In Week 3, the AFC East let us down with a non-competitive drubbing. This week, things have more potential with the Dallas Cowboys traveling to New Jersey to face the Giants. Hopefully, the second week in a row in this venue has more scoring. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 4 looks at all the fantasy-relevant players to forecast the game.

It’s always entertaining to watch these two NFC East rivals square off. The Cowboys are reeling after dropping two straight home games. Conversely, they had won their previous 17 at AT&T Stadium. Therefore, they’re probably welcoming a change of scenery. And a game against a foe they’ve defeated in 11 of their last 12 matchups.

Conversely, the Giants are coming off of an upset win in Cleveland. New York’s offense has been more competent after their opener. With some momentum, they’re trying to get to 500 while simultaneously delivering a knockout punch to their hated rivals.

This game opened with Dallas favored by four. However, the line quickly jumped up to Dallas -6. The total stands at 45, up a meager half-point from its opening total.

Matchup 

The Dallas offensive ranks look good on paper. However, a big chunk of that production came in futile comeback attempts in their past two losses. The lack of balance and inability to run the ball has hurt the Cowboys.

Additionally, the Dallas defense has crumbled.

The Cowboys currently rank 28th in overall defense and have allowed the third-most points. Dallas ranks dead last against the run and has allowed 28-plus points in every game.

New York is surrendering 318 yards of offense per game, which is middle of the pack. However, only three teams have scored fewer points. Look for the Giants to try to slow things down and exploit that struggling defense.

On defense, the Giants rank 13th against the pass. They’re worst against the run (23rd) but don’t expect Dallas to be able to exploit that.

The real question here is can the Cowboys stop the bleeding to cool off Mike McCarthy’s hot seat?

Dallas Offense 

Dak Prescott leads the league with 851 passing yards. However, touchdowns have been hard to come by. Prescott has only thrown…

How will Thursday’s Cowboys vs. Giants game go?

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Tampa Bay entered the 2023 season with the fifth-lowest Super Bowl odds. However, Todd Bowles coached the Buccaneers to their second-consecutive NFC South title and an upset win in the playoffs in Philadelphia. After re-signing Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, the Bucs are running it back in 2024, which is great news for fantasy football fans.

Mayfield set career-high numbers in every notable passing category under the tutelage of Dave Canales. Canales parlayed that into a gig leading the division-rival Panthers. In his place, Bowles hired Liam Cohen from Kentucky. The change of play-callers is a major concern for Mayfield.

Another issue is relying on a player who posts career-best numbers in a contract year. Mayfield progressively got worse in his first five seasons before exploding in 2023. Rather than expecting a repeat of his QB11 finish, fantasy managers should view Mayfield as merely a modest QB2 to target in Superflex formats.

RB Rachaad White thrived in his second season. White posted overall RB4 numbers thanks to his receiving prowess. He ranked fourth among all running backs with 64 grabs and produced double-digit fantasy points in 15-of-19 games. The Bucs added Oregon RB Bucky Irving in the fourth round, which makes White’s volume share less certain.

Retaining Mike Evans was hugely important for Tampa. Evans (31 in August) posted his 10th-straight campaign with 1,000-plus receiving yards. His 13 touchdown grabs also tied for the league lead. Entering his 11th NFL season, Evans remains a consistent producer with an excellent rapport with his quarterback. View the veteran wideout as an excellent fantasy option in the third or fourth round.

Chris Godwin gave Tampa a pair of top-20 fantasy wide receivers. Godwin has topped 125 targets and 1,000 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons. Yet, the 28-year-old veteran continues to be overlooked on draft day. He should once again bring a positive return on investment in 2024.

Trey Palmer hauled in 39-of-68 targets during his rookie year but will have to compete with talented third-round rookie wideout Jalen McMillan for WR3 duties. 55.4% of Palmer’s 2023 routes came from the slot, an area that McMillian is projected to play.

Cade Otton led all tight ends with a massive 96.5% snap share. However, he ranked 21st with a 12.2% target share and scored fewer than 10 PPR points in Tampa’s final nine regular-season games. Unless Cohen makes drastic changes to Tampa’s offensive philosophy, Otton is merely a low-upside fantasy TE2.

There are a lot of questions about Tampa’s ability to carry over their surprising success from last season. However, the Bucs boast a pair of solid wideouts and a young running back worth prioritizing in the early rounds.

Quarterbacks

QB BAKER MAYFIELD – BYE WEEK FILL-IN

Everything clicked for Mayfield in Tampa, resulting in his finest pro season and a lucrative new $100 million contract. Tampa also re-signed Mike Evans, which does well for the club’s 2024 prospects. However, Dave Canales is now in Carolina, which leaves the Bucs’ offense in the hands of a first-time offensive coordinator. Even in his career-rejuvenating 2023 showing, Mayfield only ranked 18th in fantasy points per game. The Browns, Panthers, and Rams have all let Mayfield walk and he was never the top choice for the Bucs. Last season was a good story but it would not be a surprise to see Mayfield regress. ADVICE: Likely to be overdrafted QB2…

Breece Hall (43.10 fantasy points) turned in a beast game in Week 16, giving him the top ranking. Christian McCaffrey (25.10) and Jahmyr Gibbs (25.00) finished second and third in running back scoring. Only three other backs scored more than 20.00 fantasy points. Here are the top five running backs by scoring average after 16 weeks:

• Christian McCaffrey (25.35)
• Raheem Mostert (17.91)
• Rashaad White (16.47)
• Travis Etienne (16.19)
• Breece Hall (15.59)

Also, check out FullTime Fantasy‘s Week 17 DFS QB Report.

