NFL Game Previews: Monday Night Matchups

NFL Game Previews: Monday Night Matchups

This article is part of our NFL Game Previews series.

MONDAY NIGHT

Tennessee at Miami (+1), o/u 36.5 – Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Titans are still looking for their first win, and Will Levis is still looking for his first game in 2024 without multiple turnovers. Correlation isn't always causation, buuuut ... Levis keeps showing flashes of upside, but his decision-making remains awful. Brian Callahan's track record — not just in Cincy with Joe Burrow, but also in Detroit with Matthew Stafford and even his one year in Oakland with Derek Carr — suggest he can help Levis get there, but it's not going to happen overnight. In the meantime, the Tony Pollard-Tyjae Spears backfield has been OK, while Tennessee's veteran wideout corps has been at the mercy of Levis' erratic play rather than helping to elevate it. The defense also hasn't been anything special. This feels like a roster built to sneak into a wild-card spot if everything goes right, and so far it hasn't. The front office could be very busy closer to the trade deadline, shipping out guys like DeAndre Hopkins.

Well, this is a mess. Tua Tagovailoa's latest concussion has left the Dolphins with Skylar Thompson (career QB rating of 66.1), Tim Boyle (career rating of 56.4) and Tyler Huntley (a stellar 79.0, relatively speaking) as the team's options under center, because I guess it never occurred to the front office to find a better backup to a QB who missed at least four games in each of the first

MONDAY NIGHT

Tennessee at Miami (+1), o/u 36.5 – Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Titans are still looking for their first win, and Will Levis is still looking for his first game in 2024 without multiple turnovers. Correlation isn't always causation, buuuut ... Levis keeps showing flashes of upside, but his decision-making remains awful. Brian Callahan's track record — not just in Cincy with Joe Burrow, but also in Detroit with Matthew Stafford and even his one year in Oakland with Derek Carr — suggest he can help Levis get there, but it's not going to happen overnight. In the meantime, the Tony Pollard-Tyjae Spears backfield has been OK, while Tennessee's veteran wideout corps has been at the mercy of Levis' erratic play rather than helping to elevate it. The defense also hasn't been anything special. This feels like a roster built to sneak into a wild-card spot if everything goes right, and so far it hasn't. The front office could be very busy closer to the trade deadline, shipping out guys like DeAndre Hopkins.

Well, this is a mess. Tua Tagovailoa's latest concussion has left the Dolphins with Skylar Thompson (career QB rating of 66.1), Tim Boyle (career rating of 56.4) and Tyler Huntley (a stellar 79.0, relatively speaking) as the team's options under center, because I guess it never occurred to the front office to find a better backup to a QB who missed at least four games in each of the first three NFL seasons he actually played in, before finally working a full schedule in 2023. I mean, how much better would Miami look if Jameis Winston was the guy chucking balls to Tyreek Hill? Anyway, no matter who's running the offense, it'll be a huge downgrade for the passing game. Hill's still capable of making his own magic, but Jaylen Waddle could be in big trouble. The Fish will have to lean more heavily on De'Von Achane, who despite averaging more than 100 scrimmage yards a game has just 3.5 yards a carry. I'm not sure how much more they can squeeze out of that stone. Getting Raheem Mostert back would definitely help a transition to a more run-focused offense (as would putting former Lamar Jackson understudy Huntley in at QB). Heck, Mike McDaniel might just rotate through all four of his backs, including Jaylen Wright and Jeff Wilson, and send them in waves. 31 personnel? Why not? He's just kooky enough to do it.

Key Info

TEN injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
MIA injuries: QB Tua Tagovailoa (IR, concussion), QB Skylar Thompson (questionable, ribs), RB Raheem Mostert (questionable, chest), EDGE Bradley Chubb (PUP, knee), LB David Long (questionable, hamstring)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
TEN DFS targets: Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley
MIA DFS targets: De'Von Achane

TEN DFS fades: none
MIA DFS fades: Braxton Berrios, Jonnu Smith

Weather notes: 5-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Pollard puts together 90 yards. Levis throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Ridley, and only tosses one INT. Progress! Achane leads the MIA backfield with 80 combined yards and a TD. Huntley starts and throws for less than 200 yards. Titans 13-7

Seattle (+3.5) at Detroit, o/u 47.0 – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Suddenly, the Seahawks are undefeated and have a two-game lead on the pack in the NFC West. It's a long season, and they don't have an especially easy early schedule, but given how new coach Mike Macdonald has the team playing, they might not give up that lead any time soon. Geno Smith was a little careless with the ball last week, but he could afford to be against a toothless Dolphins squad, and he's completed at least 72.0 percent of his passes in every game. That accuracy has mostly been directed toward DK Metcalf (back-to-back games with 100-plus yards and a TD) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who popped in Week 2 between two quiet efforts. Tyler Lockett has yet to do much, and while he's been a little banged up, a steep drop in his aDOT (8.8, two yards less than 2023) could be a sign the 31-year-old has finally lost a step. Kenneth Walker had a big Week 1 as the lead back then got hurt, but that's been part of the job description in Seattle for years now. Zach Charbonnet is coming off a huge Week 3 (107 scrimmage yards, two rushing TDs) against Miami, so OC Ryan Grubb might use a true timeshare once Walker's healthy. Macdonald's defense has posted stellar numbers — second in QB rating against, tied for fifth in sacks, and first in yards per play allowed at 3.9 — but the list of QBs the team has had to deal with is scraping the bottom of the barrel (Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett and the Skylar Thompson/Tim Boyle duo), so Monday will be the unit's first real test.

The Lions nearly put together a 3-0 start too, but they gave a win away late against the Bucs in Week 2. Jared Goff's had a bumpy beginning to the campaign, throwing more INTs (four) than TDs (three) with a 6.8 YPA that's his lowest since 2021. All those numbers could look even worse too — he had a pick-six wiped out last week late in the first half because the refs ruled the two-minute warning hit before Detroit got the snap off, and that drive ended with what proved to be the game-winning TD over the Cardinals. The miscues have held the offense back, but only a little — David Montgomery's still hit pay dirt in every contest, while Jahmyr Gibbs has topped 100 scrimmage yards in consecutive games, and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams have taken turns tormenting DBs. The one player who's been AWOL is Sam LaPorta, who only has 10 targets and hasn't yet reached 50 yards in a game or scored a TD. Once Goff straightens himself out, though, there should be some production available for the second-year TE as well. Perhaps more importantly for the Lions' long-term outlook, the defense seems to have taken a step forward. Detroit's fourth in yards per carry allowed, right around its 2023 performance, but it's a solid 10th in QB rating against and has as many INTs (three) as TD passes allowed. This is a unit that had a 28:16 TD:INT last year en route to finishing 21st in QB rating against. If the secondary continues to hold up, and the offense finds its groove, the Lions are still on track to be one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl for the very first time in franchise history — their last title was in the pre-Super Bowl era.

