This article is part of our NFL Game Previews series.
Washington (+6.5) at New Orleans, 52.5 o/u - Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
The Story: An early bye didn't do Washington any favors. In fact, it seems like the roster is more beat up now than it was heading into Week 3. Nonetheless, the current NFC East leaders got a lot of time to dissect film on one of the worst defenses in the league, giving Alex Smith a golden opportunity to make a splash in his new uniform. He'll need to come up big, because nothing has been able to slow down Drew Brees at home yet. The Saints are just a field goal shy of the Rams as the most potent offense in the conference, and that's only because Brees struggled outdoors in MetLife Stadium last week. Back under the roof in New Orleans, he'll have a go at a Washington secondary that actually sits third in QB rating allowed, but which might be without Josh Norman.
The Skinny:
-WAS injuries: RB Adrian Peterson (questionable, ankle0: WR Paul Richardson (questionable, shoulder); WR Josh Doctson (questionable, heel); CB Norman (questionable, hamstring)
-NO injuries: RB Alvin Kamara (questionable, knee); WR Ted Ginn (questionable, knee); WR Cameron Meredith (questionable, knee)
-WAS DFS chalk: Chris Thompson (NO 31st in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-NO DFS chalk: Kamara (WAS 23rd in YPC allowed)
-WAS DFS tournament plays: Smith (NO 31st in QB rating allowed), Richardson (30 percent share of team Air Yards, NO 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2, 32nd in DVOA against deep throws)
-NO DFS tournament plays: Meredith (WAS 24th in DVOA vs. WR3)
-Weather forecast: dome
The Scoop: Peterson manages only 60 yards but does score, while Thompson scurries for 100 combined yards and a receiving TD. Smith throws for 280 yards and a second touchdown to Richardson while also running in his first TD of the year. Kamara erupts for 160 combined yards and two scores. Brees throws for 330 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Meredith and Michael Thomas with Thomas topping 100 yards, while Marcus Williams also returns a Jordan Reed fumble to the house. Saints, 38-28
Tennessee at Buffalo (+3.5), 39.0 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: OK, this is getting ridiculous. The Titans have now won three consecutive games, and in all three I can't figure out how they pulled it off even in retrospect. Marcus Mariota threw for more yards against the Eagles than he had in his prior two games combined, and for a guy with a "bad" elbow, a 68.9 percent completion rate since he got hurt is pretty darn good. Having Corey Davis on the other end of his passes helps a great deal, of course. The question now is, after dispatching with three supposedly superior opponents - two division rivals and the third merely the defending champs - will they play down to the Bills' level? Josh Allen has a 2:4 TD:INT and an ominous 666 passing yards since taking over, but for the first time all year, LeSean McCoy isn't on the injury report. If their not-bad-at-all defense, which ranks in the top 10 in both yards per carry and yards per pass attempt against, isn't exhausted by the second half, this one could get interesting.
The Skinny:
-TEN injuries: LB Wesley Woodyard (out, shoulder)
-BUF injuries: TE Charles Clay (questionable, ankle); S Micah Hyde (questionable, groin)
-TEN DFS chalk: none
-BUF DFS chalk: none
-TEN DFS tournament plays: Derrick Henry (BUF 31st in rushing TDs allowed to RBs with five), Titans DST (tied for seventh in sacks)
-BUF DFS tournament plays: Kelvin Benjamin (TEN 30th in DVOA vs. WR1)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-60s, less than 10 mph wind, 5-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Dion Lewis leads the Titans backfield with 80 combined yards, while Henry adds 50 yards and a score. Mariota throws for 230 yards and rushes for 40 more, hitting Tajae Sharpe for a TD. McCoy piles up 80 combined yards. Allen throws for less than 200 yards but does hit Benjamin for a touchdown while running in one himself. Bills, 20-17
Atlanta (+3) at Pittsburgh, 57.5 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: In case you can't do the math, Vegas is pegging this one with a target score of 30-27, and it's a testament to how badly both these defenses have been playing that everyone's gut instinct is probably going to be to say "Whoa, that's low." The Falcons still haven't recovered from the double blow of losing Deion Jones and Keanu Neal, while it's becoming clear Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler is no Dick LeBeau. That makes both teams' top skill players the chalkiest chalk that ever scribbled on a blackboard this week, and given the volume both Matt Ryan (36.3 attempts per game) and Ben Roethlisberger (a staggering 46.5 attempts per game) have been lofting up, there could be more than enough targets to keep every mouth fed. Atlanta does get Devonta Freeman back as well, if for some strange reason they want to keep the ball on the ground.
