DraftKings Reignmakers Week 3 NFL Breakdown

This NFL season, we are pleased to have partnered with DraftKings as a content provider, covering the exciting new NFT-powered fantasy football game, DK Reignmakers! Each week in this space, we will be breaking down the upcoming Reignmakers NFL slate. Be sure to check out our Fair Value Card Estimates and Contest EV tool as you build your lineups.

SUNDAY UPDATE

• Justin Herbert remains a “true game-time decision” due to his rib injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport called Herbert “doubtful” as of Friday, when backup QB Chase Daniel took the Chargers’ first-team reps in practice.

• An illness held Josh Jacobs out of Raiders practice on Thursday and Friday, but Jacobs did travel with the team to Tennessee and seems likely to play against the Titans.

• Jerry Jeudy (sternum) has a good chance to play pending his performance in pregame warmups. Jeudy was able to get in a limited practice session on Friday after sitting out on both Wednesday and Thursday this week.

• JK Dobbins (knee) is expected to make his season debut after missing the first two weeks of the season following last season’s ACL tear. Dobbins has now logged six consecutive full practice sessions, dating back to last week.

• James Conner will test out his ankle in pregame warmups, but there is “optimism that he’ll play”, according to Ian Rapoport. Conner was able to return to practice in a limited capacity on both Thursday and Friday after sitting out on Wednesday.

• In New Orleans, Jameis Winston (back/ankle) and Alvin Kamara (ribs) are ready to go, while QB/TE Taysom Hill (rib) will likely be held out.

• Unsurprisingly, D”Andre Swift (ankle) is good to go today after he played through the same ankle injury in Week 2. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero notes that Swift may be in line for a larger role than the five carries he was limited to last weekend.

• For the Bucs, Russell Gage (hamstring), Breshad Perriman (knee) and Leonard Fournette (hamstring) are expected to be active, while Julio Jones (knee) seems closer to doubtful. Tampa Bay is already without Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Mike Evans (suspension).

• The expectation is that Gabe Davis (ankle) will be able to return to the field today following a one-game absence.

FRIDAY UPDATE

• Gabe Davis (ankle) is officially questionable to play against Miami after getting in limited sessions in each of Buffalo’s practices this week. Davis suffered the injury in practice late last week before sitting out on Monday night. He feels closer to probable than doubtful, but nothing is guaranteed. 
• NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport called it “good news” that Justin Herbert (ribs) has been throwing this week, but it was Chase Daniel who took first team reps in today’s practice for the Chargers, and there seems to be a real possibility of Herbert sitting out this weekend. Herbert is officially questionable to play.

• Josh Jacobs has now missed two consecutive practices with an illness for the Raiders. Brandon Bolden (hamstring) has also been banged up, but is poised to return this weekend. The Raiders' backfield depth also includes rookie Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah.

• Alvin Kamara (ribs) is questionable to play, but he was able to practice in a limited fashion each day this week. Contrast this week’s participation to last week, when he was a DNP (did not participate) on both Thursday and Friday before being held out of Sunday's game. I am considering Kamara probable to play for now.

• Jerry Jeudy (ribs) is questionable to play in Week 3, and head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Jeudy was doing “everything he can” to get back on the field this weekend. According to Zac Stevens from DNVR Sports, Jeudy “expects to play on Sunday night.”  KJ Hamler (knee, hip) is also questionable to play for Denver.

• Michael Pittman Jr. (quad) is ready to return to action following a one-game absence. Pittman was a full participant in Friday’s practice after being limited on Wednesday and Thursday.

• The Cowboys won’t release their game status report until tomorrow with the team playing on Monday night, but Michael Gallup (knee) has now logged back-to-back full practice sessions as he works his way back from an ACL tear. There's a good chance he makes his season debut against the Giants.

• As was the case last week, D'Andre Swift (ankle) is questionable to play this weekend after getting in a limited practice session on Friday. It seems likely he’ll be able to play through the injury once again, but keep in mind his workload was limited last week, as Swift carried the ball only five times to Jamaal Williams’ 12.

