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Favorites & Fades


Week 2

By: Gravy Collins | Ken Ilchuk | Nick Caron | HC Green
Updated: 9/16/22

Thursday:

LAC @ KC


Sunday Early:

CAR @ NYG | NE @ PIT | TB @ NO | NYJ @ CLE

MIA @ BAL | WAS @ DET | IND @ JAX


Sunday Late:

ATL @ LAR | SEA @ SF | HOU @ DEN | ARI @ LV | CIN @ DAL

CHI @ GB

Monday:

TEN @ BUF | MIN @ PHI


Notes:
- Green highlight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)

Chargers @ Chiefs - (Collins)
Line: KC -4.0
Total: 54.0



KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17

No Brainers: QB Justin Herbert

Favorite: RB Austin Ekeler

A first-round pick in most formats, Ekeler stumbled out of the gate as he delivered a pedestrian 11.2-point performance in Week 1. He could only manage 36 yards on 14 carries (2.6 per carry) but he did catch four passes for 36 yards. They face the Chiefs young(er) defense this week, who did allow 103 rushing yards to Arizona. A good amount of these yards came after the game was out of hand and the dogs had been called off. I look for Ekeler to get back at it in a potential shootout, using the passing game as a separator as the Chiefs did allow eight catches for 62 yards to RBs. Ekeler was the primary runner on short yardage and goal line work, so he finds the end zone this week.

On the Fence: TE Gerald Everett

Everett’s continued improvement continues! He only received four targets last week, but made the most out them. He caught three for 54 yards and a TD to finish 4th among TEs with 14.4 points. Will it continue? Who knows?!?, but with the Chargers missing Keenan Allen, I see Everett having another solid, if not flashy game Thursday night. To growth!

Fade: WR Mike Williams

When Keenan (hamstring) left the game in the first half, it looked like great positioning for Williams to seize the moment. Instead, he produced only two catches for 10 yards. Questions linger about his play over the past 12 games where he’s had just two 100-yard games and scored only 3 TDs. He will now draw No.1 coverage with Allen likely out. Having him produce seems like a stretch; put him on the bench. Or really temper your expectations.



LAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
LAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
LAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
LAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2

No Brainers: QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce

Favorite: JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu received 8 targets last week and a 20.5% target share – highest among all the Chiefs’ wide receivers. He’s locked into two-wide receiver sets with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and is setting up to be Mahomes’ security blanket outside of Kelce. LA had a bit of trouble with Davante Adams last week (10-141-1) and while JuJu isn’t on the same level, the targets should be there in the highest game total (54.0) of the week.

On the Fence: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire

If the goal was to get CEH going early, it worked. He caught 2 short TDs before halftime en route to a 22.4-point performance against the Cardinals. He also rumbled for 42 yards on seven carries. Falling behind early, the Raiders never really got the run going last week (13-64) against a Chargers team that give up the 5th most fantasy points to RBs last season. CEH is firmly entrenched as top RB cat for the Chiefs and that should keep his backfield competition at the door for this week.

Fade: RB Isiah Pacheco

Sometimes the stats are the stats, until they aren’t. Yes, Pacheco led the team in both attempts (12) and yards (62) against Arizona and added a TD to boot. The only caveat in this scenario is that TD and yardage came in the 4th quarter after KC had already opened up a 3-touchdown lead as the starters rested. The Chargers offer up a stronger defense, so I’d expect a normal game flow to take place to balance out the ledger. Let’s check on that team-leading status next week, shall we?

Prediction: Chiefs 35, Chargers 32 ^ Top

Panthers @ Giants - (Caron)
Line: NYG -2.0
Total: 43.5



NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21

No Brainers: RB Christian McCaffrey

Favorite: WR Robbie Anderson

While the final outcome of the Panthers’ Week 1 game against the Browns was a disappointment, one player who fantasy managers should be paying some attention to is wide receiver Robbie Anderson. Anderson was a major disappointment in 2021, but his five-catch, 102-yard performance in Week 1 puts him well on his way to getting back to the breakout season he had with the Panthers in 2020. Anderson led the team with eight targets and also caught Baker Mayfield’s only touchdown strike of the afternoon. While he’s not a must-start by any means, those in deeper leagues who are in need of a wide receiver might be able to scoop him off of waivers and immediately start him against the Giants.

On the Fence: WR D.J. Moore

As exciting as Anderson’s big Week 1 game was, D.J. Moore’s was equally as concerning. Moore was targeted just six times on Sunday, catching three of those passes for 43 yards, while adding a seven-yard rush. We shouldn’t overreact because of one game in which he still ran a route on every Panthers’ passing play, but Moore will have to create a rapport with Mayfield quickly, or there will be a lot of disappointed fantasy players this season. He’s still likely the player we want to own in this passing game, but he’s a shaky start this week against a Giants defense that did a great job shutting down the Titans’ perimeter wide receivers in Week 1.

Fade: QB Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield’s debut in Carolina got off to a rocky start as the quarterback was sacked four times, had multiple passes batted down, and was generally harassed throughout the afternoon in a loss to his former team. While very few teams have a pass rusher anywhere near the caliber of Myles Garrett, there remains a general concern that the Panthers’ offensive line is just terrible and that it’ll be a problem all year. Mayfield’s fantasy numbers weren’t a disaster in the end in Week 1, given that he passed and ran for a touchdown, but we can’t rely on a rushing score from him very often. He’s facing a Giants defense that surprisingly did a great job against the Titans offense in Week 1 and this is not the time to be trusting him other than as a deep QB2 in Superflex formats.

CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27

No Brainers: RB Saquon Barkley

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: WR Sterling Shepard

A second-quarter injury to rookie Wan’Dale Robinson might have played a part in Sterling Shepard being relied upon more heavily than they had intended to, but we got some valuable information because of it. Perhaps the most important bit of info was that Shepard ended up playing as both a starting outside wide receiver in two-wide sets and in the slot when the team put more receivers on the field. This is pretty normal usage for Shepard who missed most of the 2021 season with an Achilles’ injury, and it’s a great indication that the team has full confidence in him. He’s probably not ever going to be a WR1 or even a weekly WR2 for fantasy, but Shepard is a reliable option in deep leagues and could be considered for a WR3 role this week, especially if Wan’Dale Robinson misses the game, as is currently expected.