The Skinny:
-ATL injuries: none
-PIT injuries: RB Le'Veon Bell (out, contract)
-ATL DFS chalk: Ryan (PIT 31st in TD passes allowed at 12), Calvin Ridley (PIT 20th in DVOA vs. WR2)
-PIT DFS chalk: Roethlisberger (ATL 24th in QB rating allowed), JuJu Smith-Schuster (ATL 27th in DVOA vs. WR2), James Conner (ATL 29th in YPC allowed)
-ATL DFS tournament plays: Austin Hooper (PIT 24th in DVOA vs. TE)
-PIT DFS tournament plays: Ryan Switzer (ATL 29th in DVOA vs. WR3)
-Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Freeman gets eased back in, picking up 50 combined yards while Tevin Coleman totes up 70. Ryan throws for 350 yards and three TDs, hitting Julio (finally!), Ridley and Hooper with Jones topping 100 yards. Conner breaks out with 140 combined yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Big Ben throws for 340 yards and two more scores, hitting JuJu and Antonio Brown (who also hauls in over 100 yards). Steelers, 34-27
Denver (+1) at N.Y. Jets, 42.5 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: It almost worked. The Broncos' secondary did its part last week, holding the Patrick Mahomes Invasion in check as much as possible - though there's only so much you can do against a QB capable of completing passes with his off hand for a first down while Von Miller drags him to the ground - and giving the offense a chance to steal a win, but then Case Keenum missed a wide-open Demaryius Thomas for a sure score and that was that. That's really been the story of Denver's season. The defense has been OK, the running game has shown a spark with both Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, and Keenum has sabotaged it with a 0:3 TD:INT over his last three games. Maybe it's time to see what 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch can ... oh, right, they kicked that guy to the curb. The Jets are 1-3, but it's a respectable 1-3, if there is such a thing. Jamal Adams has pushed the defense to another level, and despite Sam Darnold's growing pains the team is dead even in point differential. They're the kind of team that will end up losing plenty of games this season but could easily play playoff spoiler late in the year if Darnold or the running game can take a step forward, and shouldn't be a pushover in the short term on home turf against teams crossing the country to face them.
The Skinny:
-DEN injuries: none
-NYJ injuries: CB Trumaine Johnson (out, quad); S Marcus Maye (questionable, ankle)
-DEN DFS chalk: none
-NYJ DFS chalk: none
-DEN DFS tournament plays: none
-NYJ DFS tournament plays: Robby Anderson (seventh in NFL in Air Yards/target, DEN 24th in DVOA against deep throws)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 70s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Freeman leads the Broncos backfield with 70 yards, while Lindsay chips in 50. Keenum throws for 210 yards and finally finds the end zone, hitting Emmanuel Sanders for a score, but he gets picked off twice. Bilal Powell bangs out 70 combined yards, while Isaiah Crowell hits for a short TD. Darnold throws for 230 yards and connects with Anderson on a long touchdown. Jets, 23-13
Jacksonville (+3) at Kansas City, 49.0 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: On a slate that features a rematch of last year's NFC title game and plenty of heated rivalries being renewed, this is the week's marquee matchup, and a potential preview of this season's AFC final. The Jags have the stingiest defense in the league through four games, while "There's No Place Like" Mahomes - look at this, I'm reduced to Bermanisms to avoid calling him "Showtime" (gag) - has the Chiefs in the top spot in points scored, ahead of the Rams and Saints and nearly three TDs better than the second-place Bengals (wait, really?) in their conference. Something, as they say, has got to give. Even if the Jacksonville defense shuts down the phenom though, something a rainy day in KC could help it with, that doesn't guarantee the team a win. The offense hasn't looked good since the Patriots game, and while Leonard Fournette's inability to stay healthy is a big factor, Blake Bortles and the passing attack have also been hit and miss. If he can't get things going against the Chiefs' ramshackle secondary, the Jags could be facing bigger problems than Fournette's balky hamstring.
