Malik Nabers and CeeDee Lamb Have an All-Time Showdown
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will square off in a showdown that the Cowboys have dominated recently. The two foes are in for a year that seems disappointing after week one losses, but the two squads have one thing in common that could be extremely exciting for the fantasy football season. CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers are two alpha wide receivers and top-five at their position.
The two are both going against a depleted secondary, especially Nabers, where Dallas’ best corner, Daron Bland, seems to be trending towards not playing on Sunday. Nabers had a fine game against the Commanders, only pulling in 5 catches for 71 yards, but had an outstanding number of targets (12). I do not expect anything to change this week as the target numbers can continue against this poor Dallas secondary.
CeeDee Lamb had a great game, only diminished by the lengthy weather delay in the NFL kickoff game last Thursday. He was on fire in the first half, getting most of the targets more than five yards down the field and showcasing his run-after-catch ability. His success early on in the season should be the norm. He will show that in week two against a familiar opponent.
I could be wrong for a couple of reasons. One, it is just not that often that you get an all-time matchup. Two, I am worried that this game will disappoint. The two teams that these two studs reside in often find a way to disappoint. The only caveat to combat this is, the two players who shine when the team does not is Lamb and Nabers. I am very confident in this being a fun fantasy showdown (8/10).
Kenneth Walker III Will STAY A Scary Start Heading Into Week 3
As someone who is a big believer in Kenneth Walker III, this is a tough pill to swallow, but he did not look good at all against the San Francisco 49ers in week one. In fact, Zach Charbonnet, his perfect handcuff, had a much better game than Walker. He totaled 47 yards, relatively inefficiently, but on 12 carries, which is extremely concerning. Walker had only 10 carries and 20 yards. He did have 3 receptions. This split with Walker and Charbonnet on snaps is also concerning. Charbonnet with 30 and Walker with 21.
This could be a situation where Walker was not fully healthy coming out of camp, which could explain the opportunity disparity. Another reason is that sometimes we just get weird results in the first couple of weeks of NFL Football games. This was a divisional matchup that was muddied by both teams. I could see that being the issue as well, but this is something we should keep an eye out for heading into the rest of the season. Walker was drafted too high with too much opportunity to fall this hard, this fast.
I could be wrong because of Walker’s previous production and pedigree, but there is a chance that it can get ugly fast if these snap counts consistently stay the same. I am interested to see how this falls, and I am 50/50 on the week two result of this backfield. Charbonnet has the talent to be an RB1, but many Walker owners hope that he can be with another team (5/10)
TreVeyon Henderson GOES OFF; Takes Starting Role from Rhamondre Stevenson
TreVeyon Henderson had a rather disappointing rookie debut against the Raiders in week one. He was out snapped, but Rhamondre Stevenson 46 to 25, but did show signs of excitement. He caught six passes on Sunday for 24 yards. While he did not do much with those passes, the fact that Drake Maye was interested in getting him the ball through the air that many times in week one is a positive sign for things to come.
Henderson was pushed up the ADP boards significantly this pre-season. He was taken in the early 4th/ late 3rd in some places, and many bold managers are hoping this pick pays off. The Patriots are in a showdown against the perceived lowly Miami Dolphins in an AFC East showdown. The Dolphins were humiliated last week against the Colts. Jonathan Taylor had no issues getting any yards last week. His backup, DJ Giddens, did not have any issues as well.
If the Patriots give Henderson a more 50/50 split with Stevenson, I think that this could be a breakout week for Henderson and an exciting week for his managers. He has a path to take over that starting role. I akin the Patriots’ backfield to the 2024 Buccaneers background with the incumbent Rachaad White, and Bucky Irving waiting to strike. I am confident that Henderson will be the lead back in New England, and if he shines against the Dolphins, even in a limited workload, he will be the number one back in a few weeks, but I believe that it could happen as early as this week (6/10).
