2020 GAME CAPSULES AND PLAYER PROJECTIONS WEEK 1 MONDAY NIGHT MATCHUPS

By Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer (0-0)

NEW YORK GIANTS (0-0) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH 7:10 PM ET METLIFE STADIUM ∙ EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ LINE: PIT –6.0 OVER/UNDER: 46.0

2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS UNIT RANK RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD

STEELERS OFFENSE 30 27 18.1 29 90.4 7 31 186.3 18

GIANTS DEFENSE 25 30 28.2 20 113.3 19 28 264.1 30

GIANTS OFFENSE 23 19 21.3 19 105.3 11 18 233.2 30

STEELERS DEFENSE 5 T-5 18.9 14 109.6 7 3 194.6 23

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: (foot)

BYE: Week 8

With missing virutally the entire 2019 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed a respectable 8-8 finish on the strength of their defense. We learned that a Roethlisberger injury is devastating to this Pittsburgh offense now that Le’Veon Bell and are no longer in the fold. The Steelers added rookies Anthony McFarland and to a loaded offense that should bounce back.

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP Although Ben Roethlisberger sometimes doesn’t play his best in road contests, he looks like a strong play. A defense that coughed up the eighth-most fantasy points and finished 28th against the pass upgraded its secondary with James Bradberry, but he’s not a shutdown cornerback.

RUNNING BACK MATCHUP The G-Men allowed the 11th-most running back fantasy points and ranked only 20th versus the run, but they gave up just two 100-yard rushing efforts. James Conner, operating as a workhorse unless/until he gets hurt, looks like a moderate play with a good chance for a . enjoyed an outstanding training camp and should receive some carries, but I doubt he’ll have standalone value.

WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP JuJu Smith-Schuster is a must-start, and I like Diontae Johnson this week. The New York defense hemorrhaged the second-most wideout fantasy points in 2019. Bradberry is expected to follow Smith- Schuster into the slot, so Johnson could surprise. If Bradberry has some success aginst Smith-Schuster, James Washington will be needed, but he’s a riskier play.

TIGHT END MATCHUP has supplanted Vance McDonald as the starter. Although Ebron, coming off surgeries on both ankles, received great reviews for his performance in training camp, the tight end hasn’t been a reliable fantasy option in Randy Fichtner’s offense. New York ranked close to average in tight end fantasy points allowed. Consider Ebron a mediocre play.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Ben Roethlisberger 318 2 0 0 RB James Conner 67 1 4 34 0 RB Benny Snell 15 0 1 11 0 RB 0 0 2 18 0 RB Anthony McFarland 5 0 1 10 0 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 8 84 1 WR Diontae Johnson 4 67 1 WR James Washington 3 44 0 WR Chase Claypool 1 10 0 TE Eric Ebron 4 40 0 TE Vance McDonald 0 0 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 2 2 3 3 9

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Steelers 20 5 1 1 0

PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2016 Regular Season

• Pittsburgh defeated New York 24-14 at .

NEW YORK GIANTS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Golden Tate (hamstring)

BYE: Week 11

The 2019 season was a rough on for a New York Giants offense that finished 23rd overall and 19th in scoring. Daniel Jones was making his rookie debut but flashed some promise. The injury bug, however, took a toll on this unit. Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Evan Engram and Darius Slayton all missed time due to injuries. Jones never played a game with his entire receiver corps intact. New offensive boss Jason Garrett has installed the offense. Look for a lots of passing from the Giants by necessity. Their reworked defense is going to struggle and force the team into regular shootouts.

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP Appearing in 13 games (12 starts) during his rookie debut, Daniel Jones, the sixth overall selection in the 2019 draft pounded out a serviceable 3,027-24-12 passing line, a 45-279-2 rushing line and a fantasy QB21 finish, despite operating behind a shaky line and never having all his top playmakers available at the same time due to injuries, as noted. From Week 3 through Week 8, despite facing some plus matchups, Jones was the fifth-most productive fantasy quarterback during that stretch. He’s going to have some nice fantasy outings, but don’t expect one against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that allowed the fewest quarterback fantasy points this past season.

RUNNING BACK MATCHUP Elite every-down ball carrier Saquon Barkley underperformed in 2019 mainly because he played through a lingering high ankle sprain for a majority of the season. Barkley still suited up for 13 games, amassing 1,003 rushing yards and six on 217 carries along with 438 receiving yards and two scoring grabs on 52 receptions (73) targets. Adding it all up, that’s 1,041 combo yards and eight touchdowns on 269 touches, which earned Barkley a respectable fantasy RB10 finish in most fantasy scoring formats. The Steelers gave up the fifth-fewest running back fantasy points. It’s a tough matchup, but Barkley is a must-start guy for a reason.

WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate and Darius Slayton is a nice solid trio, but a Pittsburgh defense that yielded the 12th-fewest wideout fantasy points has a nice cornerback duo of and Steve Nelson, and no glaring weaknesses. I could see Slayton getting loose for a long score, but that’s not a promise. Consider the Giants wideouts to be weak plays.

