Sunday Six Pack: Week Three
Editor’s Note: Remember, you can get a DLF Premium account free for a year (or your current subscription extended for a year) just by signing up with FanDuel and making an initial deposit. For more information on that special offer, click here.
We bring back the Sunday Six Pack, an article featuring six of the biggest storylines heading into each and every week of the season. Keeping tabs on these events will keep you prepared and informed throughout the season – just don’t drive within six hours of reading this.
1. Breakdown (The Ballad of Andre Johnson)
I’m not afraid of you running away honey, I get the feeling you won’t.
Though two weeks, Colts receiver Andre Johnson is just the PPR WR73. While he has garnered a decent number of targets (17), he has caught just seven of those for a total of 51 yards. DLF’s own Eric Hardter looked at the numbers in his Air Affair Report and found Johnson was one of the least effective receivers last year. That has certainly carried over into this season and has provided an opportunity for Donte Moncrief to shine despite many people already writing him off before the draft card ink was dry on Phillip Dorsett. Moncrief is the PPR WR9 through two weeks, and I’d keep starting him, especially while TY Hilton is not 100%. Shutdown corner Vontae Davis looks like he will play this week despite last week’s concussion, so I’m fading Kendall Wright wherever I can. I can’t imagine wasting Davis on any other Titans receiver. Delanie Walker looks like he’ll be back this week and I’d feel much more comfortable starting him if you feel the need to start a Titan. The Colts are actually in the top third in rushing defense and just outside the top third in passing defense. Dorial Green-Beckham got free for a touchdown last week. He may force his way into a full-time role sooner rather than later.
2. Keenan Allen, I Need to Know
If you think you’re gonna leave, then you better say so.
Week 1 Keenan Allen loves me: 15 receptions on 17 targets for 166 yards. Week 2 Keenan Allen loves me not: two receptions on four targets for 16 yards and a lost fumble in a game the Chargers were losing. So that begs the question, which Keenan Allen shows up this week in Minnesota? 17 targets are definitely not sustainable, but I think Allen will settle into a happy medium. The bigger issue may be up-and-coming Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes, whose physical play has the potential to disrupt Allen. I’m probably still playing Allen because it’s unlikely that I have much better options, but I’m definitely tempering my expectations. Allen gets Joe Haden in Week 4 before getting Steelers, Packers, Raiders, Ravens, Bears in the next five weeks. If he struggles through the next two matchups, he becomes an intriguing buy-low target. Charles Johnson has been a complete disappointment for the Vikings who are last in the NFL in average passing yards per game at just 164. With just three targets in each of the Vikings first two games, it’s hard to start the preseason breakout candidate until the volume appears. The only starting option in the Vikings passing game is Kyle Rudolph and he’s not even anything more than a low end TE1 at this point.
3. Even Travis Benjamin Gets Lucky Sometimes
Should have know right then that it was too good to last, it’s such a drag when you live in the past
Travis Benjamin has been a popular waiver wire pickup this week after a PPR WR6 start over the first two weeks of the season fueled by three 50 yard or greater touchdowns from Johnny Manziel. So that’s the good news. The bad news is Benjamin only has six targets in those two games, which pretty much guarantees this pace is completely unsustainable. While that is fairly obvious, it also leads to the conclusion he will be wildly inconsistent until his usage rises. Indeed, Benjamin played just 23 snaps in the Titans game. For a player already in his fourth year in the league on a team that is for some reason switching back to the John Tesh of QBs (Josh McCown) this week, I just can’t get excited about Benjamin. I had an interesting discussion with Sigmund Bloom and Ryan McDowell on Twitter about this. Sig’s point that you should hold over trading him for a third round rookie pick is fine, but I wouldn’t go to crazy even with a good matchup against the Raiders in Week 3. Amari Cooper gave us a nice preview of what his owners can expect for years to come, turning 11 targets into seven receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders’ upset win over the Ravens in Week 2. Cooper has a nice relationship with Derek Carr and looks like he has a chance to ascend into the first tier of dynasty receivers in the near future. We’ll see what eventually happens with Todd Gurley, who is expected to make his debut this week, but I think owners who selected Cooper with their 1.01s have to be happy with their decision so far.
