Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Justin Herbert (vs. Mia) – Herbert has an enticing matchup this week against a Miami Dolphins team that will be without Jalen Ramsey. Herbert threw for 367 yards in week 14 last year against the Dolphins and posted a 76.5 completion percentage. Expect similar results for Herbert along with 2 passing touchdowns.

Sit ‘Em

Aaron Rodgers (vs. Buf) – Rodgers has a tough matchup in his opening game with the New York Jets. The Jets offensive line will be tested all game long and even without Von Miller the Bills will be able to generate pressure. Rodgers struggled last year at Buffalo when he threw for just 203 yards.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Aaron Jones (vs. Chi) – Jones is in for a big day when the Packers visit the Chicago Bears. Green Bay is dealing with injuries to their top 2 receivers (Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs) which means more targets for Jones. We don’t know what to expect yet from Jordan Love but the Packers will likely rely on the run game in this one.

Sit ’em

Najee Harris (vs. SF) – Harris and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a tough opening matchup against the 49ers and their stout defense. San Francisco allowed only 3.4 YPC in 2022 and they just got Nick Bosa back in action. The Steelers will need to attack the 49ers defense through the air to have a chance in this one.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Jahan Dotson (vs. Ari) – Dotson is no longer under the radar after his impressive rookie season in Washington. The Commanders get a juicy matchup against a Cardinals defense that will struggle all season. Fellow receiver Terry McLaurin looks to be ready to play but he may not be 100% yet.

Sit ‘Em

DeAndre Hopkins (vs. NO) – We don’t know yet what to expect from Hopkins in this Titans offense. I plan to wait and see how he’s utilized before I put him in the starting lineup. The Saints will have a better-than-average defense this year and will be tough at home.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Evan Engram (vs. IND) – It could be a long day for the Indianapolis Colts when Jacksonville comes to town. The Colts will need to play keep away to have any chance in this one. Expect Engram to have a big day against the Colts who struggled at times to stop tight ends in 2022.

Sit ‘Em

Kyle Pitts (vs. Car) – After a disastrous 2022 it’s hard to put your trust in Pitts. The Panthers finished in the top 10 in points allowed to tight ends last year. That along with the fact we don’t know what to expect from Desmond Ridder has me sitting Pitts this week.

Start of the Week

Jamaal Williams (vs. Ten) – Williams is a must-start for week 1. With Alvin Kamara sidelined due to suspension Williams will get the majority of the workload against the Titans. I don’t expect to see that many touches from rookie Kendre Miller until he gets up to speed. Don’t forget, Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last year.

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PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

After a rocky season, Trevor Lawrence was hoping for a fresh start, especially with a new head coach. The Jaguars did add some talent for him to progress him even more. People were still high on the prodigious sophomore.

DRAFT EXPECTATIONS

Trevor was the 18th QB taken and picked usually around the 6th-7th round. At this time of the draft, you’re hoping for him to break out. This would be of good value especially if he did take the next step.

OVERALL SEASON PRODUCTION

His sophomore season was what many of us expected of him. Trevor Lawrence bounced back from a nightmare first year to looking like the generational QB prospect he was labeled early on. He threw for 4113 yards and 25 TDs while only throwing eight interceptions. In the running game, he ran in for five touchdowns as well. This performance gave him the eighth-best ranking for QBs and the 16th overall player. His third season could bump him up with the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

CRITICAL MOMENTS DURING THE SEASON

Week 3 vs Los Angeles Chargers

After a pedestrian start to the season, Trevor Lawrence went off in the Week 3 matchup against the Chargers. He threw for 262 yards and three TDs in the 28-point win. He connected with Zay Jones for a 14-yard TD in the first quarter. A four-yard TD pass to Christian Kirk and a late fourth-quarter touchdown to Marvin Jones Jr sealed the deal in an upset victory.