Fade: WR Kenny Golladay, WR Kadarius Toney

The Giants’ Week 1 snap leader at wide receiver was veteran Kenny Golladay, while second-year receiver Kadarius Toney was shockingly under-utilized, playing just seven total snaps despite an injury to fellow receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. These numbers should both be disturbing for fantasy managers, as Golladay continues to be on the field constantly while seeing almost no usage in the passing game throughout his tenure in New York, meanwhile, Toney seems to be in the dog house for some reason. Both players are unusable for fantasy until we at least see some peripheral numbers that indicate things are changing.

Prediction: Giants 23, Panthers 20 ^ Top

Patriots @ Steelers - (Green)
Line: NE -2.5
Total: 40.5

PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13

No Brainers: N/A

Favorite: RB Damien Harris

There weren’t many bright spots offensively for the Pats in Week 1, but Harris made things happen when he got the chance, gaining 48 yards on nine carries (5.3 YPC) and adding a pair of receptions for 10 yards. The Steelers didn’t give Bengals RB Joe Mixon much room to maneuver as a runner (27-82-0), but he finished Week 1 with 145 total yards by virtue of catching seven passes for 63 yards. Granted, that hasn’t been Harris’ game, but with Ty Montgomery (knee) on IR maybe he’ll pick up some slack. Harris can be used as an RB3.

On the Fence: WR Jakobi Meyers

No one is going to mistake Meyers (4-55-0) for Ja’Marr Chase (10-129-1), but the former still looks to be operating as Mac Jones’ top option on the outside. Meyers played 50 of the team’s 57 offensive snaps, which was 17 more than the next-highest receiver, and he was targeted a team-high six times. Odds are the Patriots and Steelers are both going to play conservative offensively, but Meyers might do enough to deliver adequate value as a low-end No. 3 fantasy wideout.

Fade: N/A

NE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
NE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
NE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
NE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29

No Brainers: RB Najee Harris (foot), WR Diontae Johnson

Favorite: TE Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth led the way in Week 1 with 75 yards receiving, and he finished second to Johnson in both receptions (5) and targets (10). The second-year tight end is a safe destination for Mitch Trubisky’s throws as the team continues to work a lot of stuff underneath. Backup Zach Gentry added 40 yards on two grabs, meaning the tight end position accounted for 115 of Trubisky’s 194 yards passing. Although Miami never got anything going with their own TEs, Freiermuth carries top-10 appeal.

On the Fence: WR Chase Claypool

Outside of Johnson and Freiermuth, Claypool was the only other player to be targeted more than three times. In addition to his six looks, the Notre Dame product also ran the ball six times for a team-leading 36 yards. Even though his 10 combined touches only led to 54 yards, his involvement at least appears encouraging -- he led all skill players in snaps in Week 1 with 58 (of 63). There’s some low-end WR3 potential for Claypool this Sunday and perhaps in the weeks ahead.

Fade: WR George Pickens

Pickens was on the field for 45 of the club’s 63 offensive snaps, which was third amongst the receivers behind Claypool and Johnson (51). The rookie never got going, though, making just one catch on three targeted passes for three yards. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Pickens during the preseason, so it's far too early to cut bait, but you’d do well to leave him on your bench for the time being.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Steelers 16 ^ Top

Buccaneers @ Saints - (Ilchuk)
Line: TB -2.5
Total: 44.5

NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.23
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24

No Brainers: WR Michael Thomas

Favorite: WR Jarvis Landry

Landry’s homecoming featured seven grabs on nine targets for 114 yards. He led the Saints in receptions, targets, and yards, and his 40-yarder in the 4th quarter was the longest play of the day for New Orleans. Landry has always been a high-volume receiver in both Miami and Cleveland. Working out of the slot, with Michael Thomas and speedster Chris Olave working the perimeter, I would expect that to continue. Thomas will likely overtake the reins as the WR1 and be the more prolific scorer over time, but Landry should be a solid WR2/WR3 pickup, especially this week against a very tough Bucs’ front that will force QB Jameis Winston to make quick decisions and get the ball out of his hands.

On the Fence: RB Alvin Kamara (ribs)

Kamara got banged up in Week 1, playing through a rib injury. His backup Mark Ingram also tweaked his ankle, forcing the team to re-sign Latavius Murray. There is some question about whether Kamara would be able to go this week, but he did practice on Wednesday. That’s the good news. But ribs are tricky, and one shot could send him to the sideline. Even if he does get through this one, the Buccaneers are allowing just 4.7 yards per catch and held the Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott and company to 71 yards on the ground last week. If Kamara is healthy and playing, you’re rostering him as RB1/RB2. I just don’t know if this is the ideal matchup.

Fade: TE Taysom Hill

Hill is exciting to watch and a talented athlete, but he’s not a true TE. He’s not even the best TE on this team. That honor goes to Juwan Johnson (a sneaky back end TE1 if anyone needs). If Alvin Kamara is limited, Hill could end up providing some playmaking ability against a vaunted Tampa Bay pass rush. But his fantasy value is linked to random gadget plays that may or may not work. If I’m forced to pick, I’m rostering Johnson and leaving Hill on the sidelines.

TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.32
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8

No Brainers: WR Mike Evans

Favorite: RB Leonard Fournette

Over the past couple seasons, the Buccaneers have brought several backs into the fold, both veterans and draft picks. Presumably, the idea has been to complement Fournette, and in some cases, ultimately replace him. Well, I learned a couple things last week in the game against Dallas. One, Fournette is going to be just fine (21-127 rushing), and Rachaad White (6-14 rushing) isn’t the heir apparent – at least not any time soon. With most of the Bucs’ receiving corps on the injured list in some capacity, and Tom Brady potentially playing without his starting LT, look for Sunday to be Funday for Fournette. He’s a RB1 in all formats.

On the Fence: QB Tom Brady

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones, and Russell Gage are ALL on the Buccaneers injury report this week. It looks like Evans and Gage will play, but Godwin likely won’t, and Jones is a question. LT Donovan Smith could also be out. That’s not good news for Brady owners who have watched TB12 lose four-straight to the Saints. In those games he has been sacked 13 times and thrown eight interceptions to just six touchdowns while averaging less than 7.0 yards per attempt. Everyone knows betting against Brady is bad business, but something seems off. Between the offseason and training camp ruckus and the uneven start last week, I’m going to stay on the sidelines here and let Tom shake it out before I get too invested.

