👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

Booms/Busts Week 1: Late Games

By the time the NFL slate reaches the late games, a good part of your matchup will likely be decided. Maybe you are trying to make a gallant comeback after your opponent had Rob Gronkowski on Thursday. Or maybe your team will be comfortably ahead and you just need to pad that lead enough to help you sleep easy on Sunday/Monday night. Anyway, here are my picks for who will boom and bust in the late games (which includes the annual two Monday Night Football games in Week 1, a reminder that God loves us).

Editor’s Note: If you’re looking for a new, awesome, highly customizable and free option for year-round commissioner & dynasty leagues, something more capable than Yahoo, better looking than CBS, and built from the ground up with fantasy football in mind, play free fantasy football with our friends at Fleaflicker. Sign up your league on Fleaflicker, and get a Full Season Premium Subscription for FREE.

 

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

Week 1 Booms

QB Sam Bradford, PHI: Count me among the many that believe the Eagles are going to put up a ton of points this season. Chip Kelly quarterbacks have been fantasy producers and they were players that Chip did not handpick for his system. New Falcons coach Dan Quinn is looked at as a defensive guru, but his unit will have it's hands full with the fast-paced Eagles offense. Bradford has much more talent than previous Eagles QBs Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez and going from a Brian Schottenheimer offense in St. Louis to a Kelly offense in Philadelphia is like the difference between night(man) and day(man). I think Bradford will be a Top 5 QB this week and for the season, on his way to winning the Comeback Player of the Year award.

 

QB Eli Manning, NYG and Tony Romo, DAL: I fully expect both quarterbacks to put up numbers in this NFC East battle featuring mediocre defenses. These games usually devolve into furious finishes that rely on passing during the 2 minute drill. Romo, in particular, will be asked to shoulder more of the load than last year thanks to DeMarco Murray's defection to Philly. Both are viable QB1s.

 

RB Doug Martin, TB: Martin is a mix of last year's Lamar Miller and Mark Ingram, in that his name brings up bad memories for owners from previous seasons. The man they once called Muscle Hamster had rough 2013 and 2014 campaigns after setting the league on fire as a rookie back in 2012. Fantasy owners that want to live in the past can point to those disappointments as a reason to avoid Martin altogether. But anyone who watched the preseason saw that the Bucs running back was running with speed and power again after losing 15 pounds in the offseason. A Week 1 matchup against a poor run defense in Tennessee is exactly what the doctor ordered for Martin owners nervous that they drafted a lemon.

 

Calvin Johnson, DET and WR Julio Jones, ATL: I am lumping these two together because everybody expects them to boom week in and week out. This is more for players of daily games.  If you are going to pay for receivers, pay for these two.  Johnson has gotten over the ankle issues that plagued him last season and has been rested all preseason. The only thing scarier than Megatron is a rested, hungry Megatron.

Jones has always had the talent to be the highest-scoring receiver in fantasy, but has never been able to bust through his ceiling due to system issues or other mouths in the offense that had to be fed. Those two issues no longer apply. Atlanta's offense under Kyle Shanahan is an all-you-can-eat buffet for the X receiver, which happens to be the position Jones plays. Harry Douglas is now in Tennessee, Roddy White is old and banged up, and Tony Gonzalez remains retired. Matt Ryan will go at his favorite target early and often against a porous Eagles secondary that was lit up by passing attacks all of last season and did not get the upgrades needed to make them competent.

 

WR John Brown, ARI: This is a name that isn't as obvious, despite some preseason hype. I personally wrote about Brown in the preseason as someone that could play the T.Y. Hilton role in Bruce Arians' offense, so I'll keep this simple. Brown put up respeactable numbers as a rookie with bad quarterbacks throwing him the ball for most of the time. He gets back Carson Palmer in a home game against a Saints defense that varies between terrible and abysmal. Larry Fitzgerald is the bigger name and the safer play, but based on Brown's usage in the preseason and his raw tools, I expect him to be the highest scorer out of the Cardinals receivers on Sunday.

 

WR Stevie Johnson, SD: Ever since Vincent Jackson left, figuring out who will be the leading Chargers receiver in a given week has been a guessing game. Keenan Allen looked to be the rock in 2013, but disappointed in 2014. Antonio Gates continues to produce, but father time will one day catch up with him and he is suspended the first four games on this season. Malcom Floyd and Ladarius Green consistently underperform, and Green is unlikely to suit up on Sunday due to a concussion. Someone will need to catch those targets from Philip Rivers. Enter Johnson, who is a better fit in the slot with the Chargers than he was lining up for the 49ers last year. Johnson put up good numbers with the Bills despite bad QB play, so pairing with Rivers could lead to a bonanza. I would comfortably start him as a WR3 or Flex if you are in a pinch.

 

Bucs Defense: Many people will be scared off by Tampa's rough season that left them with the number 1 pick, but this defense has real appeal, especially in Week 1. Gerald McCoy and LaVonte David are legitimate studs and Lovie Smith's Bears were the kings of forcing turnovers. All that being factored in with Marcus Mariota making his first NFL start on the road leaves the Bucs defense as a real sleeper for fantasy leagues.  Sure Tampa's offense worries you, but they aren't exactly going up against the 85 Bears.