Elite Option

Christian McCaffrey, SF (DK – $9,600/FD – $11,000)

The 49ers had McCaffrey on the field for all of their plays last week, leading to his eighth consecutive game with more than 100 combined yards. He has a touchdown in 13 of his 15 starts with a combined 21 scores. His two impact games (48.70 and 41.70) came against the Cardinals. McCaffrey has a floor of 20.00 fantasy points in eight other matchups. He is on pace to gain 2,190 combined yards with 24 touchdowns and 71 catches on 364 touches.

Washington fell to 29th in running back defense (26.13 FPPG) after allowing more than 28.00 fantasy points to backs in their last eight games. The Jets and Breece Hall drilled the Commanders for 242 combined yards with two touchdowns and 12 catches. Running backs have 16 touchdowns with success in the passing game (82/587/5).

McCaffrey has an excellent matchup, with a high floor in fantasy points. The 49ers should score at will in this game, but they could give their star running back some snaps off if Washington doesn’t put up a fight on the scoreboard. 

Second-Tier Options

WHO ELSE DOES SHAWN THINK ARE MUST-PLAY OPTIONS THIS WEEK?…

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Christian McCaffrey (41.70) led Week 15 in fantasy scoring, giving him 100.40 fantasy points in his two games vs. the Cardinals. James Cooks (36.10) posted the runner-up scores, followed by Kyren Williams (26.80). Six other running backs scored between 20.00 and 25.00 fantasy points in PPR scoring. Here are the top five backs by scoring average after 15 weeks:

• Christian McCaffrey (25.36)
• Raheem Mostert (18.34)
• Travis Etienne (16.91)
• Rachaad White (16.24)
• Alvin Kamara (15.62)

Also, check out FullTime Fantasy‘s Week 16 DFS QB Report.

Top Tier Options

Rachaad White, TB (DK – $7,400/FD – $7,700)

White comes into this week as the highest-priced running back due to the highest options not playing on the main slate on Sunday. He scored seven touchdowns over the past seven games, gaining 765 yards with 21 catches (20.79 FPPG in DraftKings scoring). White averaged 21.57 touches over this span. His only game with more than 20.00 fantasy points at home came in Week 2 (21.30).

The Jaguars slipped to 17th in running back defense (23.16 FPPG), with three teams scoring more than 30.00 fantasy points. Over the past six weeks, they allowed seven touchdowns to rushers with fading value defending the run (168/816 – 4.9 yards per carry). Running backs have 94 catches for 654 yards and one score on 115 targets.

The Bucs’ offense played better over the past two weeks (nine touchdowns and four field goals over 21 possessions) while playing six of their last eight games on the road. White comes off back-to-back 20+ fantasy points game while trending much higher in the run game over his previous four matchups (15/100, 20/84/1, 25/102, and 21/89 – 4.6 yards per rush). He has a solid floor and an untapped ceiling. The SHARPS will ride this BAMF to the winner circle in Week 16.

Bijan Robinson, ATL (DK – $6,500/FD – $7,100)

In the most crucial week in the season-long games in the high-stakes market, Robinson gave his fantasy supporters…

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The running back position remains inconsistent from week to week in all markets. Ezekiel Elliott seized his starting opportunity to lead the NFL in scoring (27.00 fantasy points) in Week 14. Breece Hall (26.60) took home the silver medal, followed by James Cook (25.10) and Saquon Barkley (24.10). All four players ranked outside the top 10 at running back before last week. Here are the top five running backs by scoring average after 14 weeks:

• Christian McCaffrey (24.11)
• Raheem Mostert (18.34)
• Travis Etienne (17.45)
• Rachaad White (15.80)
• Alvin Kamara (15.59)

Also, check out FullTime Fantasy‘s Week 15 DFS QB Report.

Elite Option

Christian McCaffrey, SF (DK – $9,300/FD – $10,500)

Last week, McCaffrey busted a 72-yard run on the 49ers’ first play. Unfortunately, San Francisco gave him the next play off, leading to Jordan Mason sniping the touchdown on the next play. He finished with a productive day in yards (153) but only one catch and no scores. His streak of scoring at least 20.00 fantasy points ended at six games. The 49ers had him on the field for 89% of their plays. McCaffrey’s best outing came in Week 4 (20/106/3 with seven catches for 71 yards and one touchdown) against the Cardinals. After 13 games, he has 17 touchdowns.

