Starts of the Week, Wk 5 Matchups, Hinesquarters

here's where I'm concerned for Tennessee. They have not been able to get the run game going. I know we've talked about if any game works out for Derek Henry, it should be this one. But like Corey Davis, he's going to be matched up against Tredavius White, who's an excellent, excellent cornerback. I'm concerned for Corey Davis. I mean, this, I'm, I'm with Andy. I'm all about Corey Davis moving forward, but this particular matchup, I'm on the road for,

for the Titans, I have my concerns for Davis, and then if they can't get Derek Henry going, I think that the bills might be able to sneak one out. Yeah, I mean, I still believe in Dionne Lewis, Tewan Taylor. I think there are other options here, other weapons to get it done. My issue is that the Titans' defense has looked so good while the Bill's offense has looked very poor. So I don't understand how that happens. I mean, the Titans are coming off back-to-back.

shocking wins over Jacksonville and Philadelphia. This is one where I think that the Titans are going to win. I think Derek Henry does get it going. I'm willing to start Derek Henry this week, even though he's one of those final straw guys that I was talking about. I mean, he's not by any means a must start, but I'm willing this week. I'd like to start Dionne Lewis. I think he'll have a good game this week.

I would certainly feel more comfortable with Dionne Lewis having that floor. I mean, last week he didn't even gain a yard, but still put up 10 fantasy points because of the passing involved. Getting a rushing yard. Correct. Did not gain a yard on the ground, I should have said. But when we talk about your willingness to start Derek Henry, which is a very difficult thing to do in mind and body, are you talking, would you rather start Derek Henry, Jason, or would you rather start Aaron Jones at Detroit?

That's a really good one. I've got them very close in my rankings. You do. You got them back to back right now. I would slightly lean towards Aaron Jones. But I do think the safer play is Derek Henry, because we still don't know the usage at all for Aaron Jones. So if I'm a favorite, my opponent stinks, I'd probably switch that around and put Derek Henry in.

Yeah, this will be a very, I don't think it's going to be an illustrious game for fantasy owners myself. Yeah, I think it'll be low score. I don't have a lot of confidence in, and I'm with you. I love Corey Davis, but I'm looking at other options on my rosters, and I'm seeing Kenny Galladay, I'm seeing John Brown, and I'm saying I feel pretty fine starting those guys. I think the floor is lower for Corey Davis. I think it could end up in a situation where you're a little less comfy. Now, he does lead the league.

in target share on his team, but it's a matter of how much they pass, not so much the target share. He is 34% of the target share. That's obscene. Yeah. So for me, the guys I actually want to play from this, even though I'm talking about the bills potentially sneaking out of victory, I understand the probability lies with the Titans. The Titans defense is a tremendous play.

That's really where I'm most confident in this matchup. We talked about Buffalo allowing the league high in sacks, and the Tennessee Titans are racking up their own sack count. So that's the guy I want to play. The DST. Yeah, no, I'm with you. I'm starting them. No doubt about it. Even if the game's close, even if the bills win. It's going to be a productive day for the defenses in this one. Are you auto-starting Shady McCoy?

He's not an auto start, no. Would you rather start Henry or McCoy? Henry. Yeah, I think I lean Henry in this game. I mean, the Titans have been pretty solid against the run. They have not given up a rushing touchdown on the season. So I think Shady, I think it's going to be more of the same, where Shady will be involved, catch a few passes, get some yards on the ground, but will be held out of the end zone. So I think his upside is really cap. More of a shame. More of a shamy.

Yeah. I mean, the problem, the ribs, of course, is a problem for Shady McCoy, and he had a hand injury pop up. He was spotted, you know, with a wrap. He's just, he's not getting the volume and the snaps that we need from Lashon McCoy. Absolutely. That's another issue. I mean, if you look at the split, usually Shady just completely owns every backfield he's ever been in. Nobody else.

touches the ball. It's his workload. And last week, and maybe it's just the risk. Yeah, I mean, it's the injury. It is. It is definitely an injury. But is the injury done enough to where they just say, Chris Ivory, you're not going to continue to share that load? Probably more than last week. He played only 62% of the snaps for, yeah, I'm talking about LaShawn McCoy. Yeah. Wouldn't you expect that to go up? I mean, that'll be up it. It is, but.