The Skinny:
-JAC injuries: RB Fournette (out, hamstring)
-KC injuries: WR Sammy Watkins (questionable, hamstring); S Eric Berry (doubtful, heel)
-JAC DFS chalk: T.J. Yeldon (KC 32nd in YPC allowed)
-KC DFS chalk: Travis Kelce (28 percent target share, JAC 17th in DVOA vs. TE)
-JAC DFS tournament plays: Corey Grant (KC 32nd in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-KC DFS tournament plays: Tyreek Hill (JAC 23rd in DVOA vs. WR1)
-Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-60s, less than 10 mph wind, 25-45 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Yeldon rips off 110 combined yards and a TD, while Grant surprises with 80 combined yards and a receiving score. Bortles throws for 260 yards and a second touchdown to Keelan Cole. Kareem Hunt manages 90 combined yards. Mahomes throws for 270 yards and two scores, hitting Kelce and Hill, and he engineers another late game-winning drive which Harrison Butker converts in the dying seconds. Chiefs, 23-21
Green Bay at Detroit (+1), 51.0 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: Don't look now, but Aaron Rodgers is inching closer to being 100 percent healthy. While he hasn't thrown for 300 yards yet this season, he's made do with a typically stellar 7:1 TD:INT, and he actually ran for more than 31 yards last week. He's also logging full practices again, and we all know what he likes to do in Detroit - his 8.2 career YPA against the Lions is actually his highest mark versus any of his NFC North rivals. On the other hand, even if he's fit as a fiddle, who the heck is he going to throw to? The Packers' top four targets are hurt, and while Jimmy Graham will probably suit up, there's much less optimism in the receiving corps. Maybe they can get Richard Rodgers back from the Eagles for the week. If finding reliable options for ARod's passes is an issue, though, they can always just keep the ball on the ground against the Lions' atrocious run defense, which is coughing up a league-high 157.8 yards a game. Detroit's own running game remains kind of silly, as everyone but coach Matt Patricia seems to realize he should be giving the ball to Kerryon Johnson more often. Matthew Stafford has also shaken off his Week 1 disaster nicely, posting his own 7:1 TD:INT over the last three games, and he usually holds his own statistically while futilely trying to keep up with Rodgers - for his career Stafford's averaging 298.1 passing yards a game against the Pack, even if it's only led to a 5-10 record.
The Skinny:
-GB injuries: WR Davante Adams (questionable, calf); WR Randall Cobb (out, hamstring); WR Geronimo Allison (questionable, concussion)
-DET injuries: WR Marvin Jones (questionable, ankle); DE Ezekiel Ansah (questionable, shoulder)
-GB DFS chalk: Graham (DET 27th in DVOA vs. TE)
-DET DFS chalk: none
-GB DFS tournament plays: Aaron Jones (DET 30th in YPC allowed), Ty Montgomery (DET 24th in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-DET DFS tournament plays: Jones (sixth in average Air Yards per target, GB 23rd in DVOA against deep throws, 19th in DVOA vs. WR2)
-Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score GB 25-21, average margin of victory 12 points
-Weather forecast: dome
The Scoop: Jones erupts for 100 rushing yards, but Jamaal Williams vultures a TD. Rodgers throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns to Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Johnson also has a big day, racking up 120 combined yards and a score. Stafford throws for 320 yards and TDs to Golden Tate and Jones. Lions, 30-27
Baltimore at Cleveland (+3), 47.0 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: The Ravens' defense may well prove to be the difference in the AFC North. While all four teams have put up points so far, only Baltimore is allowing fewer than 25 per game. In fact, they're tied for third in the NFL with the Bears at 16.3 points a game, and holding the Steelers to only two touchdowns last week might have been a more impressive feat than their near-shutout of the Bills back in Week 1. That's not to take anything away from what Joe Flacco's been doing, though. I'm not one to use the e-word lightly, but he's throwing for more yards per game than Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady, and has more touchdowns than Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers. As for the Browns, they may not be a whole lot better than they were, but they're at least a whole lot more exciting. Until they start winning games like the one that slipped through their fingers last week in Oakland, it's hard to consider them a true threat, but this being both a bitter rivalry game and Baker Mayfield's first home start, they might just ride that wave of emotion to an early lead - if not one they'll necessarily hang onto late.
