Like the box-office sensation ‘The Hangover’–we deserve a sequel. We have a lot to cover, so pour yourself a drink and let’s dive in.
FOOTBALL TEAM 30 GIANTS 29
A week ago, we recommended Taylor Heinicke as a waiver wire addition. Hopefully, you capitalized on the advice. Outside of a 4th quarter interception, Heinicke was strong in this one completing 34 of 46 for 336 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Fantasy players were curious to see Heinicke’s Fantasy impact on Terry McLaurin. We were pleased to see McLaurin was the primary target once more. McLaurin hauled in eleven passes on fourteen targets for 107 yards and a touchdown. Terry McLaurin remains a WR1 for the time being. Antonio Gibson looked great as a runner once again–13 carries for 69 yards. There is a J.D. McKissic issue here for Antonio Gibson fantasy managers. A week ago, we stated that this was Gibson’s backfield. McKissic converted five of six targets into 83 yards receiving and added four carries for ten yards and a rushing touchdown. Antonio Gibson is a good receiver, but if the WFT utilizes McKissic this way, it places Antonio Gibson in the high-end RB2 territory rather than in the RB1 stratosphere. Given his involvement as a pass-catcher, J.D. McKissic remains on the Flex radar. Keep an eye on rookie receiver Dyami Brown. Brown continues to establish himself in the offense. New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones cannot continue leading this team in rushing. To his credit, Daniel Jones had a solid outing in this one. Jones completed 22 of 32 for 249 yards and a touchdown. Jones also rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Saquon Barkley had a 41-yard run early in this game, followed by twelve additional carries for just sixteen more yards. Saquon Barkley fantasy managers are in PANIC MODE. Your ‘buy low’ window on Barkley just opened–make your trade offers accordingly. Sterling Shepard has been the most productive Giants receiver so far in 2021. The chemistry that Jones and Shepard built in 2020 has carried over. It will not surprise me if Shepard outperforms Kenny Golladay this year. Golladay was visibly upset at Jones during the game. If there is a ‘squeaky wheel game for Golladay, look for it to arrive in week three.
BEARS 20 BENGALS 17
The Chicago Bears received a much-needed victory but now have question marks at the quarterback position. Andy Dalton performed well early in this one but had to leave due to a knee injury. Dalton was relieved by highly-anticipated 1st round pick Justin Fields. Many football fans, myself included, are excited for Fields to take over as the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. If we are fair, his performance against the Bengals was a bit shaky. Fields finished 6 of 13 for 60 yards passing and an interception. Fields’ numbers would look better if Allen Robinson caught a beautifully thrown ball in the endzone for a would-be touchdown. Justin Fields was clutch down the stretch with his legs, rushing for 31 yards on ten carries. If Justin Fields is under center for the Bears next week at the Cleveland Browns, expect borderline QB1 numbers. Darnell Mooney is on the verge of a breakout game. Mooney was the most targeted pass-catcher for the Bears–six catches on eight targets for 66 yards. David Montgomery looked sensational for the second consecutive week. I take back all the bad things I ever said about David Montgomery. I would recommend buying pieces of the Chicago Bears offense. Give it a little time, but I think it will be a dynamic group. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was going well in this game until he wasn’t. Three interceptions on three consecutive passes aren’t something that you see every day. Burrow is an accurate passer, with no turnover concerns. Joe Mixon continues to get the volume the Bengals coaching staff promised. 20 carries for 69 yards against the Bears has Joe Mixon firmly as a Top 10 fantasy back moving forward. Tee Higgins was the most targeted receiver for the Bengals with six catches on ten targets for 60 yards and a touchdown. Higgins is a solid WR2 for the rest of the season. For the second week in a row, Ja’Marr Chase had a long touchdown catch. The volume was a bit light in this one for Chase as he had two catches on four targets for 54 yards. It was good to see the re-emergence of Tyler Boyd. Boyd led the Bengals in catches with seven and yards with 73. If Boyd does have this type of involvement, it will take away from either Higgins or Chase weekly.