Key Info

SEA injuries: RB Kenneth Walker (questionable, oblique), TE Noah Fant (questionable, toe), EDGE Boye Mafe (questionable, knee), LB Jerome Baker (questionable, hamstring), LB Tyrel Dodson (questionable, shoulder) 
DET injuries: S Brian Branch (questionable, concussion)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
SEA DFS targets: none
DET DFS targets: none

SEA DFS fades: none
DET DFS fades: Jared Goff, David Montgomery/Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Charbonnet starts and gets held to 50 yards. Smith throws for 280 yards and three TDs, hitting Metcalf (who tops 100 yards) twice and JSN once. Gibbs leads the DET backfield with 70 scrimmage yards and a score, while Montgomery also punches in a touchdown. Goff throws for 240 yards. Seahawks 30-20

EARLY SUNDAY

New Orleans (+1.5) at Atlanta, o/u 42.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

OK, maybe Klint Kubiak's scheme isn't invincible. After erupting for 91 points in their first two games, the Saints got held in check last week by an Eagles defense that is, to put it charitably, a work in progress. Philly made sure to take away the deep ball — Rashid Shaheed failed to bring in any of his five targets — and Derek Carr struggled to generate offense consistently any other way. Alvin Kamara still piled up 127 scrimmage yards, though, and New Orleans took a 12-7 lead on a Chris Olave TD with little more than two minutes left in the fourth quarter, only for the team's defense to forget to cover Dallas Goedert on 3rd-and-16 on the Eagles' last-gasp possession. (It's understandable; he only had nine catches for 109 yards at that point.) It's tough not to connect the offensive swoon with injuries along the O-line, as center Erik McCoy suffered a groin injury in the first quarter that has now landed him on IR, while right guard Cesar Ruiz came out of the game nursing a knee injury. The Saints have an experienced backup at center in Lucas Patrick, but McCoy is a big loss, and the "this year's Dolphins!" narrative could slip away quickly if the offense can't adjust. New Orleans has done well in this NFC South rivalry, winning 10 of the last 13 meetings — including four of the last five in Atlanta.

The Falcons have had a fairly brutal schedule to start the season, so 1-2 isn't a terrible outcome. All three games have been decided by one score, and the two losses were to teams that remain undefeated in Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Then again, Atlanta probably should have lost the one they won too, so you can't hand-wave away their issues. Kirk Cousins has completed 69.0 percent of his passes in back-to-back games, which is nice, but he's also thrown three INTs in three games and has put the ball on the carpet three times, though the Falcons recovered all three. New OC Zac Robinson has won over fantasy GMs by giving Bijan Robinson a true bell-cow workload, but that hasn't actually resulted in massive production yet. The passing game has also been somehow both narrow, and frustratingly spread out — five players have 12-19 targets and  8-14 receptions, but the rest of the roster combined has only two catches on three targets. Raheem Morris' defense has been stout, keeping both Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts to 22 points or less, but it hasn't produced many impact plays (two takeaways, bottom eight in the league, and only three sacks, 31st.) That would be fine if the offense were cooking, but Cousins might need somebody like Drake London to emerge as a true No. 1 wideout for that to happen. The Falcons also have their own injury concerns in the trenches, as starting center Drew Dalman suffered an ankle injury last week that has landed him on IR as well, while right tackle Kaleb McGary couldn't finish the loss to Kansas City due to a knee injury.

Key Info

NO injuries: RB Alvin Kamara (questionable, ribs), RB Kendre Miller (IR, hamstring), WR Chris Olave (questionable, hamstring), LB Demario Davis (out, hamstring)
ATL injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries

DFS Lineup Optimizer
NO DFS targets: Rashid Shaheed
ATL DFS targets: Kyle Pitts

NO DFS fades: none
ATL DFS fades: Drake London, Falcons DST

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Kamara gains 80 combined yards and a score. Carr throws for 240 yards and two TDs, both to Shaheed. Robinson grinds out 60 scrimmage yards. Cousins throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Pitts. Saints 24-13

Cincinnati at Carolina (+4.5), o/u 48.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

There are already only three winless teams left in the parity-rific NFL this season, and somehow the Bengals are one of them. It's not even like they've had a particularly tough early schedule —  sure, losing to the defending Super Bowl champs isn't a black mark, but giving games away to the Patriots and Commanders sure is. You can't blame Joe Burrow for this one, either. Dude has a 70.9 percent completion rate and a 5:0 TD:INT, even though Mike Gesicki and Andrei Iosivas have been among his top targets. Ja'Marr Chase got going last week too, erupting for a 6-118-2 line after two quiet performances to start the year. Tee Higgins made his season debut last week, so he should hopefully be back in form soon as well. No, the main issue is a defense that can't seem to slow  anybody. Cincy's in the bottom seven in both rushing yards per game allowed (142.3 a week) and QB rating against (102.0), even though the QBs they've faced have included Jacoby Brissett and Jayden Daniels. Did I mention the Bengals let Daniels set a single-game NFL record for completion percentage by a rookie with his 21-for-23 showing last week? Any time you're playing as poorly as the Washington defense, you know something's wrong, and neither unit managed a stop last week in the entire game. The only full drive that failed to produce points came on a 48-yard missed field goal early in the second quarter by Evan McPherson. Lou Anarumo's defense were toreadors all afternoon. All the offseason contract drama is keeping eyes on Chase and Higgins, but it's the other side of the ball that needs to get its act together, and fast, before this season slips away completely.