The Skinny:
-BAL injuries: TE Hayden Hurst (questionable, foot); CB Brandon Carr (questionable, knee)
-CLE injuries: LB Christian Kirksey (questionable, illness)
-BAL DFS chalk: none
-CLE DFS chalk: none
-BAL DFS tournament plays: Javorius Allen (CLE 28th in passing game DVOA vs. RB), Ravens DST (CLE tied for third in sacks allowed)
-CLE DFS tournament plays: none
-Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 BAL, average score 24-17 BAL, average margin of victory nine points, BAL has won five straight meetings, and won the last three by an average of 17 points.
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 70s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Alex Collins gains 70 combined yards, while Allen catches a TD pass. Flacco throws for 260 yards and two more scores, hitting Michael Crabtree and John Brown. Carlos Hyde manages 50 yards and a TD, and Nick Chubb isn't a factor. Mayfield throws for 320 yards and touchdowns to Rashard Higgins and David Njoku, but also takes a safety. Ravens, 26-21
N.Y. Giants (+7) at Carolina, 44.5 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: Add Odell Beckham Jr. to the list of top wide receivers getting frustrated by their circumstances. While he's seeing a massive 30 percent target share, the majority of those looks are on underneath routes, bubble screens and other tosses close to the line - his 9.6 air yards per target is downright tight end-ish (in fact, he's tied with Tyler Eifert, just behind Will Dissly and just ahead of Trey Burton), and the Giants' entire offensive game plan seems to be "get the ball to Saquon Barley or OBJ as quickly as possible and let them do all the work." Given the state of their offensive line, of course, it's hard to blame them for scheming ways to avoid having Footsteps Falco ... sorry, I mean Edgy Eli hold onto the ball too long. The Panthers' defense has eight sacks through three games, but coming out of the bye and on home turf, Julius Peppers, Luke Kuechly and the gang should be loaded for bear. Christian McCaffrey should also be well-rested after his first taste of being a bell cow, and he might just be in line for a huge workload once again, given how soft the Giants' run defense has been to date.
The Skinny:
-NYG injuries: TE Evan Engram (out, knee); DE Olivier Vernon (out, ankle)
-CAR injuries: TE Greg Olsen (out, foot); LB Thomas Davis (out, suspension)
-NYG DFS chalk: none
-CAR DFS chalk: McCaffrey (NYG 26th in YPC allowed), Cam Newton (NYG 32nd in rushing yards allowed to QB)
-NYG DFS tournament plays: Beckham (see above, CAR 25th in DVOA against short throws)
-CAR DFS tournament plays: Devin Funchess (NYG 27th in DVOA vs. WR1), Panthers DST (NYG fifth in sacks allowed)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-80s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Barkley only manages 80 combined yards. Eli Manning throws for 240 yards and a TD to Beckham, getting sacked five times. McCaffrey rips off 130 combined yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Newton throws for 250 yards and a second score to Funchess while also running for 70 yards and a TD. Panthers, 31-10
Miami (+6.5) at Cincinnati, 49.5 o/u - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Story: I guess the '72 Dolphins don't have to worry after all. Miami got smoked by the resurgent Patriots last week, but it wasn't just New England's offense that was an issue. Ryan Tannehill crashed back to earth, and without a consistent running game - Kenyan Drake's career as a Dolphin seems to be going the way of Jay Ajayi's - Adam Gase's attack looked pretty toothless. The Bengals, meanwhile, just keep rolling along no matter who's taking the lead role in their backfield. Joe Mixon will swap back in for Giovani Bernard this week, though rookie Mark Walton could also get a chance to show what he can do with Mixon's conditioning in question after his layoff. Tyler Boyd's continued emergence also gives the Cincinnati passing game some life beyond A.J. Green. It's a good thing, too, as Tyler Eifert's already suffered his annual season-ending injury, and John Ross is in the shop for his 100-yard tuneup.
