GAME CAPSULES AND PLAYER PROJECTIONS WEEK 1 SUNDAY & MONDAY NIGHT MATCHUPS By Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 1 :0 0 PM ET BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM | CHARLOTTE, NC L I N E : L AR – 2 .5 OVER/UNDER: 50.0

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

RAMS OFFENSE 2 2 32.9 3 139.4 23 5 281.7 32 PANTHERS DEFENSE 15 19 23.9 12 112.8 13 18 240.4 32

PANTHERS OFFENSE 10 14 23.5 4 133.5 17 16 239.8 28 RAMS DEFENSE 19 20 24.0 23 122.3 12 14 236.2 31

LOS ANGELES RAMS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 9

The Los Angeles Rams are probably still grouchy about scoring only three points during their LIII loss to the , but Los Angeles was sans Cooper Kupp and was severely limited because of an arthritic knee. Kupp returns healthy from ACL surgery, and Gurley – if you believe the Rams – is supposedly all systems go. We should once again see the version of the Los Angeles offense that outscored all teams except the this past season.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Todd Gurley is a must-start guy unless he proves otherwise, but the Rams will manage his touches very closely going forward. The Carolina Panthers defense ranked 12th in rushing yards allowed last season and usually played tough against the run at home. However, Carolina’s overhauled defense will feature up to six new starters and will have some growing pains, so don’t think twice about starting Gurley. We’ll see Malcolm Smith and rookie Darrell Henderson, but they won’t receive enough touches to have standalone value.

PASSING MATCHUP – The Panthers finished 2018 ranked 18th versus the pass, and they surrendered the eighth-most wideout fantasy points and the ninth-most fantasy points. Carolina’s reworked defense won’t do any better at stopping the pass, so Jared Goff, Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are all strong plays. With Kupp back in action, Josh Reynolds and Gerald Everett won’t move the fantasy needle.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Jared Goff 332 2 10 0 RB Todd Gurley 80 1 4 37 0 RB Malcolm Smith 20 0 0 0 0 RB Darrell Henderson 14 0 2 20 0 WR Brandin Cooks 6 100 1 WR Robert Woods 6 83 1 WR Cooper Kupp 7 72 0 TE Gerald Everett 2 20 0 TE Tyler Higbee 0 0 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Greg Zuerlein 4 4 3 3 15

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Rams 24 4 1 1 0

CAROLINA PANTHERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Graham Gano (knee – IR)

BYE: Week 7

A promising Carolina Panthers offense that finished 10th overall and 14th in scoring in 2018 probably could have done better statistically if ’s nagging shoulder injury hadn’t forced the team to bench him late in the season. Newton is fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. The only major change with this score unit was the departure of Devin Funchess (Colts), who was phased out of the offense during the second half of last season.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Since the Los Angeles Rams defense excels at stopping the pass, look for a heavy dose of Christian McCaffrey as a runner and as a receiver. Last season, Los Angeles ranked only 25th in rushing yards and 19th in rushing scores allowed to tailbacks and shouldn’t be much better against the run. With only the unproven duo of Reggie Bonnafon and rookie Jordan Scarlett backing up McCafffrey, expect him to carry a heavy workload.

PASSING MATCHUP – Cam Newton is usually a must-start QB1, but this is a challenging matchup for him. The Rams are better against the pass than their 14th ranking from 2018 suggests, and their top-two cornerbacks, Aqib Talib and , probably will keep D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel from going off. Slot guy Jarius Wright and new No. 4 wideout Chris Hogan could make some noise, but they’re obviously too risky. Trusting 34-year-old Greg Olsen isn’t easy, but his chances of finding the end zone are better than average against a Los Angeles defense that ranked only 20th in fantasy points ceded to tight ends in 2018.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Cam Newton 264 2 45 0 RB Christian McCaffrey 82 1 7 60 1 RB Reggie Bonnafon 10 0 1 10 0 WR D.J. Moore 5 50 0 WR Curtis Samuel 20 0 4 32 0 WR Jarius Wright 2 33 0 WR Chris Hogan 1 15 0 TE Greg Olsen 5 52 1 TE Ian Thomas 1 12 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 1 1 3 3 6

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Panthers 33 3 1 0 0 WASHINGTON (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 1 :0 0 PM ET LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD | PHILADELPHIA, PA L I N E : P H I – 1 0 .0 OVER/UNDER: 46.0

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

WASH. OFFENSE 28 29 17.6 17 110.9 12 28 188.8 16 PHIL. DEFENSE 23 12 21.8 7 96.9 14 30 269.2 22

PHIL. OFFENSE 14 18 22.9 28 98.1 12 7 267.2 29 WASH. DEFENSE 17 15 22.4 17 116.2 12 15 237.1 27

WASHINGTON

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Paul Richardson (quad), Jordan Reed (concussion)

BYE: Week 10

Washington brought in a new starting quarterback combo of and rookie Dwayne Haskins, lost Jamison Crowder and Maurice Harris, dumped Josh Doctson and promoted Kevin O’Connell to . Derrius Guice, who lost his entire 2018 rookie season to a knee injury, is good to go. Any changes are arguably good ones for a Burgundy and Gold score unit that finished last season ranked 28th in yards and 29th in scoring, but this still looks like a below average offense.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Washington insists that Guice will lead the backfield, but I suspect it’ll be a three-man committee with Derrius Guice handling the bulk of the early-down and goal-line duties at the start of the season with Adrian Peterson backing him up, and Chris Thompson will operate as the change-of-pace/passing-down guy. A Philadelphia Eagles defense that clocked out of the 2018 regular season ranked seventh against the run is better now. Guice is the only remotely safe play here, and he comes with a ton of risk in a game that profiles as an Eagles blowout.

PASSING MATCHUP – Keenum draws the start, but everybody knows that he’s just keeping things warm for Haskins. While Keenum is arguably an upgrade over the four different starting that Washington used in 2018, the Burgundy and Gold receiver corps actually looks weaker than it did this past season. That’s why you shouldn’t trust Keenum. I don’t see any safe fantasy plays in this group, but fantasy managers should keep track of how well rookie Terry McLaurin performs and monitor slot guy Trey Quinn in his safety valve role. Keenum likes to throw to his slot guys.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Case Keenum 250 0 20 0 RB Derrius Guice 60 1 1 10 0 RB Adrian Peterson 38 0 3 20 0 RB Chris Thompson 15 0 5 40 0 WR Terry McLaurin 3 31 0 WR Paul Richardson 4 44 0 WR Trey Quinn 5 50 0 WR Robert Davis 1 10 0 TE Jordan Reed ------TE Vernon Davis 3 25 0 TE Jeremy Sprinkle 2 20 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dustin Hopkins 2 2 1 1 7

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Washington 37 2 1 0 0

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

INJURIES TO MONITOR: DeSean Jackson (finger)

BYE: Week 10

A Philadelphia Eagles offense that punched out of the 2018 regular season ranked 14th in yards and 18th in scoring received some offseason upgrades and looks tremendously well balanced.The defense looks improved on paper, too. With Nick Foles gone, the key to the Eagles’ success is keeping upright.