BROWNS 31 TEXANS 21
It wasn’t pretty, but the Browns got a needed victory. Baker Mayfield was shaken up early in this one but returned to action. Mayfield was accurate all afternoon, completing 19 of 21 passes for 213 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The primary issue for Baker and the Browns is the lack of pass-catchers moving forward. Jarvis Landry will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the MCL injury he sustained in this one. Odell Beckham Jr. still has not appeared in a game in 2021. I would expect the Browns to lean even more heavily on their rushing attack anchored by the dynamic duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. If there is one player who would see a significant uptick in volume in the absence of Jarvis Landry, it would be TE Austin Hooper. Hooper caught all five of his targets for 40 yards against the Texans. Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor was playing well in this one before his injury. Unfortunately, with the Texans’ quick turnaround with a Thursday Night game this week, the early reports are that Davis Mills III will be the Texans starting quarterback against the Panthers. The only player of note for the Texans this week is Brandin Cooks. Texans’ quarterbacks targeted Cooks a ridiculous FOURTEEN times! Cooks reeled in nine catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. With this workload, continue to fire up Cooks as a reliable WR2.
RAMS 27 COLTS 24
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams kept rolling on Sunday. Stafford looked to be in complete command once again, completing 19 of 30 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. In the Rams’ high octane offense, Stafford is a weekly back-end QB1. Stafford’s new best friend Cooper Kupp had it working again in this one. Kupp lit up the Colts’ secondary for nine catches on eleven targets for 163 yards and two touchdowns. There is a case to be made for Cooper Kupp as a Top 5 fantasy receiver. Robert Woods has taken a backseat to Cooper Kupp so far in 2021, which could mean a ‘buy low’ opportunity. Woods’ involvement in the Rams offense isn’t going away anytime soon. Stafford targeted Woods nine times, resulting in five catches for 64 yards–the big fantasy days are on deck. Tyler Higbee once again played every snap on offense. Unfortunately, last week’s production did not carry over into week two. I would expect Higbee to bounce back next week. You will want to monitor Darrell Henderson this week. Henderson left this contest in the 4th quarter with bruised ribs and did not return. Make sure to check your waiver wire to see if Sony Michel is out there. Michel will be in line for a top waiver add if Henderson is going to miss any time. All eyes will be on Carson Wentz this week. Wentz got rolled up on and suffered an injury to BOTH of his ankles. If Carson Wentz cannot go, Jacob Eason will take over the reins. Eason looked shaky in the small sample size from this past weekend. You would be wise to downgrade expectations for all Colts players if Wentz is out. Jonathan Taylor was held in check by the Rams defense. No reason to deviate from the plan with JT. Michael Pittman Jr. took a step forward in elevating to the top pass catcher in the Colts offense. Pittman Jr. caught eight of twelve passes for 123 yards against a tough Rams secondary. No player needs good news on the Carson Wentz injury front more than Michael Pittman Jr. Jack Doyle reeled in five catches on eight targets for 64 yards. The tight end position can be a vast wasteland–Doyle is worth a pickup. Zach Pascal continues to produce. Pascal turned six targets into five receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. I continue to doubt Pascal, but if you wanted to add him, I don’t know if I can stand in the way any longer.