Arizona ranks 31st in running back defense (27.93 FPPG), with two disaster showings (SF – 53.70 and LAR – 52.70 fantasy points). Backs scored 18 touchdowns, with some success catching the ball (61/382/6). Four teams rushed for more than 175 yards. Opponents average 31.4 rushes per game while gaining 4.4 yards per carry.

The scoring in the 49ers is all about the cycle of their four best players. McCaffrey has an elite opportunity in snaps and touches, and this matchup points to multiple touchdowns. He looks poised to score 30+ fantasy points while being challenging to fit into a winning lineup.

Top Tier Options

Kyren Williams, LAR (DK – $7,500/FD – $9,600)

Since returning from the injured list, Williams has been a beast in the Rams’ offense. Los Angeles had him on the field for 90%…

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2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Kyle Trask

The Bucs added their possible future quarterback in the second round in 2021. He brings an NFL arm with an excellent rhythm in his passes. His weakness comes in his pocket presence and reads at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary. Trask lacked the intangibles needed to start in the NFL early in his career. A couple of years of holding a clipboard behind Tom Brady should treat him well and possibly fill in the missing links to his game.

In his final year at Florida, Trask passed for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns with minimal value on the ground (64/50/3). He finished his college career with strength in his completion rate (67.9) and yards per pass attempt (9.1).

The Buccaneers have him 10 snaps in 2022 (3-for-9 with 23 yards).

Fantasy Outlook: I don’t expect Trask to get drafted in many formats in July and August, but he may offer QB2 value early in the year if Tampa gives him the starting job. His ceiling is unknown, while Baker Mayfield has five years of mediocrity on his resume. I’ll have Trask as the winning quarterback in this offense.

Baker Mayfield

Health clearly efforted the throwing ability of Mayfield in 2021. Despite his issues, he hasn’t been a winning quarterback (29-30) over his four seasons with Cleveland. His completion rate (61.6) came in well below his college career (68.5) while falling to be a difference-maker in touchdowns (92 over 60 games). Mayfield tossed three touchdowns or more in nine of his 59 starts – none over his late 18 games with the Browns). After 2021, Mayfield had surgery on his left shoulder in January to repair a torn labrum. 

The switch to Carolina didn’t go well for Mayfield. Over his first five starts, he passed for 962 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions with a dismal completion rate (54.9). An ankle injury in mid-October led to two missed games. The Panthers had him on the field for two more matchups (155/2 and 196/0) over the next month before releasing him.

With Matthew Stafford out for the season, the Rams gave Mayfield five starts to end the year. Unfortunately, he made minimal strides (82-for-129 for 850 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions). Mayfield gained a career-low 6.5 yards per pass attempt on the year with 31 rushes for 89 yards and one touchdown. His value in the run game (189/660/6) has been minimal in his career.

Fantasy Outlook: Tampa has two veteran wideouts (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) with a serviceable WR3 and tight end. Their offensive line has plenty of questions, and Mayfield won’t get the ball out as quickly as Tom Brady. The Bucs will let their quarterback battle play out over the summer. Either way, I don’t see a winning fantasy play by this below-par NFL quarterback. Tampa should start its rebuilding process by giving Kyle Trask the starting gig.

Other Options: John Wolford

— Running Backs —

The Buccaneers’ offensive failure last year is highlighted by their running backs gaining only 3.7 yards per rush (4.6 in 2021 and 4.5 in 2020). Their backs gained short yards per catch (6.4, 6.4, and 6.5) in all three years, with Tom Brady behind center. In addition, Tampa’s backs scored 13 fewer touchdowns last season than in 2021 (22). On the positive side, their poor pass blocking led to Brady using his running backs more in the passing game (128/831/5) last year. They finished with 2,142 combined yards, nine touchdowns, and 128 catches (23.31 FPPG in PPR formats).

Rachaad White

After a limited role in 2020 in college (571 combined yards with six catches and eight catches on 50 touches), White flashed three-down ability (182/1,006/15 with 43 catches for 456 yards and one touchdown) the following year. He gained 5.5 yards per rush and 10.6 yards per catch.

Other than some concern with his pass protection, White brings an exciting three-down skill set. He runs with eyes up with a combination of patience and shimmy, helping him create space at the first level of defenses. When given daylight, White has enough speed to make big plays. He sells his routes well with plus hands.

In his rookie season, Tampa gave White 179 touches over 17 games, but he struggled to make big plays (3.7 yards per rush and 5.8 yards per catch). White finished with 771 combined yards with three touchdowns and 50 catches, ranking him 35th in running back scoring (142.10) in PPR leagues. From Week 10 through the first week of the postseason (9 games), he scored double-digit fantasy points in six matchups (10.50, 19.90, 17.90, 11.70, 15.30, and 11.70). 

Fantasy Outlook: With Leonard Fournette no longer on the roster, White projects as the Buccaneers starting running back. On the downside, they’ll have a downgrade in quarterback and throw the ball 200 times less than in 2022 (751). I’m not a fan of Tampa’s offensive line, but he should be a better player this year. White ranked 24th in late June at the running back position in the high-stakes market. My early thought is 1,150 combined yards with four to six touchdowns and 50 catches…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BUCCANEERS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

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