Week 1 is done and dusted, and Andy, Mike, and Jason have a lot to say. Remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Monday – Week 1 Studs & Duds and Reactions & Reality Checks
There is much to react to after Week 1 of the 2024 fantasy season. After getting sophisticated, the guys begin to walk us through it all.
Ready to Roll
It can be challenging in Week 1 to get proper context of what happened, and the Ballers want to zoom out this week to digest what went down. Managers did not get much passing yardage, with an average of 200 yards – Derek Carr and Baker Mayfield are the only QBs with three or more TDs this week. There were also fewer passing attempts and only 33 passing TDs. Jason also cautions us not to react too soon on the top-end TEs.
News
Dak Prescott signed his big contract extension just before he took the field on Sunday. He is now the highest-paid player in the NFL ever, and Dak and CeeDee are locked up for Dallas. Pat Freiermuth and Noah Gray also signed deals. Jordan Love was injured on Friday night in Brazil, and it looks to be an MCL sprain. If Malik Willis steps in for Love, it will make all Packers pass catchers questionable starters. Puka Nacua left last night’s game with a knee injury, and this was the same knee he injured during the preseason. TE Jake Ferguson has a sprained MCL, David Njoku is also hurt, and both will miss some time. Keenan Allen and Kenneth Walker also left with injuries.
Studs
Baker Mayfield led all QBs in passer rating, as we all thought he would. Washington will be a delight for skilled players, and their QB Jayden Daniels also had a stellar debut. The pseudo-rookie Anthony Richardson was horrendous in passing but incredible on the ground. Lamar and Josh Allen also had great games. RBs are highlighted by Saquon’s performance on Friday, and another RB who switched teams, Joe Mixon, also had a great game. It was a good day for Alvin Kamara in a blowout, Rhamondre Stevenson was a workhorse, and J.K. Dobbins had the best bad-day performance ever. De’Von Achane got banged up at the end of a game full of pass-catching and David Montgomery won the game for the Detroit Lions last night.
At WR, Jayden Reed was a star, and Cooper Kupp might be the fantasy MVP. He was unguardable. Tyreek Hill is great at football, and Jameson Williams returned from the dead to Andy’s delight. Mike Evans continues to be working on that first-ballot Hall of Fame invite. Start of the week, Stefon Diggs, should be traded ASAP after a great week, and Saints WR Rashid Shaheed also had a good game and seems to have a connection with Carr. Isaiah Likely had the big game at TE and Kyle Pitts got a TD, played every down, and participated in all the routes. It was also an excellent debut for Brock Bowers.
Duds
With so many bad performances this week, some were excusable, and some were concerning. Dak is excusable, but Joe Burrow was concerning. Goff and Lawrence were disappointments in games that should have delivered more offensively. Kirk Cousins’ debut in Atlanta made Mike go ruh-roh. On to the RBs – Javonte Williams is a red alert in what looks to be a three-way timeshare. D’Andre was not good in a Chicago Bears mirage win, and Raheem Mostert had a dud game; Andy is cautious. Chuba was not good, and that offense was pitiful.
Amon-Ra surprises in the duds category, and you just have to move on. Ja’Marr Chase joins him, and they will go to Arrowhead next week. There is nervousness surrounding Olave, but he might have been game-scripted out. Marvin Harrison Jr. was the worst rookie WR of the week, and Andy did not think this performance was in the realm of possibility. Drake London did not deliver and shows why he was a risky pick. Amari Cooper had a brutal TD drop, which would have saved him, and with Njoku being week to week, Cooper should be ok. DK Metcalf and JSN also were disappointing.
All of the TEs were bad, and the guys aren’t that worried. They are most concerned about Kincaid with his lack of targets. Enjoy the Monday night game!
Tuesday – Week 2 Waivers & Mining for Gold, Streamers
Monday Night Recap
The San Francisco 49ers took on the New York Jets last night without CMC. The news was brutal as it came out 90 minutes before kickoff, and if you did not have Jordan Mason on your roster, you were caught with your pants down. If you had Aiyuk or George Kittle, you were also disappointed – Jordan Mason was the start. On the Jets’ side, Breece Hall was inefficient, but he got all the work. The Niners’ defense was just so good at locking down the weapons. CMC is not a guarantee for next week either, so plan accordingly.
News
Puka Nacua was placed on the IR, and he will miss at least four weeks – please respect Jason during his time of crisis. Malik Willis will be starting for the Packers while Love is out, and managers might have to close their eyes when they start Jayden Reed. Rome Odunze is considered week to week with a mild MCL sprain, and apparently, HC Brian Daboll had to come out to say Daniel Jones will start this week. Keep an eye on Achane and Mostert, who play on Thursday.