• Chris Godwin (hamstring) will join Mike Evans (suspension) on the inactive list this week for Tampa Bay, while Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Julio Jones (knee), Russell Gage (hamstring) and Breshad Perriman (knee) all remain questionable. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• George Kittle (groin) is set to make his season debut this Sunday and will not have any restrictions, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Steelers at Browns, Thursday 8:15 PM ET

The Browns won’t have much time to lament their Week 2 collapse against the Jets as they turn around to face the Steelers on Thursday Night Football this week.

Cleveland’s passing attack continues to be limited in volume and so far, the Browns have produced only one fantasy-viable option in each of the first two games (Donovan Peoples-Jones in Week 1, Amari Cooper in Week 2). After leading the team in Week 1, Peoples-Jones’ target share fell off a cliff in Week 2 (11 targets to one target), while Cooper accounted for nearly half of Brissett’s passing yardage. Peoples-Jones’ Week 2 snap share was roughly equivalent to his Week 1 share and he’s a fine bounceback option in Week 3.  

In the backfield, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt continued to split snaps nearly 50/50, though Chubb has outpaced Hunt in carries. Choosing to utilize a Browns RB should probably depend on whether you expect Cleveland to lead (in which case, Chubb profiles as a high-volume back with strong touchdown upside) or trail (in which case Hunt should become more involved as a receiver).

On the Pittsburgh side, the receiving game is limited by Mitch Trubisky’s ineffectiveness, but it is probably premature to expect that the team hand over the reins to rookie Kenny Pickett. As long as Mitch remains under center, it will be hard to feel great about any receiving options outside of Diontae Johnson – who has a 30+ percent target share in each of the first two games – and Pat Freiermuth, who has emerged as a favorite target for Trubisky. As for Trubisky himself, since this is a Showdown slate, he’s available as a “hold your nose” play as long as his price remains reasonable.

Najee Harris was able to play through a foot injury last week, and he did not appear to have any limitations, racking up 89 total yards on a 71 percent snap share.

I’d expect Najee and Nick Chubb to fill similar roles for their teams in this one, and given Najee is significantly cheaper than Chubb at the time of writing, he’s the player I’m most interested in right now.

Best Buy: Najee Harris ($12, $60, $460, $1,499, $13,500)

Texans at Bears, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

There weren’t many bright spots in Houston’s Week 2 loss at Denver, and the Texans now find themselves 3-point dogs in a game with one of the lowest totals on the board in Week 3. Dameon Pierce could be worth a speculative flier after he out-carried h Burkead 15-0 last week, and Brandin Cooks remains a good bet for double-digit targets. Outside of that, there’s not much here. 

Last week, the Bears were limited to only 41 plays on offense against the Packers, which held Justin Fields to 11 pass attempts despite a game script that saw Chicago trail Green Bay by multiple scores from the second quarter onward. If you want to speculate on Fields or Darnell Mooney as buy-low candidates, I won’t stop you, but it’s hard to find any bright spots in this offense right now.

Best Buy: Brandin Cooks ($4, $32, $350, $1,000, $7,500)

Lions at Vikings, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been the story of the season for Detroit through two weeks. The Sun God currently ranks 10th in receiving yards, and he has added another 68 yards on the ground. St. Brown’s floor price has exploded this week, and rightfully so, but I’d think about taking a chance on DJ Chark or TJ Hockenson at reduced price tags. D’Andre Swift was a gametime decision in Week 2, but he ultimately played through an ankle injury, though his snap share and rushing share were both down significantly from Week 1. Keep an eye on Swift’s practice participation this week to gauge how close to full health he may be in Week 3. Last week, he was unable to practice on both Wednesday and Thursday before getting in a limited session on Friday.

The Vikings ran into a buzzsaw in Week 2, losing to the Eagles in Philly 24-7, but the matchup is much more favorable in Week 3. Justin Jefferson was held to only 48 receiving yards last week, but he still commanded 12 targets and is set up for a bounceback week against the Lions. Minnesota rushed the ball only 11 times on Monday, which limited Dalvin Cook’s effectiveness, but the team should return to a more neutral run/pass split in Week 3, bringing Cook back in play as a possible buy-low option. Adam Thielen is mildly intriguing, but for the most part, this is a two-player offense. 

