RADIO
You probably have found enough articles that explain what to watch for each week. For the dynasty community however, we look at each week a little differently.
Breaking down each matchup with a dynasty focus will allow you to buy or sell players early. The key to winning long term in dynasty formats is being the first owner to spot tendencies that allow you to make the correct moves. Don't hold onto a name too long and don't buy that rookie too early. Watch each match up with a dynasty focus to plan long term success.
Here is a preview at all the NFL games for Week 2 and what dynasty owners should watch for in each contest.
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NFL Week 2 - Dynasty Analysis
Bills at Panthers
Last year Cam Newton averaged six rushes per game, down from eight rushes per game in 2015. In the first game of 2017, Newton totaled three yards on six rushes with no touchdowns. For Christian McCaffrey to be the dynamic player he is capable of, Newton needs to stay in the pocket and let his skill position players do the work. The Bills didn’t face a strong Jets defense in week 1, but they will have their hands full with McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart in week 2.
What to watch for: Newton to stay in the pocket and out of defenders arms.
Bears at Buccaneers
Tarik Cohen made some dynasty owners very happy last weekend. Cohen, who has had far less exposure this offseason than other rookies, was the 13th running back taken in rookie-only drafts this offseason. While he probably didn’t start in many lineups, Cohen has a good chance moving forward. The Bears will not be any good and will be passing a lot, opening up opportunities for Cohen like Giovani Bernard has seen in Cincinnati the last couple of years. Week 1 was no fluke, and with the Bears likely playing from behind again, Cohen has an opportunity to establish himself early in 2017.
What to watch for: Cohen to establish himself as a reliable PPR back.
Vikings at Steelers
When you set a rookie record for most rushing yards in a Vikings debut, it’s a pretty good night. When you do it while Adrian Peterson sits on the other sideline watching his record fall, it means even more. The start to Dalvin Cook's career was explosive, but it was made possible due to the play of Sam Bradford. The only way Cook is able to be successful is if Bradford is able to stretch the field and use Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen to pull the defense out of the box. It worked perfectly against the Saints in week one, but the Steelers have a terrific front seven and defensive backs that can contain Diggs and Thielen. Time to see if the Vikings offense is real.
What to watch for: Can Bradford open up the field for Cook?
Cardinals at Colts
A tale of two teams missing their superstars. Andrew Luck is still not back from off-season shoulder surgery and David Johnson will miss the next two to three months with a wrist injury. The biggest question in this game is which quarterback is under center for the Colts. Behind Luck and Johnson, T.Y. Hilton is the biggest dynasty asset in this game. Unfortunately, Hilton is a shell of his 2016 self if he doesn’t have Luck throwing the ball his way. Hilton owners hope that Jacoby Brissett can help make him a viable option. The Cardinals secondary couldn’t keep up with Matthew Stafford and the Lions last week so they will be looking for some revenge.
What to watch for: Can Hilton be a top 10 WR with a backup QB?
Patriots at Saints
In a backfield that includes two former first round picks, one of which is on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, third round pick Alvin Kamara didn’t look like a sure bet to see much time. After an impressive camp and preseason, Kamara not only worked his way into the mix but played 31 of the Saints 62 offensive snaps. The question is whether Kamara led the way due to the score or because the Saint view him as a true lead back. None of the Saints running backs had much success, but it is clear that the Saints trust Kamara to play significant time. After a loss to open the season, the Patriots will look to bounce back in a big way. Kamara has another chance to see significant snaps.
What to watch for: Kamara becomes the go-to RB.
Browns at Ravens
Isaiah Crowell seems to get better every season, and 2017 was supposed to be the big breakout. Crowell had a disappointing Week 1, but against a very good Steelers defense that caused issues all day. Crowell split snaps almost evenly with Duke Johnson Jr, 52-50 respectfully. Having Johnson on the field at the same time could actually help Crowell. Johnson is one of the best athletes on the Browns and can help to take the pressure off Crowell if he is playing in the slot or even in the backfield at the same time. Crowell is in a contract year though and needs to show what he is capable of, even if it’s a below average team. Hue Jackson needs to find ways to be creative with both backs and use both to the best of their abilities.
What to watch for: Crowell separates himself from Johnson.
Eagles at Chiefs
An owner in one of my leagues was trying to dump some salary and sent me an offer of Nelson Agholor for a fifth round pick. I was intrigued, but told him I wanted to wait and see what happened. Games had just started on Sunday and my phone went off. A notification popped up letting me know Agholor had caught a 58-yard touchdown from Carson Wentz. A few seconds later another notification let me know the Agholor trade had been pulled. Funny how quickly one play can change an owners thought process. Now it’s time to see if this was just a quick start or if Agholor can be a true weapon for Wentz. The former first round pick only had 59 career receptions heading into the season, but he could be well on his way to passing that mark.