Fade: TE Cameron Brate

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are simply not going to throw the ball to their tight ends unless they are wearing a Gronkowski jersey. That’s basically what this amounts to. Even with the receiving corps completely banged up, the passing attack will be overshadowed by the run game, and when it’s not, the ball will go to the 5th and 6th WR’s on the roster and the backs before it goes down the seam to the TE. Despite, demonstrated ability and flashes of production, Brate is destined to be a fantasy non-entity.

Prediction: Saints 22, Buccaneers 21 ^ Top

Jets @ Browns - (Green)
Line: CLE -6.5
Total: 39.5

CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20

No Brainers: N/A

Favorite: RB Michael Carter

Of New York’s 80 offensive snaps in Week 1, Carter was on the field for 50 of them, which was a dozen more than rookie Breece Hall. Carter was the more effective of the two as well, turning 10 carries into 60 yards and adding another 40 on a team-high seven receptions. With Joe Flacco expected to start at quarterback once again while Zach Wilson (knee) recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery, Carter may be in for a significant number of looks. He could fill an RB3/flex slot.

On the Fence: WR Elijah Moore

With Flacco putting the ball in the air 59 times against the Ravens, a lot of guys were thrown a lot of passes, thus it happens that Moore’s seven targets trailed four other players in Week 1. Don’t get dissuaded. He’s still the top Jets wideout to play at the moment, ahead of Corey Davis and even rookie first-rounder Garrett Wilson. To that end Moore played 75 snaps in Week 1 compared to 57 for Davis, and 41 for Wilson. You can deploy Moore as a low-end WR3.

Fade: RB Breece Hall

As noted above, Hall played 38 snaps in Week 1 compared to Carter’s 50. He ended up with a dozen total touches (six carries, six receptions) for 61 yards. Cleveland did a good job of locking down Christian McCaffrey last Sunday, and it feels optimistic to think that the Jets will be able to produce two viable fantasy RBs against them this weekend. As such, Carter gets the favorite, and Hall gets the fade, though he could still be used as a flex if you’re in need.

NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.27
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15

No Brainers: RB Nick Chubb, RB Kareem Hunt

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: TE David Njoku

Fresh off signing a monster contract in the offseason, Njoku caught... one pass... for seven yards... on one target. Woof. The Ravens featured the tight end position in their matchup with the Jets, collectively targeting Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely 11 times. Maybe the Browns will copy Baltimore’s gameplan and call Njoku’s number on some of their throws. It’s a long trip from 1-7-0 to viable fantasy production, but this is at least a week you could roll the dice on Njoku as a fringe TE1.

Fade: WR Amari Cooper

A half-dozen passes from Jacoby Brissett went to Cooper, who finished with three catches for 17 yards. For at least one Sunday, Donovan Peoples-Jones showed the most chemistry with the journeyman signal caller. This week, shying away from both seems like the prudent choice. Baltimore hit a handful of big plays on New York, but primary receiver Rashod Bateman was quiet. Cooper is likely to draw the Bateman coverage and is no more than a desperation No. 3 fantasy wideout this week.

Prediction: Browns 23, Jets 13 ^ Top

Dolphins @ Ravens - (Green)
Line: BAL -3.5
Total: 44.5

BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11

No Brainers: WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: RB Chase Edmonds

Signed in the offseason to add some juice to Miami’s dormant running game, Edmonds never got out of neutral in Week 1, managing just 25 yards on his 12 carries. He did add 40 yards on four receptions to offset some of his struggles on the ground, but it still wasn’t a great showing. In terms of snaps, Edmonds played 38 of 60 with Raheem Mostert logging 25 as the top backup. While the Jets struggled to finish drives against the Ravens, Michael Carter did cobble together a 100-yard day. Consider Edmonds a high-end RB3 or flex candidate.

Fade: QB Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa was solid in Week 1, passing for 270 yards, but the Dolphins only scored one offensive touchdown and barely cracked 300 yards of total offense. The southpaw seemed to acclimate well to Tyreek Hill (12 targets), but no one else was thrown to even half as much, including Jaylen Waddle (5). Until Tagovailoa starts finishing drives in the end zone his fantasy profile will remain that of a backup.

MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.30
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14

No Brainers: QB Lamar Jackson, TE Mark Andrews

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: RB J.K. Dobbins (knee)

Coming off a torn ACL last season, Dobbins (knee) couldn’t answer the bell in Week 1, and in his absence the Ravens’ ground attack struggled against the Jets: 21 carries, 63 yards, 0 TDs. The good news is that the Ohio State alum was a full participant in practice and looks to be on track to play in Week 2. Dobbins, who averaged 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie, was a popular breakout candidate entering 2021, and he should be the lead back in Baltimore this year. Of course, the team is unlikely to give him a full workload right off the bat, so viewing Dobbins as an RB3 (if he’s active) is the way to go.

Fade: WR Devin Duvernay

Duvernay had a big game this past Sunday, hauling in four passes for 54 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He played just a shade over half of the offensive snaps, however, and tied with two others for third on the team in targets (4). It’s certainly an encouraging first step from Duvernay, who has done little since being selected in the third round in 2020, but it’s far too early to consider him a trustworthy option.

Prediction: Ravens 26, Dolphins 20 ^ Top

Commanders @ Lions - (Green)
Line: DET -1.0
Total: 48.5

DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.5
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18

No Brainers: RB Antonio Gibson, WR Terry McLaurin

Favorite: WR Curtis Samuel

Welcome back, Mr. Samuel! After missing most of 2021 due to injury, Samuel was a featured piece of Washington’s offense in Week 1, playing 55 of 77 offensive snaps. While that was third among the wideouts, Samuel led the team in targets (11) and finished with 72 total yards and a touchdown. He fumbled as well, which is always a negative, but against a suspect Lions defense you could plug him as a WR3.

On the Fence: QB Carson Wentz

For at least one week, Wentz kinda sorta resembled the guy that made a run at the MVP award back in 2017. In fact, Week 1 was the first time he threw four TD passes in a game since he suffered the season-ending injury that ended that MVP push. Wentz still made a couple of mistakes, shades of his final year in Philly, but he draws a second straight plus matchup this Sunday. With Detroit’s offense looking like it has some firepower, this has a whiff of shootout potential. That gives Wentz fringe QB1 appeal.

