October 2, 2023
MLB

MLB Wild Card Preview: Expect Surprises

Twins-Blue Jays, Rays-Rangers, Brewers-D-backs, Phils-Marlins begin Tuesday
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper (3) runs the bases after hitting a home run on Sept.27, 2023. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

The regular season is over, and now we turn our eyes to something that can warm even the coldest of hearts: the MLB playoffs. All four Wild Card series – with best-of-3 formats -- begin Tuesday, and while there are clear favorites, there are always surprises. It’s unlikely 2023 will be an exception.

American League

Minnesota Twins vs. Toronto Blue Jays

  • DraftKings odds: Twins -125, Blue Jays +105
  • Regular season head to head: Twins 3, Blue Jays 3

Minnesota was unchallenged in the second half of the AL Central, and that has as much to do with how atrocious the division was -- if not more so -- than how well the Twins played.

That said, Minnesota has one of the more intriguing lineups, ranking 10th in runs scored and seventh in slugging percentage despite hitting just .243 over their 162 games.

The calling card is their starting pitching. No team had more quality starts (76), and hurlers like Sonny Gray, Pablo Lopez and Kenta Maeda give the Twins quality and quantity in their rotation. The bullpen has more question marks, but arms like Jhoan Duran, Emilio Pagan and Griffin Jax give them a solid core.

Toronto’s strength is also the starting pitching, which is all the more impressive when you consider the disastrous season that Alek Manoah -- a legitimate Cy Young candidate in 2022 -- “achieved” this summer. Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios were all strong options for the Blue Jays in their respective campaigns, and southpaws Yusei Kikuchi and Hyun Jin Ryu gave Toronto solid depth in the backend.

Like Minnesota, the bullpen isn’t as strong as the starting five, but Jordan Romano remains one of the better closers in baseball while set-up arms like Erik Swanson, Yimi Garcia, and Tim Mayza are capable enough to get the ball to Romano in the ninth.

Despite big names in their lineup, the Toronto offense has disappointed. Bo Bichette had a.306/.339/.475 slash line, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Matt Chapman and Alejandro Kirk didn’t live up to expectations. The talent in the lineup is apparent based on their success in previous seasons, but Toronto was tied for 14th in runs and was carried by their pitching to win the final Wild Card spot.

Prediction: It’s understandable why the Twins are favorites. They have home field advantage, more depth and maybe extra motivation after last year’s quick exit. This should be a good one, but I’ll go Blue Jays in 3.

Rays vs. Rangers
  • DraftKings odds: Rays -155, Rangers +130
  • Regular season results: Rangers 4, Rays 2

Few offenses have been better than the Rays’, as they ranked fourth in runs scored (860), on-base percentage (.331) and slugging percentage (.445). Tampa Bay is famous for their platoon splits that frustrate fantasy managers, but Yandy Diaz won the batting title at .330 with a .933 OPS. Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes, Josh Lowe and Harold Ramirez -- just to name a few -- all had quality campaigns.

The Rays’ pitching is pretty darn good, too, even with season-ending injuries to pitchers Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen -- arms that would pitch at the top of many rotations. Zack Eflin was one of the best signings of the winter, while Tyler Glasnow returned from injury to strike out 162 hitters over 120 innings.

As usual, the Rays also have one of the best bullpens -- although the team did lose Jason Adam to injury recently -- with hurlers like Pete Fairbanks, Colin Poche and Robert Stephenson leading a deep group.

The Texas Rangers might have the best middle infield in baseball, with Marcus Semien and Corey Seager putting up star performances and more than living up to their lavish contracts. There’s plenty of offensive depth here beyond those stars, with Adolis Garcia mashing 39 homers, Josh Jung enjoying a strong rookie campaign with 23 round-trippers and a solid .781 OPS, and the recent addition of top prospect Evan Carter to the lineup (.306/.413/.645 in 62 at-bats).

The pitching doesn’t compare to the offensive talent, and starters Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Jon Gray were injured, but Scherzer and Gray could pitch in the postseason if Texas advances past this round.

Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery are no slouches, but the loss of those arms on top of a bullpen that has scuffled mightily over the past month-plus makes this the weakest pitching staff still playing in the American League. If this leads to a pair of 1-0 wins for Texas over the week, I can only apologize.

Prediction: Tampa Bay will get at least two games at home, and no team in the American League was better in their own confines -- 53-28 at Tropicana Field. The Rangers were mediocre on the road (40-41), and the mediocre pitching staff doesn’t inspire confidence. As much as I love the Texas lineup, the home field advantage along with the pitching problems seems too tough to overcome. Rays in 3.

National League

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

  • DraftKings odds: Brewers -170, Diamondbacks +145
  • Regular season results: Diamondbacks 4, Brewers 2

Milwaukee spent 122 days in first place and played .600 baseball in the second half of the season. The Brew Crew led MLB in ERA (3.71) and batting average against (.226), and ranked second in WHIP (1.19). Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta gives the Brewers as good of a postseason rotation as there is, and Milwaukee can also turn to reliable southpaw Wade Miley if/when they’re able to advance to the NLDS.

Devin Williams is more than capable of closing, with 36 saves and a 1.53 ERA over 61 appearances. Uber-talented rookie Abner Uribe and pen mates Joel Payamps, Bryse Wilson and Hoby Milner give the Brewers a great chance of holding leads.