RUSHING MATCHUP – It doesn’t matter whether rookie starts or whether veteran starts. Philadelphia wants to get back to pounding the rock after finishing 28th in rushing in 2018, so look for solid workloads for both Sanders and Howard against a Washington defense that finished only 17th against the run this past season. Darren Sproles and probably won’t see enough action to have standalone value, but one of them could surprise in garbage time.

PASSING MATCHUP – This past season, Washington’s defense finished a resepctable 15th versus the pass, 15th in quarterback fantasy points allowed and 24th in wideout fantasy points allowed, but the Burgundy and Gold won’t be able to stop a likely eruption performance by the Philadelphia passing game. Carson Wentz and are must-start guys. Alshon Jeffery, however, probably will face coverage from Josh Norman, which leaves DeSean Jackson free to get some revenge against a former team. and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside could surprise or just as easily disappoint.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Carson Wentz 340 2 20 0 RB Miles Sanders 65 1 4 36 0 RB Jordan Howard 60 1 1 10 0 RB Darren Sproles 15 0 3 28 0 RB Corey Clement 10 0 0 0 0 WR Alshon Jeffery 3 40 0 WR DeSean Jackson 4 76 1 WR Nelson Agholor 4 40 0 WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside 2 20 0 TE Zach Ertz 7 70 1 TE 2 20 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 3 3 4 4 13

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Eagles 13 5 2 1 0 (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 1 :0 0 PM ET METLIFE STADIUM | EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ L I N E : N Y J – 3 .0 OVER/UNDER: 41.0

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

BILLS OFFENSE 30 30 16.8 9 124.0 15 31 174.6 13 JETS DEFENSE 25 29 27.6 26 126.3 16 24 254.1 29

JETS OFFENSE 29 23 20.8 26 101.4 11 25 197.8 18 BILLS DEFENSE 2 18 23.4 16 114.9 17 1 179.2 22

BUFFALO BILLS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Tyler Kroft (foot), Jason Croom (hand – IR)

BYE: Week 6

The Buffalo Bills added some solid upgrades to an offense that finished 30th in both yards and scoring in 2018. Although remains a work in progress as he heads into his second season, the Bills offense – particularly the passing attack – should flash some improvement.

RUSHING MATCHUP – We saw a changing of the guard in the backfield. LeSean McCoy (Chiefs) was sent packing, and Buffalo replaced him with veterans Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon, and rookie Devin Singletary, but it looks like Singletary is the Buffalo tailback to own. He’s a solid play against a reworked New York Jets defense that closed out last season ranked only 26th against the run. Gore and Yeldon will be used just enough to keep the 5-foot-7, 203-pound Singletary fresh. He’s not big enough to handle huge workloads, but Singletary will see plenty of action. PASSING MATCHUP – Even though Josh Allen has some new weapons, don’t expect a huge jump in his passing production right away. Deep threat John Brown has been the Bills’ top receiving option throughout the preseason. He and safety valve Cole Beasley are the only two safe plays among Buffalo’s pass catchers right now. This past season, New York gave up the second-most wideout fantasy points. Can Allen exploit the matchup? Maybe. Keep an eye on Zay Jones. Last season, he played well in the slot but struggled noticeably while operating as an outside wideout. The slot belongs to Beasley now. Can Jones adjust?

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Josh Allen 236 2 58 0 RB Frank Gore 38 0 0 0 0 RB Devin Singletary 72 1 3 20 1 RB T.J. Yeldon 10 0 2 17 0 WR John Brown 4 67 1 WR Zay Jones 3 30 0 WR Cole Beasley 5 50 0 WR Robert Foster 2 20 0 TE Tyler Kroft 2 22 0 TE Lee Smith 1 10 0 TE Jason Croom ------

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Steven Hauschka 2 2 3 3 9

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Bills 20 4 1 1 0

NEW YORK JETS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Robby Anderson (calf)

BYE: Week 4

The New York Jets are rebuilding on both sides of the ball during new head coach Adam Gase’s first year at the helm. Designated franchise savior Sam Darnold flashed some promise at the close of 2018 and is expected to make a sophomore leap thanks to the presence of Gase and a beefed up offensive unit. Will an improved Darnold lead to more fantasy success for Gang Green? In the right matchups, yes, but this clash with the Buffalo Bills isn’t one of them.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Since the Buffalo defense allowed the fewest quarterback fantasy points this past season, the Jets probably will attack on the ground with Le’Veon Bell. This is his first regular-season game action since the 2017 season. Was Bell’s success with the a product of their personnel and playbook? Or is he good enough to succeed anywhere? We’re going to find out. Last season, the Bills yielded the eighth-most running back fantasy points. Despite mild concerns about Bell’s workload, he should be started. Ty Montgomery could see more action than expected assuming Gase wants to ease Bell back into the mix, but Montgomery won’t touch the ball enough to make a fantasy impact – barring goal-line carries.

PASSING MATCHUP – Don’t get down on Sam Darnold if he disappoints this week – he probably will. Buffalo’s defense allowed the fewest quarterback fantasy points in 2018, as noted, and finished first versus. Assuming Robby Anderson plays, I don’t think he’ll be healthy enough to do any major damage. Darnold’s best bet for a is slot wideout Jamison Crowder. As for Quincy Enunwa, he’s expected to battle Tre’Davious White, and Chris Herndon will serve the first game of his four-game league suspension. I don’t recommend Ryan Griffin.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Sam Darnold 235 1 15 0 RB Le’Veon Bell 75 1 4 38 0 RB Ty Montgomery 30 0 3 22 0 WR Robby Anderson 4 55 0 WR Quincy Enunwa 3 32 0 WR Jamison Crowder 6 67 1 WR Josh Bellamy 1 10 0 TE Chris Herndon SUSP. ------TE Ryan Griffin 1 11 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Kaare Vedvik 3 2 2 2 8

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Jets 27 3 1 1 0 (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 1 :0 0 PM ET U.S. BANK STADIUM | MINNEAPOLIS, MN L I N E : M I N – 4 .0 OVER/UNDER: 47.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

FALCONS OFFENSE 6 10 25.9 27 98.3 11 4 290.8 36 VIKINGS DEFENSE 4 9 21.3 15 113.4 13 3 196.2 15

VIKINGS OFFENSE 20 19 22.5 30 93.3 9 13 252.2 30 FALCONS DEFENSE 28 25 26.4 25 124.9 16 27 259.6 33

ATLANTA FALCONS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Julio Jones (foot)

BYE: Week 9

With a healthy Devonta Freeman back in the mix and running behind an overhauled offensive line, the Atlanta Falcons will try to jumpstart a ground game that sank to 27th last season, but new pass-happy offensive boss Dirk Koetter isn’t going to dial back the throwing too much. Matt Ryan usually struggles during his transition season to a new scheme, but he played for Koetter previously (2012-14). While the Ryan-Koetter reunion should go smoothly, this road matchup against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense is loaded with bumps.

