MOVES GLOSSARY

Hey, Movers!

The first weekly Starts writeup of the season is here!

As always, here are some of the terms you need to know for today’s writeup:

Implied Team Total - projected point totals for each team based on NFL odds, per Eat, Drink, and Sleep Football

Opponent FP/G Allowed - opponent fantasy points per game allowed to the position, per FantasyPoints and FantasyPros

% Rostered - Percentage of Yahoo leagues player is rostered in. I’m covering players rostered in 95% or fewer of Yahoo leagues, basically leaving out the weekly matchup-proof roster locks such as Josh Allen, Gibbs, Puka, Bowers, etc. Some of the players covered here will be obvious starts, while some will only be applicable to those who desperately need to fill a roster spot.

Note: I’ve watched every play in every game for each player I wrote about below. While I’m a data nerd at heart, I’ve found that watching the film allows me to pick up on certain sequences, momentum, and honestly, vibes, that the data can’t capture. This helps to provide a complete picture of a player’s performance rather than simply leaning on box score or even advanced stats alone.

All data in this post comes from FantasyPoints Data unless otherwise noted.

QUARTERBACKS

QUARTERBACKS
Starts

Caleb Williams (94% rostered) vs. Falcons: 13th-best matchup for QBs, 5th-highest implied team total. Sounds like he’s likely going to play, you’re obviously starting him.

Jordan Love (82% rostered) vs. Cowboys: 6th-best matchup for QBs, 4th-highest implied team total. Packers deep passing game started clicking last week, that should continue here in a plus matchup.

Tyler Shough (80% rostered) vs. Giants: 9th-best matchup for QBs, 11th-highest implied team total. Shake off last week, Minnesota is the toughest matchup in the league for QBs. Think that was the problem moreso than Shough’s non-throwing hand injury - I’m not really concerned about that.

HAIL MARY: Kirk Cousins (41% rostered) vs. Bills: 3rd-best matchup for QBs, 10th-highest implied team total. Mendoza got some snaps last week with the game out of hand, but this is still Cousins’ job for now.

RUNNING BACKS

RUNNING BACKS
Starts

Tony Pollard (89% rostered) vs. Colts: 5th-best matchup for RBs, 3rd-lowest implied team total. This offense is gross, but the matchup is worth rolling the dice on.

Emanuel Wilson (85% rostered) vs. Broncos: 8th-best matchup for RBs, 16th-highest implied team total. With Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet still out, Wilson will continue to operate as Seattle’s lead back.

MarShawn Lloyd (81% rostered) vs. Cowboys: 7th-best matchup for RBs, 4th-highest implied team total. Lloyd has not been great, but HC Matt LaFleur and OC Adam Stenavich sang his praises after his Week 5 performance. The matchup is too juicy to pass up if you’re in need of an RB start.

HAIL MARY: Dameon Pierce (37% rostered) vs. Panthers: 4th-best matchup for RBs, 18th-highest implied team total. If Saquon Barkley can’t go, Pierce is the next man up and at least offers some projectable volume in a plus matchup.

WIDE RECEIVERS

WIDE RECEIVERS
Starts

Luther Burden (95% rostered) and Rome Odunze (89% rostered) vs. Falcons: 6th-best matchup for WRs, 5th-highest implied team total. Caleb Williams is trending towards his return in a potential smash spot for this passing attack.

Matthew Golden (94% rostered) vs. Cowboys: 12th-best matchup for WRs, 4th-highest implied team total. Golden looks legit, and the Packers’ deep passing game finally got going in Week 5.

Josh Downs (89% rostered) vs. Titans: 11th-best matchup for WRs, 9th-highest implied team total. It’s been a disappointing season so far from Downs, but he’s worth a start against Tennessee.

Jalen Coker (88% rostered) vs. Eagles: 5th-best matchup for WRs, 8th-lowest implied team total. Coker is trending towards his return in a plus matchup against Philly.

Denzel Boston (83% rostered) vs. Ravens: 9th-best matchup for WRs, 4th-lowest implied team total. Concepcion is in concussion protocol, and Boston would get a boost were he to miss this week. Regardless of Concepcion’s status, Boston has looked awesome through 5 weeks.

Xavier Worthy (64% rostered) vs. Chargers: 17th-best matchup for WRs, 8th-highest implied team total. Rashee Rice’s (hamstring) status is uncertain for this week, and Kansas City already lost Tyquan Thornton to injury in Week 4.

HAIL MARY: Tre Tucker (38% rostered) vs. Bills: best matchup for WRs, 10th-highest implied team total. Brock Bowers is the focal point of this offense, but there are worse dart throws than Tucker this week.

TIGHT ENDS

TIGHT ENDS
Starts

Dalton Kincaid (95% rostered) vs. Raiders: 6th-best matchup for TEs, 2nd-highest implied team total. Kincaid has been so disappointing since his insane Weeks 1-2, but this is an awesome get-right spot for him.

Isaiah Likely (94% rostered) vs. Saints: 7th-best matchup for TEs, 15th-highest implied team total. Likely has developed strong chemistry with Jameis and has a nice matchup here in Week 6.

Colston Loveland (92% rostered) vs. Falcons: 13th-best matchup for TEs, 5th-highest implied team total. While Loveland has been one of the biggest letdowns of the season, Caleb Williams should be back and Loveland has a nice matchup.

Dallas Goedert (79% rostered) vs. Panthers: 8th-best matchup for TEs, 18th-highest implied team total. This offense has struggled through 5 weeks, but Goedert would continue to see additional looks if DeVonta Smith misses Week 6.

Pat Freiermuth (29% rostered) vs. Buccaneers: 11th-best matchup for TEs,19th-highest implied team total. I don’t necessarily love this play, but Freiermuth saw strong usage last week and that could continue with Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson out.

Tyler Higbee (8% rostered) vs. Cardinals: 5th-best matchup for TEs, highest implied team total. With Higbee, you’re betting on the trickle down effect of a league-high implied team total in a plus matchup for TEs.

HAIL MARY: Oronde Gadsden (7% rostered) vs. Chiefs: 2nd-best matchup for TEs, lowest implied team total. The epitome of a desperation play, you’re in a bad spot if you’re reading this. At the very least, the matchup is great for Gadsden. The Chargers’ offense, however, is not. Doesn’t help that Charlie Kolar returned to the lineup last week. Again, this is a really gross pure positional matchup dart throw play for the most needy of fantasy managers.

DEFENSE / SPECIAL TEAMS

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Starts

Patriots DST (85% rostered) vs. Jets: 18th-best matchup for DSTs, 2nd-lowest opponent implied team total

Steelers DST (80% rostered) vs. Buccaneers: 2nd-best matchup for DSTs, 5th-lowest opponent implied team total

Ravens DST (70% rostered) vs. Browns: 5th-best matchup for DSTs, 4th-lowest opponent implied team total

Chiefs DST (55% rostered) vs. Chargers: best matchup for DSTs, lowest opponent implied team total

HAIL MARY: Colts DST (40% rostered) vs. Titans: 7th-best matchup for DSTs, 3rd-lowest opponent implied team total