Matt Ryan

If you look across the NFL's Sunday slate, a majority of the games will be affected by injuries.

The absences of Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton stand out immediately, but there are stars at other positions who will miss Week 3 as well.

The long list of injured players may require a lengthier look at the odds sheet and some statistics in order to maximize your betting profit.

That could also affect the prop bets you choose to wager on, as a few squads could struggle in the opening quarters before adjustments are made.

                                    

Sunday Schedule and Odds

All Times ET.

Odds via Caesars; predictions against the spread in bold.

Atlanta at Indianapolis (-1.5) (O/U: 47) (1 p.m., CBS) 

Baltimore at Kansas City (-5.5) (O/U: 52.5) (1 p.m., CBS)

Cincinnati at Buffalo (-6) (O/U: 43.5) (1 p.m., CBS)

New York Jets at New England (-21) (O/U: 43) (1 p.m., CBS)

Denver at Green Bay (-7) (O/U: 43) (1 p.m., Fox)

Detroit at Philadelphia (-5) (O/U: 45.5) (1 p.m., Fox)

Miami at Dallas (-23) (O/U: 47) (1 p.m., Fox)

Oakland at Minnesota (-8.5) (O/U: 43.5) (1 p.m., Fox)

Carolina at Arizona (-1.5) (O/U: 45) (4:05 p.m., Fox)

New York Giants at Tampa Bay (-5) (O/U: 48) (4:05 p.m., Fox)

Houston at Los Angeles Chargers (-3) (O/U: 48.5) (4:25 p.m., CBS)

Pittsburgh at San Francisco (-6.5) (O/U: 43.5) (4:25 p.m., CBS)

New Orleans at Seattle (-4.5) (O/U:44.5) (4:25 p.m., CBS)

Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at Cleveland (O/U: 47.5) (8:20 p.m., NBC)

                   

Best Props

Detroit (+3) at Philadelphia 1st-Half Spread

The Philadelphia Eagles have trailed at halftime in each of their two games.

In Week 1, the Eagles stumbled out of the gates and gave up 20 points to Washington before storming back for a win. In the loss to the Atlanta Falcons, they mustered six first-half points.

In their first road trip of 2019, the Detroit Lions stormed out to a 17-3 halftime advantage before settling for a tie with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Lions could be in position to lead at the half Sunday because of the rearranging in the Eagles offense.

With DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery and Dallas Goedert dealing with injuries, Carson Wentz has to get used to working with Nelson Agholor, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Mack Hollins.

Jackson is out, while Jeffery and Goedert are dealing with calf injuries that limited them in practice, per the team's official website.

If Wentz faces first-half struggles with a depleted receiving corps again, Detroit heads into the locker room ahead.

If the Lions are up, it will be because Matthew Stafford is dealing against Philadelphia's passing defense that has the third-worst yard concession and is tied for giving up the second-most touchdowns.

                               

Carolina-Arizona 1st-Half Under (21.5)

We do not have much of a clue as to how the Carolina Panthers offense will operate with Kyle Allen under center.

The second-year man has one career start—from Week 17 of the 2018 season against the New Orleans Saints. That can't be an indicator of his performance Sunday since the Saints were resting some players for the postseason.

In their six road losses in 2018, the Panthers scored 24 points or fewer, and the only time they hit more than 30 was in Week 17.

Arizona has nine first-half points in two games, all of which came off field goals. In fact, the pair of touchdowns Kyler Murray is responsible for occurred in the games' final stanzas.

Since we have little faith in either side making multiple first-half trips to the end zone, the under is the suggested prop.

                             

Odds Predictions

Atlanta at Indianapolis (-1.5)

Since the start of last season, Atlanta is 1-5 in road games outside of the NFC South.

The past four defeats of that type have been by 10 points or more, with the 2018 season opener in Philadelphia being the lone outlier.

Conversely, the Indianapolis Colts were 4-1 at Lucas Oil Stadium versus non-AFC South franchises a year ago.

The Colts' advantage comes on the ground if Marlon Mack is available. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the running back is "likely" to play, but he is still waiting on full clearance.