Week 14 vs Tennessee Titans

With the playoffs still in sight, the Jaguars went to Tennessee and stole a victory over the Titans. In his best game of the season, Trevor threw for 368 yards and three TDs. He connected with Evan Engram for a couple of TDs and he sneaked in one in what turned out to be the start of an immaculate run for Jacksonville. He had a season-high 33.42 FP and QB 1.

Week 15 vs Dallas Cowboys

Another big game happened the week after when Dallas visited Jacksonville. Trevor was still hot from last week with 27/42 passing for 318 yards and four TDs. Zay Jones was the main beneficiary with three TDs and the Jaguars won on a pick-6 in overtime. Things were looking bright for the Jaguars.

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QB DAWG Of The Week: Trevor Lawrence 33.42 FP

368 Passing Yards, 3 Passing TDs, 3 Carries, 7 Rushing Yards, 1 Rushing TD (Projected: 18.32 FP)

Trevor Lawrence showed why he is the best QB in the AFC South in the Jaguars’ win over the Titans. He threw for 368 yards and three TDs. He also had a rushing TD. Lawrence looked calm and collected against the Titans defense. He was very surgical and methodical on his throws. This looked like the generational QB everyone was expecting. Three of his last four games have been 20+ FP outings. He could be a dangerous item to have in the fantasy playoffs.

RB DAWG Of The Week: Jerick McKinnon 32.40 FP

6 Carries, 22 Rushing Yards, 7 Receptions, 112 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving TDs (Projected: 12.45 FP)

Jerick McKinnon balled out in the Chiefs’ win over the Denver Broncos. This performance was needed as Russell Wilson played his best game for the Broncos. McKinnon caught seven passes for 112 yards and two TDs. His catching off the backfield makes him a dangerous weapon for the Chiefs. He has had two straight great outings and looks to be a good flex option for the playoffs.

WR DAWG Of The Week: Jerry Jeudy 33.30 FP

8 Receptions, 73 Receiving Yards, 3 Receiving TDs (Projected: 11.50 FP)

Jerry Jeudy looked like the WR1 that many people hoped he would be at the start of the season. He easily had his best game of the year when he caught eight passes for 73 yards and three TDs. His three TDs today equal the number of TDs he had throughout the season so far. With Russell Wilson possibly being out with a concussion, it will be difficult to gauge Jeudy’s performance with Brett Rypien.

TE DAWG Of The Week: Evan Engram 39.20 FP

11 Receptions, 162 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving TDs (Projected: 7.76 FP)

Evan Engram is now the fourth best scoring TE after having the performance of his life. The Jaguars’ TE caught 11 passes for 162 yards and two TDs. What makes this performance better is that Trevor Lawrence was targeting him even on big plays. He caught four passes of 15+ yards. Evan Engram was the best fantasy player this week.

DEF/ST DAWG Of The Week: New England Patriots 21 FP

7-13 Points Allowed, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 Defense TD, 1 Interception, 6 Sacks (Projected: 9.36 FP)

The New England Patriots defense was a force in a much-needed win. Josh Uche led the way with three of the six sacks on the team. They limited Colt McCoy to just 246 yards and no TDs. Raekwon McMillan recovered a fumble and returned it for a TD. They only allowed 13 points to the Cardinals who are struggling with Kyler Murray possibly being out for the year with a knee injury he sustained during the game. New England’s defense is reliable and elite.

Thanks for reading! You can look forward to this series until the end of the season. You can check out the last installment of DAWGS Of Week 13.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Fantasy Football landscape is more intense than the blazin hot sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings after two weeks of football. Today, it’s vital to cover none other than the Week 3 Waiver Wire. Hence, I’m going to untwine several names to scoop up off the wire.

Garrett Wilson

Garrett Wilson is looking to be another special former Ohio State wideout, after hauling in a whopping 102 yards and 2 touchdowns against the dog pound last Sunday (which exceeded his first stat-line in Week 1: four catches for 52 yards). Many NFL faces have pointed out that Wilson already gives off “Justin Jefferson vibes”. It should be noted that Wilson doesn’t even have Zach Wilson at QB yet — who is on track to return in Week 4, per NFL.com.

