The Rams were surprise winners on Sunday night, narrowly defeating the Cowboys in the inaugural game of their new $5 billion stadium. Now they head east to face the Eagles, who were surprisingly smacked around in Week 1. Can Carson Wentz turn things around for the Eagles? For the 2020 NFL season, Matt Savoca will be providing his weekly NFL Fantasy Football Matchups Breakdown column, going through every single game and offensive and defensive matchup, every week of the season. For your viewing convenience, we have broken up the matchups breakdown into several single columns, each one covering a single game. You can find links to every game right here. We have 13 games on tap for Week 2 NFL DFS and NFL Fantasy Football, so let’s dive in. The entire matchups article will be available in podcast form, every Friday afternoon on the Awesemo Podcast Network. Let’s get into Rams – Eagles.
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Los Angeles Rams (24.5) at Philadelphia Eagles (22) — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams Breakdown
For all the praise the Rams get for being innovative, they certainly do a few things “old school” on the football field. If Week 1 is any indicator, Los Angeles is one of the most run-heavy teams in neutral game scripts and has the lowest average depth of target of any team in the NFL. At least against Dallas in Week 1, their game plan was to get the ball to play makers, particularly Robert Woods, close to the line of scrimmage, and let them create chunk plays after the catch. As a result, Jared Goff was quite accurate, finishing the week with a 80.6% catchable pass rate, sixth in the NFL. Cooper Kupp had a quiet night, catching four of five targets for 40 yards, but still wound up the second-most targeted Rams player in Week 1. The scheme shift is creating fewer looks for Kupp, instead diversifying the team’s low average depth of target throws amongst tight ends like Tyler Higbee and running backs like Malcolm Brown, who had a career performance Sunday night.
Brown had just an average night as rusher, earning slightly more than four yards per carry, but he was extremely effective in the passing game, averaging 10 yards per catch and earning three of the Rams’ four goal-line looks. Cam Akers didn’t have nearly as productive a game as Brown but still avoided four tackles and received double-digit touches, including a goal-line try, in his first NFL game. It may take a few weeks, and Brown will continue to be involved, but the sky’s still the limit for this promising rookie, even when second-year player Darrell Henderson returns to action in a more significant capacity.
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Philadelphia Eagles Breakdown
The Eagles are lucky they aren’t starting Jalen Hurts this weekend. Their makeshift offensive line had as many holes as Swiss cheese on Sunday, as the Washington pass rush swarmed Wentz all afternoon long en route to a league-high eight sacks. Wentz was quite efficient on his 42 pass attempts and turned the ball over four times. He couldn’t find the touch on his deep ball either, only throwing a pass deemed catchable by PFF on three of eight deep targets. Despite these issues and the aforementioned offensive problems, Wentz continued to take deep shots both to DeSean Jackson and tight end Dallas Goedert, whom he connected with for a huge touchdown in the first half. Seven targets for Zach Ertz is likely the floor for him, even with the added option Jalen Reagor and a healthy Jackson. Greg Ward also saw seven targets and earned 14% percent of the team’s weighted opportunity share, a clear indicator he has a carved-out role in the passing game.
The Eagles running game was sorely missing Miles Sanders, who was a surprise scratch in Week 1. Boston Scott, who performed admirably as a secondary backfield option in the second half of 2019, was thrust into a workhorse role behind a beat up offensive line, and the results were disastrous. With only 35 yards rushing and a shockingly low two receptions, he disappointed many fantasy gamers who pivoted to him as a low-price option. He’s set to return to his secondary role, although he’ll likely share those change-of-pace duties with Corey Clement, who was equally ineffective Sunday, earning 21 total yards on eight touches. Expect Wentz’s passing numbers to improve as Sanders commands more attention from the Los Angeles defense.
Prediction: Rams 28, Eagles 24
Alternative Scenario: The Eagles defense is able to stop the Rams short-area attack and baits Goff into multiple interceptions. Philadelphia takes advantage of the extra drives. Eagles 30, Rams 27.
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