Yahoo NFL – Daily Fantasy Football: Week One Picks
By Raju Byfield
Mark Andrews ($14 Salary)
Mark Andrews averaged 44 yards per game with Lamar Jackson as the starter last season and that was in Joe Flacco’s offense. With a full offseason to build chemistry in an offense tailored and designed for Lamar, Andrews is expected to take a major leap this season.
A week one matchup with the tanking Miami Dolphins is exactly what the doctor ordered as far as helping the Ravens offense and their young playmakers build some confidence. The third player in a three player Ravens stack, Mark Andrews appears to be the biggest value at the tight end position. Andrews is likely to see snaps siphoned by both Nick Boyle and Hayden Hurst, but is expected to soak up targets when he does run routes.
As per FantasyPros Mike Tagliere, the Dolphins allowed the second most fantasy points per target to the tight end position in 2018. Expect Andrews to be heavily involved in the red zone and on play-action.
Le’Veon Bell ($33 Salary)
Le’Veon Bell says he is ready to eat. A two year layoff means Bell may start slow out of the gate, but he is ready for a full workload in week one. The larger concern is his potential usage in this contest.
Coach Adam Gase was not thrilled that the Jets chose to spend so much money on a running back and may try to prove a point to the old front office and his current owners by trotting Ty Montgomery out there as much as he can. Montgomery does have some talent and is an excellent receiver (he played receiver to start his NFL career) but is nowhere close to the talent Bell is as a runner. If Gase can get over himself and understand that a stud running back is a young quarterback’s best friend we could see some fireworks in week one.
The Bills are one of the stronger defenses in the AFC, but outside of Tre’Davious White, Ed Oliver, and Tremaine Edmunds are not exactly loaded on high end talent. Bell, a running back who can beat defenses in a multitude of ways should have an easier time with them than someone who is more one dimensional. Bell is a risk at his $33 salary, but is likely to have the low ownership numbers one craves.
Cleveland Browns ($12 Salary)
At a salary of only $12 the Cleveland Browns are shaping up to be the biggest D/ST bargain of the week. The Browns improved dramatically on defense this offseason but are still priced like last years unit.
They are playing at home against a Tennessee Titans team that has suffered from offensive playcalling issues but nonetheless has some interesting talent. The Titans allowed the 12th most fantasy points to opposing defenses in 2018, a number that may actually rise in 2019.
The Browns added some serious talent on their defensive line with Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson joining the fold. They acquired their middle linebacker of the future in preseason star rookie Mack Wilson from Alabama. They also upgraded their secondary by adding Morgan Burnett to their safety room and rookie Greedy Williams to the cornerback group.
Their impact additions on offense get most of the publicity, but it has been their defensive improvements that have propelled them to favorites in the AFC North and to one of the top teams in the AFC period.
Next. MLB DFS game by game breakdown week 1. dark
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