Week 2 of the NFL season kicks off tonight with the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Philadelphia Eagles in NFC action. Two playoff teams a year ago squared off with some incredible skill position players to make the scoring threat alive and well.
I have already written a betting preview for this game that you can read by clicking here, but now it is time to set our fantasy lineups for the game. Which players should we be targeting, and which ones should we be avoiding?
Vikings vs. Eagles Start
D’Andre Swift: Despite only rushing one time for three yards last week, Swift should get the majority of the workload tonight. Starting running back Kenneth Gainwell is ruled out for tonight’s game, and this would be a great chance for him to go off. In two games against the Vikings last season, he had 13 carries for 52 yards as well as six receptions on eight targets but never found the end zone. Expect a good string of points here against an okay run defense that Minnesota has.
Justin Jefferson: Is this a given? Yes. However, making sure you have Justin Jefferson in your lineup is critical to success. Against Tampa, he recorded nine receptions for 150 yards and should see a huge target share throughout the game. With James Bradberry ruled out, this Eagles secondary is a little depleted, and Jefferson should dominate. People could be a little down on him, as he had six catches for 48 yards last year against this defense, but he should find the end zone.
TJ Hockenson: The best tight end in this game should play like that and dominate here. In Week 1, he finished with eight catches on nine targets for 35 yards. While the production is not what I want to see, the target share being around 20 percent is something that is eye-opening. In his last four games dating back to last season, Hockenson has 38 targets or 9.5 targets per game. Expect the fantasy points to flow in here.
Vikings vs. Eagles Sit
Alexander Mattison: The post-Dalvin Cook era did not get off to a great start as Mattison had 11 carries for 34 yards on the ground but made up for it with three catches for 10 yards and a touchdown. This Philly defensive front should dominate the trenches and stuff out the running game with their big bodies up front and not allow many positive runs throughout the game.
Dallas Goedert: The tight end can be a weird position in fantasy, and getting a good one is sometimes difficult. However, Goedert is not going to be that huge of a factor in tonight’s game, as he only had one target against the Patriots. Expect the Minnesota Vikings to keep him out of the game plan and for Hurts to focus more on his wide receivers in this game.
AJ Brown: The offensive game plan for Philly seems to be to get both wide receivers involved, but AJ Brown will have a tough game for his price point. This Vikings defense held Mike Evans to six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown, but I do not foresee Brown finding the end zone tonight. There are some other wide receivers to target, and I would leave Brown on the side here.
Photo courtesy of
Mike Rourke/hjnews.com
Vikings vs. Eagles Fade
Kirk Cousins: Cousins had himself a solid game in Week 1 as he finished 33-of-44 for 344 yards with two touchdowns, an interception, and a fumble. However, this Eagles defense has shown the ability to get to him as last year they held Cousins to 221 passing yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. I understand the thrill, but expect a bad game.
Vikings vs. Eagles Sleeper
Jordan Addison: With the focus being on Justin Jefferson, Addison should be able to get open and beat his defender. Again, with Bradberry ruled out, the secondary is going to have some difficulty matching up here, and he has proven to be a strong player. Addison finished his NFL debut with four catches on six targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. Expect the USC product to get the ball thrown in his direction more and show off his skills here.
For more content, follow me on Twitter @TalkVinTalk.