But can Milwaukee score enough in October? The Brewers ranked 17th in runs scored with a paltry .240 average and .385 slugging percentage, among the worst in the National League. William Contreras and Christian Yelich had strong seasons and there are talented young players like Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick in the outfield. Milwaukee will have to pitch its way through the postseason.

The Diamondbacks backed their way into the final playoff spot – losing the final four games of the regular season – but they deserve credit for reaching the postseason just two years after losing 110 games.

It’s a team sport, but Arizona owes much of its success to star rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll and his 25 homers, 54 stolen bases and 5.4 WAR. Arizona has other thumpers as well. Christian Walker had 33 HRs and an .830 OPS, Ketel Marte rebounding from his disappointing 2022 with 25 homers and an .844 OPS and Lourdes Gurriel drove in 82 runs while going deep 24 times in his first year with the D-Backs.

Arizona and Milwaukee match up evenly in terms of the lineup, but pitching is a mismatch. The Diamondbacks will have ace Zac Gallen on regular rest for Game 2 with Merrill Kelly another solid option for Game 3 if necessary, but the rest of the staff leaves a lot to be desired. The deadline addition of Paul Sewald did help solidify the closing role, but the rest of the bullpen has major question marks. There’s a reason Arizona ranked at or near the bottom third in baseball in ERA (4.48), WHIP (1.32) and batting average against (.251).

Prediction: Weird things happen in the postseason, but both NL series seem like mismatches. I can see Gallen perhaps stealing a game for the D-Backs, but the Milwaukee pitching staff is too good to pick against in this one, with all due respect to a very talented young baseball team. Brewers in 2.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins

  • DraftKings odds: Phillies -170, Marlins +155
  • Regular season results: Marlins 7, Phillies 6

How they got here: The Phillies never challenged for the division title, but that has more to do with how well Atlanta played than anything Philadelphia “did wrong.” After missing the first month-plus of the season, Bryce Harper was excellent with a .900 OPS while adding 21 homers despite getting just 457 at-bats.

  • Trea Turner scuffled to begin his first season with the defending NL champs but rebounded late to put up 26 round-trippers and steal 30 bases.
  • Kyle Schwarber proved batting average didn’t matter as he went deep 47 times with a solid .347 on-base percentage despite just a .197 batting mark.
  • Bryson Stott led Philadelphia in WAR at 4.4 with excellent defense at second base along with 15 homers and 31 stolen bases.

The Phillies have the most complete lineup on the National League side of the Wild Card series. The pitching isn’t bad, either, but does offer a few more question marks.

Zack Wheeler had another solid campaign, and Taijuan Walker, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez were good enough, even with Aaron Nola having his worst season. The bullpen also is in better shape for October, with the return of Jose Alvarado from injury providing a major boon, and a bounceback season from Craig Kimbrel helping solidify the final innings.

No one projected the Marlins to be a postseason team, and while there’s no denying Miami took advantage of the lack of competitors outside of the “big four” along with some luck, it’s still a fun story.

The Fish went 31-11 in one-run games despite a bullpen ERA of 4.37 that ranked 11th in the National League, but there is talent in the relief corps with arms like Tanner Scott, AJ Puk and deadline-add David Robertson capable of getting the job done.

It’s the starting pitching, however, that gives Miami a shot. Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett showed why they were once considered top prospects, and while Eury Perez struggled to end the year, the 20-year-old also showed immense promise with an arsenal that can give hitters fits in October.

The Marlins ranked fourth in batting average, but that figure is carried by Luis Arraez, who hit .354 after joining Miami in an offseason deal with the Twins. Jake Burger also has been excellent after being acquired in a deadline deal with the White Sox, and Josh Bell was solid in his time with the Marlins after basically being sold to Miami from Cleveland.

All that said, this is easily the worst lineup that will be playing in October, as the Marlins ranked 26th in runs scored this season with just 668.

Prediction: Again, weird things happen in October, but on paper, this is a mismatch. Not only are the Phillies the better roster, but they’re also a team that has postseason experience that reached the World Series just last year. It’s impossible for me to say anything but Phillies in 2, but crazier things have happened.

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Other News

Thursday provides an abbreviated MLB slate of games. Among them the Yankees and Red Sox will have another day-night doubleheader and the Rays and Orioles will battle it out for AL East dominance on FOX. With sportsbooks focused on sharp lines for Thursday Night Football, we’re jumping on some good numbers on PrizePicks and Underdog.

Merril Kelly, Diamondbacks RHP, 17.5 Pitching Out (Higher) – Underdog

This has been one of my favorite picks to turn to this season. They keep giving us 17.5 or lower on Kelly and we keep taking it. He has gone at least six innings in 17 of 25 starts since April. He has struggled a bit of late on the road against the Dodgers and Padres, but the Mets lineup has been terrible at Citi Field. They have the third-lowest batting average of any team at home this season at .234.

Mike Yastrzemski, Giants OF, 1.5 Total Bases (Higher) – Underdog

Yastrzemski has been on fire in September. He has MLB’s 10th-highest average at .387. He has solid numbers against Rockies starting pitcher Chase Anderson, going 3 for 7 with 2 doubles. Oddly, he’s yet to record a hit at Coors Field in his young career but I expect that to change tonight. Anderson has allowed an opponent batting average of .310 since joining the Rockies in May.

