NFL Game Previews: Monday Night Matchups

MONDAY NIGHT

Jacksonville (+5) at Buffalo, o/u 45.5 – Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Jags are 0-2, and while both losses were by a single score, they basically haven't looked good since the first half of their opener against the Dolphins. Trevor Lawrence has been thoroughly mediocre, as has Travis Etienne, but both performances can arguably be laid at the feet of an offensive line that just isn't getting the job done – PFF has Jacksonville's O-line 30th through two weeks, ahead of only Tennessee and New England. When Brandon Scherff is the best player on the unit, you know something is very wrong. (There's also the question of how the O-line can't seem to open holes for Etienne, but Tank Bigsby has a 6.1 YPC on his 12 carries...) Whatever the issue is, the Jags have yet to score more than 17 points in a game, and it's hard to see them breaking out here unless you're counting on a Gabe Davis revenge game. The Jags' defense is also one of only two in the league still looking for its first takeaway (the Browns are the other.) Maybe they shake off the malaise and figure things out, but time's running short if they want to have a shot at keeping up with the Texans in the AFC South.

We're already down to only nine undefeated teams in the NFL, but the Bills are one of them after thumping the Dolphins last week. Josh Allen's led them to more than 30 points in both games, racking up three passing TDs and two rushing scores, and that's with him basically taking the second half off last week. He's done that without anyone yet stepping up to replace Stefon Diggs as his clear top option, too. No Buffalo pass-catcher has 100 yards yet, or even double-digit targets. Instead it's been a heavy dose of James Cook keeping things moving, and the third-year RB has already matched his career high with two rushing touchdowns. He could be headed for the kind of season his older brother routinely recorded with the Vikings. The pass rush has also looked revitalized, with Greg Rousseau maybe on course for that long-awaited breakout and Von Miller showing he's still got something in the tank. The rebuilt secondary has also looked good, even without slot corner Taron Johnson the last couple weeks. It's almost like Sean McDermott knows what he's doing on that side of the ball.

Key Info

JAC injuries: RB Tank Bigsby (questionable, shoulder), TE Evan Engram (questionable, hamstring)
BUF injuries: LB Matt Milano (IR, biceps), LB Terrel Bernard (out, pectoral)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
JAC DFS targets: Travis Etienne
BUF DFS targets: Keon Coleman, Bills DST

JAC DFS fades: none
BUF DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 60-70 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Etienne scampers for 80 yards and a touchdown. Lawrence gets sacked five times but throws for 240 yards and a score to Davis. Cook splashes for 120 scrimmage yards and two TDs, one rushing and one receiving. Allen throws for 270 yards and a touchdown to Coleman (who tops 100 yards) while also running in a score of his own. Bills 31-17

Washington (+7.5) at Cincinnati, o/u 47.0 
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

The Commanders kicked the Giants when they were down last week, riding seven field goals from journeyman Austin Seibert to a win. Jayden Daniels has been kept on a very short leash so far by OC Kliff Kingsbury, and while he's still looking for his first career passing touchdown, he does have a 75.5 percent completion rate and respectable 7.7 YPA as he dinks and dunks his way down the field. That hasn't yet done much for Terry McLaurin, whose eight catches have netted only 39 yards thanks to a career-low aDOT of 8.9, but at least his volume's been steady. Instead it's been the two-headed backfield of Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler who have done the heavy lifting, with Daniels also doing some damage with his legs. It's not an offensive approach that offers much of a ceiling, and it won't often climb out of the holes that Washington's absolutely abysmal secondary will dig for it, but it's good enough to snag wins against the league's other dregs.

Joe Burrow is no stranger to 0-2 starts – he went 0-2-1 as a rookie, and Cincy lost its first two games in 2022 and 2023 as well – so he isn't going to be fazed by this one. It's still a little disconcerting that Mike Gesicki leads the team in targets and receiving yards, though. Tee Higgins has yet to suit up while Ja'Marr Chase is still working through his post-holdout hangover, but Andrei Iosivas' two-TD performance last week was encouraging, and the receiving corps should be back to its usual dynamic level soon enough. Zack Moss has looked very mediocre in the backfield though, and Chase Brown's limited usage suggests he's might never going to earn Zac Taylor's trust, even if he's the more talented runner of the two. The Bengals' defense also isn't quite there yet, but limiting Patrick Mahomes to just one trick-play TD in the second half last week was definitely a step in the right direction.

Key Info

WAS injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
CIN injuries: WR Tee Higgins (questionable, hamstring), TE Mike Gesicki (questionable, calf)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
WAS DFS targets: Terry McLaurin
CIN DFS targets: Joe Burrow, Andrei Iosivas

WAS DFS fades: Olamide Zaccheaus
CIN DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 30-40 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Robinson leads the WAS backfield with 70 yards and a touchdown, while Ekeler adds 60 combined yards. Daniels throws for 200 yards and a TD to McLaurin while also running in a score. Moss picks up 60 yards and a touchdown. Burrow throws for 310 yards and two TDs, both to Chase (who tops 100 yards). Bengals 27-24