Mack has 225 rushing yards on 45 carries, and if he plays and sets the tone in the trenches, Jacoby Brissett could have more time to settle into the pocket.

The Colts are facing the top passing defense in the NFL, but that number has to be taken into perspective since the Minnesota Vikings opted to run much more than pass in their Week 1 win over the Falcons.

Indianapolis has let up the ninth-fewest passing yards, and it could frustrate Matt Ryan, just like it did in Week 2 when Marcus Mariota was limited to 154 yards on 28 pass attempts.

                  

New Orleans at Seattle (-4.5)

Upon first glance of the line, the Seattle Seahawks should be able to win by five points to cover and beat New Orleans without Drew Brees.

In order to follow through on that, the Seahawks need to improve on their home defense, as they allowed 429 total yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

Seattle could keep the ball out of Teddy Bridgewater's hands by relying on its running game.

Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny have combined for 186 yards and a touchdown each on 46 carries, and they are facing a Saints defense that gives up 5.6 yards per carry.

Seattle might be able to dictate the pace on the ground and then have Russell Wilson strike through the air against a tired defense in the second half.

In extended time in Week 2, Bridgewater went 17-of-30 for 165 passing yards. If Seattle holds him to a similar total, it can focus on silencing Alvin Kamara with its fourth-best rushing defense.

                     

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference. 

The Atlanta Falcons snapped a three-game losing streak against Philadelphia dating back to 2016 with a 24-20 win over the Eagles on Sunday Night Football at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and it wasn't without drama.

The Eagles had erased an 11-point deficit to take a 20-17 lead with 3:13 left in the fourth quarter. But just before the two-minute warning, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan converted a 4th-and-3 with a 54-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones.

Down 24-20, the Eagles were threatening again but came up short on a 4th-and-8 at the Atlanta 16-yard line with 38 seconds and no timeouts remaining.

As a result, Ryan is now 11-1 all-time in home openers (h/t ESPN's Field Yates). He finished with 320 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions on 27-of-43 passing.

Jones was Ryan's most productive target with 106 yards and two touchdowns, catching five of his 10 targets. However, Calvin Ridley was right behind Jones with 105 yards and one touchdown on eight catches.

In the loss, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz had an injury scare late in the second quarter before nearly leading Philly to a comeback win. He finished with 231 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 25-of-43 passing.

Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor, who briefly exited the game to be evaluated for a head injury, led all receivers with 107 yards and one touchdown. Alshon Jeffery (calf) and DeSean Jackson (groin) left the game in the first half for the Eagles and did not return.

     

Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley Turning into NFL's Most Dynamic Receiving Duo

Prior to reaching an agreement with Jones on a three-year, $66 million extension a day ahead of Atlanta's regular-season opener, the Falcons had insurance in second-year receiver Ridley.

Now, they have both stars through at least the 2022 season. That is ideal for the Falcons and scary for the rest of the league.

Ridley racked up seven of his eight catches in the first half Sunday night, including his 34-yard touchdown:

#MattyIce❄️with a BOMB to @CalvinRidley1! 💣 pic.twitter.com/lQhQ6EcdHc

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 16, 2019

Ridley's development requires opposing defenses to account for him on every play, which prevents them from going all out on a double-team of Jones, as the Falcons coyly pointed out. The reverse is true, too. For example, the Eagles held Ridley to one catch for 14 yards in the second half. Their reward? Jones popping off for two touchdowns, including the 54-yard game-winning touchdown on a 4th-and-3:

JULIO. GOES. ALL. THE. WAY.

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/SGXPAgddmp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2019

Jones surpassed Roddy White as the franchise's all-time leading receiver with that touchdown grab, and the Jones-Ridley tandem won the Falcons the game to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2007.

In the bigger picture, Atlanta looks to have the most dynamic receiving duo in the NFL.

There are several other teams who have a case, though—the New England Patriots first and foremost. Tom Brady has the likes of Josh Gordon, Antonio Brown and Julian Edelman at his disposal, though Brown's future remains uncertain amid sexual assault allegations and Gordon is currently under a conditional reinstatement by the NFL because of a history of substance use.