Gunnar Henderson, Orioles 3B, 1.5 Total Bases (More) -- PrizePicks

The rookie might be the difference-maker the Orioles need down the stretch to claim the AL East title. He has the fourth most total bases over the last two weeks and the sixth most over the past month.

But he has yet to face starter Aaron Civale, who has been decent since joining the Rays but has struggled in two starts in September with a 6.10 ERA. Henderson has at least two total bases in nine of 12 games in September.

Logan Webb, Giants RHP, 4.5 Strikeouts (More) – Prizepicks

This one is simple. Webb has been excellent this season for the Giants. He has had at least five strikeouts in 22 of 30 starts. The Rockies have the third most strikeouts of any team since the All-Star break. Webb has shut down this Rockies lineup throwing 20.1 innings with 17 K’s and to the tune of a 1.77 ERA.

Bryan Reynolds, Pirates OF, 0.5 Singles (Higher) – Underdog

The Pirates and Reynolds will square off with righty Josiah Gray of the Nationals. Reynolds is 3 for 5 in his career with a .667 wOBA versus Gray. He has a single in 11 of 12 games in the month of September. He sees the ball better in day games with a .282 average versus night where he hits .266.

Rafael Devers, Red Sox 3B, 1.5 Total Bases (Higher) – Underdog

Devers is that dude when he goes up against the Yankees. This season, he’s hitting .410 versus Yankee pitchers in 39 at-bats with 5 homers. He rakes during day games batting .307. He goes up against Michael King in Game 1 of today’s doubleheader. He’s 4 for 6 in his career against King with 2 homeruns. We can count on Devers to stay hot.

NFL Stack Options

Tua and Tyreek headlined Week 1 in the high scoring affair against the Chargers, but who will be the duo or trio to rack it up in Week 2? Each week we will explore the best stack options for you to bring down that GPP.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
  • Joe Burrow ($7400 FanDuel, $6900 DraftKings)
  • Tee Higgins ($7000 FanDuel, $6400 DraftKings)

Week 1 went about as poorly as you could have written it up for this duo, but it’s redemption time, baby! Higgins had zero fantasy points off eight targets from Burrow. Going against an already-beat up Ravens secondary provides the perfect opportunity for a bounce-back.

The Bengals are slightly favored, but I think the Ravens keep it close. If you’re feeling feisty, Zay Flowers’ salary is only $5000 on Draftkings ($6600 on FanDuel) to grab a piece on the other side of this game.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans
  • Justin Herbert ($8200 FanDuel, $7000 DraftKings)
  • Keenan Allen ($7800 FanDuel, $7100 DraftKings)
  • Mike Williams ($6700 FanDuel, $5700 DraftKings)

With projected ownership of Herbert at 1.3% this week on FanDuel (8.8% on DraftKings), you can get contrarian without getting crazy. Shoutout to Fantasy Sports Logic’s Contrarian Edge Optimizer for identifying this anomaly in ownership percentage for what I view as one of the best stacks of the weekend.

The Titans may look scary up front, but that fear dissipates when you look at their weak secondary. With RB Austin Ekeler banged up, the Chargers are likely to depend on Justin Herbert’s arm more than usual. Add in the struggles the Titans have against the pass and we have ourselves a recipe for points galore.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Trevor Lawrence ($7800 FanDuel, $6700 DraftKings)
  • Calvin Ridley ($8300 FanDuel, $7200 DraftKings)
  • Travis Kelce ($8500 FanDuel, $7600 DraftKings)

Sitting at a 51.5 total, this is “the game of the week”, like the Dolphins-Chargers was last week. Sometimes you don’t have to get too creative when looking for a stack, the creativity can come elsewhere in your lineup.

We have a game with the highest projected point total of the week, a discount on Trevor Lawrence compared to other top pass catching options, and one week of evidence that Ridley IS THAT DUDE still. Throw Kelce in there and find some contrarian plays to fill out the rest of your lineup.

As par for the course, Thursday’s slate is small -- four games, with the Yankees vs. Red Sox available for DraftKings in the second half of their doubleheader.

Weather Report

There is a chance of showers in the Denver area, but nothing seems like a washout. The other games should be good to go.

Injury Report

Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles 1B -- Mountcastle injured his shoulder at the plate Wednesday and was removed in the third inning. He is set to undergo imaging prior to Thursday’s pivotal contest against the Rays. Heston Kjerstad is expected to be called up from Triple-A Norfolk so it appears Mountcastle will be unavailable.

Starting Pitchers
Starting Pitchers
 DKFD
Aaron Civale9,0008,700
Chase Anderson5,2006,200
Chris Murphy6,1000
Clarke Schmidt7,1000
José Ureña5,0005,700
Kenta Maeda7,8007,600
Kevin Gausman11,00010,300
Kyle Bradish9,40010,600
Logan Webb8,8009,500
Nathan Eovaldi9,8009,200

Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays RHP – Gausman’s second half production has been more up and down than his first. Since August 3, Gausman has a 3.86 ERA, 20 percent K/BB ratio, and a 3-3 record. He has only pitched into seven or more innings twice and has stumbled against the Nationals and Rockies. He faces a tough matchup against the Rangers in a must-win game and his price point ($11,000 DK/ $10,300 FD) is a bit too high for my tastes.

Logan Webb, Giants RHP – Webb and the Giants make the trek up the mountains to face the Rockies at Coors Field. It seems odd to recommend a pitcher in Denver but the Rockies offense has been horrendous over the late month --.250/.319/.412 with an 83 wRC. That’s the fifth-worst offense in baseball over that time span.