One of my go-to gags just about every year in this column is to call back to the time J.J. Watt called Andy Dalton a Red Ryder BB Gun, both because it was a great line and because Dalton reacted like it was the most obscene thing he'd ever heard. Well, it might be time for Watt (and me) to formally apologize. The 36-year-old got a soft matchup last week for his first start, but Dalton still carved up the Raiders' secondary like a Christmas turkey duck, somehow becoming the first QB this season to top 300 passing yards with three touchdowns in the same game. Now, he gets a chance at a revenge game against a team he hasn't played for since 2019, which you'd think would take the venom out of it a little bit. Because this is the Panthers, the good vibes from last week's win didn't last long. Adam Thielen suffered a hamstring injury on his first-half TD catch, which will force one of the kid wideouts, Xavier Legette or Jonathan Mingo, to step up along side Diontae Johnson. The Carolina defense looked a little more competent against Gardner Minshew too, but Minshew's no Burrow.

Key Info

CIN injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
CAR injuries: RB Jonathon Brooks (NFI, knee), WR Diontae Johnson (questionable, groin), WR Adam Thielen (IR, hamstring), EDGE D.J. Wonnum (PUP, quadriceps)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
CIN DFS targets: Zack Moss, Tee Higgins
CAR DFS targets: Diontae Johnson

CIN DFS fades: none
CAR DFS fades: Xavier Legette

Weather notes: 10-20 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Moss bangs out 90 combined yards and two TDs, one rushing and one receiving. Burrow throws for 320 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Higgins (who tops 100 yards) and Erick All. Chuba Hubbard gains 70 yards and a score. Dalton throws for 260 yards and a TD to Johnson, while Raheem Blackshear returns a kickoff to the house. Bengals 31-21

L.A. Rams (+3) at Chicago, o/u 41.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

I watched the end of that Rams-49ers clash, and I'm still not sure how the Rams pulled it off. No Cooper Kupp, no Puka Nacua ... no problem. Matthew Stafford can still drop balls over Tutu Atwell's shoulder for 50-yard gains with the game on the line. With the two top wideouts sidelined, though, this is completely Kyren Williams' offense. He's scored five of the team's six offensive TDs and has almost a quarter of the team's yards. He also averages 3.0 yards per carry, though, a huge drop from last year's 5.0 YPC, and while Sean McVay's scheme spreads the field enough that teams can't fully stack the box against him, defenses still know he's coming. Until Stafford has more reliable targets at his disposal, the whole Rams offense feels like a house of cards waiting for a light breeze to blow it up. Meanwhile, the undermanned defense has done its best, but it's still given up at least 24 points in every game so far and is dead last in the league in yards per play allowed at 6.8.

The Bears were on the other end of a "wait, how was that the final score?" result last week in Indianapolis. Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze both had breakout performances, but the defense couldn't contain Jonathan Taylor, and that was that. Chicago's 1-2, but it's a somewhat encouraging 1-2, especially if what Williams showed was legit. He made a few signature incredible escapes, and as his comfort level and accuracy improve, he still has some chance of putting together a C.J. Stroud-like rookie campaign. He's also been sacked 13 times in his first three games, and the Bears' downright terrible offensive line has not only made those wild escapes necessary, it's left D'Andre Swift with a mind-bogglingly bad 1.8 yards per carry. Right guard Ryan Bates will be back eventually, but the team is still waiting for right tackle Darnell Wright, the 10th overall pick in the 2023 draft, to take the next step forward, and the rest of the unit is a mess. Matt Eberflus' defense has kept them competitive, but the offense's ceiling is capped by that O-line.

Key Info

LAR injuries: WR Cooper Kupp (out, ankle), WR Puka Nacua (IR, knee), TE Tyler Higbee (PUP, knee)
CHI injuries: WR Keenan Allen (questionable, heel)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
LAR DFS targets: Colby Parkinson
CHI DFS targets: Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet

LAR DFS fades: Tyler Johnson
CHI DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 10-15 mph wind, 30-40 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Kyren gains 80 scrimmage yards. Stafford throws for 250 yards and a touchdown to Demarcus Robinson. Swift manages 70 yards and a score. Caleb throws for 260 yards and two TDs, finding Odunze and DJ Moore. Bears 27-16

Minnesota (+2.5) at Green Bay, o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

There are only two undefeated teams left in the NFC, and they are quarterbacked by Sam Darnold and Geno Smith. I mean, sure. Why not? The Vikings' rout of the Giants in their opener didn't really prove much, but since then they've downed the 49ers and Texans, so it's not like they've had a cushy schedule. This is their first true divisional test, though, and being able to navigate an NFC North that doesn't look like it'll have any pushovers this season will be crucial. Darnold's connected with Justin Jefferson for a TD every game, which isn't surprising, but he's also done the same with Jalen Nailor, which definitely is. Nailor, a sixth-round pick in 2022, is already two catches short of his career-high nine. The revenge-game narrative will focus on Aaron Jones, who's had a strong start to his Minnesota tenure and has churned out 5.4 yards per carry, his highest since 2020. Really, though, this has been Darnold's show. The third overall pick in the 2018 draft finally has a good support system in place after Adam Gase and Matt Rhule nearly ruined him, and he's coming out firing with a 67.9 percent completion rate, 8.4 YPA and 8:2 TD:INT. Darnold's only 27, too — he's potentially got a long and productive career still ahead of him, and a huge offseason payday, if this early season turnaround is for real. Oh, and he's put up those numbers without T.J. Hockenson, and with Jordan Addison only on the field for about two quarters. Good as the offense has been, though, DC Brian Flores' defense has been even better. Tied for third in takeaways, first in sacks, second in PPG allowed.

After giving away their opener in Brazil to the Eagles and then losing Jordan Love to what, at the time, seemed like it might be a serious knee injury, the Packers looked like they were in big trouble. No worries — Malik Willis to the rescue! The former Titan hasn't been a prolific passer in his two starts, topping out at 19 attempts last week, but he's been shockingly efficient — 75.8 percent completion rate, 9.8 YPA and zero turnovers against two TD passes. He's also added 114 yards and a score on the ground. If Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell is the front-runner for Coach of the Year before the calendar has even flipped to October, Matt LaFleur is a strong 1B choice. Josh Jacobs has had a couple of good yardage games as Jones' replacement in the Packers' backfield, but curiously he has yet to get into the end zone. The defense has had Willis' back, holding its last two opponents to 14 points or fewer, but Anthony Richardson and Will Levis weren't exactly chucking it around like Pro Bowlers. Love could be back this week, and if he's fully healthy it would provide a big lift to the passing game — he attempted more passes in his one game than Willis has in his two. If he's not ready, though, I'm not sure the formula LaFleur has concocted in his absence will work a third time.