RUSHING MATCHUP – With Tevin Coleman (49ers) gone, Devonta Freeman is the No. 1 runner in the Falcons’ backfield, but he isn’t going to operate in a bell-cow role. Since the every- down tailback has missed a combined 16 games due to various injuries during the last two years, Atlanta will manage the 5-foot-8, 206-pound Freeman’s workload carefully. He’ll lose occasional passing-down work and goal-line duties to Ito Smith and Brian Hill. An unusually sloppy-at- times Vikings defense that finished 13th in rushing yards and 13th in fantasy points allowed to the running back position in 2018 should return to its dominant ways. Despite the talk about Freeman losing scoring chances, I think he’ll be the one that Atlanta trusts in this tough road venue, but big rushing production from him is very unlikely.

PASSING MATCHUP – A big outing from Matt Ryan is also very unlikely because Minnesota is tough against the pass – especially at home. This past season, the Vikings allowed the third- fewest passing yards and the fewest touchdown passes. In addition, Minnesota permitted only two visiting quarterbacks to throw for more than 200 yards. Consider Ryan a weak start. The must-start Julio Jones is good enough to overcome tight coverage from the Vikings cornerback tandem of Xavier Rhodes and , but Calvin Ridley isn’t. While Mohamed Sanu could make a little noise since he won’t face top coverage, Sanu won’t draw enough targets to make a fantasy impact. Since Atlanta’s wideouts will face tight coverage, Austin Hooper is the favorite for a touchdown catch, but I’m not projecting his score with high confidence. This past season, Minnesota ranked 12th in tight end fantasy points allowed and ceded the fourth-fewest to the position.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Matt Ryan 257 1 12 0 RB Devonta Freeman 54 1 4 32 0 RB Ito Smith 15 0 3 20 0 RB Brian Hill 10 0 0 0 0 WR Julio Jones 5 75 0 WR Calvin Ridley 4 53 0 WR Mohamed Sanu 4 40 0 WR Justin Hardy 1 14 0 TE Austin Hooper 3 23 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Bryant 2 2 2 2 8

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Falcons 31 2 0 1 0

MINNESOTA VIKINGS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Stefon Diggs (hamstring)

BYE: Week 12

You may remember a pass-heavy version of the Minnesota Vikings offense from last season. If the Vikings have their way, however, you’re going to see a more run-centric attack in 2019. During the offseason, Minnesota turned the offense over to run-minded Kevin Stefanski, brought in zone-blocking rushing attack guru Gary Kubiak as an assistant coach and upgraded the offensive line.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Last season, a banged-up Atlanta Falcons defense finished 25th versus the run and surrendered the fourth-most running back fantasy points. A now-healthy Atlanta defense should play somewhat better but struggle on the road as usual, which is why a now- healthy Dalvin Cook is a strong play. The Falcons also hemorhagged the most catches to enemy tailbacks in 2018, so a receiving score from Cook is likely. Alexander Mattison should join the running game party, but don’t expect big yardage from him.

PASSING MATCHUP – Since the Cook/Mattison combo and the Minnesota defense should control this contest, a big passing outing from Kirk Cousins won’t be needed. As noted, that’s not how the 2019 Vikings want to win. If Stefon Diggs plays, he won’t be 100 percent, which is why he’s a risky start and Adam Thielen would be set up for a nice outing. Containing the tight end position is something that the injury-troubled Atlanta defense did well in 2018, allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points to the position. Look for quiet outings from and Irv Smith, even though the Vikings repeatedly promised during the preseason to use the rookie Smith in a big role.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Kirk Cousins 244 2 0 0 RB Dalvin Cook 120 1 4 40 1 RB Alexander Mattison 45 1 0 0 0 RB Mike Boone 10 0 0 0 0 WR Stefon Diggs 5 52 0 WR Adam Thielen 6 90 1 WR Chad Beebe 1 10 0 TE Kyle Rudolph 3 32 0 TE Irv Smith 2 20 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dan Bailey 1 1 4 4 7 P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Vikings 20 4 1 1 0 (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 1 :0 0 PM ET HARD ROCK STADIUM | MIAMI GARDENS, FL L I N E : B AL – 4 .5 OVER/UNDER: 37.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

RAVENS OFFENSE 9 13 24.3 2 152.6 19 22 222.4 18 DOLPHINS DEFENSE 29 27 27.1 31 145.3 17 21 245.8 31

DOLPHINS OFFENSE 31 26 19.9 18 108.6 7 30 181.2 26 RAVENS DEFENSE 1 2 17.9 4 82.9 11 5 210.0 21

BALTIMORE RAVENS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 8

Can dynamic playmaker Lamar Jackson evolve into an effective quarterback? The “Lamar Jackson experiment” is one of the top NFL storylines this season. Jackson can run, but can he learn how to sling the rock at the NFL level? New offensive boss Greg Roman directed some fantasy friendly offenses for the with Colin Kaepernick under center, and Roman will try to duplicate Kaepernick’s scheme for Jackson. The Ravens added some young playmakers to Jackson’s offense, so his score unit is a work in progress.

RUSHING MATCHUP – It’ll be a surprise if Baltimore’s ground game and defense don’t control this matchup against a severely depleted Miami Dolphins team that’s tanking the season to set itself up to start a rebuild in 2020. Mark Ingram is a strong start versus a Miami defense that surrendered the third-most rushing yards and the fourth-most rushing touchdowns to the running back position in 2018. Will rookie Justice Hill receive enough touches in this contest to make a decent flex option? Since game script should stay positive for the run, I think he will.

PASSING MATCHUP – Will the Ravens turn Lamar Jackson loose as a passer in this one? He’ll do plenty of running and should find the end zone at least once, but I don’t think they’ll let (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 4 :0 5 PM ET CENTURYLINK FIELD | SEATTLE, WA L I N E : S E A – 9 .5 OVER/UNDER: 43.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

BENGALS OFFENSE 26 17 23.0 21 105.1 13 24 205.6 27 SEAHAWKS DEFENSE 16 11 21.7 13 113.2 9 17 240.1 26

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE 18 6 26.8 1 160.0 15 27 193.3 35 BENGALS DEFENSE 32 30 28.4 29 137.8 17 32 275.9 32

CINCINNATI BENGALS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: A.J. Green (ankle), Tyler Eifert (ankle)

BYE: Week 9

Although the Cincinnati Bengals have started a slow rebuild under new head coach Zac Taylor, most of the team’s familiar fantasy stars are back in the fold for at least one more season. Taylor is a Sean McVay disciple, but it’s fair to question whether the Bengals have the needed personnel to operate a Los Angeles Rams-style offense. A trip to the West Coast to battle the Seattle Seahawks looks even tougher without A.J. Green.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Joe Mixon is one of the just two safe fantasy starts for Cincinnati right now. This past season, Seattle gave up the 10th-fewest rushing yards and the sixth-fewest rushing touchdowns to the running back position, but Mixon should cobble together a decent outing thanks to an expected high-volume of combo touches. The Bengals passing attack probably will struggle, so Cincinnati won’t abandon the run. Taylor has talked up a big role for Giovani Bernard, but fantasy owners should go wait-and-see on that.

