“I watched you change/Into a fly/I looked away/You’re on fire/I watched a change in you/It’s like you never had wings/And you feel so alive.” ― Deftones (2000)
With football comes fall. With fall comes a transitional period for most people. Summer is very nearly over. The leaves are changing, nights are getting shorter, the air crisper. School is back, and so is football, glorious football.
Halloween is right around the corner, as evidenced by the Jack-‘o-lanterns and costumes popping up in every store. Pumpkin spice everything is emerging from its summer slumber. The beers we drink are getting darker, the coffee is getting warmer (no more frappuccinos my friend), and the food more savory and comforting. There is soup on the stove again. Change is indeed in the air.
Change is something most of us fear, yet should embrace. It is good and can be for the better. Change is growth. Fall is when the trees and foliage change color, and fade away for the winter, ready to come back bigger and better next spring. And we can do the same.
We challenge you to spend some time over the next few weeks and find things you want to change in your life. Change for happiness, change for growth, change for progress. Whatever that change is, find it, embrace it and make it happen.
DFS Week 2 Draft Kings Lineup
QB: Gardner Minshew (Jacksonville at Tennessee) – $5,800
We all saw what Gardner Minshew did last Sunday against Indianapolis. Can he repeat that performance against Tennessee?
I, for one, believe so. We saw a Titans defense on Monday that, even with the addition of Jadeveon Clowney, couldn’t get pressure on Drew Lock. If Minshew has time to throw, and in the absence of any real running game, look for him to target Laviska Shenault and DJ Chark all day. And at a cost of $5,800, you get value and the ability to move up a tier at another position. – Nate Polvogt
RB: Kenyan Drake (Washington at Arizona) – $5,900
People may have been more bullish on Kenyan Drake heading into Week 1 if it weren’t for his foot injury. But, his 16-carry, 60-yard performance in Arizona’s win against the 49ers shows the Cardinals have faith that he can carry a normal workload.
This Arizona offense looks hot and Drake will only benefit, especially facing a Washington defense that, while strong, isn’t nearly as dominant as the defending NFC champions. – Elliot Hicks
RB: J.K. Dobbins (Baltimore at Houston) – $5,100
This is a little riskier RB2 pick this week. While Mark Ingram grabbed most of the touches in Week 1, the goal line was all Dobbins. And given that Ingram looked like a shell of his former self, one would expect to see that carry split move more toward the center, with Dobbins still getting the goal line action.
That, coupled with a Texans defense that is weak against the run, and you could have yourself quite the RB2 production out of Dobbins in Draft Kings this week. – Polvogt
WR: DeAndre Hopkins (Washington at Arizona) – $7,700
DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best in the game right now and has a home matchup against Washington. He’s sure to get plenty of opportunities this week. And after catching 14 passes for 151 yards, some of the anxiety about him finding his place in his first year with the Cardinals has subsided. I’m firing him up with confidence in all my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) lineups. – Thomas Cuda
WR: D.K. Metcalf (New England at Seattle) – $6,000
D.K. Metcalf is still a bit of a bargain here considering the talent he has and the role he’s primed to play in the Seattle offense.
While Metcalf only caught half his targets in Week 1, he still racked up 95 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta. He had the same number of targets as Tyler Lockett, the other top wide receiver for Seattle, showing that worries about Lockett stealing many targets from Metcalf are mostly unfounded. – Hicks
WR: Russell Gage (Atlanta at Dallas) – $4,800
Seth and I chatted a bit about Rusell Gage on the podcast this week. He’s an exciting option who drew 12 targets in Week 1 due to a bad game script against the Seahawks.
In Week 2 the Falcons are headed to Dallas and odds are, they’ll be playing from behind again. If Gage can put up a similar performance, he’ll be a steal at his current price. – Cuda
TE: Dallas Goedert (Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia) – $5,000
The Eagles’ No. 2 TE, Dallas Goedert, broke out in a big way in Week 1 against the Washington Football Team — leading the team in receiving with eight receptions on nine targets, for 101 yards and a score.
Don’t write this off as a one-hit-wonder either, as the banged-up Eagles will need to lean on Goedert again if they expect to keep up with the Rams, who had more than 400 yards last Sunday night against the Cowboys.
He’s slowly becoming one of their best-receiving options on the team while bringing in necessary protection for Wentz, who was sacked eight times last week. – Seth Woolcock
FLEX: Joe Mixon (Cincinnati at Cleveland) – $6,100
Joe Mixon was a huge disappointment in both DFS and season-long leagues in Week 1. But, I think the freshly-paid fourth-year back is a value come Thursday night.
I expect a slower pace-of-play for both Cleveland and Cincinnati, trying to run the ball and get their young quarterbacks in a rhythm early. If Cincinnati can get better penetration off the ball, Mixon should bounce back against a defense that allowed more than 100 total rushing yards and two rushing scores in Week 1. – Woolcock
D/ST: Chiefs (Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers) — $3,400
The Kansas City defense is looking improved this year and got the job done last week against the Texans. That said, this pick has less to do with the Chiefs themselves and more to do with the Chargers’ lackluster offense.
Tyrod Taylor was less-than-impressive only completing 16 of his 30 pass attempts and never throwing a touchdown. They only scored one touchdown the entire game and somehow managed to scrape out a win. That doesn’t happen this week when the Chief’s offense gets out ahead and grinds down the clock. – Cuda
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