Roschon Johnson – Johnson left the game against the Washington Commanders with a concussion. His status for week 6 is still uncertain but don’t be surprised if he sits. The Bears also lost Khalil Herbert to an ankle injury leaving D’Onta Foreman as the only healthy back.

Javonte Williams – Williams missed the week 5 matchup with a quad injury but it looks like he will return Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. Williams practiced in full on Tuesday which is a great sign going forward.

Travis Kelce – Kelce picked up an ankle injury in the week 5 win at Minnesota. He was able to practice on Tuesday but it was in limited fashion. With a quick turnaround and a Thursday night game, Kelce’s status is certainly up in the air.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Week 6 Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Stock Down

New York Jets – Zach Wilson is clearly not the answer at QB for the Jets. But if you ask Robert Saleh, he’s the best option they have. Is he really the best option? I think at this point anybody is better than Zach Wilson, to include Tom Brady or Carson Wentz.

Washington Commanders – Just when you thought the offense was on track and Eric Bieniemy was a genius, the Commander took three steps back. The biggest issue is their offensive line who can’t block anybody. In my opinion, there recipe for success is the run game first, solid D, and then everything else after that. The defense is overrated and after three games really haven’t done anything. We saw this coming though right? The Commanders could easily be 0-3 right if it weren’t for a few plays that went their way. We do have to remember that their QB, basically a rookie, has only started in four games.

Denver Broncos – 70 points, Yes 70 points given up against the Dolphins defense. Does a team even have that many possessions for that to happen? Well in this game the answer is yes. This is totally uncalled for and it’s disaster time in Denver.

Stock Up

Miami Dolphins – Can anybody beat the high flying Dolphins? Right now the answer is NO. But we’re only three games in so we shouldn’t overreact too much. We all know one injury and things can change very quickly. There shooting on all cylinders and will be tough to beat. I am looking forward to the matchup with the Bills.

Buffalo Bills – When the Bills lost to the Zach Wilson led Jets in week 1, some were worried. I was not as I know the creme always rises to the top. They played a lackluster Commanders team and had 19 sacks. On the other side of the ball, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs appear to have left off where they were last year. Teams know where the ball is going, and still can’t stop that duo, similar to the Mahomes/Kelce connection in Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs – Maybe Taylor Swift in the suite helped the Chiefs and Travis Kelce this weekend. Whatever happened, they appear to be just fine. We should expect them to be where they should be at the end of the season.

The post NFL Stock Up/Stock Down Week 3 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Seattle Seahawks 37, Detroit Lions 31

The Seattle Seahawks won 37-31 in walk-off fashion on the road in Detroit as Geno Smith found Tyler Lockett, who reached out for the pylon. Smith led Seattle to a turnover-free victory, going 32-for-41 with 328 yards and two touchdowns. Both passing touchdowns were to Lockett, who racked up eight catches for 59 yards. Seattle also found success on the ground, rushing for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf left the game in the first quarter with a rib injury, and headed to to the locker room. He returned shortly after, finishing the game with six receptions for 75 yards, as Geno Smith spread the targets around all game. Turnovers proved to be the downfall for Detroit. The Lions fumbled the ball away twice in a row, one to end the first half and another to begin the second half. Jared Goff then threw a pick-six to Seattle cornerback Tre Brown, who ran it back 40 yards to the house. Late in the fourth quarter, Goff led the Lions down the field for a game-tying field goal, forcing overtime with a score of 31-31. However it was not enough for the Lions, who fall to 1-1 after the loss. Meanwhile, Seattle also moves to 1-1 with the victory.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 38, Las Vegas Raiders 10

Josh Allen led the Buffalo Bills to a stress-free victory at home, going 31-for-37 with 274 yards and three touchdowns. Both the Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders move to 1-1 on the season.