Earlier Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams showed off in the passing game with 120 yards from Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks' 74 yards and a touchdown. In Kansas City, reigning league MVP Patrick Mahomes makes any set of receivers on the field with him look like the best ever to play the sport.

Like Jones and Ridley did against the Eagles, Dallas Cowboys receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup each put together at least 100 yards receiving in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

Arguments can be made throughout the league, sure, but Jones and Ridley are as sure a bet as any of them.

And with Atlanta's running game only accounting for 130 yards through the first two weeks, Jones and Ridley may be the most important receivers to their team of any in the league.

      

Carson Wentz Shows His Risk and Reward

It truly was the tale of two halves for Wentz on Sunday night.

With 43 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Josh McCown trotted on the field while Wentz was being evaluated for a concussion. McCown ran the offense for six plays before Wentz returned to see out the final drive of the half—resulting in a field goal.

Wentz was 6-of-16 for 47 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions at halftime, and there was reason to worry that his well-documented injury history since entering the league as Philly's No. 2 overall pick in 2016 was bleeding into 2019.

It was not revealed that Wentz was in the concussion protocol until he met with reporters after the game.

However, Wentz didn't appear to show signs of injury in the second half:

Wentz somehow found a way 😱

(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/ZZc0BYNPOv

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2019

It gets the people going.#PHIvsATL | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/zpaJpABWvE

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 16, 2019

The dichotomy Wentz displayed in this particular game plays right into why the Eagles' decision to extend him on a four-year deal worth up to $144 million this spring could just as easily bust as it could pay off.

During the 2017 campaign, Wentz suffered a season-ending torn ACL on Dec. 10. The Eagles went on to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history with backup quarterback Nick Foles leading the way and claiming Super Bowl MVP.

Prior to the devastating knee injury, Wentz was in the conversation for league MVP with 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 60.2 percent completion.

Wentz's ACL recovery cost him the first two games of last season, and he missed the final three contests with a stress fracture in his back.

Sunday night brought back to the forefront the risk involved with committing to Wentz long-term. At the same time, while Philadelphia isn't leaving Atlanta with the desired result, seeing Wentz nearly gutting out a comeback after such a disappointing first half is reason to feel good moving forward. In fact, the Eagles will probably exhale after every game that Wentz makes it out healthy.

That said, the franchise's investment in Wentz proves that Philadelphia believes the potential reward outweighs any risk.

     

What's Next?

The Eagles (1-1) will host the Detroit Lions (1-0-1), while the Falcons (1-1) will travel to take on the Indianapolis Colts (1-1) next Sunday afternoon.

Make sure to get to your TVs in good time Sunday afternoon because the early slate for the second Sunday of the NFL season is packed.

There will be 10 games kicking off at 1 p.m. ET, and there are some exciting matchups among them. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray will face off when the Baltimore Ravens host the Arizona Cardinals. There will also be five divisional rivalries and a Super Bowl XL rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Some great games are in store later in the day as well. The NFC Championship Game rematch between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams should be the most competitive of the three games kicking off from 4:05-4:25 p.m. ET.

Sunday night's game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons features a matchup of two strong offenses.

               

Week 2 Odds, Picks

Arizona at Baltimore (-13)

Buffalo (-1.5) at N.Y. Giants

Dallas (-5.5) at Washington

Indianapolis at Tennessee (-3.5)

Jacksonville at Houston (-8.5)

L.A. Chargers (-2) at Detroit

Minnesota at Green Bay (-2.5)

New England (-19) at Miami

San Francisco at Cincinnati (-1)

Seattle at Pittsburgh (-3.5)

Kansas City (-7) at Oakland

Chicago (-2) at Denver

New Orleans at L.A. Rams (-1.5)

Philadelphia (-1.5) at Atlanta

Cleveland (-6.5) at N.Y. Jets

Odds via Caesars.

           

Last-Minute Advice

Don't Sleep on the 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers may be one-point underdogs, but they have a strong chance of going on the road and beating the Cincinnati Bengals.