Webb has been as reliable as they come, with a 3.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 3.21 SIERA to pair with a 19 percent K/BB ratio. He just surpassed his 2022 innings total and Giants manager Gabr Kapler lets him go deep into the game, if the 26-year-old is pitching well.

Batter to Target

José Ureña is the pitcher I am targeting. His 8.46 ERA, 6.62 SIERA, and 2.10 WHIP is too juicy to pass up. Max Kepler has been on fire since the All-Star break, hitting .299/.365/.561 with 10 of his 22 homers over that span. Due to his production, he has been moved up to hitting cleanup and is sandwiched in the middle of Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa.

Stack Attack

Ranger (Nathan Eovaldi) vs. Blue Jays:

PlayerDKFD
George Springer$4,800$3,600
Davis Schneider$5,300$3,900
Alejandro Kirk$3,200$2,300

Since returning from the injured list, Eovaldi hasn’t gone more than 2 1/3 innings and it is still up in the air if he is fully healthy. Springer is hitting .275/.368/.484 with five homers over the last 30 days and should be able to get to either Eovaldi or the Rangers bullpen.

Schneider has taken the majors by storm, and not because of his 1970s Cop movie mustache. He has been the best hitter on the Blue Jays over the last month, hitting .333/.467/.817 with six homers across 75 plate appearances. Since Danny Jansen’s unfortunate injury, Alejandro Kirk has received the bulk of the playing time behind the dish and could pay off at a lower price point.

Twins vs. White Sox (José Ureña)

BatterDKFD
Max Kepler$4,000$2,900
Alex Kirilloff$3,100$2,600
Willi Castro$3,200$2,700

Ureña has been dreadful, and the Twins should be able to capitalize on the Southside of Chicago. Kirilloff returned from the injured list last week and has hit extremely well against right-handers. Thursday could be the night he breaks out of his funk.

Castro also recently returned to the Twins starting lineup. He's had an amazing first season with the Twins this year, hitting .252/.329/.400 with seven homers and 31 stolen bases. He typically hits around seventh in the batting order but could provide points juice at a low price point.

The golden nugget of my offseason was going to the Carolina Panthers training camp and laying eyes on the soon to be target leader for Bryce Young. Hayden Hurst made his return to Atlanta in Week 1 and did so in true leader fashion,  finishing as TE2.

Hurst is no longer a sleeper, he is “the guy”, just as Frank Reich warned us he would be back in August. Although Carolina has the most difficult matchup at tight end in Week 2 -- with New Orleans -- Hurst is still a viable start in fantasy football. He is the top target on a team depleted of true veteran talent.

Cody's Rankings for Week 2:

Look for these guys to bounce back

Week 2 bounce-backs at TE belong to Darren Waller and Gerald Everett. Waller and the Giants were shut out at home against the Dallas Cowboys. In 2022, Waller finished as TE2 while playing the Arizona Cardinals while on the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite the blowout loss on Sunday night, Waller tied Darius Slayton for the team-lead of five targets.

Tight End Rankings
RankNameTeamOpponent
1Travis KelceKC@JAX
2T.J. HockensonMIN@PHI
3Evan EngramJAXKC
4Darren WallerNYG@ARI
5Mark AndrewsBAL@CIN
6Gerald EverettLAC@TEN
7George KittleSF@LAR
8Dalton KincaidBUFLV
9Kyle PittsATLGB
10Adam TrautmanDENWSH
11Luke MusgraveGB@ATL
12Dalton SchultzHOUIND
13Hunter HenryNEMIA
14Dallas GoedertPHIMIN
15Hayden HurstCARNO
16Sam LaPortaDETSEA
17Pat FreiermuthPITCLE
18Jake FergusonDALNYJ
19Tyler HigbeeLARSF
20Dawson KnoxBUFLV
21Juwan JohnsonNO@CAR
22Zach ErtzARINYG
23David NjokuCLE@PIT
24Cole KmetCHI@TB
25Logan ThomasWSH@DEN
26Chig OkonkwoTENLAC
27Irv SmithCINBAL
28Josh OliverMIN@PHI
29Kylen GransonIND@HOU
30Austin HooperLV@BUF
31C.J. UzomahNYJ@DAL
32Isaiah LikelyBAL@CIN
33Durham SmytheMIA@NE
34Mike GesickiNEMIA
35Darnell WashingtonPITCLE
Kicker Rankings:
RankNameTEAMWeek 2
1Tyler BassBUFLV
2Justin TuckerBAL@CIN
3Jason MyersSEA@DET
4Nick FolkTENLAC
5Daniel CarlsonLV@BUF
6Greg JosephMIN@PHI
7Harrison ButkerKC@JAX
8Brandon McManusJAXKC
9Jake ElliottPHIMIN
10Anders CarlsonGB@ATL
11Matt GayIND@HOU
12Jason SandersMIA@NE
13Younghoe KooATLGB
14Evan McPhersonCINBAL
15Eddy PineiroCARNO
Defense rankings:
Wk 2 RankTeamOpponent
1PHIMIN
2SF@LAR
3DALNYJ
4NO@CAR
5WSH@DEN
6BAL@CIN
7GB@ATL
8NYJ@DAL
9DENWSH
10CLE@PIT
11NYG@ARI
12TENLAC
13ARINYG
14LV@BUF
15NEMIA

WR Rankings

After an eventful Week 1 from the Dolphins and Chargers, I am most intrigued to continue to watch the super-nova that is Miami’s Tyreek Hill. His ability to get in and out of breaks in routes, which I don’t understand due to his lack of crisp route running, can only be explained as a “bend” in the route.