The ball seemed to be in the hands of the Bills all game, as the Buffalo defense forced three turnovers. Linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard both intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo, and Taylor Rapp recovered a Zamir White fumble. Josh Allen spread the touches throughout the offense, finding Gabe Davis, Khalil Shakir, and Dawson Knox for touchdowns. The run game was unstoppable for the Bills, led by James Cook who ran for 123 yards, as Damien Harris and Latavius Murray ran in a touchdown each. Allen had no turnovers and looked comfortable in a bounce-back victory.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Baltimore Ravens 27, Cincinnati Bengals 24

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens went on the road to Cincinnati and avoided a Bengals second half comeback, winning the game 27-24. The Ravens move to 2-0 on the year, as the Bengals fall to 0-2.

Jackson completed 24 passes on 33 attempts for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He added 54 yards on the ground, as the Ravens ran for 178 yards as a team, including a Gus Edwards touchdown. Safety Geno Stone intercepted Joe Burrow to begin the second half, and the Ravens turned it into a touchdown on the next drive.

Burrow and the Bengals made a late push in the second half, with a final drive consisting of 16 plays for 80 yards and a touchdown, making the score 27-24. The Cincinnati offense struggled, rushing for just 66 total yards as Burrow went 27-for-41 with 222 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Kansas City Chiefs 17, Jacksonville Jaguars 9

In a low scoring affair, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 17-9. Both teams move to 1-1 on the season.

The first five possessions resulted in punts, before Jacksonville finally took a 3-0 lead on a field goal. The Chiefs fumbled the ball away on the following possession, before Patrick Mahomes was picked off by Jaguars safety Andre Cisco. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense struggled to move the ball all day, as the third year quarterback went 22-for-41 for 216 yards and no touchdowns. The ground game was no better, producing just 74 yards as the Jaguars failed to find the endzone. Kicker Brandon McManus was the lone scorer for Jacksonville, going 3-for-3. Mahomes finished the game 29-for-41 with 305 yards and two touchdowns, finding Travis Kelce on one of them.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Tennessee Titans 27, Los Angeles Chargers 24

The Tennessee Titans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24 in an overtime thriller, as Nick Folk kicked the game-winning 41 yard field goal. The Titans move to 1-1 on the season, as the Chargers fall to 0-2.

Los Angeles got out to an early 11-0 lead after a Keenan Allen touchdown and a converted two-point conversion. Ryan Tannehill came back with a 70-yard pass to Treylon Burks, as Derrick Henry finished the drive with a touchdown, making the score 11-7. Both teams went back and forth all game, with impressive outings from both quarterbacks. Justin Herbert found Keenan Allen and Mike Williams consistently, with both receivers finishing the game with 8 receptions and a combined 194 yards. Allen brought in two touchdown passes, as the Chargers marched down the field for a field goal to send the game to overtime with a score of 24-24. The Chargers won the coin toss and got the ball first in overtime, but went three and out and punted the ball back to the Titans offense. Tannehill led them down the field for an 8 play, 37 yard drive to give Nick Folk a 41 yard field goal for the win, which he put down the middle.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Atlanta Falcons 25, Green Bay Packers 24

The Atlanta Falcons squeaked by the Green Bay Packers by a score of 25-24, including an electric fourth quarter comeback by the Falcons. Green Bay falls to 1-1 on the season as Atlanta goes to 2-0.

The Packers got out to a 24-12 lead in the third quarter after Jordan Love found Jayden Reed in the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. Desmond Ridder and the Falcons ground-and-pound offense put together an eight play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown of their own, as Ridder ran it in himself to make the score 24-19. The Falcons defense forced a punt and drove down the field for a field goal, cutting the deficit to 24-22. After forcing yet another punt, Atlanta went 12 plays for 66 yards, setting up a 25 yard field goal for Younghoe Koo. The made field goal put the Falcons ahead 25-24, ultimately winning them the game. Jordan Love finished the game 14-for-25 with 151 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Falcons.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Chicago Bears 17

Baker Mayfield shined, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 27-17 victory over the Chicago Bears. The Buccaneers move to 2-0 on the season, as the Bears fall to 0-2.

