Start ‘Em
Matt Stafford
The Falcons defense looked much better against the Vikings, but they still allowed over 300 yards and three touchdowns to Kirk Cousins. Almost all of it was in garbage time; however, it still counts. If the Lions are going to win this one, they will probably have to score at least 30. Even if the Falcons blow them out, Stafford should still have a wonderful fantasy day.
The Giants currently have the 16th ranked pass defense, but I’m not buying them being nearly that good. The Eagles offense has struggled, but they seem to have found a bit of a groove over the last couple of weeks against two way better defenses than the Giants (Ravens, Steelers). Feel confident starting Wentz this week.
I was skeptical about Justin Herbert, especially as a rookie, but he is quickly proving doubters wrong. This week, he faces the Jags and should be good for around 300 passing yards and at least two TDs.
I’m putting him here because I don’t want you to get cute. Henry is on a roll again, and it’s going to be difficult for any defense to stop him. Pittsburgh is currently ranked second against the run, but I don’t think that matters against the Titans. Henry will get his.
The Chiefs pass defense has been fantastic, but they have been poor against the run. If Denver has any chance of pulling out a second-straight upset, they have to run the ball and eat clock. Gordon should be a featured part of their gameplan.
Gibson has become the featured back in Washington. A lot of weeks that doesn’t mean too much. However, this week, he gets to face the Cowboys, who are allowing over 177 yards on the ground. I would put Gibson in the RB1 tier this week and believe he’s an excellent play in DFS formats.
In his first game under new head coach Raheem Morris, Gurley received 20 carries and 23 touches overall. It’s clear he was a focal point of the gameplan, and I expect his workload to be heavy again against a Lions defense that is allowing nearly 150 yards rushing per contest.
Last time the Browns faced the Bengals, they ran all over them. Hunt and Chubb split the touches in that one. I don’t expect the success to change, but Hunt will reap all of the benefits with Chubb out.
If Robby Anderson was scoring more touchdowns, he’d be ranked much higher than he already is at his position. He’s due for some positive regression in that area, and he’s up against a Saints defense that is decent but far from special. The Panthers will have to score to keep up, and I like Anderson to have a tremendous day.
The Bengals offense continues to impress me, and the last time they met the Browns, Joe Burrow threw for well over 300 yards. Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins should perform nicely on Sunday.
DJ Chark Jr.Â
The Chargers surprisingly have one of the worst pass defenses in football, and while Chark hasn’t been great this season fantasy-wise, this is the perfect opportunity for him to get back on track.
Kirk has been quiet but busted out for a couple of touchdowns on Monday night. He gets an even juicier matchup this week against a defense that hasn’t been able to guard anybody. The Seahawks are allowing over 370 yards per game through the air. I expect this to be a high-scoring affair, and Kirk is a quality flier if the byes are hurting you this week.
Odell Beckham Jr.Â
It’s unfortunate how unreliable Beckham Jr. has become, but this is definitely a week to start him if you have him. The Bengals defense is bad in all facets, so the Browns should score a lot of points, and Cincinnati is allowing nearly 300 yards passing over their last three games.
Henry has been disappointing this season, but with the Jags on the docket, he should be starting in most leagues.
The Falcons have allowed big days to tight ends that aren’t typically standouts. That could happen again this week against the Lions.
Sit ‘Em
It was honestly difficult to find a QB that I hate this week. The board is mostly filled with guys that are obvious starts and guys that should never be started. If you have Goff, though, I certainly don’t love this matchup. The Bears have a great defense and have allowed just over 200 yards passing per game over their last three games.
Freeman has become the lead back for the Giants, and it’s not even close. He should be rostered in every league and started often. However, I don’t like his matchup this week against the Eagles and think it will be a relatively quiet afternoon for him.
The Falcons defense is bad, but they are actually one of the best at stopping the run. If you’re starting a Lions running back this week, it has to be D’Andre Swift.
Jacobs is a stud, and if you own him, you have to start him. However, I’m staying far away in DFS formats. The Bucs currently feature the best run defense in football, and it’s no fluke. Their front seven is filthy.
Edelman’s value has been decimated ever since Cam Newton was placed on the COVID-19 list. Newton is back, but I still don’t like this matchup against the 49ers, and it could take a while for these two to get back up to speed. I’m holding off on returning Edelman to my starting lineup this week.
Robinson has been good this season, especially with Nick Foles, but this Rams secondary is one of the best, allowing less than 170 yards per game over their last three games, and you can expect Jalen Ramsey to be following him around all day.
Smith-Schuster is on a downward spiral. He just isn’t getting nearly as many targets. Right now, Chase Claypool is the receiver you want to own in Pittsburgh, and I don’t think that changes this week — even against a vulnerable Titans pass defense.
Amari Cooper/Ceedee Lamb
Believe it or not, the Redskins currently have the second-best pass defense in football, and the Cowboys offense looked lost without Dak Prescott against a much worse Cardinals defense. I don’t like any of the Cowboys receivers this week. Although, you probably don’t have much choice but to start these guys.
Samuel finally had a nice performance last week, but he’s far from a guy you can trust, especially against a stingy Patriots pass defense that is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Broncos.
Gronkowski finally had a good performance against Green Bay, but I’m still not very high on him — at least, not yet — and the Raiders are one of the better teams at defending tight ends.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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