As always on Saturday, I'm going to walk through the biggest fantasy angle I'm focusing on for each Sunday team. These angles represent buying or selling opportunities--at least from my perspective. To all the newer folks on this page, I compete in a fantasy league just like you. My goal is to be as transparent as possible, highlighting my thought process as I strategize on how to improve my team.
Saints vs. Vikings -- Remember to set your lineup early, because this is the first London game of the season. For the Saints, is Alvin Kamara still elite? At some point, we might wonder whether an RB with 210 career collge carries can still dominate after nearly 1,000 NFL carries--and coming off a career-high 240-carry season. I'm currently buying low. And the same question for Dalvin Cook and his injured shoulder. This week I tried to trade for him and Alexander Mattison (two different opponents). Just as with the past three years, I can't envision rostering one without the other.
Falcons vs. Browns -- Cordarrelle Patterson is either sell high or hold. His 6.2 YPC is entirely unsustainable; I can't stress that enough. At the same time, he's caught only four passes after reeling in 52 last season. To head off a likely regression, he'll need to get more involved in the passing game. And is David Njoku a weekly streamer? We know his breakouts can be huge. But are his floors still low?
Cowboys vs. Commanders -- The likely return of Michael Gallup creates a challenge for me, and maybe for some of you. I drafted him and CeeDee Lamb. It makes me a little anxious. Will they cancel each other out in a weak passing attack (before Dak returns)? And Antonio Gibson is running out of time to maintain his tenuous grip on the starting RB job, particularly when Brian Robinson returns. He never profiled as a starting RB out of college, but was thrown into it out of necessity (and because he's incredibly talented). But I don't think he can remain "the guy" for much longer.
Lions vs. Seahawks -- D.J. Chark is also running out of time. Amon-Ra St. Brown is sidelined and Jameson William remains weeks away from his debut. Chark looked solid in 2020 an early last season before getting hurt. If he doesn't produce like a #1 WR against Seattle tomorrow, he might actually be droppable in 10-team leagues when St. Brown returns. And who will lead the Seahawks' backfield? As always (since late last season), I've been on the DeeJay Dallas bandwagon, which I realize has been a longshot. Let's see what happens Sunday.
Colts vs. Titans -- I traded away Nyheim Hines this week. It made sense for me an my opponent. And yet, I feel a little regret knowing he was the overall RB15 two years ago. The upside is there, if only the team commits to him. And are any Titan WRs trustworthy as streamers? I don't see how Ryan Tannehill can support more than one any given week.
Giants vs. Bears -- Richie James, David Sills, and Daniel Bellinger. Welcome to the 2022 Giants receiving corps. But we're missing one more piece in Week 4. Will Kenny Golladay or Darius Slayton step up? I strongly believe we'll see more activity from one of them. A win tomorrow could position the Giants for a 6-4 record through Week 11 (thanks to a somewhat friendly schedule). I think they'll want to see more from two receivers with great histories and nothing more to lose. For Chicago, is Darnell Mooney destined for a 200-yard season? Of course not. In 14-team leagues, I'd happily trade pennies on the dollar for the Bears' #1 receiver, even if he's only a top-45 WR by season's end.
Eagles vs. Jaguars -- The only question I have concerns a backfield still led by Miles Sanders, and supported by Kenneth Gainwell. Boston Scott is out. Could Gainwell get more work? And for Jacksonville, if Trevor Lawrence fares well today, he'll be on the rest-of-season top-10 QB radar. This is a huge test for him and this team. As someone starting the Eagles D/ST, I hope he falters. But as a football fan, I hope he crushes it.
Steelers vs. Jets -- Can Mitch Trubisky keep his job? Similar to Detroit's Chark, Trubisky has to exceed expectations tomorrow while winning. Otherwise, there's no point keeping Kenny Pickett on the bench if this team's going nowhere in 2022. And will Zach Wilson elevate his offense, or detract from it? He was hit-or-miss in last year's partial rookie season. He's still somewhat of a rookie, for all intents a purposes, and I'm concerned that he'll play like one in Pittsburgh.