Yeah, I mean, I expect it to go up, but he's not getting carries. I don't know. He just, he's troublesome, and I'm with you. Like, if you have that scenario of Derek Henry, I'd rather play. Fair summary. Avoid players in this game if you have a better option. Right. Because there's not a lot of upside. All right, the Giants, one and three, they go to Carolina off the buy. The Panthers are two and one. They're seven point favorites in this 44.5 point over under. Look, the Giants, listen to this. They've given up the most. Quarterback.

rushing yards per game in the league. Light up your Cam Newton's. You scooting the booty? I'm scooting the booty. Booty scooting Cam Newton. He's going to be scooting it all game long, and he's coming off the bye week. I love Cam Newton this week. I'm playing him over Pat Mahomes.

who is home against Jacksonville. I like the upside of Cam Newton a little bit more. I don't blame you. Yeah, I love all the Panthers right now. I mean, the New York Giants defense has not shown what I had hoped they would be, which was kind of two years ago. The Giants have allowed the fourth most rushing yards. Christian McCaffrey has been killing it. Both finally, not just as a receiving back, but even on the ground, coming off of a buy.

with fresh legs, with Norv Turner. I think Christian McCaffrey and Cam Newton are awesome. The real question is, which wide receiver are you going with? I know my answer. From the Panthers? Yeah, DJ Moore, Devin Funches. Do you roll one out? Do you roll both out? I would feel more controversial with Devin Funches' target share. He's had nine and seven in the last two games since Greg Olson was out. We know that Greg Olson will be out again. He is progressing.

He was hoping to play four to five weeks after breaking the foot, but not going to be back this week. So I lean Funches. Do you have the same consensus? Your statement was enigmatic to me because Devin Funches is the only guy who would even remotely consider. I'm wondering if this is his way of trying to say DJ Moore's name. Yes. Well, I wanted to bring DJ Moore up because a couple weeks ago, he was, you know, he had the 51-yard touchdown. People are really excited. He's the hot rookie, the first round. And then update.

He has two receptions on the year. Okay. Thank you. And he has four targets on the year. Yeah. So they're, they use them a little bit in the running game, but it's definitely funchus. I mean, he is the clear one on this team. You're loving on Norv Turner over there. You're buying the, they're coming out of the buy week. First round rookie wide receiver. Maybe they get him a little bit more involved. I'll keep my eyes on them. But I'm starting funchus in our dynasty league. I'm happy to do it.

All right, on the other side of the ball, the Giants' offense has struggled. Graham Barfield tweeted this. This year, just 8.9% of Odell Beckham Jr.'s targets have traveled 20-plus yards in the air. In his two prior seasons combined, 18% had done that. And if you watch the games, you know, it's obvious what has happened to Odell Beckham Jr. this year. His targets have been close to the line of scrimmage, and he hasn't had one of those slant routes.

or plays that he's been able to manufacture a long touchdown out of. Therefore, you're not getting the fantasy results that you expect from somebody in the top three at the position. That's all there is to it. You watch Eli, every time I see... Yeah, yeah, every time I see him take the ball. That's Eli taking a snap. He takes a snap. He screams at the top of his lungs, and he chucks it three or four yards in front of him. Now, it's going to Sequin. It's going to Beckham.

But the average depth of target is so close to the line of scrimmage that you're disappointed right now. You're definitely disappointed, but Odell Beckham has still been pretty good. I mean, if you're in any kind of half point or full point league, 11 receptions, nine receptions, seven receptions, two games over 100 yards, always getting near that 15 points. He hasn't scored yet. Had he have scored, we'd have a completely different view. And like you said, Andy, he just hasn't taken one of those slants to the house yet.

