2020 Dynasty/Fantasy Week 2 Game Analysis: Raiders 34, Saints 24

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.

I hope I can save some typing off my fingers with this one…it shouldn’t take too long to review.

Alvin Kamara faced Darren Waller in the Week 2 MNF game, and Waller won. Good night. Thanks for coming.

Two head coaching geniuses, long time football minds…and all they got is every play to Jacobs/Waller v. every play to Kamara/Thomas. Only Thomas was out so the Jacobs/Waller side won. The Saints never adjusted to the Waller onslaught and got beat. Good thing the Saints kept their top corner on WRs that the Raiders never throw to in 2020.

The Raiders are a playoff team. A team no one is going to want to play. Not the best team or a title team, but a good team. Jon Gruden is doing a very good job. Difficult schedule ahead (at NE, BUF, at KC next 3 weeks) but Vegas should be in the wild card hunt all season (and get one).

The Saints are good but fading. I think they may have peaked and are in decline. Still good but by the time we get to 2021, I don’t know that they’ll have the juice to get over the hump. This is their last stand/gasp season with Drew Brees. They are going to fight the Bucs all the way to the end for the NFC South title. If the Saints lose to Green Bay this week…some panic might start to set in.

Fantasy Player Notes…

 -- I already stated the obvious…everything for FF with these two teams is Jacobs/Waller and Kamara/Thomas. Not much else to discuss at the other positions.

If Josh Jacobs (27-88-0, 3-17-0/3) is out this week…Devontae Booker (3-0-0, 1-6-0/1) would split with Jalen Richard (2-26-1)…and it wouldn’t be that excited on either, but it’s something if in need. Booker could grind a decent day with 15+ carries. I think Jacobs is just getting extra rest on a short week.

 -- The Raiders will not throw to their WRs unless they absolutely have to, and they hope never to do so apparently, so for that reason…’I’m out’ on Bryan Edwards (2-42-0/2) for redraft 2020. He will have his day to come and become a ‘playa’ but not right now.

He led all non-Waller Raiders in targets in this game…that’s good news, with the bad news being he had just 2 targets.

However, you did see a glimpse of what he brings to the table on his second catch and run play. He doesn’t look ready for a big role yet, he looked surprised when the ball comes his way, because likely they never throw to WRs in practice either. Someday…not today.

Ditto opinion on Henry Ruggs.

 -- Rookie TE Adam Trautman (1-17-0/1) got his first catch of his career. I watched his play over a few times – he just looks so stiff moving around the field. I just get a bad feeling on him.

 -- Tre’Quan Smith (5-86-0/7) is good for the moment but he’ll disappear when Michael Thomas returns. Brees never works the 2nd (or 3rd-4th-5th) WR all that well for FF. Smith saw more action with Thomas out. With Brees’s arm strength in decline…Tre’Quan being a deep ball receiver…not a good match at this time. Sell him hot when you can.

 -- The Raiders-DST is interesting…

A lot of talent accumulating, and man do they have some punishing hitters in the secondary. This might be an emerging DST in 2021, but maybe useful on good matchups this year – like Weeks 8-9-10 CLE-LAC-DEN.

Their current problem is that some of their DBs are so wanting to hit people, they cheat up off the snap and they’re going to get beat deep by a nice deep ball thrower. Mahomes-Hill may go for 500 yards each against them Week 5.

SAF Jonathan Abram (4 tackles, 1 PD) is literally going to kill someone one of these days. Every tackle he makes is accidental homicide potential.

The guy who stuck WAY out to me in this game…rookie CB Damon Arnette (7 tackles). He plays corner like a Pro Bowl safety already (he tackles everything in sight, with impunity)…but he also covers like a safety mentality as well. If Drew Brees had his old magic back, he would have air raided Arnette’s constant cheating up, and up in WR’s faces and getting pushed away off the snap too much and losing 2-3 steps in coverage every other time because he’s trying to fight the WR up close. I bet Belichick notices it for Week 3…which means Damiere Byrd is going to cash in on a long TD this week…if I’m right.

Where has Maxx Crosby (2 tackles, 1 PD) been? Slow start for him after a hot finish last year. Teams know who he is now…they’re also holding every pass rusher every other play these days because holding got legalized in the offseason in case you missed it. Some teams haven’t even been called for holding yet this year, I heard somewhere this morning. Seriously.

 -- I thought the Saints-DST was supposed to be so special? Well, they got it handed to them this game. They are good but never adjusted for Darren Waller and got thumped by it. Versus Green Bay this week? I don’t know…if Davante Adams is ready then this looks shaky too.

The Saints-DST perks up Weeks 7-8 with matchups vs. CAR and at CHI…but mostly they have so-so or bad matchups all season.

 -- Daniel Carlson (2/2 FGs, 4/4 XPs) dropped a 54-yard bomb in this game…his second 50+ yard FG this season already. I loved this kicker coming out of college. He might be finally coming into his own. He has ‘best kicker in the NFL’ type traits, I think. Whether it happens this year, we’ll see. He’s #3 in FF PK scoring right now.

Snap Counts of Interest:

49 = Ruggs

49 = Edwards

40 = Renfrow

32 = Moreau

26 = Witten

18 = Zay Jones

41 = Kamara

16 = Latavius