Every week in the NFL, the unpredictable happens. Last week, it was Dalton Schultz going off for 12 receptions and 140 yards, and Kaleb Johnson taking over the lead for the Packers’ backfield. We called both of them right here! This week, I’ll give you five more bold predictions for the main slate that have less than a 10% chance of happening in simulations, but are within the realm of possibility. If one of these contrarian picks strikes gold, you could be sitting atop the leaderboard.

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#1 Emmett Johnson finishes as a top 15 fantasy RB

Whew, this is a spicy one to start with! Yes, I do realize the Chiefs’ newly acquired all-universe running back, Kenneth Walker. In fact, I’m saying he’s a top 5 RB this week too for FanDrill; that’s how bad this Miami Dolphins’ run defense is. When the game gets out of hand—and it will, with the Chiefs favored by 10.5—the Chiefs will turn to the run even more than usual. Why would they want to use Walker more than they have to when he already has 56 touches in two games? Enter Johnson, who excelled in the preseason and leads the NFL in broken tackle rate by a wide margin so far. 10 touches for 70-plus yards and a TD is within the realm of possibility for this undrafted asset in FanDrill this week.

#2 You can grab a top-6 TE this week in the 10th round

Let’s run it back on cheap tight end values this week after smashing with Dalton Schultz in Week 2. This time, it’s Pat Freiermuth of the Steelers, who, surprise surprise, is going up against the Bengals. The average tight end against Cincy has scored more fantasy points than Trey McBride over the last 20 weeks. He’s no slouch either, with 10 touches through the first two weeks and a snap count above 70%. With Aaron Rodgers running for his life, the check-down option should continue to see production, especially in this matchup.

#3 K.C. Conception is about to go hog-wild

It’s not popular to point this out, but Deshaun Watson has 200+ yards in each game this season and played efficient football last week against a solid Bucs’ defense. It has been Denzel Boston who snuck into the end zone both weeks, but in terms of underlying metrics, it’s Conception who looks like a budding stud in the Browns’ lousy wide receiver room. Not only does he have a tremendous matchup in the slot against Carolina, but the Browns have also fed him four carries already.

>> Worried about injuries if you draft early? Don’t sweat it; you have two post-draft edits for each lineup

#4 Drake Maye might be this week’s QB1

It’s been gross so far, no doubt, but isn’t that what’s expected when you start your season against Seattle and Pittsburgh? We’re talking about an MVP runner-up here; he could go QB1 any week. Add in a perfect game script in Jacksonville, with the Jaguars likely playing catch-up against Liam Coen’s offense, and Maye will have to throw 30-plus passes. Don’t forget that this is a guy who can put up 50 yards and a TD on the ground too. He’s going as the QB13 this week on FanDrill but has more upside than almost everyone drafted ahead of him.

#5 Malik Nabers may flirt with 30 fantasy points

Being able to say that about anyone going in the fifth round of FanDrill drafts is a dream, but that’s just what we have here thanks to one Jameis Winston. The ultimate gunslinger will be under center for New York again, this time with a week of practice with the starters, and this time against the putrid Titans’ secondary instead of the Rams. Don’t forget, Nabers is competing for targets with the Giants’ No. 2 wideout, Malachi Fields, who many of you didn’t know was a real player until now. 10-plus targets with wild aDOTs feel like a near-certainty.

Jett Morris is a Sr. Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Twitter @JettMorris for more fantasy sports content.

Stacking is one of the most efficient ways to separate yourself from the field in FanDrill tournaments.

When an offense has a big day, your team benefits. When a quarterback throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns, there’s a large chance at least one of his pass catchers is putting up tournament-winning numbers right alongside him.

That’s why stacks matter: we are looking to build lineups with the highest ceiling to help you win a tournament.

This week, we are identifying the highest-upside game environments on the Week 3 slate and the best stacks to pair with those matchups.

>> Worried about injuries if you draft early? Don’t sweat it; you have two post-draft edits for each lineup

#1 Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC) & Travis Kelce (TE – KC)

We traveled back in time Sunday night as we saw these two connect nine times for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. Their matchup Sunday against the Miami Dolphins looks just as good.

