Fantasy Football is back! If you are reading this you are probably very happy about that. There is a lot going on with the advent of the season starting and I have been trying to keep up while also trying to write up the Money Makers and Heart Breakers for Week 1.
I am not going to tell you to play anyone that is blatantly obvious here. In the future I might add a place where there are guys you should be playing whether I have them in here or not. If you have Patrick Mahomes, play him (unless I have him as a Heart Breaker). Christian McCaffrey, yes you probably want him in your line up as well, without me having to tell you to plug him in.
Here is a brief definition of each of my terms for anyone that might be new:
Money Maker – This player will perform well this week and perform better than expectations
Heart Breaker – These players will not have a good week
Quarterbacks
💰 Money Makers
Matt Ryan – Ryan has a full set of weapons in Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Haden Hurst and Todd Gurley. The Seahawks will present a difficult match up defensively, but I expect this game to be pretty high scoring. Ryan will have to throw the ball and he will, over and over. Due to game script, the Falcons will run a lot of plays, allowing Ryan to throw a lot and his weapons are incredible.
Ben Roethlisberger – Big Ben looks healthy, he also has a nice set of weapons to throw to with Juju, Diontae Johnson, Ebron, and a healthy RB in Conner. The Giants defense was bottom of the barrel last season and not pose much of a threat Week 1. The Steelers offense should have their way and Roethlisberger could throw for three touchdowns in a blowout.
Jared Goff – Week 1 has the Rams against the Cowboys. The Cowboys have an amazing offense so I am sure Dak Prescott will also have a great week. But the Rams have a pretty good offense as well. My prediction is that Woods and Kupp will perform well in Week 1, as they will be peppered with targets in an attempt to keep pace with the Cowboys high octane offense. The Rams offense will rebound this season with three healthy running backs. Look for the Rams to run more 12 Personnel which will keep both tight ends active in the passing game. This has the looks of a shootout to me.
Other quarterbacks I like in Week 1: Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Carson Wentz.
💔 Heart Breakers
Daniel Jones – The Steelers defense may be the best in football for 2020. That is real football and fantasy football. Danny Dimes is still a young quarterback and while I like him a lot for this season, his first 4 weeks will be very difficult, starting with Week 1. The Steelers pass defense has been lights out since Minkah Fitzpatrick joined the team midseason last year and they will be better this year. Expect a tough day for Danny in the kickoff weekend.
Kyler Murray – K1 gets to start the season with an amazing addition of Deandre Hopkins at wide receiver. But he also gets to start the season against the 49ers defense. He had up and down showings against this defense last season so temper expectations. Although Murray threw for 2 touchdowns in each game last year, I expect this to be a low scoring game.
Joe Burrow – The rookie gets to open up against the Chargers. Gus Bradley is a tremendous defensive coordinator and will gameplan around limiting the rookie’s effectiveness in his first career start. With Bosa, James and Murray lined up on the other side, Burrow will see constant pressure and a variety of defensive looks. It will be tough going for a rookie QB against one of the best defenses in the league. I expect more Mixon and less Burrow for the Bengals to keep this game close.
Running Backs
💰 Money Makers
Austin Ekeler – Melvin Gordon is gone. so this is the Ekeler show now. It looks like Ekeler will be the centerpiece of this offense and against this Bengals defense that is a good thing. In Week 1, we should look for Ekeler to get it done on the ground and through the air. Although with the departure of Rivers there may be fewer check downs to him. Remember though that the Bengals gave up the most yards on the ground in 2019.
David Johnson – The Texans tend to give their running backs lots of touches. Last season Johnson had 5 touchdowns in the first 6 weeks. He was not amazing but he was producing. The Texans have two Johnsons and you should expect the Texans to use both. They will run a lot of 21 personnel, which is both Duke Johnson and David Johnson on the field at the same time. David will be used in both passing and running. The volume will give him production. Chalk was telling you this already in Unlock the Chalk.