Raheem Mostert

The flash-like RB Raheem Mostert, who is owned in 51.7% of ESPN leagues, is ascending to be the top dog at RB amid a high-powered offense. Mostert out-snapped Chase Edmonds yesterday & ousted 79 total yards. It seems that Mostert’s chemistry with Mike McDaniel is beginning to pay off.

Michael Gallup

The Dallas Cowboys elusive wideout Michael Gallup is finally back after he tore his ACL last season. Gallup inked a five-year deal worth $62.5 million dollars this off-season and he’s expected to be a big part of the puzzle moving forward. He’s only owned in 44% of ESPN leagues, but I expect that number to rise in the next 1-2 weeks.

Evan Engram

The Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram is in a superior situation than last season, to say the least. He is proving to be reliable with Trevor Lawrence – as he ousted eight targets and several catches in Week 2. Michael Salfino of The Athletic is firm that Engram is a top TE add heading into Week 3.

Jared Goff

The Detroit Lions veteran sharpshooter, Jared Goff, is coming off a monster game with four touchdown passes. He finished with a 121.7 passer rating for the day. It may be wise to grab the Lions QB that is nominated for FedEx Air Player of The Week & that is only rostered in 23% of Yahoo leagues.

Logan Thomas

Logan Thomas, also known as Taysom Hill before Taysom Hill, nicely recorded a touchdown in Week 2. He’s also proven to be able to stretch the field – as he caught a 27-yard pass in Week 2 and a 20-yd catch in Week 1. I love the Commanders big weapon next to Scary Terry and Jahan Dotson.

Marcus Mariota

The Falcons dual-threat QB has been a stingy foe against the mighty New Orleans Saints defense in Week 1 & the ultra-dangerous LA Rams defense in Week 2. As of late, Mariota registered a couple of passing touchdowns against the Aaron Donald-led defense. He should continue to blossom with the young WR-TE duo in Kyle Pitts and Drake London.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Jacksonville Jaguars inked the wide receiver Christian Kirk this off-season and it’s clear that he’s impressed big figures in the building up to this point. After Trevor Lawrence praised the former AZ Cardinals WR, Doug Pedersen spoke highly of Kirk, per SI. He stated, “He’s come in, he’s really one of the guys that guys that’s been here learning and picking up the offense.”

Kirk was a slight disappointment in his first three seasons, but he really blossomed in his fourth season. He had a career-high 77 receptions and a personal best of 982 yards last season. He will seemingly be the second (or third) most productive pure pass-catching weapon in Jacksonville. I expect Marvin Jones Jr. (who signed with the team the last off-season) to build stronger chemistry and unveil more success with his second-year QB.

Kirk will join a Jags WR room that boasts Laviska Shenault Jr, Zay Jones, and TE/WR Evan Engram. Shenault Jr. has been a modest WR, as he ousted 600+ yards in each of the past two seasons. Jones was an underrated addition and he recorded 546 yds (including a few big catches) for Derek Carr last season. Evan Engram (Pro Bowler in 2020) was a smart pick-up by Pedersen and he should finally show his true ability in Jacksonville. The former Eagles HC will use him in a similar way that he utilized Zach Ertz in Philly. It should also be noted that his QB has been a noticeably rough Daniel Jones (21 passing touchdowns in the past two seasons combined).

The 2021 rookie QB in Jacksonville ranked 17th in passing yards last season and 28th in passing touchdowns a season ago. It’s safe to say that Lawrence will significantly benefit from a few new receiving weapons (and a healthy Travis Etienne) and a far more impressive coach next season.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Jacksonville Jaguars inked the utterly athletic, slightly butter-fingers Evan Engram this off-season to a one-year deal worth $9 million deal. Engram has been criticized for not quite living up to the standards of a first-round draft pick. Although, I believe the future is actually bright (hopefully, not the stadium lights) for the 27-year-old TE. With that said, I’m going to untwine three reasons why Evan Engram is underrated.