Best Buy: Dalvin Cook ($11, $57, $500, $1,800, $9,999)

Eagles at Commanders, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Carson Wentz will visit one of his former homes in Week 3 after exceeding 300 passing yards in each of the first two weeks of the season. For the Commanders, Curtis Samuel has felt like the team’s WR1, following up his breakout Week 1 performance with a 7-78-1 receiving line in Week 2. Not only does Samuel lead the team in targets, he has also taken five carries out of the backfield. 

As good as Samuel has looked, I am interested in buying low on Terry McLaurin, who is now cheaper than Samuel on the Reignmakers Marketplace. Antonio Gibson also feels underpriced for his role (40 touches through two weeks), despite his dreadful production in Week 2 (28 rushing yards on 14 carries).

You can make a strong argument that Jalen Hurts has been the fantasy MVP through the first two weeks of the season, and the Eagles are once again set up for success in Week 3 as 6.5-point favorites against the Commanders. After a Week 1 bagel, DeVonta Smith bounced back against the Vikings, tallying 80 yards while converting all seven of his targets from Hurts. Smith has been on the field for all but four of Philly’s offensive snaps so far this season and he remains a strong buy. AJ Brown came back to Earth in Week 2 after his strong performance in the opener, but there is no cause for concern here. 

Miles Sanders has begun to separate himself a bit in the running game, garnering 17 of the team’s 34 carries last week. Many expected Philadelphia to deploy more of a committee approach in the backfield entering the season, but as long as Sanders continues to see similar workloads to what he commanded in Weeks 1 and 2, he’ll be a strong fantasy option.

Best Buy: DeVonta Smith ($3.84, $25, $370, $1,300, $12,999)

Patriots at Ravens, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Baltimore lost to Miami in heartbreaking fashion in Week 2, but it was still a productive fantasy outing for Lamar Jackson & Co. Jackson led all quarterbacks in scoring while achieving the rare “double-bonus” (300+ passing yards and 100+ rushing yards). This week’s matchup against New England should be a lower-scoring affair, as is reflected in the game’s modest 43-point total. Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews have accounted for more than half of Jackson’s targets this season, but given the game environment, I’m mostly passing on them unless their prices fall. 

Kenyan Drake, Mike Davis and Justice Hill have formed an uninspiring platoon in J.K. Dobbins’ (knee) absence. Dobbins has felt close to returning, and I’m ready to speculate on his player cards at the first hint of positive news. Whether that comes this week or further down the line remains TBD.

The Patriots' offense has only mustered 24 points through two games, but will Baltimore’s defense be the elixir needed to get things going? Without Ty Montgomery (knee) in Week 2, Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor saw 56 percent of Jones’ targets, and Agholor was able to break a long 44-yard reception for a touchdown. Both are available as cheap “I need another receiver to complete my lineup” options, but nothing more this week, despite Baltimore’s struggles in the secondary. 

There is intrigue in the backfield though, as Damien Harris (knee) limped off the field on his final carry against Pittsburgh last Sunday. It’s unclear whether the injury will cause Harris to miss any time, but if Harris opens the week as a DNP (did not participate) in practice, I’ll be ready to take some shots on Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots appeared deep at running back in the offseason, but they are now without James White (retirement), Ty Montgomery (knee) and now potentially Harris. Rookie Pierre Strong is the only other running back on the active roster, though Kevin Harris and/or JJ Taylor could be called up from the practice squad in the event Harris misses time. Still, the opportunity would be there for Rhamondre.

Best Buy: Rhamondre Stevenson *pending Harris’ practice participation:  ($3, $28, $280, $799, $5,600)

Bills at Dolphins, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Two of the hottest offenses will clash this week in a game that is sure to be a popular target on Reignmakers. In Week 2, the Tua Tagovailoa-Tyreek Hill-Jaylen Waddle double stack took down all the tournaments and the Dolphins find themselves playing against Buffalo in a game that has a slate-high 52-point total (tied with Detroit vs Minnesota).

