Jacksonville Jaguars vs Miami Dolphins: Fantasy Matchups
By Josh Binder
The Miami Dolphins roll into Jacksonville coming off a “so-so” week 1 win against the Redskins. Tannehill did not have a pro bowl caliber game, but as I stated in previous articles, this can be attributed to week 1 jitters. The defensive line was also disappointing, as the Redskins o-line utilized cut blocking to open up holes in the run game. Luckily, Jarvis Landry had an incredible punt return for a touchdown and the secondary played with the tenacity one would expect out of a potential top 10 unit.
In week 2, the Dolphins expect to continue their winning ways when they face off against the Jaguars. Playing in Jacksonville shouldn’t give the Jags too much of an advantage, as most of their fans seem to enjoy the pool more than watching the game. With that being said, we’re not here to talk about the nuances of fan participation–we’re here to talk about fantasy matchups.
Ryan Tannehill vs Jags Defense
Tannehill didn’t play as well as most wanted in week 1, but he should improve in week 2 against the Jags. The offensive line should continue to improve as the season progresses, and he should find his rythym against an sub-par Jags defense. With all receivers healthy and Jordan Cameron looking solid out of the tight end position, I expect Tannehill to put up 16-18 points in standard fantasy leagues.
Jarvis Landry vs Jags Secondary
Aside from the punt return for a touchdown, Jarvis had a decent week 1 performance as a receiver. While he didn’t catch a TD, he looked like his naturally quick self against the Skins and received a team-high 11 targets on the day. Against the Jaguars, I expect Landry to work mostly in the slot against CB, Dwayne Gratz. Landry should have a fantastic game, as the exploitable Jaguars defense let up over 150 yards a game to opposing receivers last season. As a fantasy prediction, I would expect between 10-12 points in standard leagues for Jarvis this week.
Jordan Cameron vs Jags Secondary/Linebackers
Cameron looked like his old, pro bowl self last week against the Skins. He made a few clutch catches when the Fins needed him most and should do more of the same against the Jags. He’s already become one of Tannehill’s favorite targets and is a must-start tight end this week. While the Jags do have a talented strong safety in Johnathan Cyprien, I still expect a heavy dosage of targets in the redzone for Cameron. Therefore, to give a relatively conservative fantasy prediction, I would expect a 8-10 point game for Cameron.
Lamar Miller vs Jags Run Defense
In terms of fantasy production, Miller had a disappointing week 1 performance. He didn’t receive many touches in the first half, I and definitely expect this to change in week 2 against the Jags. Last year, the paltry Jaguars run defense ceded the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Over the offseason, the Jaguars tried to bolster their run defense by adding former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle, Jared Odrick. I would expect Odrick to play with a ton of energy and effort, as he’ll try to prove he was worth the pay day against his former team. Even so, Miller should see far more than just 13 carries a game against the Jags, with a few targets out of the backfield to boot. As a fantasy prediction, I would expect a 12-14 point game out of Miller this week against the Jags.
Dolphins D/ST vs Jaguars Offense
In terms of Fantasy, the Dolphins defense was the big winner last week against the Skins. Aside from getting beat at the point of attack by the Skins offensive line, the Dolphins defense played very well, forcing two interceptions at key moments in the game. As stated before, Jarvis helped out the Special Teams unit with an electrifying punt return for a touchdown. While you can’t expect a Jarvis to return one to the house every week, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a pick six this week against the Jags. Blake Bortles has improved since last year, but he’s still young and prone to making mistakes when under pressure. Therefore, with the combination of sacks and turnovers, my fantasy prediction this week for the Fins D/ST unit is 12-14 points in standard leagues.
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This week should be a perfect opportunity for all Miami Dolphins players to put up solid fantasy numbers. If you have any of the above mentioned players on your roster, start them. It’s simple as that. Let me know your thoughts by commenting below and as always, Fins up!