Boston Scott (& Miles Sanders) – The Washington Football Team is pretty bad, they were also very bad against the run last season. Sanders has been dinged up a bit in the preseason, he will be ready for week 1. I expect the Eagles to run him and give him some rest with Scott. Scott had 7 receptions in week 9 against the Washington team last season. I think he surprisingly plays a solid role Week 1. Sanders should be a dominant player Week 1 as well.
Other running backs I really like this week are Joe Mixon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire & Darrell Williams, Josh Jacobs and Chris Carson.
💔 Heart Breakers
Antonio Gibson – Or whoever is starting for Washington at running back. No, the answer is NO. DO not play them in your lineup and please do not plug them in in DFS. I would not risk anything on Gibson or any Washington RB in Week 1. Sit them all.
David Montgomery – Dinged up pretty bad in the preseason is not good news for week 1. He is expected to start and to play at this point and time, I would avoid this based solely on his preseason injury.
Jacksonville Running Backs – Even if the sign Devonta Freeman for Week 1! This just stinks of the frunk guy at the end of the night looking for a girl. Don’t do it, no one is this desperate Week 1.
Wide Receivers
💰 Money Makers
Tyler Lockett – I like both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in Week 1. Their quarterback is awesome, they are in a dome and will be playing in a shootout. This should be a nice showcase of both passing offenses. Don’t be afraid to start these guys in DFS.
Allen Robinson – ARob was an absolute target monster for Chicago last year. With the running game in question as David Montgomery is dinged up, expect the passing game to be source of yards and points for the Bears. He had 154 targets last season, in two games against Detroit last season he had 21 targets in total, 14 receptions, 172 total yards and a TD. I would expect a big game with the lack of a ground game Week 1.
Marquise Brown – Started the season well last year. The Browns defense is not so good. Brown has made an effort to put on muscle in the offseason, the Ravens want to get him involved more with deep passes and out-breaking routes. Week 1 look for the Ravens to attempt to get Broan more involved in this offense.
Other wide receivers I like for Week 1 – Robert Woods, Will Fuller, Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper.
💔 Heart Breakers
Darius Slayton – Week 1 brings in the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. The Steelers are amazing against the pass. I am expecting Slayton to struggle this week as the entire Giants passing game should have issues producing against this defense (See Daniel Jones above).
T.Y. Hilton – Hilton was a little up and down last season, I expect him to be a little down week 1. I do like Rivers as his quarterback now and I think it will help Hilton on the season, but not so much Week 1. With rainy weather outdoors, I expect Rivers to pass more to the slot (Paris Campbell) and to his running backs, Taylor and Mack…. and a player to be named in the next section.
NOTE: For all you people getting upset about this. I like both players this season and you are probably playing Hilton. Don’t expect fireworks from either in Week 1.
Tight Ends Week 15
💰 Money Makers
Hayden Hurst – The Falcons offense has been passing to the tight end the past few seasons, the week 1 matchup looks like a shootout. Hurst will pick up where Hooper left off. Look for Hurst to be involved in this passing attack and to be productive in week 1.
Tyler Higbee – Once the Rams started playing the 12 personnel, Higbee started producing. So with the offense running on two tight ends and the potential for a shoot out with the Cowboys there should be plenty of passes to go around. Expect Higbee to continue to be productive as the 202 season begins
Jack Doyle – The Undroppables are HIGH on Doyle. Randal Kennedy wrote about on Doyle in Jack Doyle Rules. Rivers likes to throw to the TE as seen in his years with Gates and Henry back in San Diego. The expectation here is that between the offense, the QB and his own skill set a healthy Doyle will be back to his 2017 form and 80 catches are on the horizon. A great DFS play this week.
Other tight ends I like this week – George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Darren Waller.
💔 Heart Breakers
Hunter Henry – With the change at quarterback and the emergence of Ekeler. I simply don’t seem to be all that jazzed up for Henry this season. A solid play typically but right now I don’t know what to expect so that makes him a Heart Breaker for me. Not worth the risk.
Austin Hooper – The Browns have a new offense and are playing against a good Baltimore defense. I am looking elsewhere this week as I am still uncertain with the connection between Baker and his new tight end. At the moment, I see Hooper as the fourth option in the passing game here behind Landry, Beckham and Hunt.
