Mike's Week 2 Player Grid

Welcome back to my (@MJohnson86) Player Grid. The format will vary slightly from JM’s Player Grid, as we each see things slightly differently and play in slightly different contests, but should complement his thoughts and content very well for those looking to build their lineups for the week. The format of this article will vary slightly from my FanDuel Player Grid, which will be more direct in terms of which players I like. Enjoy!!

The Core

This is a list of players that stand out to me at each position from using my “Checking the Boxes” criteria outlined in my course you can find in our Marketplace. This list is a starting point, from which I build out lineups using game theory and roster construction concepts (which we will also touch on) with the mindset being to find the best plays with big ceilings. Low ownership is a bonus, but not a must. This section will focus primarily on three positions – running back, tight end, and defense – as the other two positions (quarterback and wide receiver) tend to have more dependent tendencies which I try to attack from other angles (which we will get into in the other sections). I like all of these plays on all sites unless otherwise noted:

Running Back ::

• Christian McCaffrey – In the “don’t overthink it” role for this week is CMC, who had the league’s best role in Week 1 and has a matchup with a middling (at best) defense. The Saints’ offense plays at light speed as well, meaning more volume for the 49ers. He should be about $9k in this spot. 

• Breece Hall – The Jets may have had the heist of all heists, getting Tanner Engstrand as their offensive coordinator from the Lions despite Detroit having the same opening. Hall plays the Bills, who just got lit up by a physical running game and are down their best defensive lineman. This should be a vintage Breece game.

• Travis Etienne Jr. – When a player has a huge game and then his team trades away his main competition, I pay attention. When that player is in the highest total game of the week and facing a defense we spent all of last year targeting, I don’t need much more convincing.

• Chase Brown – Brown had a “fine” game in Week 1, but where he really shines is in those high-scoring Bengals games. This week, they are sporting one of the highest team totals on the slate.

• Saquon Barkley – This is a huge matchup and the team is going to ride Barkley. This Chiefs defense is not what it used to be and Saquon could put the slate out of reach quickly with his game-breaking ability.

• De’Von Achane – The lone bright spot for Miami in Week 1 was Achane. He had a 70% rushing share and 18% target share before they emptied the bench. This week, the offense should fare much better and his usage is elite.

Tight End :: 

• Tyler Warren – As I expected, Warren had an elite role in Week 1. The Colts offense is going to have to run through him this week, as the Denver run defense and perimeter corners are elite. Price hasn’t adjusted to this situation yet.

• Harold Fannin Jr. – A very talented player whose role is going to continue to be robust, Fannin is simply mispriced. The Browns are likely to have to throw the ball a lot this week and many of Fannin’s routes are the type that a team can’t really take away. He’s just such a good bet for a solid score with upside for more. I remember when people were talking themselves out of playing Trey McBride at min-price a couple years ago – don’t be that guy.

• Juwan Johnson – Spencer Rattler simply loves this guy. The Saints are playing fast and Johnson is trusted with a low salary. 

• Trey McBride – Elite role in a great matchup. Don’t overthink it. I expect him to score this week and challenge for 100 yards. He would normally be higher on this list, but the three listed above are simply mispriced and open up your lineup.

Defense :: 

• Lions – Did you watch Monday night? I think brighter days are ahead for Caleb Williams and the Bears, but the Lions know Ben Johnson better than anyone and could pile up sacks and turnovers here.

• Steelers – This is a clear bounce-back spot against a far different type of QB than Justin Fields, who gave them fits last week. Sam Darnold struggles with pressure. Combine that with the leaky Seattle offensive line and the Steelers pass rushers….fantasy gold.

• Titans – My favorite cheap defense this week, Tennessee is much better on this side of the ball than people realize.

Premium Passing Game Stacks

Chicago Bears

Stay with me here. The Bears are being hated on, and deservedly so, after an ugly Week 1 offensive performance. However, this is a cheap stack (Caleb // Rome // DJ Moore) that has high upside and should be relatively concentrated. The Lions are going to be aggressive, but just as they know Johnson, he also knows them. Detroit, like Minnesota, blitzes at a very high rate. However, the Lions play mostly man coverage, while the Vikings play among the league’s highest zone-coverage rates. Williams should be able to see the field and identify coverages much easier this week than he did on Monday night. 

Dallas Cowboys

Dak looked terrific in Week 1, although the stats didn’t show it. He has outstanding pass catchers, and despite Javonte Williams stealing two touchdowns, the reality is this team is going to struggle running the ball all year. Don’t let the results of Week 1 against the defending Super Bowl champs shape how you view this team quite yet.

GPP Game Stack Of The Week

Cincinnati Bengals // Jacksonville Jaguars

The bottom line here is the Bengals are arguably the top passing offense in the league in terms of talent and concentration. They are playing in the highest total game on the slate and coming off a shaky opener where they faced a team that had the defense to slow them down and an offense that couldn’t push them. There is plenty of value available this week to make this work, and I am guessing those who do will be happy they did. On the flip side, the Bengals defense was expected to be among the worst in the league. Their Week 1 performance where they gave up 330 total yards to Joe Flacco and the Browns and were saved by two dropped passes turned interceptions did nothing to change my perspective. Jacksonville has playmakers and an elite play-caller.

Unique Combos

Harold Fannin Jr. + Juwan Johnson

A lot of discussion this week has been around which of these guys to play. The easy answer here is simply to play them together. Usually I don’t like playing two cheap tight ends together, but the reality is that both of these guys shouldn’t be cheap. The volume should be there, and both have paths to real ceiling (18-22 DK points). Playing them together will represent unique roster construction and opens up the rest of your roster for the studs.

Christian McCaffrey + Saints Defense (+ Mac Jones)

CMC will rightfully carry a ton of ownership this week. That is fine and should not push you away from him. How do we differentiate, though? Well, Mac Jones is starting at quarterback, and would it shock anyone if he has a couple ugly turnovers? Most people will pair a Saints pass catcher with CMC, which makes sense, but New Orleans could easily end up with a defensive score that sets the game environment up for success, and at a low salary, that would be plenty to put you on a path to first. Mac’s min-price salary also makes it so he could take a few sacks and have a couple turnovers, but if the 49ers end up in a competitive game he still puts up 18-22 DK points.