018 draft pick to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony. The SLB hasn’t played a snap this season and he earned poor PFF grades in his first two seasons. After being taken in the first round of the 2015 draft, he started all 16 games as a rookie. The following season, he made ten appearances and three starts. Anthony is an impressive athlete; he placed second among the 2015 linebacker class with a 4.03 20-yard shuttle, ran a 4.56 40-yard dash (3rd), and posted a 37” vertical (7th). He’ll look to spark his career with a fresh start in Miami.
As reported by: New Orleans Saints 49ers S Jaquiski Tartt (neck) will be a game-time decision Thursday
With Eric Reid (knee) already ruled out, the 49ers may start a rookie at the strong safety position Thursday night. If Tartt is unable to suit up, Lorenzo Jerome or Adrian Colbert will get the nod – they’re both rookies who have yet to log an NFL snap. Tartt is currently the 17th-ranked safety by PFF this season among 74 qualifiers with an 80.1 grade and he’s excelled in pass coverage, earning an 85.0 (8th). Strong safety Reid has impressed in run defense, earning an 81.9 (13th) while delivering a 9.3% run-stop rate (6th). Reid’s absence is a clear downgrade to their rushing defense and if Tartt sits, it’s a blow to their pass coverage as well.
As reported by: Joe Fann