TIGHT END MATCHUP I think Jones’ best chance for a touchdown pass against a tough Steelers defense lies with the speedy Evan Engram even though the Steelers gave up the eighth-fewest tight end fantasy points. The projection for an Engram touchdown, however, is done with low confidence. (0-0)

DENVER BRONCOS (0-0) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH 10:10 PM ET EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH ∙ DENVER, CO LINE: TEN –3.0 OVER/UNDER: 41.0

2019 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

SCOR. PTS/ RUSH RUSH RUSH PASS PASS PASS UNIT RANK RANK GM RANK YPG TD RANK YPG TD

TITANS OFFENSE 12 10 25.1 3 138.9 21 21 223.9 29

BRONCOS DEFENSE 12 10 19.8 16 111.4 9 11 225.6 19

BRONCOS OFFENSE 28 28 17.6 20 103.9 11 28 194.7 16

TITANS DEFENSE 21 12 20.7 12 104.5 14 24 255.0 25

TENNESSEE TITANS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: (hamstring)

BYE: Week 7

The Tennessee Titans deserve a final salute for their improbable 2019 playoff run. Exceeding most expectations, they snuck into the playoffs with the final Wild Card slot and upset the and the No. 1 seed before losing in the AFC Conference Championship to the Champion . Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith elevated the offense during his first season by making two crucial decisions: (1) Benching the struggling (Raiders) and rolling with NFL Comeback Player of the Year , and (2) switching to an old school run-heavy offense powered by 2019 NFL rushing champion .

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP You know the Ryan Tannehill story. He assumed the starting duties seven weeks into the 2019 regular season and won seven of 10 starts Tannehill amassed 2,742-22-6 passing and 43-185-4 rushing (the four rushing touchdowns were a career high) to finish the regular season as the fantasy QB22 overall. However, from Week 7 through Week 17, he was the fantasy QB4. Connecting on a career- high 70.3 percent of his throws in the Titans’ play-action passing attack, Ryan stretched the field effectively by connecting with his wideouts regularly to stretch the field and open up running room for Henry, which was something that Marcus Mariota couldn’t seem to do. Last season, the defense allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards and the sixth-fewest touchdown passes. Since A.J. Brown is expected to square off against A.J. Bouye, Tannehill’s production will take a hit. He’s a weak start.

RUNNING BACK MATCHUP In case you’ve forgotten, the must-start Derrick Henry captured the 2019 NFL rushing crown by racking up 1,540 yards and 16 touchdown on 303 carries. Henry averaged 21.4 touches, 116.4 combo yards and 1.2 touchdowns per game He also chipped in 18 receptions for 206 yards. Tennessee is planning to use Henry more as a receiver, which can only add to his value and make him less predictable in the offense. Denver ranked 16th in rushing yards allowed to running backs and ceded the sixth-fewest fantasy points to the position. Last season, Henry rushed for a season-low 28 yards on 15 carries versus the Broncos, but he should do much better in this rematch.

WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP A.J. Brown racked up a 1,000-yard season (thanks to a big assist from Tannehill) while operating mainly as a deep threat and supplanted Corey Davis as the Titans' lead wideout during an impressive 2019 rookie debut. Brown will see action in a featured target going forward. He's a proven playmaker, and Brown is big enough (6-foot-1, 226 pounds) and fast enough (4.49 wheels) to handle a No. 1 role. He’s also Tennessee’s only fantasy relevant wideout. As for his Monday night Week 1 matchup against the Denver defense, it's not an easy one. Last season, the Broncos yielded the 12th-fewest fantasy points to enemy wideouts. During Tennessee's 2019 contest against the Broncos at Mile High, Brown was limited to 2-23-0 receiving on four targets while battling Chris Harris (Chargers). Standout cornerback A.J. Bouye has replaced Harris and likely will shadow Brown, which won't make things any easier for the sophomore wideout. Keep your expectations for Brown in check.

TIGHT END MATCHUP During Tannehill's 10 regular-season starts in 2019, averaged just 3.6 targets, 2.9 receptions and 34.2 receiving yards per contest, and caught three touchdown passes. The Titans, however, seeing the need for a second receiving option to step up behind Brown, have promised to feature the speedy Smith. While he’s considered the complete package at the position, Tennessee's run-first philosophy will work against him. Smith also needs to average more than 3.6 targets per contest to join the fantasy TE1 conversation. During the Titans’ 2019 contest versus Denver at Mile High Stadium, Smith hauled in one target for eight yards against a Broncos defense that gave up the eighth-most tight end fantasy points but just three scoring grabs to the position. Since Denver also yielded the third-fewest wideout fantasy points, Smith could be busier than expected.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Ryan Tannehill 239 1 26 0 RB Derrick Henry 78 1 3 22 0 RB Darrynton Evans ------RB 5 0 0 0 0 WR A.J. Brown 4 67 0 WR Corey Davis 3 44 0 WR Adam Humphries 4 42 0 WR Kalif Raymond 1 11 0 TE Jonnu Smith 5 48 1 TE 1 5 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Stephen Gostkowski 3 3 2 2 11

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Titans 17 5 2 1 0 PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2019 Regular Season Week 6

• Tennessee lost to Denver 16-0 at Mile High Stadium. • Marcus Mariota (Raiders) passed for 63 scoreless yards. • Ryan Tannehill threw for 144 scoreless yards. • Derrick Henry amassed a 15-28-0 rushing line and a 1-5-0 receiving line. • A.J. Brown made two grabs for 23 yards (4 targets). • Corey Davis caught three passes for 36 yards (5 targets). • Jonnu Smith hauled in one pass for eight yards (1 target).