Fade: WR Jahan Dotson

The rookie was on the receiving end of two of Wentz’s four touchdowns, but don’t jump at the low hanging fruit. Dotson saw just five targets in 68 snaps. That put him behind Gibson, Samuel, and Logan Thomas. He did finish ahead of McLaurin, but I’d be more apt to think there’ll be a focus on getting McLaurin the ball this week at the expense of Dotson than anything else. Starting him feels risky.

WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25

No Brainers: RB D’Andre Swift, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, TE T.J. Hockenson

Favorite: D.J. Chark

With St. Brown moving into the no brainer section this week, Chark moves onto the map courtesy of a solid Week 1 that saw him finish second only to St. Brown (12) in targets with eight -- Hockenson finished with seven. Signed to a one-year deal after an injury-filled season in Jacksonville, Chark worked well ahead of Josh Reynolds in an offensive plan that saw far fewer checkdowns to backs than in 2021. He’s still dwelling more in WR4 territory, but if you’re hard up and looking for someone with a little juice, Chark could fit that bill.

On the Fence: RB Jamaal Williams

While Swift ran wild on the Eagles in Week 1, Williams managed just 30 yards on a dozen combined touches. He swooped in to score a pair of short touchdowns, though, punching it in from a yard away each time. That short-yardage/goal-line role can deliver some value, though it’s exceedingly volatile, especially when Swift (46 snaps) is seeing twice as many snaps as Williams (23). If you wanted to roll Williams out in a flex role this Sunday, it might pay off, but the downside is notable.

Fade: N/A

Prediction: Lions 27, Commanders 24 ^ Top

Colts @ Jaguars - (Ilchuk)
Line: IND -3.5
Total: 45.0

JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12

No Brainers: RB Jonathan Taylor, WR Michael Pittman Jr. (quad)

Favorite: QB Matt Ryan

I’m sticking to my guns on this one. I had Ryan in this spot last week and he posted 352 passing yards and a touchdown and even ran for 12 yards, which is house money when it comes to Ryan. He clearly has some chemistry with WR Michael Pittman Jr., and the presence of RB Jonathan Taylor makes the play action game work, which puts this attack right in Ryan’s wheelhouse. The Colts need to develop some secondary, but Ryan will bring that piece of the offense out, and it could happen this week. Matty Ice goes up against a Jags defensive unit that gave up over 300 yards and four touchdowns to Carson Wentz in Week 1.

On the Fence: RB Nyheim Hines

Hines had a respectable six catches for 50 yards in Week 1. As expected, he filled the 3rd down role as a receiver out of the backfield, but what was a little concerning was that he was more of a check down option than an actual route runner, which is certainly within his skill set. If that’s a long-term plan, he will have some PPR value, because he will get the volume work. But I’m not sure his yards and scoring opportunities are going to be there, especially as it seems HC Frank Reich and company are looking to develop some young players in the receiver group.

Fade: WR Alec Pierce

Pierce is in concussion protocol and may not suit up this week, but even if he was, we might need to pump the brakes on his ceiling a little bit. He had just two targets in Week 1, and one of them he dropped in the end zone. He’s got the speed to stretch the defense on the perimeter, and he is a talented receiver, but he’s a rookie. Let’s give him some time to get up to speed.

IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3

No Brainers: None

Favorite: RB James Robinson

Just the fact that Robinson took the field after tearing his Achilles late last season was eye-opening to say the least. To see him carry the load against Washington was next level. He is clearly the RB1 for the Jags, and while Travis Etienne is certainly stealing some touches, Robinson is getting his share of work around the goal line as well. It may be tough sledding this week against a Colts team that allowed just 2.8 yards per carry a week ago, but that was against the Texans, who really don’t have a lead back to speak of. Robinson is a good play as a mid-level RB2.

On the Fence: QB Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence was 24 of 42 passing last week, but he really struggled with his accuracy on some big plays, overthrowing receivers on some potential scoring throws. We’ll have to see if he can clean that up. The biggest jump for most players comes between year one and year two. I’m hopeful that Lawrence will show that, it just didn’t show up in Week 1. The Colts present more challenges than the Commanders. Indy can get after the QB a little bit and they allowed just 6.5 yards per attempt last week against the Texans.

Fade: WR Marvin Jones

WR Christian Kirk was the star of the passing attack, and it looks like Zay Jones could develop into a solid WR2 in a system that will accentuate his athleticism. That leaves the veteran Jones as the WR3 at best, and RB Travis Etienne figures to just take on more target share as the season moves on. Jones is a bench stash at best at this point.

Prediction: Colts 20, Jaguars 17 ^ Top

Falcons @ Rams - (Collins)
Line: LA -10.0
Total: 46.0



LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31

No Brainers: None

Favorite: RB Cordarrelle Patterson

Those looking to bury Patterson might need a new hobby as he looked strong running between the tackles against the Saints, finishing with a career-high 120 yards and scored a TD on 22 carries. He added three catches for 16 yards to finish fifth with 22.6 PPR fantasy points. Taking away Josh Allen running reckless for 56 yards against the Rams, LA allowed 65 yards on 15 carries (4.3 average) to the Rams RBs. Even if rookie Tyler Allgeier is active, I see Patterson staying above ground and continuing his strong start.

On the Fence: QB Marcus Mariota

This really is a “On the Fence” moment. The Rams allowed a mobile QB to get loose and wreak havoc in Week 1, will it happen in Week 2? Mariota, who had been on mothballs for the past few years, was a surprise against a vaunted New Orleans defense. He was the 9th highest scoring QB, completing 60 percent of his passes for 215 yards. He ran the option and racked up 12 carries for 72 yards and a TD, finishing with 19.8 FPts. The Falcons can have success, but with a week of tape available, this will bring me down off the fence. Which is good, the cross-breeze up there is surprisingly brisk. Mariota comes back to earth this week against a Rams team looking to get a bad Week 1 taste out of their mouth.

Fade: TE Kyle Pitts

I know, I know, you drafted Pitts too early to see his meager stat line of two catches for 19 yards; compounded by the fact he didn’t have a second half catch. I will try to reign you in a bit and say brighter days are ahead. Just not this week. (Duck!) The Rams allowed 1 catch to Dawson Knox last week and they will be looking at Pitts as priority number one. Seattle awaits in Week 3, so let’s hang on and understand the ups and downs of the season and the parable about not shooting the messenger.



ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4

No Brainers: WR Cooper Kupp

Favorite: QB Matthew Stafford

As everyone watched the Bills take apart the Rams, some might have wondered, “What’s wrong with the Rams?” However, anyone watching at some point did have to ask, “What’s wrong with Stafford?” He finished with 240 yards, one TD and three bad looking INTs. His 7.8 fantasy points were 30th out the 32 starting QBs. The Falcons played well for three quarters, but let Jamies Winston come alive in the 4th quarter and finish with 21.6 points, sixth most for the week. Coach Sean McVay will be most certainly be ready, so I’m not going to count out Stafford and this game plan at home. Wrongs will be righted!

On the Fence: WR Allen Robinson

Sure, Cooper Kupp is unstoppable, but Robinson looked like he stopped in the season opener. The two targets did not help his cause and the one catch for 12 yards helped him finish fourth, on his own team with 2.2 FPts. Expect a better early gameplan by McVay to help Robinson to get his groove back. The Falcons-D allowed decent fantasy points to the 2nd receiving option for the Saints (Jarvis Landry 7-114-0). I expect Robinson, who was on the field for all but two of LA’s offensive snaps last week, to get going early and often.

Fade: RB Cam Akers

After Akers dropped a 0.0-point performance in the prime-time season opener, fantasy players are nervously wondering if taking him was the first step in a lost season. He had three carries for no yards and that was it. Saying he has nowhere to go but up is like saying, technically, The Hindenburg is no longer flammable. His always positive coach called him out for his lack of urgency and accountability on each play. Perhaps the injury to Kyren Williams and the Falcons-D offer a different path for Week 2, for his sake, I hope so.

Prediction: Rams 31, Falcons 21 ^ Top

Seahawks @ 49ers - (Collins)
Line: SF -8.5
Total: 41.5



SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.24
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32

No Brainers: Revenge is the best motivator.

Favorite: WR DK Metcalf

If you were told before Week 1 that Metcalf would have seven receptions in Week 1, I am sure you would have been excited by that prospect. The only problem is those catches accounted for only 36 yards. What you are left with is a pedestrian week and a “friend” who can see into the future but only gives you lame fantasy crumbs. This might be the new-look Geno offense with 28 attempts, but Metcalf did receive the lion share with 7 targets to Tyler Lockett’s 4. He is going to get his looks, so stick with him one more week to see if those looks are actually downfield.

On the Fence: RB Rashaad Penny

So, if this is the new-look, ball-control offense, Penny should be a steady play. He rushed 12 times for 60 yards and caught two passes It might not be pretty, but it is 14 touches a game and he played twice as many snaps as Travis Homer. My concern is the likely return of Kenneth Walker (hernia) and Seattle walks into an angry SF team that was upset in the Chicago rain by the Bears. His 14 touches this week might be him checking his body to see if everything is still intact.

Fade: All those TE’s

If you were watching Monday night, you had to wonder, “That was a nice catch. Who is Colby Parkinson?” The TE’s are going to be a three-headed monster in Seattle this year. Between Parkinson, Noah Fant and Will Dissly, they combined for seven catches and 102 yards and one TD. Dissly led the trio with 13.3 FPts, but until one of these guys distances himself from the crowd, stay away.

SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7

No Brainers: WR Deebo Samuel

Favorite: QB Trey Lance

You don’t want to give any player a pass, but we might want to think about it in Lance’s case. Awful field conditions, steady to heavy rain, losing your starting RB to injury and missing one of your starting tackles are not perfect conditions. Through the air, he was 13 for 28 for 164 yards and an INT. Meh. He will make his hay this season running the ball. He ran 13 times (!) for 54 yards on a very sloppy field. On a dry track, against a Seattle-D that gave up 340 passing yards (third most in Wk1), Lance will get his lift-off moment and help bring Seattle back to earth.

On the Fence: RB Jeff Wilson

With Elijah Mitchell out two months with a strained MCL, Wilson will get his chance to shine. Well, he will get his chance after Deebo gets all the interesting running plays. Wilson finished second on the team in carries with nine, but only picked up 22 yards, where Deebo ran 8 times for 52 yards with their lone touchdown on the day. I will give everyone the benefit of the doubt with the weather last week. The team runs the ball (third most rushing attempts Wk1) and he is the lead back, so let the chips falls where they may.

Fade: TE George Kittle

It looked like there might be a chance that Kittle would play Week 1 as he made the trip with the team to Chicago, but his groin wouldn’t let him go. It could be a good matchup for Kittle as Seattle allowed seven catches for 85 yards to the Denver tight ends. As hardcore as Kittle is, I can’t imagine a scenario where he is healed enough to cut loose and play like the player you drafted. Even if he plays, I think you have to wade into your streaming options and give him one more week to heal.

Prediction: 49ers 28, Seahawks 17 ^ Top

Texans @ Broncos - (Collins)
Line: DEN -10.0
Total: 46.0



DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2

No Brainers: Championing Lovie’s beard in hopes of getting extra gifts at Xmas.

Favorite: WR Brandin Cooks

You never know what to make of the Houston offense, but the one thing everyone understands is that Cooks is still their best weapon - 12 targets against the Colts Week 1. He caught seven of them for 86 yards to lead the team in both categories. He will draw plenty of coverage from Patrick Surtain and a Denver-D that is number one against fantasy WRs. Yes, he will get a dozen more targets and will finish with comparable numbers. He is consistent, but sadly, so is his ceiling.

On the Fence: RB Rex Burkhead

So much for the Dameon Pierce hype train. It was derailed by a grizzled old Patriot. Did it take place near Valley Forge? Burkhead did what he always does on Sundays, a little of everything. He led the team with 14 rushes for 40 yards and was second on the team with 5 catches for 30 yards. Pierce was second on the team with 11 carries, so it isn’t like he was eliminated from the game plan completely. Burkhead faces Denver which is ranked No.1 against fantasy RB’s according to ESPN. (Both #1 against RBs and WRs? Didn’t they lose?) Zero-RB drafters might need to go after him, but let him pass. That fare might be a bit too much at this point of the season.

Fade: TE O.J. Howard

Is this the season Howard is finally put in a position to succeed? He never seemed to get a fair shake in his five years in Tampa. Could a fresh start be what he needs? What he really needs is more targets. He caught two touchdowns on Sunday to send tight end needy teams into a flutter. He played on 17% of the snaps and those were his only two targets of the game. I don’t think that is sustainable. The team deployed three TEs, but only threw four passes to them. Not great. Can he succeed here? He could, but until more targets become available, I say let someone else pick him up this week.



