We have a ton of info to cover in this space on Wednesdays, so we won't waste time on any sort of personal intro. Hello, I hope you are keeping your head above water with all of the information flooding the Fantasy football streets. It's never a good time to panic.

If you are feeling panicked, tell me about it. I'll read every word that you send me on Thursday night -- one final reminder, in case you missed the first two newsletters this week -- I'm excited to create an interactive space here where we can dive into more detail about burning Fantasy topics together each week. Every Friday, I'll address topics chosen by the FFT NL readers in this google form (link below):

If you have want to be part of Friday's newsletter post, feel free to join us in the lab! Fill out this google form, and then check back on Friday!

Okay, Week 2 matchups -- before we get started, I do want to quickly highlight one player from last week's Matchup Notes write-up who disappointed. I think it can help to illustrate an important point about this type of hyper-specific analysis: this matchup information is meant to provide an additional layer of context and not an ultimate influence. What is most important for Fantasy purposes is opportunity and usage. I created a thread detailing each quarterback's underlying Week 1 information , if you want to learn about what went into one of the grossest weeks in recent history at the quarterback position. Similarly, I'm going to create a usage thread for the RB and WR positions. I hope to have those done on Wednesday night.

Okay, so Dalton Kincaid was highlighted as having a fantastic Week 1 matchup. And we got nothing from him. Look at this. Extra defensive attention may be a problem for Kincaid all season if none of Buffalo's receivers prove to be a real threat.

Another note on the Arizona-Buffalo game: the Cardinals used way more man coverage than anticipated. Generally speaking, man coverage leads to more targets for perimeter receivers while zone coverage results in more opportunities being funneled to the short and intermediate area of the field. If you want to learn more about how different coverage types affect target distribution, I created a thread detailing each specific coverage type last year.

The advanced matchup data that I present in this Wednesday newsletter can uncover overlooked players and sometimes provide a big edge for Fantasy lineup setting, DFS play, and prop betting. It also can help you understand the game better. The reason that I would not let it be an ultimate influence in your weekly decision making process is illustrated by what we just saw in Arizona -- things fluctuate on a week-to-week basis. The Cardinals have the same defensive coordinator as in 2023, and yet the defensive approach was much different in Week 1 than it was last year. Arizona used man coverage more in Week 1 than in 16 of 17 games in 2023.

The Cardinals coaching staff is particularly adaptable. Some of these coordinators are more rigid and thus more predictable. For instance, we saw Gus Bradley play the way that he always does, and Nico Collins torched the Colts deep just as predicted. But some coordinators are going to change their approach in ways that we won't be able to predict! So don't take anything that I say here as gospel! I enjoy digging a bit deeper and seeing what nuggets I may find in this matchup data, but this information is simply among the many details that I consider when making decisions each week.

We could see an Amari Cooper eruption in Week 2, though.

Check this thread out. New Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen was extremely aggressive in his first game coaching the Jags. The Jaguars used more man coverage than any team in any game in 2023.

Amari Cooper's production has been held in check by his QB play, but he remains a bad man. He's one of the scariest individual coverage assignments in existence in the year 2024. In classic fashion, Cooper only turned nine targets and 170 air yards into two catches for 16 yards in Week 1. Frustrating, for sure, but the massive volume gives him upside in a matchup like this Week 2 game against the Jaguars.

Cooper ranked 10th in yards per route run vs. press coverage in 2023, and he's been much better when facing man/press than he has against zone throughout his career. This is a high-upside matchup for both Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, another player who has been notably better against man coverage. Risk is always present with any Browns pass-catcher. Of course. It's at least worth knowing which matchups present the clearest path to a big game. Do what you will with this info, I will never recommend anyone to expose themselves in any way to Watson. You're probably best off avoiding the Browns until Jameis Winston takes over at QB.

One last note - Jacksonville's veteran cornerback Ronald Darby allowed a catch on five of six targets for 111 yards (second-most) in Week 1. Tyreek Hill is a tough assignment. Darby's play has fallen off late into his career and primarily covers the right side of the field. Cooper lined up on the right for 64% of his routes in Week 1.

I was curious if we might see more slot work for Chase without Tyler Boyd, but I figured it was unlikely after he sat out this summer. But, in Week 1, Chase was in the slot on a higher percentage of his routes than we've seen in any game during his pro career. That's a relevant long-term note, as only Tyreek Hill has been more efficient with slot routes than Chase over the past two seasons.

In Week 2, Chase gets what might be the most difficult slot matchup possible in Trent McDuffie's coverage.