Last weekend, Hill and Waddle combined for a 64 percent target share and 361 receiving yards. It’s hard to find any faults in this duo beyond their rising price tags in the marketplace. Mike Gesicki is the next most relevant receiving option, but he is probably unnecessary when Miami is playing on the Main slate. Tua is now the ninth-most expensive quarterback on the marketplace, but it’s hard to argue with his short-term schedule: after facing Buffalo this week, Miami faces Cincinnati on a Thursday Night Showdown slate in Week 4.

Raheem Mostert out-snapped and out-carried Chase Edmonds in Week 2 after Edmonds led the way in Week 1, but we’ll have to wait and see whether this marks a changing of the guard in the backfield or if it’s just a one week blip. Still, Miami looks like one of the top offenses in the league this year and I don’t mind taking a speculative shot on the backfield here.

The Bills weren’t challenged by the Titans in Week 2, winning the game 41-7 despite being without Gabe Davis (ankle). Davis was a late-week addition to the injury report last week, and his availability for Week 3 is not yet known. While Davis was out in Week 2, it was not Jamison Crowder or Isaiah McKenzie who absorbed the vacated snaps, but Jake Kumerow, who is not yet available on Reignmakers. Regardless of Davis’ status, Stefon Diggs will remain a locked and loaded WR1. Rookie James Cook led the backfield in Week 2 carries, but that had more to do with game flow than anything else.

Best Buy: Raheem Mostert ($3, $16, $144, $500, $3,399)

Saints at Panthers, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

The Saints struggled to score against the Bucs last week without Alvin Kamara (hip), scoring only one touchdown on a Michael Thomas reception. Kamara’s practice participation will bear watching this week, and he’s an intriguing buy low candidate if he’s able to suit up in Week 3. Should Kamara remain sidelined, Mark Ingram is available as a cheap, but low upside option. Chris Olave saw an uptick in targets last week, at the expense of Jarvis Landry as the Saints continue to play whack-a-mole while all three of Olave, Landry, and Thomas are healthy.

As for the Panthers side, I can’t get excited about much beyond Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore, especially given the game’s low total and projected game flow. CMC has not flashed through two weeks, but he’s currently the eighth-most expensive running back (using Genesis Core prices) and that just feels too low to me.

Best Buy: Christian McCaffrey ($12, $70, $724, $3,900, N/A)

Bengals at Jets, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Rookie Garrett Wilson was the story of the day for New York, who recovered a late onsides kick to power an improbable comeback win against Cleveland in Week 2. Wilson registered game highs in targets (14), receiving yards (102), and touchdowns (2) in his breakout game. His 61 percent snap share in Week 2 was up 12 percent from the previous week, mostly at the expense of Braxton Berrios, who was held without a catch on Sunday. It’s tempting to vault Wilson up the wide receiver rankings, but Elijah Moore and Corey Davis remain capable receivers and this is still a bottom-tier offense despite last week’s fireworks. Rookie RB Breece Hall’s on paper stats impressed in Week 2, but his snap share fell from 45 percent to 27 percent as the team added Ty Johnson to the mix.

The Bengals have gotten off to a rough start in 2022, starting the year 0-2, but they open as 5-point favorites in Week 3 against the Jets. After exiting the game in Week 1 with a concussion, Tee Higgins was back in action last weekend to lead the team in receiving. Ja’Marr Chase was held under 60 yards, but I'm not worried about him, while Tyler Boyd has been a forgotten man in the offense. Joe Mixon remains a workhorse, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the team’s rushing attempts on the season while currently placing third in the offense in target share. The game script should be in Mixon’s favor here, and given Burrow’s early season struggles, maybe the team leans on Mixon a bit more in pursuit of its first win of the season.

