St. Louis Rams

Despite a 21-7 loss to the Packers, the Rams got their first glimpse of quarterback Sam Bradford after recovering from ankle surgery last year. The biggest question looking to be answered was in regards to his mobility in the pocket and ability to step into throws. It was all good news as Bradford went 9-for-12 for 101 yards and a touchdown to tight end Lance Kendricks. The receiving corps has a lot of talent, but seems to find a majority of its value in YAC. Bradford throws a lot of balls underneath coverage and will heavily rely on his tight ends, meriting Jared Cook a borderline TE2. Tavon Austin caught two passes for 20 yards on the night, but has yet to prove himself as anything higher than a late round fantasy selection. As they look for that big play receiver, continue to monitor the chemistry between Bradford and free agent acquisition Kenny Britt. If Britt can build a solid rapport he could find merit a WR3 status. The battle of backup running backs continued to shake out this week, but will have one less factor in the equation. Isaiah Pead went down with an ACL injury while returning a kickoff. Look for rookie Tre Mason to potentially unseat Benny Cunningham in the coming weeks as Stacy’s primary backup. With Stacy only starting a mere 13 games so far, Mason would find substantial value as a handcuff.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers did little to impress in the midst of a 34-0 shutout loss to Denver this weekend. The team was held to mere 230 total offensive yards with four turnovers. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick went 5-for-9 for just 39 yards as the starting offense failed to put points on the board. The bright side for fantasy owners is that a shaky preseason outing will not dampen the expectations and rankings of fantasy studs including tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree. After a shortened season due to injury, Crabtree is a prime breakout candidate as Kaepernick attempts to prove analysts wrong about their “stereotyping” of his lack of quarterbacking ability as a true pocket passer. Kaepernick has all the weapons to make his case and silence all critics with a receiving corps including Davis, Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Johnson. Frank Gore will continue to be the workhorse back here, but rookie Carlos Hyde could be first in line in the event of a Gore injury setback. Draft Gore confidently as a low-end RB2, but at age 31 you need to handcuff him.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks defended their home turf as they walloped the Chargers 41-14 in their second preseason outing. Russell Wilson and the first team offense built a 24-point lead before the Chargers hit the scoreboard. Marshawn Lynch made his first appearance of the year but failed to yield a carry. Backup running back Robert Turbin was the first to strike paydirt first plunging in from 1 yard out. He finished his night leading all rushers with 12 carries for 81 yards and is making a case to be the best fantasy handcuff for Lynch owners. The ground game for Seattle proved to be effective on all levels as the team rushed for 243 yards on 37 carries with five total touchdowns. Four of those touchdowns came from quarterbacks. That's right. You read that correctly. Russell Wilson, Terrelle Pryor, and B.J. Daniels all found the endzone. Wilson put his legs to use all night, even running the read option in the redzone to cash in on his first of two rushing scores. He also added 11-of-13 through the air for 121 yards. The biggest fantasy takeaway from this week was seeing a healthy and productive Percy Harvin. Following camp reports this week that he "has found gears he never knew he had", the team’s most explosive weapon hauled in four catches for 41 yards. He is a boom or bust pick considering he has only played a full sixteen games once in his five-year career.

NFC SOUTH

Chicago Bears

The Bears rallied back late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Jaguars with a reserve squad led by Jordan Palmer and rookie Ka'Deem Carey. The first team offense put points on the board to open the game for the second week in a row. A confident Jay Cutler found his favorite target Brandon Marshall from four yards out. That was the lone catch for Marshall during his brief appearance. The pass game continues to soar in Chicago as does the fantasy value for Cutler, Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery. Cutler went 7-of-9 for 75 yards and 1 TD. The ground game was rather unimpressive for the second week in a row as Matt Forte took four carries for negative two yards behind the first-string offensive line. The team as a whole averaged just over 3 yards-per-carry. Despite a rocky preseason start, Forte is a firmly entrenched as a top five fantasy back. Shaun Draughn appeared as the primary backup with Carey running with the third-string. This offense is loaded with talent and added free agent wide receiver Santonio Holmes (30) this week. After a disappointing stint with the Jets, it remains to be seen how much of a factor he can be or how the Bears plan to utilize him.

