DFS

With Marlon Mack’s season-ending Achilles injury, Jonathan Taylor is in an absolute smash spot this week. Philip Rivers carried over his career love for targeting RBs, hooking up with Taylor and Nyheim Hines for 14 of his 36 completions. Taylor saw six of those, good for No. 2 among RBs in Week 1. The Vikings are a softer matchup than most think, ranking No. 27 in Defense Rushing DVOA against the Packers last week. Should his receiving volume continue, Taylor will flirt with top-5 RB numbers.

It didn’t take long for James Conner to realize his No. 1-ranked Injury Probability. His first quarter ankle injury paved the way for Benny Snell to be featured as the poster boy of Week 2 DFS. The second-year Steelers RB reportedly slimmed down from his 224-pound frame and looked good on Monday night. James Conner has yet to practice, meaning the Steelers will likely lean on Snell regardless of his status. He’s affordable and is a lock for 20 carries in an explosive offense.

Fantasy gamers should forget about DeSean Jackson and instead consider the oft-neglected Marvin Jones at home against the Bears for $5,500. With a 10.8 Weekly Volatility mark last season, Jones ranked No. 6 among receivers with at least 40 catches. Kenny Golladay earned a 21.1-percent (No. 33 among qualified wide receivers) Target Share in 2019, while Jones posted a 20.2-percent (No. 39) mark. If Golladay fails to suit up, Jones’ ownership percentage may creep into unplayable territory, so it’s a situation to monitor.

Henr Ruggs projects to carry a high degree of Weekly Volatility this season, to be sure. Dial him up against the Panthers in his first NFL game action before the masses become infatuated with him. He oozes with upside and the Raiders will move him all over the field and design plays to get him the ball in space. That’s why he will find the end zone in his first NFL game. The price is right on DraftKings ($5,100) and he doesn’t figure to garner huge ownership.

We can naturally anticipate a more pass-friendly offense from the Ravens in 2020, which will only bode well for the man they call Hollywood. With no serious competition for targets outside of Mark Andrews, Marquie Brown is in line for a significant share of the passing offense. Priced at $5,200 (WR32) on DraftKings, Hollywood is a great play vs a vulnerable Browns secondary.

For the second-straight season, Terry McLaurin will see the Eagles on opening day. He torched them for 255 yards and two touchdowns in two games last year. He’s slightly underpriced as the WR25 on the slate on DraftKings but has clear top-10 upside for the week with a safe floor and high ceiling.

Both Jalen Reagor and Alshon Jeffery are trending in the wrong direction for Week 1 with their respective shoulder injuries. Even if both suited up, DeSean Jackson is set to be the dynamic element to this passing attack while the tight ends dominate the intermediate range. Rostering Jackson offers a massive ceiling and a solid floor as well.

Now that Tyrell Williams is done with a shoulder injury, Bryan Edwards has earned the starting gig as the “X” receiver in Las Vegas opposite Henry Ruggs. While Ruggs is clearly a more polished athlete, Edwards looks the part of a true alpha at 6-3, 212 pounds. This Panthers-Raiders game has significant shootout potential, and Edwards is the best way to get cheap exposure to it.

To win a Touchdown Dance on MKF, you must have a multi-touchdown output from at least one player. Last season, the Carolina Panthers gave up a league-worst 27 rushing touchdowns, nine more than any other team. Josh Jacobs led the Raiders with seven touchdowns while finishing No. 11 among qualified running backs with 44 Red Zone Touches. Christian McCaffrey led the NFL with 19 total touchdowns in 2019, scoring multiple touchdowns in four of eight home games.

With 11 touchdowns in 2020, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have the opportunity to surpass the great Chargers duo of Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates as the most prolific QB/TE duo of all-time. While Gronk is healthy, expect Brady to target his favorite target early and often in this high scoring affair. In two games last season, Michael Thomas totaled almost 300 yards and three touchdowns against Tampa Bay. Expect nothing less from the best receiver in football on Sunday as New Orleans plays the league’s No. 1 rush defense.

With the coaches in his corner and the first crack at opportunity, james Robinson looks the part of a free square RB for Week 1. Jacksonville won’t experience much positive Game Script against Indianapolis, but that will be a good thing for Robinson. The Colts allowed an NFL-leading 109 receptions to opposing running backs last season. Any time you can get a min-priced RB that projects for a sizable Opportunity Share, you should pounce.

The best argument for rostering Antonio Gibson is the wasteland of talent in Washington outside of Terry McLaurin. This is also an underrated game environment. The total sits at just 43, but both of these defenses feature strong fronts and weak secondaries. Whether they choose to line him up in the slot, pound him between the tackles or set him up for some slip screens, Gibson will be a major part of the game plan. Expect double-digit touches from the rookie.

With Teddy Bridgewater ($5900) priced outside the top 12 QBs, D.J. Moore’s elevated salary ($6600) becomes more palatable. Sportsbooks have the Raiders favored by a field goal, which means the Panthers will be forced to throw often. Moore will vacuum up targets against a particularly weak secondary. Favorable game state, favorable matchup, and depressed price. These are the ingredients for a stack to smash.

Against San Francisco, we could be looking at Kyler Murray throwing 40-plus times while chipping in some rushing yards, and Christian Kirk getting 10-plus targets, all for under $12K. This stack gives us differentiation, potential for huge volume with big play upside, and keeps our budget open for other favorite plays.