Each week, two of theScore's DFS experts weigh in on a contentious daily fantasy topic. This week: is Julio Jones or Antonio Brown the better play in Week 3?
Josh Ghatak: The Steelers offense is simply too hot to contain. Though Atlanta and Pittsburgh are comparable in major offensive categories, Pittsburgh edges them out in all of these categories (including points, passing yards and total yards per game) and has a league-leading 10 pass plays for 25+ yards.
Antonio Brown is simply in the better overall offensive system and with the return of Le'Veon Bell, the Steelers will cause even more headaches for the St. Louis Rams.
Bell's return will obviously draw great attention from the Rams defense and force them to lighten their focus on Brown and the other Steelers receivers. I would expect the short passes and quick screens that Pittsburgh often throws to Brown to be more exploitable than Weeks 1 and 2 as the Rams focus on the backfield.
Esten McLaren: As mentioned, the Steelers will welcome Bell back. It's a fantastic situation for Bell as he faces a Rams run defense that just allowed 218 total yards to the Washington Redskins RB tandem of Matt Jones and Alfred Morris.
Julio Jones, meanwhile, already ranks third in the NFL with 26 targets - four more than Brown - and the loss of RB Tevin Coleman will lead to an even larger emphasis on the passing game.
Due to the larger role and workload, Jones is the top-end receiver to target for Week 3.
Josh Ghatak: It is exactly that high reliance upon Jones as the engine of Atlanta's offense that will be his biggest downfall in Week 3. The Falcons' offense primarily runs off the Matt Ryan-to-Julio connection, which is something the Cowboys defense will be sure to key on.
Though the Cowboys and Rams - Pittsburgh's Week 3 opponent - have allowed the ninth- and 10th-fewest passing yards per game, the Cowboys will be able to focus on Julio while the Rams are forced to spread their attention around the field.
Your point about Bell running wild and reducing Brown's effectiveness is not necessarily true based on Pittsburgh's use of the run game. Through Weeks 1 and 2, DeAngelo Williams ran for 204 yards on 41 attempts as Pittsburgh has averaged 109 YPG on the ground - indicating that there is enough room for productive run and pass attacks in the Steelers offense.
Esten McLaren: Yes, the Cowboys will key in on Julio Jones. Does it matter? Absolutely not.
The Cowboys' top-two corner backs, Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, rank 19th and 39th, respectively, among CBs who've played at least 60% of snaps, according to ProFootballFocus.
Despite being a non-factor in Week 2, Jones' teammate WR Roddy White still commands far more respect from opposing defenses than Brown's WR teammates Markus Wheaton and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Josh Ghatak: White was a complete non-factor in Week 2, while Wheaton and Heyward-Bey have both put up decent numbers to open the season - again indicating how dynamic Pittsburgh's offense really is.
Yes, White is a more established NFL player, but the big play capability of Wheaton and Heyward-Bey is their biggest asset. The threat of their speed and ability to stretch the defense will again make Brown's quick hit passes extremely effective.
Specific to cornerbacks, the Rams' starters are Jenoris Jenkins (16th) and Trumaine Johnson, who is not worthy of playing 60% of snaps and therefore is not listed on the same rankings. Though Jenkins is ranked three spots above Carr, I give you another stat from ProFootballFocus in favor of Brown:
[in 2014] Janoris Jenkins led the league with 16 missed tackles, a feat he’s now accomplished in two of his three years in the league as he tied for the lead with 18 in 2012.
Esten McLaren: You continue to reference "Pittsburgh's high-flying offense" while paying no respect to Atlanta. The Falcons are tied for third in the entire NFL with an average of 70 offensive plays run per game over the first two weeks of the season. The Pittsburgh Steelers are sandwiched between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions at 25th, with just 59 plays run per game.
Sure, White had zero receptions and zero yards in Week 2, but he had 84 yards off four receptions in Week 1. Leonard Hankerson had 77 yards on six receptions in Week 2. White has also played more offensive snaps than any of the aforementioned receivers, drawing coverage the entire time.
As for Trumaine Johnson, his 92 snaps played are good for over 50% of the defensive snaps played by the Rams. He grades out as PFF's No. 4 corner back among receiver who have met that criteria.
Josh Ghatak: I continue to reference the high flying offence because it is so.
Your point that Atlanta runs more offensive plays may be true, but all you are saying is that Pittsburgh offense is more efficient in generating production.
The Falcons deserve plenty of respect for their offenset. But the Steelers offense is more capable of consistently supporting secondary production.
Specific to Brown and Jones, if Brown were to be targeted up to 15 times like Jones ... think of the damage he would do. In Week 2, Brown put up nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown while Jones put 13 catches for 135 yards.
Furthermore, Brown has four fewer catches than Jones but 52 more receiving yards - another testament to his efficiency and effectiveness. Brown is more effective, efficient, and in the situation where he sees 15 targets he would be much more productive than Jones.
Overall, the difference between Jones and Brown is not great. Neither is significantly above the other, but like the Pittsburgh offense when compared to the Atlanta offense, Brown is slightly ahead of Jones.
Esten McLaren: Yes, we truly are debating receivers 1A and 1B here, but there is a debate to be had, and I stand by Julio Jones.
Sure, Brown may be more efficient, and he does more with big plays, but that also leaves him open to more volatility, making him the riskier choice of the two. Jones' regular and consistent high usage rate provides him with the higher floor.
Additionally, although Brown may have more big plays through two weeks in 2015, Jones ranked No. 1 among receivers with 31 receptions for 20-plus yards in 2014 - six more of such receptions than any other wide receiver, and 12 more than Brown.
The Falcons' dismal run game requires them to control the clock with shorter passes, but fear not, Jones still possesses that big play ability when needed, as provided by receptions of 44 and 37 yards in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.