Key Info

MIN injuries: TE T.J. Hockenson (PUP, knee), LB Ivan Pace (out, ankle)
GB injuries: QB Jordan Love (questionable, knee), RB MarShawn Lloyd (IR, ankle), TE Luke Musgrave (questionable, quadriceps)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
MIN DFS targets: Vikings DST
GB DFS targets: none

MIN DFS fades: none
GB DFS fades: Malik Willis/Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed

Weather notes: 10-15 mph wind, 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Jones erupts for 130 combined yards and two TDs. Darnold throws for 260 yards and two scores, finding Jefferson and Johnny Mundt. Jacobs collects 70 yards and a touchdown. Willis starts again and throws for under 200 yards, but he does run in a score of his own. Vikings 31-20

Jacksonville (+7) at Houston, o/u 45.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

It's easy to say Doug Pederson is on the hot seat, but Shahid Khan let Urban Meyer coach 13 games before firing him, so I'm inclined to think Pederson will make it to the end of the year no matter how bad things get. The Jaguars might be doing everything they can to get him kicked to the curb, though. The offense has been brutal — its high-water mark is 17 points — and while the defense held up through the first two weeks, last week's collapse against the Bills certainly looked like a team on the verge of quitting. Buffalo scored a TD on every possession in the first half, finally letting up to "only" kick a field goal the first time it got the ball in the third quarter. There are few silver linings anywhere. Trevor Lawrence has yet to complete 60 percent of his passes in a game; Gabe Davis looks like an over-priced No. 3 wideout; both starting tackles are playing through knee issues. Travis Etienne does have a nice 4.6 YPC, but he's only getting about 15 touches a game. It's really going to be on Lawrence to turn the offense around. On the other side of the ball, Travon Walker had two sacks in the opener but has been quiet since, while Josh Hines-Allen, blessings be upon him for changing his name, hasn't made an impact either. The linebacking corps is also banged up. Jacksonville seems stuck in a dark tunnel, and there isn't much of a glimmer of light at the end of it yet, other than maybe their recent success in Houston, as the Jags have won the last two meetings in NRG Stadium. Then again, those are their only wins in the rivalry since 2017 ...

The Texans are still on top of the AFC South after failing to show up against the Vikings last week, and they can probably afford a few more stinkers along the way and still cruise to a division title. C.J. Stroud hasn't gotten going yet as the offense adjusts to its offseason additions, but at some point you know an explosion is coming. This might well be the week — the Jags are 28th in QB rating against and 30th in passing yards per game allowed, and no team has given up more total yards after catch, something Nico Collins is pretty good at (his 6.9 YAC/reception last year was fourth among WRs last year, behind Deebo Samuel, Rashee Rice and Khalil Shakir.) Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce are still on the mend, which could put Cam Akers at the top of the backfield again, but that would just encourage Stroud to air it out more. The Texans' defense is also fourth in sacks with 13, despite the fact that Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter have combined for just 4.0. Did I mention that neither of Jacksonville's starting tackles is 100 percent healthy?

Key Info

JAC injuries: WR Gabe Davis (questionable, shoulder), TE Evan Engram (out, hamstring), LB Foyesade Oluokun (doubtful, foot), LB Devin Lloyd (questionable, knee)
HOU injuries: RB Joe Mixon (questionable, ankle), RB Dameon Pierce (out, hamstring), WR Tank Dell (out, chest), EDGE Denico Autry (out, suspension), LB Christian Harris (IR, calf)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
JAC DFS targets: Brian Thomas
HOU DFS targets: C.J. Stroud, Stefon Diggs, Texans DST

JAC DFS fades: Travis Etienne, Evan Engram/Brenton Strange, Jaguars DST
HOU DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Etienne gets held to 50 yards but get into the end zone. Lawrence throws for 210 yards and a touchdown to Thomas but gets sacked five times and picked off twice, one of which is taken to the house by Derek Stingley. Akers ekes out just 40 yards. Stroud throws for 340 yards and four TDs, two to Diggs and one each to Collins (who tops 100 yards) and Dare Ogunbowale. Texans 35-17

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis (+2), o/u 40.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The undefeated Steelers haven't blown anyone away in 2024, but they also don't seem to have been really challenged yet, taking care of business against the Falcons, Broncos and Chargers and exposing the flaws in each. Justin Fields would be the year's most inspirational comeback story if it weren't for Sam Darnold, and he's looked like a completely different guy than the one who got chased out of Chicago. While he hasn't thrown for big volume and surprisingly hasn't run as much as expected — just 90 yards and a TD through three games — his 73.3 percent completion rate and only one turnover is exactly what Mike Tomlin wants to see from him. Russell Wilson is inching closer to getting healthy, but I have a hard time imagining he'll bump Fields aside unless the latter suddenly falls on his face or gets hurt. It's been a very low-ceiling offense — both Najee Harris and George Pickens are look for their first touchdowns of the year — but when the defense doesn't give up more than 10 points a game, you don't need much offense. T.J. Watt has a sack a game, and the unit is top seven in both yards per play allowed and takeaways, which is a pretty solid combo. It's Steelers football is almost its purest form.

The Colts' mobile QB also hasn't run as much as expected, but Anthony Richardson's start to the season hasn't been the same rousing success Fields' has been. The occasional deep completions to Alec Pierce are nice, but a 49.3 percent completion rate is beyond unacceptable in the modern game. Heck, it would have been bad in 1974. Indy somehow won last week over Chicago, but only because Jonathan Taylor put the team on his back and carried it. He's topped 100 rushing yards in back-to-back games and has three TDs in three weeks, but now he's facing the only defense in the league that has yet to give up a rushing TD. The Colts' defense has been stingy the last two weeks against Malik Willis and Caleb Williams, which is probably good practice for facing Fields, but if Richardson keeps giving away the ball — six picks — little else is going to matter.