General route-running savants take aggressive cuts at the top of a route, whereas Hill just bends them, or cuts them short. But his sheer speed and explosion in those “bends” allows him to create upwards of six yards of separation on short inside slant routes.

If Hill and Tua Tagovailoa stay healthy, there is a near 100% chance that Hill surpasses his preseason goal of 2,000 receiving yards.

Cody's Rankings for Week 2:

My favorite sleeper is the Texans’ Tank Dell. He was a sweetheart at the 2023 Reeces Senior Bowl, skating across the field with ease and separation. In Week 1, he and Noah Brown tied for third on the Texans with four catches each.

With Brown now on the IR, the door is open for Dell. Throughout training camp, analysts with boots on the ground in Houston called him “unguardable” and “the best” receiver on the team, while quarterback C.J. Stroud said he was his “favorite” target.

1A.J. BrownPHIMIN
2Tyreek HillMIA@NE
3Ja'Marr ChaseCINBAL
4Justin JeffersonMIN@PHI
5Calvin RidleyJAXKC
6Stefon DiggsBUFLV
7Amon-Ra St. BrownDETSEA
8CeeDee LambDALNYJ
9Keenan AllenLAC@TEN
10Devonta SmithPHIMIN
11Chris OlaveNO@CAR
12Brandon AiyukSF@LAR
13D.J. MooreCHI@TB
14Mike EvansTBCHI
15Jaylen WaddleMIA@NE
16Garrett WilsonNYJ@DAL
17Amari CooperCLE@PIT
18Michael PittmanIND@HOU
19Davante AdamsLV@BUF
20Puka NacuaLARSF
21Courtland SuttonDENWSH
22Zay FlowersBAL@CIN
23Deebo SamuelSF@LAR
24Kendrick BourneNEMIA
25DeAndre HopkinsTENLAC
26Tee HigginsCINBAL
27Michael ThomasNO@CAR
28Elijah MooreCLE@PIT
29Tyler LockettSEA@DET
30D.K. MetcalfSEA@DET
31Romeo DoubsGB@ATL
32Jordan AddisonMIN@PHI
33Chris GodwinTBCHI
34Nico CollinsHOUIND
35George PickensPITCLE
36Mike WilliamsLAC@TEN
37Calvin AustinPITCLE
38Tank DellHOUIND
39Jahan DotsonWSH@DEN
40Josh ReynoldsDETSEA
41Drake LondonATLGB
42Marquise BrownARINYG
43Terry McLaurinWSH@DEN
44Robert WoodsHOUIND
45Curtis SamuelWSH@DEN
46Tutu AtwellLARSF
47Treylon BurksTENLAC
48Jayden ReedGB@ATL
49Rashid ShaheedNO@CAR
50Brandin CooksDALNYJ
51Rashee RiceKC@JAX
52DeMario DouglasNEMIA
53Zay JonesJAXKC
54Laviska ShenaultCARNO
55Odell BeckhamBAL@CIN
56Marvin MimsDENWSH
57Rondale MooreARINYG
58Alec PierceIND@HOU
59Allen RobinsonPITCLE
60Gabriel DavisBUFLV
61Quentin JohnstonLAC@TEN
62K.J. OsbornMIN@PHI
63Juju Smith-SchusterNEMIA
64Jonathan MingoCARNO
65Van JeffersonLARSF
66Josh DownsIND@HOU
67Tyler BoydCINBAL
68Rashod BatemanBAL@CIN
69Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSEA@DET
70Allen LazardNYJ@DAL
71Trey PalmerTBCHI
72Darnell MooneyCHI@TB
73Jalin HyattNYG@ARI
74Josh PalmerLAC@TEN
75Marvin JonesDETSEA

RB Rankings

Let’s do it again – McCaffrey, McCaffrey, McCaffrey. if Christian McCaffrey is healthy, it will be difficult to assume anything less than a weekly top three finish in fantasy points on the 49ers. This is what we said for Week 1 -- a week of tough predictions, and McCaffrey was one of five running backs we projected to finish in the Top 10, who did.

Two rookie RBs finished in the top 10 in fantasy points after Week 1 – the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson (RB7) and former college teammate Roschon Johnson (RB8).

Cody's Rankings for Week 2:

The majority of Johnson’s work came in the fourth quarter while Chicago was clawing to come back against Green Bay, but Johnson made play after play in the passing and running game. Expect to see his role grow in coming weeks as Chicago struggles to score points in a miserable NFC North.

