TABLE OF CONTENTS. Fantasy Sharks VIP Weekly Report September 7, rd Edition, Volume 1 FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE GARY DAVENPORT THOMAS CASALE

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1 VIP Weekly Report September 7, rd Edition, Volume 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE GARY DAVENPORT THE RED ZONE THOMAS CASALE THE DAILY PLANET TODD COLBURN ASSUME THE POSITION BILL AQUAVIVA FLEX APPEAL MICHAEL NEASE THE BLITZ WALTON SPURLIN GAME CAPSULES MATT WILSON CRYSTAL BALL RANKINGS FANTASY SHARKS

2 Weekly Report Page 2 SECTION I-ARTICLES The Fantasy Stock Exchange By Gary Davenport FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE: Week 1 It is time. After months of hard work, grueling workouts and agonizing preparation, the day has finally come to go to battle. I m speaking, of course, of the Thunderdome that is fantasy football. The hard work of repeated mouse clicks, grueling workouts of lifting magazines and agonizing preparation of waiting anxiously to draft a player only to see him taken the pick before yours. Did you think I meant something else? Those guys running gassers in 90 degree heat have it easy. Buncha creampuffs. Kidding aside, it s Week 1 of the NFL season. On Thursday night 2016 will begin just as 2015 ended with the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos playing in primetime. With that game begins another season of fantasy football, and team owners far and wide are putting the finishing touches on their teams, whether it s a last-minute free agent add or just getting that first week s starting lineup set. In any event, it s vitally important for fantasy owners to stay abreast of the latest injury news and the fallout from the last set of cuts. This year that included the release of a former fantasy stud (sort of) and a blockbuster trade involving the luckiest quarterback who ever sucked. With that in mind, here s a look at some fantasy options heading into Week 1 who have seen their value spike (or plummet) as the preseason wound down. STOCK UP: Dak Prescott QB, Dallas Cowboys Of all the unexpected Week 1 starters under center, Prescott is the name that should most interest fantasy owners. Mind you, this isn t to say that the rookie from Mississippi State is a guy we d rush into the starting lineup in most leagues, even after a scintillating preseason. After all, the next regular season pass he attempts will be the first, and beating second-stringers running vanilla schemes is different than facing exotic blitz packages Prescott has never seen. However, in 2QB formats it s worth taking into consideration that Prescott faces four straight teams to open the season that were in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks last year including an opening day tilt with a New York Giants team that allowed approximately all the yards ever though the air in 2015.

3 Weekly Report Page 3 STOCK DOWN: Sam Bradford QB, Minnesota Vikings I m starting to think Sam Bradford s a warlock. He s made upwards of $100 million being a belowaverage, injury-prone quarterback since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2010, and now a third team has somehow convinced themselves that he s the answer. This time it s the panicked Minnesota Vikings, who sent a first-round pick to Philly for Bradford after Teddy Bridgewater tore up his knee. Now, if you were counting on Bradford as anything more than a meh backup or QB2 then your fantasy team already had some serious issues. But as the new guy for perhaps the most run-heavy team in the NFL in 2016, Bradford s already minimal fantasy value decreased even more. He s now the fantasy football equivalent of MySpace stock. STOCK UP: Spencer Ware RB, Kansas City Chiefs There hasn t been bigger fantasy news over the past couple weeks than the reports that Jamaal Charles might not be nearly as ready as we thought for the start of the 2016 season. In fact, per BJ Kissel of the Chiefs website, it doesn t appear Charles will play at all in Week 1. "I think it's a stretch for him to play on Sunday, Reid said. Owners who spent a second-round pick on Charles this summer are kicking off 2016 with a good old fashioned panic attack unless they handcuffed Spencer Ware as insurance. Ware s a viable RB2 this week against a San Diego Chargers defense that allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs in As to Charles, it goes without saying that um, yeah. Not good. STOCK DOWN: Christine Michael RB, Seattle Seahawks As Bleacher Report s Sean Tomlinson wrote, Michael s stellar preseason play has given the team a good problem to have from an NFL standpoint. Michael's awakening, Tomlinson wrote, has given the Seahawks insurance in case (Thomas) Rawls struggles upon his return or if his violent running style results in further injury. However, the problem for fantasy owners who scooped up the preseason darling is much different. According to head coach Pete Carroll, Rawls is healthy and will play in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins. That means Michael s days as the team s lead back may be over before they start, and even if he is early on there s no guarantee things will stay that way. STOCK UP: Rashad Jennings RB, New York Giants Despite his nominal status as the lead back for the Giants entering the 2016 season, Rashad Jennings didn t get much love from fantasy drafters who envisioned a committee attack over the summer. However, it looks like the Giants had something else in mind, and while he ll lose third down work to Shane Vereen Jennings status as the main early-down back appears secure.

4 Weekly Report Page 4 As Chris Murray of Today s Pigskin wrote, Jennings is confident he can handle a heavy workload. I m here to help this team, it s not about me, I m just a piece of the puzzle, Jennings said. But whenever my name is called, you know what you re going to get out of me and you saw that the last four games (2015). Over that four-game stretch, Jennings was a top-five fantasy RB in PPR formats. STOCK DOWN: Dez Bryant WR, Dallas Cowboys This isn t a harbinger of absolute doom. The earth is not going to split asunder and swallow Dez Bryant s fantasy value whole. The seventh-year veteran remains a weekly fantasy starter in all formats. However, no matter how you slice it Bryant s fantasy value was not helped when Tony Romo crumpled to the ground in the preseason. John Halpin of FOX Sports dropped Bryant to the back of WR1 territory. Bryant's fantasy value takes a hit, Halpin said, as he moves down a handful of spots to WR12. Prescott will feed Bryant as much as possible, but bumps in the road should be expected. If you spend a second-round pick on Bryant, you'll be crossing your fingers for a midseason Romo return. My ranking for Bryant seems right, but I can't say I'm not a bit nervous about it. STOCK UP: Kenny Stills WR, Miami Dolphins Heading into the summer, DeVante Parker was a trendy breakout pick of many fantasy pundits, this writer included. Well, things haven t gone as planned. Just as with early in his rookie year Parker can t seem to stay on the field, and it s been Kenny Stills who has emerged as Ryan Tannehill s No. 2 target in the passing game behind Jarvis Landry. You can count Jeffrey Lee Colavecchio of Fantasy Pros among those who have taken notice. I must admit, he said, I thought I had Stills pinned as strictly a deep threat. Just another WR who cannot master the entire route tree. Off-season practices with Ryan Tannehill seem to have paid off, though, as Stills is getting separation from defenders and catching almost everything thrown his way. With a much more aggressive offensive play-caller at the helm, Stills is the guy who is benefiting most. STOCK DOWN: Emmanuel Sanders WR, Denver Broncos According to Aaron Blauer of Fantasy Pros, the Trevor Siemian era could portend trouble for Sanders in Sanders is a talented player, Blauer said, but it's fair to wonder what kind of production he will see in the Broncos' new-look offense. Sanders hasn't finished worse than the WR18 in his first two seasons as a Bronco, but even that seems outside of his possible range of outcomes this season. He should still be a serviceable WR3, but there are other guys around his ADP that present greater upside. I agree wholeheartedly. Much the same can be said about Demaryius Thomas, but the fact is Siemian has targeted Thomas much more heavily in the preseason, and we ve seen DT post big numbers with a

5 Weekly Report Page 5 poo-poo platter at quarterback (see Tebow, Tim). Counting on a third straight top 20 season from Sanders is asking for trouble the best case right now is a big Week 1 fantasy owners could use as an opportunity to sell high. STOCK UP: Vance McDonald TE, San Francisco 49ers Back in July, Jacob Gibbs of NumberFire pegged McDonald as a potential breakout tight end in The news from Niners camp this offseason has been nothing but positive so far, Gibbs said. Draft and stash him early so you don't have to try to beat the rush if he bursts onto the scene like Barnidge did in Week 3 last year. The news has gotten even better since. Not only was McDonald targeted early and often by Blaine Gabbert in the preseason, but the Niners other underneath target in the passing game (Bruce Ellington) landed on injured reserve. At this point it wouldn t be at all surprising if McDonald leads San Francisco in both targets and receptions in STOCK DOWN: Jimmy Graham TE, Seattle Seahawks Sometimes you just have to know when to say when. Jimmy Graham was a fantasy monster back in In 2013 he was even better, ranking No.1 among all tight ends by a huge margin. Since then, however, it s been a different story. Last year Graham s tenure in Seattle began very slowly, and just as he started to build up a little momentum Graham tore his patellar tendon about the worst injury a football player can suffer. Despite that Graham still came off many fantasy draft boards in 2016 as a low-end TE1, as drafters bought into positive reports from the Emerald City regarding Graham s recovery. Graham s been practicing, but the team kept four tight ends at final cuts and Graham s Week 1 status is uncertain. What s even more uncertain is whether Graham will be anything close to the player he was pre-injury. Victor Cruz tore his patellar tendon in He hasn t played since. Gary Davenport is a Senior Staff Writer at Fantasy Sharks and an NFL and Fantasy Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. A member of the Pro Football Writers of America and Fantasy Sports Writers Association, Gary was the winner of the 2015 FSWA award for Print Article of the Year. You can follow Gary on Top

6 Weekly Report Page 6 The Red Zone: Week 1 Thomas Casale Passing Blake Bortles, Jaguars Bortles had 97 pass attempts in the red zone last season. That tied Aaron Rodgers for the most in the NFL. Bortles attempts may go down a little with the signing of Chris Ivory but he s still going to throw the ball in the red zone. The Jaguars are built as a passing team. With Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Julius Thomas at his disposal don t expect the Jaguars to all of a sudden get conservative in the red zone. Bortles will once again be near the top of the list in red zone attempts and touchdown passes. Tyrod Taylor, Bills Taylor had a strong first season as a starter but one area where fantasy owners would like to see an improvement is in the red zone. Taylor only threw 34 red zone passes that resulted in six touchdowns. The bottom line is when the Bills get near the goal line; they prefer to run the football. Taylor is a fine fantasy quarterback but he misses out on many of the cheap short touchdown passes that guys like Bortles, Tom Brady and Drew Brees rack up throughout the season. It s the difference between being a good fantasy quarterback and an elite one. Sam Bradford, Vikings The Vikings traded for Bradford but don t expect him to be throwing the ball much near the goal line. That s not how Minnesota runs its offense. Last year Teddy Bridgewater attempted 49 red zone passes, converting nine into touchdowns. Looking at Bradford in Philly, he attempted 54 red zone passes, converting 10 into scores. The numbers are almost exact. Look for Bradford to continue to be a game manager and handoff to Adrian Peterson when the Vikings get into the red zone. Rushing Jeremy Langford, Bears There was talk of a running back by committee in Chicago this summer but Langford is clearly the No. 1 option heading into the year. That means a lot of red zone touches. Matt Forte rushed the ball 30 times in the red zone last year and Langford 17 times. Combine those totals and it ties Davonta Freeman for the most red zone rushing attempts in the NFL. With Forte gone, Langford should see around 40 red zone touches this season. Langford also scored six red zone touchdowns in limited actions. That tied him for the fifth most in the league. Given Langford s likely red zone workload and production, he has a chance to destroy his fifth round ADP. Lamar Miller, Texans Miller was one of the most underutilized players in the NFL when he was with the Dolphins. Last year Miller got just 19 red zone rushing attempts, despite scoring six times. There s nothing fantasy owners can do about poor coaching. Miller won t have to beg to get the ball near the goal line in Houston. The Texans are committed to him being their every-down back. Miller will crack double-digit red zone touchdowns this season as long as he stays healthy.

7 Weekly Report Page 7 T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars Yeldon will have a role in the Jaguars backfield but with the addition of Chris Ivory, it won t be at the goal line. Yeldon received 22 red zone carries as a rookie and produced just one touchdown. Ivory got 21 attempts inside the 10-yard line alone last season and scored five times. Yeldon will contribute in the passing game but after only scoring twice and struggling in short yardage situations last year, Ivory will dominate the red zone touches. Receiving - WR Eric Decker, Jets Sometimes touchdown totals are a fluke but Decker has made the end zone his second home. Decker has scored at least 11 touchdowns in three of the last four seasons. One reason Decker scores so often is because he s heavily targeted in the red zone. Last year Decker led the NFL with 28 red zone targets. He converted 10 of those into touchdowns. Decker made up 38.6 percent of the Jets red zone targets. That was more than Brandon Marshall (27.6). Don t look for this trend to change in Decker is an excellent route runner near the goal line and Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey likes to throw the ball in the red zone. Decker will once again be heavily targeted. Mike Evans, Buccaneers Evans is a candidate to see his red zone targets increase this season. After scoring 12 touchdowns as a rookie, Evans found the end zone just three times in One reason for the decline is Evans was a non-factor in the red zone. Evans was targeted just 14 times in the red zone last year and came away with only two receptions. The good news is both of the receptions went for scores but still, those numbers are unacceptable for a 6-5 No. 1 receiver. Evans accounted for 20 percent of the Buccaneers targets inside the 10-yard line last year. Look for Evans to be much more involved near the goal line this season. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins Landry is a target and reception monster but one area where he struggles to produce is in the red zone. Landry finished tied for third in the NFL last year in red zone targets with 22. The problem wasn t volume, it was production. He caught 11 of those targets but only scored three times. That was the lowest percentage of any receiver with at least 20 red zone targets last season. It s easy to say things will even out but in two seasons Landry has 194 receptions and just nine touchdowns. Perhaps a new coaching staff will help change things but the early returns suggest Landry simply isn t a factor in the red zone. Allen Robinson, Jaguars Don t buy into the theory that the Jaguars offense or Robinson s numbers are going to take a dip this year. This guy is a legit Top 5 NFL receiver. Last year Robinson dominated in the red zone. He caught 15 of 22 targets and led the NFL with 12 red zone touchdowns. It s easy to say the Jaguars are going to run the ball more but when you have a stud like Robinson, you feed him. He ll still be a terror in the red zone with another double-digit score season likely. Receiving - TE Jordan Reed, Redskins No player was more efficient in the red zone last season than Reed. He was targeted 21 times inside the 20-yard line. He caught 16 of those targets. He turned 10 of them into

8 Weekly Report Page 8 touchdowns. It s hard to imagine things changing. The Redskins running game is a big question mark entering the season. Reed will once again be Washington s top red zone weapon. Gary Barnidge, Browns Barnidge came out of nowhere last year to lead all tight ends with 23 red zone targets. That number actually ranked second to Decker in the NFL. Barnidge s size will continue to make him a red zone factor but the Browns have significantly upgraded at the receiver position. With Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor all fighting for red zone targets, expect Barnidge s numbers to decline. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks Graham was once arguably the most feared red zone threat in the NFL. Then he got traded to Seattle. Graham was targeted just eight times in the red zone last year. He caught three passes and scored one measly touchdown. For those arguing that Graham got hurt, he did play in 11 games. Those numbers are ridiculous for a guy who used to own defenders on jump balls when he was with the Saints. Graham is now recovering from a torn patellar tendon and he likely won t be ready for Week 1. His days of red zone dominance are over.