Key Info

PIT injuries: QB Russell Wilson (questionable, calf), RB Jaylen Warren (out, knee), EDGE Alex Highsmith (out, groin), LB Cole Holcomb (PUP, knee)
IND injuries: DT DeForest Buckner (IR, ankle)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
PIT DFS targets: Steelers DST
IND DFS targets: none

PIT DFS fades: none
IND DFS fades: Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Harris grinds out 60 yards. Fields throws for 220 yards and two scores, finding Pickens and Cordarrelle Patterson. Taylor gets held to 70 yards, but does bang in a TD. Richardson throws for under 200 yards and gets picked off twice more. Steelers 23-13

Denver (+7.5) at N.Y. Jets, o/u 38.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

After two really rough performances to begin his career, Bo Nix looked more like an NFL-caliber quarterback in last week's upset of the Bucs. He still didn't throw a touchdown, but a 69.4 percent completion rate and zero INTs is a huge improvement. He also ran in his second score of the season, but all that's really done is frustrate those with Javonte Williams shares. Poor Javonte. Because Nix can't/isn't allowed to stretch the field yet, defenses simply crowd the line of scrimmage, and he's faced stacked boxes an impossible 54.17 percent of the time so far, per Next Gen Stats. (Second place in that stat is Jordan Mason at 38.81 percent. Since the category started being tracked in 2018, the highest mark recorded over a full season is 46.62 percent, which D'Onta Foreman had to deal with as a Titan in 2021 as Derrick Henry's backup/replacement, and on only 133 carries.) With neither the ground game nor the passing game producing much, that's left Denver with a very narrow path to victory. The secondary at least was back in its usual stellar form against Baker Mayfield, but that will only get them so far, and Alex Singleton was just lost for the season with an ACL tear.

I've seen this game referred to as the Nathaniel Hackett Bowl, but here's the thing. Hackett deserves every bad thing said about his Broncos tenure as head coach, by Sean Payton or anyone else. He was truly awful. Also, what has he actually done as Jets OC to suggest he's found some sort of redemption? He's Aaron Rodgers' sidekick, basically, and without Rodgers in 2023, New York's offense was atrocious. Then again, Rodgers is just petty enough to want to run up the score on the Broncos if he can, just to prove some kind of point or other. The 40-year-old hasn't been great in his return from an Achilles tear, but he looked a lot sharper last week, and the rust could be coming off. Allen Lazard somehow has been on the other end of three of his five passing TDs, but Garrett Wilson is itching for a big game and Mike Williams might be heading for one of those rare windows in which he's fully healthy. Breece Hall has also been weirdly ineffective and rookie Braelon Allen has cut into his volume, but again I have to point out that Hackett is not good at his job. Robert Saleh is good at his, though, at least the part that involves directing the defense. Shutting down the Titans and Patriots isn't a huge achievement, but Nix doesn't offer any more of a threat than Will Levis or Jacoby Brissett do.

Key Info

DEN injuries: RB Audric Estime (IR, ankle), LB Alex Singleton (IR, knee)
NYJ injuries: EDGE Haason Reddick (out, stubbornness), LB C.J. Mosley (questionable, toe)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
DEN DFS targets: none
NYJ DFS targets: Jets DST

DEN DFS fades: none
NYJ DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 9-10 mph wind, 15-25 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Javonte bangs out 50 yards and a TD. Nix throws for less than 200 yards and gets picked off twice. Hall racks up 90 combined yards and a score. Rodgers throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns, finding MWilliams and Tyler Conklin. Jets 27-13

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay (+2.5), o/u 45.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Nobody in the NFC East has looked great, but the Eagles might be nominally the favorites to take the division. All three of their games have been decided by touchdowns scored in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, and the last two game-winning scores came in the last two minutes, so at the very least Philly is delivering excitement, if not consistency. Jalen Hurts has a career-high 70.6 percent completion rate, but more INTs than passing TDs and just one rushing touchdown. That he's been productive at all through the air is a bit of a miracle considering A.J. Brown's only played one game, and now DeVonta Smith will miss Sunday's contest. Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert carried the load in the win over the Saints, but the tight end probably isn't posting a 10-170-0 line again any time soon (at least not in a single game). It's the defense that really needs to step up, though. They stifled New Orleans last week, but the Eagles are near the bottom of the league in sacks, takeaways and yards per play allowed even after that performance. Darius Slay is beginning to show his age, and while rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have potential, they aren't there yet.

The Buccaneers are also 2-1, but they got caught looking past the Broncos last week. I don't think you can chalk the loss up to anything else. Tampa's receiving corps is in better shape than Philly's, but both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are banged up, and Baker Mayfield doesn't have the other options Hurts can turn to when his top targets aren't in top form. Rachaad White is increasingly looking like a guy who shouldn't be leading a backfield. His YPC has cratered at 2.1, and he's losing volume to rookie Bucky Irving, though the latter's now nursing a hamstring strain too. Like a lot of teams this week, the Bucs have two injured starting offensive tackles, though both Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke could be in the lineup Sunday. The defense is last in sacks, but somehow hasn't given up a passing TD yet and is sixth in yards per attempt allowed — though games against rookie QBs Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix definitely helped. The days of this being an elite run defense are long gone, too. The NFC South seems like a three-horse race, but the Bucs may have bigger weaknesses to overcome than the Saints or Falcons, even if Mayfield proves his 2023 wasn't a fluke.

Key Info

PHI injuries: WR A.J. Brown (questionable, hamstring), WR DeVonta Smith (out, concussion), WR Britain Covey (IR, shoulder)
TB injuries: RB Bucky Irving (questionable, hamstring), WR Mike Evans (questionable, knee), WR Chris Godwin (questionable, neck), WR Jalen McMillan (doubtful, hamstring), S Antoine Winfield (out, foot)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
PHI DFS targets: Saquon Barkley
TB DFS targets: Bucky Irving/Rachaad White, Mike Evans

PHI DFS fades: none
TB DFS fades: Cade Otton

Weather notes: 50-60 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Barkley stars again, piling up 130 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Hurts throws for 240 yards and a second score to Brown. Irving leads the TB backfield with 80 yards and a TD. Mayfield throws for 260 yards and a touchdown to Evans. Eagles 24-20

