Vikings vs Eagles Odds:
Eagles -2.5 (-110)
Over/Under 50.5(-110)
Moneyline Eagles -136/Vikings +116
With both teams coming off Week 1 wins, the Eagles will host the Vikings in Week 2’s second highest totaled game. Both offenses were humming along in each team’s respective Week 1 victories, and Vegas is thinking more of the same for this one. The Eagles are getting the home team edge here in what is essentially a “Pick Em” moneyline. I’m fading the moneyline in favor of the game total. Like Shervon Fakhimi, I’m interested in taking the over 50.5 given the quality of offenses and an expected up tempo pace of play. Overs for player props are also on the table as you’ll soon see. Welcome back for Week 2 of Monday Night Showdown!
Vikings
Kirk Cousins looked fine completing 23/32 passes in the season opener against the Packers. Most importantly, he was dialed in on his WR1, Justin Jefferson. His persistence on getting Jefferson the ball should instill confidence for fantasy gamers in a tough matchup with the Eagles. Cousins is worth flexing in one game fantasy DFS contests. Cousin’s five Deep Ball Attempts Per Game ranked No. 4 last season. His QB16 ranking makes him a quality QB2 or super-flex necessity in your season-long leagues.
Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Cook is a locked in RB1 as long as he’s healthy. Although his fantasy output was lackluster in Week 1, his workhorse role was evidenced by his 77-Percent Snap Rate (No. 4 among qualified backs). The path of least resistance looks to be on the ground against an Eagles defensive front that just allowed D’Andre Swift to run unencumbered for 144 Rushing Yards in Week 1. He’s a nice tournament captain in any one game DFS contests given his workload and high total game environment.
Oct 3, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) congratulates wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) who is celebrating a touchdown reception from quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) against the Cleveland Browns in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
The Pass Catchers
The obvious pass catcher pairings with Cousins are Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Jefferson is the main target here despite likely drawing coverage from Darius Slay. Expect the Vikings new offensive coordinator, Wes Phillips to continue to feature Jefferson by finding creative ways to get the ball in his hands. Betting wise, I especially like the alt-over receiving yards for Jefferson with his 100 yard prop currently at +102. A very risky bet I like is Thielen +2 Touchdowns at +1200 (Fanduel Sportsbook). Twice last season, Thielen saw paydirt twice. For one day DFS contests, both receivers are worth rostering alongside their quarterback for this Week 2 Monday Night Showdown.
Eagles
The Eagles offense runs through Jalen Hurts. Hurts led his team to victory in Week 1’s barn-burner against the Detroit Lions. Hurts’ 17/90/1 rushing line buoyed his QB1 status despite not recording a passing touchdown. Although it’s an extremely small sample, the Packers were able to average six Yards Per Rush Attempt against the Vikings in Week 1 despite having no notable receiver to keep the defense honest. Like the Vikings, Hurts made a concerted effort to get his new teammate, A.J. Brown the ball incessantly.
Jalen Hurts Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
The Eagles running back by committee is a stay-away backfield. Miles Sanders is fine in season-long leagues as a low-end RB2 but has such a low floor based on Hurt’s propensity to keep the ball and the team’s persistence on sharing the backfield with the likes of Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. Hurts, Sanders, Gainwell, and Scott all notched rushing touchdowns in Week 1.
Hurts wasted no time in peppering newly acquired teammate A.J. Brown with a whopping 13 Targets in Week 1. The only receiver outside of Brown to see a single target besides Brown was Zach Pascal. Brown’s Week 1 44.8-percent Target Share was second only to Davante Adams (47.2–percent). Start him where you have him and lock him into one week DFS contests with confidence.