Best Buy: Ja’Marr Chase ($14, $82, $850, $6,400, $16,000)

Raiders at Titans, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

There’s been no report of injury, but Darren Waller’s Week 2 usage was curious, as he played only 55 percent of offensive snaps and fell behind backup tight end Foster Moreau, who was on the field 61 percent of the time. Keep an eye on Waller’s practice participation this week, but for now, I’m assuming this was just a blip. After vacuuming up 49 percent of Derek Carr’s targets in Week 1, Davante Adams saw “only” a 19 percent share in Week 2, falling behind both Hunter Renfrow (26 percent) and Mack Hollins (21 percent). I would not expect that trend to continue in Week 3. All of the offseason hand-wringing about Josh Jacobs being forced into a timeshare seems overblown through the first two weeks of the season. Jacobs’ rushing share in each of the first two weeks has been 77 percent and 90 percent. Before buying in on Jacobs though, keep an eye on Brandon Bolden, who missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury and could cut into the workload when healthy.

It’s hard to take too much away from Tennessee’s Week 2 blowout loss to the Bills, a game in which the Titans pulled their starters in the second half. The Titans should face less resistance at home this week against Las Vegas. Derrick Henry was game-scripted out against Buffalo, but his price has fallen sharply to the point where I am interested in buying low. The Titans attempted only 24 passes in Week 2 despite losing 41-7, and there is just not enough volume here to inspire confidence in the passing game. If you do feel compelled to take a shot on this group, my preferred target would be rookie Treylon Burks.

Best Buy: Derrick Henry ($8.78, $57, $425, $2,000, N/A)

Chiefs at Colts, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

The Chiefs are currently listed as 6.5-point favorites against the Colts after opening as 2.5-point favorites as bettors react to the Colts’ dreadful loss to Jacksonville last week. The Matt Ryan era in Indianapolis has not gone according to plan, and the Colts have struggled to an 0-1-1 start against two of the presumed worst teams in the league.

Unsurprisingly, Travis Kelce has been the most consistent target for the Chiefs, while the receivers have been slow out of the gates. Still, this is a high upside group led by arguably the best quarterback in the league and I’m willing to continue taking chances here. Marquez Valdes-Scantling in particular feels too cheap after tying Kelce for the team lead in targets last weekend. The team’s rushing attack has seen low volume through two weeks, but game script should favor the running game against an inferior opponent. 

It’s hard to find any bright spots in the Colts’ Week 2 performance. Matt Ryan was held under 200 passing yards and threw three interceptions, and Jonathan Taylor was limited to 63 scoreless yards from scrimmage. The team was without Michael Pittman (quad) and Alec Pierce (concussion), and Ashton Dulin was the only Colt to post a usable fantasy week (5-79-0). If the market overreacts to Taylor’s poor performance, or if Pittman is able to return from injury, they’ll be worth consideration, but otherwise, I’m passing here.

Best Buy: Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($1.45, $10.50, $170, $750, $2,275)

Jaguars at Chargers, Sunday 4:05 PM ET

For the Chargers, all eyes will be on Justin Herbert, after the star quarterback struggled through a rib injury towards the end of the team’s Week 2 loss to the Chiefs. For now, Herbert is considered “day-to-day.”

If Herbert is unable to go, it will be Chase Daniel under center for Los Angeles. When Herbert left the game last Thursday, there was a run on Daniels’ player cards in the Reignmakers marketplace, but his price came back down after Herbert was able to close out the game. Expect a similar run to take place if we get pessimistic news about Herbert this week. Keenan Allen (hamstring) will also be worth watching throughout the week of practice. Allen was held out on the short week but has not yet been ruled out for Week 3. It’s hard to get too excited about the rest of the Chargers’ offense until Herbert’s status becomes more clear.

It turns out the Jaguars were not exaggerating James Robinson’s offseason recovery from a 2021 Achilles tear. Robinson has eclipsed Travis Etienne 23-9 in carries and 79-62 in snaps played so far this season. For the time being, Robinson appears to be the back to own in Jacksonville. Christian Kirk has similarly separated himself from the rest of what looked to be a muddy receiving group entering the season by logging 195 receiving yards through two weeks. 