Although the Bears scored on their first possession, it was all Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers for the rest of the afternoon. Mayfield found Mike Evans wide open on a deep pass that Evans took 70 yards downfield, inside the 10 yard line. The big play setup for a Rachaad White touchdown run, giving the Buccaneers a 10-7 lead. Mayfield connected with Evans again in the third quarter for a 32 yard touchdown, making the score 20-10.

The Buccaneers defense gave Justin Fields fits all game, sacking him six times. In the fourth quarter, Fields connected with Chase Claypool for a 20 yard touchdown, making the score 20-17. The bears got the ball back after forcing a punt, beginning the drive on their own seven yard line. After a couple penalties, Justin Fields dropped back and had his pass tipped and intercepted by Shaquil Barrett, who brought it just a few steps into the endzone, giving the Buccaneers a convincing 27-17 victory at home.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Indianapolis Colts 31, Houston Texans 20

The Indianapolis Colts stole a game on the road in a divisional matchup as they beat the Houston Texans 31-20. The Colts move to 1-1 on the season as the Texans fall to 0-2.

Anthony Richardson ran it in for a touchdown on the Colts’ first two drives of the game, making it 14-0. On the second touchdown, he took a shot causing his head to bounce off the turf, forcing the fourth overall draft pick to be evaluated for a concussion. The rookie quarterback was ruled out for the rest of the game, leaving the Colts with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. Minshew took over and went 19-of-23 for 171 yards and a touchdown, maintaining the lead. The new acquisition at running back Zack Moss contributed 18 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, as the Texans couldn’t stop the Indianapolis offense.

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud had an impressive outing in the loss, going 30-for-47 with 384 yards and two touchdowns. Stroud connected with Nico Collins and fellow rookie Tank Dell seven times each, for a combined 218 yards. Each of the receivers brought in a touchdown, as the Colts bounced back from their week one home loss.

NFL Week 2 Recap: New York Giants 31, Arizona Cardinals 28

The New York Giants rallied for a 21 point comeback on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, the third comeback that size in Giants history. With a 20-0 lead at halftime, and a 28-7 lead in the third quarter, Arizona allowed 24 unanswered points to fall to 0-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Giants move to 1-1 on the season following the rollercoaster of a week two game.

The Giants went scoreless for the first six quarters of the season, the first time since 1934. Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs showed his athleticism all first half, using his legs to gain yards along with scrambling out of the pocket to make throws on the run. On Arizona’s third possession, Dobbs dropped back to pass and found an opening up the middle, taking it 23 yards for a touchdown, trucking a giants defender just before falling into the endzone. The play gave Arizona an early 14-0 lead, which would quickly grow before the half ended. 

Daniel Jones and the Giants offense came storming back in the third quarter, with help from Saquon Barkley, who scored both a receiving and rushing touchdown before leaving the field with an ankle injury towards the end of the game. The injury took away from the stunning comeback, as the Giants await the information on his ankle.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: San Francisco 49ers 30, Los Angeles Rams 23

The San Francisco 49ers went on the road to SoFi Stadium, pulling away with a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco elevates to 2-0 on the season as Los Angeles falls to 1-1 following the divisional matchup.

Two interceptions thrown by Matt Stafford proved to be the difference Sunday afternoon. With just under five minutes remaining in the game and the Rams trailing 27-20, Stafford looked across the middle for Van Jefferson but was picked off by Deommodore Lenoir.

Christian McCaffrey was in mid-season form, rushing for 116 yards on 20 carries to go with a touchdown. Brock Purdy missed some throws on big plays throughout the game, but was sufficient, going 17-for-25 for 206 yards, along with a rushing touchdown of his own. All three of the 49ers touchdowns came on the ground and the Rams defense had no answer. 

With Cooper Kupp sidelined, Puka Nacua was the focus once again for the Rams offense. He racked up 15 receptions for 147 yards, making him the first player in NFL history to record at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in his first two games of his career. Meanwhile running back Kyren Williams got 20 total touches with both a receiving and rushing touchdown, proving why he should replace Cam Akers in the backfield.

