Week 2 Fantasy Experts High on Aaron Rodgers, But Not on Jared Goff
After having low fantasy-game appeal prior to last week's openers, former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers is getting significant backing as starter in Start 'Em or Sit 'Em fantasy projections in Week II. Meanwhile, the opposite is taking place for another ex-Cal quarterback Jared Goff, a player fantasy experts liked last week but not this weekend.
Sports Illustrated's Michael Fabiano, CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg, The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer and Yahoo.com's Liz Loza were among those who told fantasy players to start Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Here is what Eisenberg said about Rodgers:
You're obviously starting Rodgers this week -- or you should be -- after his dominant performance in Week 1 at Minnesota. I'm putting him here as more of an acknowledgement of how great he was and will hopefully be all season. If this is the Rodgers we're getting every week then I was dead wrong on his Fantasy outlook this year. He torched the Vikings for 364 yards and four touchdowns, and he could be the MVP of the NFL if the Packers let him play this way. The Lions just allowed Mitchell Trubisky to go for 29 Fantasy points, so Rodgers should have a field day at home.
However, there was a different vibe regarding Rams quarterback Goff in this Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sports Illustrated's Fabiano, NFL.com's Adam Rank, The Sporting News' Iyer and the New York Post's Samantha Previte all advised fanatsy players to keep Goff on the bench this week
Here is what Rank said about Goff:
I loved Goff coming into this season. And he was pretty good against the Cowboys. He threw for 275 yards. Had only one brutal interception. But the Rams still insist on running the football near the goal line (with Malcolm Brown!) like they have always done in Sean McVay’s system. I anticipated more throwing near the goal line. I’m not going to abandon Goff just yet. The Rams offensive line is questionable. Goff has a four-touchdown game looming to get back on track for 30-plus touchdowns this season. I’m just not excited about a matchup against the Eagles, who allowed just 178 passing yards last week. Sure, it was to Dwayne Haskins, so it’s like beating Madden on rookie mode, but still.
And here is Previte's analysis of Goff:
Goff disappointed fantasy managers in a big way in Week 1 against the Cowboys. He completed 20 of 31 passes for 275 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception and finished as the 29th-best quarterback. The Eagles’ pass defense should be an above average unit this season, which isn’t good news for Goff this week. Avoid starting him in one-quarterback leagues.
Former Cal wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Marvin Jones Jr. also received some attention by the fanasy experts.
Sports Illustrated's Faniano, CBS Sports' Eisenberg and The Sports News' Iyer advise fanasy players to bench Jackson in this week's game against the Rams.
Here's what Fabiano said about Jackson:
Jackson didn’t meet fantasy expectations last week, posting just 6.6 points on two catches (seven targets) while running 37 of 68 offensive snaps. Rookie Jalen Reagor is back in the mix too, and Carson Wentz targeted his tight ends a ton in the opener. I’d fade the veteran in his next contest, as a tough matchup against the Rams and shutdown CB Jalen Ramsey awaits. At best, Jackson is a dart throw flex option in some deeper leagues.
Opinions were split on Jones, with NFL.com's Rank telling us to bench him, while The Sporting News' Iyer likes Jones this week against Green Bay.
Rank had this to say about Jones:
Jones clearly works better as part of a tag team with Kenny Golladay than as a solo act. And that’s not intended to be any disrespect. Billy Gunn and the Road Dogg Jesse James were much better as tag team wrestlers than singles wrestlers. Even though they tried to push Billy Gunn to the moon before The Rock eviscerated him. The point is, the Lions passing game struggled a bit last week. And Jones had three receptions for 25 yards in his last two games against the Packers. No. That wasn’t what he averaged. That was his combined total.
But Iyer assessed Jones this way:
We’ll see about Kenny Golladay (hamstring) returning to occupy Jaire Alexander, but the history in this matchup says green light in Green Bay.
Cover photo by Jesse Johnson - USA TODAY Sports
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