2020 Dynasty/Fantasy Week 2 Game Analysis: Cardinals 30, Washington 15
I take notes during the live watch. I re-watch the game on tape looking for hidden clues to report on. Here are my notes/takes on what I saw and how it related to FF 2020. I write anywhere from 1,000-3,000+ words on each game, and I have to move fast to get to all of them through the week…so, please forgive any typos/grammar.
The Cardinals were toying with the Football Team all game…it was 27-3 early into the 4th-quarter with no threat of a Washington comeback. Washington added two late garbage TDs, because that’s the only time Haskins can complete passes to his own team (is when the defense is in prevent). It was 30-15 final, 15-point win that was more like a 25+ point gap between the teams.
Arizona did the same thing to Washington they did to San Fran Week 1…quick passes to neutralize the pass rush with Kyler running a lot to put them on their heels.
Washington couldn’t do what they did Week 1…against Philly they logged 28 combined QB Hits + TFLs in the game, amounts of 20+ I rarely ever see in games. In this game, just 6 combined QB Hits + TFLs. They only hit Kyler two times. When Kyler has time…it’s over. Kyler is manufacturing time with his feet and defenses are either dying via the quick pass and/or purposeful run when they try to rush, or when they sit back to worry about Kyler running then Murray just starts picking them apart through the air.
Kyler is playing MVP ball right now.
Arizona is very likely to be (5-0) ahead…DET, at CAR, at NYJ… three of the worst teams in the NFL. Then the schedule gets serious, but the way Arizona is playing they have a great shot at 10-6 or better, and an NFC West division title now that the 49ers are falling apart. Long way to go though.
Washington is going nowhere until they pull Dwayne Haskins, which is a shame they don’t know because they could contend for the NFC East title with Alex Smith.
Fantasy Player Notes…
-- Of course, we gotta talk Kyler (26-38 for 286 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 8-67-2)…
I already touched on what he’s doing this year to go to another level – purposefully running which is changing defensive pressure. If you come after him, he’s taking off or quick passing. If you lay back, he will eat you alive as a passer.
He could be the best dual threat QB of all-time at the rate he’s going. Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson are more lethal runners, but Kyler is an incredible passer from the pocket on a much higher level than Vick or Lamar…although Lamar can flick it like no one’s business. Lamar and Kyler are going to change football forever…or they’re the first of many to come like them.
Last year, Kyler didn’t run on purpose as much and didn’t have time to throw as needed…not this year. And if he can blow through SF and WAS high pressure fronts, he’s going to destroy DET-CAR-NYJ the next three weeks…if he wants to (please don’t just handoff and walk away with quiet wins…GO FOR THE FF JUGULAR!!).
Couple side notes on Kyler here…
*Just missed/left on the table another 30-70 yards passing. Some near miss bombs and an overthrow or two. Nothing egregious…just noting there was almost a crazy good day here.
*Also, Kyler ran for a TD first drive and it got called back for some BS penalty…so, he passed for the TD a few plays later. Could’ve been another small FF point boost in standard leagues.
-- Because Kyler is taking over the run game, it’s drying up things for Kenyan Drake (20-86-0, 2-9-0/2). Not as many TD runs available to Drake and Kyler isn’t much for a dump-off-to-RB passing game. Drake is going to be an RB2 through this season with more RB3 moments than RB1 ones, I’m afraid, for KD owners. But he’ll be stable.
-- Kyler either runs it or throws to DeAndre Hopkins (8-68-1/9)…I’m not sure there has been another play besides those for Arizona. On those rare other plays…
Christian Kirk (2-57-0/4) is relegated to deep ball shot guy. He’s not involved otherwise. There will be a game soon where Kirk goes 4-127-1 or something like it…where he makes some big catches/deep balls and makes hay out of it but over time he’ll just be 1-3 catches per game and hoping for a homerun ball to land his way. He might as well not even exist for FF right now. When he has his big game…you’ll have him on your bench.
Andy Isabella (2-67-0/2) is better than Kirk in that role, and he’s starting to see more time and looks. He looks fantastic. He could be a star WR – but not on this team. He’s just a role player.
