Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 1 Matchups, In-or-Out, Kareem the Dream

You don't decide on the Tennessee wide receivers. You probably don't have multiple on your roster. I sure hope you don't. So, you know, if you've got Eric Decker, I think you can play him. That's about the only one I feel confident in because of his touchdown prowess. Maybe in a deeper league of Richard Matthews you can play. The past catcher I'm clearly most confident in is Delaney Walker. I think he fits the Oakland Raiders defense really nice. Yes.

He fits in their... In their giant tight-in. Just like a goal. Yeah, in their giant tight-in hole in their defense. And so... I'm not a part of this conversation. What did you do, Andy? I thought if I qualified the hole in their defense, yeah. With the position. We're grown-ups. It would work out. We're grown-ups. It didn't work out the way I plan. No. All right. Well, moving along.

So I do think Delaney Walker is a great play. He's my start of the week. And what else is going to here? I'll try and save us. Does Lynch have a good game against this Titans defense that had a second ranked run defense? Well, I think that the second ranked run defense of the Titans is just, it's an anomaly because the past defense was so atrocious last year that that's all you had to do was pass on them. You didn't even have to worry about running on them.

on the fantasy footballer's DFS podcast, where, which is the, which by the way, it came out today and is out every single Friday. And if you're not subscribed, you're living a sad life. So go get it on iTunes, Fantasy Footballers DFS podcast. If you've never played DFS, if you do play DFS, please check it out. My stack of the week, because of price and value and upside, it's Mario, and Decker. Because Mario, Mario is absolutely lethal inside the 10 throwing the ball. Eric Decker.

My thoughts on Eric Decker are well documented on this show. He's a touchdown machine. I mean, the only player I don't want to play in this matchup is Jared Cook. Well, that's kind of a life story for Jared Cook. I'm just saying, you know. He could be all right, but he's a wait and see type of prospect here. Well, who's playing Jared Cook in week one? Yeah, exactly. Nobody. All right.

I just want to throw this out because of my Delaney Walker start of the week. I love Jonas Smith, but I will hate you, Jonu, if you step in in the way of Delaney Walker. He's not this week. Good. Eagles. The Eagles take on the Redskins. Two of my starts of the week are in this game. Terrell Pryor and Zach Erds. I'm excited about this divisional matchup. The overrunner is 47.5 points. The Redskins are one-point underdogs despite being at home. And look, we want to see what the Redskins offense really is. They gave some.

There's some bad vibes there, especially, you know, from Jason in regards to. It's not just Jason is watching them play football. Well, Jason's bold prediction, though, with the disaster that will be the offense in Washington. I'm excited to see what happens in this game. I'm excited about Pryor's matchup on the outside.

I'm excited to see these new faces and new places. I mean, Jeffrey and Tori Smith, they're brand new. You've got the running back situation that's a mess in Philadelphia where it's, you know, is it blunt? Is it small? Are you willing to play any of these running backs? I mean, it's a juicy matchup. You're going to be in a position where you have to. I mean, much like where I had to roll Rex Burke hitting because I didn't feel confident with Lacey or Rawls, you might have to roll in the garrette and be happy with five to ten carries. Man, I will stay away in.

any situation possible. I mean, if there, if you have a, where you start Rawls over Blunt? If Rawls. Yeah, I would. I mean, that's the situation people are going to face. If you're, if you're that low, I think I would start Rawls over Blunt so long as are they, are they both the same time game? I don't, I don't, I don't remember the clock, but I want to make sure I, we don't say. Sure. I mean, because, because Rawls, we're still waiting. Both games will be four quarters.