BILLS 35, DOLPHINS 0
Through two games, Josh Allen has not looked like the same player we saw in 2020. The Bills stomped the Dolphins in this one, but Allen completed just 17 of 33 passes for 179 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. If I could ‘buy low’ on a skittish Josh Allen fantasy manager, I would. Stefon Diggs continues to be the most targeted pass-catcher for the Bills. Diggs caught four of eight targets for 60 yards and a touchdown. Stefon Diggs remains a Top 5 fantasy receiver. Emmanuel Sanders continues to emerge in the Bills offense–he was targeted the second most of anyone on the team. Sanders will have some ‘boom’ weeks, but his upside is limited by Cole Beasley. Beasley caught four passes on as many targets for 36 yards. Devin Singletary was shot out of a cannon on his 46-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Singletary out-touched backfield mate Zach Moss 15 to 10 against the Dolphins. The concern for Singletary fantasy managers is that Zach Moss appears to be the favorite option around the endzone. Both backs remain high-end Flex options. Tua Tagovailoa had to leave this game after just four passes and did not return. Injured ribs are a tricky injury for a quarterback, so pay attention to the news out of South Beach this week. If Tua cannot go next week, Jacoby Brissett will be under center for Miami. Brissett seemed rusty against the Bills. Receiving first-team reps all week will help. The Dolphins were chasing the entire game, so there are no long-term takeaways from this game. DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle are seeing the same workload, and both remain Flex plays. Mike Gisecki showed signs of life following his week one no-show. You could do worse at the tight end. If one of your league-mates dropped Gisecki following week one and you are desperate, proceed in picking him up as a flier. What will the Dolphins offense look like when Will Fuller returns from suspension? I believe Fuller is the best receiver on this roster, but this is a new team after all, so it may take time to develop chemistry with Tua. Myles Gaskin was game scripted out of this one with only five carries in the blowout. Gaskin remains the Dolphin back to have in fantasy football and remains an RB2.
PATRIOTS 25 JETS 6
Last week we told you if Damien Harris finds the endzone, we will have an RB1 on our hands. A week later, and here we are. Damien Harris led the Patriots backfield with 16 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots’ offense operates through its backfield and conservative underneath passing attack. James White was also heavily involved with five carries for 20 yards and a touchdown. White also caught all six of his targets for an additional 45 yards–pacing the Patriots in receiving yards on the day. Harris will remain on the RB1 radar even as White makes a case for RB2 status. A nondescript day for the remaining Patriots pass-catchers. The Patriots’ defense stifled the Jets’ offense, and Mac Jones took the underneath stuff and didn’t make any mistakes. Fellow rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has a day to forget. The Jets offense is experiencing growing pains as Wilson completed 19 of 33 for 210 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. The Patriots’ defense focused on stopping Corey Davis, and that they did. Davis finished the day with two catches on five targets for just eight yards. Wilson is a rookie and will get better with experience. I advise making an offer for Corey Davis, see if you can buy him on the cheap following Sunday’s performance. Elijah Moore had a much better second game following the dud in his debut. Moore reeled in four of his eight targets for 47 yards. Michael Carter may be beginning his ascension to the top of the Jets backfield. Carter showed off the versatility, and he has the most juice of any of the backs in New York. 11 carries for 59 yards, and two catches for an additional 29 yards should earn Carter more work next week.
49ERS 17 EAGLES 11
The 49ers looked abysmal early on in this one, but credit Jimmy Garoppolo with calming the troops and narrowly escaping with a rather ugly win. Garoppolo was 22 of 30 for 189 yards and a touchdown. Deebo Samuel carried the 49ers’ offense in this one, catching six of his eight targets for 93 yards. Samuel has stood out so far in the early season and is a solid WR2. George Kittle has been pedestrian in 2021 so far. Four catches for 17 yards will not win you many fantasy weeks. I doubt you can get Kittle on the cheap, but sending trade offers won’t hurt. The curious case of Brandon Aiyuk continues as one of the most bizarre storylines in the early going. Aiyuk is the ideal ‘buy low’ candidate as the Aiyuk fantasy managers must be losing their minds. The primary issue with the 49ers isn’t their pass catchers it is their lack of cohesion at the running back position. The 49ers have now used five different running backs and are no closer to developing anything even remotely close to consistency. Elijah Mitchell was everyone’s favorite waiver wire addition last week. A melancholy encore here in week two with just 42 yards on 17 carries. Mitchell remains the top back for now, but keep an eye on this constantly evolving fantasy situation. The Philadelphia Eagles will look back on this game and think–what might have been. Jalen Reagor was inches away from a long touchdown that would have put the Eagles up multiple scores. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Reagor stepped out of bounds before the catch and erased the score. Quez Watkins had a 91-yard catch, and somehow, the Eagles didn’t score on the drive. Jalen Hurts has made strides as a passer. There is an ‘all or nothing’ style to his game. Hurts was 12 of 23 for 190 yards passing while pacing the Eagles in rushing with 82 yards on ten carries, finding the endzone as a runner. If Jalen Hurts can develop some consistency, his fantasy upside is tremendous. Do not worry about rookie receiver DeVonta Smith. Smith remains the most targeted pass-catcher for the Eagles. Smith only converted seven targets into two catches, but he also drew several pass interference calls on the day. DeVonta Smith has the makings of a low-end WR2. Miles Sanders passed the eye test for the second week in a row. 55 rushing yards on 13 carries, big fantasy weeks are on the horizon for Miles Sanders.