NFL Week 2 Recap: Washington Commanders 35, Denver Broncos 33

The Washington Commanders completed the thriller comeback on the Denver Broncos, holding off a late game hail mary to win by a score of 35-33. Denver completed a hail mary as time expired, but couldn’t convert the two point conversion to force overtime. The Commanders move to 2-0 on the season as the Broncos fall to 0-2.

The Broncos jumped out to a 21-3 lead early into the first half, including a Marvin Mims Jr. one-play, 60 yard touchdown pass from Russel Wilson. The Commanders cut the lead to 21-14 before halftime, and continued into the second half as the defense immediately forced a punt. The offense took over and scored a touchdown on its first drive as Sam Howell found Terry McLaurin in the middle of the endzone for a 30 yard touchdown, tying the game 21-21.

Denver eventually got the ball back with a chance to tie the game. After moving the ball to midfield, Russel Wilson and company had one last chance to force overtime. The deep hail mary pass was tipped around before being brought in by Brandon Johnson for his second touchdown of the game, making the score 35-33. The two point conversion, a pass intended for Courtland Sutton was incomplete as the Broncos looked for a pass-interference call but didn’t get it.

Sam Howell finished the game with an impressive 27 completions on 39 attempts for 299 yards and two touchdown passes. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. also ran in for a pair of touchdowns himself.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Dallas Cowboys 30, New York Jets 10

The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Jets handedly by a score of 30-10 as the Cowboys defense dominated for the second week in a row. Dallas moves to 2-0 on the season as the Jets fall to 1-1.

Micah Parsons and the Cowboys defense looked unstoppable in week two, intercepting Jets quarterback Zach Wilson three times. Parsons recorded two sacks and four hits on Wilson, as Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Trevon Diggs each intercepted a pass.

Ceedee Lamb showed he didn’t need the help of Brandin Cooks, who missed the game due to a sprained knee. Lamb recorded 11 catches for 143 yards, with big plays setting up for multiple scores for Dallas. Kicker Brandon Aubrey went five-for-five on field goals, as Dak Prescott found tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker for a touchdown each. 

The lone touchdown for the Jets came from star receiver Garret Wilson, who caught a pass across the middle and took it 68 yards to the house, marking his longest touchdown of his career thus far. Other than that, there wasn’t much going for Zach Wilson and the Jets offense, who recorded 215 total yards. Parsons along with the rest of the ruthless Dallas front four pressured Wilson all game, showing why they are one of the best defenses in the NFL.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 17

The Miami Dolphins held off a late comeback by the New England Patriots, winning the game 24-17 as a lateral to Cole Strange came up short on fourth down. 

Tua Tagovailoa took what the defense gave him for most of the night, finding Jaylen Waddle five times for 86 yards. The Dolphins had plenty of success on the ground as well, as Raheem Mostert took 18 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie Cornerback Christian Gonzalez kept Tyreek Hill in check for the most part, holding the star receiver to four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown, with the touchdown coming on a play where Gonzalez was not covering Hill.

Mac Jones finished the game 31-for-42 with 231 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The interception came at the end of the third quarter after the Patriots drove down the field into the redzone. Xavien Howard picked off the pass intended for DeVante Parker on the sideline at the Miami three yard line, putting an end to New Englands’ drive and keeping the score at 17-3.

The Patriots cut the lead down in the fourth quarter following a Mac Jones scramble for 18 yards, the longest run of the night for New England. Jones found Hunter Henry on the run for a six yard touchdown pass, making the score 17-10.

On the next Miami possession, Tagovailoa threw it deep down the left side of the field to Tyreek Hill as the pass was intercepted by Christian Gonzalez. The rookie first round pick made a leaping catch over Hill, giving the Patriots the ball back.

The Dolphins forced a three and out, getting the ball back on the New England 43 yard line. On the first play of the drive, Raheem Mostert took a handoff up the middle 43 yards untouched to the endzone, extending the lead to 24-10.

Mac Jones led the Patriots to a 9 play 75 yard drive ending with a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run to cut the lead down to 24-17.