San Francisco went on the road in Week 1 and notched a 31-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And it was a strong showing for the 49ers defense, as Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon each had interception return touchdowns.

The Bengals offense could struggle, especially if running back Joe Mixon is limited by his ankle injury.

With how well the 49ers played in Week 1, it's worth taking a risk by betting on them to score the road victory in this matchup. They may not be a strong team in the NFL this season, but a 2-0 start isn't out of the question.

              

Stick with the Saints

It's not often the Saints, who went 13-3 last season, are the underdogs heading into a game. But that's the case Sunday, when they travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams.

There will likely be a lot of points scored in this matchup, and this game could be decided by the final few offensive possessions for each team. And when that's the case, it's hard to bet against veteran quarterback Drew Brees.

In the Monday night opener, Brees put New Orleans just into scoring position, as Wil Lutz kicked the game-winning 58-yard field goal against the Houston Texans. Brees finds ways to lead the Saints to victory, and it's possible he will succeed in a similar late situation Sunday.

New Orleans is also looking to avenge its playoff loss to Los Angeles, so bet on it to do just that.

               

Consider Betting on the Falcons

While the Philadelphia Eagles won in Week 1 and the Atlanta Falcons lost, it's possible that Atlanta could be victorious in this matchup of top offenses.

Although Philadelphia is coming off a win over Washington, the Eagles defense allowed 27 points. And Case Keenum passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns against their secondary.

If Washington did that, then Atlanta's offense, led by quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, is capable of doing even more.

This should be a competitive matchup, but with the Falcons getting 1.5 points as the underdog, they may be the smart bet here.

So, you made it through mock-draft season, aced every step of your pre-draft preparation process and assembled a roster sure to keep you competitive for the 2019 fantasy football campaign.

Nothing left to do but kick up your feet and savor the long-awaited return of NFL action, right?

Not exactly. Or, not at all, actually. Picking the right players is simply step one. In-season roster management is often not only the tougher task, but also the one separating league champions from bubbles-bursted fantasy dreamers.

Your roster is only as good as you allow it to be. To maximize its potential, you must ace the difficult calls of starting the right players and sitting the wrong ones.

We'll point you in the right direction with starts and sits at every position, plus a closer look at three of our top recommendations.

                    

Start 'Em

QB: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (at Miami)

RB: Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions (at Arizona)

WR: Josh Gordon, New England Patriots (vs. Pittsburgh)

TE: Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Indianapolis)

D/ST: Detroit Lions (at Arizona)

                  

Sit 'Em

QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at Minnesota)

RB: Damien Williams, Kansas City Chiefs (at Jacksonville)

WR: Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns (vs. Tennessee)

TE: Jimmy Graham, Green Bay Packers (at Chicago)

D/ST: Houston Texans (at New Orleans)

                   

Start: Lamar Jackson at Miami

Once Lamar Jackson snagged the starting quarterback spot in Baltimore last season, he set the fantasy world on fire. From his first start in Week 11 through the end of the season, he tallied the eighth-most fantasy points at the position, per Fantasy Pros, and averaged an absurd 17 rushes for 79.4 yards.

The second-year dual threat QB is almost guaranteed to get off on the right foot this season.

His first assignment is a Dolphins defense that surrendered 391.1 yards per game in 2018 (fourth-highest in the NFL), then unashamedly leaned into a tank job this summer. Leading tackler Kiko Alonso and top two quarterback sackers Robert Quinn and Cameron Wake all found new homes over the offseason.

Now, consider the location—sunny South Florida. An early September afternoon tilt there might sweat out some quarterbacks, but Jackson will feel right at home, because he is. He grew up in nearby Pompano Beach and played his high school ball in Boynton Beach.

Finally, he might offer more passing upside than people realize. The Ravens want more of an aerial element to this offense, and the former Heisman Trophy winner tallied more than 3,500 passing yards in his sophomore and junior seasons at Louisville.