LATE SUNDAY

Washington (+3.5) at Arizona, o/u 50.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Commanders are (double-checks notes) 2-1 after upsetting the Bengals in Cincinnati. Neither team's defense showed up, which made it a level playing field for Washington. Jayden Daniels was outstanding, setting an NFL rookie record with a 91.3 percent completion rate in the game, and they weren't just check-downs and bubble screens. He dropped a perfect pass to Terry McLaurin into the back corner of the end zone for the game-winning score — a completion that went in the books as a 27-yard TD but really had about 40 air yards under it, and it was thrown with an unblocked Geno Stone right in Daniels' face. Considering the circumstances, it's probably the best throw any NFL quarterback has made to date this season — yes, better than that absurd Anthony Richardson heave from Week 1. Kliff Kingsbury may have flamed out as a head coach, but he seems to have built an offense around Daniels that plays to the kid's strengths. The scheme is also working out for Brian Robinson, who has a career-high 4.6 YPC as defenses have more to worry about. Dan Quinn's defense, on the other hand, is a work in progress and is probably at least one more offseason away from being anything close to the aggressive unit he had in Dallas. The Commanders have a combined five sacks and takeaways this season, which has been, like, a good half for a team like the Vikings, and they're neck and neck with the Rams for having the worst secondary in the league. The over figures to be a popular play in Washington games this year.

Speaking of Kingsbury, his old team certainly doesn't miss him. The Cardinals may be 1-2, but it's a feisty 1-2, and their two losses were by a single score. Last week's loss to the Lions was never really close, though, as the offense went ice cold in the second half and the defense couldn't get a stop when it needed one. Kyler Murray's had one good passing game (in the win over the Rams ... hmm) and two mediocre ones, but he's been healthy, which is the most important thing. Marvin Harrison doesn't have Malik Nabers' numbers, but he's had more competition for targets, and three TDs in the last two games is nothing to sneeze at. That might change this week, though, as Trey McBride's sidelined, which puts the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft in position to see massive volume against one of the most vulnerable group of DBs in the NFL. James Conner got held out of the end zone last week, and he seems headed for a season much like 2021, when he wasn't particularly efficient but just kept hitting pay dirt. The Cards' defense hasn't been as bad as the opposition's, but it's 30th in QB rating against.

Key Info

WAS injuries: RB Austin Ekeler (out, concussion)
ARI injuries: WR Marvin Harrison (questionable, quadriceps), WR Zay Jones (out, suspension), TE Trey McBride (out, concussion)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
WAS DFS targets: Jayden Daniels, Luke McCaffrey
ARI DFS targets: Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison, Greg Dortch

WAS DFS fades: Commanders DST
ARI DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Robinson rumbles for 100 combined yards and a score. Daniels throws for 260 yards and two TDs, finding McLaurin and McCaffrey, while also running in a touchdown of his own. Conner collects 80 yards and a TD. Murray throws for 280 yards and three touchdowns, two to Harrison (who tops 100 yards) and one to Dortch, and he also runs for one as well. Cardinals 41-31

New England (+10.5) at San Francisco, o/u 39.5
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

Since stealing a win from the Bengals in their opener, the Patriots have increasingly looked like a team that's playing for draft position while they wait for the coaching staff to decide when it's time for new franchise QB Drake Maye to make his debut. (I'm already dreading the Maye Day headlines.) The offense under Jacoby Brissett just has no juice. The veteran QB hasn't even reached 150 passing yards in a game yet, and while it's great that he hasn't committed a turnover, the extra possessions aren't worth much if they're three-and-outs. Brissett's 5.3 yards per attempt has him down in the league's basement with two rookies who at least look like they have a future (Bo Nix and Caleb Williams), one guy who's already been benched (Bryce Young) and one guy who probably can't be benched because of his contract (Deshaun Watson). That Rhamondre Stevenson has been productive at all is a minor miracle, but defenses are going to increasingly stack the box against him, knowing that Brissett can't beat them. New England's defense hasn't been great, but if the offense didn't seem like something out of the 1960s, it would probably be good enough. The worry, of course, is that Maye will get killed behind this offensive line, whereas Brissett is at least smart enough and has the survival instincts necessary to get rid of the ball quickly.

The Niners have lost two games in a row, and in very different fashions. In Week 2, they got ambushed by the Vikings, and then Brock Purdy couldn't solve Brian Flores' defense to engineer a comeback. Last week, they seemingly had it in the bag with about 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter thanks to what looked like it was going to be called the Jauan Jennings Game in team lore, up 10 against a Rams team missing its two most dangerous receivers, and Matthew Stafford somehow pulled it out anyway. Super Bowl hangover, or just bad luck? San Francisco was also missing plenty of talent on the offensive side, and add one George Kittle or Deebo Samuel (or, dare I say, Christian McCaffrey) to the mix last week, and it's probably a different outcome. Jordan Mason's done exactly what almost every other replacement back in a Kyle Shanahan offense has done, and the only things that might slow Mason down would be if Shanahan decides he wants to see if rookie Isaac Guerendo can be even better. There's really nothing wrong with the 49ers that getting healthier won't fix, but it could be a while before all the key pieces are back that are coming back — and who knows who might break down between now and then.

Key Info

NE injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
SF injuries: RB Christian McCaffrey (IR, Achilles), WR Deebo Samuel (questionable, calf), WR Ricky Pearsall (NFI, chest), LB Dre Greenlaw (PUP, Achilles)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
NE DFS targets: Ja'Lynn Polk
SF DFS targets: Ronnie Bell

NE DFS fades: none
SF DFS fades: none

Weather notes: no weather concerns

The Scoop

Stevenson manages 60 yards and a score. Brissett throws for less than 200 yards. Mason gains 100 yards and a touchdown. Purdy throws for 270 yards and three TDs, hitting Brandon Aiyuk, Bell and Kittle. Fred Warner also scoops up a DeMario Douglas fumble and returns it to the house. 49ers 35-10

Kansas City at L.A. Chargers (+7.5), o/u 39.5
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

The defending champs are sitting pretty in the AFC West, starting the season 3-0 and with only a Chargers team held together by athletic tape and chewing gum within a game of them already. Kansas City's done just enough to get by, winning all three games by a single score and still not looking like the offensive juggernaut we all remember, but which increasingly looks like it might not be coming back — even if Kareem Hunt has. Patrick Mahomes has already been picked off four times — last year's 14 in 16 regular-season games was his career high — and his 7.2 YPA is a long way from his heyday, even if it comes with a career-high 69.6 percent completion rate. Rashee Rice has been his only consistently dangerous downfield option. Rookie Xavier Worthy doesn't seem to have earned regular touches yet despite his Week 1 performance, while Travis Kelce has been bafflingly quiet. It's not just that he's not producing, it's that Mahomes isn't even throwing the ball his way. Kelce's seen five or fewer targets in three consecutive games. That's the first time that's happened since 2014, when he wasn't even starting regularly. He's 34, so maybe he's just fallen off that cliff that awaits every great player, but I've also watched plenty of KC's games this year, and I've seen him open. For now, I'm chalking this up to it being a case of Mahomes thinking ahead and trying to build chemistry with the wideouts, knowing he can go back to Kelce at any time. If you want to read anything more into it, and feel a need to try and figure out who the Yoko is in this scenario, that's on you.