The Dolphins took the ball and drove it into Patriots territory, before the snap was fumbled on third and one. Tua recovered the fumble, but the mistake forced Miami to kick a 55 yard field goal. With concern for Brenden Schooler, who blocked the previous field goal, Jason Sanders missed the field goal, giving the Patriots an opportunity to tie or win the game.

After finding Kendrick Bourne for a pair of completions, Mac Jones was sacked by Bradley Chubb for a loss of 8 yards. New England was faced with a fourth and four, where Mac Jones completed a pass to Mike Gesicki short of the first down line. Gesicki threw a lateral to offensive lineman Cole Strange, who was stopped short of the marker, ending the comeback for the Patriots.

The win brings the Dolphins to 2-0 on the season, as the Patriots fall to 0-2.

The post NFL Game Recaps Week 2 (2023) appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1 PM EST on CBS)

The best game of the NFL week 2 schedule is when the Chiefs go on the road to take on the Jaguars. It was a disappointing opening game for Kansas City as they struggled against the Detroit Lions at home.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes put up rather pedestrian numbers in week 1 but he was without Travis Kelce. Kelce and stud defensive tackle Chris Jones are set to return for the Chiefs in this one. Jones will be needed to help stop the rushing attack of Jacksonville led by Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie Tank Bigsby. Etienne and Bigsby each found the end zone in week 1 against the Colts.

On the outside, Calvin Ridley made a splash in his debut for the Jaguars. Ridley did not look rusty after his 1 year suspension as he hauled in 8 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Ridley will be a challenge for the Chiefs secondary all game long.

Baltimore Ravens (+3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1 PM EST on CBS)

Cincinnati would very much like to burn the tape of their week 1 performance against the rival Browns. Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense could never find a rhythm as he was held to under 100 yards passing. It was the first time in his career that Burrow was held under the 100-yard passing mark. Burrow will look to get back on track versus the rival Ravens at home.

Meanwhile, the Ravens are coming off a dominating performance against the Houston Texans. Baltimore may have found its next star in rookie Zay Flowers. Flowers looked electric in his debut as he had 87 yards from scrimmage in week 1 including 9 receptions. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will be without J.K. Dobbins who is now out for the season. Expect another classic AFC North battle in this one.

Seattle Seahawks (+4.5) @ Detroit Lions (1 PM EST on FOX)

Jared Goff and the Lions looked like an NFC contender in their week 1 win at Kansas City. Their defense which struggled all last season looked completely different in the opener. If they can get this type of performance consistently from their defense the Lions will be a threat come playoff time.

Seattle on the other hand looked lackluster as they were beat at home in week 1 by the Rams. Geno Smith who was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 struggled with a Rams defense that lacks playmakers. It was troubling to see for a Seahawks team that was set to take the next step this year. Look for this one to be another high-scoring affair. The Seahawks won 48-45 when the two teams met last season.

San Francisco 49ers (-7.5) @ Los Angeles Rams (4:05 PM EST on FOX)

Before the season started this looked to be an easy win for the 49ers. Now they may have more of a battle on their hands when they visit LA. This game will be a classic example of whether week 1 was a fluke or not. If the Rams keep it close many will start to give them respect. The problem is they will be dealing with the elite 49ers defense who will put pressure on Matthew Stafford all day long.

Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua was the story of week 1 as he seemingly came out of nowhere. The Rams will need a repeat performance from Nacua who hauled in 10 receptions for 119 yards in his debut.

Washington Commanders (+3.5) @ Denver Broncos (4:25 PM EST on CBS)

Washington is looking to start 2-0 when they travel to the Mile High City on Sunday afternoon. The Commanders looked a bit shaky in their week 1 win against the Cardinals. Washington’s defense was dominant but the offense struggled at times. Quarterback Sam Howell had two costly turnovers but showed poised in leading Washington to a come-from-behind victory. Howell will need to be mistake-free on the road in Denver for Washington to have a chance.

The Broncos will be getting one of their best weapons back in Jerry Jeudy on Sunday. This is exactly what Russell Wilson and this offense needed as they look to bounce back from their week 1 loss. Wilson did have 2 touchdowns in the opener but the offense lacked explosiveness. They will need big plays to be able to beat the stingy Washington defense.

