The Dolphins-Raiders Matchup from a Fantasy Perspective
The Miami Dolphins will look to rebound when they face the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, and one of the many ways to examine the matchup is through the fantasy football perspective.
In that vein, let's look at Sports Illustrated Fantasy Editor Michael Fabiano's Week 3 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em as they pertain to the Dolphins-Bills battle at Hard Rock Stadium.
We'll list the players mentioned in the matchup with Fabiano's comments and offer our take on that particular projection.
Sit of the Week
TE Mike Gesicki: "Gesicki’s numbers weren’t terrible last week, but he still scored just 7.1 fantasy points on six targets. His totals likely won't be much better (if any) this week, however, as the Dolphins could get Will Fuller V back in the passing attack. What's more, Gesicki will face a Raiders defense that held Mark Andrews to five points in their opener and has been tough on tight ends to this point."
Our take: The whole Dolphins passing game suffered last week behind poor protection and numerous drops, but Gesicki was the best receiver of the bunch. That said, it's difficult to feel overly confident about any in the passing game until we see some consistency from the O-line.
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Start 'Em
RB Myles Gaskin: "Gaskin hasn’t put up great numbers over the first two weeks, but he does lead all Miami backs in touch share. He also has a nice matchup against the Raiders next on the slate. Las Vegas has allowed 14 touchdowns and the fourth-most points to opposing runners in their last nine games dating back to last season. Consider Gaskin an attractive, matchup-based FLEX starter."
Our take: What's not mentioned in the write-up is that Gaskin had a huge game at Las Vegas last year when he rushed for 87 yards and had 82 receiving yards and two touchdowns. And given the issues in protection, it makes sense that the Dolphins would emphasize the running game a bit more in this one.
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Sit 'Em
WR Jaylen Waddle: "Waddle saw eight targets in last week’s loss to the Bills and is second among Dolphins wideouts in target share. That is the good news. The bad news is that the team will be without starter Tua Tagovailoa this week, leaving Jacoby Brissett under center. As a result, I'd beware Waddle as a fantasy starter. He'd be even less attractive if Will Fuller V can return to the field."
Our take: There doesn't appear to be any question that Tua has a special rapport with Waddle, which makes Fabiano's point a very valid one. On the flip side, his playmaking ability is such that the Dolphins never should overlook him.
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WR Henry Ruggs II vs. Dolphins: "Ruggs is coming off a monster performance in the Steel City, producing 22.5 fantasy points on a near 19 percent target share. I’d avoid chasing the points, however, as Ruggs has a tough matchup against the Dolphins. Miami has allowed 139 yards and the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts in their two games this season. At best, Ruggs is a FLEX this weekend."
Our take: Ruggs didn't have a catch when the Dolphins played at Las Vegas last season, though it appears he's taken a clear step forward in his second season. That said, the Dolphins do have the cornerbacks to keep him in check with Byron Jones and Xavien Howard.
Dolphins team defense: "Miami’s defense looked terrible in last week's loss to the Bills. A matchup against the upstart Raiders isn’t attractive as long as Derek Carr (ankle) is active. Las Vegas has averaged nearly 30 points in its first two games, and no offense in the league has more total net yards so far in 2021."
Our take: Beyond points, a big key here would be the Dolphins defense's ability to create turnovers, but it didn't happen once in the game last year. The Dolphins were able to extend their streak of games with at least one takeaway, which now stands at 24, when they recovered a fumble on the last play when the Raiders were trying a bunch of laterals in a desperate attempt to score a touchdown.
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RELATED: SI.COM WEEK 3 FANTASY RANKINGS AND TEAM PROJECTIONS
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RECAPPING THE WEEK 2 RECOMMENDATIONS
Sit of the Week, TE Mike Gesicki — 3 catches, 41 yards, 0 touchdowns ... It wasn't a big day, but better than the opener.
Sit 'Em, QB Tua Tagovailoa — 13 passing yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions ... It's not as though Tua ever had a chance.
Sit 'Em, Bills RB Devin Singletary — 82 rushing yards with one touchdown, two catches for 9 yards ... The 46-yard touchdown on Buffalo's second offensive play was a stunner, though he did very little afterward.
More Sits, Dolphins defense — 35 points allowed, 2 takeaways (one fumble recovery, one interception), 1 sack ... The two takeaways helped a bit for fantasy purposes.