Jim Harbaugh's Chargers come limping into this one at 2-1, but wins over the Raiders and Panthers barely seem to count now. They did their best last week against the Steelers, but there were just too many injuries all over the roster, especially along the offensive line. Justin Herbert is playing through a high-ankle sprain somehow, but after aggravating it last week, it might be time for the training staff or coaches or someone to step in and sit him down for his own safety. The run-heavy scheme installed by Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman hasn't asked him to do too much, and he's only been sacked four times, but after he got knocked out of last week's game, Pittsburgh brought down Taylor Heinicke three times in two possessions. J.K. Dobbins also fell back to earth, but the Steelers' defense can do that to any RB. Quentin Johnston also caught his third TD in two games against Pittsburgh, which is more than he had all season in 2023 as a rookie, but he's not seeing big target volume — no one is in Roman's offense — so it's tough to tell if he's becoming Herbert's new go-to guy, or was just in the right place at the right time.

Key Info

KC injuries: RB Isiah Pacheco (IR, lower leg), RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (NFI, illness)
LAC injuries: QB Justin Herbert (questionable, ankle), WR DJ Chark (IR, hip), TE Hayden Hurst (questionable, Achilles), EDGE Joey Bosa (questionable, hip), S Derwin James (out, suspension)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
KC DFS targets: Xavier Worthy
LAC DFS targets: none

KC DFS fades: Patrick Mahomes, Samaje Perine
LAC DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Carson Steele leads the KC backfield with 60 yards and a TD. Mahomes throws for 240 yards and two scores, finding Worthy and (finally) Kelce. Dobbins picks up 90 yards and a touchdown. Herbert gamely starts again, throwing for less than 200 yards and a TD to Will Dissly. Kansas City 24-20

Cleveland (+1) at Las Vegas, o/u 37.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

How long are the Browns going to wait for Deshaun Watson to show up? They're 1-2 and chasing a Steelers teams that's started 3-0, and you know the Ravens and Bengals will be better than their combined 1-5 record. Watson's been absolutely terrible, completing 57.8 percent of his passes with a 4.8 YPA, and he has just as many total TDs as turnovers (four). The Browns are one of the many teams with major injury issues along the offensive line, but that excuse doesn't come close to covering Watson's performance. Jameis Winston has his own issues protecting the ball, of course, but at least he's still capable of stretching the field. It's not for lack of trying — Watson's actually fifth in the league in total intended air yards, but his completed air yards per attempt of just 2.7 is in Bo Nix/Jacoby Brissett territory. With that element of the offense gone, and Nick Chubb not yet ready to return, the offense has stagnated. Watson and Amari Cooper did connect for two TDs last week, which is something at least. Kevin Stefanski and OC Ken Dorsey have also been reluctant to lean too heavily on Jerome Ford in the backfield — despite his 5.0 YPC, he hasn't seen more than 12 carries in a game yet. Those struggles have put more pressure on the defense than it could maybe handle. Cleveland's faced Jacksonville and the Giants, and it's still outside the top 10 in most key defensive stats. If they aren't going to take care of business against opponents like that, the Browns could be headed for a long season.

They get another crack at an "opponent like that" in Week 4, though. The Raiders are in full Chaos Crew mode after last week's frankly embarrassing loss to the Panthers. Yeah, Andy Dalton, yadda yadda yadda. Vegas played terribly, to the point that coach Antonio Pierce suggested some guys were making "business decisions" — i.e., they were more worried about getting hurt than playing hard, which definitely doesn't mesh with Pierce's idea of what the Raider Way is. Gardner Minshew got benched late but he's keeping the starting job for now over Aidan O'Connell. This won't be the best week for Minshew to prove he deserves to hang onto it, though. Davante Adams won't suit up, leaving the Raiders with a somewhat motley collection of wideouts for him to throw to. He's also working behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Cleveland's O-line is bad right now too, but at least it has quality players who will rejoin it eventually, which is more than you can say for Vegas' unit. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers has looked good, but asking him to carry the load in his fourth NFL game might be a bit much. Maxx Crosby will also probably miss the game, stripping the defense of its one impact player. It's as likely as not they'll still pull it off — this is a team that upset the Ravens two weeks ago, after all — but the whole vibe of the club isn't good. I could probably work up a joke about black clouds and silver linings here, but honestly, the team that took the field against Carolina isn't worth the effort.

Key Info

CLE injuries: RB Nick Chubb (PUP, knee), RB Pierre Strong (out, hamstring), RB Nyheim Hines (NFI, knee), TE David Njoku (out, ankle), LB Jordan Hicks (questionable, ribs)
LV injuries: WR Davante Adams (out, hamstring), TE Michael Mayer (out, personal), EDGE Maxx Crosby (doubtful, ankle), LB Divine Deablo (out, oblique)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
CLE DFS targets: Jerome Ford, Jordan Akins
LV DFS targets: none

CLE DFS fades: Jerry Jeudy
LV DFS fades: none

Weather notes: indoors

The Scoop

Ford produces 70 yards and a TD. Watson throws for less than 200 yards. Zamir White ekes out 40 yards. Minshew gets picked off twice in the first half and benched again, but O'Connell throws touchdowns to Bowers and Jakobi Meyers to lead an improbable comeback. Raiders 17-13

SUNDAY NIGHT

Buffalo (+2.5) at Baltimore, o/u 46.5 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