9 Weekly Report Page 9 THE DAILY PLANET BY TODD COLBURN The Daily Planet Week 1 By Todd Colburn Are you starting to come down off of that high? Fantasy football draft season is just the BEST, isn t it? But we all sort of get melancholy as it draws to a close and you finish out that last draft. Well good news, sharks you can keep that buzz going with Daily Fantasy Sports! The Daily Planet will direct you to the right players to choose for your daily fantasy leagues each week. In this column, we ll take a look at what Vegas thinks about the upcoming NFL matchups, we ll give you our value picks based on Fantasy Sharks Premium Rankings, as well as offer you my favorite lineups for the week. Let s get started! VEGAS-SOURCING Vegas-sourcing is the term I use for the strategy of using the knowledge of the wise guys to inform your daily fantasy decisions. Each week you ll want to build a base of information around the matchups. Vegas bookmakers have an uncanny ability to project what teams are going to put up on the scoreboard. The over/unders and the spread give you a free look at what the experts think each team is going to produce. So instead of crowdsourcing, we present: Vegas-sourcing. You just extrapolate the projected points scored by a team by looking at the Over/Unders and cross-referencing the spreads. Keep in mind that the numbers all change throughout the week, so don t get too worked up if the line has moved based on what you see below. The takeaway is the same whether Vegas is projecting 28 or 29 points scored by a team at different points throughout the week. High Scorers: Seattle Low Scorers: Chicago 19 Indianapolis Denver 19 Arizona San Diego Pittsburgh Cleveland 18.5 Green Bay Miami Notable: New England Oakland 25 San Francisco 23.5 Many of these numbers aren t too shocking most of the high scorers are familiar with the Top 5 territory. At this point, Vegas (and we) are operating off of last season s memories and the sum total of transactions and preseason tape. It s no wonder then, that some of the high scoring options are the usual suspects from Same goes for the low scoring options. Not a lot of faith in RGIII and the

10 Weekly Report Page 10 new-look Cleveland offense. It s odd to see Denver in the low scorer cohort, but it makes sense when you consider who they re trotting out at QB, as well as their Carolina Week 1 matchup. It s also a little jarring to see New England in the Bottom 10 of point scorers same deal as Denver; combine the QB situation with the Week 1 opponent (Arizona in this case), and you have a recipe for a low-scoring affair. Oakland graces the Top 10 in Week 1, which compels me to really like the underpriced Raider skill players for DFS. Lastly, I m raising my eyebrow at the #12 projected offense, San Francisco. I think Blaine Gabbert & Co. are underrated, but I didn t expect Vegas to look this fondly upon them. I really like Vance McDonald for DFS this week. WEEK 1 VALUE PLAYS DEFENSE: Defense is where I usually like to steal some value. You can usually find some nice inefficiencies in pricing on defense. I will often start my roster construction with defense, looking for the best relative value, with an emphasis on low price. Some weeks, the matchup compels you to take the high-priced options, but I like to spend my money elsewhere. This week, there is a lot of variation between DraftKings and FanDuel with respect to their Top 5 defenses. My preference is to usually avoid the Top 5. My favorite value play this week is Green Bay. They ve got some of the best young linebackers in the league, and I project them to be a Top 5 defense for the season. They draw the kings of garbage time, Jacksonville, as their first matchup. Thought garbage time is scary time for your defense, I really believe Green Bay is going to run the ball and keep it out of Blake Bortles hands. They are only $2800 on DK and $4300 on FD; really nice discounts to the top options. In addition, I like Denver at $4700 on FD only, and Pittsburgh comes in at only $2900 on DK. If you are really looking to punt on defense, consider Tennessee at $2600 on DK and $4100 on FD. Yeah, I know that s frightening. But Tennessee can stack the box to stop Adrian Peterson, and Shaun Hill just won t do enough to make them pay. I think the Titans will keep this score low and come up with a turnover or two. QUARTERBACK: Normally I like to pay up for the best QB options, as they are such a big source of points. This week is no exception, as some of the highest-priced players project to score big this weekend (I m looking at you, Russell Wilson). But if you want to go big at another position, here are some values for you to consider: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Ben Roethlisberger $7800 Ben Roethlisberger $8500 Derek Carr $7300 Derek Carr $7700 Carson Palmer $7100 Marcus Mariota $7500 Marcus Mariota $6400 Eli Manning $7200

11 Weekly Report Page 11 Dak Prescott $5000 Dak Prescott $5000 Quick note for those fairly new to daily fantasy: if you hope to finish high in a really large tournament field, you have to zig while everyone else zags. It s not just having the top guys; it s having the top guys that no one else has. That s one of the reasons I like Derek Carr; flying very much under the radar. I think he has an excellent matchup against a bad Saints secondary. I ll be stacking Raiders in most of my entries. Carson Palmer is priced well on DK if you re not scared off by the New England defense; Eli Manning prices out well on FD (and I m not that nervous about the Dallas defense). They don t come much cheaper than Dak Prescott. I was fairly impressed by this kid s moxie during preseason. He seems unflappable I really think he s got a chance to have a nice start this week. If you re feeling especially charmed, go cheap at QB and load up at WR. RUNNING BACK: Normally, I m looking for value at RB and paying up for top WRs. With so many roles in question, it s hard to justify going to deep into the bargain bin, but here are some guys outside of the top tier to consider: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Eddie Lacy $6700 Eddie Lacy $7100 Mark Ingram $6600 LeSean McCoy $6900 LeSean McCoy $6400 Carlos Hyde $6200 Carlos Hyde $5600 Duke Johnson, Jr. $5600 Spencer Ware $4400 Spencer Ware $5400 Obviously I like Eddie Lacy this week. He s another guy flying under the radar. Yeah, I know he was too fat last year surely you know by now these things work in cycles, right? He s slimmed down, in a contract year, and he s run very well in the preseason. I think he s going to work hard this year for a big contract, and it starts this week. Mark Ingram has a reasonable price on DK this week, while Duke Johnson is a bit more attractive on FD. LeSean McCoy is a good option, especially for DK and their PPR bump. I m a little nervous about Carlos Hyde in the concussion protocol, so if you choose him, be sure to watch closely for clearance at the end of the week. He s priced so well, I m tempted to use him. And finally, there s Spencer Ware. I know this ain t exactly a hot take, but this guy is going to rush for 200 yards this week. He s not-so-secretly the best backup RB in football. I ll have him on every DFS team this week perhaps everyone else will too because of the nice salary. WIDE EIVER: Most weeks, my plan will be to max out the wide receiver position. I ll try to get top guys for their reliability. With one higher-end RB, you might have to find at least one bargain among this position group. Here are some options for Week 1: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary

12 Weekly Report Page 12 Amari Cooper $7200 Amari Cooper $7100 Michael Crabtree $5500 Eric Decker $6900 Tavon Austin $5000 T.Y. Hilton $6800 Tyler Lockett $5000 Tyler Lockett $6200 Willie Snead $4800 Michael Crabtree $6100 There are a lot of good high-end WRs out there, so I don t begrudge anyone for cheaping out in other places and going big at WR. This is a smart play. But some weeks, the pricing just might be such that it makes sense to load up at RB and look for bargains at WR. My favorite bargain this week is Amari Cooper, who is priced outside of the Top 15 in both formats. His matchup against the Saints is tough to beat, if 2015 and this preseason is any indication. For the same reasons, I think a Michael Crabtree owner will profit as well especially on FD. I m very high on Tyler Lockett this season; he scored 5 s in the last half of the season in 2015, and I believe this is his breakout year. Look for him to have a big day against Miami. Lastly, it looks like the trend of completely undervaluing Eric Decker will continue for 2016, at least on FD. I don t know what that guy has to do to impress someone, but look for 75+ yards and a from him in Week 1. TIGHT END: I m going extreme on TE most of the time. Either it s Gronk or Jordan Reed if the numbers work out right (I find multiple bargains at other positions), or I might be punting TE. That said, punting TE doesn t mean you put a can of corn out there. You can get a quality contributor for cheap. Here are some options: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Delanie Walker $4500 Jimmy Graham $6100 Jason Witten $4100 Julius Thomas $5800 Jimmy Graham $3800 Zach Miller $5300 Julius Thomas $3800 Charles Clay $5000 Vance McDonald $3100 Vance McDonald $4700 First things first, I think Delanie Walker is the #4 TE in football, so him getting the 8 th highest price on DK is a one-week phenomenon that will correct itself next week. Don t let the preseason sway you Walker is going to catch 90+ passes again this season. Meanwhile, my favorite bargain-basement priced TE is Vance McDonald. Who is Blaine Gabbert going to throw to this season newly acquired Rod Streater?! I think not. McDonald has a great rapport with Gabbert, and I believe he ll catch 5-6 balls a week for the 49ers. Jimmy Graham is very questionable this week, but there is talk that he will be a full go for Week 1. You obviously are taking a risk if you use him, but his price on DK is sweet he is the high upside play of the week. I m not a huge Jason Witten fan in general, but I think the Dak Prescott dynamic will result in a heavier-than-usual workload; I m also thinking he ll get some good looks in the red zone.

13 Weekly Report Page 13 Here are a couple of sample lineups for tournament entries this week: SAMPLE TOURNAMENT LINEUP DRAFTKINGS POS PLAYER SALARY QB Derek Carr $7300 RB Eddie Lacy $6700 RB Spencer Ware $4400 WR Amari Cooper $7200 WR Tyler Lockett $5000 WR Brandon Marshall $7800 TE Vance McDonald $3100 FLEX Michael Crabtree $5500 DST Packers $2800 SAMPLE TOURNAMENT LINEUP FANDUEL POS PLAYER SALARY QB Derek Carr $7700 RB Spencer Ware $5400 RB Eddie Lacy $7100 WR Amari Cooper $7100 WR Julio Jones $9000 WR Antonio Brown $9300 TE Vance McDonald $4700 K Stephen Gostkowski $5000 DST Denver Broncos $4700 Thanks for reading this week, best of luck with your Daily Leagues in Week 1! Top

14 Weekly Report Page 14 ASSUME THE POSITION BY BILL AQUAVIVA ASSUME THE POSITION: Week 1 NFL 2016 is finally here. Welcome back to the weekly Assume The Position article where we take a look at some of the great matchups ( Money in the Bank ), good matchups ( Safe Bets ) and bad matchups ( Rolling the Dice ). Each week we ll give you one player at each position (QB, RB, WR and TE) that we ve identified for that respective performance (great, good or bad). We will consider not only the offensive capabilities of the skill position players but the defensive matchups they re facing. MONEY IN THE BANK (Great Matchup) Derek Carr QB, Oakland Raiders (at NO) The bottom line here is Carr is a QB on the rise, behind a great offensive line and playing against the defense that gave up the most fantasy points to QBs last year, the second worst defense against the pass last year, and the worst overall defense in the league last year. I mean, what else is there to say other than start this man? Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams (at SF) Last year, the 49ers gave up the most rushing s and the most total s in the league to RBs. They gave up the 5th most rushing yards to RBs and the 3rd most fantasy points to RB. And who do they host this week - Todd Gurley, the #1 draft pick in many fantasy football leagues this year. I agree with Matthew Berry who told the Mike and Mike Show on ESPN that Gurley was the only fantasy relevant player on the Rams. There may not be much else going on in Los Angeles, oops, I mean St. Louis, no wait, it is Los Angeles, on the offensive side of the ball, but Gurley definitely has it going on in the run game, and he couldn t have a better defense to open the season against than the lowly 49ers defense. Amari Cooper WR, Oakland Raiders (at NO) Well, well, well. Imagine that, an offensive player with a good matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Obviously he and Carr will benefit off each other s performances in this game against the pathetic squad the Saints refer to as their defense. The Saints gave up the 6th most fantasy points to WRs, including the most s. And this year is hopefully going to be a less painful one for the rising star WR. Last year he suffered through a couple of injuries, including a persistent plantar fasciitis injury and a quadriceps injury later in the year that led to his performance decline the last month of the season. But as Around the NFL Writer Chris Wesseling writes on NFL.com, Cooper was on pace for 82 receptions, 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns before the injuries finally took their toll. And against this porous New Orleans secondary, Cooper should start the year off right.