They're going to go four quarters. I'm in the start time. Because obviously you have to wait and see that Thomas Rawls is going to play. If he is, I expect more points in that game. Definitely Lacey over Blum. Okay. So the Seahawks is the afternoon game and the Eagles. They are the morning game. So, yeah, that's the point. Then I would not start Rawls just for safety. I would start blunt. But if I've got Lacey, I would start Lacey over Blunt. On the road,

with an over under that, you know, I would personally choose the under. It just doesn't seem like the right situation for the goal line back for Lacey. I mean, any game can be. I mean, a goal line back, at least you have the opportunity for like what happened last night, a pass interference long bomb that puts Lagart Blunt down on the one or two. And if that happens, he's going to have a touchdown, have a fine game. The Eagles defense was middle of the road last year, but the run defense tackled opponents for a loss 19.3% of the time. That was number one in the league.

Robert Kelly, he needs a head of steam. What do we think he does in this game at home against the Eagles? You're confident starting him, Mike? Yes, I have confidence starting him as a two. I think that he's fine. I believe in the Washington offense. Kurt Cousins last year essentially averaged about 240 and 2 against this defense last year. He's killed them in the past. So I have faith that Washington gets it going.

this in this week and that includes Robert Kelly being a part of the action. I'm going to hit pause real quick before we talk Colts and Rams because there were two players we didn't bring up because there's so many fantasy relevant players in the Kansas City New England game. I just really quickly touch on Travis Kelsey, touch on Chris Hogan because they had a lot of hype and I want to know what you think about their situation. Are you talking about the running back for the New England Patriots Chris Hogan? Oh, I thought you meant the running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelsey. Yeah. Or the quarterback.

Taking those direct snaps. Andy Reid brought everything up in that game. Called a gray game. Travis Kelsey, this is what you, this is what I expect from Travis Kelsey is you're going to get games like this. You'll get those 100-yard games. It's just the Patriots eliminate the top weapon from a team. And there was talk before the game that the Patriots are going to scheme.

Travis Kelsey out, which I believe is why Andy Reid was trying to just force touches to Travis Kelsey. And so I'm not concerned about him moving forward. And Hogan is, he's just, he's a boom bust guy that if you want to put some juice in the flex position, then Hogan can provide that. But he, you're playing fantasy roulette with that wider Cicor. Exactly. I did see, you know, a bunch of people talking about the fact that Hogan had, you know, the highest percentage of snaps.

yesterday and that you know it'll it'll happen for him but you need to remember last year i believe chris hogan had the highest percentage of snaps in that core it's just not they're not using him as you know a volume target all right the indianapolis colts head to los angeles to take on the rams rams are three and a half point favorites against scott tollzine and the scott tollsine experience that's his band name

golf tollsine who's excited about this giving away free tickets if you want to go see the show i feel like this this is i know that the rams are on the road so at least i mean you're your favorite on the road but to only be favored they're on the road right am i i believe i have them down as home so okay let's just verify no it is the rams at home it's yeah yeah oh okay i apologize i was remembering that wrong but the rams as only a three and a half point favorite at home

against the Scott Tolzine-led Colts who have a bad defense. I mean, that's just an indictment of who the Rams are. But I think it's an indictment on the total scoring expectations in this game. I think that's what it is. But I will do this because sometimes you've got to be a man about it. I don't like Todd Gurley for season long. I love Todd Gurley in this matchup. I'm trying. If you have him, plug him in as a one.

With full confidence, I don't expect the Colts to put up any kind of fight for Todd Gurley. I'm expecting a massive game. Offensive line improvements mixed with being at home, a Colts defense that ranked 25 against the run last year. One of the most frequent questions that I have received this entire week, and you guys have seen them. We talked about them on the footcast. They're all T.Y. Hilton related, because without Andrew Luck,

And with this general cloud of Scott Tolzine hanging over the offense, people have fears. People want to know, do I start Ty White Hilton? Or do I roll out some lower tier wide receiver in week one simply because there's no Andrew Luck? What are the range of outcomes for Hilton? How are you approaching that situation? I think the floor is not safe for T.Y. Hilton, but I'm still going to play him because you know that the ceiling is there. I don't think that the Rams are.

I know they were 10th against the past last year. So they're, I mean, they're an okay defense, but Aaron Donald will not be playing in this game. So can the pressure really get there? I mean, he's a huge part of the Rams defense. So I'm still going to plug. If you take out Justin Houston last night, the game looks very different. Exactly. So I'm still playing Hilton, but it's my expectations are lowered. Let me give you a couple scenarios so you can decide. All right. Excellent.

