Guru’s Fantastic Five, Week 3
QB: KYLER MURRAY, ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
There’s no quarterback more fun to watch right now than Kyler Murray. And that fun, to the fortune of his fantasy owners, carries over to video game-worthy stats; 740 total yards and nine touchdowns. Murray is a genuine dual threat, having led the Cardinals to 72 touchdowns in two games. As if that weren’t enough, this Sunday they face a Jacksonville Jaguars outfit that looks like the worst team in the NFL. Rondale Moore and Christian Kirk are starting to become more integral parts of this offense, and are looking like great secondary options to DeAndre Hopkins. This is the same Jaguars defense that made Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater look like the reincarnations of John Elway and Joe Montana. In other words, there’s a dream matchup on the horizon for Murray.
RB: AUSTIN EKELER, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (vs. Kansas City Chiefs).
Ekeler quickly became a favorite of fantasy owners this offseason when he said he would give away jerseys of his to owners who pick him on their team. It’s funny that despite the enormous talent that Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has, the Los Angeles Rams have barely managed to score 37 points in two games. As far as Ekeler is concerned, he is particularly useful in leagues that award points per reception. While he has 172 total yards in these first two games, he already has nine receptions and is an integral part of the Chargers’ aerial attack. This week, however, he’ll likely do the bulk of his damage on the ground, considering no defense in the NFL has allowed more yards on the ground than the Chiefs so far.
WR: COOPER KUPP, LOS ANGELES RAMS (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Cooper Kupp hung out with Matthew Stafford at the Rams’ facility every day for an hour before his teammates’ arrival. The idea is to improve communication and talk about the routes each is comfortable running. After two weeks, the chemistry between the two is evident. The Buccaneers have allowed the second most points to opposing receivers this season, and have injuries in the secondary. Kupp gets more separation than any other receiver this year, and is slowly joining the cream at the position. Kupp has 16 receptions for 271 yards with three touchdowns, and is almost a guarantee week in and week out.
TE: MARK ANDREWS, BALTIMORE RAVENS (vs. Detroit Lions).
On paper, it hasn’t been the best start for Andrews by his standards. As usual, the Ravens offense relies on the ground attack, and in fact, leads the NFL, with over 200 yards on the ground per game. For that reason, the Lions, whose defense has allowed 86 points in two games, will populate the box to try to get Lamar Jackson to hurt them through the air. When that happens, the middle of the field will be open for Mark Andrews to have his best game of the season. The Lions have allowed 130 yards to opposing tight ends in the first two games, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Andrews reaches that number on his own this Sunday.
DEF: DENVER BRONCOS (vs. New York Jets).
While it’s true that the Broncos lost Bradley Chubb for the next seven to eight weeks, Denver’s defense still has tons of talent. Add to that the fact that they will be facing rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who is coming off of throwing four interceptions and making several questionable decisions against the Patriots, and the Broncos are number one. Like Bill Belichick, Vic Fangio is an expert when it comes to manhandling rookie quarterbacks. The Broncos have allowed 26 total points and generated three turnovers in the first two games; that positive trend should continue this Sunday.
