Thursday September 24, 2015
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants

So it begins with the bad teams playing on Thursday night. The good news is, at least it’s division rivals and the division is wide open. The NFC East may be winnable with a 7-9 record. Nonetheless, at least this game may have some long-term ramifications. There are some fantasy relevant players in this game as well. Especially if these defenses are as bad as most people believe they will be.

Washington Redskins: Key Players

QB Kirk Cousins
Even with a good matchup, Cousins still isn’t a good quarterback. He’s too mistake prone and lacks consistency. He played well last week, much better than he played Week 1. His history has shown that this doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll continue to improve. Last year he came out against Philly and completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 427 yards and three touchdowns. The following week he played these same Giants on Thursday night September 25 and threw four interceptions to only one TD. Don’t trust this guy.
Verdict: Sit Cousins. Because he’s not very good.

RB Alfred Morris
Morris seems to be losing ground rapidly to rookie Matt Jones. He only out-touched Jones 20 to 19. Jones was the much more impressive and explosive of the backs. Jones averaged 6.5 YPC to Morris’s 3.3. Alf is becoming a very risky play, especially if the Redskins don’t have a lead, which they may not have often this season.
Verdict: Sit Morris. It’s hard to have faith that he will continue to see feature-back touches. He may very well be out-snapped by Jones if the Redskins fall behind.

WR Pierre Garcon
Garcon is seeing plenty of targets with DeSean Jackson out. He’s already caught 12 passes this season, which is much better than his production last season. He is the clear-cut WR1 in Washington this week and until D-Jax is back.
Verdict: Start Garcon. I like him as a WR3 this week, especially in PPR leagues. He should continue to see targets and catch passes. Get the Haitian Sensation in your lineup this week.

TE Jordan Reed
No one has benefited more from D-Jax absence than Reed. He’s been great so far this season and leads the team with 17 targets. He’s caught 13 of those targets for 145 yard and a TD. He has been everything fantasy owners thought he could be if he stayed healthy.
Verdict: Start Reed. He’s been excellent so far. If you have him, start him. Odds are he isn’t going to last long. Reed is very talented but is equally fragile.

New York Giants: Key Players

QB Eli Manning
Manning isn’t the picture of consistency himself, but he’s proven he can be a fantasy asset. This is the week the Giants’ offense really takes off at home against a Redskins defense that is short on talent. Look for Shane Vereen and Odell Beckham to really start cementing themselves into the offense as standout contributors this year.
Verdict: Start Manning. This is a good matchup for a quarterback surrounded by a lot of talent. Get him in your lineup this week. He should outperform projections.

RB Shane Vereen
Vereen is going to be a PPR monster this season. After a slow start Week 1, he caught eight passes for 76 yards Week 2. He also rushed six times for 19 yards. Expect reception totals like this on a regular basis this season.
Verdict: Start Vereen. He is an excellent flex option in PPR leagues. Look for him to see in the area of double-digit targets again this week.

WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham is an elite WR1 and there is no reason to believe he won’t perform as such on TNF. He wasn’t great Week 1 but really picked things up in the first half of Week 2. OBJ should dominate a shaky Redskins secondary. There is also some word that he should be playing out of the slot more on Thursday, which could create further mismatches.
Verdict: Start Beckham. He’s an elite option and you should start him every week.

TE Larry Donnell
Donnell is kind of a TD or bust guy. He doesn’t pile up yards but can be plugged in as a desperation play if necessary. Especially with all the injuries to tight ends.
Verdict: Sit Donnell. You can start him if you have to but otherwise leave him on your bench. He’s not a top-12 option, but he may be your best option.

Final Score
Washington: 17
New York: 31

Best Play
Redskins: Jordan Reed
Giants: Odell Beckham Jr.

Sleeper

Matt Jones