Ravens vs. Bills -- The game of the week, with the loser falling to 2-2. I want to see what J.K. Dobbins does, and whether Justice Hill outplays him. This is a fascinating battle for those of us who never bought into Dobbins having a significant fantasy impact this season. And for Buffalo, are we on the verge of a true three-headed backfield? James Cook's usage in the passing game would cap Devin Singletary's weekly ceiling, and Zack Moss's improved play really muddies this situation.
Texans vs. Chargers -- Is Dameon Pierce a weekly fantasy starter? Presumably yes, but it also hinges on his target share. And can Austin Ekeler get going on the ground? As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm trying (in vain) to buy low.
Panthers vs. Cardinals -- D'Onta Foreman could be the biggest waiver add next week. Why not today? It seemed clear this summer that Christian McCaffrey was unlikely to play all 17 games. At some point I wrote that 14 would be optimistic. While he should be out there tomorrow, Foreman needs to be rostered, and he could get more work than usual Sunday. For Arizona, is James Conner a top-14 RB? Doesn't look like it so far. Then again, Arizona's offense hasn't clicked consistently. No doubt, I'm concerned about Conner.
Packers vs. Patriots -- So is Romeo Doubs officially Aaron Rodgers' #1 WR, or will this be a week-by-week thing? Before you answer, consider how many "good" receivers are in this corps. Overcommitting to Doubs as the #1 after one great game (and of course, a great preseason) seems a bit risky to me, especially in a run-friendly offense. Speaking of run-friendly, has Rhamondre Stevenson passed Damien Harris as the 1A? If not, will he?
Raiders vs. Broncos -- Darren Waller dominated two years ago when his stiffest competition for targets included Nelson Agholor and a pre-prime Hunter Renfrow. What can we realistically expect from Waller with Davante Adams (and an ascending Mack Hollins?) on the field? And when will Russell Wilson get going? I've sort of tried to trade for him--not committing entirely, but showing sincere interest. Still, no one knows whether he can return to greatness, or if 14-17 fantasy points is his new normal.
Buccaneers vs. Chiefs -- Real simple: will Tom Brady dominate? His receivers are mostly back (or maybe all back, depending on news later today). He's facing a beatable KC pass defense. No excuses. Either he's still a weekly fantasy starter, or he's officially risky. And how much can we trust Clyde Edwards-Helaire? Great YPC. 12-for-12 on catches. But is 11 touches per game enough? He seems sell-high to me.
Saints vs. Vikings -- Remember to set your lineup early, because this is the first London game of the season. For the Saints, is Alvin Kamara still elite? At some point, we might wonder whether an RB with 210 career collge carries can still dominate after nearly 1,000 NFL carries--and coming off a career-high 240-carry season. I'm currently buying low. And the same question for Dalvin Cook and his injured shoulder. This week I tried to trade for him and Alexander Mattison (two different opponents). Just as with the past three years, I can't envision rostering one without the other.
Falcons vs. Browns -- Cordarrelle Patterson is either sell high or hold. His 6.2 YPC is entirely unsustainable; I can't stress that enough. At the same time, he's caught only four passes after reeling in 52 last season. To head off a likely regression, he'll need to get more involved in the passing game. And is David Njoku a weekly streamer? We know his breakouts can be huge. But are his floors still low?
Cowboys vs. Commanders -- The likely return of Michael Gallup creates a challenge for me, and maybe for some of you. I drafted him and CeeDee Lamb. It makes me a little anxious. Will they cancel each other out in a weak passing attack (before Dak returns)? And Antonio Gibson is running out of time to maintain his tenuous grip on the starting RB job, particularly when Brian Robinson returns. He never profiled as a starting RB out of college, but was thrown into it out of necessity (and because he's incredibly talented). But I don't think he can remain "the guy" for much longer.
Lions vs. Seahawks -- D.J. Chark is also running out of time. Amon-Ra St. Brown is sidelined and Jameson William remains weeks away from his debut. Chark looked solid in 2020 an early last season before getting hurt. If he doesn't produce like a #1 WR against Seattle tomorrow, he might actually be droppable in 10-team leagues when St. Brown returns. And who will lead the Seahawks' backfield? As always (since late last season), I've been on the DeeJay Dallas bandwagon, which I realize has been a longshot. Let's see what happens Sunday.
