The Cleveland Browns have begun their season with a 2-0 record, marking the first time in 30 years that they have achieved such a start. They are now set to face their division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who suffered a 30-7 defeat against the San Francisco 49er
This Browns-Steele’s match-up is the second of two games scheduled for tonight, as part of ESPN and ABC’s expanded Monday night schedule. As a result, viewers will be treated to two games on Monday instead of the usual one. The other game scheduled is the New Orleans Saints versus the Carolina Panthers.
Both Monday night football games are anticipated to be defensive battles with limited scoring. Prominent running backs Nick Chubb and Najee Harris will be the focal points of the player pool for Monday night. These players are expected to be popular choices among DFS players. However, it is up to you to decide whether to fade one or both of them and focus on high-priced wide receivers instead.
I have decided to not fade them and eat the chalk.
Nick Chubb, the standout player from Georgia, had an impressive performance in week 1 against the Cincinnati defense and will now face the Steelers, who allowed 162 yards and a touchdown to Christian McCaffrey in their opening game.
Additionally, I will be including Chris Olave, the wide receiver from New Orleans, in my roster. Olave, who achieved over 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie in 2022, had a strong start in the 2023 season with eight catches and 112 receiving yards in the Saints’ season opener.
Furthermore, I will be focusing on undervalued players who have the potential to deliver exceptional performances in Monday-night football. These selections could significantly impact my chances of achieving a substantial victory or ending up with nothing. Let’s Go!
Here”s My Picks for Monday Night Football
Quarterback: Derek Carr ($6000)
Carr had a solid game on Sunday, throwing for 305 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the Raiders’ close 16-15 victory over the Titans. Based on his performance, I’m confident he can reach those numbers again when they face the Panthers. Carolina’s secondary struggled last season, ranking 22nd in completions allowed per game, so Carr should have a good chance to shine.
Carolina’s passing defense was not tested last week against Atlanta, but that is more because of the opposing quarterback than the effectiveness of their secondary. Desmond Ridder completed 15-of-18 passes for 115 yards, with nine attempts targeting running backs Bijan Robinson, who led the team with six targets, and Tyler Allgeier.
Wide receivers combined for eight of those looks, and Ridder caught his own tipped pass that he proceeded to lose six yards on. Suffice it to say, Atlanta wasn’t concerned.
This week, they’ll face Carr and the Saints’ receiving corps, who aired it out 33 times last week for over 300 yards. 29 of his throws went in the direction of either Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, or Juwan Johnson.
That group of players will prove much more difficult for Carolina to stop and should get a lot of work Monday night. The Saints only managed 2.6 yards per carry on the ground last week and will prioritize their passing attack.
Running Backs: Nick Chubb ($8,500) & Najee Harris ($6,200)
Man, the Steelers’ defense had a tough time in their last game. They let San Francisco’s RB Christian McCaffrey run all over them, giving up 152 rushing yards and a touchdown. But hey, on the flip side, Chubb from the Browns had a killer game last Sunday. He rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries and caught all four of his targets for 21 yards. I have a feeling he’s gonna have a similar performance against the Steelers’ defense, just like McCaffrey did.
After a rough performance against the 49ers on Sunday, Najee Harris is definitely in need of a breakout game. He only managed to rush for 31 yards on six attempts and caught two passes for a measly two yards during the Steelers’ 30-7 loss. But I have faith in him, and I’m eagerly anticipating his comeback with a stellar performance.
Wide Receivers: Amari Cooper ($6,100), Elijah Moore ($4,500), & Chris Olave ($7,200)
Amari Cooper didn’t have a stellar game last Sunday against the Bengals. He was on the field for 46 plays but only managed to catch three out of seven passes thrown his way, gaining a total of 37 yards. However, there’s hope for a comeback when he faces Pittsburgh’s porous defense.
In Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Elijah Moore had an okay performance. He caught three out of seven targets for 43 yards and also made two rushes for 19 yards. It wasn’t a standout performance, but it was his first game with the Cleveland team after being traded from the Jets in the offseason. Despite that, Moore managed to lead his new team in receiving yards and tied for the most targets.
Chris Olave had a killer game on Sunday! He caught eight passes out of ten throws and racked up 112 yards. That’s pretty impressive. Plus, he tied for the most targets on the team. Even though Rashid Shaheed and Michael Thomas also did well, Olave showed up for his second season. I think the team will keep him in the game plan for Week 2 against the Panthers.
Flex: Michael Thomas: ($5,500)
Thomas had a pretty solid game on Sunday. He caught five passes out of eight attempts and gained 61 yards in total. Not too shabby! Chris Olave was the only one who got more targets than him, so Thomas was involved in the action. He kicked things off with a nice 25-yard catch along the left sideline, which was pretty impressive. After that, he mostly stuck to shorter routes. All in all, it looks like Thomas is in a good position to have a strong game against the Panthers.
Defense: Cleveland Browns ($3,300)
The Brown’s defense really showed up on Sunday and made a statement with their physical and relentless performance. They’re going to be bringing that same energy to the game against Kenny Pickett. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get to him early and often, which will lead to a huge defensive performance.