EARLY SUNDAY

N.Y. Giants (+6.5) at Cleveland, o/u 38.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Brian Daboll's seat keeps getting warmer. The Giants are one of three 0-2 teams in the NFC, and the other two are the utterly lost Panthers and the injury-ravaged Rams. You can certainly argue that they could have won last week if Graham Gano hadn't gotten hurt on the opening kickoff, but on the other hand, going 0-for-2 on two-point conversions against the Commanders was pure (lack of) skill, not bad luck. Daboll basically has one card left to play — benching Daniel Jones — but that would be admitting he pushed to give a $40 million a year contract to the wrong horse, and then he's stuck with either Drew Lock or Tommy DeVito as his QB. Malik Nabers has been as great as expected, but he's going to start seeing triple teams soon, because who else do defenses have to worry about? The defense hasn't really held up its end either, and Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux have a combined zero sacks. Again, there are ways to view the glass as half-full if you squint, but it's a stretch. I mean, sure, it's nice that the Giants have allowed only two TDs on eight trips by the opposition to the red zone, but eight trips to the red zone in two games is bad, and that "resilience" has come against Sam Darnold and Jayden Daniels. After this week's game against Deshaun Watson, three of the next four QBs they face are Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts. The fourth game during that stretch is a road trip to Seattle, and the game after that is a road trip to Pittsburgh. How bad does it have to get before Daboll is out? 0-5? 0-6? 0-8?

Then again, the Browns look pretty beatable. Sure, they got past the Jaguars last week, but the Jags have their own troubles. Deshaun Watson has a 58.2 percent completion rate and a 4.5 YPA, and frankly those numbers seem generous if you watch him play. Kevin Stefanski is also sending some weird signals with his backfield, parking Jerome Ford behind D'Onta Foreman in the second half last week even though the former has been far more productive in the early going. It was originally assumed that the team would be in no rush to get Nick Chubb back into the lineup, with speculation getting tossed around that he might not make his season debut until after a Week 10 bye, but if the Browns are souring on Ford, that could change. Amari Cooper has weirdly disappointed despite leading the team in targets, with Jerry Jeudy being the team's WR1 through two weeks and being on the other end of Watson's only TD pass. The defense has been mostly fine aside from a couple minor injuries, and the offensive line is getting healthier too, so the window for catching Cleveland when it's vulnerable might be closing quickly.

Key Info

NYG injuries: K Graham Gano (IR, hamstring), EDGE Brian Burns (questionable, groin)
CLE injuries: RB Nick Chubb (PUP, knee), RB Pierre Strong (out, hamstring), RB Nyheim Hines (NFI, knee), TE David Njoku (out, ankle), WR David Bell (IR, hip)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
NYG DFS targets: none
CLE DFS targets: Deshaun Watson, Elijah Moore, Jordan Akins

NYG DFS fades: Darius Slayton
CLE DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 10-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Devin Singletary grinds out 70 yards and a score. Jones throws for less than 200 yards and gets picked off twice. Ford leads the CLE backfield with 80 yards and a touchdown. Watson throws for 250 yards and two TDs, hitting Jeudy and Akins. Browns 24-10

Chicago (+1.5) at Indianapolis, o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

So, the good news first. Last week, Caleb Williams threw for about 87 percent more yards than he had in the Bears' opener, and improved his completion percentage by about 14 points. He's still looking for his first NFL touchdown pass, though, and his two second-half INTs last week basically ended any hopes Chicago had of mounting a comeback. With the passing game not yet clicking, defenses have shut down the team's running game, and D'Andre Swift has a 2.0 YPC through his first two games as a Bear. The defense has been impressive — even in last week's loss, it held C.J. Stroud to less than 20 points — so it won't take much improvement on the other side of the ball to make the Bears a real threat. Heck, if Williams' numbers rise in linear fashion, he's headed for something like a 25-for-33 performance here with 325 passing yards or so. (And four interceptions, but let's ignore that part.) I wouldn't count on anything close to that, mind you, but if you're looking for a deep-cut stacking option in a big DFS tournament, Chicago's an intriguing choice.

Speaking of struggling young QBs ... Anthony Richardson got picked off three times last week, and didn't make up for his miscues with any completions of 40-plus yards like he did in Indy's opener. I'm not sure I can say anything more scathing than he got out-quarterbacked by Malik Willis. Richardson's tools are off the charts, and everything we've been told about his mental makeup indicates he will eventually figure it out, but he just has so little experience against high-end competition, even going back to his college days. The Colts figure to get Josh Downs back this week, but one more intermediate target (Downs' aDOT last year was 6.9) isn't going to help when he's already having trouble getting accurate passes to Michael Pittman. Then there's the Colts' run defense. Joe Mixon tore it up in Week 1, and even knowing Green Bay was going to have no real passing offense last week, it couldn't slow Josh Jacobs. Now DeForest Buckner is sidelined. Indy's coughed up 237 rushing yards a game, which is horrifying. Half the teams in the league haven't allowed that many rushing yards in total. Jonathan Taylor's looked good, and Richardson's trebuchet of an arm should keep defenses just worried enough to shy away from stacking the box against him, but it might not matter much if he doesn't see much of the ball. Between Richardson's deep TDs and the pitiful run defense, no team has had the ball less or run fewer offensive plays through two weeks than the Colts. No, not even the Panthers.

