Every Saturday morning, I'll take a quick look at all the week's games, offering my own take on what I think will happen, as well as touching on significant injury news since our Weekly came out. I'll check in every so often 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 are the ones that subscribers are paying for. Sometimes players are very close in the rankings, and if I get questions like that, I'll offer opinions. Sometimes I like certain players more or less than Ian, and sometimes I have different risk tolerance with injuries/weather issues, etc. Questions asked on Saturday I'll usually get to by Saturday night. OK, on to the games.
Ravens versus Jaguars across the pond: Isn't it great to start off the week having had Todd Gurley or Carlos Hyde in your lineup? Or both? This has nothing to do with this game, I just want to share. Another of these 9:30 a.m games. Guess it beats watching pregame shows. Biggest injury issue is that Terrance West is questionable; he'll probably play, but maybe not as much as usual, which is good for Javorius Allen. Game starts early, so don't forget to move lineup guys around.
Broncos at Bills: Not a great week to be using any Bills. (And there aren't many of those anyway.) Just LeSean McCoy, and he's probably not fully healthy. C.J. Anderson and the main wideouts looks fine for Denver.
Saints at Panthers: I'm surprised that Carolina is favored by like 6.5 in this game. I think it will be a closer game with plenty of offense; not a crazy shootout but I don't expect Carolina to win easily. I struggled with releasing Greg Olsen in a league and finally did. I needed another TE and Olsen's not playing until Week 12 -- do I really want to hold a roster spot that long? I did not. As for this week, I like using players against the Saints and players catching passes from Drew Brees. Including Fleener, this week anyway. But Cam Newton is not 100 percent; I am pretty sure he's playing, but maybe you use the shoulder soreness to break a tie against him.
Steelers at Bears: Steelers D looks great. For the Bears, Kendall Wright, Zach Miller and Tarik Cohen look viable. Nobody is sitting down key Steelers. Maybe this will be the big LeVeon game we're waiting for. Bears have some defensive injury issues.
Falcons at Lions: Falcons D is banged up and they're missing an offensive tackle, plus Lions have played good defense thus far (though I'm not sure the Giants offense should count). Dropped Taylor Gabriel in dynasty this week; think his 15 minutes has come and gone. Can't actually be started. Did anyone notice that Ameer Abullah's breakaway run late against the Giants should really have been a long touchdown? For some bizarre reason he cut back into a defender rather than running straight ahead to daylight. Yes, I did lose by 1 point with Abdullah in the lineup. No Dwayne Washington. Should be a good game.
Browns at Colts: Not every week I can say I like Frank Gore and like the Colts to win, but this is the week. Not crazy about Colts skill guys without Luck but you can at least think about it. For Cleveland I guess Rashard Higgins is the No. 1, but I don't consider him locked into that role. Maybe Kenny Britt acts like he wants to play, or maybe Kasen Williams flashes some preseason form. Or I cut him this week in dynasty. In fairness to Britt, going from the Titans to the Rams to the Browns has to be kind of soul-killing.
Buccaneers at Vikings: No Sam Bradford. Last week I underestimated what his absence might do to Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs but won't do so again. I think Diggs in particular is less appealing. I still like Dalvin Cook. For the Bucs offense, it's a tough matchup. Still using Mike Evans, but less excited about say Jacquizz Rodgers. Not sure excited ever applies to Jacquizz, actually.
Texans at Patriots: Not a week to want anything to do with Houston's offense. I suppose if you have Lamar Miller or DeAndre Hopkins you might not have a better choice. With the Patriots, sounds like Hogan and Amendola and Gronkowski are good to go, and with Rex Burkhead out, New England's other backs look better.
Dolphins at Jets: Little nervous with some Dolphins on the injury report, but it appears the DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry are fine; they practiced fully on Friday. Jay Ajayi same deal. I'm using all three but check the inactives Sunday morning just in case. Choice matchup with the Jets so you want to use them if they're active.
Giants at Eagles: It's not every team where you can just cut a starting running back, but that's probably the case with Paul Perkins, and I'm not even sure he'll start. Orleans Darkwa should be on rosters (but I don't think you should actually start him). Odell Beckham Jr. looks healthy and could be key in this game; something has to work for the Giants eventually. Might be more defense than offense in this one.
Seahawks at Titans: I'm staying well away from Seattle running backs; Chris Carson the best bet. For Tennessee, it sounds like DeMarco Murray may be inactive and certainly will play less than normal if he plays, and against a really good defense, too. In any case, Derrick Henry the better start. I'm riding out the Russell Wilson struggles but would use another quarterback if I could.
Bengals at Packers: No John Ross or Tyler Eifert, with Eifert the one you might have thought about using. Tight end injuries are the new running back injuries, seems like none of these guys are healthy. Packers the popular Survivor Pool pick and should be. Randall Cobb probably won't play, Jordy Nelson should be out there, and Geronimo Allison is the Cobb fill-in option. Bengals should lose badly but their offense will probably be better than its been the first couple of games (it could hardly be worse).
Kansas City at Chargers: I'm saying the Chargers win this game, it's my upset special, although I realize I have a naive loyalty to believing they're better than they actually are. Whatever, both offenses should be pretty strong here, and I think you should use the guys you regularly use. Melvin Gordon showed up as questionable on the injury report, so make sure you've got a Plan B just in case.
Raiders at Washington: Sunday night shootout, I think. Sounds like Rob Kelley is OK to start but again, make sure you have an alternative just in case he's a surprise inactive. Derek Carr, Raiders wideouts, and Kirk Cousins and the Washington main receivers should all be involved. As outlined in the Weekly, even Jared Cook might be worth a start in this matchup.
Cowboys at Cardinals: Ezekiel Elliott admits he didn't give 100 percent last week. This is troubling to those of us who lost a game by 5/100ths of a point -- seriously! -- with Elliott in our lineups. But I'm going to take Elliott's acknowledgment as a sign he'll be solid this week; I don't see how most of us who drafted him early can really sit him down in a game he's healthy and not suspended for regardless. For Arizona, Fitzgerald, Chris Johnson and maybe J.J. Nelson are the viable options. There been worse Monday night matchups, although obviously it would be a lot more appealing if that David Johnson dude were out there.
Enjoy the games.
--Andy Richardson