Let's use first one from this game. Do you play Hilton or do you play Sammy Watkins in this game? Hilton. Do you play Hilton or do you play Hilton or do you play Hilton? I'm going Diggs. I would play Hilton still. What about Golden Tate or T.Y. Hilton? And for the record, I'm going Watkins. Okay. Ooh. Would you go Golden Tate or would you go T.Y. Hilton? I think there I would go T.Y. Hilton. Larry Fitzgerald or T. Y. Hilton? Fits.

Fitz for sure. Fitz is going to be. All right. So you guys are sharing some of the doubt. I think I'm more bullish on. Look, you drafted to you. I held him to start on your team. I'm not going to lose with my stud on the bench. And I probably stick with him. Yeah, I've said this before. But with Tolzeen, I am more confident in Dante Moncrief than I am in T.Y. Hilton. That seems ridiculous. Well, it's just the Moncrief as the possession receiver. I understand his logic. What kind of waterback can we do about that?

Oh, I like that. Just a straight up fantasy point. Yeah. Oh, no problem. No problem. All right. Waterbed. Brooks, where do you weigh in on that? Hilton or Moncrief? Uh, Hilton. Okay. Go Hilton side. All right. So you're in on the waterbed with me cool. Oh, negative. All right. Yeah, two for one. I like it. It's too late. You said yes. Um, yeah, I'll just like, I did not say yes. He did not say yes. All right. The Seahawks take on. Frank Gore.

Are you playing him? We don't talk about him. We just play him. Okay. I mean, because he wasn't really drafted as a starter because you could get him later on. No, I mean, I don't love the situation he's in because you can stack the box against Tolzine. Frank Gore is going to have some rotational, you know, he's going to take some time off. I don't love it. I'd rather start somebody else. They're just going to go 10 in the box. Yeah. One safety. Yeah. Gore. That's enough for Tolzeen.

I mean, perfect example. I started Dante Moncrief over Gore in my flex. Sounds like Moncrief might be your number one this week. Nope. No, I mean, I'm not high on him. This is a deep flex. This is multiple flex positions there. But I'm just saying I, it's hard to expect a big game from Frank Gore. I said this in the preseason. He looked surprisingly good. I was like, wow, he's still Frank Gore. Go figure at 34 years old. But.

I mean, the scheme is going to be everyone up close to the line. And I believe, shockingly, that the Colts will be down. I think the Rams are going to be able to move the ball on this defense, and they might have to throw the ball. All right. The Seahawks take on the Green Bay Packers excited about this matchup. 51 point over under. I expect points to be put up. We know that Aaron Rogers can kind of persist through whatever defense he faces, even though the Seahawks were top 10 and run and past defense last year.

And then you have the Packers who could not defend the pass at all last year. And Russell Wilson, who looks very good so far this year and has in his entire career in terms of fantasy. What are the storylines and narratives? There's a lot of potential starters in fantasy in this game. I'm very excited about Jimmy Graham in this game, for example. He's one of my highest rated tight ends on the week. What are you guys looking for? What are the decisions you're making and how do we need to talk about this matchup?

Yeah, I mean, I want all the Seahawks I can muster. I'm throwing in Doug Baldwin, obviously. Russell Wilson, if he wasn't already, you know, a top-ranked quarterback easily would have been my start of the week. That's a bold take because so are you saying you're playing like Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett? No, Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett. I'm not. I'm saying that when it comes to Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, just the studs from the team. Russell Wilson. And I'll throw Eddie Lacey in there.

I would play Eddie Lacey this week. I think that the Green Bay Packers rushing defense doesn't scare me. There will be opportunities at and near the goal line in this game, according to what Vegas is projecting for team totals. Can I swap Burkhead out and still play Lacey? Not on our site. Yeah. All right. Montgomery, we're confident in. Nelson, we're confident in? Yes. I'm still confident in the...