Key Info

CHI injuries: WR Keenan Allen (out, heel)
IND injuries: WR Michael Pittman (questionable, back), DT DeForest Buckner (IR, ankle)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
CHI DFS targets: Caleb Williams, D'Andre Swift, DJ Moore
IND DFS targets: Michael Pittman

CHI DFS fades: none
IND DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Swift erupts for 130 yards and two TDs. Williams throws for 240 yards and his first career touchdown to Moore. Taylor responds with 80 yards and a score. Richardson throws for less than 200 yards and gets picked off twice, but he does run in a TD of his own. Bears 21-17

Houston at Minnesota (+1.5), o/u 46.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Should we just give the Texans the AFC South crown now? Not only are they 2-0, the rest of the division is 0-6. Even if one of the other teams does get its act together (I guess the Titans are the closest ... ?), it'll probably be too late. The scary part is C.J. Stroud hasn't even had to do too much  to get those two wins. Joe Mixon steamrolled over the Colts in Week 1, and the defense handled the Bears in Week 2. This is the week it could be Stroud's turn to strut his stuff, though if he has to play without starting center Juice Scruggs again, it could hurt the entire offense. Houston's dealing with a bunch of skill-position injuries as well, but the roster's loaded enough that having one or two guys sit out likely wouldn't bother Stroud too much. Less Nico Collins just means more Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, after all.

While the two new offensive powerhouses in the NFC South can't be ignored, the most surprising 2-0 team in the league has to be the Vikings. Whipping the Giants in their opener wasn't a shocker, but taking care of the 49ers last week certainly was, even if the Niners were short-handed. It's not like Sam Darnold finished the game with all his top weapons available, either. I wouldn't go so far as to call Darnold a revelation — he was picked off in each game — but a 72.0 percent completion rate, 9.5 YPA and 4:2 TD:INT might be the best two-game run of his career. (The only real competition: 6:1 TD:INT, 10.3 YPA and a 66.1 percent completion rate in Weeks 11-12 of 2019, but he was facing two of the three worst pass defenses in the league that year in Washington and Oakland). There's a chance the QB could be without his three best targets Sunday, though, and unlike the Texans, the Vikings don't have the depth at receiver to handle losing Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Aaron Jones is also on the injury report, so Minnesota could end up leaning more heavily on its revamped, league-leading pass rush than it was hoping it would need to. After sacking Daniel Jones five times, the group brought down Brock Purdy six times last week, with 2021 third-round pick Pat Jones leading the way by racking up two sacks in each contest. DC Brian Flores' scheme has been outstanding — even Purdy says so — and it's what gives the Vikes a real chance. Stroud's one Achilles heel during his dynamic rookie campaign showed up when he was under pressure, when his numbers dropped significantly.

Key Info

HOU injuries: RB Joe Mixon (doubtful, ankle), RB Dameon Pierce (out, hamstring), TE Brevin Jordan (IR, knee), DT Denico Autry (out, suspension), LB Christian Harris (IR, calf)
MIN injuries: WR Jordan Addison (out, ankle), TE T.J. Hockenson (PUP, knee), LB Ivan Pace (out, quadriceps), EDGE Dallas Turner (out, knee)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
HOU DFS targets: Dalton Schultz
MIN DFS targets: Jalen Nailor, Vikings DST

HOU DFS fades: C.J. Stroud, Cam Akers
MIN DFS fades: Johnny Mundt

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Cam Akers leads the HOU backfield with 60 yards. Stroud throws for 240 yards and two scores, hitting Diggs and Schultz, but he gets sacked four times. Jones piles up 90 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Darnold throws for 260 yards and two TDs, one each to Nailor and Brandon Powell. Vikings 24-23

Philadelphia (+2.5) at New Orleans, o/u 49.5
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Fie, Eagles, fie. After winning a game it maybe should have lost in the opener, Philly gave away a very winnable game against Atlanta last week. It wasn't quite like getting beat by a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest, but the way Kirk Cousins dissected the secondary in his game-winning drive simultaneously put to rest concerns about his Achilles, and awakened concerns about an Eagles defense that collapsed down the stretch in 2023. The rebuilt secondary couldn't even contain Darnell Mooney, and Darius Slay channeled his inner James Bradberry on Drake London's TD. Even Slay admitted after the game he was trying to do too much on the play, but that can happen when you're a veteran surrounded by kids you may not fully trust yet to get the job done. Adding OC Kellen Moore also hasn't helped Jalen Hurts turn things around from the end of last year. Hurts has produced as many turnovers as TDs so far (four each), and with the offense running through Saquon Barkley more often than it did previous backfield configurations, he might have a lower ceiling in both passing yards and rushing TDs than expected. Losing A.J. Brown for any length doesn't help, either. The NFC East looks like a two-team race between the Eagles and Cowboys, but both squads seem like they have some thing to figure out.

I gotta admit, I'm a little stumped as to how a Mike Zimmer defense had so much trouble with this Klint Kubiak offense. It looked like the Cowboys hadn't even bothered to watch any film of the Panthers game and didn't know what was coming. Rashid Shaheed on a fly route? Who knew? Maybe Kubiak is just that good, or maybe Dallas was too full of itself after a hot start to the season, which hasn't happened since, oh, 2023. Whatever the reason, the NFL is now officially on Kubiak Watch, to see who will be the first defensive coordinator to figure out how to slow down the Saints. It could just be the everyone forgot how much talent is actually on this roster, because it was mismanaged so badly last year. New Orleans has a stout offensive line, Alvin Kamara in the backfield, a QB in Derek Carr who had four consecutive 4,000-yard campaigns not long ago, Chris Olave, Taysom Hill ... I'm less impressed with the defense of DC Joe Woods, especially with a banged-up secondary, but their job gets a lot easier when the other team gets forced out of their game plan within the first few possessions.

