Let’s keep this train rolling. Thursday night’s Bills-Rams game was just an appetizer for the slate of games coming up on Sunday. I know I am ready for it. Are you? We get an awesome nightcap of two highly anticipated offenses with the Buccaneers (-2.5) taking on the Cowboys in Dallas with another 50+ points expected (50.5 o/u). We know these two offenses can pile on the points. Underdog Fantasy released the Sunday Night Squabble tournament with a $5 entry point with a $10,000 Top Prize.
Let’s dive in.
Draft Strategy for Week 1 Sunday Night Football – Bucs @ Cowboys
Based on the first few drafts, there is a clear top 3 in these drafts. The draft starts CeeDee Lamb, Mike Evans, and Leonard Fournette, in some order.
After that, it truly depends on your pulse of the secondary options for the Buccaneers and Cowboys. Every pick after those three depends on the size of their role. For starters, if Chris Godwin plays, it reduces the snap percentage/play time for both Julio Jones and Russell Gage. If he doesn’t (based on reports, he is trending toward sitting), whoever starts on 2WR sets could be the skeleton key.
On the Dallas side, it all comes down to how to project the Cowboys without Michael Gallup (who is out). The projection will be that Dalton Schultz is the #2 target, but there are paths for Tony Pollard (if used in the slot), Noah Brown, and Jalen Tolbert to become integral parts of the Cowboy’s game plan.
It is fair to assume that both teams have running backs that should project to handle most of the snaps. Everything that has come out of Dallas this offseason is that it expects to ride with Ezekiel Elliott even with the presence of Tony Pollard and with Tampa Bay, Leonard Fournette was in on all of Tom Brady’s 10 snaps. However, if they limit his snap share, 3rd-round rookie, Rachaad White, could break the slate (low projection and ownership).
As stated in the Thursday article, it is most important, since only 12 players are selected in total (4 per team), you want your roster to tell a story. Think about how each individual player hits their ceiling outcome and what that means for players on their team vs. the other team. In this particular game with the high over/under, I would look to limit your roster to a max of 1 RB per team and stock up on the pass game options. Due to the tendency of both passing offenses being heavily involved, an easy way to differentiate would be a slower paced game with a lot of rushing attempts.
Top Plays for Drafts
- CeeDee Lamb – #1 WR with limited target competition behind him
- Mike Evans – Chemistry between him and Brady is unmatched, especially in the redzone (with Rob Gronkowski retired)
- Leonard Fournette – Projected full-time player with pass catching ability and hold on High-Value Touches
- Tony Pollard – Change of pace back with explosive play ability. If used in passing game, could emerge as a slate-breaker
Players That Could Differentiate Your Lineup
- Rachaad White – If he rotates in with Fournette, especially around the goal-line and in pass work, he has immense TD-upside.
- Kyle Rudolph – Sneaky signing to replace Gronkowski. Could be a red-zone threat.
- Noah Brown – With Tolbert having a subpar pre-season (while only being a rookie), the veteran Brown has the chance to be the WR2 and command targets behind CeeDee Lamb.
- Ke’Shawn Vaughn – Based on reports, he is the backup to Leonard Fournette, but he will be low-owned in the tournament.
