Field of Streams: Week Two

In this weekly series, we narrow the focus to just the current week and give you some streaming options for the upcoming games. The goal is to identify a player at each offensive position (as well as a team defense) available in a large amount of leagues that may be in line for a productive outing.

You can read more about this series in the Week 1 installment. We use MFL rates for the ownership percentages.

Let’s take a look at how things went for our top picks in the opening week, using standard PPR scoring.

QB — Tyrod Taylor, 15.9 points
WR — Brandon Coleman, 14.1 points
RB — Jonathan Grimes, 4.0 points
TE — Crockett Gillmore, 4.3 points
K — Greg Zuerlein, 10.0 points
D — Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 0 points

Well, hitting .500 would get you into the baseball Hall of Fame. Taylor, Coleman and Zuerlein were all solid plays in week one. Grimes and Gillmore saw plenty of snaps but did not produce, although Anthony Dixon, who was listed as an honorable mention running back candidate, did vulture a one-yard touchdown. The Tampa Bay defense was carved up by Marcus Mariota. The Buccaneers defense didn’t play terribly, allowing 309 yards, but they were consistently put in a tough spot by Tampa Bay’s sputtering offense. The logic behind choosing the Buccaneers was anticipating turnovers. Tennessee did fumble twice, but the Buccaneers only recovered one.

In addition to the top picks, we hit on Harry Douglas (10.4), Jared Cook (13.5) and Carson Palmer (25.7 points) as an honorable mention options.

Let’s jump back in the saddle for week two!

Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB NYJ
(owned in 23 percent of leagues)

With a road game against the Indianapolis Colts, Fitzpatrick is the week’s best streaming option among quarterbacks. Palmer has another nice matchup (at Chicago), but his ownership rates have soared to more than 80 percent. The Colts allowed Taylor to score 15 points in Week 1. It’s not an ideal matchup — on the road, Monday night game — but Fitzpatrick is an aggressive shot taker with Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall on his side. It could be worse. Of the other streaming options, Taylor is the only one who doesn’t make me visibly ill. Taylor gets a home matchup against the Patriots. New England’s defense is a far cry from its 2014 unit. Playing without Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger and DeAngelo Williams (yes, that DeAngelo Williams) torched New England for 464 total yards in Week 1.

Honorable mention: Taylor (vs. NE)

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Wide Receiver
Cole Beasley, WR DAL
(34 percent)

With the unfortunate injury to Dez Bryant, a lot of targets just became available in Dallas. Beasley had four receptions for 49 yards in Week 1 and Dallas will be on the road to face Philadelphia in a game with an over/under of 54, which is the highest of the week. Not only will Beasley be a solid play this week, but he should remain serviceable (in PPR leagues) until Bryant returns. James Jones is owned in just over 40 percent of leagues. With a clash against Seattle this week, Jones is a better season-long pickup than Week 2 play. It took St. Louis a while, but they may have finally figured out how to utilize Tavon Austin. He’s a solid streaming option at Washington. In the opening week, Jermaine Kearse led Seattle in targets with 10, making eight catches for 70 yards. He has a nice matchup at Green Bay.

Honorable mention: Austin (at WAS), Kearse (at GB)

Running Back

Dion Lewis, RB New England
(20 percent)

The ownership rate for Lewis is probably going to spike once waivers process for this week, as I anticipate him being one of the most coveted players, especially in PPR leagues. It’s New England, so it’s dangerous to assume anything with their backfield, but Lewis appears to be the passing-game back. He even got to stay in the game after a fumble. Somewhere, Stevan Ridley was not pleased about that. With LeGarrette Blount out in Week 1, Lewis totaled 19 touches for 120 yards, hauling in 4-of-5 targets for 51 yards. Blount will be back this week, which should limit Lewis’ carries, but a tough matchup against a stout Buffalo defense could mean a pass-heavy game plan from the Patriots. If C.J. Anderson (toe) can’t go or is expected to be limited, Ronnie Hillman would be an excellent play Thursday at Kansas City. The same goes for Benny Cunningham at Washington, if Todd Gurley (knee) and Tre Mason (thigh) sit out again.

Honorable mentions: Hillman (at KC), Cunningham (at WAS)

Tight End
Crockett Gillmore, TE BAL
(8 percent)

Gillmore had limited opportunities in a low-scoring, low-possession Week 1 loss at Denver. He finished with two grabs for 23 yards on four targets. He was the target on Joe Flacco’s game-ending interception in the end zone. The logic this week is the same as it was in Week 1. With Breshad Perriman likely out, Gillmore is Flacco’s third option in the pass game behind Steve Smith and Justin Forsett. Instead of facing Denver’s stout defense, the Ravens get a road trip to Oakland, who just allowed Tyler Eifert to go bonkers. Jordan Reed is owned in 56 percent of MLF leagues. That number is too low. He’s the only tight end option in Washington and the DeSean Jackson hamstring injury puts him in line for serious volume.

Honorable mention: Ben Watson (vs. TB), Jared Cook (at WAS)

Kicker

Robbie Gould, K CHI
(19 percent)

Gould (who has been kicking for Chicago since the Truman Administration) and the Bears get a home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. I prefer to stream kickers on decent offenses who are facing a solid defense with a preference for games being playing indoors. This game won’t be indoors, but it pits a decent Chicago offense against a pretty good Arizona defense. After scoring 13 points in the opener, good enough to be a top five kicker in Week 1, Gould has a chance to post another good outing this week.

Honorable mention: Nick Folk, (at IND), Josh Brown (vs. ATL)

Team Defense

New Orleans Saints
(13 percent)

This is worth repeating and it’s why you should never draft a defense before one of your last two picks, with a kicker being the other final selection. The key to fantasy defenses is turnovers. It’s how the league’s best defense, Seattle, can finish seventh among fantasy defenses (in standard scoring) in 2014. New Orleans doesn’t have a good defense, but they have a superb matchup this week at home against Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers. When targeting a defense to stream, I look for a team playing at home against a bad quarterback/offense. So, I’m basically looking at this exact scenario here. Winston helped a poor Tennessee defense score 15 points in Week 1. Baltimore and Tennessee also have juicy matchups this week, but New Orleans playing at home swings the tiebreaker in their favor. Winston in the Superdome for his first road game? Yes, please.

Honorable mention: Tennessee (at CLE), Baltimore (at OAK)

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