Key Info

PHI injuries: WR A.J. Brown (out, hamstring)
NO injuries: TE Taysom Hill (questionable, chest)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
PHI DFS targets: none
NO DFS targets: Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, Rashid Shaheed, Saints DST

PHI DFS fades: Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith
NO DFS fades: Juwan Johnson

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Barkley manages 70 combined yards. Hurts throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns, finding Dallas Goedert and Britain Covey while also running in a score. Kamara zips for 120 scrimmage yards and two scores, one rushing and one receiving. Carr throws for 310 yards and two more TDs, hitting Shaheed and Olave. Saints 34-24

L.A. Chargers (+1.5) at Pittsburgh, o/u 36.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The NFL welcomed Jim Harbaugh back to the NFL with a fairly cushy early schedule, but this figures to be the Chargers' first real test of the season. (Also, given that the Raiders downed the Ravens last week, that Bolts romp in the opener looks a little more impressive.) A rejuvenated J.K. Dobbins and a strong performance by the defense has fueled the team's 2-0 start, and all three of Justin Herbert's TDs have gone to the young wideout duo of Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. That's exactly the formula Harbaugh wants for his squad, but Herbert hasn't reached 150 yards passing in a game yet as he deals with foot and ankle issues, and it's possible he might not be healthy enough to lead a big comeback if he needed to. The Chargers get an early Week 5 bye (with a home game against Kansas City between here and there), which could give Herbert a chance to heal up, but at the moment it seems like the team really has only one path to victory. Fortunately, it's the one Harbaugh likes.

It's also the same path the Steelers prefer. Through Pittsburgh's first two games, neither team has reached 20 points, with their wins coming by 18-10 and 13-6 scores against the Falcons and Broncos. The defense has produced five turnovers (only Green Bay has more) and Justin Fields has committed zero as the starting quarterback, which is pretty sweet. Getting him from the Bears for a 2025 sixth-rounder looks like an absolute steal, and I remain baffled by the bargain-basement prices that QB reclamation projects tend to fetch. Everything else about the position has seen massive inflation in recent years, from the contracts the "proven" ones get to the cost of moving up in the draft to select one, but if a QB's original team gives up on him, he gets traded for a song. There have been more than enough success stories to make that seem silly — Baker Mayfield says hi from Tampa Bay — and the risk-reward ratio is heavily tilted toward the acquiring team. Losing a future Day Three pick is nothing compared to the value of getting a potential starting quarterback. I'm not even necessarily saying Chicago should have gotten more for Fields — the market is what it is — I'm just questioning how the market got to this point. There should have been multiple bidders for him as the 11th overall pick in 2021, and someone who had at least flashed some upside already. You don't think Miami wishes they'd offered a fifth-rounder for Fields right about now? Anyway, Mike Tomlin's sticking with him as his starter until Pittsburgh loses, and even then it's no sure thing Russell Wilson will get his turn unless Fields completely flames out. The offense has been tepid at best under Fields, but it's produced more points than T.J. Watt and company have allowed the opposition to score, and that's all that really matters.

Key Info

LAC injuries: QB Justin Herbert (questionable, ankle), WR DJ Chark (IR, hip), WR Joshua Palmer (questionable, calf)
PIT injuries: QB Russell Wilson (questionable, calf)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
LAC DFS targets: none
PIT DFS targets: none

LAC DFS fades: Quentin Johnston
PIT DFS fades: Justin Fields, Najee Harris/Jaylen Warren

Weather notes: 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Dobbins churns out 70 yards, but Gus Edwards punches in a short TD. Herbert throws for less than 200 yards and finds McConkey for a score. Harris leads the PIT backfield with 60 yards. Fields throws for less than 200 yards and hits Roman Wilson for a touchdown. Chargers 20-10

Denver (+6.5) at Tampa Bay, o/u 39.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

So, it's possible that Bo Nix's NFL readiness may have been overstated a touch during the pre-draft process. All that college experience hasn't meant much in the pros, and through his first two games with the Broncos he's completed 59.7 percent of his passes with a 5.0 YPA and 0:4 TD:INT. I'm willing to chalk some of that up to Nix still adapting to Sean Payton's timing-based offense, plus the fact that he doesn't have a great supporting cast, but there also haven't been many moments where the QB has shown you what made him a first-round pick. It might help if the running game could get going, but Nix actually leads the team in rushing yards and both Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin average less than 3.0 YPC, and the O-line is badly missing both center Lloyd Cushenberry and right tackle Mike McGlinchey. The Denver defense has been solid, but the effort's been wasted due to the offense's poor performance, which only ramps up the pressure on Nix to start figuring things out.

While the Saints have been the early season darlings in the NFC South, the Buccaneers are also 2-0 and have also been doing some impressive things on offense. Baker Mayfield already has five TD passes, all to his trio of starting wideouts (two each to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and one to rookie Jalen McMillan), while the defense has surprisingly not allowed a touchdown pass yet, even after a game in Detroit last week. Antoine Winfield didn't even play in that game, and the secondary still held up. It'll need to keep being stingy, as the run defense has been rough. Gone are the days when the Bucs had an elite defensive line. Only the Cowboys have given up more rushing TDs, and their 4.9 yards per carry allowed is in the bottom 10 in the league. This is might be the wrong season to have a bad run defense, but so far Mayfield has been able to out-pace whatever the team gives up on the ground. Bucky Irving has also pretty thoroughly outplayed Rachaad White, and while Todd Bowles might not want to give the starting job to the rookie outright, a timeshare that favors Irving could be coming very quickly.