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Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills

Raiders eked out a good win in Denver but will place way stiffer test in Buffalo. Look for Josh Allen to bounce back with a huge day just like last year after he had a rough game. The Buffalo D will force a few turnovers in this game and Allen will throw for over 300 yards.

PREDICTION: Buffalo 40 Las Vegas 24

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

Just like Buffalo Cincinnati is coming off a bad loss. Expect them to bounce back the problem is there facing a very good Baltimore defense. This will be a close fairly high scoring game with the Bengals eking out the close win.

PREDICTION: Bengals 34 Ravens 31

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars

What will the Chiefs look like with Kelce and Chris Jones back? Well way more formidable. Jacksonville will put up a fight but KC is too good to go 0-2. Take the Chiefs in this one.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 28 Jaguars 24

LA Chargers at Tennessee Titans

We got the high flying Chargers playing against the well coached Titans. The Chargers put up 34 pts last week and the Titans struggled. The Titans need Henry and Ryan Tannehill to play better this week but it won’t be easy. I don’t think the Titans can put up enough points to stay with the Chargers. Their only hope is to force turnovers. Also it will be interesting to see if Austin Ekeler will be playing this week, as he is a game changer when playing.

PREDICTION: Chargers 28 Titans 20

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

I like Atlanta in this one at home. Green Bay did look sharp in their first game but look for them to come down to Earth in this game. I think Jordan Love will struggle, and Desmond Ridder will play efficiently

PREDICTION: Atlanta 21 Green Bay 17

Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions

Detroit is coming off a huge win in KC. There defense comes to play each game, they just need their offense to keep up. Detroit will need to lock up DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and with their pass rush should make this difficult for the Seahawks. With that said, Seattle will play well in this game and win by 3.

PREDICTION: Seattle 17 Detroit 14

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

Battle of the rookie Qb’s! CJ Stroud struggled in his first game for a rookie but to no surprise. Houston will have a tough time handling the Colts this weekend who have a stout running game. Look for the Colts D to take over in this one.

PREDICTION: Colts 21 Houston 17

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Bucanneers

The Justin Fields led Bears stroll into Tampa Bay coming off a loss to the Packers. Tampa Bay is coming off a big win against the Vikings in Minnesota. What Baker Mayfield will we see? If he can manage the game and Tampa’s D can stay dominant they should win. This will be a close one with the Bears winning.

PREDICTION: Bears 24 Tampa 23

NY Giants Giants at Arizona Cardinals

The Giants laid a big egg against Dallas last week. Luckily they face the Cardinals this week who looked tough in Week 1 but are still a bad team. The Giants need to run Saquon Barkley, mix in some Darren Waller and have Daniel Jones play well against a decent Arizona defense.

PREDICTION: Giants 24 Arizona 10

Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos

Washington didn’t look the best in Week 1 against a weak Arizona team. Denver almost won at home and looked efficient at times but had issues also. It’s always tough to play in Denver but I think Washington does enough to get this win. Look for Sam Howell to be more efficient in his third game starting for Washington.

PREDICTION: Washington 21 Broncos 13

San Francisco 49ers at LA Rams

For all the doubters who doubted Brock Purdy in year 2 he looked mighty sharp in Week 1. Along with the tough defense 49ers will give many teams trouble this year. This will include the Kuppless Rams this week. Look for SF’s offense to have a big day!

PREDICTION: 49ers 24 Rams 7

New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys

These two teams have very good defenses and one of these teams offenses is way more superior. Look for Dallas to win big riding their defense against the Jets. Zach Wilson is not the answer and the Jets will struggle with him as their leader.

PREDICTION: Dallas 27 Jets 13

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

This will be a good one as the red hot dolphins play the well coached Patriots. The Pats will look to rebound this week but it won’t be easy. I believe Bill Belichick will have a plan for Tua Tagovailoa and the Patriots will make life difficult for them. I like the Patriots in this one.

