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Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on 10 intriguing over/unders this week.
Thrown in sideline jail by Tom Coughlin after losing a pair of fumbles and blowing numerous blitz pick-ups, ‘Doghouse’ David Wilson total touches in the Manning Bowl 16.5
Brandon – UNDER. So the question is, do I think Wilson will set a career high in touches a week after he fumbled twice> No, no I do not.
Brad – UNDER. Due to Da'Rel Scott's knee injury suffered Wednesday and Brandon Jacobs' collected dust, Wilson is in line to net the start against Denver. However, he's one more fumble away from permanent exile. Combine that with Denver's reasonable odds of building a big early lead and I suspect he falls just short of the proposed number.
Andy – UNDER. The number should be close to this, and I wouldn't be surprised if Wilson gets the game's first touch. But I'm thinking he's limited to 12-14, total.
In a potential gunfight in the desert and coming off an overlooked top-15 performance in St. Louis, Carson Palmer passing yards against the Lions 299.5
Brad – OVER. Palmer will be strapped this week against the Lions. It's Arizona after all. In a game both squads should score in the 20s by and given Detroit's highly exploitable secondary, 300-plus yards seems like a foregone conclusion. Lock and load, gamer.
Andy – OVER. I'm expecting a turnover or three, but Palmer will definitely chuck the ball 40-plus times.
Scott – OVER. The ground game won't go anywhere, and Palmer has three excellent receivers to work with. It's so nice to see Larry Fitzgerald out of that bad relationship. I just hope Arizona's awful offensive line can keep Palmer in one piece for the long haul.
Same game, different name. Which RB nets more touches: Ahmad Bradshaw (vs. Mia) or Lamar Miller (at Ind)?
Andy – BRADSHAW. Who knew he's be the healthiest Colts back?
Scott – With the Friday news tied to Vick Ballard, it's now BRADSHAW of course. But I expect MILLER to have a fine game in Week 2 as well; give Cleveland's outstanding defensive front credit for what happened in the opener.
Dalton – MILLER. He has the easier matchup and despite a pretty awful Week 1 performance, I expect Miller to bounce back here.
Eric Decker, laugh-out-loud bad in his 2013 debut, receiving yards against the Giants 69.5
Scott – OVER. Peyton Manning throws to the receiver with the good matchup, first and foremost. And after Decker's embarrassing opener, the Broncos QB might go out of his way to get Decker engaged early in this one.
Dalton – OVER. The over/under for this game is a whopping 55.5 points, so it's is fully expected to be a shootout. The Denver WRs are likely to rotate having big games this season, so I'm not overly worried about Decker's Week 1. Moreover, the Giants allowed an NFL-high 8.1 YPA last year. Decker is going to be just fine.
Brandon – UNDER. He was under this number more than he was over it last season (9/7), and that was without Wes Welker and Julius Thomas running interference on his target total. If I'm playing the odds, I have to short Decker here.
Tight end tussle. Pick one: Julius Thomas (vs. NYG), Jordan Cameron (at Bal) or Jared Cook (at Atl)
Dalton – COOK. This is a toss up, but since the Rams have fewer alternatives than the Broncos in their passing attack, I'll go with Cook. The Atlanta/St. Louis game should also be a high-scoring affair.
Brandon – CAMERON. He's easily the biggest threat the Browns have in the passing game, and he's got the length and athleticism that screams red zone looks. I don't think Cameron will have the luxury of catching Baltimore by surprise like Thomas did, but I still expect Cleveland to target him plenty (Cameron was most targeted TE in Week 1).
Brad – CAMERON. The rising star set the pace among all tight ends with 13 targets last week. With Josh Gordon on the sidelines one more week and considering how exposed the Ravens were across the middle last week, he's a near lock for top-five numbers. Another 80-plus yards with a TD are in my fearless forecast.
Anquan Boldin, who played like a man possessed last week against the Pack, receiving yards Week 2 against Richard Sherman and Seattle 79.5
Brandon – OVER. Boldin was the most targeted player in the NFL in Week 1. He's basically a tight end playing wide receiver. He's physical and great at muscling up to make plays in traffic, making him more matchup proof than most. Because of his strength and size, Sherman and company may have a hard time shutting him down completely.