Best Buy: James Robinson ($5, $20, $400, $799, N/A)

Rams at Cardinals, Sunday 4:25 PM ET

Cooper Kupp has played every snap for the Rams so far this season and has accumulated at least 14 targets in each of the Rams’ first two games. After a Week 1 dud, Allen Robinson responded with a 4-53-1 line that could have been bigger, as a second touchdown was waived off by a late whistle. Cam Akers was limited to 62 total yards in Week 2, but his snap share and rushing share were both up significantly from Week 1 when it appeared Darrell Henderson would be the clear lead back for Los Angeles. It appears Akers is back in head coach Sean McVay’s good graces and I’m interested in buying low where the price is reasonable.

After spotting the Raiders a 20-0 halftime lead in Week 2, the Cardinals stormed back for a 29-23 overtime win that featured a well-balanced attack on offense. James Conner (ankle) left the game in the third quarter, and as a result, no Arizona running back had more than eight carries. Conner’s Week 3 status is currently unknown, but if he’s able to play I like him as a buy while his price is depressed. Marquise Brown has only 111 yards through two games, but he still leads the offense in snaps and targets. With DeAndre Hopkins’ return still a few weeks off, I’m fairly interested in Brown here. 

Best Buy: Marquise Brown ($4.50,  $30, $445, $1,200, $10,500)

Falcons at Seahawks, Sunday 4:25 PM ET

In most weeks this season, the Seahawks will likely be a team to avoid, but they find themselves in an advantageous position in Week 3, hosting the winless Falcons at home. Even with the plus matchup though, there’s not a lot to get excited about. Rashaad Penny is mildly intriguing, but he looks to be in a timeshare with rookie Kenneth Walker, who made his season debut last week. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are both known talents, but the Seahawks would prefer to limit plays (they ran only 49 offensive plays in Week 2) and grind out a victory when possible, and that makes their workloads tough to rely on.

Cordarrelle Patterson came back to Earth after a big Week 1, splitting carries 50/50 with rookie Tyler Allgeier in Week 2. That’s a sharp drop from Patterson’s Week 1 workload when he carried the ball 22 times. The heavy workload in the opener was likely correlated with Damien Williams’ (ribs) injury, leaving Patterson as the main option in that game. I would expect Patterson’s Week 3 usage to be closer to last week’s usage than what we saw in the opener.

Rookie Drake London looks like a future star, though his Reignmakers prices have been on the rise (rightfully so). In Week 3, I’d rather take a chance on Kyle Pitts. The second-year tight end has disappointed in the box score thus far, but he still leads the team in snaps played and there should be greener pastures ahead.

Best Buy: Kyle Pitts ($4, $27, $350, $1,750, $7,000)

Packers at Buccaneers, Sunday 4:25 PM ET

Tom Brady and the Bucs were held to only 190 passing yards in Week 2 against the Saints, but the team was without Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (hamstring). Without two of their top three receiving options, the Bucs leaned on Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller and Russell Gage to pick up the slack, especially after Mike Evans was ejected from the game following an altercation with Saints DB Marshon Lattimore. Evans will miss Week 3 due to suspension and it’s unclear whether Jones or Godwin will be able to return against Green Bay. The team’s signing of Cole Beasley should probably be viewed as a pessimistic sign though. Whatever the case in the receiving game, Leonard Fournette should remain busy in the backfield after exceeding 20 carries in each of Tampa’s first two games.

Allen Lazard made his season debut in Week 2 for the Packers and led the skill group in snaps played with 55. Aaron Rodgers threw only 25 passes in a game the Packers comfortably led and no receiver had more than Sammy Watkins’ four targets. It’s going to be tough to trust any of the receiving options in the short-term, but I’m interested in speculating on Allen Lazard where the price is right. The team’s two running backs – Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon – continue to lead the way for this offense. 

Best Buy: Leonard Fournette ($13, $64, $738, $1,850, $10,100)

49ers at Broncos, Sunday 8:20 PM ET

Unfortunately, 2022 has been another injury-riddled season for the 49ers, who lost Trey Lance (ankle) and Tyrion Davis-Price (ankle) last week. Heading into Week 2, San Francisco was already without George Kittle (groin) and Eli Mitchell (knee). Kittle should have a chance to return this week, but the rest of the group will remain out for multiple weeks.