PASSING MATCHUP – Andy Dalton often seems lost without A.J. Green in the lineup, and we’ll probably see more of that. It goes without saying that Tyler Boyd, the only other fantasy gem for the Bengals this week, will be targeted heavily, but keep in mind that the Seahawks are aware of Boyd’s role with Green sidelined. This past season, Seattle yielded the 11th-fewest fantasy points to enemy tight ends, so I wouldn’t risk using Tyler Eifert while he’s still healthy or C.J. Uzomah.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Andy Dalton 250 1 15 0 RB Joe Mixon 65 1 5 44 0 RB Giovani Bernard 20 0 3 28 0 RB A.J. Green ------WR Tyler Boyd 5 60 1 WR John Ross 3 40 0 WR Alex Erickson 2 22 0 TE Tyler Eifert 3 32 0 TE C.J. Uzomah 2 24 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 1 1 2 2 5

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Bengals 34 2 0 0 0

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: D.K. Metcalf (knee), David Moore (broken arm),

BYE: Week 11

Did you know that the 2018 Seattle Seahawks racked up more carries than pass attempts? It’s true, and you can expect more of the same from Seattle since Russell Wilson’s receiver corps has been depleted by Doug Baldwin’s retirement and a couple of key injuries.

RUSHING MATCHUP – This past season, the Cincinnati Bengals defense fell apart, finishing in the bottom 10 in rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns, catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns allowed to the running back position, so it’s a no-brainer that we’ll see a heavy dose of workhorse Chris Carson. Game flow will stay positive for the Seahawks’ ground game. Rashaad Penny is worth starting as a flex even though he didn’t have a very good preseason.

PASSING MATCHUP – With Carson and Penny carrying the offense, Seattle shouldn’t need Russell Wilson to do much – aside from taking a few deep shots to big-play guy and lid-lifter Tyler Lockett. Look for the duo to hook up on at least one long scoring play. Last season, the Bengals defense performed as badly against the pass as it did versus the run, so a big game from Lockett is possible. Maybe…just maybe…rookie D.K. Metcalf takes one to the house – assuming he’s well enough to play – but no promises. I wouldn’t bother with the other Seahawks receivers.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Russell Wilson 222 1 10 0 RB Chris Carson 125 2 3 20 0 RB Rashaad Penny 55 1 2 20 0 RB C.J. Prosise 10 0 2 15 0 WR D.K. Metcalf 3 49 0 WR Gary Jennings 3 30 0 WR Tyler Lockett 4 78 1 WR David Moore ------TE Will Dissly 1 10 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jason Myers 2 2 4 4 10

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Seahawks 34 5 2 1 0 (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 4 :0 5 PM ET DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK | CARSON, CA L I N E : L AC – 6 .5 OVER/UNDER: 44.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

COLTS OFFENSE 7 5 27.1 20 107.4 13 6 278.8 39 CHARGERS DEFENSE 9 8 20.6 9 105.8 11 9 227.9 23

CHARGERS OFFENSE 11 6 26.8 15 117.1 16 10 255.6 32 COLTS DEFENSE 11 10 21.5 8 101.6 12 16 237.8 21

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 6

The Indianapolis Colts offense belongs to for now. In case you’ve forgotten, he started 15 games during the now-retired ’s lost 2017 shoulder surgery season. Brissett averaged just 193.6 passing yards per contest and tossed only 13 touchdown passes. However, he flashed nice mobilty, averaging 4.1 yards per carry while notching four rushing touchdowns. Is the 26-year-old Brissett a better player now than he was two years ago? We’re going to find out.

RUSHING MATCHUP – The Colts will want to run the football to help Brissett, which makes Marlon Mack the safest play among the team's fantasy stars. A solid Los Angeles Chargers defense allowed the 11th-most rushing yards to tailbacks but usually played the run well at home. Mack should still compile a decent outing thanks to volume. Keep in mind that Mack rarely does anything as a receiver. Nyheim Hines, the pass-catching complement to Mack, averaged 9.3 combo touches per contest and finished third on Indianapolis in receptions (63) last season. Hines is worth a look as a flex in PPR leagues against a Los Angeles defense that coughed up the fourth- most catches and the second-most receiving yards to tailbacks.

PASSING MATCHUP – Jacoby Brissett inherits a better offensive line and a better collection of playmakers than what he had as a starter during the 2017 season. It stands to reason that Brissett probably has improved as a passer, but fantasy managers should take a wait and see approach with him. Consider Brissett a very dicey start on the road against a Chargers defense that yielded the ninth-fewest passing yards and the eighth-fewest quarterback fantasy points this past season. T.Y. Hilton is arguably the only startable guy in the receiver corps right now. If you have a safer option than Hilton, consider it. Even though Brissett likes to throw to his tight ends, Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle are both very risky plays for this week. We’ll obviously learn more about Brissett’s skills and his favorite targets during this game.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Jacoby Brissett 248 0 23 0 RB Marlon Mack 62 1 0 0 0 RB Nyheim Hines 15 0 5 48 0 RB Jordan Wilkins 8 0 0 0 0 WR T.Y. Hilton 4 57 0 WR Devin Funchess 3 30 0 WR Parris Campbell 2 26 0 WR Deon Cain 1 10 0 TE Eric Ebron 3 33 0 TE Jack Doyle 4 44 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Adam Vinatieri 2 2 1 1 7

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Colts 27 3 1 1 0

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Keenan Allen (ankle)

BYE: Week 12

If you put aside ’s holdout and Tyrell Williams’ free-agency departure, the Los Angeles Chargers offense is basically the same unit that helped the team to a 12-4 finish and a Wild Card playoff victory over the Baltimore Ravens this past season. The schedule looks soft during the first month of 2019, so the expected absence of Gordon isn’t going to sting very much. However, the matchups get tougher in October, and Gordon’s absence – assuming he doesn’t report – will start to be felt.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Assuming Gordon doesn’t surprise everybody by reporting in time to play for Week 1, Los Angeles will replace him with the Austin Ekeler/Justin Jackson tandem with Ekeler receiving the bigger share of the touches. Last season, an Indianapolis Colts defense that finished ninth in rushing yards and seventh in rushing touchdowns allowed to tailbacks was softer on the road. I think Ekeler and Jackson both have a good chance to hit pay dirt while Ekeler will rack up some extra fantasy points thanks to his usage as a receiver.