Are the Bills the best team in the NFL? Sure seems like it. They're undefeated, they have the best point differential at plus-64, and the only team that's come close to hanging with them is the Cardinals. Josh Allen and company have rolled up more than 30 points in every game, while the defense has held consecutive opponents to 10 points, though the current iteration of the Jags, and a Dolphins team that lost Tua Tagovailoa midway through the game, were hardly fair fights. Allen's the runaway September MVP regardless of what happens this weekend, though. A 75.0 percent completion rate, 7:0 TD:INT, 8.8 YPA, and two rushing TDs added in just for fun. None of his supporting cast have exactly stepped up other than James Cook, but he hasn't needed them to ... yet. I'm still not sold on the defense, either — see previous note about the quality of the Bills' recent competition — but statistically the unit is second in yards per play allowed, fourth in QB rating against, tied for third in takeaways and tied for fifth in sacks. The run defense could be better, but nobody's had much of a chance to attack it. Buffalo's never had trouble winning regular-season games under Sean McDermott, of course. The Bills have just never gotten over the hump in the playoffs, so in a sense nothing they do now really moves the needle, no matter how impressive they look. Get back to me in January.

If anybody's going to exploit that run defense, it'll be the Ravens. While Baltimore's only 1-2, last week's win over the Cowboys certainly felt like a get-right game. Derrick Henry ran roughshod over Dallas, at least temporarily erasing the memory of that late collapse against Las Vegas, and the Ravens now lead the league in both yards per carry and yards per carry allowed. Lamar Jackson has been good, but aside from that Isaiah Likely eruption in Week 1, none of his targets have really stood out. Mark Andrews may have been pushed off milk cartons by Travis Kelce, but he's actually been even less productive, managing a goose egg on just one target against the Cowboys. Andrews is also only 29 and should still have a few good seasons left, so the sudden collapse in his numbers is even stranger. The Ravens have a tough schedule ahead — after this, they get the increasingly desperate Bengals in Cincy, the upstart Commanders, the dangerous Buccaneers in Tampa Bay and the shrug emoji Browns (who could have Nick Chubb back by Week 8) — so they may not be able to afford to give away any more games the way they did in Week 2.

Key Info

BUF injuries: LB Terrel Bernard (out, pectoral)
BAL injuries: RB Keaton Mitchell (PUP, knee)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
BUF DFS targets: Khalil Shakir
BAL DFS targets: Justice Hill

BUF DFS fades: none
BAL DFS fades: none

Weather notes: 45-55 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Cook amasses 120 combined yards and a touchdown. Allen throws for 290 yards and two scores, finding Shakir and Dalton Kincaid while also running in a TD. Henry thunders for 130 yards and a touchdown, while Hill adds a receiving score. Jackson throws for 250 yards and chips in 50 on the ground. Bills 34-23

THURSDAY NIGHT

Dallas at N.Y. Giants (+5.5), o/u 45.0 – Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Woof. Has a team ever crashed that hard, and that quickly? After humbling the Browns in Cleveland in their season opener, the Cowboys were themselves humbled in consecutive home games, and last week's loss to the Ravens wasn't as close as the final score made it seem — Dak Prescott just piled up some points and yards in the fourth quarter after the game was out of hand. The Dallas passing game is a little off, but the main issues for the team are that they can't run the ball and can't stop the run. Having Jerry Jones say he couldn't afford Derrick Henry after the dude rang up 151 yards and two TDs was fairly hilarious, considering that's only true because he mismanaged negotiations will both Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, and their deals didn't get done until Henry was long off the market. Neither Rico Dowdle nor Ezekiel Elliott should be heading a backfield in 2024, and I'm not even sure they are quality RB2s. (I was also willing to give Dalvin Cook another chance, but if he doesn't look better than those two in practice, he must truly be washed.) Henry's rampage comes one week after Alvin Kamara's four-score stunner, and now DC Mike Zimmer's crew has a short week to try to figure out what's gone wrong. There's too much talent on the roster to keep playing this badly, and lost in the noise of those back-to-back train wrecks has been some intriguing developments — Jalen Tolbert seems like he's about to become the new No. 2 wideout behind Lamb, for instance — but it's also possible that the Cowboys, as currently constructed, simply aren't a real contender.

Fortunately for them, Devin Singletary isn't Derrick Henry or Alvin Kamara, and the Giants definitely aren't contenders. Yeah, they beat the Browns too last week, as Daniel Jones began to realize it was dumb to throw the ball to anyone but Malik Nabers, but that result owed a lot more to Cleveland's own offensive struggles than it did anything Big Blue accomplished on its own. Here are the results of the Giants' seven full second-half possessions last week while trying to protect a lead: fumble, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, missed field goal after starting the drive on the Cleveland 29-yard line. Five of those drives took less than 70 seconds off the game clock. They were basically begging the Browns to come back and win the game, and Deshaun Watson refused. DC Shane Bowen's unit hasn't been completely terrible — the Giants are tied for second in sacks with 14 — but even with that pressure, the secondary's given up a combined 70 percent completion rate to Sam Darnold, Jayden Daniels and Watson. Then there's the little matter of the fact that the Cowboys just own them. Since the 2017 season, Dallas has gone 13-1 in this rivalry, including three straight season sweeps.

Key Info

DAL injuries: no fantasy-relevant injuries
NYG injuries: WR Darius Slayton (questionable, thumb), K Graham Gano (IR, hamstring)

DFS Lineup Optimizer
DAL DFS targets: Jake Ferguson
NYG DFS targets: Devin Singletary

DAL DFS fades: none
NYG DFS fades: Wan'Dale Robinson

Weather notes: 40-50 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Elliott leads the DAL backfield with 60 yards, but Dowdle catches a touchdown pass. Prescott throws for 310 yards and two more TDs, hitting Ferguson and Lamb. Singletary churns out 80 scrimmage yards and a score. Jones throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to Nabers. Cowboys 27-20

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erik Siegrist
Erik Siegrist is an FSWA award-winning columnist who covers all four major North American sports (that means the NHL, not NASCAR) and whose beat extends back to the days when the Nationals were the Expos and the Thunder were the Sonics. He was the inaugural champion of Rotowire's Staff Keeper baseball league. His work has also appeared at Baseball Prospectus.
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