HOU FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
HOU FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
HOU FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
HOU FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.16

No Brainers: Their clock management at the end of the game.

Favorite: RB Javonte Williams

Even if this time share continues with Melvin Gordon, I don’t think it will be an issue for Williams. In an odd mix Monday, Gordon had more carries (12 for 58 yards) than Williams’ seven for 43 yards. But Williams dominated the receiving game, leading the team with 11 catches and finishing with 65 yards. He finished as RB 12 for the week and now draws the 30th-ranked Texans. There is a lot to like in this matchup, including lessons about being a good teammate and the importance of sharing.

On the Fence: WR Courtland Sutton

Nobody is really sure how the ride is going to go for the receivers in Denver this year. Jerry Jeudy and Sutton both had seven targets and reeled in four catches on Monday night. Jeudy had the long TD catch and 102 yards and Sutton ended with 72 of his own. Houston was unable to stop Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 1 to the tune of nine catches for 121 yards and a touchdown and the Texans allowed the sixth most fantasy points to WRs. Sutton could be the alpha this week or he could be keeping time and playing second fiddle. Temper your expectations and expect plenty of starts and stops this year.

Fade: None

Prediction: Broncos 28, Texans 17 ^ Top

Cardinals @ Raiders - (Collins)
Line: LV -5.5
Total: 51.5



LV FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
LV FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
LV FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
LV FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5

No Brainers: QB Kyler Murray

Favorite: RB James Conner

Falling behind by three scores can really upend your game script. The Cardinals sluggish start quickly slowed down Conner’s day against KC. His stat line, 10 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown and five grabs for 29 yards, accurately surmises the blandness of Arizona’s overall performance. On a more positive note, he finished 14th in scoring with 16.9 FPts and dominated carries and receiving while the game was still close. The Raiders aren’t projected to be stout on defense but they did hold the Chargers RBs to 26-71-0 on the ground and 8-56-1 through the air.

On the Fence: WR Rondale Moore

The red carpet has been rolled out, it is now up to you Rondale. It is really up to his hamstring, but you understand my point. With DeAndre Hopkins suspended and Christian Kirk counting his money in Jacksonville, Hollywood Brown needs a running mate to help open up this offense. Moore, who was a jack of all trades at Purdue, had flashes his rookie year with 54 catches and seems poised to take over Kirk’s position in the slot. His arrival will help restructure the offense. He just needs to find the field. He is flex-worthy if he suits up in Week 2.

Fade: WR Greg Dortch

Sadly, Moore’s arrival will signal Dortch’s departure. Dortch was very active against Kansas City, leading the team with seven catches for 63 yards. The team’s struggles on both sides of the ball were not his fault. Moore will quickly commandeer his targets and relegate him back to the bench. Dortch did secure his place on the roster and will add depth to a thin receiver group. Hang in there, kid.



ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1

No Brainers: None

Favorite: WR Davante Adams

I didn’t realize that target share travels from team to team. The big question surrounding Adams this offseason was if he would get the 10 targets he averaged in Green Bay. We quickly found out the answer to that. He was targeted 17 times, most in the league, and finished with 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD last week against the Chargers. His 30.1 FPts were the 3rd most in Week 1. He has quickly entered the “No Brainer” category. It was fun while it lasted. Now go sit over there by Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson.

On the Fence: TE Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow

Adams’ arrival, and his potential stranglehold on targets, suddenly becomes a problem for the other pass catchers. Waller and Renfrow each ended last week with six targets, with varying degrees of success. Waller had a solid game, four catches for 79 yards and finished ninth in scoring for TEs. Renfrow, on the other hand, had to deal with leftovers, ending with three catches for 21 yards. In an injury shortened season last year, Waller still averaged 8.4 targets a game and in Renfrow’s 103-catch season last year, averaged 7.5 per game. The targets might be slightly off, but the quality of them is what is going to shape their seasons going forward. Waller is a must start, but Renfrow’s season could be upended already. Hold off as long as you can with him. I hope you don’t get choked out.

Fade: None

Prediction: Cardinals 27, Raiders 21 ^ Top

Bengals @ Cowboys - (Caron)
Line: CIN -7.0
Total: 41.0

DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30

No Brainers: QB Joe Burrow, RB Joe Mixon, WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: TE Hayden Hurst

Wide receiver Tee Higgins was knocked out of Sunday’s game against the Steelers, which led to some interesting pass-catching usage in Cincinnati. Perhaps most interesting was the eight targets that came tight end Hayden Hurst’s direction. Hurst was an off-season acquisition for the Bengals after a mediocre run in Baltimore and Atlanta but he was by far and away the tight end snap leader for Cincinnati in Week 1, which certainly could have some potential for fantasy value this season. The tight end position was a complete disaster in Week 1 and many managers will be searching for a replacement to the one they drafted as we head into Week 2, so don’t sleep on Hurst and his potentially elevated target share.

Fade: WR Tyler Boyd

The concussion suffered by Tee Higgins led to elevated snaps for both Tyler Boyd and Mike Thomas. Thomas was predictably useless for fantasy, while Boyd stepped up and scored a touchdown on four catches for 33 yards. While that touchdown was nice, it’s almost impossible to believe that he’ll continue to be a red zone threat even if Higgins were to be miss time. Boyd scored just five touchdowns in all of 2021 while delivering just three games with more than five receptions. He might see increased usage if Higgins is unable to play with the concussion lingering, but he’s a fade for fantasy against a Cowboys defense that played fairly well in Week 1.

CIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
CIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
CIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
CIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6

No Brainers: TE Dalton Schultz

Favorite: RB Ezekiel Elliott

A humiliating Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers meant some ugly performances for the Cowboys fantasy options, but there are still some positives to take away if you’re a manager who’s rostering Ezekiel Elliott. While Elliott narrowly out-snapped Tony Pollard by the end of the game, he was utilized much more heavily at the beginning of the game when the Cowboys were still staying close on the scoreboard. Once it got to garbage time, that’s when Pollard saw more playing time. This tells us that the off-season rumors of a committee share in this backfield were greatly exaggerated and while Pollard will still be involved, he’s still very much the “B” to Elliott’s “A” in the Cowboys’ coaching staff’s eyes.

