Fantasy Preview: Early Slate Part 2 for Week 4 (10/2/22)

  • Browns (-120) @ Falcons (+1): O/U 47.5

    Commanders (+3) @ Cowboys (-165): O/U 41

    Seahawks (+3.5) @ Lions (-190): O/U 47.5

    Titans (+3.5) @ Colts (-180): O/U 43

    Bears (+3) @ Giants (-150): O/U 39.5

     

    Browns @ Falcons

    Key storylines/What to Watch

    This is a game our own Michael Fiddle has talked a lot about particularly on the early Browns spread that opened last week at -3. It has obviously closed considerably since then and we should see the Browns come in extremely well rested with 10 days off since their huge TNF win over the division rival Steelers. Unfortunately, the biggest storyline starts with All-Pro DE Myles Garrett, who remains in recovery from non life-threatening injuries stemming from a single car-crash on Monday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has actually yet to rule Garrett out from playing against the Falcons, so that’s something to be monitored closely as the Browns are an obvious top-10 D/ST play against Marcus Mariota and the weak Falcons offense. On that side of the ball, LB Jadeveon Clowney could be returning but has missed multiple practices this week. The Falcons had surprise back-to-back DNPs on Thursday and Friday from RB Cordarrelle Patterson after a career rushing performance, but “knee” and “rest” were cited and he’s still expected to play albeit against the 12th-stingiest defense for fantasy backs so far.

     

    Top Starts

    WR Drake London: I labeled the rookie wideout a relative bust last week because he had only three catches, but he played 87% of offensive snaps and still led all of his teammates in routes run (and on 77% of Mariota’s dropbacks). So, I fully expect him to get right back on track with safe volume in a fairly neutral matchup against rookie CB Martin Emerson Jr., with whom PFF projects him to get most of his snaps against and avoid the bulk of CB Denzel Ward’s coverage.

     

    WR Amari Cooper: Similar to CeeDee Lamb and Garrett Wilson, Cooper is showing that a backup QB won’t necessarily tank his fantasy production. Cooper is red-hot coming off consecutive weeks with identical 101 yards receiving plus a score, and gets to play indoors against a sieve of a pass defense in Atlanta who have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. His projected matchups with CB Casey Hayward Jr and CB A.J. Terrell are tough on paper, but don’t let that scare you as both corners have graded outside of the top-50 so far.

     

    Boom/Bust Dart-Throw

    RB Tyler Allgeier: Even if Patterson does return to practice prior to this game, you have to think that this is a clear sign to the Falcons coaches that they need to monitor and manage the 31-year-old’s usage carefully. My prediction is that they try to limit his wear-and-tear in the early going here while getting a better look at their youth movement by giving the rookie Allgeier double-digit touches like they did in Week 2. He played sparsely last week, seeing only a 36% snap share to Patterson’s 61%. Expect Allgeier to play more and start building a flex case for himself.  

     

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    Commanders @ Cowboys

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