DENVER BRONCOS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: (shoulder), K.J. Hamler (hamstring)

BYE: Week 8

After the Denver Broncos offense finished 28th in yards and 28th in scoring, head coach dumped Rich Scangarello and hired respected offensive mind Pat Shurmur. Denver’s offense should improve quickly. The Broncos also added along with rookies and K.J. Hamler. It all comes down to how fast Shurmur can develop . The second-year quarterback has made five career starts.

QUARTERBACK MATCHUP Expect Shurmur to take the training wheels off Drew Lock’s game plans and turn him loose as much as possible in a quarterback friendly scheme that will let the 2019 second-round selection make lots of easy throws to a solid all-around group of playmakers. This past season, Shurmur’s New York Giants offense finished 18th in passing, averaging 254 passing yards and 1.9 touchdown strikes per contest with fading 39-year-old Eli Manning and then-rookie Daniel Jones combining for 15 starts. Expect some dramatic improvement in Lock’s numbers and his all-around play, but he’s a year away from flirting with consistently above-average passing production. Lock could do some damage against a Tennessee Titans defense that allowed the 11th-most quarterback fantasy points and ranked 24th versus the pass, but not having a healthy Courtland Sutton (shoulder) will make it hard for Lock to exploit this matchup.

RUNNING BACK MATCHUP Denver signed Melvin Gordon to an expensive free-agent contract, but it looks like he and Phillip Lindsay will operate in a hot-hand timeshare that’s probably closer to a 50/50 split than the Broncos want to admit. Gordon is the bigger of the two (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) and the likely preferred goal- line runner. He averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry in just one season (2018) with the Los Angeles Chargers and topped the 1,000-yard mark only one time (2017). Passes to the running back out of the backfield are a big part of Shumur’s offense, and Gordon’s receiving chops are supposedly better than Lindsay’s. However, keep in mind that the smaller Lindsay (5-foot-8, 190 pounds) is the quicker of the two, which will matter against tough run defenses. He has racked up two 1,000-yard seasons and scored 16 rushing touchdowns. The Tennessee defense allowed the ninth-fewest rushing yards but also the fourth-most catches to the running back position. Gordon and Lindsay probably will be busy catching the rock. While Gordon is the favorite to score, Lindsay likely will top him in total yardage.

WIDE RECEIVER MATCHUP UPDATE: Courtland Sutton (shoulder) is listed as questionable to play. If he does hit the field, Sutton probably won’t be 100 percent and possibly could be used as a decoy. Lock will have to rely on rookie Jerry Jeudy (not a recommended play), rookie K.J. Hamler (hamstring), if he plays and/or . Even though the Tennessee defense gave up the 11th-most wideout fantasy points and won’t have cornerback Adoree Jackson, Denver’s wideouts are all risky starts. If Sutton is on your team, consider starting a Sunday option in his place.

TIGHT END MATCHUP With Sutton banged up, as noted, I suspect Lock’s most reliable option is second-year pro Noah Fant. Despite catching passes from three different starting signal callers as a rookie, Fant averaged a sparkling 14.1 yards per reception on 66 targets while compiling a 40-562-3 receiving line. The 20th overall selection in the 2019 draft also flashed his good-as-advertised speed and big-play ability, hauling in 43-, 48- and 75-yard passes during the second half of the 2019 season. With a boost from two 100-yard outings, Fant wrapped things up as the 14th-rated tight end in most scoring formats. Shurmur’s scheme does use the tight end regular, and the Titans yielded the sixth-most tight end fantasy points and the third-most scores to the position.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Drew Lock 246 1 RB Melvin Gordon 48 1 5 38 0 RB Phillip Lindsay 62 0 4 34 0 RB 10 0 0 0 0 WR Courtland Sutton 2 20 0 WR Jerry Jeudy 5 56 0 WR K.J. Hamler 2 20 0 WR 1 11 0 WR DaeSean Hamilton 0 0 0 TE Noah Fant 6 67 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brandon McManus 1 1 2 2 5

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Broncos 23 5 1 0 0

PREVIOUS MATCHUP: 2019 Regular Season – Week 6

• Denver defeated Tennessee 16-0 at Mile High Stadium. • (Jets) passed for 177 scoreless yards. • Phillip Lindsay amassed a 15-70-1 rushing line and a 2-5-0 receiving line (3 targets). • Courtland Sutton made four grabs for 76 yards (8 targets). • Noah Fant caught two passes for 16 yards (3 targets).