RAIDERS 26 STEELERS 17
The most shocking surprise of the young 2021 season has to be Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders. I don’t know anyone who predicted the Raiders would defeat the Ravens and Steelers on consecutive weekends to open the 2021 season. Derek Carr has been nothing short of sensational. Carr completed 28 of 37 passes for 382 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders impressively spread out the passing game to a variety of weapons. Darren Waller, Henry Ruggs III, and Hunter Renfrow were all targeted seven times. Waller, coming off of an other-worldly performance on Monday Night, was only solid on Sunday afternoon. Waller is the best tight end in football, not named Travis Kelce. Ruggs will not be consistent weekly, but with his field-stretching speed, he will give you these ‘boom’ weeks. Peyton Barber was the primary ball carrier for the Raiders, but Kenyan Drake was heavily involved. Keep an eye on Josh Jacobs leading up to week three. For now, the Raiders backfield is a fantasy situation to avoid. The Steelers’ offense looked flat for the second week in a row. Big Ben is hampering the Steelers’ offense at this point. Diontae Johnson remains the top receiver for the Steelers–Johnson caught nine of twelve passes for 105 yards. Diontae Johnson was injured on the final play of the game, so monitory the situation. Chase Claypool was heavily involved, albeit with mixed results. Claypool caught only three of nine targets for 70 yards. Claypool remains a bit ‘boom or bust’ as your WR2. JuJu Smith-Schuster is only a Flex flier at this point as he is third in the pecking order. Najee Harris rushed for 38 yards on ten carries but spared his fantasy day with five catches on as many targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. It has been tough sledding for Harris so far in his rookie season, no reason to panic. Volume is king, and Harris still has the volume role in the Steelers’ offense.
PANTHERS 26 SAINTS 7
The story in this game and one of the stories in the young season is the dominant Carolina Panthers defense. The Saints’ offense had their way with the Packers’ defense in week one. A week later, the Panthers’ defense suffocated the Saints’ offense. Jameis Winston completed just 11 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions. Winston was the Saints’ leading rusher–with 19 yards! Alvin Kamara ran for five yards on eight carries. Extend a few trade offers to Kamara managers out there. Take this game film and burn it if you are the New Orleans Saints. For the second week in a row, Sam Darnold was in complete control of the Carolina offense. Darnold completed 26 of 38 for 305 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. If you are streaming the position, Sam Darnold is on the radar. Christian McCaffrey is back to being the most dominant fantasy force in the game. Even in a game where he struggled as a runner, McCaffrey still crushes it in fantasy. McCaffrey rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries–caught five of six passes for an additional 65 yards. DJ Moore has a stranglehold on the top receiving option in the Panthers’ offense as he caught eight of eleven targets for 79 yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore is firmly in the WR1 conversation. We mentioned last week that you should sell Robby Anderson–hope for your sake that you listened. A week after having one catch, Anderson caught three of six targets for 38 yards. Terrace Marshall Jr. fantasy managers are concerned with the slow start. As Anderson’s role fades, I believe Marshall Jr. will gain additional work.