15 Weekly Report Page 15 Jason Witten TE, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG) Nobody gave up more yards or catches to TEs last year than the N.Y. Giants, and their 9 s allowed was 6th worst in the league. Only the Saints gave up more total points to TEs last year. With a young, inexperienced Dallas QB looking for a safety net and the Giants recent history of not being able to cover TEs, this looks to be a slam dunk for Witten owners. SAFE BETS (Good Matchup) Kirk Cousins QB, Washington Redskins (vs. PIT) Cousins erupted on the scene last year after replacing Robert Griffin III and led the Redskins to a division title and a 4 game regular season win streak. THere s higher expectations for him this year and against a Pittsburgh secondary that was ranked 30th against the pass last year and gave up the 7th most fantasy points to QBs, Cousins looks like a solid option for this week. Latavius Murray RB, Oakland Raiders (at NO) A Pro Bowl alternate last year, Murray certainly made a name for himself but he struggled significantly later in games, averaging 2 YPC less in the 4th quarter of games. With the addition of rookie RB DeAndre Washington this year, Murray feels he will be more productive as he s able to get more rest. According to Josh Dubow of The Press Enterprise, Murray stated that s going to be the difference this year for me, having somebody to come in and carry the load for a little while and keep me fresh so when I come in I can do better things and have more of those explosive and big runs that I showed I can have. Well, we should see lots of explosiveness this week against the Saints who gave up the second most fantasy points to RBs and had the #31 ranked run defense last year. DeSean Jackson WR, Washington Redskins (vs. PIT) The only concern you should have with DeSean Jackson is how long he will stay healthy for. He s only played all 16 games twice in his 8 year career, but when he has been on the field he has been one of the most dangerous deep ball threats in the league. Redskins reporter John Keim reported on NFL Nation TV on ESPN that Jackson s downfield speed and ball catching ability remain a weapon for the Redskins. That weapon should have a field day this week against the Steelers and their 30th ranked pass defense from last year - the same defense that allowed the most yards and receptions to WRs and the 3rd most fantasy points to WRs. Dwayne Allen TE, Indianapolis Colts (vs. DET) With Coby Fleener now in New Orleans, the sky s the limit...ok, not really, but there is an upside with Allen now that he doesn t have to share as much workload. He is still an injury risk with his nagging hip problem, but playing at home against Detroit, the only team other than the Raiders to give up 12 s to TEs last year and a team that gave up the 4th most fantasy points to TEs last year, he looks like a solid option for this week.

16 Weekly Report Page 16 ROLLING THE DICE (Bad Matchup) Dak Prescott QB, Dallas Cowboys (vs. NYG) As almost everyone in the football world, including Dane Beavers of ESPN.com points out, Dak Prescott was the breakout performer of the preseason and is now the Cowboys starting QB with Tony fragile as glass Romo out with another injury. But a rookie QB killing it in preseason doesn t always translate to a successful rookie season. Sure Cam Newton fans would like to disagree but he s the exception, not the rule. The Giants defense is supposedly much improved from last year s worst passing defense in the league, and I just don t get a warm fuzzy from an offense being led by a rookie QB and a rookie RB, no matter how great they were in college or how impressive they were in preseason. Frank Gore RB, Indianapolis Colts (vs. DET) In case you were wondering, Gore is 33. That s not a typo, he s not 23, he s 33. He s a 33 year old RB in the NFL, starting for his team. In fact, Colts Correspondent Matt Wineberg confirms that owners can expect Gore to be the workhorse once the season begins. Yes, he had a decent season last year with almost 1,000 yards rushing and 6 s, but he s 33. The Lions have a basically average run defense, although they did give up the third most s to RBs last year, but Gore is 33. Did I mention that Frank Delano Gore is 33 this year? 33. Kelvin Benjamin WR, Carolina Panthers (at DEN) Carolina Panthers Staff Writer Max Henson notes that Panthers #1 WR Kelvin Benjamin is pumped to finally play again and not nervous at all. When asked if he had any butterflies about his long awaited return after missing all of 2015 with an ACL injury, Benjamin replied Not at all. I mean, I m pumped. I m juiced. I m ready. I m ready to get on the field. That s certainly the answer we want to hear, but the reality is he and Cam have struggled on their timing this preseason and he s facing the Denver Broncos and their #1 ranked pass defense. The Broncos were the only team to give up less than 200 yards per game last year. They also gave up the least fantasy points to WRs, the second fewest receptions and the second fewest s. Obviously this is not a good matchup for the rusty, but anxious, star WR. Coby Fleener TE, New Orleans Saints (vs. OAK) Fleener s off-season move from sharing time with Dwayne Allen in Indy to being the man in New Orleans excited a lot of potential owners. But the chemistry between Fleener and Brees has been troublesome and his coach and local media have been on his case about his disappointing preseason. His upside still looks huge but maybe you want to wait and see how he s actually doing in regular season games before anointing him the Jimmy Graham replacement the Saints have been looking for.

17 Weekly Report Page 17 FLEX APPEAL BY MICHAEL NEASE Flex Appeal Week 1 By: Mike Nease, Senior Writer The fresh scent of spring is in the air and the pitchers and catchers Whoa! Wait a minute! Wrong sport!!! It is of course fantasy football time. Yes, it is that time of the year to play the game we all love and start charting our blood pressure on a daily basis. Last year is going to be history as soon as the ball is kicked off Thursday night. The mounting injury lists and disappointing 2015 seasons will be forgotten. We have our fantasy football slates wiped clean by the summer rains and for the most part we have healthy rosters. I see you Romo and Bridgewater owners giving me a single finger salute. Folks, it is what it is. What are you doing drafting a young #28 ranked QB and an old QB who gets injured as regularly as most people brush their teeth? That s almost as dumb as drafting Jamaal Charles based on a coach s word that he will be ready for Week 1. Ready for what? Certainly not football! Ah yes, how do we always draft such spectacular teams and when someone utters the word waivers, we are anxious to return about 20% of the genius picks we made a scant 10 days before? When the season finally starts we have tied our brains in a knot and we are pacing around the room like we are expecting a baby and were just told that upon further review, he is actually going to be three babies. We look to see the initial injury reports. Thank God for them! Now coaches have no choice but to tell us the truth. Oh wait! No more probable listings? Everything is questionable or doubtful? How are we supposed to know? Ohhhhhhhhhhh I get it. We aren t supposed to know. Roger Goodell is getting back at us. He is wreaking his havoc on us because we have booed him one too many times. Oh &^**%%! My goal each and every week will be to help you fill that wild card slot in your lineup, the flex position, with some viable, practical solutions. In a typical fantasy football lineup we have one position dedicated to a flex player, that being an extra RB, WR, or TE. Many people just take a lower tier RB or WR and slap them into the lineup. Following that haphazard strategy can cost you games on a regular ongoing basis. You can turn the challenging flex position in your lineup into one of strength, rather than an afterthought. Typically the selection pool here in a 12-team league includes those players ranked beyond RB24, WR36 and TE12. I will use several rankings sources to obtain a healthy consensus. Marriage Material

18 Weekly Report Page 18 This could be either an available free agent pickup, or a player you already have on your roster that you would take home to meet your folks. This is a likely keeper that you can use more often than not throughout the rest of the season. He has a flair for consistency and the ability to light up the scoreboard with big numbers some weeks. WR Julian Edelman, NE Julian Edelman is the Rodney Dangerfield of WRs. Like Wes Welker before him, he is one of those guys who always seems to end up with about eight catches for 88 yards. Occasionally he will even score a. Not too exciting, but very consistent is the best way to describe Edelman. Yes, the Patriots brought in another Welker clone, Chris Hogan to ultimately replace Edelman and he very well may do that. He did miss the last seven games last year after all. For now though, use every last drop of fantasy points that Edelman can give you. Until proven otherwise he belongs in your lineup. Expect a FP output this week against the Cardinals. WR Tyler Lockhart, Sea Who would ever believe that the Seahawks, of all the teams in the NFL, would have a hot pass receiving phenom heading into his second season in 2016? Last year as Marshawn Lynch wound down his bone crushing career, Tom Rawls, Doug Baldwin and rookie WR Tyler Lockett emerged with a new super-sized version of Doug Wilson. Lockett showed progress throughout the 2015 season and by the end of the year was averaging 9.7 FPPG. Look for him to be scoring at a level of about FP this week against the Dolphins. He too belongs in your lineup every week unless it is proven otherwise. WR Marvin Jones, Det Stepping into Calvin Johnson s role is not what we are expecting from Marvin Jones in Detroit, but just playing up to his potential will make his fantasy owners happy. Last year he averaged 10.9 FPPG and ranked in the mid 40 s scoring wise. He will give Stafford an experienced WR to go along with Golden Tate. Jones should be a regular in your lineup unless he fails to perform up to expectations. Expect him to score about FP this week against the Colts. Love em and Leave em A player here has some flex appeal, but you really only want him because of a favorable matchup this week. You will likely see some red warning flags as you approach. A background check may alert you to injury risks, his coach may favor someone else that is not even suiting up this week, etc., etc. But

19 Weekly Report Page 19 hey, you don t want to consider marriage. A one week stand is all you need him for now. But over the long-haul, maybe, just maybe he could fit the bill for something long-term. RB DeAngelo Williams, Pit Williams is an odd player that is finishing up his career on a much stronger note than he began it with. Le Veon Bell has been sent to Mr. Goodell s principal s office for smoking in the boy s room once again. In his absence, Williams will play in at least the first three games. Last year he started off the season in great style during Bell s annual suspension and then after Bell was hurt, all he did was become the #1 overall scoring RB from weeks Look for DeAngelo Williams to come right back as strong as ever against the Redskins, scoring about FP. Now whatever you do, do not release Williams after Week 3. If I had him I would trade him for my biggest need after the first couple weeks. He will be excellent trade bait, especially in the mind of the Le Vien Bell owner after last season and the suspension to start this year. WR Rishard Matthews, Ten In 2015 Matthews surprised the fantasy football world with a fast start and then a sudden halt as he, like countless other players went out injured. Despite that 12 FPPG average in 2015, he remained under the radar and quietly went to the Titans in the offseason. Over the last few months he has become the WR1 there and it looks like he could have a promising year as he and Marcus Mariota develop some chemistry between them. This week against the Vikings expect Matthews to score about fantasy points. He has the potential to become an every week flex player or better. The big question surrounding him is one of endurance. Can he stay on the field instead of in the whirlpool? WR Willie Snead, NO One good thing about being on the Saints is that you see more targets than you do on many teams. In 2015 Snead had a decent season and averaged about 12 FPPG. With another banner year forecast for the Saints passing game, Snead should be an integral part of that which will serve to only boost his fantasy value. Expect Willie Snead to score about FP this week in what is likely to be a high scoring game against the Raiders. WR Tyler Boyd, Cin As far as rookies settling into offenses to open the season, Tyler Boyd has higher expectations set for him than most. With Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones both leaving and Tyler Eifert still injured from last year, Andy Dalton needs someone to pass to other than A.J. Green. This opens the door wide for Boyd and gives him a BIG opportunity to excel right away.

20 Weekly Report Page 20 For his first NFL game this week look for Boyd to score 8-10 FP this week against the Jets. Last Call The bar is closing and you are so, so desperate. We have all been there at one time or another. LeSean McCoy or another similar wasted draft choice is a scratch once again. Who can I add to my roster? Here we will give you a guy to start. He won t be great and very seldom will he be even good. But this week this mutt of a player will give you at least something from the flex position. RB James White, NE One thing that scares me the most in fantasy football is playing a Patriots RB. Based on reports from just about everybody, James White will fill the pass receiving RB position to start the season. Skeptics and students of the game will recall that Dion Lewis appeared out of nowhere in 2015 and took the position at the last moment. White averaged 13.6 FPPG in Weeks last year and looked pretty good throughout the preseason. Expect for him to score about 8-9 FP against the Cardinals. Keep your eyes open though for D.J. Foster. The story is that Bill Belichick recruited him himself as an undrafted free agent last spring. WR Terrelle Pryor, Cle After proving to be a bust as a QB in Oakland, you have to give Pryor lots of credit. He actually followed the experts advice and is playing a new position, wide receiver. In fact, he has played so well that going into the season he is one of the starters for the Cleveland Browns. Over the last few months he has impressed many experts with his ability to run good pass patterns and to make big plays. Only time will tell if he really has what it takes to play WR. Look for him to score around 7-8 FP this week against the Eagles. Pryor must be seen as a rookie as he adapts to catching, instead of throwing passes. Watch his progress and judge him after 3-4 weeks. WR Torrey Smith, SF I hate playing Smith because he has always been so terribly inconsistent. But, I sit back and look at a ers team with young Blaine Gabbert at QB and Smith actually being the WR1 in the Week 1 picture. Of course that could always change, but for now at least, that is what we have to work with. In this less than epic Week 1 battle between the Rams and 49ers, I expect Smith to score 9-10 FP. Maybe this is the year he will emerge and reach the potential he has always shown. Or he can sink back into mediocrity and be the next Brian Quick, nothing more than a tease. WR Mohamed Sanu, ATL

21 Weekly Report Page 21 Ok, will the real Mohamed Sanu please stand up? He showed flashes of being a big-time playmaker in Cincinnati, but has always reverted to mediocrity. Now he has an opportunity to complement Julio Jones instead of A.J. Green and to catch passes from Matt Ryan rather than Andy Dalton. Last year he could not even average 6.0 FPPG. Now he is expected to replace Roddy White. Those are huge shoes to fill. Let s see if Sanu can get 9-10 FP against the Buccaneers as expected. He has the talent and needs to become consistent. If he does that he can be more than a flex play. If not, he won t even deserve to be on your fantasy roster. Adrian Balboa To Rocky, she was the greatest, prettiest woman in the world. To the rest of us with discerning tastes perhaps not so much. In fantasy football there are players like that available all the time. While others are running away from a player and completely overlooking them is the time for you to swoop in and snap them up. RB Ameer Abdullah, Det You have to marvel at how hard some players work at gaining playing time and just don t get enough and then jump forward statistically when they finally do, like say Justin Forsett. Then you have Ameer Abdullah who has been force fed the starting role with the Lions and cannot quite do enough to excel and just does not quite do poorly enough to lose that #1 spot on the depth chart. After averaging a mere 7.6 FPPG in 2015, Abdullah still has a firm grip on his job. Accordingly, look for him to score about 7-8 FP against the Colts in the season opener. TE Vance McDonald, SF Despite averaging a less than stellar 5.8 FPPG, McDonald looks like a better play in the new Chip Kelly offense. Look for QB Blaine Gabbert to look for him often. Remember that the WRs are not very solid and that leaves dump off passes as a big part of the offense. Although not a very sexy pick, McDonald could be a big old pleasant surprise and a solid addition to y6our lineup. Expect him to give you about 7-8 FP against the Rams in this renewal of the Los Angeles-San Francisco rivalry. And there you have it the Week 1 flex play recommendations. When you look at your lineup, view it as a combination of players designed to give you enough points not only to win this week, but enough to win each and every week and ultimately to win the league championship. Work hard each week to have the strongest lineup possible. Use your judgment to maximize your points based on the players you have. Work the waiver wire and seek out trades to give you the strongest roster you can have.