PREDICTION: Patriots 24 Dolphins 20

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

These two NFC south rivals face off in Carolina. I gauge teams on the proficiency of their QB and the Saints have a far more experiences and skilled QB in Derek Carr. Bryce Young will struggle against a Saints pass rush led by Cameron Jordan.

PREDICTION: Saints 31 Carolina 17

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

Is Cleveland for real? Are the Steelers the weakest team in the division? The answer to both of those questions is NO. Yes Deshaun Watson is back and the Browns looked good, but the Steelers will slow them down this week. Pittsburgh is always a tough place to play. Look for Najee Harris to have a big game along with Pickett.

PREDICTION: Steelers 19 Browns 14

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What do we take of the Browns who took care of business in Cincinnati, led by Deshaun Watson. I think they looked good, but will have a hard time competing with the Ravens and Bengals.

What else did we learn? We learned that the Packers could be for real, or is that an anomaly. I think it’s easy to overact to one game but they seemed to not skip a beat. We learned that the Cowboys D is very, very, good, led by the Penn State alum Micah Parsons. I struggle a little with this one deciding if the Cowboys D is that good or the Giants are that bad. I think it’s a combination of both. I do expect the Cowboys D to keep them in most games.

The Buffalo Bills struggled this weekend, but this is deja vu for Bills fans. Last year Allen had a similar game and did just fine the rest of the season. He might have to just dust some of the rust off.

Brock Purdy did purdy darn good this week and answered any critics he had entering year 2. I believe he is the real deal and with that tough D, they could be an NFC favorite along side the Philadelphia Eagles.

Finally, the Lions who continued the momentum from last year and beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead, something that is very hard to do. Granted, they didn’t have Chris Jones and Travis Kelce, they still played tough. Look for the Lions to compete all year led by Dan Campbell. What an exciting and unexpected first week! What does Week 2 have in store, grab your popcorn and let’s watch.

The post What We Learned from Week 1 of 2023 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Travis Kelce – The Kansas City Chiefs struggled without their star tight end on Thursday night. Is this the week Kelce returns? Kelce is dealing with a hyperextended knee injury but was pushing to play in week 1. Given that he had extra rest it’s probable we see Kelce back this weekend. Once we have more clarity we will update our rankings accordingly.

Austin Ekeler – Ekeler suffered an apparent ankle injury on Sunday and as of right now we don’t know the severity. We will have to monitor this situation closely and see how he practices this week.

Anthony Richardson – Richardson had a productive debut for the Colts on Sunday but picked up a knee injury towards the end of the game. As of now, it appears the injury is minor and he won’t miss any time. This is something to keep an eye on with Richardson. He will need to protect himself better and avoid the big hits.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Travis Kelce – Fantasy owners received frightening news on Tuesday that Kelce went down with an apparent knee injury. We are still waiting on the results on how serious it is. This injury puts Kelce’s status in doubt for Thursday night against the Detroit Lions. **Update** Kelce has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

George Kittle – There is a possibility that Kittle may miss the week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kittle is still dealing with a groin injury which has his status in doubt.

Cooper Kupp – Kupp’s status is also in doubt for the Rams opener. Kupp is dealing with a hamstring injury which has him seeing a specialist in Minnesota. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kupp misses a few weeks. **Update** Kupp has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Good

Outside of Mahomes, there are very few players in the NFL as valuable as Travis Kelce. The 33-year-old Kelce is already one of the best tight ends of all time and is showing no signs of slowing down. In 2022, Kelce had 1,338 receiving yards along with a career-high 12 touchdowns. Beyond those stats, he also had 648 YAC (Yards After Catch) which is impressive for an aging tight end. Kelce was the main reason the Chiefs were comfortable with trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. It’s also the reason why the Chiefs don’t necessarily need a star wide receiver on offense. Kelce is their de facto WR1 and I don’t see that changing next season.

The Bad

Andy Reid is one of the best offensive minds the NFL has seen. Reid is one of the reasons Mahomes has been so successful in Kansas City. The other reason is Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator for the Chiefs since 2018. He has now moved on to a bigger role with the Washington Commanders and will be the full-time play-caller there.