The Skinny:
-MIA injuries: WR DeVante Parker (questionable, quad); S Reshad Jones (questionable, shoulder); DE Cameron Wake (doubtful, knee)
-CIN injuries: RB Bernard (out, knee); TE Eifert (IR, ankle); WR Ross (out, groin)
-MIA DFS chalk: none
-CIN DFS chalk: none
-MIA DFS tournament plays: Kenny Stills (37 percent share of team Air Yards, CIN 21st in DVOA vs. WR1)
-CIN DFS tournament plays: Mixon (MIA 25th in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the mid-80s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Drake ekes out 50 yards. Tannehill throws for 270 yards and TDs to Stills and Kalen Ballage. Mixon looks fine in his return, piling up 90 combined yards and a score. Andy Dalton throws for 290 yards and two touchdowns to Boyd. Bengals, 30-20
Oakland (+5.5) at L.A. Chargers, 53.5 o/u - Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT
The Story: Derek Carr threw for four touchdown passes last week and is still underwater in his TD:INT, which tells you how erratic he's been for the Raiders. The Jon Gruden/Greg Olson offense does seem to suit him, though - Carr's 71 percent completion rate and 8.1 YPA would both be career highs if he can keep them up - so maybe the picks are just part of the adjustment phase. He'll need to keep airing it out given the way the defense is playing. Oakland's one of only four teams coughing up more than 30 points a game so far, and other than the Rams they haven't exactly faced elite offenses or QBs. They can't stop running backs at all, ranking 30th in YPC allowed and 31st in rushing yards allowed, which is probably bad news when facing a duo like Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.
The Skinny:
-OAK injuries: S Karl Joseph (out, hamstring)
-LAC injuries: DE Joey Bosa (out, foot); WR Travis Benjamin (out, foot)
-OAK DFS chalk: Carr (LAC 25th in QB rating allowed, 26th in TD passes allowed with 10), Amari Cooper (LAC 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
-LAC DFS chalk: Gordon (OAK tied for 26th in rushing TDs allowed with five)
-OAK DFS tournament plays: Martavis Bryant (LAC 23rd in DVOA vs. WR3, 29th in DVOA against deep throws)
-LAC DFS tournament plays: Mike Williams (OAK 31st in DVOA vs. WR3)
-Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 23-21 LAC, average margin of victory seven points. Only one of the last eight meetings has been decided by more than one score, last year's 30-10 victory by LAC.
-Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the mid-70s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Marshawn Lynch bulls his way for 70 yards. Carr throws for 350 yards and three TDs, hitting Cooper twice and Bryant once while Cooper and Jordy Nelson each top 100 yards, but he also gets picked off twice, one of which Derwin James returns for a score. Gordon piles up 130 combined yards and a touchdown while Ekeler adds 70 combined yards. Philip Rivers throws for 280 yards and two TDs, finding Mike Williams and Antonio Gates. Chargers, 34-24
Arizona (+4.5) at San Francisco, 41.0 o/u - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
The Story: Call this one the Tostitos Jury-Is-Still-Out Bowl. Neither Josh Rosen nor C.J. Beathard have exactly made clean transitions to their new starting jobs, with the rookie doing typically cautious rookie things and the Niner doing typically Shanahanian high-volume things, just with more INTs. The most important thing Rosen has done is sparked some life into David Johnson, who hit for more than 100 scrimmage yards last week for the first time all season. George Kittle was the biggest beneficiary of his new/old QB (they played together at Iowa), a pattern that's likely to continue given San Francisco's collection of wideouts. The real question in this one is whether Rosen gets a chance to air it out. The Niners' secondary has been atrocious, and their 11:1 TD:INT against is among the worst in the league (only the Bucs' 13:1 ratio is worse).
The Skinny:
-ARI injuries: WR Larry Fitzgerald (questionable, hamstring); DE Markus Golden (questionable, knee)
-SF injuries: RB Matt Breida (questionable, shoulder); WR Marquise Goodwin (questionable, hamstring); CB Richard Sherman (questionable, calf)
-ARI DFS chalk: none
-SF DFS chalk: Kittle (ARI 23rd in DVOA vs. TE)
-ARI DFS tournament plays: Rosen (see above), Ricky Seals-Jones (SF tied for 31st in TDs allowed to TEs with four)
-SF DFS tournament plays: none
-Head-to-head record, last five years: 7-3 ARI, average score 24-18, average margin of victory 10 points. ARI has won six straight meetings.
-Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the high 70s, 14 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Johnson rips off 130 combined yards and a TD. Rosen throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns, hitting RSJ and Christian Kirk for his first career NFL score. Alfred Morris leads the Niners backfield with 50 yards. Beathard throws for 260 yards and TDs to Kittle and Pierre Garcon. Cardinals, 24-20
Minnesota (+3) at Philadelphia, 45.0 o/u - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
The Story: One of the big mysteries of the first quarter of the season has been the collapse of the Vikings' defense. One of the most feared units in the league last year has been leaking like a sieve in 2018, sitting 26th in QB rating allowed, 28th in third-down efficiency, and in the red in takeover differential. Sure, they've had some injuries, but they weren't playing well before guys started getting hurt, and they don't even have the excuse of a tough schedule (coughBillscough). That probably bodes well for Kirk Cousins' numbers - he's thrown for 400 yards in a game twice already trying to climb out of the holes the defense is digging - but not for their place in the NFC North standings. The defending champs aren't doing much better at 2-2 following last week's stunning loss to the Titans, but Carson Wentz looks a little better each time out, and it seems only a matter of time before everything starts clicking again.
The Skinny:
-MIN injuries: RB Dalvin Cook (questionable, hamstring); DE Everson Griffen (out, knee/personal); CB Trae Waynes (out, concussion)
-PHI injuries: RB Corey Clement (questionable, quad); RB Darren Sproles (out, hamstring); DE Derek Barnett (out, shoulder)
-MIN DFS chalk: Stefon Diggs (PHI 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)
-PHI DFS chalk: Zach Ertz (MIN 28th in DVOA vs. TE)
-MIN DFS tournament plays: none
-PHI DFS tournament plays: Nelson Agholor (MIN 26th in DVOA vs. WR2)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Cook plays, but Latavius Murray leads the Vikings backfield with 50 combined yards. Cousins throws for 310 yards and TDs to Diggs and Laquon Treadwell. Jay Ajayi runs for 80 yards and a score. Wentz throws for 330 yards and three touchdowns, finding Alshon Jeffery, Agholor and Ertz, with the tight end topping 100 yards. Eagles, 31-23
L.A. Rams at Seattle (+7), 50.5 o/u - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
The Story: The worst showing so far this season for Jared Goff and the Rams' offense came back in Week 1, when the Raiders "held" them to 33 points. That's pretty good. The most striking thing about their explosive start is how balanced it's been. Todd Gurley's found the end zone in every game this season. Brandin Cooks has hauled in a minimum of 87 yards every week, while Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp have three TDs apiece in the last two contests. In fact, the only real dud performance from the bunch was Woods' 37-yard clunker in the opener. You'd think they'd be set up for another fireworks display in Seattle after the last remnant of the Legion of Boom got bitterly carted off the field last week, but hang on. The Seahawks' defense has actually been fairly stingy this year, with or without Earl Thomas, though it hasn't faced a decent offense yet. The revolving door in the Seattle backfield has been a head-scratcher, especially since first-round pick Rashaad Penny keeps getting told to use the service entrance around back, but with Doug Baldwin healthy-ish again, there's still plenty of time for everything to gel around Russell Wilson. A cold, rainy day in the Pacific Northwest could also play 13th man and help put a damper on that Rams offensive furnace.
The Skinny:
-LAR injuries: LB Mark Barron (questionable, ankle); K Greg Zuerlein (out, groin)
-SEA injuries: TE Will Dissly (IR, knee); LB K.J. Wright (out, knee); LB Mychal Kendricks (out, insider trading... wait, what?)
-LAR DFS chalk: Gurley (SEA 25th in YPC allowed, 21st in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-SEA DFS chalk: none
-LAR DFS tournament plays: Woods (SEA 24th in DVOA vs. WR2)
-SEA DFS tournament plays: Chris Carson (LAR 24th in YPC allowed)
-Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 19-17 SEA, average margin of victory 12 points. LAR are 4-0 in meetings where the two teams combine for 40 points or more.
-Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the low 50s, less than 10 mph wind, 70-80 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Gurley racks up 150 combined yards and two TDs. Goff throws for 250 yards and one touchdown to Woods. Carson leads the 'Hawks backfield with 70 yards and a score. Wilson throws for 260 yards and TDs to Baldwin and Brandon Marshall. Rams, 24-21
Dallas (+3) at Houston, 45.5 o/u - Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
The Story: Oh hey, look, Dak Prescott can throw the ball more than 10 yards! Who knew? The Dallas QB has more completions of 20-plus yards last week than in his prior three games combined, and his 9.4 YPA was a whopping three yards better than his previous best 2018 performance. Don't get too excited, as that still only added up to 27 attempts and 255 yards - this is Ezekiel Elliott's offense, and Prescott's only along for the ride. That ride could get bumpy in Houston, as the Texans are fourth in YPC allowed and should only get better with J.J. Watt rounding into form. The Cowboys need Zeke to come through and keep Deshaun Watson off the field, though, because if their passing game has to try and keep up ... well, it can't. A half-dozen or so Allen Hurnses or Cole Beasleys doesn't add up to one Will Fuller, much less one DeAndre Hopkins.
The Skinny:
-DAL injuries: LB Sean Lee (out, hamstring)
-HOU injuries: WR Fuller (questionable, hamstring); RB Lamar Miller (questionable, chest); WR Keke Coutee (questionable, hamstring)
-DAL DFS chalk: none
-HOU DFS chalk: Hopkins (DAL 20th in DVOA vs. WR1)
-DAL DFS tournament plays: Geoff Swaim (HOU 32nd in DVOA vs. TE)
-HOU DFS tournament plays: Coutee (DAL 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 70s, 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Elliott grinds out 80 combined yards and a score. Prescott throws for 220 yards and a TD to Swaim. Miller starts but manages only 40 yards, while Alfred Blue vultures a touchdown. Watson throws for 330 yards and three TDs, hitting Hopkins twice and Sammie Coates once. Texans, 31-17
Indianapolis (+10.5) at New England, 51.5 o/u - Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
The Story: This one is setting up rather poorly for the Colts. Playing on a short week is bad enough. Playing on a short week, coming off a somewhat soul-crushing overtime loss and potentially being without their one stalwart offensive force in T.Y. Hilton against Tom Brady and a Patriots attack that just did its annual Undertaker zombie sit-up is a recipe for disaster. Nyheim Hines gave Andrew Luck a surprisingly effective option on short throws against the Texans, but that doesn't seem like anywhere near enough firepower to keep pace considering Julian Edelman will be back, and Josh Gordon is starting to look comfortable in his new surroundings.
The Skinny:
-IND injuries: WR Hilton (questionable, chest/hamstring); RB Marlon Mack (questionable, hamstring); TE Jack Doyle (out, hip); K Adam Vinatieri (questionable, groin)
-NE injuries: TE Rob Gronkowski (questionable, ankle); WR Josh Gordon (questionable, hamstring)
-IND DFS chalk: none
-NE DFS chalk: Edelman (IND 26th in DVOA vs. WR1)
-IND DFS tournament plays: Hines (NE 27th in passing game DVOA vs. RB)
-NE DFS tournament plays: Gordon (IND 28th in DVOA vs. WR2)
-Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-60s, less than 10 mph wind, 5-15 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Hines leads the Colts backfield with 80 yards and another receiving score. Luck throws for 250 yards and a second TD to Chester Rogers. Sony Michel runs for 60 yards and a touchdown, while James White adds 70 combined yards. Brady throws for 280 yards and two scores, hitting Edelman and Gordon, while he also adds a one-yard TD on a QB sneak. Patriots, 31-17
Last week's record: 10-5, 5-7-3 ATS, 7-8 o/u
2018 regular-season record: 37-24-2, 26-32-5 ATS, 27-36 o/u
2017 regular-season record: 164-92, 111-131-14 ATS, 114-138-4 o/u
2016 regular-season record: 155-99-2, 110-136-10 ATS, 139-112-5 o/u
2015 regular-season record: 157-99, 137-111-8 ATS