Key Info

DEN injuries: RB Audric Estime (IR, ankle)
TB injuries: S Antoine Winfield (out, foot)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
DEN DFS targets: none
TB DFS targets: Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans

DEN DFS fades: Josh Reynolds
TB DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 10-12 mph wind, 10-20 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Williams picks up 80 yards and a TD. Nix throws for less than 200 yards and commits two more turnovers, one of which is a pick-six by Tykee Smith. Irving leads the TB backfield with 90 scrimmage yards and a score, while White also gets into the end zone. Mayfield throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Evans (who tops 100 yards) and Cade Otton. Buccaneers 35-13

Green Bay (+2) at Tennessee, o/u 38.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Well, here's a sentence I never thought I'd write — time for a Malik Willis revenge game? Jordan Love hasn't yet been ruled out for this one, which is amazing in itself given how serious his knee injury looked, but the fact that the Packers still won last week with Willis under center should encourage them to err on the side of caution with their young franchise QB. Willis wasn't exactly good last week, mind you, but he avoided turnovers and only threw two incompletions, which is also pretty amazing given his track record and limited time in Matt LaFleur's scheme. Josh Jacobs carried the offense, though, and that would likely be the case if Willis gets the nod again. Willis threw for only 122 yards against the Colts, and that was a career high. He might be motivated to do better against his former team Sunday, but the 2022 third-round pick would probably just be happy with a win. With a healthy Love in charge, the Packers' wideout hydra can support multiple productive players; With Willis, maybe one catches a stray TD, but that's about the best you can hope for.

The Titans have been nothing if not consistent to start the year. After giving away a winnable game Week 1 and losing 24-17, they gave away a winnable game Week 2 and lost 24-17. In both games, Tennessee led at halftime, and in both games, Will Levis committed multiple turnovers. Imports Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley have been the top offensive stars, and the defense has been pretty decent, so if Levis stops giving away the ball the Titans might just have something. It's just that easy. Hmm. Did I mention that the Packers lead the league in takeaways, with six in two games?

Key Info

GB injuries: QB Jordan Love (questionable, knee), RB MarShawn Lloyd (IR, ankle)
TEN injuries: RB Tyjae Spears (questionable, ankle)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
GB DFS targets: Packers DST
TEN DFS targets: none

GB DFS fades: Tucker Kraft/Luke Musgrave
TEN DFS fades: Calvin Ridley

Weather notes: 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Jacobs dashes for 120 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Willis starts and throws for less than 200 yards. Pollard gains 90 combined yards and a score. Levis throws for 210 yards and a TD to DeAndre Hopkins but also tosses a back-breaking pick-six to Jaire Alexander. Packers 21-20

LATE SUNDAY

Carolina (+5.5) at Las Vegas, o/u 40.0 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

I don't know what the future holds for Bryce Young, but if he's going to have any kind of decent NFL career, this week's benching was absolutely necessary. The swagger he played with at Alabama is long, long gone, and his confidence seems totally shot. Playing behind Andy Dalton for a while – a guy who's just about seen it all in his career – and taking some deep breaths can only help Young in the long run. In 2024 though, the Panthers are left with a rebuild on the verge of collapse. The switch at QB is as much about protecting the team's investments in Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo as it is Young, and Dalton should be able to help the two young wideouts develop more than Young could. That assumes, of course, that Dalton doesn't focus his attention on vets Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen, but that's on coach Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik more than it is Dalton. The QB's going to throw to who's on the field and open. Meanwhile, Chuba Hubbard somehow has a 4.9 YPC. Dude needs more respect than he's gotten for being productive in the middle of the tire fire that David Tepper has ignited in Carolina. Hmm, I wonder how he'd look in a Kansas City uniform...

The Raiders absolutely stole one in Baltimore last week, but they looked thoroughly out-classed by the Chargers in their opener, so I'm not sure what to make of Vegas. That's probably the best way to approach them, to be honest – just assume maximum volatility at all times from a team with Gardner Minshew as its QB. The running game's been dreadful with Zamir White and Alexander Mattison, and while Mattison has contributed a bit as a receiver, I do wonder how long it'll be before Dylan Laube gets a real look. Meanwhile, the passing game is coming along nicely. Davante Adams has a spring in his step, Brock Bowers looked like a beast against Baltimore, and Jakobi Meyers has been his usual solid self. Maxx Crosby could use some help up front on the defensive side, though, as Christian Wilkins has made little impact so far. I'm not even just talking about the pass rush, although Crosby does have all three of the team's sacks. The run defense has been bad too, getting flattened by both J.K. Dobbins and Derrick Henry. Carolina's offensive line might be one of the few that Vegas' front seven has an advantage over, though.