I think Arizona will trade Kirk and could elevate Isabella to his role before the trade deadline. Where will Kirk go? Who knows? There could be so many injuries to deal with between now and then. Watch out for the Saints…but likely Arizona would want to trade him out of the NFC. Perhaps the Colts should take a look. Maybe the Browns will trade OBJ for Kirk…
Dan Arnold (2-26-0/4) was supposed to be so key in this offense. He’s playing a lot, but like anyone not named DeAndre Hopkins…there aren't many on-Hopkins touches to deal with regularly. He’s a TE2/bye week flyer.
-- Antonio Gibson (13-55-1, 1-0-0/2) still looks a bit sketchy as a lead RB. I mean, physically he looks great/dominant. When he has space he’s really working well. I see Gibson getting more comfortable two weeks in, but there’s still work to do.
The Washington RB that most impressed me here…J.D. McKissic (8-57-0). He got real running plays on purpose and looked like a Phillip Lindsay/Austin Ekeler type runner. He was gashing Arizona. Why they didn’t stick with him more is always ‘the NFL’…they’re allergic to successful things. Nothing gets in the way of their game plan, not even things working well.
Don’t lose sight of McKissic. He might rise up into a 6-10 carry, couple of targets a game guy after this showing. And if Alex Smith (or Kyle Allen) ever take over…his PPR effectiveness will jump dramatically.
-- Steven Sims (3-53-0/5) is so good…and he’s so going to waste with Dwayne Haskins. Again, nothing will get in the way of the NFL ‘plan’. Alex Smith or Kyle Allen (or Case Keenum) could really help manage this young team and possibly make a run at the NFC East title with their defensive pressure. But no chance of that with Haskins. Sims goes to waste as a WR3-4 until a change is made, a week-to-week flyer hoping he gets his big play. He almost got them here, but didn’t.
A QB change is likely in a few weeks, so if you can hold on until then (in deeper leagues)…
-- Haskins does throw to Logan Thomas (4-26-0/9) a lot, but don’t let the lofty targets fool you…I think Haskins is so awful at QB he feels better seeing the tallest guy on the field and throwing it to him because Haskins cannot read defenses or things under any pressure, he’s a ‘see quick and throw’, whether covered or not. Thomas stands out to Haskins’ eyes to throw to because he stands out height-wise.
Just a theory…
…that I’m right about. I’ve seen it many times before.
Thomas is very dicey for FF consistency.
-- How about that Arizona-DST? #10 DST in fantasy right now. They have Stafford-Teddy-Darnold ahead. Might be useable. I don’t love the Stafford or Teddy matchups a super amount, but plausible.
De’Vondre Campbell (10 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 PDs) is the early Defensive Player of the Year in my book (not in anyone else’s). He’s changed the landscape of the linebackers and covering TEs…not Isaiah Simmons, who barely plays and was a wasted draft pick opportunity.
Campbell is averaging 8.5 total tackles, 1.0 TFLs, 1.0 PDs per game.
Chris Banjo (9 tackles) has been fantastic as well. He’s averaging 7.5 total tackles per game as the starting safety now.
-- What about the vaunted Washington-DST? So good Week 1…so rough here. That’s why I wasn’t gung ho going into last week’s games with WASH.
Like I said in the intro…Kyler neutralized the pass rushers like a snake charmer. It’s a better matchup for the FC in Week 3 at CLE. Then Week 4 vs. BAL is a potential nightmare.
They are going to be an up and down streamer all year. We still don’t know how good they are because it’s an epic D-Line and a disaster linebacker group. They almost cancel each other out like when I eat a giant piece of my wife’s famous cheesecake and drink a Diet Dr. Pepper with it…the diet soda cancels out the calories from the cake, right?
Snap Counts of Interest:
75 = Hopkins
61 = Fitz
47 = Kirk
14 = Isabella
50 = Drake
27 = Edmonds
42 = Gibson
29 = McKissic
01 = Barber
07 = Isaiah Simmons
