Introducing 4th and Inches, the Ram Sports Editors’ weekly guide for all things NFL. Like an offensive coordinator facing 4th and short, picking between winners and losers, or starts and sits, can feel like an impossible choice. Don’t know who to pick? Let us decide for you.
Week 2 Picks:
Games with an asterisk besides them represent our locks of the week.
Bills @ Dolphins
Jonah: Bills
Griffin: Dolphins
Joe: Dolphins
49ers @ Vikings
Jonah: 49ers
Griffin: 49ers
Joe: 49ers
Seahawks @ Patriots
Jonah: Patriots
Griffin: Seahawks
Joe: Patriots
Giants @ Commanders
Jonah: Commanders
Griffin: Commanders
Joe: Giants
Chargers @ Panthers
Jonah: Chargers
Griffin: Chargers
Joe: Chargers
Saints @ Cowboys
Jonah: Cowboys
Griffin: Cowboys
Joe: Cowboys
Colts @ Packers
Jonah: Colts
Griffin: Colts
Joe: Colts
Browns @ Jaguars
Jonah: Jaguars
Griffin: Jaguars
Joe: Jaguars
Jets @ Titans
Jonah: Titans
Griffin: Jets
Joe: Jets
Buccaneers @ Lions
Jonah: Lions
Griffin: Lions
Joe: Lions
***Raiders @ Ravens*** – All the love to Gardner Minshew, but while the Ravens seem poised to bounce back after a week one loss, things will likely get uglier for the Raiders before they get better. Positionally, you’ll be hard to find a single spot where Las Vegas has better personnel than Baltimore.
Jonah: Ravens
Griffin: Ravens
Joe: Ravens
Rams @ Cardinals
Jonah: Cardinals
Griffin: Rams
Joe: Rams
Bengals @ Chiefs
Jonah: Chiefs
Griffin: Chiefs
Joe: Chiefs
Steelers @ Broncos
Jonah: Steelers
Griffin: Steelers
Joe: Steelers
***Bears @ Texans*** – Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looked confused and downright outmatched at times last week in his debut against the Tennessee Titans, and while it ultimately didn’t matter since the Titans were equally as poor, he will not have the same sort of wiggle room to make mistakes this week against a polished and explosive Texans team that looks tailor-made to capitalize on a young Bears squad’s propensity to make mistakes.
Jonah: Texans
Griffin: Texans
Joe: Texans
Falcons @ Eagles
Jonah: Eagles
Griffin: Eagles
Joe: Eagles
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em:
QB
Jonah: Jared Goff (Start) – Goff will likely continue to benefit from the continued growth of his already-deadly supporting cast this week, as Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs have all seemingly taken huge steps forward this past offseason.
Griffin: Joe Burrow (Sit) – Burrow is coming off a lackluster week one against the Patriots and will face an even better defensive front in Kansas City led by Steve Spagnuolo.
Joe: Sam Darnold (Sit) – I’m a Darnold career renaissance fan as much as the next guy, but don’t expect him to keep up his torrid week one pace against a stout 49ers D.
RB
Jonah: Josh Jacobs (Start) – With Jordan Love out for the foreseeable future, fantasy managers should expect Jacobs to see a significant increase in his touches. Couple this with the fact that Jacobs and the Packers will be squaring off against the Colts, a struggling run defense who was consistently gashed by an aging Joe Mixon last week, and Jacobs is a must start.
Griffin: Rhamondre Stevenson (Sit) – Despite an impressive week one performance, Stevenson is set to face a Mike Mcdonald Seahawks defense bolstered by first-round tackle Byron Murphy II.
Joe: Rhamondre Stevenson (Start) – Don’t listen to him. After a big week one, look for the Pats’ RB1 to keep cruising — he’s the team’s workhouse and number one offensive option. What’s more? He’s factoring into the pass game more than in years prior.
WR
Jonah: DK Metcalf (Sit) – If Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase couldn’t find a way to consistently beat the Patriots’ star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, I wouldn’t put much faith in Geno Smith and DK Metcalf being able to do so.
Griffin: Tyreek Hill (Start) – Despite his touchdown dependency in week one, Hill will look to explode in a primetime matchup against division rival Buffalo. The receiver registered 82 yards and a touchdown in his last time out vs the Bills.
Joe: Brian Thomas Jr. (Sit) – Despite reeling in a TD in his debut, Thomas Jr. only received four targets and now faces a Browns secondary whose talent is greater than their week one performance suggested.
TE
Jonah: Johnny Mundt (Sit) – Mundt will likely find himself constantly guarded by the best coverage linebacker in the league this week in Fred Warner, making him an easy sit.
Griffin: Evan Engram (Start)- Engram only put up 1.5 fantasy points against the Dolphins in week 1, but he leads the team in target share and is due for a bounce-back week against the Browns.
Joe: Mark Andrews (Start) – Andrews was a big-time dud in week one, but despite getting out-targeted 12-2 by Isaiah Likely, his 74% snap share was greater than Likely’s. Expect a bounce-back for Andrews against a worse-than-middling Raiders pass defense.
DEF
Jonah: Chiefs D/ST (Start) – Not only will the Chiefs defense benefit from having a raucous Arrowhead crowd helping them out, but they will also be facing off against an early-season Bengals offense without Tee Higgins — a recipe for success if I have ever seen one.
Griffin: Cowboys D/ST (Sit) – The Saints are coming into week two overconfident after beating a horrible Panthers team. The Cowboy’s are coming off a blowout of their own, and when it’s offense vs defense, defense always wins.
Joe: Steelers D/ST (Start) – They may be on the road in Denver, but a top-10 defense vs. a rookie QB is a sure bet in the world of fantasy football.