                    

Sit: Matt Ryan at Minnesota

Matt Ryan looks an awful lot like a week-to-week starter, and he probably is for the bulk of his fantasy owners. Just last season, he was the second-highest scoring player in fantasy while posting his second-best marks in passing yards (4,924), passing touchdowns (35) and completion percentage (69.4). The only time he beat those numbers was in 2016, when he was the NFL's MVP.

All of that said, this is one of the few times it might make sense to bench him, provided you have a serviceable replacement. That has less to do with Ryan himself than it does the matchup.

CBS Sports' Dave Richard explained:

"Ryan's last two games against Mike Zimmer's Vikings totaled one touchdown and two interceptions with a low-for-him 63.3 completion percentage. His last great game against Minnesota came in 2014 when Zimmer didn't have a complete secondary or a scary pass rush. He's had both since then and it's rattled Ryan. Furthermore, Julio Jones has been held in check his whole career against Zimmer's scheme, which isn't surprising since the Vikings have afforded six receivers to get over 100 yards over the past three seasons!"

This Minnesota defense is frighteningly good. In 2018, the Vikings allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game (196.3) and nearly had as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns allowed (15, the NFL's lowest mark). They also tallied 50 sacks (tied for third-most), which is a scary-high number for Atlanta's inexperienced offensive line.

                    

Start: Josh Gordon vs. Pittsburgh

Josh Gordon's reinstatement at least moved him back to a prominent place on the Patriots' passing hierarchy, if not to the top of their post-Rob Gronkowski passing offense.

Gordon played three games without Gronkowski last season. In those contests, Gordon was targeted 28 times, which he turned into 13 receptions for 311 yards.

"Gordon was nearly a top-20 receiver from Week 5 through Week 14 last season, and he still boasts massive statistical upside, with rare size and speed for the position," ESPN's Eric Karabell wrote. "He is a perfect fit for a Patriots offense that lacks wide receiver depth and anyone reliable at tight end."

With Tom Brady under center and a raucous Gillette Stadium behind him, Gordon looks primed for WR1 production this weekend.

---

Still can't figure out your fantasy football lineup for the week? Check out Your Fantasy Fire Drill with Matt Camp, and he'll solve your problems live. Submit your questions and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET, only on the B/R app.  

We hear the following fantasy football advice all the time: Don't reach for a quarterback on draft day, which is the opposite approach to reality in the NFL. 

On the other hand, fantasy managers should consider a quarterback who can transcend a large pool of players and score 340-plus points—only five signal-callers eclipsed that mark in standard Yahoo scoring settings last year. Patrick Mahomes, Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson rounded out the group. 

For those who rolled the dice on Mahomes, he racked up 429.08 fantasy points—67.62 more than Ryan. Among the five passers, Watson had the most rushing yards (551), and he was the only one to play for a team with a rushing offense ranked higher than 16th in yards.

It goes without saying—fantasy owners should target high-volume passers if they prefer to pick up a quarterback early in the draft. Secondly, a high-end quarterback could put together a productive year when paired with a poor-to-average ground attack.

We'll rank and project 2019 passing and fantasy numbers for the top 12 quarterbacks—suited for 12-team leagues under standard Yahoo settings. Who's primed to finish in the top five for the upcoming season? Also, check out some creative team names for your squad.

           

Quarterback Rankings and Projections

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, 382.45

2. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, 380.21

3. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans, 361.19

4. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles, 356.34

5. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, 348.16

6. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts, 341.27

7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals, 323.02

8. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, 318.82

9. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, 309.64

10. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams, 306.10

11. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns, 304.79

12. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, 302.28

              

Matt Ryan Closes the Gap on Patrick Mahomes

Last year's top two quarterbacks hold those spots once again, but this time the margin shrinks to 2.24 fantasy points.

For starters, Mahomes isn't likely to throw 50 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Secondly, Ryan will once again work with Dirk Koetter, who served as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator between the 2012-14 campaigns. In those three seasons, the team's passing offense ranked top 10 in passing yards twice and top five in touchdowns once. 

Since 2012, Koetter's ground attacks have ranked 24th or worse in all but one season. If this trend continues, Ryan will have a lot riding on his arm for the upcoming year.