Detroit Lions

The Lions dropped a late lead against the Raiders in a close 27-26 loss. Quarterback Matthew Stafford looked sharper than ever completing 9-for-10 passes for 88 yards and 1 touchdown. He led two total scoring drives and gave fantasy owners something they’ve been waiting for. That revelation was Golden Tate who should now be a strong upside WR3 selection. Tate caught fire in this game hauling in three passes for 41 yards including a 28-yard touchdown strike from Stafford. As expected, the appearance of Reggie Bush was brief as he carried three times for just 7 yards and added two receptions for 2 yards. Bush is an intriguing pick heading into draft night, but it remains to be seen just how much Joique Bell will vulture the goaline reps. Currently Bush sits as the No.26 RB in the FFToday.com rankings. Rookie tight end Eric Ebron caught two passes for 36 yards in his second game action. Ebron shouldn’t be ranked in your top-twenty tight ends until he is solidified as the primary option in Detroit. With so many redzone options including Megatron, Tate, Brandon Pettigrew, Joseph Fauria, and Kris Durham, Ebron could find his fantasy upside limited in his rookie season.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers got their first eye at the 2014 form of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers impressed while leading a scoring drive and going 11-for-13 for 138 yards and 1 touchdown. Randall Cobb flashed his playmaking ability with his three grabs for 34 yards including a 3-yard touchdown. A major factor in the success for Rodgers and the Packers offense this season hinges upon the ground game. Eddie Lacy has done nothing but impress since being drafted last season and continues to make his case as a top-tier fantasy option. Lacy is continually working to increase his ability as a checkdown for Rodgers in addition to his elite power running ability. Lacy took his five carries on the day for 25 yards and added two receptions for 22 yards. One area that needs to be solidified in this offense is the starting tight end position. Richard Rodgers got the start, but failed to impress or make a big impact in the pass game. Andrew Quarless, however, hauled in four catches for 58 yards and showed impressive route running ability. Quarless could be the best bet to win this starting job because of familiarity with the offense and veteran knowledge. If he can crack the top of the tight end depth chart he will find value in this offense filled with talent.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings claimed veteran Matt Cassel as the starter coming into this week’s game against Arizona. Cassel led the starters confidently as he went 12-for-16 for 153 yards and 1 touchdown. Unfortunately for him, rookie Teddy Bridgewater also excelled going 16-for-20 for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns. Bridgewater looked extremely poised while leading two late touchdown drives, including a 2 yard go-ahead toss to reserve receiver Rodney Smith. Yes, Bridgewater was playing against a reserve defensive squad but this performance deserves a long look from the coaching staff. The performance of the night however goes to tight end Kyle Rudolph. Norv Turner is building a playbook to get the ball into the hands of his start tight end who posted a 4-81-1 line including a 51-yard touchdown from Cassel. While the air attack prevailed, not as much could be said for the Vikings rushing attack. Aside from a 56-yard breakaway run from Joe Banyard, the team just could not make an impact on the ground without Adrian Peterson in the backfield. This offense is developing and whoever wins that starting quarterback job will be glad to have breakout candidates Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph to sling the rock to.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys fought hard in a close loss to the Ravens this week. Tony Romo saw his first game action since undergoing back surgery and thrived in the opportunity. Aside from a botched handoff to DeMarco Murray, Romo’s night was efficient as he put questions to rest going 4-for-5 for 81 yards and a touchdown. The score came on a 31-yard toss to a leaping Dez Bryant. Bryant finished the night with three grabs for 59 yards and 1 touchdown. If in fact Romo has the deep ball strength that has been questioned in camp, he could be in line for a career year. Terrance Williams, despite failing to record a catch, is creeping up draft boards as he continues to impress in camp. Murray carried 8 times for 34 yards and looks like a sure top-ten fantasy back heading into the season. If you are investing in Murray, you had better invest in backup Lance Dunbar as Murray has consistently been plagued with injuries. Second year tight end Gavin Escobar will be a player to monitor in the coming weeks to see just how the Cowboys will utilize him as a redzone threat. He caught three balls for 58 yards in this week’s exhibition.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles took flight against the Patriots this week but were unable to walk away victorious after falling 42-35. Quarterback Nick Foles bounced back from a rocky performance last week including two interceptions in the first quarter. He went 8-for-10 for 81 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Zach Ertz was on the receiving end of the 6-yard touchdown strike from Foles. Rookie receiver Jordan Matthews also broke out in a major way after a disappointing first game as a pro. Matthews hauled in nine receptions for 104 yards after being criticized for drops last week. Top receiver Jeremy Maclin did not play as he battles hamstring soreness. He is expected to be back at practice this week. LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles were both praised in camp all week during joint practices, but neither made a huge impact in the game. Backup quarterback Mark Sanchez went 11-for-12 passing 117 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. After the game, head coach Chip Kelly said he was open to fielding offers for a Sanchez trade. Stay tuned.

New York Giants

The frustration for Giants fans continues this week despite a 27-26 victory over the Colts. Starting quarterback Eli Manning is yet to gain traction in a renovated offensive system. Manning finished 1-for-7 for 6 yards. The only luck going Manning’s way this week was the interception he threw getting called back due to a defensive penalty. Usually I would dismiss preseason struggles but it could be time to hit the panic button. Although Rashad Jennings has looked very impressive thus far, it will limit his production of the Giants cannot figure out how to get Manning back to Super Bowl form. Victor Cruz has all the potential of a WR1 but could see a stock drop as well in an offense that cannot sustain drives. Rookie Corey Washington continues to impress and make plays in limited action hauling in three passes for 20 yards including a go-ahead touchdown late in the game. By no means am I saying avoid all Giants, but temper your expectations in a sputtering offense.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins are continuing to install a new offensive system with a healthy Robert Griffin III at the helm. The knock on RGIII coming out of last week's preseason showing was that he was slow to get the ball out of his hands and was waiting for downfield coverage to breakdown rather than throwing it away. This week in camp, the emphasis was on the efficiency of his release and timing. He consistently made plays underneath hitting his tight ends and was properly utilizing his checkdowns. This factor bodes well for starting tight end Jordan Reed who looks to be a beneficiary of the Gruden regime. DeSean Jackson returned to practice after sitting out a few days with a minor ankle injury suffered last week in joint practices. He appears to be in line to start Monday night against the Browns. After being labeled “steady eddie” by head coach Jay Gruden, starting running back Alfred Morris has been working on his hands to increase his effectiveness in the pass game. Morris should be a well-rounded workhorse and isn't in any real danger of losing reps to a timeshare.

AFC Camp Report - Wk 2