Everyday we will post a Market Check, which is a summary of our research on a different position for the week.
This is not the end of our advice for the week. At the end of the week, we’ll make our picks at each position. Some of the picks will not be discussed in the Market Check.
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Bull Market
Players we believe will out-perform their salary for the week. These guys will give you the most bang for your buck when you are building lineups.
Vikings
DraftKings: $2,800 / FanDuel: $4,400
The Vikings have had some recent draft hits on the defensive side of the ball. LB Anthony Barr, DT Sharrif Floyd, CB Xavier Rhodes and S Harrison Smith are young players that have impressed in their young careers. In the 2015 draft, the Vikes added 2 top defensive choices in Trae Waynes and Eric Kendricks. Mike Zimmer is already known as one of the best defensive minds in the game. The added depth will allow him to be even more creative with the weekly game plan and force more turnovers than in 2014 (19). The return of Adrian Peterson will also keep the Vikes defenders off the field more in 2015. The Vikings defense will be primed and ready for their week 1 matchup against the new look 49ers offense. Zimmer and his staff will be prepared for the 49ers plan to utilize Kaepernick’s ability to run. They will force Kap to beat them with his arm, which will not be pretty for 9ers fans. Additionally, Cordarrelle Patterson is one of the league’s top return man and gives you a good chance at a return TD each week with Minnesota.
Rams
DraftKings: $2,800 / FanDuel: $4,300
This group is oozing with young stars, athleticism and versatility. Let’s start with the defensive line. Already one of the league’s best, the Rams added Nick Fairley in free agency who will be an excellent pass rushing substitute. Premier pass rushing defensive end, Robert Quinn, will now have two of the league’s best interior pass rushers with Fairley and budding superstar, Aaron Donald. This will be an absolute nightmare for O-lines to protect against. Corners Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson have teamed up with safeties TJ McDonald and Rodney McLeod to form a very solid secondary. Safety Mark Barron and nickel Lamarcus Joyner give defensive coordinator Gregg Williams flexibility to get creative in his different packages and matchup against various offensive personnels. Week 1 opponent Seahawks O-line is very much in question after trading center Max Unger to the Saints. Seattle’s reshuffled O-line draws the short straw in their first test and the Rams DL will dominate them in the trenches and slow down Beast Mode. Russell will have to beat the Rams with his arm. The Seahawks are on the road and will be without their “12th man”, don’t be surprised if Rams pressure forces Russell into a couple turnovers and St. Louis shocks the league with a week 1 upset.
Browns
DraftKings: $3,100 / FanDuel: $4,600
Browns defense enters year 2 of an aggressive, attacking defense, a system that Mike Pettine learned from Rex Ryan. This style of play allowed them to create 29 turnovers in 2014 and establish their secondary amongst the league’s best. However, a really bad offense didn’t compliment what was a really good defense. The Browns defense led the league in plays from scrimmage in 2014 with 1,118 plays. That’s 194 more plays than the league leading Seahawks, which equates to playing almost 3 more full games. If you read my Browns RB article, you know there is reason believe the run game will be much improved this season, cutting down the amount of time the Browns defense will be on the field.The Browns also used 3 of their top 4 draft choices on DL. 1st round selection NT Danny Shelton has jumped off the screen in early action and will make a big difference against the run. The combination of an improved, game controlling run game on offense and a retooled D-line on defense will compliment what is already one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Expect the Browns Defense to be much improved this season and create havoc in Week 1 on Fitzpatrick and the Jets. Additionally, Travis Benjamin, the Browns punt returner who led the league in returns until his 2013 ACL injury, looks to finally be back to full speed with a punt return TD in week 3 of preseason. He is a threat every game to take one to the house.
Bear Market
Cowboys
DraftKings: $2,800 / FanDuel: $4,200
There is lots of cause for concern in Big D. The season ending injury to CB Orlando Scandrick was a fatal blow to a team with little depth at the position. Brandon Carr is now a starter. Pro Football Focus rated him as one of the worst corners in the league with QB’s targeting him averaging a QB rating of 116.6. Byron Jones may be thrust into early action as well, but the Big East product will struggle early on. Scandrick was by far the best corner on the team and is a gigantic loss to a defense that shocked a lot of people with their adequate performances in 2014. Also, the saving grace of the 2014 Dallas defense, DeMarco Murray, was not re-signed. Murray’s game controlling runs kept the Cowboys defense to the fifth lowest total plays from scrimmage at 978. The RBBC will not be as effective and this defense will suffer big time. However, I do like the Cowboys improved pass rush ability with the the additions of Greg Hardy and draft freefaller Randy Gregory. When Hardy returns from suspension he and Gregory could help relieve the depleted secondary. However, the Cowboys defense will have a rough start to the season…..Eli and the high powered Giants offense will throw all over the Cowboys Sunday night.
Eagles
DraftKings: $2,700 / FanDuel: $4,300
I like the Eagles front 7 a lot. But the Boykins trade is still puzzling to me. This week 1 game script does not favor either defense. The explosive Eagles offense will be scoring in bunches and force the Falcons to play catch up football from the jump. Lots of throws from the capable Matt Ryan to the supremely talented and healthy Julio Jones means trouble for any team, but especially to this below average Eagles secondary. I’m not a believer in rookie CB Eric Rowe and he could get exposed in this matchup. Im also not a huge fan of Byron Maxwell, doubting he can perform as well in this Eagles scheme as a #1 corner as well as he did with the Seahawks loaded D. Chip Kelly will take heat for shipping out their best cover corner in Boykins for peanuts. This one will be a shootout…find a D elsewhere in week 1 until we see if Eagles secondary is up for the astronomical amount of passes they will see all year long.
Cardinals
DraftKings: $2,800 / FanDuel: $4,300
This defense took one of the biggest hits in the offseason. Not only did they lose their commander in Todd Bowles, they lost a lot of beef up front. Dan williams is gone and their free agent acquisition replacement Corey Peters is done for the year with a torn achilles. The Cardinals will have trouble stopping the run all season. In the secondary, pro bowl corner Patrick Peterson is the only bright spot. The Cardinals will struggle to replace CB Antonio Cromartie who followed Bowles to New York, and the 2015 Arizona secondary will likely decline from their already poor 25th pass defense ranking in 2014. New defensive coordinator James Bettcher has a difficult task at hand and it will be interesting to see if he can squeeze as much production out of this talent lacking group as Bowles did. My initial gut says this defensive will be one of the worst in the NFL, but we shall see. For now stay away from them, as the reborn Saints offense pounds the ball and goes over the top for lots of points in week 1.
