"Streaming" quarterbacks, defenses and kickers has been a fantasy football strategy I've successfully used for years.
I've parlayed that success into a series of weekly recommendations for the top streaming options at those three positions, as well as tight end, which can be of assistance in a pinch.
The concept behind streaming is that you add someone for a given week based on the matchup, rather than putting the emphasis behind a player's long-term projection.
I’m only highlighting players who are available in at least 40% of Yahoo! leagues. Please refer to my player rankings based on your league settings to see who is the best available player in your league.
QB Brock Purdy
at Rams
Purdy had a pretty average stat line with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers, but his elbow didn't look like it was an issue and the 49ers didn't need to throw much late in their Week 1 win. We probably won't see a pass-heavy game script for Purdy in Week 2 either.
San Francisco has a matchup against the Rams that should see Purdy thrive. The Rams play zone at a very high rate, and Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle all thrive against zone. Plus, Brandon Aiyuk's preseason hype spilled over into the regular season, and he looked like one of the NFL's best receivers after Week 1.
Not only does Purdy have all those weapons in Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme, but his rushing upside started to show in Week 1 with 20 yards on the ground.
Purdy is a solid high-end QB2 in Week 2, and he carries QB1 upside the rest of the season.
TE Irv Smith Jr.
vs. Ravens
Smith flopped in Week 1 with three catches for just 17 yards, but a lot of that had to do with Joe Burrow throwing for a career-low 82 yards against an elite Browns defense.
The underlying usage for Smith was very encouraging, as he ran a route on 71% of Burrow's dropbacks and commanded a healthy 20.8% target rate on those routes.
Smith could offer high-end TE2 value if/when the Bengals offense bounces back. He also has the potential to offer TE1 upside if one of Cincinnati's top three receivers (Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd) misses time.
I'm still a fan of streaming Smith when it makes sense to, so I can possibly capture his true ceiling.
K Graham Gano
at Cardinals
Gano was shut out in Week 1 because the Giants were as well, in a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys. This is a bounce-back spot for the team and Gano against the lowly Cardinals.
Giants D/ST
at Cardinals
The Giants defense wasn't to blame for the 40-0 loss. Fourteen of those points came on a blocked field goal and then a pick-six. New York had another drive that resulted in a turnover on the first play.
The Giants defense has to play a few drives with just a couple of minutes to catch its breath on the sidelines before getting back on the field.
Like Gano, the New York defense should bounce back against the Cardinals and Josh Dobbs, who had the third-highest turnover-worthy play rate at 7.9%, according to Pro Football Focus. Dobbs should provide the Giants defense with numerous opportunities for sacks and turnovers.