Dallas will not be an elite offense with Cooper Rush behind center, but they should lean heavily on their backs to be involved both in carrying the ball and in the passing game, which should allow Elliott to deliver at least RB2 numbers.

On the Fence: WR CeeDee Lamb

It’s hard to look at the first two rounds of fantasy drafts and find a more disappointing performance than Cowboys top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. With Amari Cooper gone and injuries up and down the wide receiver room, Lamb was in line for a huge game. While he failed to deliver, catching just two passes for 29 yards, the reality is that the peripheral numbers were still there. Lamb led the Cowboys with 11 targets on the night while playing nearly every snap. There’s no question that he is the top target in this offense and with other players still injured, he should be in line for another heavy target share game.

The obvious worry here is that Cooper Rush just won’t be able to get the ball to anyone and the passing game is going to be so bad that we want no part of it, but it’s also true that backup quarterbacks often rely more heavily on their top wide receiver than even starting quarterbacks do. If Lamb can maintain even a 25-percent target share, even in a mediocre passing game, he should be a viable fantasy option as a WR2.

Fade: RB Tony Pollard

Pollard has been a mid-round draft darling for praying on Ezekiel Elliott’s demise for a few years now, but it just continues to not happen. Pollard touched the ball just eight times in Week 1, totaling a measly 22 yards with those touches while playing behind Elliott early in the game and throughout the game, even on passing downs.

You’ll hear some fantasy experts selling the narrative that the Cowboys are just going to run the ball all game long and Pollard should see an increased workload because of that, but the problem is that if they’re not scoring enough points, they’re going to fall behind in games, especially against teams with good offenses like the Bengals whom they face here in Week 2. Pollard may have his time to shine at some point this season, but the usage just is not there yet for us to justify putting him in lineups, especially when the Cowboys offense as a whole is expected to be pretty bad in the absence of Dak Prescott.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Cowboys 16 ^ Top

Bears @ Packers - (Green)
Line: GB -10.0
Total: 41.5

GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26

No Brainers: RB David Montgomery

Favorite: N/A

On the Fence: WR Darnell Mooney

Coming into the season, Mooney was viewed as the clear-cut No. 1 option in Chicago’s passing game, and his one-catch, eight-yard showing last Sunday does nothing to change that -- especially since it was pouring rain. The Packers have a strong secondary, though, even if Justin Jefferson was able to exploit them, and they should be able to make things tough on Mooney. You could talk yourself into rolling Mooney out as a shaky WR3 based on his status as Justin Fields’ top option, but if you have talented backups with better matchups you should consider those carefully.

Fade: TE Cole Kmet

Kmet was generating some breakout momentum toward the end of the preseason, and while that may still happen, he was M.I.A. in the opener, going without a catch while only being targeted once. The Packers put the clamps on Irv Smith in Week 1, and their ILB duo of De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker (shoulder) cover a lot of ground. This could be a good week to keep Kmet on your bench.

CHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
CHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
CHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
CHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28

No Brainers: RB Aaron Jones, RB AJ Dillon

Favorite: QB Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers passed for just 195 yards and a TD in Week 1, though his day would’ve been different had Christian Watson hauled in an easy 75-yard bomb. As expected, the sky is falling in Green Bay. How quickly people forget. The Packers laid an egg in Week 1 last year as well, and the following Monday Rodgers threw for 255 yards and 4 TDs in a win over the Lions. It’s no slam dunk, as Green Bay’s passing attack remains a work in progress, but No. 12’s history against the Bears suggests he’ll figure it out. Don’t hesitate to use Rodgers as your QB1 on SNF.

On the Fence: WR Allen Lazard (ankle)

One of three starters missing in Week 1, along with both tackles, Lazard (ankle) was back at practice on Wednesday and looks to be on track to make his 2022 debut this Sunday night against the Bears. While the Packers have some potential outside, most notably Watson and Romeo Doubs, Lazard is the closest thing that have to a No.1 receiver now that Davante Adams is gone. Don’t be surprised to see Rodgers focus in on Lazard, who offers low-end WR3 value with more upside than you might think.

Fade: N/A

Prediction: Packers 31, Bears 13 ^ Top

Titans @ Bills - (Caron)
Line: BUF -9.5
Total: 48.0



BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19

No Brainers: RB Derrick Henry

Favorite: WR Kyle Phillips

While Treylon Burks stole the headlines during the NFL Draft and throughout training camp, it was another rookie wide receiver - fifth-round pick Kyle Phillips - who showed up in a big way for the Titans in Week 1. Phillips was targeted nine times, catching six of those passes for 66 yards, and he’s already starting to draw comparisons to Raiders’ slot wide receiver Hunter Renfrow.

Phillips played primarily out of the slot in Week 1, which is where Cooper Kupp also lined up for the majority of his snaps against the Bills and absolutely torched them. Phillips certainly cannot be mentioned in the same breath as Kupp from a production standpoint, but the usage is what we’re interested in and this looks like it could be a sneaky-good opportunity for the rookie to turn in his second impressive, under-the-radar fantasy day. He’s only an option in very deep formats, but he’s someone who is probably available on waivers in just about every seasonal league and he could be a plug-and-play option in those deeper PPR formats.

On the Fence: QB Ryan Tannehill

The Titans struggled to move the ball on the ground in Week 1, but their passing game actually got off to a pretty decent start despite some less-than-stellar performances from Robert Woods and Treylon Burks. Ryan Tannehill spread the ball around, throwing for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the day against a better-than-advertised Giants defense.

Now in Week 2, the Titans head to Buffalo to face a Bills defense that really did a number of the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams in Week 1. This isn’t a great matchup as the Bills defense looks excellent, but if the Bills are able to contain Derrick Henry like the Giants were able to in Week 1, there’s also a great chance that they’re going to be able to score points themselves and force the Titans to throw the ball in order to keep up. This could mean a higher-than-usual volume day for Tannehill and while the efficiency might suffer a bit, he should be able to deliver a fairly solid fantasy day. Tannehill is probably only a real option in SuperFlex formats right now, but you could do a lot worse than him in those situations.

