Here’s my viewpoint on five overrated/underrated Week 2 NFL injuries:
Green Bay at Minnesota: This is the Sunday night game and the total has been bet down currently sitting at 43. I understand the marketplace’s thinking on an under as Sam Bradford probably hasn’t had enough time yet to digest the Vikings’ playbook, nor establish chemistry with his wide receivers. Since injuries have robbed Bradford of his mobility, the Vikings are likely to use him just as a glorified game manager. The Packers could get exposed for their terrible and mind-blowing decision to cut Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton. This will be Lane Taylor’s second start and he could really hurt Green Bay’s offense playing in what’s going to be one of the loudest indoor stadiums and facing Minnesota’s stud defensive tackle Everson Griffen. There are two significant under-the-radar injuries here, though, that are favorable to the over. Each team likely will be missing their top cornerback: Sam Shields (concussion) for the Packers and Xavier Rhodes (knee) for the Vikings. If these guys aren’t top 10 cornerbacks, they are close to it.
Colts at Broncos: No team in the AFC is more banged-up in the defensive backfield than Indianapolis. Star cornerback Vontae Davis remains out with an ankle injury. If all the Colts had to do was worry about Davis’ absence, I’d say it would be an overrated injury because they could cover up things with assorted zone coverage plus the opposing quarterback is Todd Siemiam. But the Colts have a cluster injury problem in their secondary, which wasn’t strong to start. Cornerback Patrick Robinson and free safety T.J. Green are out, too. Over-the-hill stop gap cornerback Antonio Cromartie isn’t 100 percent with a hamstring injury and cornerback Darius Butler is slowed by an ankle injury. The Colts aren’t a good tackling team. They figure to have problems with C.J. Anderson and the Broncos’ zone running schemes. Now Siemiam can shine, too. He’s in line for his biggest game of the season. I expect Demaryious Thomas to play through a hip injury and be effective even if he’s just a decoy.
Jacksonville at San Diego: Jacksonville’s secondary goes from being underrated to being in trouble with word that cornerback Prince Amukamara is out with a hamstring injury. The Chargers lost Keenan Allen for the season in Week 1. That injury, though, will prove overrated here because the Chargers still can pass the Jaguars silly with Amukamara out. The teams have met each of the past three seasons and the Chargers have won and covered each time averaging more than 29 points a game during this span. Philip Rivers is 80-for-108 (74 percent) passing for 962 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the three games. I was impressed watching Tyrell Williams last week. He has the potential to shine and pick up the many passes that would have been targeted to Allen.
Titans at Lions: Linebacker DeAndre Levy was the Lions’ best defensive player two years ago because of both his pass rush and coverage skills. Levy missed 15 games last season with a hip injury, but played in the opener against the Colts. Now he’s hurt again this time with a quadriceps injury. There are mixed reports if Levy is going to play or not. I wouldn’t have said this two years ago, but now I consider Levy to be overrated. I don’t think he’s worth anything on the betting line. The Lions surrendered a league-worst 12 touchdowns to tight ends last season. They were just as bad – if not worse – in last Sunday’s opener giving up three tight end touchdowns. Levy had just one solo tackle. Titans tight end Delaine Walker was the No. 1 receiving tight end in the NFL last season and had the third-most receiving yards for a tight end.
Eagles at Bears: This is the Monday night game and the Eagles aren’t likely to have tight end Zach Ertz because of sore ribs. Ertz has been getting some good run fantasy-wise because the Eagles’ wideouts are below average and Carson Wentz needs a security blanket. But I consider Ertz to be overrated. Wentz is likely to throw to his tight ends no matter who they are and the Eagles have some depth there with veteran Brent Celek and athletic Trey Burton, who should play after missing opening week with a calf injury. The hamstring strain suffered by Eagles cornerback Leodis McKelvin won’t get noticed like the more high-profile Ertz’s injury, but it’s more significant. McKelvin isn’t going to play weakening an all ready weak area and limiting the moves defensive guru Jim Schwartz can make. I just wish I had Alshon Jeffery on my Rotisserie football team. He’s definitely a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) option, though.