4. Allen Robinson is Running Down a Dream
He felt so good, like anything was possible
This headline was suggestion for Benjamin, but I think it applies more aptly to Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson. Although he missed much of last year with an injury, ARob’s value actually started ascending before the preseason, the rare case of an injured player gaining value before showing he was healthy. Robinson looked like he was shaking some of the rust off in Week 1 and had a knee injury scare on his way to a paltry one reception for 27 yards on six targets, but rebounded nicely in dominating the Dolphins for six receptions on twelve targets for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson may not be the most efficient receiver on the field, but he has clear playmaking ability. I’m not saying he’s Calvin Johnson, but Megatron’s 54.4% conversion rate hasn’t slowed him down. Allen Hurns has quietly been a reliable WR4 through two weeks, averaging 4.5 receptions and 64 yards on 5.5 targets. The Jaguars will have their hands full with the Patriots this week and the projected target increase for Hurns puts him in the WR3 conversation for this week. On the New England side, aside from the obvious starts of Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady, I’m going to keep starting the PPR RB5 Dion Lewis until I’m given a compelling reason not to. He’s stayed on the field despite two fumbles, which says a lot. LeGarrette Blount will likely see his workload increase, but it still looks like Lewis is here to stay as at least a PPR RB2.
5. Steve Smith’s Last Dance
Nightfall will be comin’ soon.
After a slow start, Ravens receiver Steve Smith became the target monster we expected, hauling in 10 of 16 targets for 150 yards in the shootout with the Raiders last week. Rookie Breshad Perriman is back practicing and should eat into Smith’s workload, but with the post-Terrell Suggs Ravens defense struggling, expect a lot of high volume passing games from Joe Flacco, which will work to Smith’s benefit. Cincinnati did hold Keenan Allen in check last week, but I still expect a good game from the more physical Smith. Justin Forsett is just the PPR RB29 through two weeks, a disappointment for those (including me) that expected high end RB2 numbers at the very least. Losing a decent amount of work last week to Lorenzo Taliaferro was also disconcerting. That being said, I’m still starting Forsett and hoping he gets a little more involved in the passing game. His current useage ensures a high floor at the very least. It’s too soon to panic about the fumble-related benching of Jeremy Hill. It may have opened the door for a slight value hit and an opportunity for Giovani Bernard but Hill still remains a must-start until you actually see this fall into an RBBC. Marvin Jones saw his targets increase from three to give and snaps from 43 to 53 in Week 2 en route to two receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown. Conversely, Mohamed Sanu’s snaps fell from 51 in Week 1 to 27 in Week 2. Even though Jones will be third in line for targets behind AJ Green and Tyler Eifert, his playmaking ability should render him a viable WR3/4 going forward.
6. You Don’t Know How it Feels to Be Brandon Marshall
He was born to rock, he’s still trying to beat the clock.
Jets receiver Brandon Marshall certainly rocked on Monday Night Football against the Colts in Week 2, turning 10 targets into seven receptions for 101 yards and carrying two Colts into the end zone for a touchdown. Marshall looks to be on the same page with Ryan Fitzpatrick and with Eric Decker nursing a knee injury, Marshall should be a target hog going forward, potentially improving on his current PPR WR10 standing. Decker looks to have fortunately avoided a serious injury and should only miss a week or two, if any time. Currently the PPR WR15, the Jets are the only team with two top 15 WRs through two weeks. If Chris Ivory can’t go in Week 3, Bilal Powell becomes an interesting high-floor RB2/Flex play based on his receiving ability. The Eagles are huge mess right now. It turns out that offensive line is important in the NFL. Jordan Matthews is surviving on volume right now. DeMarco Murray looks like he’ll play through his hamstring injury but it’s hard to count on him behind that line when healthy, let alone injured. Darren Sproles could catch seven balls or be invisible. Good luck trying to predict it.
Enjoy your Sunday!
[ad5]