Miami is allowing the highest passing EPA per play in the NFL through two weeks (+0.48) and has the sixth-lowest pressure rate at 28.6%. If you’re a defense that allows Patrick Mahomes to sit back in the pocket untouched, good luck.

Mahomes has looked amazing since returning from his ACL injury. The Denver defense held him in check through the air, but he had three total touchdowns, and then he went rampant on the Colts’ defense, throwing for 382 yards and three passing touchdowns. It seems as though Patrick Mahomes is fully healthy. Also having Eric Bieniemy back as the offensive coordinator and finally having a run game with Kenneth Walker coming in, the offense seems complete. Mahomes can work off Walker in the play-action game against this putrid Miami defense, and Kelce could be the main beneficiary.

The Kansas City wide receivers have not looked good to start the year, while Travis Kelce has found his way back to being Patrick’s No. 1 target. Going up against a Jeff Hafley defense, zone coverage will be run at a very high rate. We all know Travis Kelce is one of the best players of all time at finding the soft spot in zone and getting yards after the catch. Another 70- to 100-yard game is in store, and don’t be shocked if he finds the end zone.

#2 The Seahawks QB & Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)

You’re going to have to pay a premium for JSN, but it will be worth it. We just saw him carve up the Cardinals’ secondary, posting nine catches for 155 yards and three scores. Drew Lock also looked very good in that game, and he may have played himself into a starting job in 2027. Seattle does not have to rush Sam Darnold back from this injury. Let Lock play against a Jayden Daniels-less Commanders team, which allows Darnold to heal even longer.

Washington’s defense is one of the worst against the pass. They find themselves in the bottom five in EPA per pass allowed (+0.24) while allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers (23.0) and the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks (31.0).

Drew Lock had 235 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona. He is not like Jameis Winston, who stunk it up on Monday night. He can come into a game and fit perfectly into the offense and get his guys the ball downfield. The stats show that he wants to find Smith-Njigba on almost every play, with him having a 44%—yes, you read that correctly—target share. A 30% mark is an elite target share for a receiver, usually meaning they are a WR1 for the season, but 44%? That is historic. It is only two games, but new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury has made the offense simple for Lock, and it’s to find JSN every single play.

This matchup is a shoo-in for dominance. Drew Lock or Sam Darnold will be cheap, that’s why I am perfectly okay taking JSN in Round 1 of my FanDrill drafts. I want to attach myself to good offenses with great matchups every week, and this one is the best on the board.

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#3 C.J. Stroud (QB – HOU) & Nico Collins (WR – HOU) OR Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU)

I know the name C.J. Stroud is disgusting for fantasy football, but the matchup is too good to ignore. Indianapolis allows the most passing yards per game (337.5) and the fourth-highest EPA per pass (+0.27), and Stroud can take advantage of a bad defense. He is quietly third in the NFL in passing yards with 627; the team just struggled to score against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.

Nico Collins is questionable for the game, but if he plays, he could be the WR1 overall for the week. Indianapolis allows the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers (30) and the second-most yards (214.5). Nico is an elite wide receiver when healthy; he just has not been healthy as he has dealt with constant hamstring issues. In Week 1, we saw Collins take advantage of a Bills defense that has had similar misfortunes when it comes to defending wide receivers, finishing as the WR9 in half-PPR. In five games against the Colts since becoming a full-time starter in 2023, Collins averaged 16.22 PPG in those matchups. He truly is an elite play if healthy, but if not, Dalton Schultz is a great value pick.

Schultz immediately becomes Stroud’s No. 1 target in games that Collins is not active for, and we saw that in Week 2. Against the Bengals, Schultz caught 12 of 14 targets for 140 yards, finishing as the TE2 on the week. I don’t know what it is, but when Collins plays, Schultz does not get the ball. When he doesn’t, he plays like prime Tony Gonzalez. The Colts defense is also allowing the fifth-most PPG to tight ends, so Schultz is in line for an elite matchup. Seriously, just target whoever plays the Colts every week.

I know it’s the Texans offense, and it is ugly to think about, but these guys all have a chance at finishing top 12 for their positions in Week 3.

Joe Shea is a Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Instagram @JoeSheaFootball and TikTok @JoeSheaFootball for more fantasy football content.

Every week in the NFL, the unpredictable comes true. Last week, it was Jalen Coker and Bryce Young going nuclear on the Bears, among many other surprising outcomes. If you read this article last week, we called big games by Caleb Douglas and Dontayvion Wicks, in large part due to their matchups. This week, I’ll give you five more bold predictions for the main slate that have less than a 10% chance of happening in simulations, but are within the realm of possibility. If one of these contrarian picks strikes gold, you could be sitting atop the leaderboard.

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Carson Wentz finishes as a QB1

FanDrill’s current ADP has Wentz going in the early 10th round as the QB27, so this would be an epic value. You’ll notice a theme from last week: picking on the Bears’ secondary. Even more so, we are leaning on the expected game script of an offense passing on 70% of plays while playing from behind.

It helps to be throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. What’s more, Jordan Mason was placed on IR, so you can expect more reliance on the pass in Week 2. And let’s not forget that Wentz averages 20-plus rushing yards per game and may scamper into the end zone himself, as he’s shown a propensity to do throughout his career.

Jadarian Price puts up 100-plus total yards and two TDs

Last week, we saw Price on the field for only 48% of the snaps, splitting time with George Holani and Brady Russell, but the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator has made it clear Price has earned more playing time.

While he might not yet be a bell cow, you can expect 15-plus touches against a Cardinals running defense built like Swiss cheese. Assuming the game script plays out as expected, the Seahawks should employ a run-heavy scheme in the second half as they drain the clock to secure a win. If that happens, the immensely talented Price should eat them alive.

Kaleb Johnson steals the Packers’ RB1 role

With Josh Jacobs out for who knows how long, the Packers had to turn to a split of Marshawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks. It was ugly.

Meanwhile, they traded for a Ferrari in second-year back Kaleb Johnson when they recognized the dilemma they were in. While it’s expected they’ll continue with the split, the move indicates Johnson will get a chance to claim the backfield sooner rather than later.

If he gets a few touches this week, they may feed the hot hand against a lousy Jets defense in what’s expected to be a positive game script for the Packers’ running game. At less than 0.5% FanDrill roster percentage, he may be a slate-breaker if you’re willing to take the risk.

>> Worried about injuries if you draft early? Don’t sweat it; you have two post-draft edits for each lineup

Luther Burden emerges as Ben Johnson’s favorite toy

Week 1 was a significant disappointment for Burden drafters who seemingly wasted a fifth- or sixth-round pick on the hyped sophomore wideout. Add in a Week 2 matchup against the Vikings, who may have the best defense in football, and Burden’s ADP has dropped to Round 8.

However, the underlying metrics scream a golden opportunity, as Burden finds separation against the blitz better than perhaps anyone in the NFL. Keep in mind, the Bears may have been easing him back in after the preseason injury. This week, he gets unleashed at the lowest price you’ll see him at all season.

Caleb Douglas outscores his Week 1 breakout

It’s rare that you’ll see me write about the same player in back-to-back weeks. But in Douglas’s case, few are buying into his 94 yards in Week 1 as anything other than a fluke. The tape tells a different story: he led the NFL in separation score and was open seemingly every play.

With the game script heavily favoring 30-plus pass attempts from the Dolphins in San Francisco, we may well see Douglas surpass double-digit targets. You can grab him in the 11th round of your FanDrill drafts, but I’d reach into the 10th round before a Fanalyst who believes in Douglas has a chance to snipe you.

Jett Morris is a Sr. Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Twitter @JettMorris for more fantasy sports content.

Injuries can create one of the biggest edges in fantasy football. When a star is ruled out, the touches don’t disappear; they get redistributed. For Week 2 of the NFL season, there are already some impactful injuries, so here is what they mean for fantasy football and the players who benefit the most in FanDrill drafts using Smart Variations.

>> We’re in Beta Testing → Help Us Take DFS to the Next Frontier

#1 Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)

Joe Burrow has a lengthy injury history. He is currently dealing with back tightness and is questionable for Sunday’s game in Houston.

It was already a tough matchup for Burrow, but we all know what he can do against any defense. In a SuperFlex format, quarterback is the most important position to be right about. So here are two players you can replace him with through our Smart Variations feature.

Option A: Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)

While Patrick Mahomes did not look his best in his return from the ACL tear, there were positive signs. He ran the ball well, including a 15-yard touchdown, against one of the NFL’s best defenses in the Denver Broncos.

I expect him to bounce back through the air against this poor Indianapolis Colts defense. Indianapolis played man coverage between the 20-yard lines at a 61.5% rate, where they allowed 13.4 yards per pass on those plays. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy have the man-coverage beaters drawn up in the playbook, ready for the Colts.

Patrick Mahomes could have a huge Week 2 against a Colts defense that proved it cannot defend the pass in the opening week of NFL action.

Option B: Jordan Love (QB – GB)

I am all over every Green Bay Packer in Week 2 against the New York Jets. Some people may point to the fact that New York’s defense looked good against the Tennessee Titans, but I think that was more a product of the matchup.

Cam Ward is scaring me right now, as someone who loved him as a prospect, and the Titans’ offensive line is horrible. The Jets’ defense is not good. I went over this more in my previous article, “Stack Attack – NFL Week 2.”

Say what you want about the Packers’ collapse in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Love still had 387 yards and two touchdowns. He is a good quarterback whether you want to admit it or not, and he can easily take advantage of this matchup.

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#2 Nico Collins (WR – HOU)

Nico Collins was limited in Wednesday’s practice and was a non-participant on Thursday due to a hamstring injury. I am not a doctor, but it doesn’t look good for his availability on Sunday. So here are two players you can swap him for in Week 2.

Option A: Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)

Emeka Egbuka has a great matchup against the Cleveland Browns. They allowed Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers, who have similar roles to Egbuka, to score against their defense.

Egbuka’s usage is exactly what fantasy managers have been asking for since last season. He is getting a ton of motion and free releases, which makes any wide receiver’s day easier.

He also had the highest percentage of a team’s air yards at 65.1%. The role is there for Emeka to have a huge day in any given week, but especially against the Browns.

I know the offense did not look amazing against the Bengals, but turnovers are not something that sticks week to week. Baker Mayfield will not fumble the ball three times again.

Going against his former team, he will have that chip on his shoulder, which is when he performs best. In a game where Baker most likely will perform well, he will be looking for his No. 1 target all afternoon.

Option B: Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)

Cam Skattebo and the New York Giants’ offense looked great against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Skattebo scored 14 PPR points despite not recording a single target.

Last season, in games where he had a snap share over 50%, he averaged 4.66 targets, so I do not expect him to continue going without targets.

In the first Thursday Night Football game of the season, the Los Angeles Rams let the San Francisco 49ers run rampant on them, allowing 30 carries for 174 yards.

With no Myles Garrett for at least the next four weeks and Aaron Donald being questionable, the matchup is great for Cam.

While the Giants’ offensive coaching staff looked horrible entering the season, we should have expected Matt Nagy and Greg Roman to be able to design a run game. This team can run the ball, and Cam Skattebo will be the main beneficiary.

#3 Chris Olave (WR – NO)

Chris Olave had an amazing game against the Detroit Lions, catching 10 passes for 182 yards. He is Tyler Shough’s favorite target, but he was limited on Thursday after not appearing on the injury report Wednesday.

Option A: DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)

DeVonta Smith had a disappointing Week 1 for fantasy football, with just three catches for 53 yards. However, the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Titans in Week 2.

DeVonta still led the team in route share (82%) and target share (27%), so the production is coming. The Titans allowed Geno Smith, yes, that Geno Smith, to complete 79% of his passes.

It is not unreasonable to think that Jalen Hurts and Smith can connect early and often in this game, especially with DeVonta Smith now being the team’s X receiver.

Without A.J. Brown in the lineup, Smith averaged a 38% target share and 2.66 yards per route run. I expect his first big game of 2026 in Week 2.

Option B: David Montgomery (RB – HOU)

While the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense looked solid against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their run defense looked better due to the game script. The volume numbers aren’t there, but the efficiency metrics are, as they allowed Bucky Irving to get 5.6 yards per carry and catch seven passes.

That’s where David Montgomery comes in. He scored three touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills and received 62.5% of the team’s carries in that game. Clearly, Houston wants to run the ball, and Montgomery benefited from that game plan.

With a newly improved offensive line, the Texans’ run game has a chance to be good this year. Against the Bengals, Montgomery has a chance to dominate once again.

Joe Shea is a Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Instagram @JoeSheaFootball and TikTok @JoeSheaFootball for more fantasy football content.

There was much more scoring than usual in Week 1 with some familiar names leading the charge from Josh Allen and Derrick Henry to some potential breakouts like Christian Watson, Jalen Coker and Isaiah Likely. This week offers a new slate of matchups to dissect and snap counts to analyze, and injuries to sort out. We’ll aim to locate the best values of the week with one cornerstone play from each of the four positions.

This article is aimed to be practical and quickly digestible.

>> Worried about injuries if you draft early? Don’t sweat it; you have two post-draft edits for each lineup

Jayden Daniels (QB – WAS)

It will be popular to pick on the Cowboys’ defense this year, and particularly their secondary. Jaxson Dart lit this unit up for 23/29, 230 passing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, and 54 rushing yards in Week 1. While Dart may be a breakout fantasy QB, Daniels still runs laps around him and has slate-breaking upside for Week 2. This game opened at a 51.5 over/under, plus the Commanders are 4.5 point underdogs which makes a near-ideal game script. Daniels is well-worth a first round pick in FanDrill this week and could be taken as high as #4 overall (Allen, Jackson, Gibbs).

J.K. Dobbins (RB – DEN)

Dobbins was among the Week 1 busts, but that’s going to happen to opponents of the Chiefs’ stifling defense all season, especially if the game gets out of hand. The fact is, we have a clear starter, as indicated by snap count when the game was close. This week, the Broncos are home favorites against the Jags. While it’s not an ideal matchup, that affords us a significant value for the starting running back behind the best run-blocking offensive line in the league. Don’t forget, he was on pace for over 1,300 rushing yards and 7 TDs last year before the injury. There’s 3-TD upside from this contrarian late-round pick.

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Matthew Golden (WR – GB)

Unlike Dobbins above, who may be rostered in less than 2% of lineups, Golden should be popular if the Fanalysts don’t rank him as aggressively as social media is clamoring for. This is a rare case where I’ll encourage you to join the masses by reaching for a player. No matter the momentum in his ADP, it is not enough. He was the #1 wideout in Expected Fantasy Points last week. That’s to say that his opportunities in targets, snap count, routes run, and air yards indicate he will be heavily utilized in Green Bay’s offense. Add in a matchup versus the Jets and I can assure you he’ll never be drafted this low again.

Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU)

Say hello to your 11th round pick this week. In fact, he’s such a must-draft, that I wouldn’t fault you for reaching into the 10th or even 9th to ensure you land this value tight end. Over 20% Week 1 target share? Check. High over/under? Check. Best positional matchup on the slate? Checkmate. The Bengals were so much worse than every other team at defending tight ends last season that the gap between #1 and #2 was larger than the gap between #2 and #23. Need I say more? No, just draft the man.

Jett Morris is a Sr. Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Twitter @JettMorris for more fantasy sports content.

Stacking is one of the most efficient ways to separate yourself from the field in FanDrill tournaments.

When an offense has a big day, your team benefits. When a quarterback throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns, there’s a large chance at least one of his pass catchers is putting up tournament-winning numbers right alongside him.

That’s why stacks matter: we are looking to build lineups with the highest ceiling to help you win a tournament.

This week, we are identifying the highest-upside game environments on the Week 2 slate and the best stacks to pair with those matchups.

>> We’re in Beta Testing → Help Us Take DFS to the Next Frontier

#1 Jordan Love (QB – GB) &
Christian Watson (WR – GB)

Value Pick: Matthew Golden (WR – GB)

The Packers are coming off an ugly Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings where they allowed 22 fourth-quarter points. However, Green Bay still had 419 total yards of offense, and Jordan Love got the ball to his weapons. Christian Watson finished the game with 6 receptions, 147 yards, and 2 touchdowns, while Matthew Golden had 6 receptions for 95 yards.

Against a porous New York Jets defense that may have looked good in Week 1 against the lowly Tennessee Titans, this stack could have an amazing day.

Last season, the Jets defense did not record a single interception, the only team to do so in NFL history. Not only that, according to Next Gen Stats, they were last in the NFL in EPA per pass (+0.19). The Packers’ stack should be able to take advantage of a defense that did not improve much in the offseason.

Some fantasy football players may be wary of Jordan Love, given his costly turnovers in Week 1, but it is hard to win a game when you are pressured on 54.3% of your dropbacks and have PFF’s lowest-graded pass-blocking offensive line.

In a SuperFlex format, Jordan Love is perfect as your QB2, Christian Watson is a great flex play, or, if you want to wait and bolster other spots on your roster, grab Matthew Golden late.

#2 Baker Mayfield (QB – TB) &
Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)

Value Pick: Chris Godwin (WR – TB)

The Cleveland Browns defense just allowed 34 points and the highest EPA per pass (+0.76) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, and this Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense should be able to take advantage of it in the same fashion.

Emeka Egbuka has a completely new role with Robinson taking over the offensive coordinator job in 2026. He was put in motion on 12 routes, the second-highest in the NFL last week. He logged 10 routes in the slot, where he caught both targets for 23 yards.

Last week, the Browns allowed two catches for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns to slot receivers in that blowout loss, leading me to believe that Emeka is going to get targeted heavily in his slot-aligned routes. Robinson will likely continue putting him in a “cheat motion” so he can get a free release off the line and find empty space downfield.

Baker Mayfield should have an easy time finding Egbuka and Godwin all game long. Even if his performance against the Cincinnati Bengals was worrisome, he is still a great QB2 play in your drafts this week.

Take advantage of these “mediocre” offenses against horrible defenses. You don’t have to spend a premium pick to get any of these guys, but they could have huge boom weeks.

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#3 Bring-Back Stack

Jayden Daniels (QB – WAS) & Antonio Williams (WR – WAS)

Dak Prescott (QB – DAL) & George Pickens (WR – DAL)

I’m partly a sicko for the Antonio Williams pick, but I believe it to be true. On just 10 routes, Williams caught all four of his targets for 64 yards and a score, quickly becoming one of Jayden Daniels’ favorite targets.

Dyami Brown had more than double the routes (22) than Williams, and the coaching staff had to have seen what we saw from our couch: the talent is undeniable. I would have to assume he sees a higher route share in Week 2 than he did in his NFL debut, which in turn would lead to more production.

If that efficiency stays, he’s in for a massive week. What is the worst-case scenario? You draft him late and he doesn’t start. It’s a no-risk, high-reward play.

As for Jayden Daniels, he looked good in the first game of his third season. He is going against a Cowboys defense that let Jaxson Dart rush for 54 yards and throw three touchdown passes. He is a staple play this week.

Moving onto Dallas, their offense did not look good on Sunday Night and the Commanders defense did improve, but the secondary is still not great.

Dak Prescott historically has torched Washington, throwing 32 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 15 career games. I think this is a huge bounce-back week for the Cowboys, and it may be a must-win game.

Having already lost a divisional game against the New York Giants, this puts them in a tough spot if they start 0-2 in their NFC East matchups. Dak should come out and be able to find explosive plays downfield to either receiver, but I think Pickens will have the bigger day due to his deep-ball ability.

George Pickens had 2 uncharacteristic drops in Week 1, one of which would have resulted in at least a 30-yard gain deep down the right sideline. It is not unreasonable to think that he will not drop two passes to almost match his entire 2025 total of 5 drops, and he will get meaningful targets deep downfield and in the red zone.

I think Pickens could have a monster game against the Commanders’ weak secondary, specifically Mike Sainristil.

In a SuperFlex tournament, having two quarterbacks with massive upside is key, and while you will have to pay a premium pick for Jayden Daniels and Dak Prescott, the matchup is there for it to pay off for both quarterbacks.

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Joe Shea is a Fantasy Analyst for FanDrill. Follow him on Instagram @JoeSheaFootball and TikTok @JoeSheaFootball for more fantasy football content.

Injuries can create one of the biggest edges in fantasy football. When a star is ruled out, the touches don’t disappear, they get redistributed. For Week 1 of the NFL season, there are already some impactful injuries, so here is what they mean for fantasy football and the players that benefit the most in FanDrill Drafts through Smart Variations.

#1 Brock Bowers (TE – LV)

If you completed your FanDrill draft earlier in the week, this news was heartbreaking. Brock was a second-round pick and against a weak Miami Dolphins secondary, the odds he would outplay his projections were high. So that begs the question, what is the plan to replace him?

This is where the Smart Variations feature comes into play, where you will be doing a Double Swap. 

Tight end is one of the least valuable positions in fantasy, simply due to production. There are cheap options to replace Brock Bowers later, but there are many early third round flex plays that you can swap Bowers with. 

Double-Swap Part 1: Chris Olave (WR – NO)

Chris Olave is going against the Detroit Lions’ weak and injured secondary in week 1. Without Jordyn Tyson, Tyler Shough will have to look his way. In 9 games with Tyler Shough as the starter last season, Olave had 71 targets (ninth), 660 yards (ninth), and 6 touchdowns. He is the perfect swap for Brock Bowers this week. A great matchup, and a guaranteed high target share, there is no better option. 

Double-Swap Part 2: Greg Dulcich (TE – MIA)

To replace Bowers, you also have to grab a tight end and swap him with one of your late round picks. According to FanDrill’s Opponent Rank, the Las Vegas Raiders are the tenth easiest matchup for tight ends in week 1. 

Greg Dulcich has no proven target competition, outside of Devon Achane. In a Miami offense full of rookie wide receivers, Dulcich may quickly become Malik Willis’ favorite target in the middle of the field and he could outperform his projection this week.

#2 Jeremiyah Love (RB – ARI)

Jeremiyah Love is listed as questionable for his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Chargers, and was also named the RB2 on the depth chart behind Tyler Allgeier. I expect that Mike LaFleur will want to ease him in as he tends to that high-ankle sprain. With an ADP also in the third round, there are two running backs that you can swap him for.

Option A: D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)

Swift has a great matchup in week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, who are the tenth easiest matchup for running backs this week. Kyle Monongai was cleared to play Sunday, but he missed a lot of time with his injury so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Swift get the majority of the workload in the backfield.

The Bears will be running a lot of 12 and 13 personnel (two and three tight end) sets, and Ben Johnson’s run scheme is one of, if not, the best in the NFL. In heavy personnel packages, the Bears will look to run the ball with their explosive outside zone back. He could go for a big week in Charlotte.

Option B: David Montgomery (RB – HOU)

The Texans new shiny toy looks great in week 1. Against a Buffalo Bills run defense that allowed the fifth most yards per game and were tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the most touchdowns allowed, David Montgomery has a real chance to have a blowup week.

The Texans offense is not inspiring in general, but they went out of their way to improve the offensive line and trade for Montgomery to build an identity in the trenches and the run game. In what looks to be a low scoring affair, David has a real chance to outplay his 11.4 point projection, with touchdown upside.

#3 Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)

Malik Nabers is coming off a major injury, tearing his ACL & meniscus. If you drafted Malik Nabers this week and he is ruled out, or you are scared how he will look in his first game back from injury, don’t fret, there are options out there.

Option A: Jameson Williams (WR – DET)

The NFL’s biggest “boom or bust” player, even though I disagree, that’s the consensus. He is going against the Saints defense which FanDrill opponent rankings have as the eleventh easiest matchup of the week. This will be a high-scoring game, Vegas projects it to have the second-highest projected total on Sunday. Two bad defenses, with the Lions great offense, Jameson Williams has explosive play potential in this matchup.

In the back half of last season, Dan Campbell took over playcalling duties and utilized Jameson Williams in ways the NFL hasn’t seen before, and he was one of the best receivers in the league. He should keep that same role in 2026, despite the playcalling change. 

Option B: Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)

McMillan has been a controversial player all summer long as Bryce Young doesn’t inspire much confidence, but that shouldn’t matter for week 1 against the Chicago Bears, the eighth best matchup for wide receivers. 

The Carolina Panthers pass-catching group outside of Tetairoa is weak, and we already saw him get a huge target share in his rookie season. Mix that in with his increased slot usage in the preseason, I think we can expect the new role and lack of competition to come to fruition for fantasy football early against a bad Chicago secondary.