PASSING MATCHUP – I doubt the Indianapolis offense will put up much of a fight in Jacoby Brissett’s first start. Game script will remain positive for the Chargers’ ground game, so don’t expect a big outing from Philip Rivers. This past season, the Colts yielded the fewest wideout fantasy points, so you’ll have to dial down your expectations for Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Indianapolis, however, coughed up the third-most tight end fantasy points, which is why is the favorite for a scoring grab.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Philip Rivers 240 1 0 0 RB Melvin Gordon ------RB Austin Ekeler 65 1 3 28 0 RB Justin Jackson 48 1 0 0 0 RB Troymaine Pope 15 0 0 0 0 WR Keenan Allen 5 67 0 WR Mike Williams 4 45 0 WR Travis Benjamin 2 38 0 TE Hunter Henry 6 62 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Michael Badgley 2 2 3 3 9

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Chargers 13 5 1 1 0

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 4 :2 5 PM ET RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM | T A M P A , F L L I N E : T B – 1 .0 OVER/UNDER: 50.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

49ERS OFFENSE 16 21 21.4 13 118.9 7 15 241.7 26 BUCS DEFENSE 27 31 29.0 24 123.9 19 26 259.4 34

BUCS OFFENSE 3 12 24.8 29 95.2 11 1 320.3 36 49ERS DEFENSE 13 28 27.2 14 113.4 13 11 233.2 35

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Raheem Mostert (concussion), (groin), Trent Taylor (foot), Jalen Hurd (back)

BYE: Week 4

Injuries have plagued the San Francisco 49ers offense during its first two seasons under skipper Mike Shanahan. The team is now dealing with a bunch of injuries at wideout. If everybody gets health – and Jimmy Garoppolo emerges – the 49ers offense will be a huge fantasy force.

RUSHING MATCHUP – With Jerrick McKinnon (knee) sidelined for the entire season, San Franciso will start the season with the Tevin Coleman/Matt Breida combo. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense finished 2018 ranked only 24th versus the run, but the Bucs have usually played better against the run at home and probably will do with new defensive boss Todd Bowles looking on. Expect moderate yardage from Coleman and Breida. I projected a score only for Breida because he was running much better than Coleman in preseason action.

PASSING MATCHUP – I don’t think Tampa Bay’s elevated, inspriational level of play will carry over to the secondary, which features pretty much the same collection of talent that yielded the sixth-most fantasy wideout points and the 11th-most fantasy tight end points. While George Kittle is a must-start guy, who will step up among the wideouts? I know speedy deep threat Marquise Goodwin is one of Garoppolo’s favorite targets, but I think second-year pro Dante Pettis will step up after enduring a preseason of Shanahan’s motivational tactics, which included making Pettis play long stretches in preseason contests.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Jimmy Garoppolo 283 2 10 0 RB Tevin Coleman 55 0 4 35 0 RB Matt Breida 50 1 3 22 0 RB Raheem Mostert 10 0 0 0 0 WR Dante Pettis 6 63 1 WR Marquise Goodwin 3 48 0 WR Deebo Samuel 2 33 0 WR Jalen Hurd 1 10 0 WR Trent Taylor ------TE George Kittle 7 72 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Robbie Gould 1 1 3 3 6

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT 49ers 31 3 2 0 0

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR:

BYE: Week 7

Can new head coach and quarterback optimizer Bruce Arians turn the Tampa Bay Buccaneers around and help the disappointing-to-date get his career on track? The mistake- prone Winston is a great fit for Arians’ risky high-octane passing attack. Tampa Bay has plenty of talent on offense, but it looks like a Todd Bowles-coached defense that’s lacking playmakers has started a slow rebuild.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Tampa Bay doesn’t have a do-it-all tailback like David Johnson, who became a fantasy star while playing in Arians’ offenses during their time together with the . It looks like the Bucs will start things off with a timeshare that features the combination of early-down grinder Peyton Barber and new passing-down back . A San Francisco 49ers defense that ranked 14th in rushing yards allowed and 23rd in rushing touchdowns allowed in 2018 was upgraded during the offseason. The 49ers, however, have played softer on the road under head coach Kyle Shanahan, so Barber should still be good for moderate yardage and one rushing score. Arians has remained quiet about Ogunbowale’s workload, but four or five catches seems like a safe floor for him.

PASSING MATCHUP – This past season, the 49ers surrendered the seventh-most quarterback fantasy points and the seventh-most wideout fantasy points, so Jameis Winston, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin all look like strong plays. Richard Sherman is expected to shadow Godwin more times than not – Sherman historically has struggled against Evans – which probably will hold Godwin’s production down a bit. Even though San Francisco also yielded the seventh- fewest tight end fantasy points in 2018, I wouldn’t let that stop me from starting O.J. Howard.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Jameis Winston 326 3 10 0 RB Peyton Barber 60 1 1 10 0 RB Dare Ogunbowale 28 0 4 36 0 RB Ronald Jones 10 0 0 0 0 WR Mike Evans 8 110 1 WR Chris Godwin 4 45 1 WR 3 48 0 TE O.J. Howard 5 67 1 TE Cameron Brate 1 10 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 1 1 4 4 7

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Buccaneers 24 4 1 1 0 (0-0) (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 4 :2 5 PM ET AT&T STADIUM | ARLINGTON, TX L I N E : D AL – 7 .0 OVER/UNDER: 45.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

GIANTS OFFENSE 17 16 23.1 24 103.1 13 11 252.9 23 COWBOYS DEFENSE 7 6 20.2 5 94.6 12 13 234.7 22

COWBOYS OFFENSE 22 22 21.2 10 122.7 13 23 221.1 22 GIANTS DEFENSE 24 23 25.8 20 118.6 18 23 252.8 24

NEW YORK GIANTS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Wayne Gallman (foot), (thumb),

BYE: Week 11

With Odell Beckham (Browns) gone and 38-year-old Eli Mannng running on fumes, a New York Giants offense that’s undergoing a slow rebuild now belongs to . Manning will start 2019 atop the team’s quarterback depth chart. However, when the losses pile up, even team ownership won’t be able to stand in the way of rookie sixth overall selection Daniel Jones taking over as the starter.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Everybody knows that Saquon Barkley is a must-start guy even though the Dallas Cowboys surrendered the fifth-fewest rushing yards last season. Barkley will run behind an improved line, but opposing defenses won’t have to account for Beckham anymore and probably will divert extra resouces to help contain the dynamic every-down runner. That won’t stop Barkley.

PASSING MATCHUP – How will the G-Men use their receivers with Beckham gone and Golden Tate serving a four-game PED suspension? For now, Sterling Shepard is the No. 1 wideout followed by role guys Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler, but is probably the top overall pass-catching option. Manning has enjoyed success against the Dallas in previous seasons, but it’s hard to see him compiling big passing numbers without Beckham. The Cowboys wrapped up 2018 ranked sixth in wideout fantasy points allowed and ninth in quarterback fantasy points allowed, so lower your expectations for Manning and Shepard. Since Dallas also yielded the seventh-most fantasy points to the tight end position last season, Engram is the safest play in this group.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Eli Manning 262 1 0 0 RB Saquon Barkley 70 1 8 72 0 RB Wayne Gallman 10 0 1 11 0 WR Paul Perkins 7 0 0 0 0 WR Sterling Shepard 4 54 0 WR Golden Tate (SUSP) ------WR Cody Latimer 2 20 0 WR Bennie Fowler 3 38 0 TE Evan Engram 6 67 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 1 1 2 2 5

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Giants 30 2 0 1 0

DALLAS COWBOYS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: (foot)

BYE: Week 8 Since Ezekiel Elliott has signed his new contract and reported just in time to start for Week 1, the only mystery remaining with the Dallas Cowboys is what new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense will look like. Moore says his attack will remain Elliott-centric, but many think we’ll see a more diverse and modernized passing attack to better complement Elliott.