22 Weekly Report Page 22 Your job is not done just because the draft is over and the season has begun. In fact things only get harder from this point on. Outwork your opponents and keep building your team from week to week. Good luck! Have fun! Mike Nease is a member of the FSWA and has been playing the game since 1985, while also writing about it since Over the years he has sampled about all the playing scenarios that fantasy football offers, including re-drafter, keeper, dynasty, auction, IDP and salary cap leagues. He and his wife Bonnie reside in West Chicago, IL You can contact Mike at mnease23@yahoo.com anytime and during the football season follow

23 Weekly Report Page 23 The Blitz TEAM DEFENSE Here s what we think we know heading into the first week of the 2016 season. It s difficult to have a real grip on where defenses are coming out of preseason as a lot of vanilla schemes are employed. So early in the year we like to chase offenses that are likely to struggle. Starting the Seattle Seahawks D/ST is always a good idea and they face a transitioning Dolphins offense that was far from impressive in their preseason games Our surprise 2 nd ranked team is the Philadelphia Eagles as they are now led by Jim Schwartz and his aggressive Wide-9 scheme. Philly has one of the best D-Lines in the league led by Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham. They will make life miserable for Robert Griffin III and the entire Cleveland offense. I get the feeling we will be suggesting the D/ST that faces the 49ers a lot this season and the Los Angeles Rams get the first crack. It appears that Blaine Gabbert will be under center facing Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald and company. Roll with the Rams in this all Cali matchup Look for the Arizona Cardinals to bring plenty of blitzes (they always do) in the direction of interim starting QB Jimmy Garopollo in what will be a baptism under fire out in the dessert. Do you think that OLB Chandler Jones will be just a little pumped to face his former team? We do too. The likely return of Tyrann Mathieu will also bolster a strong Arizona defense. Team Defense Rankings for Week 1 # Team # Team # Team # Team 1 Seattle 9 Houston 17 Tampa Bay 25 San Francisco 2 Philadelphia 10 Cincinnati 18 Oakland 26 Washington 3 Los Angeles 11 New England 19 Baltimore 27 Chicago 4 Carolina 12 NY Giants 20 Miami 28 San Diego 5 Denver 13 NY Jets 21 Tennessee 29 Atlanta 6 Arizona 14 Buffalo 22 Detroit 30 Cleveland 7 Kansas City 15 Green Bay 23 Indianapolis 31 Dallas 8 Minnesota 16 Pittsburgh 24 Jacksonville 32 New Orleans Less Than 90% Owned Standout Team Defenses for Week 1*: *Ownership information based on ESPN standard leagues Philadelphia (vs. Cleveland)- 21% owned. As mentioned above we love the Eagles defense this week. Robert Griffin III holds the ball way too long these days and will be overwhelmed by the edge rush of the Eagles in DC Jim Schwartz aggressive Wide-9 scheme. Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham will employ a let s meet at the QB philosophy all day long.

24 Weekly Report Page 24 Los Angeles San Francisco)- 50% owned. There isn t any reason to believe that the 49ers will be able to move the ball against the stout Rams D-line on the ground so that means Blaine Gabbert will have to air it out. Bwahahaha! There will be turnovers aplenty as Los Angeles steam rolls this inept offense. Minnesota (@ Tennessee) - 60% owned. The Titans will look to establish the run with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry this week. That s easier said than done against a D-line anchored in the middle by Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd. That duo as well as DT Tom Johnson can also bring pressure from the interior which will have Marcus Mariota scrambling into the arms of Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. The Vikings D/ST should have a very nice opener. Downside Team Defenses for Week 1: Green Bay (@ Jacksonville)-87% owned. Opening on the road in the stifling Florida heat will be a tough task for the Packers. Throw in the fact that the Jaguars are chocked full of offensive weapons and the job gets even harder. Look for a steady dose of RBs Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon early leading to some play action goodness from Blake Bortles and company later in the game. Too many weapons for the Packers to shut down in week 1. Oakland (@ New Orleans)- 66% owned. There honestly aren t a lot of teams with a high ownership number this week with bad matchups. So we head to the bayou for this choice. This game figures to be a shootout as the Saints defense can t stop a runny nose. Despite having all world Khalil Mack leading the way the Raiders will be hard pressed to keep Drew Brees, Brandin Cooks, Mark Ingram and Coby Fleener in check. INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS Observations of the IDP landscape as head into Week 1: As the season opens I always like to remind folks that this is not the time to try and be the smartest owner in the room. Ride your high draft picks regardless of matchups as we selected them high for a reason. Also let s keep our fingers off the panic button if players have a down opening game or two. This week we love every pass rushing option on the Philadelphia Eagles against the Browns. Get Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry as well as Connor Barwin in the lineup. It may go without saying but I ll say it anyway. If J.J. Watt plays he belongs in our lineups. Even if he s on a snap count Watt can roll up big fantasy numbers. We love Jabaal Sheard this week as Carson Palmer is not exactly a nimble QB anymore (was he ever?). Ziggy Ansah and Devin Taylor of the Lions are nice starts as the Colts offensive line doesn t appear to have quite come together yet There is nice LB value to be had from the Minnesota vs. Tennessee game. Both teams will look to run the ball so Eric Kendricks of the Vikings and Avery Williamson of Tennessee are nice plays The Washington Redskins stats crew is very generous in handing out assists so we love both Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons in this game. We ll also see some nice numbers from Will Compton Brandon Marshall is the man at LB for the Broncos now and will see a lot of tackle opportunities against the Panthers on Thursday night. With a weak LB unit in front of

25 Weekly Report Page 25 him S Landon Collins is in for a huge year so make sure he s in our Week 1 lineups Tavon Wilson won the starting SS gig in Detroit and is a strong start against a Colts team that will be airing the ball out plenty this week I m all in on Johnathan Cyprien as well as rookie Jalen Ramsey of the Jaguars this week with the Packers coming to town. Aaron Rodgers will be testing that secondary all day long. IDP Rankings-Defensive Linemen-Week 1 # D Lineman # D Lineman # D Lineman 1 Khalil Mack 11 Olivier Vernon 21 Michael Bennett 2 Ziggy Ansah 12 Cameron Jordan 22 Geno Atkins 3 Robert Quinn 13 Mario Williams 23 Jurrell Casey 4 J.J. Watt 14 Vinny Curry 24 Robert Ayers 5 Muhammad Wilkerson 15 Jason Pierre-Paul 25 Gerald McCoy 6 Fletcher Cox 16 Jabaal Sheard 26 Cliff Avril 7 Carlos Dunlap 17 Brandon Graham 27 Malik Jackson 8 Everson Griffen 18 Cameron Heyward 28 Kony Ealy 9 Aaron Donald 19 Kawann Short 29 Devin Taylor 10 Calais Campbell 20 Ndamukong Suh 30 Dante Fowler IDP Rankings-Linebackers-Week 1 # Linebackers # Linebackers # Linebackers 1 Navorro Bowman 11 Eric Kendricks 21 Malcolm Smith 2 Luke Kuechly 12 Jordan Hicks 22 Deone Bucannon 3 Lavonte David 13 Brandon Marshall 23 Preston Brown 4 Alec Ogletree 14 Lawrence Timmons 24 Denzel Perryman 5 DQ Jackson 15 Bobby Wagner 25 Thomas Davis 6 Jamie Collins 16 Ryan Shazier 26 Jerrell Freeman 7 Telvin Smith 17 Sean Lee 27 Avery Williamson 8 DeAndre Levy 18 Paul Posluszny 28 Kwon Alexander 9 Derrick Johnson 19 Danny Trevathan 29 Demario Davis 10 C.J. Mosley 20 Kiko Alonso 30 Will Compton IDP Rankings-Defensive Backs-Week 1 # Defensive Backs # Defensive Backs # Defensive Backs 1 Reshad Jones 11 Johnathan Cyprien 21 Rashad Johnson 2 Tyrann Mathieu 12 H.H. Clinton-Dix 22 T.J. Ward 3 Landon Collins 13 Malcolm Jenkins 23 Reggie Nelson 4 Harrison Smith 14 Ibraheim Campbell 24 Tony Jefferson

26 Weekly Report Page Corey Graham 15 Kurt Coleman 25 T.J. Green 6 Eric Weddle 16 Eric Berry 26 Andrew Sendejo 7 Barry Church 17 Calvin Pryor 27 Tavon Wilson 8 Antoine Bethea 18 Kam Chancellor 28 Jalen Ramsey 9 Kenny Vaccaro 19 Bashaud Breeland 29 Ron Parker 10 Morgan Burnett 20 DeAngelo Hall 30 Shawn Williams Banged Up: Here are the primary concerns heading into Week 1. Keep in mind that injury reports coming out of the preseason are a bit hazy and the fact the NFL has done away with the probable designation certainly doesn t help. It s a good idea to keep an eye on the weekly injury reports teams put out as well as reading this article. DL- The big name to watch as week 1 approaches is J.J. Watt as he recovers from back surgery. The latest word is that he is expected to play in the opener with the possibility that he s on a snap count. We ll continue to keep a close eye on reports coming out of Houston this week It was great to see Robert Quinn on the field for the Rams in the third preseason game after suffering a back injury. Quinn should be good to go this week Newly reinstated DE Dion Jordan of the Miami Dolphins has been placed on the reserve/nfi list with a knee injury and will miss the first six games. Jordan s teammate Cameron Wake plans to play in the opener despite not being 100% recovered from an Achilles injury but will not play early downs Mario Edwards of the Raiders is still dealing with a hip issue and landed on the injured reserve-designated for return list Cameron Heyward of the Steelers is dealing with a high ankle sprain and hopes to be ready to roll this week. In San Francisco DE Arik Armstead has a shoulder injury that may require surgery but he plans to play the season and deal with the issue in the next off-season Henry Anderson of the Indianapolis Colts is out this week as he recovers from a knee injury while teammate Kendall Langford expects to play coming off of a knee scope last month. New England Patriots DE Jabaal Sheard is trending in the right direction to play after suffering a sprained MCL in the first preseason game. Rob Ninkovich is recovering from a triceps injury and faces a 4 game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance DT Sheldon Rankins of the Saints has been put on injured reserve with a fractured fibula. The earliest he could play is week 9 if New Orleans decides to declare him their IR/recall player. LB- The Kansas City Chiefs placed OLB Justin Houston on the reserve/pup list with an ACL injury and he won t be eligible to play until week 8 Rookie Shaq Lawson of the Bills also landed on the reserve/pup list with his shoulder issue as did fellow rookie Jaylon Smith of the Dallas Cowboys. In all actuality Smith is highly unlikely to play at all this season as he recovers from a serious knee injury. Staying in Dallas Sean Lee is dealing with a knee issue (again) but expects to play in week 1 Jonathan Casillas of the Giants expects to play week 1 despite dealing with injured ribs. Look for David Harris of the New York Jets to be good to go this week after suffering a shoulder injury during the preseason Jelani Jenkins will likely miss this week for the Dolphins after undergoing a knee scope in late August. The Detroit Lions expect to have DeAndre Levy on the field for week 1 after a hip issue sidelined him for all but 17 snaps last year Elvis Dumervil is not going to play this week with a foot injury OLB Pernell McPhee of the Bears will start the season on the reserve/pup list with a knee injury and is eligible to return in week 7.

27 Weekly Report Page 27 DB- Newly signed CB Chris Culliver of the Dolphins will start the season on the reserve/pup list with a knee injury Buffalo S Aaron Williams is expected to play week 1 after suffering a concussion a couple of weeks ago. Indianapolis Colts CB Darius Butler suffered an ankle injury in week 3 of the preseason but hopes to suit up for the season opener It appears that the Honey Badger will be good to go week 1 for the Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Bruce Arians stated that Tyrann Mathieu will be ready to roll this week after tearing his ACL last season Colts S Clayton Geathers is unlikely to be ready to play early in the year as he deals with an ankle injury. Morgan Burnett expects to be ready for the Packers opener after missing time with a back issue Michael Griffin suffered a back injury in the Vikings third preseason game and was placed on injured reserve Rookie S Keanu Neal of the Falcons will miss a few weeks after undergoing surgery on his knee. Reggie Nelson of the Raiders has missed some time in the preseason with a knee injury but hopes to be ready for week 1. It appears that all three starting CBs in Chicago could miss the opener. Kyle Fuller is coming off a knee scope while Tracy Porter is dealing with a concussion and Bryce Callahan has a hamstring injury. Free Agent Thoughts: It s always difficult to roll out a comprehensive list of free agents heading into week 1 but here are a few names that may not have been drafted that warrant a look. Defensive Linemen Carl Nassib Derrick Shelby Arik Armstead Owa Odighizuwa Linebackers J-March-Lillard Sam Barrington Kyle Van Noy Sean Weatherspoon Gerald Hodges Christian Kirksey Nigel Bradham Defensive Backs Jacoby Glenn Deiondre Hall T.J. Green T.J. Ward Phillip Gaines Xavien Howard James Bradbury Somebody has to rush the passer for Cleveland. Love the signing with Atlanta and an increase in snaps. Poised for breakout season if shoulder holds up. Will benefit from JPP and Vernon drawing O-line attention. Will start alongside Derrick Johnson for KC. Could be lining up alongside Derrick Johnson for KC soon. Has secured starting role and more snaps for Detroit. Has looked surprisingly spry since rejoining Falcons. In running to start at ILB for 49ers so worth a roster spot. We love three down LBs on bad teams. Cleveland is bad. Leapfrogged Kendricks for WLB duties in Philly. Pressed into starting duties for Bears due to injuries. Will be picked on. See Jacoby Glenn Will start at S in place of injured Geathers for Colts. Seeing some nickel LB duty. Huge boost to value. Will get thrown at a lot playing opposite Marcus Peters. Rookie corner alert. Howard will start week 1 for Miami. Norman s replacement had nice preseason for Carolina.