 

Week 1 Busts

QB Drew Brees, NO: The Post-Jimmy Graham Era begins in Arizona. The Saints have rebuilt their roster to resemble a running team, with Mark Ingram leading the way. C.J. Spiller has officially been declared out this week, leaving Brees one less reliable option in the passing game. Former LSU teammates Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu hope to make Brees look like the turnover prone QB he was last year. If you have a better option than the Saints signal caller, I would consider it.

 

RB Joique Bell, DET: The amount of love Bell received in drafts this summer flummoxed me. His ADP as the 27th running back just seems short-sighted.  He was injured for almost all of the preseason and never has shown all that much talent. I expect Ameer Abdullah to get a fair share of reps in his inevitable rise to becoming the Lions starting back. Joique's hype is a product of worthless depth charts that are thrown out the door once on-field production begins. Avoid him this week and for the entire season.

 

RB Carlos Hyde, SF: Retirements, defections and turnover. Those were the three key words for the 49ers this offseason. Hyde looks around now as the lead running back in San Fran, but surrounded by much less talent. I believe the Vikings are a playoff team this year, led by Norv Turner's offensive system and Mike Zimmer's defensive knowledge. I expect the Niners to be down early and have to turn to Colin Kaepernick and the passing game earlier than they would like.

 

RB Bishop Sankey, TEN: Nothing in Sankey's tape from last season was all that exciting. I broke down how much I like the Bucs defense earlier in this piece, so that is strike one against Sankey. I truly believe David Cobb would be getting the lion's share of the carries if he was healthy. Having a running quarterback usually helps the starting running back's numbers but I think Sankey is too limited talent-wise and matchup-wise to be worthy of anything more than a Flex flier.

 

WR Mike Evans, TB: Hamstring injuries are tricky business, and there is nothing worse than watching your player struggle to a 0 as he limps around or re-aggravates something. Dealing with a rookie quarterback making the first start of his career is scary as well. I would avoid Evans altogether if you have another player that can contribute similar numbers. When he's healthy, he's a stud but that will likely not be the case this Sunday.

 

WR Roddy White, ATL: People are still drafting and starting Hot Rod because of previous seasons' performances. White is now a 33-year-old receiver coming off a season where he failed to put up 1,000 yards despite being in a pass-happy offense and opposing defenses focusing on Julio Jones. As I said earlier, Jones is now by far the focal point of the new offense and White is battling elbow problems. While the Eagles do present a potential tasty matchup, I would pass on White.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Collin Murray-Boyles

Continues to Shine for Raptors
Deni Avdija

Returns to Form Sunday
Victor Wembanyama

Stuffs Stat Sheet in His Return
Austin Reaves

Won't Suit Up Sunday
Jonathan Isaac

Likely to Remain Out Monday
Isaiah Joe

Available for Game 4 Monday
Aaron Gordon

Uncertain for Monday
Jordan Goodwin

Considered Questionable for Monday's Elimination Game
Joel Embiid

Ready to Return Sunday
Mark Williams

to Remain Out Monday
Kevin Huerter

Listed as Questionable for Monday
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Cleared to Play Sunday
Anthony Edwards

Faces Multi-Week Absence
Kevin Durant

Remains Out Sunday
Emil Andrae

Expected to Rejoin Flyers Lineup Monday
Matvei Michkov

Set to Be Scratched for Game 5
Radko Gudas

Remains Sidelined Sunday
Jason Dickinson

a Game-Time Decision Sunday
Maxwell Crozier

to Replace Declan Carlile Sunday
Alexander Nikishin

Diagnosed With Concussion
Viktor Arvidsson

Exits Early Sunday
Theo Johnson

a Dynasty Faller After Busy Giants Offseason
Kyle Monangai

Remains a Dynasty Hold
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Remains a Locked-in Dynasty Stud
Jonah Coleman

Could Have Immediate Impact as Broncos' Short-Yardage Back
Jerry Jeudy

Browns Say Jerry Jeudy Will Not Be Impacted by Rookies
Logan O'Hoppe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List Due to Left-Wrist Fracture
Denny Hamlin

