🏈 All systems go

Start your studs, don't worry about AJ Brown or Austin Ekeler, and Dyami Brown SZN

Sep 9

Congrats everyone - we made it! We survived another off-season! It’s the Commish, and I’m fired up for this article.

As you read this, think about the NFL football season (that matters) premier underway tonight. Let’s start this Morning Huddle there:

Champs v Cowboys

Dak’s face says it all.

Buccaneers vs. Cowboys: Key matchups and predictions

The 2021 season opens with the defending Champs taking on America’s team. What a matchup!

The Bucs are 8-point favorites at home, with a total under-over of 52 points. Vegas expects Tom Brady’s gang to put up 29.5 points and 22.5 for Dak’s squad. These are high numbers; the oddsmakers clearly see a shootout in the cards (leading to more fantasy points for your squad).

Let’s start with TB

Tampa Bay Buccanneers

Antonio Brown: Should the Bucs re-sign veteran WR? — AB

The Bucs have a high team total facing a Cowboys defense that was horrible last year.

Although the Cowboys defensive unit improved over the off-season, I still expect the Bucs to have zero issues moving the ball down the field. Tom Brady is a top 12 QB this week, if you have him, start him!

Brady has never lost to the Cowboys in his career (5 and 0) and I do not expect that to change in Week 1.
WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans should be locked in your starting lineups. Based on your draft capital invested and the match-up, do not get cute here. Start your studs.
Antonio Brown is a wild card here. At age 33, does he have anything left in the tank to overthrow Evans or Godwin? I have Brown as a top 40 WR and FLEX option this week.
Bucs RBs Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Gio Benard should all see time on the field. I would avoid starting any of them this week, or the next, if you can. If I had to rank them for Week 1: Jones > Fournette > Gio.
I ain’t even considering any Bucs TEs.

Dallas Cowboys

CeeDee Lamb among 3 Cowboys added to COVID protocol ahead of next cuts

Ahh Dallas. For the first time in history, Dallas can’t go 8-8. Unless they tie this game…

Sure, Tampa Bay’s defensive unit is one of the best in the league - but fear NOT! Start your studs. If I have one of Dak, Zeke, Amari, or Ceedee - all of them are in my starting lineup. Start your studs.

Zach Martin, one of the best offensive linemen in the league, is missing the game. This hurts Zeke this week, but he’ll be a top 5 play weekly with a massive workload.
Ceedee Lamb projects to be in the slot for the majority of the game, making him my pick over Amari Cooper.
Michael Gallup is similar to AB - talented but the third option in an elite offense. I have Gallup ranked just behind AB but Gallup has major upside in games the Cowboys project to be trailing (like this one).
Just like with Tampa Bay I am staying away from the Cowboys TEs. If I had to pick one this game, I’d go with Blake Jarwin and pray he grabs a TD.

BOTTOM LINE:

Must Starts

QB: Tom Brady, Dak Prescott

RB: Ezekiel Elliott

WR: Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Ceedee Lamb, and Amari Cooper

TE:

FLEX: Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, Michael Gallup, Antonio Brown (but in the opposite order)

NOW TAKE A DEEP BREATH AJ AND ELKER OWNERS

Adam Levitan @adamlevitan

AJ Brown's knee issue isn't ideal heading into Week 1, but also does not seem like big deal.

Doug Kyed @DougKyed

Titans WR A.J. Brown (knee) didn’t practice today, but his absence was described as “just rest” by a source.

We all panic when our player misses practice, but it is Wednesday and for AJ Brown it was just some maintenance to be fresh into Week 1. AJ is still locked and loaded as top 10 WR vs the Cardinals depleted secondary.

Daniel Popper @danielrpopper

RB Austin Ekeler was not practicing during the open period. He was working off to the side with trainers. #Chargers

Austin Ekeler’s injury is more vague. I’m guessing this is similar to AJ Brown - Ekeler is getting mid-week maintenance. Unless he misses practice Thursday and Friday, Ekeler is a top 10 RB in week 1, regardless of the tough matchup vs Chase Young and the Washington defensive front.

This guy is hurt: Curtis Samuel Edition

Mitchell Tischler @Mitch_Tischler

This is the last route Curtis Samuel ran on the field before walking off to the side and working with trainers, you can tell he knew … didn’t look great #WashingtonFootball

Tweaked groins are tricky - it’s unlikely Samuel plays Week 1.

Next man up: Rookie WR Dyami Brown (he’s worth grabbing if you have a roster spot). Dyami Brown was a third-round pick in this year’s draft. The rookie had a good training camp and beat out vet Adam Humphries for the slot role. Plus there’s this…