Don’t expect a drastic change to the Chiefs offense as Matt Nagy takes over as the new OC. With that said I could see a slight drop off in Kansas City’s offense with Bieniemy gone. Bieniemy is notorious for being a stickler for the little details. He also expects a lot from his offensive players and is not afraid to get on them. This will show up in critical points during a game and could be the difference between winning and losing. Make no mistake, the Chiefs offense will not be a weakness next season but it’s worth watching how this change will impact it.

The Prediction

In all, I expect the Kansas City Chiefs to once again be the AFC West champions. I do see a slight drop off in wins at 12 as they have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL next season. One thing to keep an eye on is the Chris Jones situation. Jones has yet to report to the team and if he misses time it will be a big blow to the Chiefs defense.

2023-2024 Record: 12-5 (First in the Division)

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1. Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce. Need I say more. To be successful in the NFL you have to have a talented and experienced QB and Coach. Continuity is so vital in success. As long as Mahomes and Reid are coach and QB expect the Chiefs to always be at the top or near the top of the NFL. One thing to look at is the loss of Eric Bieniemy and the impact that will have.

2. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow like fine wine has got better and better each year. His ability to play well in big games make the Bengals an easy choice for #2 in my power rankings.

3. Buffalo Bills – This was a tough one because I could had them at #2 or even #1. Josh Allen is a top tier QB with a solid core around him. Could this be the year they win it all? It very well could be especially if Buffalo has home field advantage.

4. Baltimore Ravens – Man, the Ravens on paper look really really good. They’ve added weapons and Lamar is back! If their defense plays well look for them to be in the AFC Championship or Super Bowl this year.

5. Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins have all the talent in the world. They have a track team on offense and a QB that has shown flashes of brilliance. The issue is the tough division their in and can they stay healthy. Even with that their still deserving of a #5 ranking.

6. Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert has shown he belongs in the NFL and that he’s a force to be reckoned with. The Chargers have a solid defense and of course Austin Ekeler. I expect them to split with the Chiefs this year and probably be a Wild-Card team.

7. New York Jets – Aaron Rodgers is in the AFC, watch out AFC East!! I don’t love the Jets this year and I know they had a great year last year with a mediocre QB but I need to see it to believe it. Aaron Rodgers can still play at a high level I just don’t trust the “Jets” just yet. Even with that they deserve a top 10 ranking because of all their talent on both sides of the ball.

8. New England Patriots – This ranking seems about right there a team that won’t wow you maybe 9-8 or 8-9 but they do have Bill Belichick along with a decent defense. They play in a really tough division which is why I expect them around .500. Rumor has it Deandre Hopkins could be coming, and that would bump them up maybe a rank or two.

9. Tennessee Titans – Titans are always solid and especially when you have Derek Henry. Ryan Tannehill has shown he can sling the ball as well as manage the offense in an effective manner. With Vrabel at the helm, they will always have a tough defense.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jaguars could be higher than this, but this is a credit to how good the AFC is. I like this team just not better than the others.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers – What should we expect from Kenny Pickett this year? He played well at times last year but he needs to be more consistent. The Steelers will need another good year from Najee Harris and they need their receivers to show up too. Like the Patriots expect them to hover around .500 especially when they play in the AFC North where the Ravens and Bengals are.

12. Denver Broncos – Russell Wilson struggled last year mightily! I expect him to bounce back but still struggle at times. Let’s face it, he’s not the same QB he was in Seattle.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – No more Derek Carr. Jimmy G is in town with McDaniel’s as head coach. I expect them to hold their own but not make the playoffs.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Colts have a new coach in town and Gardner Minshew at QB. Look for them to hover around .500, don’t expect them to make the playoffs.

15. Cleveland Browns – Does Deshaun Watson bounce back this year? I believe the Browns will be better but still struggle among a pretty tough division.

16. Houston Texans – There’s a lot to be excited about in Houston. They have a new coach and drafted a bright young QB. Expect them to struggle this year but the future is looking good.

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