Brad – UNDER. Oh to be a fly on the helmet. Expected to draw Richard Sherman almost exclusively on Sunday, Boldin and the league's best cover-man will exchange many pleasantries this week. The veteran was magnificent Week 1, but the Packers were down their best downfield defender, Casey Hayward. In what should be a fairly low-scoring affair, look for him to crash back down to earth.
Andy – UNDER. Hope for a TD, Boldinites.
Pick a passer: Jay Cutler (vs. Min), Matthew Stafford (at Ari), Tony Romo (at KC), Matt Schaub (vs. Ten) or Russell Wilson (vs. SF)
Brad – CUTLER. Chicago's finely coiffed passer will dissect a Vikings defense smacked down by Stafford a week ago. Designed screens to Matt Forte should reap major numbers, similar to what Reggie Bush accomplished Week 1. It would be no shock if he finished in range of 280-300 yards with three TDs.
Andy – ROMO, comfortably. It's gonna take more than a big performance against the Gabberts to make me believe fully in KC's D.
Scott – The Lions pass to set up the pass, and even their two running backs fit into the system (loving the Bush-Bell combo as pass catchers). Go STAFFORD and get ready for Arizona pinball.
Mike Wallace, quite possibly the unhappiest wideout off a win in NFL history, receiving yards against the Colts 69.5
Andy – OVER. Love the diva receivers in weeks that they complain.
Scott – OVER, because whining divas often get placated the following week. But I've been down on Wallace all summer and I'm not bullish for him long-term.
Dalton – UNDER. The matchup is favorable, but at this point, Brian Hartline should be viewed as the favorite to lead Miami in targets. Wallace is going to go down as a major disappointment in fantasy leagues this year.
Eddie Lacy, fantasy decent against San Fran’s impenetrable front, total fantasy points in non-PPR formats against Washington 14.5
Scott – OVER. Lacy cut his teeth nicely in Week 1 against a nasty matchup, and he'll see much better rushing lanes here. I'm a believer.
Dalton – OVER. Lacy better not fumble again, but he's clearly the No. 1 running back on one of the league's best offenses. He should be treated as a top-15 fantasy RB right now.
Brandon – OVER. Lacy was good for a top 15 fantasy finish at the RB position last week despite a brutal matchup on the road against San Francisco. His performance ranked among the top 5 compared to the fantasy points of each of the running backs that faced the 49ers last season. Now he gets to go home and face a Washington defense that graded out as, by far, the worst at defending the run in Week 1. Over, easy ...
Among high-profiled rushers who underwhelmed mightily last week, which one bounces back the biggest in Week 2: Maurice Jones-Drew (at Oak), Trent Richardson (at Bal), C.J. Spiller (vs. Car), Marshawn Lynch (vs. SF) or Chris Johnson (at Hou)
Dalton – SPILLER. Carolina's front seven is legit, but I'm not ready to change my preseason thoughts on Spiller after one week, which included him losing snaps thanks to a fumble. He should rebound, whereas most of these other options have tough matchups this week anyway.
Brandon – MOJO. Oakland yielded a healthy 4.9 YPC last week, so the matchup looks good. And getting Chad Henne behind center this week should cause the Raiders to respect the passing game a little more than they would have if Gabbert was still back there.
Brad – JONES-DREW. The Oompah Loompah dumpity doo'ed all over himself last week, totaling just 45 yards on 15 carries in a blowout loss at Kansas City. The Raiders defensive line surprisingly wasn't atrocious against Indy, but still surrendered 4.45 yards per carry to Colts RBs. With Chad Henne under center and a game under his belt, MJD flirts with the RB top-five in Week 2.
Andy – SPILLER. That Carolina defensive front isn't bad, not at all. But Spiller can crush any matchup.
Scott – MJD, yeah you know me. Everything's better with Chad Henne, at least when Blaine Gabbert was the starting point.
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