RUSHING MATCHUP – While some think the must-start Ezekiel Elliott will be on a pitch count, I suspect he’ll handle more than enough touches to make a solid start. The Cowboys say Zeke reported in great shape, so I wouldn’t think twice about starting him – even though Tony Pollard probably will see a little more action in his breather-back role than usual. Last season, the New York Giants defense surrendered the 12th-most rushing yards and the fifth-most rushing touchdowns to enemy tailbacks, but matchups never matter with Elliott.

PASSING MATCHUP – If Amari Cooper is all systems go, he’s a must-start, and Dak Prescott also should be started since the Cowboys will be determined to show off their new aerial attack attack against a New York defense that closed out 2018 ranked only 23rd versus the pass. Michael Gallup flashed during the preseason and looks like a legit breakout candidate, but you should make the second-year guy earn his way into your starting lineup. This past season, the Giants yielded the ninth-most tight end fantasy points – they’ve been bad against tight ends for the last few years – which is why I think Jason Witten gets a welcome back present in the form of a scoring grab.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Dak Prescott 285 2 25 0 RB Ezekiel Elliott 90 1 3 28 0 RB Tony Pollard 24 0 2 17 0 RB Alfred Morris 10 0 0 0 0 WR Amari Cooper 6 94 1 WR Michael Gallup 4 58 0 WR Randall Cobb 3 35 0 WR Tavon Austin 10 0 2 20 0 TE Jason Witten 4 33 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brett Maher 3 3 3 3 12

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Cowboys 17 4 2 1 0 (0-0) ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 4 :2 5 PM ET STATE FARM STADIUM | GLENDALE, AZ L I N E : D E T – 2 .5 OVER/UNDER: 46.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

LIONS OFFENSE 24 25 20.2 23 103.8 11 20 223.5 22 CARDINALS DEFENSE 20 26 26.6 32 154.9 25 4 203.9 21

CARDINALS OFFENSE 32 32 14.1 32 83.9 9 32 157.7 15 LIONS DEFENSE 10 16 22.5 10 110.1 11 8 224.9 29

DETROIT LIONS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 5

Strongly prefering a more balanced offense that sometimes leaned run heavy, Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia dumped Jim Bob Cooter and brought in Darrell Bevell to handle the overhaul. Bevell is well-known for operating conservative run-centric attacks, and he called the shots for the run-heavy Seattle Seahawks’ two Super Bowl teams (2013 and 2014). The Lions also added backups C.J. Anderson and Danny Amendola. Rookie first-rounder T.J. Hockenson probably won’t be a steady contributor this season – rookie tight ends are rarely fantasy relevant – but he has the raw talent to be a star in the NFL. RUSHING MATCHUP – This matchup against an Arizona Cardinals defense that hemorhagged the most rushing yards and the most rushing touchdowns to enemy running backs in 2018 looks like a great tune up for Bevell’s ground game and a great matchup for . Will C.J. Anderson receive enough touches to have standalone value? The Lions have been quiet about Anderson’s role so far. I think he’s too risky to trust in starting lineups right now, but definitely keep an eye on how Detroit uses Johnson’s valuable handcuff.

PASSING MATCHUP – Pass-happy Lions teams from previous years would have feasted on a soft Arizona defense that’s undergoing a rebuild and missing cornerback Patrick Peterson (PED suspension). However, don’t expect Detroit to give Matthew Stafford the green light for heavy throwing. As noted, Patricia wants to pound the rock first and foremost. The Cardinals finished 2018 a misleading fourth against the pass. That’s only because opposing offenses elected to run all over them instead of throwing it. Stafford looks like a middling start, but he and should hook up on at least one long scoring play against an Arizona defense than ranked only 16th in wideout fantasy points allowed this past season. Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola could both have solid games and outperform the projections in this matchup, but they are dicey starts because of an expected lower volume of passing. While T.J. Hockenson clearly impressed during the preseason, rookie tight ends rarely make a steady fantasy impact, as noted. He’s definitely worth monitoring.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Matthew Stafford 252 1 0 0 RB Kerryon Johnson 80 1 4 35 0 RB C.J. Anderson 58 0 2 18 0 RB Ty Johnson 5 0 1 10 0 WR Kenny Golladay 6 84 1 WR Marvin Jones 4 54 0 WR Danny Amendola 3 30 0 TE T.J. Hockenson 2 21 0 TE Jesse James 0 0 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Prater 4 4 2 2 14

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Lions 20 5 2 1 0

ARIZONA CARDINALS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 12

Fantasy managers have anxiously awaited the debut of new Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s high-octane pass-heavy “Air Raid” offense with hopes that the new look Cardinals score unit will crank out gobs of passing yards, touchdowns and fantasy points each week. I’m not as excited about the scheme as others because I don’t think it’ll work as well as expected under the direction of talented but inexperienced rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. He’s operating behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines and throwing to an average overall receiver corps that’s loaded with question marks.

RUSHING MATCHUP – I have no major worries about David Johnson. He’s a must-start guy as usual. DJ31 finished as the ninth-best fantasy running back while playing on a 2018 Cardinals offense that finished dead last in yards, scoring rushing and passing, and it stands to reason that his production should improve a bit. We also can only hope that Murray will use Johnson as a safety valve in the passing game. The Detroit Lions defense closed out 2018 ranked 16th in fantasy points allowed to tailbacks and should be better, but Johnson will hold his own. During the preseason, Kingsbury said more than once that Chase Edmonds would have a notable role, but fantasy managers should believe it if they see it.

PASSING MATCHUP – If you’re looking for answers about who is the top target or who will operate out of the slot – the slot wideout is heavily used in the Air Raid scheme – I don’t have them to give you. Kingsbury and the Cardinals have kept very quiet about everything throughout the preseason, and it’s next to impossible to make any informed predictions. Dual-threat Kyler Murray is an intriguing play even though Detroit finished eighth against the pass in 2018. I suspect he’ll be racking up lots of fantasy points with his legs while scrambling and/or running for his life because of poor blocking from his line. Murray’s rushing production should keep him from having a poor fantasy outing. The top-two wideouts heading into Week 1, Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, also come with risk. Detroit yielded the 10th-fewest wideout fantasy points this past season. I would go wait-and-see with the other receivers.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Kyler Murray 250 1 38 RB David Johnson 85 1 6 48 0 RB Chase Edmonds 30 0 2 15 0 WR Larry Fitzgerald 5 50 1 WR KeeSean Johnson 4 53 0 WR Christian Kirk 4 40 0 WR Andy Isabella 1 15 0 TE Charles Clay 3 29 0 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK 2 2 2 2 8

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Cardinals 26 3 1 1 0

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (0-0) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-0)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 TH 8 :2 0 PM ET GILLETTE STADIUM | FOXBOROUGH, MA L I N E : N E – 6 .0 OVER/UNDER: 49.0

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

STEELERS OFFENSE 4 6 26.8 31 90.3 16 2 313.0 35 PATRIOTS DEFENSE 21 7 20.3 11 112.7 7 22 246.4 29

PATRIOTS OFFENSE 5 4 27.2 5 127.3 18 8 266.1 29 STEELERS DEFENSE 6 16 22.5 6 96.1 13 10 231.1 27

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Diontae Johnson (undisclosed)

BYE: Week 7

How will this version of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense perform without Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown? The team’s decision to ship the mercurial Brown to the West Coast guarantees that Ben Roethlisberger isn’t going to match his passing yardage record from 2018. Pittsburgh is hoping that either Donte Moncrief or James Washington (preferably both) can step up alongside new lead wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster and help fill the production void left by Brown’s exit. Until that happens, the Steelers probably will operate a more balanced attack. RUSHING MATCHUP – James Conner is clearly the lead dog in the backfield and a must- start, but he’s facing a very challenging matchup. The New England Patriots wrapped up the 2018 regular season ranked 11th versus the run. They also didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher at home, and only two visiting tailbacks hit pay dirt. Last season, Jaylon Samuels gashed the Patriots for 142 yards on 19 carries at Heinz Field, but don’t expect a repeat of that at Gillette Stadium against an improved unit.

