Patriots (+3.5) @ Dolphins (-175); Total of 46.5

The Patriots are coming off a very disappointing preseason, and Week 1 will be a good barometer in whether the fear of poor play from Mac Jones and Co. was justified. On the other side, the preseason has been all roses with all the shiny new toys that the front office acquired to put Tua Tagovailoa in the best position to succeed. From the offensive line to the skill positions, no penny was spared in building a competitive roster on paper. Can the Dolphins finally have the last laugh over the Pats after decades of being on the losing end of these matchups.

Patriots

QB

Like we talked about in the opening, Mac Jones and the entire offensive system that Matt Patricia has put in place has come under the microscope from local beat reporters and that makes Jones a very difficult player to trust even in superflex leagues. Perhaps it can be blamed on the preseason, but I’m not buying that narrative. Until we see them correct the abysmal play we saw in the preseason, Jones is a stay-away.

WR/CB

While Jakobi Meyers is this team’s WR1, DeVante Parker has the highest ceiling from a fantasy perspective and we could see that bear out as early as Week 1. Xavien Howard will likely be tasked with defending Parker for the majority of snaps on Sunday, and it’s at least a situation worth monitoring in case Parker becomes a must-add waiver-wire target following the weekend. Perhaps it’s worth adding him to your roster ahead of tip-off to avoid using FAAB or your waiver priority on the WR. For what it’s worth, Meyers will be matched up against Nik Needham who ranked as the 39th coverage corner in the league in 2021. He just lacks the upside that is needed to be a fantasy game-changer, but does provide a very safe floor. Parker is your risk/reward option while Meyers is a safe play with practically no upside.

TE

Jonnu Smith might actually be the better overall TE, but Hunter Henry is your preferred fantasy option out of the duo because Smith is a much better blocker. However, Smith’s presence on the roster lowers Henry’s fantasy ceiling as they will most definitely share the TE targets. Henry is a low-end TE1 who could be used in a pinch, although there are likely better options out there on the wire at this stage of the season.

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RB

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