NY GIANTS (at Washington)
New York's offense has shown progress recently, scoring 3 TDs in each of its last two games -- both against above-average defenses. That's an upgrade over the first six games (when it scored only 6 total touchdowns). But the Giants ...
... look unlikely to get beyond 2 TDs on Sunday. Washington is playing at home, with an extra week to prepare, and it's been pretty solid defensively. Only three teams, believe it or not, have allowed fewer yards. When the Giants beat Washington 20-19 three weeks ago, it was despite the offense gaining only 240 total yards (with the game-winning touchdown coming on a fumble return). ... We'll pass on Daniel Jones. He just finished with 256 yards and 2 TDs against the Bucs, but with a couple of crucial interceptions. Jones more usually has struggled, averaging only 189 passing yards in his previous six, with 3 TDs in those games. Here he's facing a defense that's been tough ...
This report is taken from today's Week 9 edition of Fantasy Index Weekly. The newsletter includes our player rankings and 18 pages of matchup previews, plus stat projections and custom rankings for the games being played this weekend.
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... against opposing quarterbacks. Washington is allowing a league-low 208 passing yards, and with only 10 TDs. Not that this is the league's best pass defense, but they're doing some things right, and their two best games have come at home against divisional opponents (lots of quarterback pressure against the Eagles and Cowboys). When these teams played in New York three weeks ago, Jones threw for only 119 yards (1 TD). He's 3-0 against Washington, at least, with 352 yards and 5 TDs in his only previous game at this stadium. But we're slotting Jones as a bottom-10 passer. Those who start him can hope for some rushing production (he's averaging 40 yards per week as a scrambler). ... The Giants shouldn't have a viable running back. They don't run the ball all that well, and they probably won't lock in on one back. On Monday night, they used a one-two punch of Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris (former Washington player alert). If Devonta Freeman (ankle) is available, he'll be one of their top 2, but Freeman didn't practice at all last week. Dion Lewis will handle some of the third-down work, but he's averaging only 16 total yards per week. If we set aside quarterback scrambles, the Giants are averaging only 59 rushing yards per week, and that's about exactly what they hit in the earlier Washington game (with 74 of their 132 rushing yards coming on runs by Daniel Jones). Gallman at least has scored two weeks in a row, but unlikely to come out of this game with anything other than nominal production from a New York running back. ... It's a lesser situation for the passing game, but New York has a handful of pass catchers who merit discussion. Darius Slayton is their big-play guy, and he came up with their only offensive touchdown in the earlier meeting. Slayton has caught 3 of the team's 7 TD passes, and he's on pace to finish the season with 970 yards (not bad on a team with a bottom-5 passing game). Sterling Shepard has missed over half of the season, but when's healthy, he's a primary option. He's caught 6-8 passes in each of his three healthy games, with one touchdown. He's a crucial piece of this offense. In Shepard's three full games, the Giants have scored 8 TDs and averaged 247 passing yards. In their other five games, the entire offense has scored only 4 TDs while averaging only 189 passing yards. When the Giants bumbled and stumbled through the earlier meeting, it was with Shepard on the sidelines. (That said, when the Giants beat Washington 24-3 and 41-35 last year, Shepard caught 2 passes for 13 yards in those eight quarters.) Golden Tate has caught touchdowns two weeks in a row, but he doesn't seem to be a big part of the offense. He's caught only 1, 1 and 2 passes in his last three games. Tate had four games with 4-5 catches earlier, but those were all with Shepard out. ... Evan Engram caught only 2 passes for 30 yards in the earlier game against Washington, but they'll likely work to get him more involved. He's seen 54 targets this year, 3rd-most among tight ends, and he's also run the ball 5 times for 21 yards and a touchdown in the last four weeks. Washington's defense so far ranks No. 1 against the pass, but it's been below-average against tight ends. ... We're putting a below-average grade on Graham Gano. Washington's defense has had its problems, allowing 30-plus points in over half of its games. But its two best games have come at home against divisional opponents (allowing 17 and 3 points in wins against Philadelphia and Dallas), and its other good defensive game came at New York, where it allowed 20 points (with one of the touchdowns being scored by the defense). ... The Giants Defense looks like a credible choice. This is a lesser team, but it's better on that side of the ball. Kyle Allen is starting at quarterback, and he's a guy who can be harried into some mistakes. In his 16 starts as a pro, he's taken 52 sacks, with 16 interceptions and 8 lost fumbles. When these teams played a few weeks back, New York was able get to Allen for 3 sacks, an interception and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. New York also scored a defensive touchdown against Washington last year. Washington has allowed 26 sacks, the most of any team that's playing in Week 9.