PASSING MATCHUP – Big production from Ben Roethlislberger is unlikely even though the Patriots finished only 22nd versus the pass last season. They usually play much better at home. Everybody knows that New England head coach often schemes to neutralize the best weapon on an opposing offense, and JuJu Smith-Schuster is likely the guy in Belichick’s sights. Smith-Schuster is a must-start, but he struggled against Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty last season, amassing a 4-40-0 receiving line. Don’t expect Donte Moncrief to do much versus McCourty’s wingman, , but James Washington could surprise agaisnt weaker coverage. Vance McDonald probably has the most favorable matchup (the Patriots ranked 17th in fantasy points allowed to tight ends in 2018), but big yardage is unlikely from him.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Ben Roethlisberger 260 2 10 0 RB James Conner 60 0 5 41 1 RB Jaylen Samuels 20 0 3 23 0 RB Benny Snell 10 0 0 0 0 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 5 57 0 WR Donte Moncrief 4 42 0 WR James Washington 3 52 0 WR Diontae Johnson 1 15 0 TE Vance McDonald 4 30 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Chris Boswell 3 2 2 2 8

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Steelers 27 3 0 1 0

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Matt LaCosse (ankle)

BYE: Week 10

The Super Bowl LIII champions return on a quest to capture another Lombardi Trophy with 42- year-old leading the way. The New England Patriots offense lost to retirement, but picked up the services of again. New England should remain a run-heavy offense with Brady stepping up with big passing efforts only when he’s needed.

RUSHING MATCHUP – took command of the Patriots backfield with a great showing during the team’s Super Bowl run last season, and he’s the No. 1 guy heading into 2019. New England has promised to use him more as a receiver, which obviously would boost Michel’s fantasy scoring. A Pittsburgh Steelers defense that punched out of the 2018 regular season allowing the seventh-fewest rushing yards to tailbacks is usually softer against the run away from home, so don’t think twice about starting Michel. James White is usually good for at least five catches per outing with some rushing yards sprinkled in, but I think game script will favor Michel over White in this matchup. He won’t disappoint, but White won’t go off.

PASSING MATCHUP – A Pittsburgh defense that finished last season ranked 17th in quarterback fantasy points allowed and 20th in wideout fantasy points allowed also has been soft against the pass in road contests. Look for Tom Brady to attack through the air more than usual. He and are solid starts. Since Josh Gordon is big-play dependent, he’s a riskier start, but I like Gordon’s chances to hit pay dirt. With Ben Watson suspended for four games (banned substance violation), Matt LaCosse will start in his place. I don’t think LaCosse will make a fantasy impact.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD

QB Tom Brady 270 2 0 0

RB Sony Michel 88 1 2 15 0

RB James White 30 0 6 56 0

RB 10 0 1 11 0

WR Josh Gordon 4 58 1

WR Phillip Dorsett 2 28 0

WR Julian Edelman 8 80 1

TE Matt LaCosse 2 22 0 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS

PK 2 2 3 3 9

P/A SK INT FUM TD

DT Patriots 20 5 1 1 0

HOUSTON TEXANS (0-0) (0-0)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 TH 7 :10 PM ET MERCEDES–BENZ SUPERDOME | NEW ORLEANS, LA L I N E : N O – 7 .0 OVER/UNDER: 53.5

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

TEXANS OFFENSE 15 11 25.1 8 126.3 12 17 236.3 26 SAINTS DEFENSE 14 14 22.1 2 80.2 12 29 268.9 30

SAINTS OFFENSE 8 3 31.5 6 126.6 26 12 252.6 33 TEXANS DEFENSE 12 4 19.8 3 82.7 8 28 260.4 28

HOUSTON TEXANS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Keke Coutee (ankle), Jordan Thomas (rib – IR) BYE: Week 10

The surprise retirement of Andrew Luck has cleared the path for the Houston Texans to climb to the top of the heap in the AFC South, and it looks like Houston is counting on its offense to lead the way. The backfield has been reworked with Lamar Miller (ACL) and D’Onta Foreman (released) both gone and replaced by Duke Johnson and , which is a downgrade. That’s why you should expect to see a pass-heavy attack led by the Deshaun-Watson-to-DeAndre- Hopkins connection.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Listed at 5-foot-9, 210 pounds, the speedy Duke Johnson will operate as a featured back for the first time in his career after averaging a respectable 4.3 yards per carry as a passing-down specialist with the (2015-18). This past season, the New Orleans Saints defense yielded the fewest rushing yards to enemy tailbacks, and no visiting running back topped the 70-yard mark on the ground in New Orleans. Johnson looks like a weak play. The Kansas City Chiefs would have released fading early-down plodder Carlos Hyde if they hadn’t traded him to the Texans. Johnson, as noted, won’t put much of a dent in the Saints’ run defense, and neither will Hyde.

PASSING MATCHUP – I’m expecting some high-volume throwing from the must-start Deshaun Watson and some running from him, too. Whenever the Texans struggle on the ground, Watson scrambles more than usual. DeAndre Hopkins will face shadow coverage from top Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, which will open things up for now-healthy big-play threat Will Fuller on the fast track of the Superdome. Assuming Keke Coutee is healthy enough to go, he will see plenty of targets in the slot because of the Texans’ likely inability to run the ball. The team hasn’t tipped its hand about the role of Kenny Stills. I don’t recommend him this week.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Deshaun Watson 337 2 44 1 RB Duke Johnson 53 0 5 50 0 RB Carlos Hyde 15 0 0 0 0 RB Taiwan Jones 5 0 0 0 0 WR DeAndre Hopkins 6 62 1 WR Will Fuller 5 103 1 WR Keke Coutee 6 67 0 WR Kenny Stills 2 35 0 TE Jordan Akins 2 20 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Ka’imi Fairbairn 3 3 3 3 12 P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Texans 34 3 1 0 0

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 9

After coming out on the wrong side of the most infamous no-call on pass interference in NFL history during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game last season, the New Orleans Saints are once again on a mission to capture a Lombardi Trophy before 40-year-old future Hall of Famer Drew Brees hangs up his shoulder pads. During the last few years, the Saints preferred to win with a potent ground game and a rock-solid defense while asking for big outings from Brees only when necessary. New Orleans added another target for Brees – Jared Cook – and replaced Mark Ingram with Latavius Murray.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Despite the switch from Ingram (Ravens) to Murray, the Saints say they have no plans to expand the must-start Alvin Kamara's workload. This past season, the Houston Texans defense yielded the eighth-fewest running back fantasy points, but Houston struggled against the position in the passing game, allowing the 13th-most catches and the most (tie) scoring grabs. By the way, the Texans defense isn’t as good on the road. Look for Kamara to do a majority of his damage through the air. Latavius Murray has a good chance to amass some moderate yardage and a goal-line score during his first action in a Saints uniform.