Key Info

CAR injuries: RB Jonathon Brooks (NFI, knee), EDGE Derrick Brown (IR, knee), EDGE D.J. Wonnum (PUP, quadriceps)
LV injuries: EDGE Maxx Crosby (questionable, ankle)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
CAR DFS targets: Chuba Hubbard, Ja'Tavion Sanders
LV DFS targets: Jakobi Meyers

CAR DFS fades: Adam Thielen
LV DFS fades: Tre Tucker

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Hubbard gains 90 yards. Dalton throws for 230 yards and a TD to Diontae Johnson. White leads the LV backfield with 70 yards and a score. Minshew throws for 280 yards and three touchdowns, one each to Adams, Meyers and Bowers. Raiders 28-13

Miami (+4.5) at Seattle, o/u 41.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

The loss of Tua Tagovailoa for at least four games and as many as all of them to another concussion is tough, but I do wonder if the fantasy community is overstating how big an impact the switch to Skylar Thompson is actually going to be. It's not like the Dolphins' passing game was firing on all cylinders with Tua under center, and Tyreek Hill is still dangerous with the ball in his hands no matter who got it to him. I know, I know, Thompson was terrible the last time he saw extensive action, but that was in 2022 as a rookie drafted in the seventh round. He's been in Mike McDaniels' scheme long enough now that he should have a better idea what his job is. De'Von Achane and, once he gets healthy, Raheem Mostert can also carry more of the workload with Jeff Wilson and Jaylen Wright in supporting roles. Having Thompson at QB may not mean a total collapse.

The Seahawks may have two extremely unconvincing single-score wins over the Broncos and Patriots, but that somehow still puts them all alone atop the NFC West. Geno Smith has looked comfortable in OC Ryan Grubb's scheme and has been more like the high-accuracy QB who turned his career around in 2022, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba seems to be seamlessly taking over Tyler Lockett's spot alongside DK M etcalf. It's Mike Macdonald's defense that has been the weaker link, as it's hard to excuse giving up 20 points to both Box Nix and Jacoby Brissett. The unit's allowed only one passing TD, but again, look at who they've faced. Tagovailoa would have been a much tougher test, but the Seattle secondary might have to wait until a road trip to Detroit next week to really see what it's really made of.

Key Info

MIA injuries: QB Tua Tagovailoa (IR, concussion), RB Raheem Mostert (doubtful, chest), EDGE Bradley Chubb (PUP, knee)
SEA injuries: RB Kenneth Walker (doubtful, oblique), EDGE Uchenna Nwosu (out, knee), LB Jerome Baker (doubtful, hamstring)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
MIA DFS targets: none
SEA DFS targets: Geno Smith, Zach Charbonnet, DK Metcalf

MIA DFS fades: Skylar Thompson, De'Von Achane, Tyreek Hill
SEA DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 15-40 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Achane picks up 70 combined yards. Thompson throws for under 200 yards and a TD to Jonnu Smith. Charbonnet starts and racks up 100 scrimmage yards and a score. Smith throws for 270 yards and two touchdowns, both to Metcalf (who tops 100 yards). Seahawks 24-13

Detroit at Arizona (+3), o/u 51.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

The Lions' home loss to the Bucs last week was a bit weird. Jared Goff threw 55 passes and couldn't get the ball into the end zone once. On seven trips to the red zone, Detroit came away with one David Montgomery one-yard TD plunge, three Jake Bates field goals, and three complete whiffs – including one at the end of the first half when an offensive penalty caused a run-off that burned away the rest of the clock. Considering the Lions' offense scored touchdowns on 64.1 percent of its RZ visits in 2023, that seems like an anomaly. Goff's home/road splits are notorious, but he tends to save his worst road outings for outdoor games, so it may not be a big concern here. Detroit's defense has also looked good through two weeks, so as yet I'm still viewing the team as one of the favorites in the NFC, especially with Jameson Williams finally breaking out.

The Cardinals gave the Bills a scare in Buffalo before thumping the Rams at home last week, so I might have to start giving them some respect. Marvin Harrison showed why he was the first receiver off the board in this year's draft, Kyler Murray's looked fantastic, James Conner could be kicking off another TD streak... what's not to like? Even in the loss, Arizona essentially got beat by a Superman performance by Josh Allen, and that could happen to anyone. So why am I still skeptical? Maybe it's because last week's result seemed to have a lot more to do with the Rams' injuries than anything else. Maybe it's the fact that the offensive line still doesn't look like it can protect Murray against a competent pass rush, and Aidan Hutchinson is coming to town after a 4.5-sack day against the Bucs. Whatever it is, I'm not sold on Jonathan Gannon's miracle in the desert quite yet.

Key Info

DET injuries: LB Alex Anzalone (questionable, concussion)
ARI injuries: WR Greg Dortch (questionable, hamstring), WR Zay Jones (out, suspension)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
DET DFS targets: Amon-Ra St. Brown
ARI DFS targets: Michael Wilson

DET DFS fades: none
ARI DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Jahmyr Gibbs picks up 70 yards and a TD. While Montgomery also adds a touchdown. Goff throws for 270 yards and two scores, finding ARSB (who tops 100 yards) and Kalif Raymond. Conner bangs out 80 yards and a TD. Murray throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Harrison and Wilson, while also running in a score of his own. Cardinals 34-28

Baltimore at Dallas (+1), o/u 48.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