Colts vs. Titans -- I traded away Nyheim Hines this week. It made sense for me an my opponent. And yet, I feel a little regret knowing he was the overall RB15 two years ago. The upside is there, if only the team commits to him. And are any Titan WRs trustworthy as streamers? I don't see how Ryan Tannehill can support more than one any given week.
Giants vs. Bears -- Richie James, David Sills, and Daniel Bellinger. Welcome to the 2022 Giants receiving corps. But we're missing one more piece in Week 4. Will Kenny Golladay or Darius Slayton step up? I strongly believe we'll see more activity from one of them. A win tomorrow could position the Giants for a 6-4 record through Week 11 (thanks to a somewhat friendly schedule). I think they'll want to see more from two receivers with great histories and nothing more to lose. For Chicago, is Darnell Mooney destined for a 200-yard season? Of course not. In 14-team leagues, I'd happily trade pennies on the dollar for the Bears' #1 receiver, even if he's only a top-45 WR by season's end.
Eagles vs. Jaguars -- The only question I have concerns a backfield still led by Miles Sanders, and supported by Kenneth Gainwell. Boston Scott is out. Could Gainwell get more work? And for Jacksonville, if Trevor Lawrence fares well today, he'll be on the rest-of-season top-10 QB radar. This is a huge test for him and this team. As someone starting the Eagles D/ST, I hope he falters. But as a football fan, I hope he crushes it.
Steelers vs. Jets -- Can Mitch Trubisky keep his job? Similar to Detroit's Chark, Trubisky has to exceed expectations tomorrow while winning. Otherwise, there's no point keeping Kenny Pickett on the bench if this team's going nowhere in 2022. And will Zach Wilson elevate his offense, or detract from it? He was hit-or-miss in last year's partial rookie season. He's still somewhat of a rookie, for all intents a purposes, and I'm concerned that he'll play like one in Pittsburgh.
Ravens vs. Bills -- The game of the week, with the loser falling to 2-2. I want to see what J.K. Dobbins does, and whether Justice Hill outplays him. This is a fascinating battle for those of us who never bought into Dobbins having a significant fantasy impact this season. And for Buffalo, are we on the verge of a true three-headed backfield? James Cook's usage in the passing game would cap Devin Singletary's weekly ceiling, and Zack Moss's improved play really muddies this situation.
Texans vs. Chargers -- Is Dameon Pierce a weekly fantasy starter? Presumably yes, but it also hinges on his target share. And can Austin Ekeler get going on the ground? As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm trying (in vain) to buy low.
Panthers vs. Cardinals -- D'Onta Foreman could be the biggest waiver add next week. Why not today? It seemed clear this summer that Christian McCaffrey was unlikely to play all 17 games. At some point I wrote that 14 would be optimistic. While he should be out there tomorrow, Foreman needs to be rostered, and he could get more work than usual Sunday. For Arizona, is James Conner a top-14 RB? Doesn't look like it so far. Then again, Arizona's offense hasn't clicked consistently. No doubt, I'm concerned about Conner.
Packers vs. Patriots -- So is Romeo Doubs officially Aaron Rodgers' #1 WR, or will this be a week-by-week thing? Before you answer, consider how many "good" receivers are in this corps. Overcommitting to Doubs as the #1 after one great game (and of course, a great preseason) seems a bit risky to me, especially in a run-friendly offense. Speaking of run-friendly, has Rhamondre Stevenson passed Damien Harris as the 1A? If not, will he?
Raiders vs. Broncos -- Darren Waller dominated two years ago when his stiffest competition for targets included Nelson Agholor and a pre-prime Hunter Renfrow. What can we realistically expect from Waller with Davante Adams (and an ascending Mack Hollins?) on the field? And when will Russell Wilson get going? I've sort of tried to trade for him--not committing entirely, but showing sincere interest. Still, no one knows whether he can return to greatness, or if 14-17 fantasy points is his new normal.
Buccaneers vs. Chiefs -- Real simple: will Tom Brady dominate? His receivers are mostly back (or maybe all back, depending on news later today). He's facing a beatable KC pass defense. No excuses. Either he's still a weekly fantasy starter, or he's officially risky. And how much can we trust Clyde Edwards-Helaire? Great YPC. 12-for-12 on catches. But is 11 touches per game enough? He seems sell-high to me.