Fortunately for Ryan, he's throwing to two-time All-Pro Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, who led the Falcons in receiving touchdowns last year (10) and Mohamed Sanu—a steady veteran with a 66.2 percent catch rate. Don't forget Austin Hooper will look to build upon a breakout 2018 campaign, where he finished with 71 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns as TE6 in fantasy leagues.

        

Carson Wentz's Return 

Of course, we have to acknowledge the injury risk with Carson Wentz, but he's participated at training camp without notable restrictions on his activity. If he holds up throughout the season, managers may see him in 2017 form. 

Two years ago, before tearing his ACL, Wentz performed at the level of an MVP candidate, logging 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Last year, he missed five games because of a fractured vertebra but still recorded 3,074 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven picks. 

Fantasy managers should feel optimistic about Wentz's rapport with DeSean Jackson, who will provide a much-needed deep threat in the passing game. The quarterback talked about his connection with the 32-year-old wide receiver, per Tim McManus of ESPN. 

"Every day it grows," Wentz said. "Whether it's on the field and you actually see it with live reps or after practice or off to the side between reps during the team drills when we're talking, we watch film together."

Even in his best season, Wentz didn't have a wide receiver to stretch the field. Mack Hollins led the team in yards per reception (14.1) but only caught 16 passes in 2017. For perspective, Jackson averages 17.4 yards per reception for his career and led the league in that category last season (18.9).

Jackson's presence should boost Wentz's passing yardage and touchdown totals in 2019.

              

Gambling on Kyler Murray

Here's one for risk-takers who don't mind stepping ahead of the curve. The Arizona Cardinals will employ an uptempo offense with dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray. According to running back David Johnson, head coach Kliff Kingsbury wants to run 90-95 offensive plays per game, which would be a record pace.

The Cardinals may not average 90 plays per contest, but the objective could result in a high number of passing attempts for Murray. According to The Athletic's Scott Bordow, Arizona may keep seven wide receivers on their depth chart. 

"Kingsbury has hinted that he'll keep seven receivers," Bordow wrote. "Five seem locks: Fitzgerald, Kirk, Johnson, Isabella and Butler."

The Cardinals' prospective offensive style and Murray's ability to use his legs to pick up yards could push him into the top 10 in terms of fantasy production. Last year, he ran for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns at Oklahoma. The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner won't come close to that number at the NFL level because of the need to preserve his body, but 500-600 yards on the ground seem reasonable.

         

Top Team Names 

https://twitter.com/KrystleRich/status/1158505848626393090

InfluWENTZ (h/t Krystle Rich of NBCS Philadelphia)

Suh-Tang Klan

Finding Deebo

Watson In Your Wallet

Pop, Drop Lockett

Le'Veon La Vida Loca 

Hot Chubb Time Machine

All I Do Is Winston 

Roethlisberger Helper 

Gone Gurley

The wait is over. Finally.

Sure, we're still over a month away from NFL games that actually count, but football is back. The Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons kicked off the preseason slate with Thursday's Hall of Fame Game. By next weekend, all 32 games will have at least one exhibition tilt under their belts.

It's an unbelievable time for the gridiron world and a critical one for the fantasy realm. Thursday's kickoff should've been your kick-start to ramp your draft preparation into high gear.

We'll help get the ball rolling by breaking down some sleepers and busts below.

                

2019 Fantasy Football Sleepers

QB: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals; Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB: Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers; Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins

WR: Dante Pettis, San Francisco 49ers; Geronimo Allison, Green Bay Packers

TE: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens; Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts

             

Nine quarterbacks are coming off the board ahead of Kyler Murray, per FantasyFootballCalculator.com. There aren't nine quarterbacks with a better combination of natural gifts and system fit.

Murray just electrified the college football world with a Heisman Trophy-winning effort featuring 4,361 passing yards, 1,001 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns. Now, he's getting deployed in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense on an improved Cardinals roster. The possibilities are endless.

"Count on Kyler Murray throwing a lot, running plenty—and quite possibly approaching some of the most impressive rookie quarterback stats we've seen in the past decade," Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson wrote.