It's the battle of the Week 2 disappointments! The Ravens blew a 10-point lead in the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter against the Raiders, allowing three straight scoring drives to Gardner Minshew while Lamar Jackson led the offense to two straight three-and-outs before failing to get the ball into Vegas territory on Baltimore's last possession. John Harbaugh's squad is off to an 0-2 start for the first time since 2015, and while nobody's panicking – the AFC North will be a dogfight regardless – things aren't about to get any easier. After this trip to Dallas, the Ravens face the Bills and Bengals before finally getting a gimme against the Commanders. It's probably not ideal that Jackson's leading the team in rushing over Derrick Henry, but it's not like Henry's played poorly. It's the passing attack that's been struggling. Isaiah Likely came up big in the opener and Zay Flowers was productive last week, but Jackson's numbers are back down to 2022 levels (i.e., not MVP caliber) and so far the offense hasn't been able to support more than one option at a time. With the secondary also not playing up to its usual level, which is perhaps not surprisingly given the offseason talent drain from the coaching staff, the Ravens just aren't quite playing Ravens football yet.

Death, taxes and the Cowboys having their bubble burst early after getting all full of themselves following a big win to kick off the year. Last week's utter embarrassment against the Saints might have had more to do with New Orleans being a legit contender than Dallas being legit bad, but it was clear they just weren't ready for that game. The decision not to invest any offseason resources in the backfield is quickly blowing up in Jerry Jones' face, and neither Rico Dowdle nor Ezekiel Elliott look like anything more than depth pieces. Hey, Jerry, maybe if you didn't wait until the last minute to sign your stars, and pay the absolute maximum for them, you'd have some extra cap room left over for a decent RB. Dak Prescott hasn't exactly earned his $60 million yet – he wasn't really needed against the Browns, then tried to do too much playing catch-up last week – but his numbers will be fine by the end of the season, as will CeeDee Lamb's. The difference-maker for the offense could end up being Jalen Tolbert, as Brandin Cooks kind of looks cooked as the No. 2 wideout, or at least, he's not the reliable deep threat he used to be. If Tolbert takes over that role, the Cowboys can keep pace on the scoreboard with just about anybody.

Key Info

BAL injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
DAL injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries

DFS Lineup Optimizer
BAL DFS targets: Derrick Henry
DAL DFS targets: CeeDee Lamb

BAL DFS fades: Nelson Agholor
DAL DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Henry thunders for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson throws for 220 yards and a TD to Rashod Bateman. Dowdle leads the DAL backfield with 50 yards. Prescott throws for 290 yards and two scores, hitting Lamb (who tops 100 yards) and Tolbert. Ravens 27-23

San Francisco at L.A. Rams (+7.5), o/u 44.5
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

Are the 49ers in a bit of trouble? Last week's loss to the Vikings could be chalked up to a fluke, but then you look at the list of players San Francisco has injured and it makes a little more sense. There's still talent on the roster and guys who can step up, but Brock Purdy is running out of options to get the ball to. The bigger long-term concern though might be the defense. Not being able to stop Sam Darnold when it counts is a wee bit concerning, and first-year DC Nick Sorensen is an unknown. There are key pieces banged up on that side of the ball too, but the defense is getting healthier and will have Talanoa Hufanga back, at least.

I'd be more worried about the Niners this week if they weren't facing the one team with even worse injury luck than them so far in 2024. The Rams are... like, damn. No Puka Nacua, no Cooper Kupp, and a bunch of guys who still need to wear name tags in team meetings along the offensive line. Does anybody really have any faith that Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington can adequately fill those holes? Even their rookie kicker's limping. The defense isn't in as bad a shape, but it's also still struggling to replace all the veterans that have headed out the door the last couple years. Last week's shellacking by the Cardinals could be the first of many. In the second half, the Rams might just be this season's fantasy jackpot team, with juicy stacking possibilities both for them and their opponents, but right now I'm not sure Matthew Stafford has enough left in his 36-year-old arm to keep up with anybody.

Key Info

SF injuries: RB Christian McCaffrey (IR, Achilles), WR Deebo Samuel (out, calf), WR Ricky Pearsall (NFI, chest), TE George Kittle (doubtful, hamstring), EDGE Nick Bosa (questionable, ribs), LB Dre Greenlaw (PUP, Achilles)
LAR injuries: WR Cooper Kupp (out, ankle), WR Puka Nacua (IR, knee), TE Tyler Higbee (PUP, knee), K Joshua Karty (questionable, groin) 

DFS Lineup Optimizer
SF DFS targets: Jordan Mason, Kyle Juszczyk
LAR DFS targets: Tyler Johnson

SF DFS fades: none
LAR DFS fades: Jordan Whittington

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Mason churns out 110 yards and a score, while Isaac Guerendo adds 40 yards and a TD. Purdy throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns, finding Juczczyk and Jauan Jennings. Kyren Williams answers back with 90 yards and a TD. Stafford throws for 270 yards and two scores, hitting Johnson and Demarcus Robinson, while Blake Corum returns a kickoff to the house. 49ers 34-24

SUNDAY NIGHT

Kansas City at Atlanta (+3.5), o/u 46.5 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

Just like Andy Reid drew it up, Kansas City got second-half touchdowns from second-year offensive tackle Wanya Morris and second-year corner Chamarri Conner to squeak by the Bengals last week. Neither of K.C.'s wins so far have been exactly convincing, but they're still 2-0. Patrick Mahomes is in 'figuring out how the new pieces fit' mode, and while a lot of the focus is on Travis Kelce's disappointing start to 2024, it maybe should be on the fact that once again, none of the team's receivers seem to be consistent threats other than Rashee Rice. Losing Isiah Pacheco will significantly shake up the offensive mix, but whether than means a breakout for Carson Steele or Xavier Worthy, or just more INTs for Mahomes as he tries to make things happen against defenses even more committed to making sure he can't beat them, is unclear for now.