RankNameTeamOpponent
1Christian McCaffreySF@LAR
2Travis EtienneJAXKC
3Tony PollardDALNYJ
4Saquon BarkleyNYG@ARI
5Nick ChubbCLE@PIT
6Bijan RobinsonATLGB
7Miles SandersCARNO
8Jahmyr GibbsDETSEA
9Aaron JonesGB@ATL
10Derrick HenryTENLAC
11Rhamondre StevensonNEMIA
12Tyler AllgeierATLGB
13Josh JacobsLV@BUF
14Jamaal WilliamsNO@CAR
15Joe MixonCINBAL
16Joshua KelleyLAC@TEN
17Dameon PierceHOUIND
18James CookBUFLV
19Kenneth WalkerSEA@DET
20Rachaad WhiteTBCHI
21James ConnerARINYG
22Khalil HerbertCHI@TB
23Raheem MostertMIA@NE
24Dalvin CookNYJ@DAL
25Gus EdwardsBAL@CIN
26David MontgomeryDETSEA
27Roschon JohnsonCHI@TB
28Najee HarrisPITCLE
29Alexander MattisonMIN@PHI
30Brian RobinsonWSH@DEN
31Javonte WilliamsDENWSH
32Isiah PachecoKC@JAX
33D'Andre SwiftPHIMIN
34Kyren WilliamsLARSF
35Breece HallNYJ@DAL
36Tyjae SpearsTENLAC
37Justice HillBAL@CIN
38Zack MossIND@HOU
39Zach CharbonnetSEA@DET
40Ezekiel ElliottNEMIA
41Samaje PerineDENWSH
42Jaylen WarrenPITCLE
43Tank BigsbyJAXKC
44A.J. DillonGB@ATL
45Deon JacksonIND@HOU
46Antonio GibsonWSH@DEN
47Rashaad PennyPHIMIN
48Chuba HubbardCARNO
49Cam AkersLARSF
50Jerick McKinnonKC@JAX
51Jerome FordCLE@PIT
52Michael CarterNYJ@DAL
53Mike BooneHOUIND
54Boston ScottPHIMIN
55Damien HarrisBUFLV
56Jake FunkIND 
57Rico DowdleDALNYJ
58Anthony McFarlandPITCLE
59D'Onta ForemanCHI@TB
60Sean TuckerTBCHI
61Ty ChandlerMIN@PHI
62Clyde Edwards-HelaireKC@JAX
63Ty MontgomeryNE 
64Salvon AhmedMIA@NE
65Devin SingletaryHOUIND
66Chris EvansCINBAL
67Matt BreidaNYG@ARI
68Deuce VaughnDALNYJ
69Elijah MitchellSF@LAR
70Keaontay IngramARINYG
71Zamir WhiteLV@BUF
72Latavius MurrayBUFLV
73Gary BrightwellNYG@ARI
74DeeJay DallasSEA@DET
75Chris RodriguezWSH@DEN

Jalen Hurts disappointed in Week 1 for fantasy managers, who expect a top-5 finish week in and week out. Hurts finished as the QB19 after completing 66% of his passes for only 170 yards and running nine times for an abysmal 37 yards.

In Week 2, Hurts plays on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings, a team that in Week 1 couldn’t slow down Baker Mayfield and the new look Buccaneers. Mayfield had two passing touchdowns and nearly a 100 QB Rating.

In 2022, Hurts and the Eagles defeated Minnesota 24-7 in Week 2. He finished with 333 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He and the Eagles should continue that success in their 2023 home opener.

Last week, people looked past the flaws on Geno Smith’s 2022 stat sheet -- the dip in completion percentage down the 63% over the last five games and winning just two of five.

Cody's Rankings for Week 2:

We told you to be careful, because “The Rams are coming to play football on Sunday in Seattle.” Los Angeles not only came to play, but they walked the dog as well, outsourcing Seattle 23-0 in the second half and walking away with a big divisional win.

Continue to start Anthony Richardson with confidence if you drafted him as your QB1. Despite a loss to the Jaguars in Week 1, Richardson showed extreme promise with a whopping 37 pass attempts, of which he completed 65%. Richardson threw the ball more than 37 times, just three times while at Florida.

  • at Tennessee (44 attempts - 54.5% completion)
  • at Vanderbilt (42 attempts - 59.5% completion)
  • vs Georgia (37 attempts - 48.6% completion)
RankNameTeamOpponent
1Jalen HurtsPHIMIN
2Patrick MahomesKC@JAX
3Lamar JacksonBAL@CIN
4Justin HerbertLAC@TEN
5Justin FieldsCHI@TB
6Josh AllenBUFLV
7Deshaun WatsonCLE@PIT
8Geno SmithSEA@DET
9Jared GoffDETSEA
10Anthony RichardsonIND@HOU
11Kirk CousinsMIN@PHI
12Trevor LawrenceJAXKC
13Tua TagovailoaMIA@NE
14Daniel JonesNYG@ARI
15Joe BurrowCINBAL
16Ryan TannehillTENLAC
17Brock PurdySF@LAR
18Jordan LoveGB@ATL
19Kenny PickettPITCLE
20Mac JonesNEMIA
21Dak PrescottDALNYJ
22Derek CarrNO@CAR
23C.J. StroudHOUIND
24Desmond RidderATLGB
25Russell WilsonDENWSH
26Baker MayfieldTBCHI
27Bryce YoungCARNO
28Joshua DobbsARINYG
29Sam HowellWSH@DEN
30Zach WilsonNYJ@DAL
31Matthew StaffordLARSF
32Jimmy GaroppoloLV@BUF
33Malik WillisTENLAC
34Clayton TuneARINYG
35Kyle AllenBUFLV

Wow, Week 1 was… bizarre -- to say the least. I don’t think I’ve ever finished with a worse ‘Pick ‘Em’ correct percentage than what I posted in any Week 1 before -- 50%.

