Matchup rankings: Drake Maye, Ricky Pearsall stand out in Week 2

Making pugnacious lineup decisions each week tin beryllium the astir challenging portion of the fantasy football process. When you're torn betwixt 2 akin players and simply don't cognize which to start, commencement the subordinate with the superior matchup.

Ah, but precisely how does 1 find the champion (and worst) play matchups?

The matchup rankings supply a schedule-independent method to measure positional matchups each week, ranking each 32 opposing defenses successful bid of astir to slightest favorable for opposing players astatine each 4 accomplishment positions (quarterback, moving back, wide receiver and choky end). Instead of relying upon seasonal totals, we calibrate points-allowed information to amusement however each defence fared comparative to the trouble of the docket it has faced. This provides a fairer attack to judging the prime of idiosyncratic matchups.

For the archetypal 3 weeks, these rankings are wholly my sentiment of however favorable oregon unfavorable I see that matchup, though 2024 full-season information is provided to springiness you different snapshot into the spot of that peculiar matchup.

"Adj. FPA," oregon Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed, reflects however acold supra oregon beneath players' play PPR phantasy constituent averages that defence held opponents astatine that position. A affirmative fig means that the matchup is favorable. A antagonistic fig means it is unfavorable. Additionally, retrieve that teams often usage aggregate moving backs and wide receivers successful a game, and these plus/minus averages screen all of a team's unit astatine that position.

Finally, a caveat: Matchups are lone one constituent successful my rankings formula. Not each favorable matchup should beryllium exploited, nor unfavorable matchup avoided. If you privation my -- and ESPN phantasy staff's -- astir implicit root for whom to commencement and beryllium each week, consult our play rankings.

Quarterbacks

Matchups highlight: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (at Miami Dolphins). Things couldn't person gone overmuch worse for the Dolphins than they did successful Week 1, and successful the process, they made Daniel Jones look similar a phantasy superstar (29.48 phantasy points). The Dolphins had 1 sack, six backmost pressures and an 87.5 Total QBR connected defense, each of which ranked sixth oregon worse for the week, and their starting cornerbacks, Storm Duck and Jack Jones, rated successful the 13th percentile oregon worse successful Target EPA (Estimated Points Added). That sets Maye, who had an effectual if unspectacular Week 1, up for a perchance large time connected the road. He brings a grade of mobility that should beryllium peculiarly charismatic successful this matchup, particularly aft Jones scored doubly connected the crushed against this defense.

Others to like: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Cincinnati Bengals); Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (at Las Vegas Raiders).

Matchup to avoid: Baker Mayfield, Read Entire Article