Tevin Coleman is back under the guidance of Kyle Shanahan. The last time these two teamed up (on the 2016 Atlanta Falcons), Coleman tallied 941 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

Dante Pettis will benefit from a healthier 49ers attack (starting with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo), and Geronimo Allison could emerge as one of Aaron Rodgers' favorite targets. Both young wideouts could be headed for a breakout.

While Baltimore's passing attack is far from imposing with Lamar Jackson under center, Mark Andrews has a chance to become its only fantasy relevant pass-catcher. He's the top tight end on the roster, and he had five games with 50-plus receiving yards—three of which came after Jackson took over starting duties in Week 10.

               

2019 Fantasy Football Busts

QB: Tom Brady, New England Patriots; Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

RB: Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets; Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

WR: Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns; Sammy Watkins, Kansas City Chiefs

TE: Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts; David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

              

Doubting the seamlessly ageless Tom Brady feels like a cardinal sin, doesn't it? If we're talking about his ability to win football games, then yes.

But in fantasy terms? Not at all. He ranked just 14th among fantasy quarterbacks last season, and that was before Rob Gronkowski's surprising retirement and the offseason departures of Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson (and perhaps the suspended Josh Gordon).

As talented as Matt Ryan is, his inconsistent track record makes it tough to justify his draft price (sixth among quarterbacks in average draft position). If he plays like last season (4,924 yards and 35 touchdowns against seven interceptions), he's worth it. If he plays like 2017 (4,095 yards with 20 scores against 12 picks), he'll be among this year's biggest busts.

Le'Veon Bell didn't play a single snap last season while holding out the entire year. Now, he's suiting up in a Jets offense that ranked 23rd in scoring and alongside sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold, who nearly had more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (17) last year. Save yourself the headache and avoid paying a first-round price on Bell.

Leonard Fournette averaged an anemic 3.30 yards per rush last season, third-worst among all players with triple-digit carries. At some point, that inefficiency will cost him precious value, quite possibly this year with the Jaguars having upgraded their passing attack by adding Nick Foles and Chris Conley (and getting a healthy Marqise Lee back).

Jarvis Landry moves down Cleveland's offensive pecking order with the arrival of Odell Beckham Jr. Sammy Watkins only eats after Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are fed first. No thanks.

Finally, godspeed to the fantasy owners hoping for a repeat season from Eric Ebron. Last year, he turned 66 receptions into 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2016, he had 61 catches for 711 yards and one score. If his receiving touchdowns are trimmed to six, it would still be the second-highest total of his career. He's way too touchdown-dependent to make him the seventh tight end selected.  

The end of the 2019 NFL offseason is in sight, folks. On Thursday, the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons will face off in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, marking the official start of the NFL preseason.

The game, which also kicks off Hall of Fame Weekend, is a fifth preseason game for Denver and Atlanta. The rest of the league will begin preseason play on August 8.

On Saturday, Champ Bailey, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt, Tony Gonzalez, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Ed Reed and Johnny Robinson will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2019 Hall of Fame Game itself.

        

2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

Who: Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons

When: Thursday, August 1 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio

National TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports App and NFL Game Pass

    

What to Expect

Like all preseason games, Thursday's contest is purely an exhibition. Only this one takes place ahead of the rest of the preseason and on a field that also regularly hosts college and high school football games.

There is a sense of honor surrounding the Hall of Fame Game—especially with the league entering its 100th season—but the stakes for both teams are not particularly high.

Fans shouldn't expect to see many of their favorite stars or even starters, for that matter. The Broncos, for example, have already announced starting quarterback and offseason acquisition Joe Flacco won't participate. Instead, it will be Kevin Hogan and rookies Drew Lock and Brett Rypien at quarterback for Denver.

"We're going to go with Kevin to begin with, and then Drew is going to follow him and then [Brett Rypien] is going to follow him," Broncos coach Vic Fangio said, per Ryan O'Halloran and Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post.

For Broncos fans, that look at Lock—potentially Denver's quarterback of the future—will be the biggest reason to tune in.