BRONCOS 23 JAGUARS 13
One of the more underrated storylines in the early season is the exceptional play of Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater completed 26 of 34 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns. Bridgewater is in the streaming conversation with other emerging options like Sam Darnold and Derek Carr. Bridgewater relentlessly targeted Courtland Sutton, and it paid off. Sutton reeled in nine of twelve targets for 159 yards. Courtland Sutton reminded us what type of player he can be when healthy. Noah Fant‘s performance in this one was noteworthy once again–four catches on six targets for 33 yards and a touchdown. Fant firmly has a role in this offense. Fant is a locked-in top ten option at the position. Tim Patrick saved his fantasy day with a touchdown. Patrick seems to be more consistent than KJ Hamler at this point–neither should be started in fantasy leagues. The Broncos backfield remains a frustrating one for fantasy owners to navigate. Javone Williams and Melvin Gordon III each had thirteen carries–Williams was the more productive runner with 64 yards to Gordon’s 31. I still believe Javonte Williams eventually takes over the alpha role in this backfield and becomes a weekly RB2. Another rough outing for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence was only 14 of 33 for 118 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Lawrence is only a spot start in a terrific matchup for now. He needs time to gel in this offense. Marvin Jones Jr. has emerged as the only pass-catching option you can trust in fantasy. Jones hauled in six of eleven targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. Jones Jr. is a low-end WR2/high-end Flex option. DJ Chark Jr. was invisible in this one with one catch on four targets for 19 yards. Laviska Shenault Jr. has become maddening for fantasy owners–two catches for -3 yards is a fantasy nightmare. As far as the running game is concerned, Urban Meyer came to his senses and gave most of the work to James Robinson. I know that it has not been pretty, and it may never be in Jacksonville, but this is a ‘buy low’ opportunity on James Robinson. The Jaguar’s offense cannot be worse than what it has been so far this season. James Robinson has shown the ability to handle a heavy workload and remains on the low-end RB2 radar.
CARDINALS 34, VIKINGS 33
Kyler Murray is singlehandedly leading people to fantasy football victories. Murray completed 29 of 36 passes for 400 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions–and he ran for 31 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Kyler Murray is the top fantasy quarterback, and that includes Patrick Mahomes. Rondale Moore has put himself on the fantasy radar as a rookie. Moore caught seven of eight targets for 114 yards and a touchdown. Moore won’t have many 77-yard touchdowns, but his involvement in this offense isn’t going away. Moore is a solid flex option in PPR leagues. DeAndre Hopkins remains the top receiving option for the Cardinals, but his target share is dwindling. Hopkins caught all four of his targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. If the Cardinals continue to spread the ball around the way they are, Hopkins may slip from the WR1 range into WR2 territory. Chase Edmonds continues to be the most involved running back for the Cardinals. Edmonds looked good with his opportunities–46 yards on eight carries, five catches on as many targets for 29 yards. Edmonds has never been a touchdown type of player, so as long as the touchdowns avoid him, he will be a low-end RB2. Kirk Cousins came out hot and played very well in this one. Cousins completed 22 of 32 for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Cousins remains a low-ceiling streaming option at the position. Dalvin Cook was stellar in this one–rushing for 131 yards on 22 carries. Keep an eye on the injury report as Cook sustained a minor ankle injury. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are as rock-solid as receivers come. Jefferson caught six of ten targets for 65 yards and a touchdown, Thielen caught six of seven targets for 39 yards and a touchdown. Both players are on the fringe of low-end WR1/high-end WR2 status.