It took about seven quarters for him to shake off most of the rust, but late in Monday's upset of the Eagles, Kirk Cousins finally started to look like his pre-injury self with touchdowns to Darnell Mooney and Drake London, the latter of which made Darius Slay look like a rookie. The Falcons' offense still isn't firing on all cylinders – Bijan Robinson hasn't found the end zone yet, for instance – but the ceiling for this group is very apparent. Atlanta's fate in the suddenly high-octane NFC South will probably come down to how Raheem Morris' defense performs, though. So far, it has been merely good enough. The Falcons are bottom eight in QB pressures, but Matthew Judon is still adjusting to his new scheme, as is safety Justin Simmons. It's too early to think about them as a stash, but their closing schedule is going to make them a very popular fantasy defense – the Falcons' last four games are against the Raiders, Giants, Commanders and Panthers.

Key Info

KC injuries: RB Isiah Pacheco (IR, lower leg), RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (NFI, illness), WR Hollywood Brown (IR, shoulder)
ATL injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries

DFS Lineup Optimizer
KC DFS targets: none
ATL DFS targets: Kyle Pitts

KC DFS fades: none
ATL DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Steele leads the KC backfield with 80 yards and a TD, but he also coughs up another fumble. Mahomes throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns, finding Rice (who tops 100 yards) twice and Kelce once. Robinson racks up 100 scrimmage yards and a score. Cousins throws for 270 yards and a TD to Pitts. Kansas City 31-23

THURSDAY NIGHT

New England (+6) at N.Y. Jets, o/u 38.5 – Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Did I mention last week how much I hate Week 2? I hate Week 2. You either have to draw rash conclusions on the current season from too-small samples or lean on out-of-date data from last season. Maybe next year in Week 2 I'll just ditch my little score-generating algorithm and wing it. My gut can't possibly be any worse. Anyway, enough of my carping. The Patriots are a surprising 1-1, and both games have been low-scoring slugfests that were decided by a single score, which will probably be their template all year. Jacoby Brissett hasn't done much, but he's avoided committing a turnover, which is all New England is asking him to do. Instead Rhamondre Stevenson has been a horse, topping 20 carries in both games and scoring a touchdown in each. Hunter Henry also took advantage of a good matchup last week, but his 2-13-0 line on three targets against the Bengals in the opener suggests he's probably not topping the century mark in yards again any time soon. On the defensive side of the ball, 2023 second-round pick Keion White has erupted for four sacks already after managing only one as a rookie, while veterans Jonathan Jones and Kyle Dugger anchor the secondary. The jury remains out on 2023 first-round pick Christian Gonzalez to some extent, though — the cornerback certainly looks the part and has made some big plays, but it's hard to ignore that blown coverage on DK Metcalf's long TD last week. (Dugger took the blame for that one, but judge for yourself.) Pats fans seem to have convinced themselves Gonzalez is already an elite shutdown guy, but I'm not quite sold yet.

The Jets bounced back from a mugging in San Francisco to take care of the Titans on the road, letting the defense and backfield do the heavy lifting while Aaron Rodgers settles back in. Fantasy GMs with Breece Hall shares likely were horrified to see those two TDs by rookie Braelon Allen, but Hall himself has a fine day (114 scrimmage yards and a touchdown) and he had 21 touches to Allen's nine, so it's not like this is suddenly a timeshare. Rodgers has three TD passes through two games, and none have gone to Garrett Wilson yet, but that should change soon enough — he leads the team in targets and receiving yards. This week will be a good test. Gonzalez had Wilson's number in 2023 (7-82-0 on 14 targets across both meetings) but that was with Zach Wilson and Trevor Siemian under center, not Rodgers. The defense may also have found its elite pass rusher last week, as 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald doubled his career sack total in one afternoon by bringing down Will Levis three times. He could feast again Thursday against a patchwork New England offensive line that might only have one healthy starter. Depending on what you think about the early returns for the Pats and Vikings, the Jets would seem to have three winnable home games (they also play host to the Broncos) before their Week 6 showdown at MetLife with the Bills. If Gang Green is going to prove it is a legit contender, now's the time to do it.

Key Info

NE injuries: WR Kendrick Bourne (PUP, knee)
NYJ injuries: EDGE Haason Reddick (DNR, contract), LB C.J. Mosley (questionable, toe)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
NE DFS targets: none
NYJ DFS targets: Garrett Wilson

NE DFS fades: none
NYJ DFS fades: Tyler Conklin

Weather notes: 10-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Stevenson bangs out 70 yards and a touchdown, while Antonio Gibson hauls in a receiving TD. Brissett throws for less than 200 yards and gets sacked four times, coughing up a fumble on one that Javon Kinlaw falls on for a score. Hall racks up 110 combined yards and a touchdown. Rodgers throws for 220 yards and a game-winning TD to Wilson in the fourth quarter. Jets 21-20