28 Weekly Report Page 28 GAME CAPSULES WEEK 1 By Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer

29 Weekly Report Page 29 CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-0) DENVER BRONCOS (0-0) Thursday September 8th, 8:30 PM ET Mile High Stadium Denver, CO L I N E : C A R 3.0 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CAR OFFENSE DEN DEFENSE DEN OFFENSE CAR DEFENSE

30 Weekly Report Page 30 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None C A R O L I N A P A N T H E R S The last time Cam Newton faced the elite Denver Broncos defense, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year was held scoreless. Denver s stop unit is very capable of shutting down any of the league s elite quarterbacks, so don t be afraid to sit Newton if your reserve quarterback has a great matchup. Limited playing time for Kelvin Benjamin is another reason to consider parking Newton on your bench. According to media reports, Benjamin, who struggled with conditioning problems during the preseason, is expected to operate on a snap count. Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn and Corey Brown are all weak plays against the same top-level Broncos secondary that yielded the fewest fantasy points to the wideout position last season. The must-start Greg Olsen is the safest play among the Carolina pass catchers since a lot of the targets will be funneled away from the heavily covered wideouts to him. Denver ranked just 22nd in fantasy points allowed to enemy tight ends in Jonathan Stewart hit pay dirt against the Broncos in the Super Bowl, but they re usually very stingy against the run at home. The Panthers team defense is a nice play versus a Denver offense quarterbacked by 2015 seventh-round selection Trevor Siemian, who is making his first career start in front of a national television audience. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Cam Newton RB Jonathan Stewart RB Cameron Artis-Payne RB Fozzy Whittaker FB Mike Tolbert WR Kelvin Benjamin WR Devin Funchess WR Ted Ginn

31 Weekly Report Page 31 WR Corey Brown TE Greg Olsen TE Ed Dickson FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Graham Gano P/A SK INT FUM s DT Panthers Carolina Panthers Notes: The Panthers lost to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. In that contest, Cam Newton passed for 265 scoreless yards and rushed for 45 scoreless yards. Jonathan Stewart carried 12 times for 29 yards and scored Carolina s only touchdown. Corey Brown topped all Panthers wideouts with a receiving line. Greg Olsen hauled in four balls for 41 yards. INJURIES TO MONITOR: None D E N V E R B R O N C O S With Peyton Manning retired and making more Papa John s commercials, the fantasy universe now gets to see head coach Gary Kubiak s offense particularly the ground game operate in its full glory. Last season the Denver Broncos used the shotgun formation heavily to accommodate Manning, but that alignment stymied Kubiak s proven one-cut-and-go rushing attack. C.J. Anderson will operate as the undisputed starter in a three-down workhorse role, and he s the safest play in this matchup. Even though Anderson s matchup against a Carolina Panthers defense that ranked 12th in fantasy points allowed to enemy tailbacks last season is a toughie, he ll receive more than enough touches to cobble together a solid outing. The Panthers also have been soft against the run in road contests. The Broncos love rookie Devontae Booker, but he isn t expected to have a major role this week. Trevor Siemian, a 2015 seventh-round selection, will operate in a caretaker role while he keeps the starting job warm for

32 Weekly Report Page 32 rookie Paxton Lynch. During the preseason, Siemian, who is making his first career regular-season start, pushed the ball down-field effectively against admittedly vanilla defenses. On paper Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders look like so-so plays against a revamped Josh Norman and Charles Tillman-less Carolina secondary. There s a chance that Siemian, an unknown commodity, could disappoint on the big stage, which is why Thomas and Sanders are somewhat risky plays. Touchdowndependant Virgil Green has emerged as a safety net for Siemian, but Green is an unknown commodity. The elite Broncos team defense is a must-start. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Trevor Siemian RB C.J. Anderson RB Devontae Booker WR Demaryius Thomas WR Emmanuel Sanders WR Bennie Fowler TE Virgil Green TE Jeff Heuerman FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brandon McManus P/A SK INT FUM s DT Broncos Denver Broncos Notes: The Broncos defeated the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. In that game, C.J. Anderson carried 23 times for 90 yards and one touchdown. Now-former Panther Josh Norman limited Demaryius Thomas to a receiving line. Emmanuel Sanders topped the team with six grabs for 83 yards.

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34 Weekly Report Page 34 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-0) ATLANTA FALCONS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA L I N E : A T L 3.0 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG TB OFFENSE ATL DEFENSE ATL OFFENSE TB DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

35 Weekly Report Page 35 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will utilize a more aggressive passing attack we saw flashes of it during the preseason but the admittedly improved Jameis Winston is going to disappoint in this matchup. The Atlanta Falcons defense, despite finishing last in the NFL in sacks last season, quietly yielded the seventh-fewest fantasy points to enemy passers. In both of Winston s 2015 starts versus the Falcons, he threw for just one score and rushed for one touchdown but failed to throw for more than 230 yards in either contest. Atlanta also ceded the second-fewest fantasy points to enemy wideouts, but megatalented Mike Evans still deserves a spot in starting lineups even though he ll likely draw tight coverage from Desmond Trufant. On the other hand, Vincent Jackson should do okay since the passing attack likely will flow through him this week. It s hard to get a read on how the Buccaneers will use Adam Humphries and Cecil Shorts. The Falcons surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to the tight end position, but Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Cameron Brate apparently will open the season in a fantasy unfriendly timeshare with Brate apparently operating as the starter. Since Atlanta continues to struggle against the run it s the weakness of their defense this looks like a nice matchup for Doug Martin. Since he should be productive, don t expect a big outing from passingdown guy Charles Sims. The Buccaneers team defense is not a recommended play. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Jameis Winston RB Doug Martin RB Charles Sims RB Mike James WR Mike Evans WR Vincent Jackson WR Adam Humphries WR Cecil Shorts TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE Cameron Brate FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Roberto Aguayo P/A SK INT FUM s DT Buccaneers

36 Weekly Report Page 36 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Notes: Previous matchups: The Buccaneers defeated the Falcons last season in Week 12. In that outing, Jameis Winston threw for 227 yards and one score, and rushed for another. Doug Martin compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Charles Sims racked up 77 total yards on seven combo touches. Mike Evans caught five balls for 61 yards and one touchdown. Vincent Jackson hauled in three passes for 87 yards. Austin Seferian Jenkins amassed a receiving line. Cameron Brate compiled a receiving line. INJURIES TO MONITOR: None ATLANTA FALCONS Last season the Atlanta Falcons offense racked up gobs of yards but struggled in the scoring department. We ll see if a year of seasoning in coordinator Kyle Shanahan s scheme makes a difference. Julio Jones is a must-start as always. Even though the Falcons seem committed to reducing lead back Devonta Freeman s workload a bit, he s still a solid play versus a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that ranked close to average in fantasy points yielded to the running back position in Atlanta plans to give Tevin Coleman a decent number of touches in a change-of-pace role each week, but you should take a wait-and-see approach with him for now. Getting back to the passing game, can Matt Ryan improve his scoring strike numbers? Last season he averaged 287 passing yards per game but tossed just 21 touchdown passes with multiple scoring strikes in just six contests. Will the addition of Mohamed Sanu boost Ryan s scoring? The Buccaneers defense finished below average in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback and wideout positions, respectively, so Ryan and Sanu are nice plays on paper. Since you probably drafted them both as reserves, don t feel the need to take any chances with either player despite the plus matchups. It looks like the Falcons will use veteran Jacob Tamme

37 Weekly Report Page 37 and rookie Austin Hooper in a fantasy unfriendly committee for now. The Atlanta team defense isn t a starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Matt Ryan RB Devonta Freeman RB Tevin Coleman RB Terron Ward WR Julio Jones WR Mohamed Sanu WR Justin Hardy WR Aldrick Robinson TE Jacob Tamme TE Austin Hooper FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Bryant P/A SK INT FUM s DT Falcons Atlanta Falcons Notes: Previous matchup: The Falcons lost to the Buccaneers last season in Week 12. In that game, Matt Ryan passed for 269 yards and one touchdown. Devonta Freeman amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Tevin Coleman compiled 17 combo yards on four combo touches. Julio Jones caught eight passes for 93 yards. Jacob Tamme made three grabs for 26 yards.

38 Weekly Report Page 38 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-0)

39 Weekly Report Page 39 TENNESSEE TITANS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN L I N E : M I N 1.5 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG MIN OFFENSE TEN DEFENS E TEN OFFENSE MIN DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None MINNESOTA VIKINGS The loss of Teddy Bridgewater (knee surgery) obviously stings like a paper cut, but the Minnesota Vikings have more than enough talent to compete and should remain in the thick of the playoff hunt. It goes without saying that Minnesota s offense will operate in super run-heavy mode featuring the muststart Adrian Peterson, but keep in mind that stopping the run is a strength of the Tennessee Titans defense even though the statistics suggest otherwise. Jerick McKinnon likely will see more action

40 Weekly Report Page 40 than expected, but take a wait-and-see approach with him. The Vikings team defense is also a muststart. The Minnesota passing attack, however, is very difficult to forecast. At last check, Shaun Hill was expected to get the start with Sam Bradford scheduled to take the helm in Week 2 at the earliest. The 36-year-old Hill attempted seven regular-season passes last season and hasn t started a game since 2014, which is why he s expected to operate as a game-manager even though the Tennessee defense wrapped up 2015 ranked 29th in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback position. The Titans also ranked 24th and 26th in fantasy points ceded to the wideout and tight end positions, respectively. It s reasonable to think Hill will lean on Kyle Rudolph as a safety net, but there are no guarantees. Despite the plus matchups for Hill, Rudolph, Stefon Diggs and current No. 2 wideout Charles Johnson, nobody in this group is a recommended start. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Shaun Hill QB Sam Bradford RB Adrian Peterson RB Jerick McKinnon RB Matt Asiata WR Stefon Diggs WR Charles Johnson WR Adam Thielen WR Laquon Treadwell TE Kyle Rudolph TE Rhett Ellison FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Blair Walsh P/A SK INT FUM s DT Vikings Minnesota Vikings Notes: The last meeting between the Vikings and the Titans took place during the 2012 season. Minnesota routed Tennessee 30-7.

41 Weekly Report Page 41 TENNESSEE TITANS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Kendall Wright (hamstring) Thanks to some nice offseason upgrades, the Tennessee Titans now have the personnel in place to mount a reasonably fantasy friendly offensive attack, but their revamped score unit is going to get off to a slow start versus an elite Minnesota Vikings defense. DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry will have to earn their yards against a Vikings front seven that surrendered the ninth-fewest fantasy points to enemy ball carriers in Murray should receive enough touches to compile a decent outing (Dexter McCluster isn t around to steal passing-down work), but Tennessee s starting back is still an overall weak play. The last time we saw the Minnesota defense in action, it held Russell Wilson (Seahawks) to 142 passing yards and one touchdown pass in the playoffs, so the fantasy outlook for Marcus Mariota isn t promising. The Vikings closed out the 2015 regular season ranked 11th in fantasy points ceded to the quarterback position. Mariota s retooled receiver corps, which includes Rishard Matthews and rookie Tajae Sharpe, could make a little noise since Minnesota ranked close to average in fantasy points given up to enemy wideouts, but don t expect big numbers. Kendall Wright was considered a long shot to play, but the demoted wideout shouldn t be on your fantasy radar anyway. The Vikings also finished 16th in fantasy points allowed to enemy tight ends, and Delanie Walker remains Mariota s most trusted target. Even with Shaun Hill starting for the Vikings, the Titans team defense isn t a recommended option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Marcus Mariota RB DeMarco Murray RB Derrick Henry RB Antonio Andrews WR Rishard Matthews WR Tajae Sharpe WR Andre Johnson WR Kendall Wright WR Harry Douglas

42 Weekly Report Page 42 TE Delanie Walker TE Anthony Fasano FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Ryan Succop P/A SK INT FUM s DT Titans Tennessee Titans Notes: The last matchup between the Titans and the Vikings happened during the 2012 regular season. Tennessee lost 30-7.