What to watch for: Agholor becomes the go to WR for Wentz.
Titans at Jaguars
The Jaguars looked like a playoff team against the Texans last week. Blake Bortles looked like a NFL starting QB again, Leonard Fournette looked like a dominate running back and the offense was running on all cylinders. Now that Allen Robinson has officially been ruled out for the season, who steps up as the go to receiver? The Jaguars were able to control the game because of the Texans poor offensive play, but if the Titans have a better showing and force the Jags hands to throw more, the results may not be as friendly. Allen Hurns will need to return to his 2015 form.
What to watch for: Hurns steps up to become Bortles's WR1
Jets at Raiders
Speaking about the game itself, it won’t be much fun to watch unless you are a Raiders fan or stack Raiders in your DFS game. A big debate in the off-season was Michael Crabtree or Amari Cooper. Which receiver is the guy to own in dynasty. Cooper has the nod do to his age, but skeptics choose to pass on Cooper due to Crabtree’s presence. In week one, Crabtree was able to secure more receptions and yards but Cooper was the one to find pay dirt. More telling were the 13 targets for Cooper and only seven for Crabtree. No matter what Cooper does, he can’t seem to find himself among the top receivers in fantasy football, but he’s headed back that way.
What to watch for: Cooper begins to establish win now value again.
Dolphins at Chargers
The Dolphins didn’t get a chance to suit up in Week 1, but it’s finally time to see if DeVante Parker can live up to the preseason hype. Jay Cutler will have to be the guy to help take Parker to the next level. The good news is that Cutlers style of play will favor Parker more than his teammates Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills. Parker draws a tough match-up with the San Diego defensive backs, so Cutler will need to remain patient with his new teammates, something he has been known to do well in the past.
What to watch for: The Cutler to Parker connection.
Cowboys at Broncos
C.J. Anderson saw 48 snaps in Week 1, double that of backup running back Jamaal Charles. However, Charles was just as efficient with his limited snaps averaging 4.0 yards per carry compared to Anderson's 4.1. As Charles continues to prove his health, I expect those snap counts to come closer together. Dynasty owners don’t seem to trust Anderson or Charles at this point, but week two could bring some clarity as to who the coaching staff trusts.
What to watch for: Charles begins to takeover RB1 duties.
49ers at Seahawks
If Pete Carroll mentions Chris Carson one more time, dynasty owners are going to start dropping some pretty pennies to acquire the rookie running back. Carson had a great debut against the Packers while outperforming C.J. Prosise and Eddie Lacy. The Seahawks should have no problem with the 49ers this week and that should allow the ground game to really get a workout. If Carson carries the load again, it’s hard to imagine the Seahawks turning to anyone else moving forward. He appears to be the running back to own in Seattle.
What to watch for: Carson quickly leaps to top of the depth chart.
Redskins at Rams
Sean McVay is known for his offensive mind, an area the Rams were desperate to get better in during 2017. Jared Goff seems to have settled in nicely but the main factor is Todd Gurley. Gurley does not have a 100 yard rushing performance since week 11 of 2015. For a player who was supposed to be one of the most talented backs in years, he hasn’t played like it in a while. If McVay has Goff dialed in, he needs to work on getting Gurley on the same page. Dynasty owners have lost patience with Gurley and its time for him to regain their trust.
What to watch for: Gurley reestablishes himself as the focal point of Rams offense.
Packers at Falcons
Ty Montgomery had a decent performance against a very good Seahawks defense in Week 1. The Falcons have a very underrated defense, but owners are waiting on Montgomery to show why he deserves the bulk of the carries in Green Bay. This game is indoors and on the turf, so let’s sit back and watch the Montgomery show. He’s in for a big week.
What to watch for: Montgomery moves from growth, to established.
Lions at Giants
Other than waiting to see if Odell Beckham Jr. touches the field in week two, the continued emergence of Kenny Golladay is the biggest thing to watch in this game. The Giants looked awful against the Cowboys and they don’t want the same thing to happen on Monday Night Football at home. The Lions don’t like to run the ball anyway, so the strength of the Giants defense will be defused. The Lions will look to spread the Giants out, get the ball out of Matt Stafford’s hands quick and move fast. After Golden Tate, the lion’s share of targets (pun intended) is up for grabs.
What to watch for: Golladay becomes Stafford's WR2.