For Falcons fans, it may be an early look at rookie offensive linemen Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary. They're expected to be an important piece of the puzzle this season after quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked 42 times in 2018.

Falcons fans probably won't see Ryan play—or Devonta Freeman, Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones for that matter—but they may get a glimpse at how his new-look offensive line performs.

The fact that the stars won't be out doesn't mean this won't be a valuable game for both teams. Denver and Atlanta will get an extra opportunity to evaluate the back ends of their rosters, and they'll get to experience an extra week of game preparation. This is a great opportunity for two teams looking to bounce back in 2019—the Falcons and Broncos went 7-9 and 6-10, respectively last year.

"I'm glad we have it," Fangio said, per Jon Heath of Broncos Wire. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to have five extra practices. We need it. We are a new staff and a new team, a lot of new things going on. It gives us an extra game to play young players and help our evaluation. I see no negatives to it myself."

The only real negative for fans is that the game will feature several unknowns and could be a bit sloppy, as the first tuneup contest of 2019. But, hey, it's real honest-to-goodness NFL football, folks. After six months without it, we'll take what we can get.

NFL Network moved one step closer to revealing its top player for the 2019 season Thursday during its latest broadcast.

It unveiled players Nos. 70 through 61, who join a list that already included Nos. 100 through 71

100. Eric Weddle, S, Los Angeles Rams

99. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

98. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

97. Byron Jones, CB, Dallas Cowboys

96. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

95. Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago Bears

94. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

93. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

92. Jurrell Casey, DT, Tennessee Titans

91. Andrew Whitworth, OT, Los Angeles Rams

90. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

89. Devin McCourty, S, New England Patriots

88. Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers

87. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

86. Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions

85. Frank Clark, DE, Kansas City Chiefs

84. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

83. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings

82. Bradley Chubb, LB, Denver Broncos

81. Trent Williams, OT, Washington

80. Mark Ingram, RB, Baltimore Ravens

79. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

78. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

77. Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

76. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

75. Gerald McCoy, DT, Carolina Panthers

74. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys

73. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

72. Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles

71. C.J. Mosley, LB, New York Jets

70. TY Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

69. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

68. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos

67. Dee Ford, LB, San Francisco 49ers

66. Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts

65. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

64. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

63. Jadeveon Clowney, LB, Houston Texans

62. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

61. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys

The first thing that stands out from Thursday’s additions is the fact Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan dropped 40 spots from 29 to 69.

On the one hand, Ryan is being punished for Atlanta’s 2018 season. It reached the Super Bowl and was a playoff team at 10-6 the previous two years but struggled on the way to a 7-9 record last season.

Matty Ice! @M_Ryan02 comes in at 69 on the #NFLTop100! pic.twitter.com/KZv6EPHU9h

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 26, 2019

Still, it is difficult to place the blame on Ryan’s shoulders considering the four-time Pro Bowler completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 4,924 yards, 35 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. That represented significant individual improvement from 2017 when he completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 4,095 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 picks.

Yes, wins and losses largely fall on the quarterback’s shoulders when it comes to NFL dialogue, but such a precipitous fall after Ryan had a better individual season is shocking.

Not everyone in Thursday’s set of rankings was slighted, as Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay became the first undrafted rookie to make NFL Network’s list after being named to the Pro Bowl with 1,037 rushing yards.

Elsewhere, Indianapolis Colts pass-catchers T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron appeared on the list after being left off a year ago. Having a healthy Andrew Luck will do wonders for those tasked with catching his passes.

COOOOPER!@AmariCooper9 checks in at 64 on the #NFLTop100! pic.twitter.com/MVcnJwY0nm

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 26, 2019

Receivers making the list after being off last year was the theme of Thursday’s broadcast, as Dallas Cowboys No. 1 option Amari Cooper checked in at No. 64.

Cooper looked like a different playmaker after the Oakland Raiders traded him to Dallas, and he responded with 725 receiving yards and six touchdown catches in just nine games.

He helped the Cowboys win the NFC East and figures to put up impressive numbers when given the opportunity to work alongside Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott for an entire season.