43 Weekly Report Page 43 CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-0) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA L I N E : P H I 4.0 O V E R / U N D E R : 41.0 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015)

44 Weekly Report Page 44 UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CLE OFFENSE PHI DEFENSE PHI OFFENSE CLE DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None CLEVELAND BROWNS Forecasting for the Cleveland Browns offense is very challenging right now since the team has a new head coach, a new playbook and a new starting quarterback who is a reclamation project. The talented Philadelphia Eagles defense underachieved last season and has a new coordinator calling the shots, which also adds to the difficulty of reading the fantasy tea leaves for this matchup. Browns head coach/play caller Hue Jackson likes to run, so look for heavy doses of Isaiah Crowell and passingdown back Duke Johnson. The Eagles, however, are usually tough against the run at home. It s hard to predict whether Robert Griffin III and company can exploit Philadelphia s weakness against the pass. The entire Cleveland passing attack has upside but comes with obvious risk. Griffin will lean on Gary Barnidge, but the cannon-armed passer is also expected to test a retooled Eagles secondary by taking some shots down the field to Terrelle Pryor and rookie Corey Coleman. Even though the Cleveland team defense will face rookie Carson Wentz, the Browns aren t a recommended start. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Robert Griffin III RB Isaiah Crowell RB Duke Johnson RB George Atkinson WR Corey Coleman

45 Weekly Report Page 45 WR Terrelle Pryor WR Andrew Hawkins WR Rashard Higgins WR Jordan Payton WR Josh Gordon (Suspended) TE Gary Barnidge FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Patrick Murray P/A SK INT FUM s DT Browns Cleveland Browns Notes: Previous matchup: Back in 2012, the Browns lost to the Eagles PHILADELPHIA EAGLES INJURIES TO MONITOR: Jordan Matthews (knee) Forecasting for the Philadelphia Eagles offense is almost as challenging as making predictions for the Cleveland Browns offense. The Eagles had spent the last four months telling us that they didn t want rookie Carson Wentz to play this season, so their decision to make him their Week 1 starter was a shock. A rib injury limited Wentz to just 38 snaps played during the preseason, but he s fully recovered. Even though Wentz will play at home versus what was one of the NFL s worst defenses last season, he s obviously a very dangerous start. Any Philadelphia wideout or tight end is also a risky play until we can get a read on Wentz s skill set. Zach Ertz and Jordan Matthews, who has played very little with Wentz and will draw coverage from Joe Haden, probably will disappoint. The Eagles will go run-heavy with Ryan Mathews while Darren Sproles will handle the change-of-pace duties. Although Kenjon Barner impressed during the preseason, it s going to take an injury to Mathews for Barner to get on the field. Highly touted rookie Wendell Smallwood is buried on the depth chart. The Philadelphia team defense is an intriguing streaming option against a turnover-prone Robert Griffin III.

46 Weekly Report Page 46 Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Carson Wentz RB Ryan Mathews RB Darren Sproles RB Kenjon Barner RB Wendell Smallwood WR Jordan Matthews WR Nelson Agholor WR Josh Huff WR Dorial Green-Beckham TE Zach Ertz TE Brent Celek FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Caleb Sturgis P/A SK INT FUM s DT Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Notes: The Eagles slipped past the Browns during the 2012 regular season, which is the most recent matchup between the two teams. CINCINNATI BENGALS

47 Weekly Report Page 47 (0-0) NEW YORK JETS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ L I N E : C I N 2.5 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CIN OFFENSE NYJ DEFENSE NYJ OFFENSE CIN DEFENSE CINCINNATI BENGALS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Tyler Eifert (knee surgery), Tyler Kroft (sprained knee)

48 Weekly Report Page 48 Despite some offseason personnel departures and the absence of Tyler Eifert (knee surgery), the Cincinnati Bengals offense still has plenty of weaponry to get the job done, but this is a very tough road matchup. The current strength of this score unit is the running back tandem of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, but the New York Jets defense yielded the second-fewest fantasy points to the running back position last season. Since running lanes likely will be scare for early-down thumper and goal-line guy Hill, this looks like a middling matchup for passing-down specialist Bernard. He deserves flex consideration in PPR leagues. A.J. Green is a must-start, and he ll be a target monster even with Darrelle Revis expected to shadow him. Fantasy owners, however, should lower their expectations for Green. Brandon LaFell, despite missing a chunk of the preseason with a hand injury, is healthy again and expected to start opposite of Green. Even though LaFell comes with some upside he won t have to face Revis you should go into wait-and-see mode with him and rookie Tyler Boyd, who opens 2016 as the Bengals slot wideout. The question marks in the Cincinnati receiver corps make Andy Dalton a less-than-promising start. The Jets offense does a great job of protecting Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he has been turnover prone. Consider the Bengals team defense a so-so start. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Andy Dalton RB Jeremy Hill RB Giovani Bernard RB Rex Burkhead WR A.J. Green WR Brandon LaFell WR Tyler Boyd TE Tyler Eifert TE Tyler Kroft TE C.J. Uzomah FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Mike Nugent P/A SK INT FUM s DT Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Notes: Previous matchup: Cincinnati routed New York 49-9 during the 2013 regular season.

49 Weekly Report Page 49 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None NEW YORK JETS The New York Jets offense will face a higher level of competition this season (if you haven t checked out the Jets full schedule, be sure to do so), but Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are still the engines that power this score unit. Since the Jets still have no secondary wideouts or tight ends that show up on the fantasy radar, the heavily targeted Marshall and Decker are must-starts versus a Cincinnati Bengals defense that ranked 12th in fantasy points. Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed multiple scoring strikes in 12 regular-season contests in He looks like a good-but-not-great play here. Cincinnati is stingy versus the run, so Matt Forte s debut probably won t be memorable. The game flow should favor Bilal Powell, who is expected to work as the primary passing-down back and could exceed our projections. New third-string tailback Troymaine Pope, an undrafted rookie who played well for the Seattle Seahawks during the preseason, isn t expected to see much action, but keep an eye on him. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Ryan Fitzpatrick RB Matt Forte RB Bilal Powell RB Troymaine Pope WR Brandon Marshall WR Eric Decker WR Quincy Enunwa WR Robby Anderson TE Kellen Davis TE Brandon Bostick 1 5 0

50 Weekly Report Page 50 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Nick Folk P/A SK INT FUM s DT Jets New York Jets Notes: The last matchup between the Jets and the Bengals took place during the 2013 regular season. New York lost OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-0) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA L I N E : NO 1.0 O V E R / U N D E R : 51.0 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG

51 Weekly Report Page 51 OAK OFFENSE NO DEFENSE NO OFFENSE OAK DEFENSE OAKLAND RAIDERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None The on-the-rise Oakland Raiders offense squares off against a New Orleans Saints defense that closed out 2015 ranked at or near the bottom in all the major statistical categories. While the Saints hired a new coordinator, salary cap problems prevented them from adding some needed upgrades to their stop unit. This is essentially the same group from last season. Derek Carr and Amari Cooper are muststarts, and Michael Crabtree deserves a spot in starting lineups, too. Slot guy Seth Roberts could surprise against a brutal New Orleans secondary, but he s obviously a boom-or-bust option as usual. Clive Walford has some sleeper potential since the Saints yielded the most fantasy points to the tight end position in New Orleans also was very soft against the run, so Latavius Murray should make a very worthwhile play. The Raiders love DeAndre Washington, but it s hard to predict how much action the rookie will see in his first regular-season game. The Oakland team defense has improved and probably will rack up a couple of sacks and a turnover or two, but this unit isn t a safe starting option on the road against a dangerous New Orleans offense. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Derek Carr RB Latavius Murray RB DeAndre Washington RB Jalen Richard WR Amari Cooper WR Michael Crabtree

52 Weekly Report Page 52 WR Seth Roberts WR Andre Holmes TE Clive Walford TE Mychal Rivera FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Sebastian Janikowski P/A SK INT FUM s DT Raiders Oakland Raiders Notes: The last regular-season matchup between Oakland and New Orleans took place during the 2012 regular season. The Saints won NEW ORLEANS SAINTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None The New Orleans Saints offense isn t a dynamic unit anymore, but this group still has more than enough talent to rack up the points. Drew Brees and Brandin Cooks are must-play options, and Willie Snead will help Cooks tease a retooled Oakland Raiders secondary. Since the Raiders struggled against tight ends last season, Coby Fleener looks like a solid start for his first contest in a Saints uniform. Rookie Michael Thomas, who replaces Marques Colston in the slot, impressed during the preseason, but Thomas workload is hard to predict right now. Although Oakland has stiffened against the run, three-down back Mark Ingram still should receive enough touches to compile a solid outing. Ingram owners, however, should keep a close watch on how New Orleans uses C.J. Spiller. During the team s third preseason game, Spiller, who apparently was playing hurt last season, looked much faster while he received touches with the starting offense (Spiller was mixed in with Ingram). It doesn t look like Spiller will have standalone value for now. The Saints team defense clearly isn t a starting option.

53 Weekly Report Page 53 Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Drew Brees RB Mark Ingram RB C.J. Spiller RB Tim Hightower WR Brandin Cooks WR Willie Snead WR Michael Thomas WR Brandon Coleman TE Coby Fleener TE Josh Hill FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Wil Lutz P/A SK INT FUM s DT Saints New Orleans Saints Notes: The last regular-season clash between the Saints and the Raiders happened during the 2012 regular season. New Orleans routed Oakland SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (0-0)

54 Weekly Report Page 54 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, MO L I N E : K C 7.0 O V E R / U N D E R : 44.5 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG SD OFFENSE KC DEFENSE KC OFFENSE SD DEFENSE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None If you ve been looking through the San Diego Chargers 2015 game logs and noticed how poorly this offense performed in two matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs defense, keep in mind the Chargers had been absolutely gutted by injuries at the skill positions and on the offensive line. When Philip Rivers has all his weapons healthy, the San Diego gunslinger is an underrated fantasy star. However, the Chiefs defense is very tough at home, so keep your expectations for Rivers, Keenan Allen and

55 Weekly Report Page 55 Travis Benjamin in check. It s hard to get a read on how many targets Tyrell Williams (he s Stevie Johnson s replacement) will receive each week. You probably drafted Antonio Gates as your No. 1 tight end, but Kansas City surrendered the fewest fantasy points to the position. Gates, however, caught seven balls for 76 yards in his last matchup against the Chiefs, so don t be too quick to banish him to the bench. Melvin Gordon ran well in the preseason, but Kansas City was a top-four defense versus the running back position as evidenced by Danny Woodhead compiling a combined 29 total yards on 13 combo touches in two matchups against that defense in The San Diego team defense is not a recommended starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Philip Rivers RB Melvin Gordon RB Danny Woodhead RB Kenneth Farrow WR Keenan Allen WR Travis Benjamin WR Tyrell Williams WR Dontrelle Inman TE Antonio Gates TE Hunter Henry FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Josh Lambo P/A SK INT FUM s DT Chargers San Diego Chargers Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 14), San Diego lost to Kansas City In that game, Philip Rivers threw for 263 yards but didn t toss any scoring strikes. Melvin Gordon amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Danny Woodhead compiled 13 total yards on six total touches.

56 Weekly Report Page 56 Keenan Allen, Stevie Johnson and Dontrelle Inman all missed the game due to injuries. Antonio Gates racked up six catches for 76 yards. K A N S A S C I T Y C H I E F S INJURIES TO MONITOR: Jamaal Charles (ACL surgery) At last check, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said it would be a stretch for Jamaal Charles (ACL surgery) to play in Week 1, which completely contradicts all the positive news about his rehabilitation that we had been hearing all summer. Charles also looks shaky for Week 2, too, but keep an eye on the situation. Kansas City is expected to use a committee with Spencer Ware operating as the starter while Charcandrick West and Knile Davis will handle backup duties. Facing a San Diego Chargers defense that surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to enemy running backs in 2015, Ware is a nice fantasy RB1 play. There s a good chance that West also could hit pay dirt in what will be a run-heavy attack as usual, but he comes with workload uncertainty. Even though the Chargers ranked sixth in fantasy points ceded to the wideout position, Jeremy Maclin, the undisputed top target for Alex Smith, is still a decent start, but Smith will operate in his usual caretaker role. Linebacker Justin Houston (knee surgery) won t play until midseason at the earliest, but the Kansas City team defense has more than enough talent to continue operating as a starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Alex Smith RB Jamaal Charles RB Spencer Ware RB Charcandrick West RB Knile Davis WR Jeremy Maclin WR Chris Conley WR Albert Wilson

57 Weekly Report Page 57 WR De Anthony Thomas TE Travis Kelce TE Demetrius Harris FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Cairo Santos P/A SK INT FUM s DT Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 14) Kansas City downed San Diego In that outing, Alex Smith passed for 191 yards and one touchdown. Jamaal Charles missed the game due to ACL surgery. Spencer Ware amassed 52 rushing yards on eight carries. Charcandrick West rolled up 54 rushing yards on 10 totes of the rock. Jeremy Maclin caught six balls for 68 yards. Albert Wilson made four grabs for 87 yards and one touchdown.