BUCCANEERS 48 FALCONS 25
Tom Brady is playing at an MVP level yet again. Brady completed 24 of 36 passes for 276 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. As good as Brady is, some regression is coming. The Buccaneers haven’t run the ball around the goal-line all season long. The pass: run ratio will balance out as we proceed. Brady remains a Top 5 fantasy option. The Bucs and Brady were intentional about getting Mike Evans involved in the offense early and often. Evans hauled in five of nine targets for 75 yards and two touchdowns. I remain concerned about Evans’ long-term ceiling in this offense, so I wouldn’t mind ‘selling high’ on Evans. Rob Gronkowski continues to flourish in the Buccaneers offense. Gronk caught four of five targets for 39 yards and two touchdowns. Gronk is a top-five tight-end option for the foreseeable future. Chris Godwin continues to be a plug-and-play WR2 for your fantasy team week in and week out with four catches on five targets for 62 yards and a touchdown. Antonio Brown was the odd man out on Sunday. Expect a much better performance from Antonio Brown in week three. Leonard Fournette rushed 11 times for 52 yards and caught all four of his targets for 24 yards. Ronald Jones II rushed for 27 yards on six carries. Through two games, it certainly appears that Leonard Fournette is the leading of the Buccaneers backfield. Fournette is a flex play. Jones II should remain on your bench. The Falcons offense didn’t look stellar on Sunday, but there were some positive signs of life. Matt Ryan completed 35 of 46 for 300 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Ryan’s stats are mostly hollow. I wouldn’t recommend him in fantasy at the moment. It was encouraging to see the Falcons getting their premier players involved. Calvin Ridley caught seven of ten passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Pitts reeled in five of six targets for 73 yards. Both players are every week starters as their schedule will lighten up. Mike Davis was serviceable in this one, but you can’t like what you have seen so far in 2021. Davis ran for 38 yards on nine carries, also caught all seven of his targets for 25 yards. Cordarelle Patterson will be a name you see on waiver wire pickups this week. Patterson continues to be more involved than you would have thought and was fantastic against the Bucs. Patterson hauled in five of his six targets for 58 yards and a touchdown, and he also scored a touchdown on the ground.
COWBOYS 20 CHARGERS 17
If you can ‘buy low’ on Dak Prescott, do it RIGHT NOW! Fantasy owners are fickle by nature–many fantasy players are upset following Prescott’s performance on Sunday. Prescott wasn’t bad. The touchdowns went to the running backs. Dak completed 23 of 27 passes for 237 yards and an interception. Amari Cooper caught three of five targets for 24 yards and left with bruised ribs–monitor his availability this week. CeeDee Lamb continues to produce as a high-end WR2 weekly for your fantasy team–hauling in eight of nine targets for 81 yards against the Chargers. Tony Pollard was sensational against the Chargers this week. Pollard ran for 109 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, also caught all three targets for 31 yards. Pollard has more juice than Ezekiel Elliott and should be a weekly flex starter from now on. For his part, Zeke was good in this game also. Elliott ran for 71 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, also caught both targets for 26 more yards. Zeke remains a rock-solid top ten fantasy running back. Like his counterpart, this is a ‘buy low’ opportunity for Justin Herbert. Herbert completed 31 of 41 passes for 338 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Big fantasy performances are on the horizon. We said a week ago that we were concerned Austin Ekeler wasn’t receiving enough targets. The Chargers heard our concerns and answered loud and clear. Ekeler hauled in all nine targets for 61 yards. Ekeler also rushed for 54 yards on nine carries. Austin Ekeler has a shot at a top-five running back season in 2021. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have solidified their receiving roles. Allen caught four of eight targets for 108 yards and is a low-end WR1 in fantasy. Mike Williams is on his way to a career year with seven catches on ten targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. Williams is now an established WR2.
TITANS 33 SEAHAWKS 30
Derrick Henry took the opportunity to remind the NFL and Fantasy worlds just how dominant he can be. King Henry rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries. What was unique about Henry’s performance in this one was his work in the receiving game. Henry caught all six of his targets for 55 more yards. The receiving numbers always kept Henry out of the conversation for the RB1. If this trend continues, Henry can challenge Christian McCaffrey for the top back in fantasy football. Julio Jones was the premier pass-catcher for the Titans in this one–catching six of eight targets for 128 yards. Jones is back in the mix as a mid-WR2. A.J. Brown is too hot a name to be a ‘buy low’ candidate. Fantasy players love A.J. Brown. Brown struggled as he caught only three of nine targets for 43 yards. The bounce-back week is incoming for A.J. Brown. Ryan Tannehill will receive some positive touchdown regression. Tannehill completed 27 of 40 passes for 347 yards. If you are a Tannehill fantasy manager, hold for now. Russell Wilson continues his offensive onslaught. Russ completed 22 of 31 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns. Continue to deploy the locked-in Wilson as a top-five fantasy quarterback. Wilson had it working with Tyler Lockett once again this week. Lockett caught eight of eleven targets for 178 yards and a touchdown–Lockett is a ‘locked-in WR1. DK Metcalf has gotten off to a relatively slow start to the season. Metcalf hauled in six of eleven targets for 53 yards. Chris Carson owns the Seahawks backfield. Carson out-touched Alex Collins 13 to 1 in this game. Carson wasn’t efficient running for only 31 yards, but he did find the end zone twice. Carson is a solid-floor, low-ceiling RB2 for your fantasy teams.