We saw Joe Burrow holding his wrist and grimacing on the sideline, so I'm not going out of my way to get exposure to this Bengals passing game in Week 2. I am expecting Chase to see a ton of targets, but who knows how productive he will be with them in this matchup.

Lamb didn't put up a huge Week 1 total as the Cowboys cruised to an easy victory against the Browns. Dallas is getting much more respect from Vegas in Week 2, bringing an implied point total of 26 (fifth-highest in Week 2) into a matchup against the Saints. New Orleans has a solid defense, but much more than solid is required to keep up with CeeDee Lamb. Even knowing full well how good he is, I was blown away watching Lamb glide around the field in Week 1. He's uncoverable.

I highlight this spot because New Orleans used press coverage 73% of the time (fourth) in Week 1. The Saints have an aggressive defense, using lots of man/press coverage and lots of blitzes (eighth in blitz rate in Week 1). I would never want to leave my cornerbacks on an island against Lamb if I was a defensive coordinator.

The Lions are again projected for the highest point total on the week, and their Week 2 opponent (Tampa Bay) may be missing multiple corner backs in this game. Jameson Williams could go nuts again, his Week 1 usage and separation score suggest that his statistical performance was no fluke.

On paper, this matchup presents best for Amon-Ra St. Brown.

In 2023, the Commanders allowed the 10th-most slot receiving yards and the most slot receiving touchdowns per game. In Week 1, Washington allowed 139 receiving yards and three touchdowns to the slot.

Washington's coverage is abysmal everywhere. The Commanders invested a first and second-round pick into the cornerback position in 2023, but it has not materialized into competent performance at the position. Kendall Fuller, the team's only CB with a PFF coverage grade above 60 in 2023, is now a member of the Miami Dolphins.

And the most susceptible spot to attack is the middle. The first and second-round second-year corners play on the outside, 27-year-old Benjamin St. Juste (no cornerback has allowed more receiving yards since the start of the 2023 season) covers the slot.

Wan'Dale Robinson led the Giants in targets in Week 1 (for what it's worth, 8 of 12 came in the second half of a blowout loss) and may again be a focal point of the offense in this matchup.

Do not take this as a negative matchup note for Malik Nabers. I'd like to see him utilized in the slot more often. I see Robinson as a similar talent to Jalin Hyatt and think it makes sense to use Hyatt and Darius Slayton as the perimeter receivers with Nabers working in space from the slot at times. We'll see how the situation develops as the year goes on. For now, Nabers is barely running any slot routes. Could he still feast in this matchup? Absolutely.

We could see a big Justin Jefferson game in this spot. The Vikings move Jefferson around the formation a lot, and he of course dominates against press coverage. San Fran's press coverage rate was up from 67% in 2023 to 84% (second-highest) in Week 1.

To be fair, Garrett Wilson profiles extremely similarly to Jefferson -- he's awesome vs. press and moves around the formation -- and did not have a big game against San Fran.

We've hit the Atlanta Falcons portion of the segment, so it is probably time to move on. Let me quickly say this: Pitts was used much differently in Week 1 than we've seen in the past. It's just one game, but his average route depth (7.5 yards) and average depth of target (8.0 yards) both were lower than his rates in any of his first three seasons. He led the Falcons in slot snaps. I watched his slot snaps, and he was used in pre-snap motion on a decent number of them. He also was sometimes running horizontally to the line of scrimmage, which was almost never the case in 2023.

The Eagles allowed more slot receiving yards than any team in 2023. Guess who allowed the most slot receiving yards in Week 1? The Eagles. In Week 1, it was Ray-Ray McCloud who ended up with a bunch of slot targets as Kirk Cousins got the ball out quickly. After watching all of the Falcons' slot reps, I felt like it could have just as easily been Pitts.

Before we move onto the next portion of today's newsletter, here's some coverage-related eye candy for you:

We have some scary pass rushes in the NFL right now, and several shaky offensive lines. If Week 1's historically low passing output didn't make that clear, I think that pressure problems may be a theme in 2024 -- early in the season, at least. Below, you'll find the pass rushers who caused the most mayhem individually in Week 1.

In Week 1, Denver's defense led all units with a crazy 50% blitz rate. The league average was 26%. It worked pretty well, as the Broncos were ninth in pressure rate (39%).

This may have been a gameplan specific to Seattle, as the weakness of the Seahawks offense is the line. I think we may see something similar against Fields, though. He's been notably worse when blitzed throughout his career. His scramble rate has also come way down vs. the blitz.

If we do get Fields out and rushing (Arthur Smith designed a league-high roll-out rate in Week 1), the results could be massive against a Broncos defense that missed tackles at a league-high rate in 2023.

