If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’re almost to Week 3 of fantasy football. If you’re a new player, be warned: it can be a grueling stretch that will break the weak.
Turning down the dramatics, any players you have going tonight are likely locked in, for better or worse. It should be a fun matchup fantasy wise, but not every player will have a day. Let’s predict which ones will boost you to a victory, and which ones will leave you just short.
A.J. Brown: Boom
- ESPN Projection: 15.5 PPR/9 Standard
Last week, A.J. Brown put up 25.5 fantasy points in PPR, and 15.5 in standard. Both outstanding numbers, and while I believe he beats out ESPN’s projections, he likely doesn’t reach the height he had in Week 1.
Instead, I can see an 18 point game for him in PPR, with around 70 yards and a touchdown seeming like a lock. Fantasy owners who snagged into Brown as WR2 are looking like geniuses right now: Brown will be touting WR1 upside every week.
DeVonta Smith: Hits his projection
- ESPN Projections: 11.0 PPR/7 Standard
After disappointing last week, I imagine the team is anxious to get DeVonta Smith back into a prominent role. While I think Smith will put up a solid line tonight, I don’t believe he either gets near 80-100 yards or scores a touchdown
Put him down for around 60 yards and five receptions. Solid numbers but won’t win your game for you. He’ll start putting up bigger games as teams zone in on Brown, but I think #11 once again attracts Jalen Hurts‘ attention in his home debut.
Miles Sanders: Bust
- ESPN Projections: 13.4 PPR/10 Standard
As someone who actually has Miles Sanders on the mound tonight in one league, it’s tough to write this. Sanders showed why he could be a great bounce-back candidate this year against the Lions, scoring his first touchdown since 2020.
However, Sanders has long been inconsistent week-to-week. Additionally, last week we saw 4 different players score a rushing TD, meaning Sanders isn’t a go-to at the goal line. AKA, if he doesn’t put up solid rushing numbers, he’s far from a lock to make up those lost points through a TD.
I think Sanders reverts back to his low RB2/FLEX form and puts up around 8-9 points in PPR.
Dallas Goedert: Booms
- ESPN Projections: 8.7 PPR/5 Standard
I don’t see Dallas Goedert as a total bust tonight. Instead, I think he either booms, or hits his projections. And tonight, he’s a boom.
In Week 1, the Vikings allowed 12.0/6 points (six receptions, 67 yards) to Packers TEs. Goedert is far better than anyone on Green Bay, but I can see him having a similar kind of receiving line.
The key here is Goedert’s first touchdown of the season. Even with the Vikings allowing just five touchdowns to TEs in 2021, he seems like a better red zone bet than Brown or Sanders tonight, which is why I’m liking his chances of getting past around the 12.0-13.0 PPR line. Put him in and let him ride.
Jalen Hurts: Booms
- ESPN Projections: 22.0 PPR/21 Standard
Hurts demonstrated his upside last week, putting up 24.72 PPR points. Tonight, he’ll be playing against a Minnesota team that was the sixth-worst defense against QBs in 2021, allowing an average of 18.2 points per game (via DraftBuddy):
I think this eventually turns into a passing/big play game on top of being a high-scoring showdown, which bodes well for Hurts’ performance. Add in his tendency to bolt when the play breaks down, and you can expect Hurts to continue playing as a top 10 QB.
The Eagles kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET against Minnesota on ABC.