Doug Pederson

Engram is out of the Big Apple and Daniel Jones paradise. He will be playing under a head coach/offensive mind that has had great success with tight ends. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, Pederson could use him in that TE/WR role that Pederson used with Zach Ertz. The former Eagles TE Zach Ertz made the Pro Bowl in 2017, 2018, and 2019. I expect Pederson to dial-up excellent match-ups for Engram, as teams will focus on WR Marvin Jones Jr and WR Christian Kirk.

Trevor Lawrence

I feel comfortable that a wiser Trevor Lawrence can be more productive than Danny Dimes. The Giants QB1 hasn’t thrown more than 11 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. Lawrence has a lot more arm talent than Jones (to say the least) and I expect him to nicely the clean route running from Engram down the middle of the field.

Strength of schedule

The Jags have the 26th most difficult schedule in 2022 and they feast in an AFC South that showcases the Texans (27th in PPG allowed last season). I also expect the Titans to noticeably be less competitive and slowly inch towards giving the dual-threat QB Malik Willis the keys to the team. I expect the Jags to be able to score a lot of points with a very involved Engram in their division and against non-divisional teams.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Jacksonville Jaguars broke away from the dark side with Urban Meyer and bolted to the light with Doug Pederson. I believe there’s a lot of reason for optimism with the Jags new HC-QB combination. In fact, I’m going to untwine three reasons why the Jags could surprise the football world and even make the playoffs next season.

Non-WR receiving weapons

The Jags will showcase Marvin Jones Jr and two new WRs: Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. T-Lawrence quietly has an impressive WR trio. Although, I also LOVE the receiving talent from the RB and TE positions. The former Eagles HC will be constantly dreaming up ways to get Travis Etienne and Evan Engram involved. Per CBS Sports, the dual-threat RB will be used in a “Deebo Samuel-like role”. Outside of the Jags second-year QB being a fantasy sleeper with his wide array of weapons, I also project he will have a fairly clean season in 2022 with excellent security blankets at RB and TE.

Travon Walker

The Jags first overall pick Travon Walker is certainly tired of hearing how Aidan Hutchinson is a favorite to win DROY. Walker may appear to have slightly less NFL-ready skills, but the freak athlete can surely grow as the season evolves. Walker has similar power as Khalil Mack and he can absolutely ruin opponents by himself. Chandler Jones The former Georgia Bulldog may be the next nightmare for Titans LT Taylor Lewan.

The Titans (who lost a couple of offensive pieces this off-season) have beaten the Jaguars in each of the past five games.

Pass protection

The Jags didn’t need to draft a tackle first overall to prove their love for T-Lawrence. They nicely brought back Cam Robinson on a three-year contract worth $54. Furthermore, they inked the elite guard Brandon Scherff to a three-year, $49.5 million dollar deal. The 2021 second-round pick Walker Little may also start over Jawann Taylor at RT and be an underrated long-term starter.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Jacksonville Jaguars will look to be the next bottom-of-the-barrel team to flip the script in 2022. After escaping Urban Alcatraz Island, the Jags will look to improve and reap benefits from many rising players. With that said I’m going to go to untwine a few profiles that will break out in 2022.

Chad Muma

The Jaguars will not only really reap benefits from Travon Walker, but the Jaguars should see quality production from Chad Muma in his first season. Per Jaguars Wire, the Jaguars feel like they have a special player in Muma. He is a strong candidate to play the Money Backer role in the Jags defense, as Mike Caldwell (disciple of Todd Bowles) wants to implement the safety/linebacker position. Muma was a two-time captain at Wyoming and he feels like he can learn the system quickly and have a strong chance to start at the money backer on Day 1.

Travis Etienne

The Jags second-year RB Travis Etienne was MIA in his rookie season, but he will look to be a key component in the new-look Jags offense moving forward. Per Big Cat Country, Etienne is cleared for practice activity and the team hopes he is floating around 100%. I expect Etienne to help handle the load for the injured James Robinson and be a fine security blanket for T-Lawrence in 2022.