58 Weekly Report Page 58 BUFFALO BILLS (0-0) BALTIMORE RAVENS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD

59 Weekly Report Page 59 L I N E : B A L 3.0 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG BUF OFFENSE BAL DEFENSE BAL OFFENSE BUF DEFENSE BUFFALO BILLS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Charles Clay (lower back) Offensive production is usually a problem on teams led by defensive-minded head coach Rex Ryan, but that s not the case here. The Buffalo Bills score unit notched the eighth-most touchdowns in the NFL last season. Tyrod Taylor undoubtedly will be jacked up to play his former team, and he looks like a sneaky start versus a sagging Baltimore Ravens defense that surrendered the ninth-most fantasy points to the quarterback position last season. Taylor s No. 1 target, Sammy Watkins (foot surgery), is all systems go for Week 1. He could erupt if Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith, who also underwent offseason foot surgery, can t recapture his elite shutdown form. Although Robert Woods isn t a recommended play, he could surprise against burnable cornerback Shareece Wright. The Bills hope Charles Clay can rebound from a disappointing 2015, but don t expect much from him versus a Baltimore defense that has been stingy to the tight end position. While Clay isn t worth starting, definitely keep an eye on him. Although the Ravens ceded the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the running back position, the Bills are one of the NFL s most proficient rushing teams, so roll with LeSean McCoy. His backups, third-down guy Reggie Bush and Mike Gillislee, won t have

60 Weekly Report Page 60 standalone value for now. The Buffalo team defense shouldn t be trusted in starting lineups until we see some solid improvement from what was an underachieving unit last season. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Tyrod Taylor RB LeSean McCoy RB Reggie Bush RB Mike Gillislee WR Sammy Watkins WR Robert Woods WR Marquise Goodwin WR Greg Salas TE Charles Clay FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dan Carpenter P/A SK INT FUM s DT Bills Buffalo Bills Notes: Previous matchup: Buffalo defeated Baltimore during the 2013 regular season. Last season Tyrod Taylor finished second among all quarterbacks in carries and rushing yards, and placed fourth in rushing touchdowns. BALTIMORE RAVENS

61 Weekly Report Page 61 INJURIES TO MONITOR: Kenneth Dixon (knee), Steve Smith (Achilles tendon), Breshad Perriman (knee), Dennis Pitta (hip, finger). The Buffalo Bills defense isn t an elite stop unit, but Buffalo probably will be able to contain the Baltimore Ravens committee backfield. Justin Forsett has re-signed and is expected to start, but third-down specialist Javorius Allen and Terrance West will be in the mix while rookie Kenneth Dixon (knee) sits on the injury shelf. The Ravens haven t tipped their hand on how they ll split the backfield carries. If you can, steer clear of this group for now. Although the Bills have one of the better cornerback tandems in the NFL (Ronald Darby and Stephon Gilmore), Buffalo has been vulnerable to the pass. Since the ground game won t be effective, Joe Flacco will have to carry the offensive load. Steve Smith, who is coming off a torn Achilles tendon, didn t play in the preseason, and he s obviously way too risky to trust in starting lineups. Mike Wallace has been Flacco s favorite target during the preseason, and Kamar Aiken has remained steady in the slot. With Ben Watson (Achilles tendon) lost for the season, Crockett Gillmore has been penciled in as the starting tight end, but Maxx Williams and Dennis Pitta will compete for targets. This is another potential committee that you should avoid. The Ravens team defense lacks fantasy appeal in this matchup. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Joe Flacco RB Justin Forsett RB Javorius Buck Allen RB Terrance West RB Kenneth Dixon WR Steve Smith, Sr WR Mike Wallace WR Kamar Aiken WR Chris Moore WR Breshad Perriman TE Crockett Gillmore TE Maxx Williams TE Dennis Pitta FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Justin Tucker P/A SK INT FUM s

62 Weekly Report Page 62 DT Ravens Baltimore Ravens Notes: Previous matchup: Baltimore lost to Buffalo during the 2013 regular season.

63 Weekly Report Page 63 CHICAGO BEARS (0-0) HOUSTON TEXANS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET NRG Stadium Houston, TX L I N E : HOU 6.0 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CHI OFFENSE HOU DEFENSE HOU OFFENSE CHI DEFENSE

64 Weekly Report Page 64 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None CHICAGO BEARS This doesn t look like a great week to start any Chicago Bears. With a new coordinator calling the shots, the Bears will feature an offense that s weaker on paper than the 2015 version, and the elite Houston Texans defense will be operating at full strength with a supposedly healthy J.J. Watt (back surgery). Chicago has replaced Matt Forte (Jets) with Jeremy Langford. Even though Langford is expected to operate as a three-down starter and receive a majority of the work, Ka Deem Carey and Jordan Howard will steal touches. The Texans are tough versus the run, so consider Langford and all Bears tailbacks weak plays. Houston closed out 2015 allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the wideout position. Alshon Jeffery will have his hands full with cornerback Jonathan Joseph, which will drag down Jay Cutler s production. While the Monsters of the Midway love Kevin White s upside, the wideout is still considered a project after missing his entire 2015 rookie season. Eddie Royal s role and workload are both question marks right now. Zach Miller, who was sneaky good late in 2015, isn t expected to go off against a Houston defense that ranked 12th in fantasy points allowed to enemy tight ends. The injury-prone Miller missed most of training camp due to a concussion. The Bears team defense isn t a starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Jay Cutler RB Jeremy Langford RB Ka Deem Carey RB Jordan Howard WR Alshon Jeffery WR Kevin White WR Eddie Royal TE Zach Miller

65 Weekly Report Page 65 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Connor Barth P/A SK INT FUM s DT Bears Chicago Bears Notes: Previous matchup: Chicago lost to Houston 13-6 during the 2012 regular season. INJURIES TO MONITOR: None H O U S T O N T E X A N S This is a feel-good matchup for the Houston Texans against a Chicago Bears defense that features a revamped linebacker corps and a leaky secondary. A lot of the preseason buzz about the Texans focused on their overhauled passing attack, but their trademark blueprint of playing tough defense and running the football hasn t changed. With J.J. Watt (back surgery) supposedly healthy now, the Texans team defense has been elevated from a good play to a must-start against a Bears offense that features only one proven playmaker. Three-down back Lamar Miller is expected to receive a massive workload since Houston is expected to ease new starting quarterback Brock Osweiler into the mix slowly. Chicago s secondary will be dangerously thin if No. 2 cornerback Kyle Fuller (knee surgery) can t go, so the Texans could let Osweiler throw more than expected. Speed merchant Will Fuller has some sleeper potential. He could catch at least one long bomb against a less-than-100-percent K. Fuller (or whoever subs for him), while the must-start DeAndre Hopkins should have no problems against mediocre No. 1 cornerback Tracy Porter. Fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach with new slot guy Braxton Miller, and Houston s tight ends are expected to remain fantasy irrelevant as usual. Week 1 Projections

66 Weekly Report Page 66 PLAYER QB Brock Osweiler RB Lamar Miller RB Alfred Blue RB Tyler Ervin RB Jonathan Grimes WR DeAndre Hopkins WR Will Fuller WR Braxton Miller WR Jaelen Strong TE Ryan Griffin TE C.J. Fiedorowicz FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Nick Novak P/A SK INT FUM s DT Texans Houston Texans Notes: Previous matchup: The Texans downed the Bears 13-6 during the 2012 regular season. GREEN BAY PACKERS (0-0) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

67 Weekly Report Page 67 (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 1:00 PM ET EverBank Field Jacksonville, FL L I N E : G B 4.5 O V E R / U N D E R : 48.0 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG GB OFFENSE JAX DEFENSE JAX OFFENSE GB DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None GREEN BAY PACKERS The revamped and highly touted Jacksonville Jaguars defense looks good on paper. This unit, however, is going to need time to jell and won t have much success containing a now-healthy Green Bay Packers offense that should return to its high-scoring ways. Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb are must-starts. Jordy Nelson, who is coming off ACL surgery, sat out the entire preseason and has taken part in only two weeks of full practices with the team. There s speculation that Nelson will be on a snap count, but the big-play wideout is still a must-start. Davante Adams hold on the No. 3 wideout job is shaky, so he shouldn t be trusted right now. Green Bay s dicey slot wideout situation opens the door of opportunity for speedy Jared Cook against a Jacksonville defense that surrendered the sixth-

68 Weekly Report Page 68 most fantasy points to enemy tight ends last season. It looks like Cook is the undisputed starter, so Richard Rodgers shouldn t be on your radar for now. The Jaguars likely will be improved against the run thanks to a retooled linebacker corps, so don t expect a huge outing from Eddie Lacy. The Packers team defense is a decent start in leagues that don t penalize harshly for points allowed. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Aaron Rodgers RB Eddie Lacy RB James Starks WR Jordy Nelson WR Randall Cobb WR Davante Adams WR Jared Abbrederis WR Jeff Janis TE Jared Cook TE Richard Rodgers FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Mason Crosby P/A SK INT FUM s DT Packers Green Bay Packers Notes: The last regular-season clash between Green Bay and Jacksonville took place during the 2012 regular season. The Packers prevailed JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

69 Weekly Report Page 69 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None The Jacksonville Jaguars want to operate a more balanced offense and rely more on their retooled defense to win games, but this week they ll find themselves in a shootout reminiscent of last season. The Green Bay Packers defense is usually solid against the run, so game flow should favor T.J. Yeldon over power-back Chris Ivory, even though the Jaguars will do everything possible to try to establish Ivory during his Jacksonville regular-season debut. Blake Bortles will have to throw it early and often. Even though the Packers are very stingy to the wideout position, Allen Robinson remains a must-start. Dial down expectations, however, for Allen Hurns. Green Bay ranked close to average in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends in 2015, so Julius Thomas is a solid play. The Jacksonville team defense is loaded with talent and promise, but fantasy owners should take a waitand-see approach with this unit for now. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Blake Bortles RB Chris Ivory RB T.J. Yeldon RB Denard Robinson WR Allen Robinson WR Allen Hurns WR Marqise Lee WR Rashad Greene TE Julius Thomas FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jason Myers P/A SK INT FUM s DT Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Notes: Four years have passed since the last regular-season meeting between Jacksonville and Green Bay. The Jaguars lost that contest

70 Weekly Report Page 70 MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-0) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 4:05 PM ET CenturyLink Field Seattle, WA L I N E : S E A 10.5 O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG MIA OFFENSE SEA DEFENSE SEA OFFENSE MIA DEFENSE

71 Weekly Report Page 71 MIAMI DOLPHINS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Kenny Stills (back), DeVante Parker (hamstring) The new-look Miami Dolphins offense is loaded with potential, but fantasy owners should keep their expectations for all Dolphins fantasy stars on the low side in a tough road matchup against the always sturdy Seattle Seahawks defense. Last season the Seahawks yielded the second-fewest fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks and the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts, so Ryan Tannehill, Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills (assuming he plays) and DeVante Parker (assuming he plays) are all weak plays. Landry, however, operates out of the slot, so Tannehill s security blanket should cobble together a somewhat decent outing. However, Seattle stud cornerback Richard Sherman isn t glued to the left side of the formation anymore, so there s a chance that he could shadow Landry for at least part of the game. The Seahawks ranked just 23rd in fantasy points ceded to the tight end position last season. Although the Dolphins want to feature Jordan Cameron, he shouldn t be trusted following a preseason full of dropped passes. Thirty-year-old Arian Foster is the starter for as long as his battered body can hold up. Facing a Seahawks defense that s tough against the run, he and Jay Ajayi are weak plays, but Foster could do some damage as a receiver. The retooled Dolphins team defense isn t an option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Ryan Tannehill RB Arian Foster RB Jay Ajayi RB Damien Williams WR Jarvis Landry WR DeVante Parker WR Kenny Stills WR Leonte Carroo TE Jordan Cameron TE Dion Sims

72 Weekly Report Page 72 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Andrew Franks P/A SK INT FUM s DT Dolphins Miami Dolphins Notes: The last regular-season meeting between Miami and Seattle took place during the 2012 regular season. The Dolphins slipped past the Seahawks SEATTLE SEAHAWKS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Thomas Rawls (ankle), Jimmy Graham (knee) It s a great week to start your Seattle Seahawks fantasy stars. The revamped Miami Dolphins defense should flash some improvement after it badly underachieved in 2015, but the Dolphins still don t have enough playmakers to contain the NFL s elite offenses. Miami finished dead last in fantasy points allowed to the running back position in 2015, but Thomas Rawls, unfortunately, looks like a very dicey start due to workload concerns assuming he suits up. Coming off ankle surgery, Rawls played very little during the preseason and could be on a snap count. Consider Rawls a high risk fantasy RB3. Christine Michael has been a notorious preseason fantasy tease, but many think he s finally put it all together. Since the Seahawks apparently want to ease Rawls into the mix slowly, Michael has upside this week and deserves strong flex consideration. If Rawls sits, Michael is a solid fantasy RB1 start. The must-start Russell Wilson should dissect a retooled Dolphins secondary with help from Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse. Fantasy owners should be aware that Tyler Lockett, a popular sleeper pick, is starting 2016 behind Kearse on the depth chart, which makes Lockett a boom-or-bust option. Steer clear of Jimmy Graham until we get an accurate read on his health and effectiveness. The Seattle team defense is a solid starting option. Week 1 Projections

73 Weekly Report Page 73 PLAYER QB Russell Wilson RB Thomas Rawls RB Christine Michael RB C.J. Prosise WR Doug Baldwin WR Jermaine Kearse WR Tyler Lockett WR Paul Richardson TE Jimmy Graham TE Luke Willson FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Steven Hauschka P/A SK INT FUM s DT Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Notes: The last clash between the Seahawks and the Dolphins took place during the 2012 regular season. Seattle lost

74 Weekly Report Page 74 NEW YORK GIANTS (0-0) DALLAS COWBOYS

75 Weekly Report Page 75 (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 4:25 PM ET AT&T Stadium Arlington, TX L I N E : P I C K E M O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG NYG OFFENSE DAL DEFENSE DAL OFFENSE NYG DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None NEW YORK GIANTS The New York Giants feature one of the NFL s best and most pass-happy offenses. However, this score unit struggled in its last two matchups against the Dallas Cowboys defense, so, aside from the must-start Odell Beckham, don t expect big outings from the Big Blue fantasy stars. Eli Manning failed to toss a scoring strike in his last two games against the Cowboys, who were very tough against the pass in Fantasy owners shouldn t gamble on Sterling Shepard this week as the rookie makes his first regular-season start against a Dallas defense that ranked 11th in fantasy points allowed to enemy wideouts last season. Even though Victor Cruz showed enough to stake a claim to the No. 3 wideout job, the Salsa Man should remain off your fantasy radar for now. Unfortunately, Will Tye

76 Weekly Report Page 76 didn t take command of the starting job during the preseason like many had expected. He ll open the season in a committee with presumed starter Larry Donnell versus a Cowboys defense that ceded the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the position in Looking at the ground game, Rashad Jennings is the undisputed starter and workhorse runner, but Dallas has been stingy against the run at home. The retooled Giants team defense isn t a starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Eli Manning RB Rashad Jennings RB Shane Vereen RB Orleans Darkwa WR Odell Beckham, Jr WR Sterling Shepard WR Victor Cruz WR Dwayne Harris TE Will Tye TE Larry Donnell FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Josh Brown (Suspension) PK Randy Bullock P/A SK INT FUM s DT Giants New York Giants Notes: New York defeated Dallas during Week 6 of the 2015 season, which was the last meeting between the two teams. In that contest, Eli Manning passed for 170 yards but didn t throw any touchdown passes. Rashad Jennings carried five times for 19 yards. Shane Vereen amassed six combo yards on five combo touches. Odell Beckham caught four passes for 35 yards.