Could the games have been scripted any crazier? Every single primetime game happened the exact opposite of what I and many others had forecasted.

Don’t worry, I’m not here to rant about my miscues, rather I’m here to be your version of Grocery Outlet, DFS style! (all salaries courtesy of FanDuel)

QB: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers ($7,100, QB19 at cost)

Having played six games so far in calendar year 2023 -- two regular season games and three playoff games -- Purdy has thrown only one interception. As efficient as it gets, I’m baffled Purdy is so cheap, given the plethora of weapons in his arsenal.

You can do a lot worse than Purdy as your starting QB, both in real life and in fantasy. He doesn’t have the highest upside, but his floor is stable enough to warrant starting consideration just about every week. Until I see him not perform, he’s a QB I love moving forward.

RB: Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts ($6,100, RB32 at cost)

After having been held out of Week 1 (arm), Moss is expected to give it a go in Week 2 in Houston vs the Texans. With Jonathan Taylor still on the PUP list and rookie RB Evan Hull having been recently placed on IR (knee), this Colts backfield is ripe for the taking for Moss.

I’m worried about Deon Jackson’s ghastly Week 1 – 18 touches for 28 scrimmage yards and two lost fumbles. Moss averaged 83.5 rushing yards per game -- on 4.8 yards per carry -- in the last four games last season.

In a divisional matchup where Moss’ only competition for touches (goal-line included) is an already-banged up QB Anthony Richardson, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Moss rush for more than 100 yards in his first game back.

WR: Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs ($5,300, WR75 at cost)

The memes about Toney’s hands (or lack thereof) have been hilarious, but let’s take a deeper dive into the numbers. He was targeted on 50% of his routes while only playng 26% of the snaps. He also tied for the team lead in targets with five.

People forget, he missed essentially all of training camp and the preseason because of a torn meniscus, so rust and a lack of rhythm was definitely a factor. Add in that Travis Kelce is likely to play Week 2 against the Jaguars, and there will be less attention on Toney in what is expected to be one of the highest-scoring games of the week.

Everyone’s down on Toney, but here’s your chance to come up with a potential steal, given his measly price point.

WR: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints ($5,700, WR52 at cost)

MT is back, baby! Perhaps FanDuel hasn’t caught on yet. C’mon y’all -- WR52? I know, I know. It’s just one game. But five receptions (on eight targets) for 61 yards in his first game back?

Clearly, the new Saints offense can support multiple pass catchers in fantasy, perhaps three given the emergence of Rashid Shaheed, and Thomas will benefit from that.

In a divisional matchup against the Carolina Panthers who’ll be missing promising young cornerback Jaycee Horn, I wouldn’t be surprised if Thomas clears 100 yards and puts up a vintage performance. He’ll only continue to earn Derek Carr’s trust throughout the season, and he will also have Chris Olave soaking up attention. Don’t be surprised if you find him in another one of these articles down the line.

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TE: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions ($5,100, TE20 at cost)

As the season goes along, don’t be surprised if LaPorta ends up becoming a backend TE1. His usage in Week 1, along with his talent,  supports that notion, even if the sample size is less than ideal.

As a guy who covers the Seattle Seahawks, I know how vulnerable Seattle can be in the middle of the field in defending the pass (and especially tight ends), and that’s where LaPorta will contribute for the Lions. In another matchup that’s expected to fill up the scoreboard, LaPorta is an absolute bargain as the TE20.

FLEX: DJ Moore, Chicago Bears ($6,100, WR39 at cost)

Look, I get it. Two receptions for 25 yards isn’t an ideal start to the season, but let’s not forget Moore had to go up against one of the best cornerbacks in all of football in Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.

That Bears offense was a mess, but the cheeseheads also boast one of the better units in the league, so take Moore’s Week 1’s performance with a grain of salt.

While I don’t want this to come off as downplaying their opponent -- the Buccaneers also boast a very athletic and nasty defense -- Tampa Bay doesn’t have a Jaire Alexander on the other side of the ball.

In addition, Moore has plenty of history going up against the Bucs, with and without Tom Brady, dating back to his time with the Carolina Panthers. Just last season alone, Moore compiled 13 receptions (on 20 targets) for 186 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in two games against the Bucs. I expect him to bounce back. More Moore, please!

It’s an ideal day for stacking some baseball matchups out west whether you’re playing the early slate or the main one later tonight.

In the early contest, both sides of the Cubs and Rockies matchup are intriguing with the Rockies sending Ty Blach to the mound and the Cubs attempting to counter with Jameson Taillon.

Blach is coming off back-to-back starts where he’s struggled giving up five and four runs respectively. Jameson Taillon has been up and down all season. He’s coming off one of his best starts of the season against the Diamondbacks, but since Aug. 1 he has a 4.87 ERA and has been averaging 2.03 HR/9 innings. It could be a rough day for Taillon at Coors.

The Cubs have been slightly above average against left-handed pitchers this year with a team wRC+ of 103 and a few of their hitters have really done damage against southpaws at Coors.

Cody Bellinger ($6700/$4600)* is slashing .347/.396/.607 with nine home runs and 31 RBI against lefties. Christopher Morel ($5600/$3700) has a 466-foot home run in this series and six of his 22 bombs have been hit off lefties. He’s got a wRC+ of 120 against them.

Seiya Suzuki ($4600/$3500) has a wRC+ of 215 over the last two weeks, and even with his earlier struggles he’s above average against lefties (286/.345/.429) with a 110 wRC+.