Waiver Wire
Do not be afraid to spend money – Jason tells us it is okay to go hard. Jordan Mason is Andy’s number one overall pickup of the week, but there is context there depending on your team’s need. Dobbins is up next in the pecking order. Some other options include Zeke, Justice Hill, and Jaleel McLaughlin in Denver. Andy’s favorite player, Tank Bigsby, was used early on Sunday and is also worth a glance, especially considering his high upside if Etienne goes down. Keep an eye on the backup RBs in Miami – Jaylen Wright and Jeff Wilson. Jason also reminds us of Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay, and Mike reminds us of Alexander Mattison in Las Vegas.
It is hard to drop players so close to drafting them, but you will need to make room on your roster. The guys say you could drop Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, who looks to be in a timeshare for any of these guys.
Jameson Williams and Xavier Worthy are at the top of the pickups, just in case they are still out there. Further down is Rashid Shaheed, who has a clear connection with Derek Carr. The Rams’ Demarcus Robinson is a solid pickup as is Tyler Johnson in deeper leagues. In a PPR league, check on Wan’Dale Robinson and Greg Dortch. The story of the TEs is obviously Isaiah Likely, but Mike is a little more conservative about him. Taysom Hill is an option, and Colby Parkinson is out there, too.
The Chargers, Texans, Seahawks, and Patriots are good defensive options in Week 2. Jason also likes Jacksonville, who plays Cleveland.
Full Stream Ahead
Mike is streaming Matthew Stafford, Jason is going with Baker Mayfield, and Andy is starting Justin Fields.
Wednesday – Take Checks & Hungry for More, TNF Breakdown
The guys start Wednesday discussing offseason takes that might have to be reassessed after Week 1. Mike mentions how good Joe Mixon looked after being down on him in the offseason. Andy is still shaky on Kyren even after running all the routes, especially with HC Sean McVay saying after the game that the game plan was not what they had wanted. Jason’s loss is rookie TEs – Brock Bowers is who we all hoped he would be. Jason feels like he hit on the fact that the RBs at the beginning of the second round were better picks than the WRs there. Mike feels like there is a chance he will hit on an RB who is not drafted inside the top 24. Andy feels satisfied with his Cooper Kupp and Tony Pollard takes.
Hungry for More
Andy is hungry for more from Jameson Williams (ahem, Kyle). If he is used the way he was in Week 1 for the rest of the season, he will be a thing. Jason wants to see more from Keon Coleman, especially since Josh Allen didn’t have tons of passing yards. Finally, Mike is hungry for more from the entire Tampa Bay squad.
News
Raheem Mostert has been ruled out of Thursday’s game, and De’Von Achane will be a game-time decision. Jeff Wilson Jr. and Jaylen Wright will be options. If Achane plays, Mike will start him. CMC is a long shot to play in Week 2, and with Jordan Mason performing well, there is less pressure to get him out there. David Njoku is ruled out this week for Cleveland.
Thursday Night Breakdown
The Buffalo Bills take on the Miami Dolphins to start out Week 2. Both teams were slow starters last week, but Josh Allen looks okay after his hand injury and will start. With the injuries in the RB room, we might see more passing volume, and Hill and Waddle are starts. Tua has never finished inside the top 12 as a QB against Buffalo, so keep your options open. Do not be scared of Dalton Kincaid, and Khalil Shakir is an option for WR.
The guys close out the show with a mailbag segment and sent us on our way. Make sure to check out the Ultimate Dashboard on the UDK while you are closing out your weekly waivers and looking at sit/start decisions.
Thursday – Starts of the Week & Week 2 Breakdown
News
De’Von Achane will be a game-time decision this evening, but Jason feels he will play. Puka Nacua might miss more than four games, and it could take additional time to ramp back up. There is a chance that Jordan Love might start this week; Tee Higgins and Kenneth Walker also did not practice on Wednesday. Pay attention to Walker especially.
Starts of the Week
Andy is going with Tua, the Gus Bus against Carolina, Malik Nabers, and Colby Parkinson. Mike is starting Matthew Stafford, Jordan Mason, DJ Moore, and Mark Andrews. Finally, Jason is starting Jared Goff, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Chris Godwin, and believes the Muth will be Luth.
Fantasy Forecast
New Orleans versus the Dallas Cowboys starts the weekend. Keep an eye on Jake Ferguson playing; Andy likes Colby Jack as a pivot. You are starting your Dallas studs, and Brandin Cooks and Zeke are possibilities. On the Saints’ side, Rashid Shaheed is a scarier start even after a good Week 1 – hopefully, he doesn’t best Olave once again. Tampa Bay heads north to play Detroit in what Andy believes will be a competitive game. Baker is a streaming candidate, and Rachaad White is a good start. For Detroit, Jameson Williams is the only question for Mike.