77 Weekly Report Page 77 Larry Donnell hauled in four balls for 18 yards. Will Tye didn t log any receptions. DALLAS COWBOYS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Dez Bryant (concussion) With rookie Dak Prescott making his first career regular-season start in place of the injured Tony Romo (back), many in the fantasy football universe think the Dallas Cowboys will operate a conservative run-heavy scheme with rookie Ezekiel Elliott getting the start and Alfred Morris backing him up against a New York Giants defense that was soft against the run last season. That s definitely the plan, but look for the Cowboys to turn Prescott loose more than expected on his home field versus a Big Blue defense that also struggled against the pass. The rookie triggerman, despite his plus matchup on paper, is way too risky to trust in starting lineups. Assuming Dez Bryant s concussion issues are in the rear view mirror, which is very likely, he s a must-start. Bryant aside, the target distribution with Prescott under center is a mystery right now, which makes Terrance West, Cole Beasley and the others all very risky options. Since New York yielded the second-most fantasy points to the tight end position last season and rookie passers often lean on their tight ends, predicting a score for Jason Witten seems reasonable. The Cowboys team defense is not recommended this week. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Dak Prescott RB Ezekiel Elliott RB Alfred Morris RB Lance Dunbar WR Dez Bryant WR Terrance Williams WR Cole Beasley

78 Weekly Report Page 78 WR Brice Butler TE Jason Witten FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dan Bailey P/A SK INT FUM s DT Cowboys Dallas Cowboys Notes: The last clash between Dallas and New York took place in Week 6 of last season. The Giants downed the Cowboys Tony Romo missed the game due to a collar bone injury. Matt Cassel (Titans) threw for 227 yards and one touchdown. Darren McFadden carried 29 times for 152 yards and one touchdown. Dez Bryant missed the game because of a foot injury. Terrance Williams caught four passes for 70 yards. Jason Witten hauled in six balls for 73 yards.

79 Weekly Report Page 79 DETROIT LIONS (0-0) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 4:25 PM ET Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN L I N E : I N D O V E R / U N D E R : 5 0.5

80 Weekly Report Page 80 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG DET OFFENSE IND DEFENSE IND OFFENSE DET DEFENSE DETROIT LIONS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Eric Ebron (ankle) The Indianapolis Colts secondary will have to operate without the services of its best player, Vontae Davis (ankle), so it s no mystery how the Detroit Lions offense and Matthew Stafford plan to attack in a matchup with major shootout potential. Golden Tate (he won t have to face Davis) and Marvin Jones are both strong plays. Projecting a touchdown grab for No. 3 wideout Anquan Boldin is a risky, but Eric Ebron, who is coming off an ankle injury that forced him to miss a lot of preseason action, may not be ready to play a full load of snaps. Ameer Abdullah will start the season as Detroit s lead tailback versus a Colts defense that closed out 2015 ranked 23rd in fantasy points allowed to enemy ball carriers, but Zac Zenner is expected to handle the short-yardage duties. Based on predictions about game flow, Theo Riddick looks like a decent flex option in larger PPR leagues. The Lions team defense likely will rack up at least a couple of sacks, but this unit isn t a recommended start in scoring formats that punish for points allowed. Week 1 Projections

81 Weekly Report Page 81 PLAYER QB Matthew Stafford RB Ameer Abdullah RB Theo Riddick RB Zach Zenner WR Golden Tate WR Marvin Jones WR Anquan Boldin TE Eric Ebron TE Cole Wick FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Prater P/A SK INT FUM s DT Lions Detroit Lions Notes: Detroit lost to Indianapolis during the 2012 regular season, which was the last matchup between the two teams. INJURIES TO MONITOR: None. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Welcome back, Andrew Luck! The must-start Luck and company will operate with their trademark pass-heavy game plan in what should be a high-scoring affair. His offensive line looked shaky during the preseason, but that won t stop Luck from slinging the rock early and often. T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief are also must-starts, and Philip Dorsett deserves a look in deeper leagues. Last season the Detroit Lions defense surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to the tight end position, so this is a great matchup for the Colts to re-establish Dwayne Allen after he was virtually invisible in Thirty-three-year-old Frank Gore could find some decent running room against a Lions defense that

82 Weekly Report Page 82 ranked close to average in fantasy points allowed to enemy running backs last season, but an expected pass-heavy game flow will place a ceiling on his touches. Gore s new backup, Robert Turbin, could see more action in passing situations than expected, but he won t have standalone value. The Indianapolis team defense lacks fantasy appeal. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Andrew Luck RB Frank Gore RB Robert Turbin RB Jordan Todman WR T.Y. Hilton WR Donte Moncrief WR Phillip Dorsett TE Dwayne Allen TE Jack Doyle FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Adam Vinatieri P/A SK INT FUM s DT Colts Indianapolis Colts Notes: The last regular-season clash between Indianapolis and Detroit happened in The Colts slipped past the Lions

83 Weekly Report Page 83 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-0) ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-0) Sunday September 11th, 8:30 PM ET University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ L I N E : A R Z O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG NE OFFENSE ARZ DEFENSE ARZ OFFENSE NE DEFENSE

84 Weekly Report Page 84 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: None Everybody knows this is the first of four season-opening starts that Jimmy Garoppolo will make while Tom Brady cools his jets during his league Deflategate suspension. Forecasting for the New England Patriots with Brady under center is usually tricky, because the team uses many of its players in game-specific matchups that change from week to week. Adding Garoppolo to the prediction mix makes things even more complicated. He has never started a regular-season game, and there s no way to get a read on his pass distribution. Garoppolo isn t a recommended play. Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, however, are usually the safest starts in the New England passing attack. The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up 2015 ranked 19th in fantasy points given up to opposing tight ends, so Gronk should hold his own. There has been speculation that New England will use a lot of twotight end sets with Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett on the field at the same time, but Bennett owners should consider holding off starting him until Brady returns. Even though the Cardinals surrendered the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, James White still looks like a solid play. The game flow should favor White over thumper LeGarrette Blount, who will have a tough time against Arizona s talented front seven. This is a tough road matchup for the New England team defense. The Patriots may spend long periods on the field if Garoppolo can t move the offense. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Jimmy Garoppolo RB LeGarrette Blount RB James White RB Brandon Bolden WR Julian Edelman WR Chris Hogan WR Danny Amendola TE Rob Gronkowski TE Martellus Bennett

85 Weekly Report Page 85 FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Stephen Gostkowski P/A SK INT FUM s DT Patriots New England Patriots Notes: The last meeting between New England and Arizona happened during the 2012 regular season. The Patriots lost ARIZONA CARDINALS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Larry Fitzgerald (knee) The New England Patriots defense usually schemes to shut down one skill player on an offense. There s strong speculation that New England s target will be David Johnson, but he remains a muststart even though the Patriots ranked sixth in fantasy points allowed to enemy tailbacks last season. Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington aren t expected to receive enough touches to offer standalone value. Carson Palmer should have success throwing against a New England defense that s good but not great against the pass especially on the road. Since Larry Fitzgerald probably won t be 100 percent, Michael Floyd and John Brown are more likely to score. The tight ends in the Cardinals offense lack fantasy appeal as usual. The Arizona team defense, which features former Patriots pass rusher Chandler Jones, usually performs very well at home and should be a strong play. PLAYER QB Carson Palmer RB David Johnson RB Chris Johnson RB Andre Ellington WR Larry Fitzgerald

86 Weekly Report Page 86 WR Michael Floyd WR John Brown WR J.J. Nelson WR Jaron Brown TE Jermaine Gresham TE Darren Fells FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Chandler Catanzaro P/A SK INT FUM s DT Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Notes: The last regular-season matchup between Arizona and New England took place four seasons ago. The Cardinals won PITTSBURGH STEELERS (0-0) WASHINGTON (0-0) Monday September 12th, 7:10 PM ET FedExField Greater Landover, MD L I N E : P I T O V E R / U N D E R : 5 0.0

87 Weekly Report Page 87 Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG PIT OFFENSE WAS DEFENSE WAS OFFENSE PIT DEFENSE PITTSBURGH STEELERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Markus Wheaton (shoulder) The Pittsburgh Steelers offense comes into this one short handed. As you surely know, the NFL has suspended big-play threat Martavis Bryant for the entire season, and stud three-down back Le Veon Bell is starting 2016 with a three-game league suspension. Ladarius Green is out of action until further notice allegedly because of concussion-induced headaches. Ben Roethlisberger obviously will have to carry the offense, but he s a more productive quarterback at home. Don t worry about Antonio Brown drawing shadow coverage from Josh Norman. We all know Brown is matchup proof. Markus Wheaton, who is Bryant s replacement, has been mediocre overall despite playing in the Steelers high-octane passing attack. There s a chance Wheaton could impress, but he could just as easily flop, too. Slot guy Eli Rogers also could surprise in a role that had been originally set aside for the disappointing Sammie Coates, but Rogers obviously is too risky to start. In addition, Jesse James, the replacement for Green, is an unknown commodity. DeAngelo Williams will receive plenty of touches as the fill-in starter at tailback. The Washington defense is solid against the run at home, so keep your expectations for Williams in check. The Steelers team defense is far more dominant at Heinz Field.

88 Weekly Report Page 88 Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Ben Roethlisberger RB Le Veon Bell (Suspended) RB DeAngelo Williams RB Fitzgerald Toussaint WR Antonio Brown WR Markus Wheaton WR Eli Rogers WR Sammie Coates WR Darrius Heyward-Bey TE Jesse James FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Chris Boswell P/A SK INT FUM s DT Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers Notes: The last regular-season matchup between Pittsburgh and Washington took place four years ago. The Steelers won WASHINGTON INJURIES TO MONITOR: Matt Jones (shoulder), Josh Doctson (Achilles tendon) You don t expect Washington to run the football all night long, right? The Burgundy and Gold have a stable of running backs comprised of talented-but-unproven-and-injury-prone Matt Jones, passingdown back Chris Thompson and undrafted free-agent Rob Kelley, who actually looked competent in preseason action. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is solid against the run, so consider whoever starts a

89 Weekly Report Page 89 so-so flex option. Thompson rarely caught more than four passes per game last season, so he lacks upside. Washington will have to pass a ton as usual, which makes the must-start Jordan Reed and Kirk Cousins strong plays. Even though the Steelers overhauled a secondary that was gutted non-stop by enemy wideouts in 2015, their defensive backfield remains a work in progress. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, who was shunned by quite a few fantasy owners on draft day, look like nice starts. Don t worry about rookie Josh Doctson stealing targets from Garcon in the short term, because Doctson has been nursing an Achilles tendon injury. If he plays, Doctson won t be totally healthy. The Washington team defense isn t a starting option this week. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Kirk Cousins RB Matt Jones RB Rob Kelley RB Chris Thompson WR DeSean Jackson WR Pierre Garcon WR Jamison Crowder WR Ryan Grant WR Josh Doctson TE Jordan Reed TE Niles Paul FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dustin Hopkins P/A SK INT FUM s DT Washington Washington Notes: Previous matchup: Washington lost to Pittsburgh during the 2012 season.

90 Weekly Report Page 90 LOS ANGELES RAMS (0-0) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-0) Monday September 12th, 10:20 PM ET Levi s Stadium Santa Clara, CA L I N E : L A O V E R / U N D E R : Team Offensive/Defensive Matchups (2015) UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG LA OFFENSE SF DEFENSE SF OFFENSE LA DEFENSE

91 Weekly Report Page 91 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None LOS ANGELES RAMS Even with a new offensive scheme and new coordinator calling the shots, the talent-deficient Los Angeles Rams score unit still won t do much scoring. Where would this group be without the muststart Todd Gurley? The last time he faced the San Francisco 49ers defense, Gurley racked up 146 total yards and one rushing touchdown on 23 combo touches. It ll be a huge surprise if he doesn t shred the 49ers once again. Jared Goff was expected to be a healthy inactive for Week 1, which surely isn t what the Rams envisioned when they drafted him No. 1 overall. Goff, according to media reports, is way behind in his development, so Case Keenum will get the start. During the offseason, the Rams had promised to get Tavon Austin and Kenny Britt more involved, but you re better off staying away from this anemic passing attack for now. The Los Angeles team defense, however, is a solid starting unit. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Case Keenum RB Todd Gurley RB Benny Cunningham RB Malcolm Brown WR Tavon Austin WR Kenny Britt WR Pharoh Cooper WR Brian Quick TE Lance Kendricks TE Tyler Higbee FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Greg Zuerlein P/A SK INT FUM s DT Rams Los Angeles Rams Notes:

92 Weekly Report Page 92 Previous matchup: The Rams lost to the 49ers (overtime) during a meaningless Week 17 contest last season. In that game, Case Keenum passed for 231 yards but didn t toss any scoring strikes. Todd Gurley missed the game due to a foot injury. Kenny Britt caught three passes for 81 yards. Lance Kendricks logged five grabs for 37 yards. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Carlos Hyde (concussion) Here is the worst-kept secret in the fantasy universe: The San Francisco 49ers don t have the talent to operate new head coach Chip Kelly s exotic spread offense effectively. San Francisco s glaring personnel deficiencies, which weren t addressed during the offseason, will be on full display in front of a national television audience as the 49ers try their best not to crumble against a Los Angeles Rams defense that s one of the better stop units in the NFL. Carlos Hyde, assuming he plays, is the only safe fantasy option here, but don t expect a big outing. The Blaine Gabbert-led passing attack, which features Torrey Smith, new slot guy Jeremy Kerley and Vance McDonald, is too risky to trust right now. Smith was targeted just once by Gabbert in three preseason games played, which is scary. The 49ers starting triggerman has shown a fondness for targeting slot wideouts, which could help Kerley. McDonald is also a favorite of Gabbert s, but the touchdown reception projected for McDonald could just as easily go to Garrett Celek. The San Francisco team defense obviously isn t a starting option. Week 1 Projections PLAYER QB Blaine Gabbert RB Carlos Hyde