If you’re looking for a cheap option at catcher, Yan Gomes ($3900/$3000) has been above average against lefties this season batting .281/.310/.488 with a wRC+ of 110 this season.

On the other side of that game, stacking Rockies against Taillon also makes a ton of sense. Kris Bryant ($4400/$2500) was the hero Tuesday with his ninth home run of the season to push the Rockies ahead of the Cubs.

At catcher, Elias Díaz ($4000/$3200) has been excellent at Coors at .282/.321/.454. Outfielder Nolan Jones ($4900/$4000) has been excellent since Aug. 1, slashing .279/.358/.529 with six home runs and Charlie Blackmon ($4500/$3400) is also an enticing outfield play. He’s batting leadoff and hitting .299/.390/.497 at home this season.

It’s worth staying out west for the main slate later. The Astros are a must stack against Paul Blackburn and the Oakland Athletics. José Altuve ($6400/$4200) has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball with six home runs and a wRC+ of 175 over the last two weeks.

Yordan Alvarez ($6100/$4100) has been even better – .342/.519/.605 with a wRC+ of 211 during that period. Add him to your outfield along with one of Kyle Tucker ($5700/$3800) or Chas McCormick ($4400/$3500).

You’ll want to balance out the pricey Astros stack with a more cost-effective option, and the Contrarian Edge Optimizer likes either side of the Royals lineup as an additional stack, Tim Anderson ($3300/$2400) at shortstop or Maikel Garcia ($3900/$2800) at third base both offer intriguing options there.

On the pitching side of the early matchups, Luis Castillo ($10800/$10800) has been excellent in a year where even the best starting pitchers have had struggles. He’s got 16 quality starts and faces a depleted Angels lineup that has been without Shohei Ohtani since Sept. 3. The Optimizer also likes Logan Allen ($8500/$8700) as a less expensive option. Allen will face a Giants lineup that has been slightly below average against lefties.

For the main slate take a look at Zac Gallen ($9800/$10600) against the Mets. He's coming off his best start of the season, throwing nine scoreless innings against the Cubs at Wrigley. Tonight, he’ll take those skills to a good pitching park at Citi Field against a young Mets team that is intriguing but has a lot of swing and miss amongst their rookies.

*Prices in parentheses are (Draft Kings/FanDuel) throughout.

We’re getting closer to the postseason, but there still are fun over/unders to hit in the regular season with a strong slate available Wednesday.

Spencer Strider, Braves RHP: 8.0 strikeouts -- Over (PrizePicks)

Strider gave up 10 runs in his last two outings and went only 2 2/3 innings against the Cardinals. He had been fantastic before that, however, and prior to Wednesday’s clunker he had struck out at least nine hitters in three straight contests. Philadelphia is talented, but has plenty of hitters who can swing and miss. It’s risky for a number this high, but I’ll bet on Strider getting back into double digits today.

Ronald Acuña, Braves OF: 1.5 Total Bases -- Over (PrizePicks)

Would anyone be shocked if Acuña hit this total before the end of the first inning? He had another monster game Thursday with two homers against the Cardinals, and he’s already gone deep four times in the month of September. He’s also hitting just .214 in the month, but there’s simply too much talent -- and too much success -- to ever bet against Acuña reaching this total in 2023. 

Jameson Taillon, Cubs RHP: 3 runs -- Over (Underdog)

Taillon is coming off his best start of the season -- and the best as a member of the Cubs -- with six scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks. He also has a 5.27 ERA on the season, and prior to his gem vs the Dbacks he had allowed at least four runs in five straight starts.

He’ll face a Colorado lineup that isn’t spectacular, but it’s at Coors Field, and everyone is well aware how hard it is to pitch there. It’s too hard to imagine Taillon having back-to-back strong starts based on what we’ve seen for the overwhelming majority his campaign.

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Julio Rodriguez, Mariners OF: 9.5 fantasy points -- Over (Underdog)

After a sensational August that basically erased his early-season struggles, Rodriguez has been outstanding in September as well with a .300 average and .740 slugging percentage over his first 50 at-bats. He’ll go up against the Angels bullpen Wednesday -- a unit that does not rank among the best in baseball -- and it wouldn’t even be a surprise if he picked up two hits and drove in a few runs as the Mariners battle for a playoff spot.

Bo Bichette, Blue Jays SS: 1.5 total bases -- Over (PrizePicks)

Bichette came off the injured list Friday and got two hits against the Royals. Since then, he’s gone hitless in his next 11 at-bats. While some might find that concerning, it suggests to me the talented shortstop is due for a big day. He’s also slashed a strong .352/.400/.568 against left-handers, and Bichette will be squaring off against a southpaw in Jordan Montgomery and the Rangers on Wednesday. Simply put, this is too good of a player to believe he’ll stay down for long.

Nolan Arenado, Cardinals 3B + Adley Rutschman, Orioles C: 4.0 Hits+Runs+RBI – Over (PrizePicks)

We’re being optimists today and going over with every total. Rutschman and Arenado will face starting pitchers that inspire confidence, with the catcher squaring off against Drew Rom (7.79 ERA) and the third baseman seeing Kyle Gibson (5.12). It just takes one of these players having a big day to hit the over, but I’d bet on both hitters getting there in a game that could -- and should -- be a high-scoring affair.