Is this the week it happens? You know, coming off the buy, Carolina's defense has looked very good. I'm not expecting this to be his huge breakout. Obviously, you're starting Odell Beckham. I have called him one of my biggest trade for targets. But ironically, yesterday, I don't remember how it happened, but we got into a little rabbit hole of watching old Victor Cruz highlights. Yeah. And while watching those, the one takeaway was like,

other than, oh, Victor Cruz was really fun for that year, was, wow, Eli Manning looks so much better here. Like, even when it's just like faking to the left and going back to the right, it takes him a full second longer now to do that little pump to the left and look to the right. He looks like an old man on the field when you go back and watch, you know, five years ago, Eli. Mike, can I ask you a question?

I want to get into this, Odell Beckham Jr. Because I know that the right answer most likely is to say, look, he's a trade target. Let's go after. However, this is a bad offense. It's been a long time since they've scored a number, a lot of points. He missed a year last year. Eli's a year older. And ultimately, this, you know, 10.7 yards per catch for Odell Beckham Jr. right now is a result of a terrible, shaky, offensive line and a quarterback that has no maneuverability.

No evasiveness, no ability to extend the play to take advantage of the strengths of Odell Beckham Jr. If I told you right now, you're going to have to depend upon Odell breaking slant routes to make his season, right? Like we've seen Julio Jones struggle with the touchdowns before. At least he's playing in a proficient offense. This might be a bottom five, bottom eight offense in the NFL. Is there a world where you're adjusting that...

high-end wide receiver one expectation with Oda Beckham Jr. Like, do you want him over Keenan Wrest this season where you see the Los Angeles Chargers offense being so much better? I still do. I still put him up in the echelon. Your hope and your argument for Corey Davis, right, has been the volume. It's, and which is true, this is what you've got to do. You got to follow the volume. 15 targets, 9, 10, 11. So.

Only one game without double-digit targets. The opportunities are there for O'Dell Beckham. I think it's just a matter of time before him and Eli actually get it going again. Yeah, that's fair. Right now, O'Dell Beckham Jr. is eighth in the league in targets. So that speaks to your point. Case you're curious, Adam Thielen is number one. He's balling out. Antonio Brandon, Juju, two, three. Now what about Mr. 100?

Catching 100% of his passes last week. Sterling Shepherd 10 for 10. Well, Sterling Shepherd did miss practice. He's expected to be back out there. You still don't have Evan Ingram. You certainly can give him a shot in this one. Jason? Yeah, no, I agree. The defense always is going to focus on Odell. If you don't have Evan Ingraham, Sterling Shepherd is a fine flex play. You like Corey Davis as the number one with that target share over Sterling Shepherd? Yes, I do.

The Dolphins three and one take on the Bengals. In Cincinnati, the Bengals are six and a half point favorites. They're also three in one. And this game's got a 49.5 point over under. So there are points to be scored. And we expect Joe Mixon to be back on the field. Yesterday we talk. We do? We do. Well, we expect it. Yeah, I expect it. His head coach came out and said the sun is up. Gio Bernard missed practice and Joe Mixon was in.

Full pads in practice yesterday. So after the show, we had a lot of positive movement in the Joe Mixon expectations. I expect Mixon to be out there. I expect Mixon to be great. Yeah, I mean, this was the timeline that every doctor in the world has given everyone from the team, outside the team, pro football doc, everyone has said they expect him to be back this week. And when the coach says the sun is rising, things are good. He hasn't been cleared, but that's just because...

They don't need to yet. They know the plan for Joe Mixon, and I would be blown away if he's not out there. Plus, you've got Giovanni Bernard a little banged up. So the combination is they need Joe Mixon, and he should be ready to go. I'm definitely firing him up against the dolphins. The dolphins run defense both last year. They ranked 26th. This year, they are 29th. They're the 29th best. Right. They've actually been great everywhere else.