Following Lance’s departure from the game, Jimmy Garoppolo’s cards were steamed in the Reignmakers Marketplace, and he is currently the third-most expensive quarterback. The 49ers do play on two consecutive Showdown slates beginning this week, but it’s hard to view Jimmy G as a value while he is priced alongside Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.

If Kittle is able to get in a full practice session early this week, he’ll be worth buying ahead of the weekend, as Ross Dwelley and Tyler Kroft have been unimpressive in his absence. Kittle’s return would be a slight downgrade for receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, who would have more target competition with the star tight end in the lineup. With Mitchell and Davis-Price out of the lineup, Jeff Wilson Jr. is a candidate for 20 touches, though Marlon Mack was elevated from the practice squad on Tuesday.

The Broncos' offense appeared abysmal again in Week 2, and they may now be without Jerry Jeudy (chest), who left last week’s game in the first quarter. Jeudy’s absence allowed Courtland Sutton to rack up 11 targets, which he turned into a 7-122-0 receiving line. I’d expect Sutton to garner double-digit targets again in this one if Jeudy is unable to go.

It was Kendall Hinton and rookie Montrell Washington who filled in after Jeudy left the field, but these are not names you need to know for Reignmakers. At running back, the opportunity has been there for Javonte Williams, and he’s a top option given this game will be featured on a single-game Showdown slate. 

Best Buy: Courtland Sutton ($9, $50, $579, $2,888, $9,500)

Cowboys at Giants, Monday 8:15 PM ET

Despite the 2-0 start, the story of the season so far for the Giants has been turmoil at the wide receiver position. Kenny Golladay, who signed a 4-year, $72 million contract last offseason, was on the field for only two snaps on Sunday, and was nowhere to be found after the game. Karadius Toney, the No. 20 overall draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has also struggled to stay on the field due to a string of injuries and off-the-field issues. The talented young receiver has not yet exceeded a 40 percent snap share in either of the Giants’ first two games. This year’s second-round selection, Wan’Dale Robinson, also picked up a knee injury in Week 1 and his long-term prognosis is unknown. Instead, it has been David Sills and Richie James Jr. picking up the slack at wide receiver in the early going. Needless to say, this is an unsettled position group and a great place to take shots in a single game Showdown slate.

New head coach Brian Daboll has yet to turn Daniel Jones into the next Josh Allen (Daboll comes to New York from Buffalo), but Jones is a cheap quarterback on a Showdown slate this week. Saquon Barkley has been able to command a heavy workload through two weeks and has the highest upside in this game despite last week’s disappointing on-paper production. 

The Cowboys were able to shock the Bengals to improve their record to 1-1 in Cooper Rush’s first start of the season last week. Rush’s stat line was nothing special (235 passing yards, one touchdown), but it does look like CeeDee Lamb will remain a viable option with Rush, after Lamb commanded a massive 37 percent target share in Week 2 while piling up a 7-75-0 receiving line. When you add up rush attempts plus targets in Week 2, Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott tied with 13 opportunities apiece as Dallas finally seems more committed to Pollard’s involvement. Pollard answered the call with 98 total yards and a touchdown, and as long as the Cowboys remain depleted on offense, Pollard will remain in play. 

The Cowboys have a couple of injury situations to watch this week. Firstly, Michael Gallup (knee) has a chance to return to action in Week 3. His potential return would likely hurt Noah Brown – who has played more than 85 percent of team snaps over the first two weeks with a 20 percent target share. Dalton Schultz (knee) seems unlikely to play in Week 2, but team owner Jerry Jones is hopeful that Schultz avoided a long-term injury.

Best Buy: Michael Gallup *just be aware that he might not play this week: $3, $17, $145, $629, $3,500)

That's All!

Be sure to check our Lucky Trader’s Player Card Estimate and Contest EV tools throughout the week, then head over to the Reignmakers Marketplace to start building your teams!