RAVENS 36, CHIEFS 35
Lamar Jackson played like a desperate man, and it showed. Jackson was other-worldly in this performance as he completed 18 of 26 for 239 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Jackson was a star on the ground with 107 rushing yards, two touchdowns on 16 carries. Lamar Jackson is making a compelling case as a Top 3 fantasy quarterback. Marquise Brown caught six of ten targets for 113 yards and a touchdown. Brown is now a weekly WR2 play for your fantasy teams. Mark Andrews continues his solid play with five catches on as many targets for 57 yards. Sammy Watkins was second on the team in targets hauling in four of seven for 44 yards. The Ravens’ backfield touches seem split 60/40 with Ty’Son Williams and Latavius Murray leading the rushing attack–Williams was a more explosive rusher for 77 yards on 13 carries. Latavius Murray ran for 36 yards on nine carries but found the endzone. Ty’Son Williams is the back-to-play here, but he remains a high-end flex option for now. Patrick Mahomes completed 24 of 31 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Mahomes gives you top-three production week in and week out–moving on. Travis Kelce was the top pass catcher throughout in this one hauling in seven of eight targets for 109 yards and a highlight-reel 46-yard touchdown. Kelce is the no-brainer TE1–end of story. MeCole Hardman tied Kelce for the team lead in targets with eight, catching five of them for 55 yards. Quiet game (three catches on four targets for 14 yards) from Tyreek Hill in this game. The Ravens game-planned to take away Tyreek and let the underneath stuff beat them. If there is a squeaky wheel game on the horizon, Tyreek Hill against the division rival Chargers is a good bet. Rough beginning to the season for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. CEH ran for 46 yards on 13 carries. The most bizarre thing from this performance is the lack of passing game involvement as Edwards-Helaire was not even targeted in this one. Give the Ravens defense credit for this weeks’ performance, but keep an eye on how the Chiefs deploy their weapons from here on out.
PACKERS 35 LIONS 17
Aaron Rodgers was in complete control on Monday Night Football, completing 22 of 27 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and you can tell the Packers’ offense remains a work in progress, but this was a step in the right direction. Aaron Jones made his case for Fantasy MVP for Week Two. Jones ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries–caught all six of his targets for 48 yards and an additional three touchdowns. Jones is a top-five fantasy back. Davante Adams also got back on the right track, catching eight of nine targets for 121 yards. Adams is a target monster and firmly in the consideration for the top fantasy receiver in the game. Robert Tonyan took advantage of his three targets–converting them all for 52 yards and a touchdown. Tonyan is a low-volume, touchdown-dependent, top ten fantasy tight end. Jared Goff played well in this game until the wheels fell off. Goff completed 26 of 36 for 246 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Goff was also the teams’ leading rusher with 46 yards on four carries. Do not be fooled, don’t start Jared Goff on your fantasy team. T.J. Hockenson is the focal point of the Lions’ passing attack. Hockenson caught eight of his nine targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. Hockenson is a top-five fantasy tight end, and he is making a case for top three consideration. The Lions’ backfield is tough to figure. The Lions were chasing big against the 49ers in the opener. In this one, most of the fantasy production again came in garbage time. Given the involvement as a receiver out of the backfield, D’Andre Swift remains an RB2 in PPR leagues. Jamal Williams is more of a desperate flex play in fantasy leagues.
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