Evan Engram

I love Evan Engram’s outlook with the Jags offense. It’s clear that has garnered respect as an athletic freak, but he hasn’t quite recorded a strong season (such has 723+ yards or 7+ touchdowns in a season). I trust the Jags offense with Doug Pedersen and a likely improved Trevor Lawrence to help him excel in excellent situations. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes that Engram could be the best value signing of this off-season for the Jags offense.

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By; Jake Rajala

The New York Giants are a tough team to crack. The NYG could play spoilers in 2022 with a healthy Saquon Barkley, a wiser Daniel Jones, and a talented WR group, or they could continue to struggle to find consistency on offense for a variety of reasons. With that said, I’m going to aim to diagnose three of their biggest concerns in 2022.

OL performance

The Giants talent at RB, WR, and QB strongly revolves around the consistent success of OL. The Giants don’t have the same offensive firepower as Cincy, as the Bengals were able to escape their lack of quality pass protection (until the last play of the SB). The Giants will ask a lot out of their rookie RT Evan Neal, who was once a favorite to be picked first overall. Mark Glowinski will likely be a new, above-average run blocker at RG for the GMEN, as well.

Kadarius Toney

The Giants appear to be keeping Kadarius Toney (who is recovering from minor knee surgery), but the Giants 2021 first-round pick will still need to steal the show in his sophomore season. The Giants lost Evan Engram and Toney really needs to be a quality WR2 option at the very least. If the Giants want to be a wild-card team and capitalize on the expected production from a healthy 25-year-old Barkley, they need to be Toney to be on par with the Dolphins second-year WR Jaylen Waddle.

Giants pass rush

It will be near impossible for the Giants to be a force in the NFC without an above-average pass-rush. Thankfully, the Giants have Leonard Williams and a potential DROY candidate in Kavyon Thibodeaux. Per Sports Illustrated, the former Oregon Duck stands with Aidan Hutchinson as DROY favorites. If the Giants display a lethal pass-rushing duo with an offense featuring Jones as an “Alex Smith-like QB” and Barkley returning back from the dead, the Giants could have noticeable growth from their 4-13 record in 2021.

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By: Charlie Vakassian

With the NFL Offseason underway, the New York Giants have several holes to fill on the roster. One of those holes is at the tight end position. With Evan Engram set to become a free agent, and Kyle Rudolph already cut, the Giants need to find a starting-caliber tight end. Some of the options have already been taken off the market, as David Njoku (Browns) and Dalton Schultz (Cowboys) have been tagged by their respective teams. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some cost-effective options available.

Ricky Seals-Jones

Seals-Jones is one of the more underrated free-agent tight ends that the Giants could pursue. He filled in admirably for the Commanders when Logan Thomas went down, catching 30 balls for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is a more than capable blocker and can help open holes for Saquon Barkley in the run game. His contract will likely be close to the veteran minimum, and very affordable for Giants management.

Evan Engram

This may not be the likeliest of outcomes, but it cannot be ruled out. Engram has already stated this offseason that he wants to return to the Giants. The price tag is going to be the biggest obstacle. With his fellow 2017 draftee David Njoku receiving the franchise tag worth over $10M, Engram will want similar money. Perhaps he would be willing to take a discount to return, but I would not count on it. He may have worn out his welcome in New York. On the other hand, maybe Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka can unlock what Engram has been teasing in his 5 seasons with the Giants.

Mo Alie-Cox

Alie-Cox is not a player that will stand out when you watch him on the field, but he brings a little bit of everything. He is a quality blocker, displays some surprising athleticism, and is a red-zone threat, with 6 touchdown grabs in his last two seasons. He has close ties with new Giants wide receivers coach Mike Groh from their time together in Indianapolis and could be persuaded to come to the Giants on a low-cost deal.

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