The Colts battle the Packers, and each team is looking for their first win. You are starting Anthony Richardson, but Green Bay will give him a hard time. Besides that, you are starting your Colts studs, and you are done. Every WR or TE start for Green Bay is shaky with Malik Willis under center, so if you can pivot, do so. Josh Jacobs is a must-start. The Jets play the Titans in a game with a low over/under. It is not a great matchup for WRs, so starting Calvin Ridley is dodgy. The guys are comfortable starting Tony Pollard. You are obviously starting Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, but it might be scary to chase Allen Lazard’s Week 1 performance. This is Andy’s second almost upset of the week.
San Francisco travels to Minnesota to reunite with Sam Darnold and take on the Vikings. Darnold looked good against an average defense last week, and this week will be a big test. Aaron Jones is a weekly play, and add in Jefferson and you have your Minnesota starters. On the other side of the ball, you can start Jordan Mason even if CMC is back. Expect more from Brandon Aiyuk. Mike would stream Baker over Purdy. Seattle heads across the country to play New England, which might be a low-scoring matchup. The only start for the Patriots is Rhamondre, and Mike is keeping an eye on Ja’Lynn Polk. You are still starting Metcalf for Seattle, and the zone might be boneless. Bench JSN until further notice.
Enjoy the Thursday night game!
Friday – Week 2 Matchups & The Return of Fantasy Faceoff
Thursday Night Recap
The guys start with the good stuff – De’Von Achane had a great game and played way too much, while Jeff Wilson left with an injury. Achane even managed to outperform James Cook, who had a game for the ages. Tua had a horrible day, throwing multiple interceptions, which led to Josh Allen having a subpar fantasy day. Kincaid got some targets early before he was kicked in the head, and Shakir looks like the best WR option for the Bills. Tua was brutally concussed, and every football fan was holding their breath. Jaylen Waddle will take the biggest hit for fantasy with Tua out.
News
Hollywood Brown is having surgery, and Andy doesn’t think we will see him again this year. Jordan Love and Jake Ferguson did not practice. CMC is still questionable about going this week, and Kenneth Walker still has an oblique injury.
Fantasy Forecast
The New York Giants head to Washington to take on the Commanders. The Washington defense is bad, so the Giants’ weapons are startable. Jayden Daniels is the next big running QB, and Brian Robinson looks to be a solid RB2 in this game. The guys are still okay starting Terry McLaurin despite a tough first week. For New York, Devin Singletary is a good volume start. The Chargers play the Panthers in the next matchup, and Jason would not start any Panther. J.K. Dobbins and the Gus Bus are both great starts of the week, although Ladd McConkey and the passing game should be out.
The Cleveland Browns head to Florida to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in a low over/under. Jason loves Amari Cooper this week and doesn’t expect Deshaun Watson to have much more outside of him. Jerome Ford is a weekly play that will never feel exciting. On the Jags’ side, the Browns’ defense is excellent, and the Brian Thomas Jr. call will be tough, but don’t get too worried about Evan Engram.
Las Vegas and Baltimore face off next. We were disturbed by the Mark Andrews usage, but Mike made him his start of the week. Likely and Bowers are also startable tight ends this week. Derrick Henry is a solid start, and Zay Flowers is a PPR flex. Davante Adams should see more action, and the guys are not starting Alexander Mattison. Next up, the Rams and the Cardinals face off in a battle of the NFC West. Cooper Kupp is an incredible start, and the Rams have always had the Cardinals’ number – start Kyren Williams, too. With Puka gone, Demarcus Robinson is also an option. On the Arizona side, the biggest question is Marvin Harrison Jr., but the guys are starting him.
The Steelers and Broncos play in what will probably be a gross game with a very low point total. Pittsburgh is an incredible defensive start, and you can also start Justin Fields in a pinch. It is scary to start anyone on the Denver side. Cincinnati heads to Arrowhead to play the Chiefs in a game with a lot of fantasy-relevant players. For the Bengals, Mike says Moss and Chase are stars and hold on to Chase Brown. With Hollywood heading to IR, Xavier Worthy could see more snaps.
We get two young QBs on Sunday night with Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud. Joe Mixon will continue getting all the usage, and you can start all the WRs. On the Chicago side, D.J. Moore is Mike’s start of the week, but be cautious with D’Andre Swift, as Houston’s defense does not give up a lot to RBs. Jason is okay with dropping Caleb Williams if you need a roster spot. Week 2 ends with Atlanta versus Philadelphia, and we get primetime Kirk Cousins, the statue. Having Drake London last week was scary, but you can fire him up again with caution. You start all your Eagles studs, and Dallas Goedert could be a spot start.
The guys end with the return of Fantasy Faceoff and send the FootClan off to another weekend of football!
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