Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own brief take on what I think will happen, as well as touching on significant injury news since our Weekly came out. I'll check in over the course of the day to answer questions, too.
What follows is a brief look at all the games with how I'd react in my own lineups to injury developments or other news. The official rankings are the ones in the Weekly. Those take precedence. But sometimes players are very close, and in those cases I'm glad to offer opinions on how I'd approach those situations. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries etc.
Kansas City versus Miami in Germany: How in the world did the NFL let this happen. Bad enough they keep giving us terrible New York offenses in primetime, somehow they let Mahomes versus Tagovailoa happen in GERMANY at 9:30 a.m. Eastern -- Ian and most West Coast folk won't even be awake. Crazy. As for the game, key players seem to be healthy. Dolphins have come up small in their other games against good teams this year, so they have something to prove. Ian has mentioned field surface and potential weather concerns, but I don't think anyone is benching key starters from this game, or should.
Vikings at Falcons: Jaren Hall versus Taylor Heinicke. There's a matchup. No Justin Jefferson, of course, and no Drake London either. If you need a desperation fill-in I suppose Van Jefferson is the best choice, but he's probably no more likely to be a No. 1 than any of the team's other castoff wideouts. Kyle Pitts looks a little better maybe. I have no reason to think Hall will be much good but I'd go ahead and start Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson anyway. Bijan yes, Mattison eh. Cam Akers might be playing about as much.
Seahawks at Ravens: Good game with a couple of good teams. There aren't many of those this week. I'm wary of starting players in this matchup but for most (Lockett, Metcalf, Walker, Edwards, Flowers) I'll be putting them in the lineup and hoping for the best. Note: this is an opinion that it's better to start most of them than to bench them, not a prediction that they'll be super awesome, should anyone be confused.
Cardinals at Browns: If you thought Jaren Hall-Taylor Heinicke was an iffy matchup, how about Clayton Tune-Deshaun Watson? I'm aware Watson had some great seasons back in Houston, but that seems like a long time ago. Right now, considering the way his last start went (5 pass attempts before coming out of the game), I don't have much interest in hitching my fantasy fortunes to Watson and his bum shoulder. He's ranked as a top-10 quarterback. That speaks to 1) his rushing potential, 2) the general level of quarterbacking in more than half of the NFL these days -- Jordan Love and Mac Jones also make the top 15, and 3) his projected stats if he actually finishes the game. Personally, I would like to see him finish a game before counting on it. But the matchup is fine. Running back committee, probably for both teams. Trey McBride and Marquise Brown are the only Cardinals I'd even think about using.
Rams at Packers: Matthew Stafford is a gametime decision. It feels like he won't play, or would be iffy to get through the game if he does. So I think you should look at Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua as if they're working with Brett Rypien. Doesn't mean they can't be used, lot of great wide receivers are working with lesser quarterbacks these days, but they move out of automatic start range (especially Nacua, who was limited all week with a knee issue). Rams have their bye next week, which could factor into Stafford not playing. Aaron Jones will apparently not be limited this week, would be nice to see. He and both Rams running backs likely to be involved are ranked similarly. Risk with all three. Packers passing game looks, you know, bad, but the Rams defense is nothing special these days.
Bucs at Texans: No Dameon Pierce, so Devin Singletary looks like more of a full-time type of running back. Bucs defense has played well but I'd probably be using Singletary if I had him anywhere. Texans weaker against the pass (and the Bucs can't run it), so the Tampa Bay passing game has potential. Nico Collins and Tank Dell main receivers for Houston, usable if unexciting.
Commanders at Patriots: Trevor Lawrence is on bye, so I'm left considering either Sam Howell or ...Mac Jones, who I picked up a few days ago to give myself an option besides Howell. Howell a little better (particularly fantasy-wise, since he'll run a little), but Jones has the better matchup, especially with Washington throwing in the towel on the season by trading away half their defensive line. Opinions welcome, Howell ranked higher but the points aren't hugely different. Rhamondre and Brian Robinson are similar: starting running backs, but not likely to be tearing it up or anything. Terry McLaurin and Demario Douglas look like fantasy starters, perhaps Jahan Dotson too, with Curtis Samuel out.
Bears at Saints: I made the Saints my survivor pick. Don't love it (I think Tyson Bagent can play), but a rough week considering a lot of good teams facing each other and bad teams facing each other too. In my pool, about half picked the Saints and half picked the Browns. I don't want to lose, but I especially don't want to lose counting on the Browns and Deshaun Watson. Back to this game. I'm starting Derek Carr somewhere and also Rashid Shaheed, because the Bears are just that bad against the pass, throwing away another high second-round pick for a pass rusher won't change that. And other Saints receivers. Please no Taysom Hill questions. If you can start him as a TE, his point projection (check the Excel file) ranks him high enough to use him. The ranking relies entirely on the 50-50 shot that he lines up at quarterback near the goal line and runs in a touchdown. I prefer to use players I know are going to catch some passes, not goal-line backs who might score if the game goes well for them and might end up with 2-3 points if they don't run for a touchdown. But strictly on the odds of scoring, Hill is a viable choice, especially against a suspect defense like the Bears.
Colts at Panthers: Both of these teams have been weak against the run. So Jonathan Taylor, Zack Moss and Chuba Hubbard all look viable this week. Michael Pittman and Adam Thielen are also both playing so well that it's best to just use them. Josh Downs also playing well, but he's questionable with a knee injury, making him an iffier choice.
Giants at Raiders: Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs look like good options in this one. Investing in the Giants passing game would be a mistake, and we're ranking the Raiders wideouts conservatively too. Ugly, defensive-oriented game most likely, not that either defense is great either.
Cowboys at Eagles: Maybe best to get up and watch Kansas City-Miami, take a nap during the 1 p.m. Eastern games, then wake up to watch this 4 p.m. matchup. Should be more offense than defense. I'm chancing Dak Prescott over Justin Herbert (facing the Jets). Eagles offense, I will be starting them too, even with Dallas having a good defense. The last time these teams met it was 40-34 late last year. Not sure it will be that high-scoring, but we can hope if we're starting them.
Bills at Bengals: Can't really think about this matchup without thinking about the primetime game that wasn't late last year. Hopefully no drama aside from a really good football game this year. I expect more offense than defense and am using key players on both sides, quarterbacks-running backs-receivers. Nothing special to add, just a good-looking Sunday night game.
L.A. Chargers at N.Y. Jets: Oh look, it's another painful to watch New York offense playing in primetime. It's the seventh time we've had one of these teams in a spotlight game this year, in nine weeks. I love the people championing Zach Wilson as getting better or something because the Jets have won three in a row. He's terrible, and the Jets know it. They're going to bring Aaron Rodgers back early from an Achilles tear because Rodgers with two torn Achilles would have a better chance of winning a playoff game, should the Jets sneak in, than Wilson. As for the game, I'm leaving Joshua Palmer on the bench, he hasn't been practicing and I think he's too risky to use. Keenan Allen, Ekeler, Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Justin Herbert are the starters to consider (though as noted, I'm using Dak over Herbert). Probably an ugly outing for both offenses.
Enjoy the games.