George Pickens was amazing in Week 1, but this particular matchup is not a good one on paper. Fields may struggle, and Pickens will contend with the individual coverage of Patrick Surtain. I'm avoiding Pittsburgh's passing game in Week 2.

Cincy's right end had was one of four players to generate a pressure on one-fourth of his pass rushes on plays without a blitz in Week 1. He'll face Kansas City's Round 2 rookie Kingsley Suamataia in Week 2. You can watch every Week 1 pass pro rep for Patrick Mahomes' new left tackle here.

I'm expecting Kansas City to lean on the run and quick passing game in this spot. It feels like a much better spot for Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce than for Xavier Worthy, especially if the Chiefs build a big lead and don't need to take deep shots. Nearly half of Worthy's Week 1 routes were 'go' routes.

FFT Newsletter readers were put on game early, well before the Saints erupted for a Week 1-high 47 points. I'll take 'Things you love to see' for 400, Alex:

Thanks, Alex. I'm going back to 'Things you love to see,' for 500 this time:

The defense that did God's work in Week 1? The Dallas Cowboys. This is the scariest unit in the NFL, in my opinion, and it's who Derek Carr will face off against with a Vegas-implied point total of just 19.5 in Week 2. Carr has been very sensitive to pressure with the Saints.

I like Olave as a buy-low in Fantasy, but you may see an even cheaper buy window open up after this matchup.

I know I've been pretty negative with these pressure notes, we're about to hit on some fun ones. Before we do, let's look at the other side of the Pittsburgh-Denver matchup.

Mr. Happy Feet draws a Steelers defense that just generated a 41% pressure rate (seventh) while only blitzing eight percent of the time (32nd) in Week 1. Between the pressure and an individual matchup against Joey Porter Jr., Courtland Sutton is probably going to be inefficient once again in Week 2. He's another player who looks like a prime Week 3 buy-low candidate.

Okay, let's focus on some positives. Which defenses blitzed a lot but did not generate pressure?

The Panthers, Titans, and Cardinals stand out. Personally, I don't want to pick on this Titans defense. If you do, the New York Jets are the Week 2 opponent for Tennessee and have a decent implied point total (23). Garrett Wilson figures to see a boost in targets, that's what we typically see from top receivers when their QB is blitzed. I don't love Wilson's matchup vs. L'Jarius Sneed and will be taking a wait-and-see approach with the Jets.

Justin Herbert targeted his rookie slot receiver three times when blitzed in Week 1, while Josh Palmer was next with two blitz targets. Either player could take advantage of this matchup vs. Carolina. I'm a believer in Palmer's talent, even though Week 1 was a disappointment. And McConkey led the Chargers in targets and played more snaps in two-receiver formations than Quentin Johnston as a first-game pro. You can watch every Week 1 route for the rookie here.

DeVonta Smith has been highly productive from the slot throughout his career, and we saw him operate as Philly's primary slot receiver for the first time in his career in his first game in Kellen Moore's offense. In Week 2, Smith and the Eagles face a Cardinals defense that was aggressive in blitzing in Week 1 and was susceptible to over-the-middle targets in 2023.

A.J. Brown is the player who has been targeted the most (by far) when Jalen Hurts has been blitzed since the two Eagles receivers became teammates. This absolutely could be a huge AJB game. I do think it's worth noting, though, that Smith has a massive 27% target per route run rate and 2.8 yard per route run rate when running a slot route on a play where Hurts has been blitzed. Those rates came on a 122-route sample size while sharing the field with Brown. When not in the slot on a play where Hurts was blitzed, Smith's target per route run rate is just 18%. When Hurts has been blitzed, he's been more likely to target his slot receiver or take a deep shot to Brown.

As mentioned at the top of this newsletter, this Arizona defense may be the most adaptable in the league on a week-to-week basis. My guess is that the player that the Cardinals are the most-likely to gameplan around is the star wide receiver who got loose for a long touchdown against Jaire Alexander on national TV in Week 1. My second guess would be Saquon Barkley, with Smith likely being the third emphasis. I think that the middle area of the field may open back up in a big way, similar to what we saw from Arizona's defense in 2023.

I found way more pass-game matchup notes than I expected this week. So, I decided to push the run-game portion of this matchup notes newsletter to Friday. Be sure to check back for those notes!

If you have any feedback on the newsletter, feel free to send them my way. Thank you for reading! And please, do check out Beyond the Boxscore on FFT! Dan and I put a lot of work into that podcast project and aim to make it fun and accessible for any level of NFL fan!