PASSING MATCHUP – With this game easily profiling as a shootout, New Orleans is going to need big performances from Drew Brees and the must-start Michael Thomas to win. A Houston defense that closed out 2018 ranked 28th verus the pass visits the Big Easy with a revamped secondary that could feature up to three new starters. A coming out party for Jared Cook is likely during his first regular-season outing with New Orleans. Last season, the Texans defense coughed up the sixth-most tight end fantasy points. He's not going to make anyone forget about Jimmy Graham, but the stage is set for Cook to have a rock-solid outing. Deep threat Ted Ginn’s best fantasy outings have come at the Superdome, but I won’t make any promises about him or the other complementary Saints receivers.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Drew Brees 333 3 0 0 RB Alvin Kamara 70 0 7 64 1 RB Latavius Murray 42 1 0 0 0 RB Dwayne Washington 0 0 0 0 0 WR Michael Thomas 8 105 1 WR Ted Ginn 3 48 0 WR Tre’Quan Smith 2 39 0 WR Keith Kirkwood 1 10 0 TE Jared Cook 6 67 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Wil Lutz 2 2 4 4 10

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Saints 30 4 1 1 0

DENVER BRONCOS (0-0) OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-0)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 TH 1 0 :2 0 PM ET OAKLAND COLISEUM | OAKLAND, CA L I N E : O AK – 1 .5 OVER/UNDER: 43.0

2018 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

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

BRONCOS OFFENSE 19 24 20.6 12 119.2 18 19 230.9 19 RAIDERS DEFENSE 26 32 29.2 30 140.6 16 19 240.8 36

RAIDERS OFFENSE 23 28 18.1 25 101.8 9 18 234.4 19 BRONCOS DEFENSE 22 13 21.8 21 119.6 11 20 245.6 26

DENVER BRONCOS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: Theo Riddick (shoulder – IR), Drew Lock (thumb – IR) BYE: Week 10

Since new Denver Broncos head coach is defensive minded, he’s leaving the Denver offense in the hands of first-time coordinator/play caller Rich Scangarello. He’s expected to use the Broncos’ traditional zone-blocking ground game that has roots in the Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak offenses from Denver’s past, but Scangarello also plans to introduce modern concepts into the scheme, such as run-pass option. has replaced Case Keenum at quarterback. The job will belong to Flacco for awhile since rookie second-rounder Drew Lock (thumb) will remain on injured reserve for at least half the season. With Flacco under center, the Broncos are expected to go run heavy as much as possible.

RUSHING MATCHUP – Even though the Broncos have promised a more even split in the carries between Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, I think Lindsay is the back to start. Last season, the Oakland Raiders gave up the second-most rushing yards and the 11th-most rushing touchdowns to enemy tailbacks. The Raiders, however, played much harder at home than they did on the road, which is why I think the quicker Lindsay will do more damage to a fired up Oakland defensive unit. Denver had dropped hints about using Freeman more as a receiver, but I’ll need to see it happen before I suggest starting the touchdown dependent bulldozer.

PASSING MATCHUP – Joe Flacco, not considered an upgrade over Keenum, isn’t going to sling the rock enough to rack up a big outing. However, Flacco has developed some chemistry with fellow veteran Emmanuel Sanders, so he’s the favorite for a scoring grab. Courtland Sutton also has some upside, but he looks like a moderate-at-best play as long as Sanders is healthy and commanding targets. The other complementary wideouts look too risky to trust in starting lineups at this point in the season. Rookie first-rounder Noah Fant comes with a lot of talent and promise, but he’s not expected to contribute immediately.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Joe Flacco 250 1 0 0 RB Phillip Lindsay 70 1 4 33 0 RB Royce Freeman 42 0 3 28 0 RB 10 0 2 20 0 WR Emmanuel Sanders 6 63 1 WR Courtland Sutton 3 48 0 WR DaeSean Hamilton 2 20 0 TE 1 10 0 TE Noah Fant 2 28 0

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brandon McManus 2 2 2 2 8 P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Broncos 24 3 0 0 0

OAKLAND RAIDERS

INJURIES TO MONITOR: None

BYE: Week 6

The Oakland Raiders were expected to suspend Antonio Brown for getting into a verbal altercation with general manager Mike Mayock. Brown probably won’t be available for Monday Night Football, and we’ve removed him from the projections. The former Pittsburgh Steeler (and possibly former Raider) was one of Oakland’s offensive upgrades, which also included Tyrell Williams, rookie Josh Jacobs (he replaced the retired Marshawn Lynch) and reclamation project Darren Waller (he replaced the departed Jared Cook).

RUSHING MATCHUP – With Brown suspended, the Raiders should lean heavily on their Josh Jacobs-led ground game. The every-down runner didn’t operate as a workhorse at Alabama, but that’s how Jon Gruden plans to use him. A Denver Broncos defense that surrendered the sixth- most rushing yards to enemy tailbacks last season probably has tightened up a bit because of personnel upgrades, but don’t let that stop you from rolling with Jacobs as a bet-on-volume play in a low-scoring matchup. Jalen Ricard returns as the third-down and change-of-pace ball carrier.

PASSING MATCHUP – There’s little reason to expect a big outing from Derek Carr. As noted, Antonio Brown isn’t expected to play, and Tyrell Williams will battle coverage from Chris Harris all afternoon. Last season, Carr seemed to have an aversion to throwing deep, which is a big part of Williams’ game. Slot guy Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller stand to benefit the most from the Brown suspension and Williams squaring off against Harris. This past season, the Broncos allowed the ninth-fewest wideout fantasy points, but Renfrow won’t face top coverage in the slot. Denver also yielded the ninth-most tight end fantasy points, so there’s a good chance for a Waller coming out party.

WEEK 1 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

PASS PASS RUSH RUSH REC REC PLAYER REC YDS TD YDS TD YDS TD QB Derek Carr 234 2 10 0 RB Josh Jacobs 87 1 5 43 0 RB Jalen Richard 12 0 4 38 0 RB DeAndre Washington 10 0 0 0 0 WR Antonio Brown (SUSP) ------WR Tyrell Williams 3 40 0 WR Hunter Renfrow 5 53 1 WR J.J. Nelson 2 20 0 TE Darren Waller 4 40 1

FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Daniel Carlson 2 1 3 3 6

P/A SK INT FUM TD DT Raiders 20 3 1 0 0