Fade: RB Dontrell Hilliard

No one is making the argument that Dontrell Hilliard is earning himself a timeshare with Derrick Henry, but after out-scoring the bruiser on limited touches in Week 1, Hilliard’s fantasy ownership numbers jumped significantly heading into this week’s contest. Hilliard is one of the more obvious “fades” on the board, however, as he played on less than 20 percent of Tennessee’s snaps. Not only that, but he had never really been a big-time passing game participant for the Titans or any other team he has been a part of. In fact, prior to his two against the Giants in Week 1, Hilliard had never caught an NFL touchdown pass in his four-year career.

TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23

No Brainers: QB Josh Allen, WR Stefon Diggs

Favorite: WR Gabriel Davis

The hot streak for Gabriel Davis from 2021 continued into 2022 as he has now caught a ridiculous 10 touchdowns over his past eight starts, including the playoffs. While he has only seen more than five targets in four of those games, Davis has established himself as the true every-down starter opposite Stefon Diggs in what is looking like it will again be one of the league’s top offenses. He played almost every single snap for the team in Week 1, far exceeding any other receiver in the offense, including Diggs.

Davis’ five targets in Week 1 are a bit of a concern, but he’s a player who doesn’t necessarily need a large target share in order to deliver fantasy points. The Titans are a good defense, but they did allow a long reception to Sterling Shepard in Week 1 and there’s no reason to think that Davis can’t do something similar here in Week 2.

On the Fence: TE Dawson Knox

The Titans did a fairly good job of containing the Giants wide receivers in Week 1, but they did allow one of the big guys - tight end Chris Myarick - to sneak into the end zone for a touchdown. This is too small of a sample size to really extrapolate much from, but we know that Knox is more of a touchdown-or-bust type of tight end to begin with, so having a chance to play against a team that already gave up a touchdown to a much less-talented player at the position seems to bode well for Knox’s chances to score here in Week 2.

Fade: RB Devin Singletary

Just about everything went well for the Bills in Week 1 as they absolutely humiliated the Rams in the first game of the 2022 NFL Season. But despite the blowout win, one player who did not deliver from a fantasy standpoint was running back Devin Singletary. Singletary saw just 10 touches on the night, while Zack Moss had 12 and rookie James Cook even got some work when the score was still relatively close.

None of this bodes well for Singletary’s chances to be an every-down workhorse back for the Bills this season. Sure, the game was out of control and that likely played a factor in Moss playing more snaps, but Cook actually fumbled early in the contest and became a non-factor in the game immediately thereafter. If we assume that Cook will be out of the dog house after a week of practice, there’s a very real chance that this could end up being a full-on committee. Singletary is almost certainly the best player to own in that committee, but the Bills remain one of the league’s most pass-heavy offenses to begin with and they really haven’t utilized their backs in the passing game enough to make up for their lack of carries.

Yes, Saquon Barkley lit up the Titans in Week 1, but Devin Singletary is not Saquon Barkley. Fade him and this entire Buffalo backfield until we see some more clarity.

Prediction: Bills 28, Titans 20 ^ Top

Vikings @ Eagles - (Caron)
Line: PHI -2.5
Total: 50.5



PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22

No Brainers: RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jefferson

Favorite: QB Kirk Cousins

With an injury to Dak Prescott and multiple top quarterbacks failing to deliver in Week 1, many fantasy managers will be looking for another option in Week 2. Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins is still available in quite a few leagues and he’s one of the better backup QBs in fantasy heading into Week 2 – so good, in fact, that he might be moving into “every week starter” range.

Cousins looked great in Week 1, throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns and that could have been even more if the Packers lived up to their end of the bargain on the scoreboard. Week 2 will see the Vikings face another offense that performed very well in Week 1, the Eagles, and also a defense that gave up a ton of points and yards to the Lions. This could be a legitimate shootout on Monday night and it’s always good to have quarterbacks in those types of games.

On the Fence: WR Adam Thielen

Veteran Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen saw just four passes come his way in Week 1, but it’s worth considering that the Vikings really did not need to utilize him much in what was an easy blowout victory. There’s no question that Jefferson is the top receiving option on this team, but Thielen should still be the second option in the passing game most weeks. If you look back to Week 1, the second option for the Lions was D.J. Chark, who caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. This is a defense that is definitely exploitable through the air and while we need to be a bit worried that Thielen might be getting phased out of the offense, he’s still a player who should probably be in most fantasy lineups this week.

Fade: TE Irv Smith

Irv was a late-round tight end target by many fantasy managers, but he absolutely flopped in Week 1, catching zero passes. What’s worse is that Smith didn’t even see many opportunities as he was targeted just twice in the entire game, while fellow tight end Johnny Mundt got the start and was targeted three times. Normally it’s not great to panic and drop a player after one game, but Smith is someone you can probably feel safe getting rid of - and certainly not starting - right now in most formats.

MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.8
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9

No Brainers: QB Jalen Hurts, WR A.J. Brown

Favorite: RB Miles Sanders

The Eagles running back situation was a big point of contention in fantasy circles this offseason, but we got a pretty good indication of what the Eagles plan on doing this season in Week 1, when Miles Sanders played over 50 percent of snaps. His 13 carries were also significantly more than Kenneth Gainwell’s five and Boston Scott’s four.

This is still a committee backfield, but Sanders is the lead back of that committee. With this game expected to be a high-scoring contest, look for Sanders to be heavily involved with a good opportunity to make it two straight games with a touchdown after not scoring even once in all of 2021.

On the Fence: WR DeVonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert

The newly acquired A.J. Brown was the apple of Jalen Hurts’ eye in Week 1, but don’t expect that to be the case every week. Brown out-targeted the other Eagles pass catchers with 13 targets, while Smith and Goedert were targeted just four times in what was a high-scoring contest with the Lions.

Both players are shaky starts given that we don’t know for sure that they’re going to see a lot of targets in what has been a run-heavy offense since Hurts took over, but they are easily the best two options in this passing game after Brown. Goedert, of course, plays tight end, which was a disaster in Week 1, so don’t start looking for replacement options for him.

Fade: RB Kenneth Gainwell

With Miles Sanders playing over 50 percent of the snaps for the Eagles in Week 1, Kenneth Gainwell was left to under a 30 percent snap share against Lions. While he was able to score a touchdown, that type of minimal usage is just not something that can be relied upon going forward. Gainwell will have games with bigger workloads, especially if Sanders gets banged up, but he needs to be on fantasy benches for now.

Prediction: Eagles 31, Vikings 27 ^ Top