The New York Giants (2-0) host the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) in a preseason NFC East showdown Monday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Here are the fantasy prospects for the week 3 game.
quarterbacks
AP Photo/Ron Jenkins
It’s Daniel Jones versus Cooper Rush. Should I continue? We all know what Jones did and is doing – managing not to lose games and making plays to maintain drives. This means nothing for fantasy gamers.
Rush is a 2-0 lifetime starter, throwing for 235 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Jones ranks 19th in total fantasy points among quarterbacks after two games.
Throughout the season, you’d have to be really strapped in to play either one. I would also keep my hands off the classic DFS.
Running backs
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Saquon Barkley leads the NFL in the rushing after two weeks. It blew up in week 1 but came down a bit last week. He has 567 scrimmage yards (94.5 per game) and one rushing touchdown in six career games against the Cowboys.
Ezekiel Elliott has nine touchdowns (eight rushing, one received) in 10 career games against the Giants and is aiming for his fifth straight rushing touchdown against New York.
Tony Pollard rose in Week 2 with 98 scrimmage yards (55 receiving, 43 rushing) and one touchdown against the Bengals. He is targeting his third straight win against the Giants with 85+ scrimmage yards.
All three can be played here, but it’s not the best matchup. The Giants are allowing 20.2 fantasy points for running backs this year while Dallas is allowing just 12.6.
tight ends
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Dallas could be without starter Dalton Schultz (knee) who, when healthy, is a consistent performer. In his absence, the Cowboys have two freshmen – Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. Also, the Giants only allowed 2.9 fantasy points per game for tight ends, leaving you flying blind here should Schultz have to sit.
The Giants have three tight ends that they use lightly (Chris Myarick, Daniel Bellinger, and Taylor Hudson) that are basically touchdown dependent. Myarick and Belligner have both scored so far this year.
Dallas is allowing fewer than two fantasy points per game against tight ends this year, so there’s no reason to play one of these guys.
wide receiver
AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth
The Cowboys have Cee Dee Lamb. That is the good news. The bad news is they have little else, plus the Giants have closed wideouts so far this season. They should get Michael Gallup (knee) back this week but he could be on a pitch count.
The Giants’ wide receiver unit is also a mess. Kenny Golladay is in the kennel and Kadarius Toney (thigh) and Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) are injured. That leaves Sterling Shepard, Richie James and David Sills.
In the season, fantasy owners will likely play Lamb, but you roll with the others.
Defense/Special Teams
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This is where the rubber meets the road in this game, which doesn’t say much. Dallas has the 19th defense in terms of fantasy points. The Giants are 20. It’s doubtful either will play strong this week.
Dallas’ Superstar linebacker Micah Parsons (ill) sat out practice Thursday but is expected to play. He’s been virtually unstoppable again this year and will pose several challenges to the Giants’ shaky offensive line.
New York could get their two bookend pass rushers (Azeez Ojulari, Kayvon Thibodeaux) back but are again without cornerback Aaron Robinson (attachment) and Leonard Williams is out with a sprained knee.