Is Denny Hamlin Worth Rostering for Talladega?
Xavier Worthy

a Buy-Low Candidate for Dynasty Managers Following NFL Draft?
NASCAR

Is Bubba Wallace Playable in Talladega DFS Lineups?
Skyler Bell

Earning Comparisons to Elite NFL Wideout Following NFL Draft
Jayden Daniels

' Supporting Cast in Washington Remains Similar Following NFL Draft
Joe Burrow

Dynasty Value Remains Impacted by Injury Concerns
Josh Naylor

Absent on Sunday With Quad Tightness
Andrei Iosivas

Facing New Competition for Bengals' WR3 Role After NFL Draft
Tyjae Spears

Facing Competition in a Contract Year
Jaylen Wright

Remains an Appealing Handcuff Option Following NFL Draft
Ollie Gordon II

Fighting for a Roster Spot?
Ryan Helsley

Returns From Bereavement List on Sunday
Colby Parkinson

Facing More Competition Than Ever Before
Steven Kwan

Back in Sunday's Lineup
Brent Rooker

Activated and Starting on Sunday Against Rangers
Omarion Hampton

Faces Minimal Competition After the NFL Draft
Roman Anthony

Returns as DH on Sunday
Brandon Aiyuk

Commanders Interested in Brandon Aiyuk, Waiting for His Release
Tyler Reddick

Stay Away From Tyler Reddick at Talladega
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Shake Off The Bad Luck at Talladega?
Austin Cindric

Could Contend For Another Talladega Win
Kyle Busch

an Easy DFS Pick at Talladega
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. a High-Risk, High-Reward Pick at Talladega
Todd Gilliland

a Sleeper to Watch at Talladega
Brad Keselowski

Is Brad Keselowski Worth Rostering for Talladega Lineups?
Blake Corum

2026 Role Appears Secured
Jaxson Dart

The Arrow is Pointing Way Up for Jaxson Dart Ahead of Second Season
Calvin Ridley

Can Calvin Ridley Earn Back a Starting Role?
David Montgomery

Escapes NFL Draft Unscathed
Chase Briscoe

Could Chase Briscoe be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Talladega Lineups?
Chris Godwin Jr.

an Offseason Winner
Christopher Bell

Should DFS Managers Trust Christopher Bell at Talladega?
Ty Gibbs

Is A DFS Risk for Talladega Lineups
Arturs Silovs

Steps in and Saves Pittsburgh on Saturday
Sidney Crosby

Helps Lead Pittsburgh to Road Win Over Philadelphia
Brock Faber

a Huge Factor in Minnesota's Overtime Victory
Matt Boldy

Evens Series Between Minnesota and Dallas in Big Way
Frederik Andersen

a Game-Changer as Carolina Closes Out Ottawa
Logan Stankoven

Scores Yet Again as Carolina Sweeps Ottawa
Desmond Bane

Nails Seven Triples En Route to 25 Points
Cade Cunningham

Finishes Loss With Nine Turnovers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Drops 42 Points on Suns in Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Joins Exclusive List With Triple-Double
Julius Randle

Tossed From Game 4
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Ejected in Game 4 Loss
Donte DiVincenzo

Diagnosed With Torn Right Achilles
Boston Red Sox

Red Sox Fire Manager Alex Cora and Other Coaches
Josh Manson

Not Expected to Play Sunday
Mason Lohrei

Set to Miss Game 4 as Healthy Scratch
Emil Andrae

Won't Play Saturday
Arturs Silovs

Starting Game 4 Against Flyers
Dan Vladar

Cleared for Game 4
Mats Zuccarello

Remains Out Saturday
Nikolaj Ehlers

Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Steven Kwan

Scratched With Neck Stiffness
Trey Yesavage

Returning From Injured List on Tuesday
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Heading to the Injured List With Oblique Strain
Kirby Dach

Battles and Scores Two Points in Friday Triumph
MLB

Saturday's Mets-Rockies Game Postponed Due to Weather
Giancarlo Stanton

Exits With Leg Tightness on Friday
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Scratched on Friday With Mid-Back Pain
Jackson Holliday

Receives Positive Test Results, Will be Shut Down for a Week
Jeff Hoffman

Out as Blue Jays Closer
Youssef Zalal

Set For UFC Vegas 116 Main Event
Aljamain Sterling

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 116
Joselyne Edwards

Set For UFC Vegas 116 Co-Main Event
Norma Dumont

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Alexander Hernandez

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 116
Rafa Garcia

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Adrian Luna Martinetti

Set For His UFC Debut
Davey Grant

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Francisco Lindor

Expected to Miss "Significant Time"
Francisco Lindor

Mets Officially Place Francisco Lindor on Injured List With Calf Strain
Michael Harris II

Removed Early With Quad Tightness
Francisco Lindor

Likely Headed to the Injured List
Michael Harris II

Continues to Heat Up With Two-Homer Game on Wednesday
Francisco Lindor

Leaves Wednesday's Game Early With Calf Tightness
CFB

Beau Pribula Leading Virginia Quarterback Competition
Marco Penge

Trending Down Entering Zurich Classic
Sahith Theegala

Eyes Another Strong Week at Zurich Classic
Brooks Koepka

Shane Lowry Teams Up with Brooks Koepka at Zurich Classic
Si Woo Kim

Adds Another Strong Finish at RBC Heritage
Luke Clanton

Hoping to Find Form in New Orleans
Scottie Scheffler

is Starting to Hit His Stride
Brooks Koepka

Looking for Progress in PGA Return With Partner at Zurich Classic
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Share Recent Form at Zurich Classic
CFB

Ashton Daniels Named Florida State's Starting Quarterback
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF