QB: Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)
The Kansas City Chiefs are not having the year many expected them to. They’re currently sitting at 1-4, searching for answers. For the defense, the biggest problem is how to slow down opposing quarterbacks. The Chiefs are worst in the NFL in fantasy points per game to opposing QBs, currently allowing 26.4. This week, their matchup is the Vikings, spearheaded by Teddy Bridgewater.
Teddy hasn’t quite made the second year leap the Vikings had hoped he would, but he’s been efficient nonetheless. He’s only thrown two touchdowns in four games this season, but he also only has two interceptions to accompany his 67% completion rate. This should be the week for Bridgewater to break it open against a Chiefs defense that has struggled mightily. Hopefully the bye week the Vikings are coming off will prove valuable.
RB: Charcandrick West, Kansas City Chiefs (@ Minnesota Vikings)
Alright, let’s play a game…if you had heard of Charcandrick West before this season, raise your hand. Ok, now if your hand is up, please put it down because you are lying. A second year player out of Abilene Christian University, West has only registered 12 NFL carries in his career. How could this translate to a successful week for him in a game on the road against a middle-of-the-pack defense in the Vikings?
The Chiefs’ offensive answer for years, especially during their wide receiver touchdown drought, was Jamaal Charles. He ran the football, caught the football, and scored the football more efficiently than anyone else on the Chiefs roster. With him out, the Chiefs are going to have to search for new answers, and that begins this week. West has been taking the majority of first team reps and the Chiefs believe he gives them more offensive versatility than Knile Davis. Look for West to more than double his career yardage (48) this week.
WR: Willie Snead, New Orleans Saints (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
The Falcons Defense has been one of the more surprising units in all of the NFL this season. Yes, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones have been in sync offensively, but the D has kept them afloat and undefeated. This week, they’ll head down to New Orleans to battle the Saints in the SuperDome…never an easy task when Drew Brees is lining up under center.
This year’s Drew Brees is not the one we’ve been accustomed to for the last decade or so, but you still have to respect what he’s capable of on the football field. With Marques Colston out this week, the Falcons are likely to send lockdown cornerback Desmond Trufant with the over the top help of safety William Moore to spy on Brandin Cooks, leaving Snead and the rest of the receiving core to roam the field.
TE: Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. San Diego Chargers)
Aaron Rodgers at home this week can only mean one thing – a terrifying matchup for the opposing defense. Sure, the Pack looked a little disgruntled last week against a pretty stellar Rams Defense, where Rodgers finally threw two interceptions. Despite that, the Packers will be ready to redeem themselves this week after some struggles last week, and Richard Rodgers could be a spark plug.
Earning the respect of A-Rodg is of the utmost importance in this often, as he is the king of making receivers open, even if they’re not. Rodgers is a 6’4″ target that provides the Packers with a tight end red-zone threat, something they haven’t had since the days of Bubba Franks and maybe Jermichael Finley. San Diego is in the bottom third of points allowed to opposing tight ends so far this season, and Rodgers has a chance to bust that wide open. Given that he’s only owned in 47% of Yahoo Leagues, he could be a very valuable pick up.
D/ST: Cincinnati Bengals (@ Buffalo Bills)
The Buffalo Bills have been very solid offensively through five weeks of the season. Under Tyrod Taylor, they’ve found some offensive groove that has allowed them to make some noise in the AFC. There’s one problem this week, and that is Tyrod Taylor’s sprained MCL. Regardless of whether or not he’s going to be ready to play Sunday, the Bengals are currently on an incredibly hot streak, ranking fifth in the league in sacks.
If Taylor is the starter, the offense will continue to run as it has, but his mobility will be limited. If he isn’t the starter, that means the Bills will probably turn to EJ Manuel. Either way, I like the Cincinnati front seven versus whoever lines up under center on Sunday to apply some pressure, get some sacks, and force some bad throws. Cincy has struggled against the run through five weeks, but given that Karlos Williams is coming off an injury and LeSean McCoy is unlikely to play, they should be able to shut down running lanes.
K: Josh Brown, New York Giants (@ Philadelphia Eagles)
Year after year, the NFC East is a division where a Super Bowl contender seems to emerge. At this point in the season, we’re looking at an Eli Manning lead squad that has that knowledge of how to win games. Sure, they dropped their opening two games, but they did so by a combined five points. Since then, they’re 3-0, surging their way into the top spot in the division.
The Eagles have been somewhat the inverse. Yes, they’ve won two games, but they haven’t been able to really get things clicking the way that Chip Kelly may have hoped. They’re giving up an average of nine points per game to opposing kickers, and Brown is one of the more reliable in the league. If the Giants want to win on Monday Night Football on the road, Brown will have to be on point; something he is more than capable of.
Image: Bridgewater