Week 2 of the NFL season is in the books and many of the Week 1 fantasy darlings didn’t show up in Week 2. After what was perceived to be a loaded waiver wire, many of the Week 2 consensus top pick-ups didn’t show up this week. The former teammates in Carolina, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold put together top five quarterback performances and Alec Pierce continues to shine in Indianapolis but besides that, that’s all to talk about from last week’s article.
Each week, I will develop a list of must add targets for fantasy football leagues. My goal is to keep each suggestion under 40-percent owned in Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues. At least one of my suggestions will be owned in less than 10-percent of Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues. I will also strive to have at least one player per position (QB, WR, RB and TE.)
Mayfield finished the Week as a top five quarterback for the second straight week. He threw for 185 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a score as well. Sam Darnold finished the week just a bit better than Mayfield, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers. Pierce caught five-of-seven targets for 56 yards and a score. Wan’Dale Robinson didn’t see anywhere near as many targets as he did in Week 1, but did score a touchdown in Week 2.
Week 2 Results
Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - 18.8 Points
Sam Darnold (Minnesota Vikings) - 19.92 Points
Tank Bigsby (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 0 Points
Justice Hill (Baltimore Ravens) - 5.2 Points
Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - 2.2 Points
Alexander Mattison (Las Vegas Raiders) - 6.1 Points
Brandin Cooks (Dallas Cowboys) - 3.6 Points
Greg Dortch (Arizona Cardinals) - 3.1 Points
Wan’Dale Robinson (New York Giants) - 9.8 Points
Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts) - 16.6 Points
Isaiah Likely (Baltimore Ravens) - 4.6 Points
Juwan Johnson (New Orleans Saints) - 0 Points
Week 2 Suggestions
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints) - Owned in 20% of Yahoo and 9.6% of ESPN Leagues
Through two weeks of the fantasy football season, Carr is the QB2. He torched the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, which lets be honest, isn’t hard to do. However, he came back in Week 2 and put a whopping on a talented Dallas Cowboys’ defense. Carr threw for 243 yards with two touchdowns and also rushed one in. His schedule is also very favorable for the foreseeable future with the Eagles, Falcons, Chiefs, Buccaneers and Broncos through Week 7.
Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks) - Owned in 34% of Yahoo and 16.3% of ESPN Leagues
Smith has put together back-to-back serviceable fantasy performances to start the season. He just lit up the tough Patriots’ defense for 327 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. Smith did most of his damage in Week 1 with his legs but did his damage in Week 2 with his arm. Smith has the ability to do both, which makes him an ideal streaming fantasy quarterback.
Runningbacks
Carson Steele (Kansas City Chiefs) - Owned in 5% of Yahoo and 1.6% of ESPN Leagues & Samaje Perine (Kansas City Chiefs) - Owned in 6% of Yahoo and 3.6% of ESPN Leagues
If you listened to me prior to Week 1 with my Waiver Wire Wishlist article, you would have rostered Perine by now. That move looks to pay off as Isiah Pacheco hits the IR for upwards of three-months with a broken fibula. The backfield in Kansas City is now wide open between Steele and Perine. Steele saw action for the Chiefs prior to the Pacheco injury, totaling seven carries on the game as Perine saw just one. We can assume that Steele will lead Perine in the rushing attack and the opposite will take place in the passing game. Either way, take your chance with either (or both) of these guys.
Rico Dowdle (Dallas Cowboys) - Owned in 41% of Yahoo and 37.3% of ESPN Leagues
The Cowboys’ backfield can be a frustrating one on any given week for fantasy owners but at this point, it appears that it’ll be split between Ezekiel Elliott and Dowdle. Dowdle saw just seven carries in Week 2 against the Saints but did catch four-of-five targets for 29 yards. The running back position is always a slim one so being able to find one with an even split tied to a quality offense is a must add.
Antonio Gibson (New England Patriots) - Owned in 16% of Yahoo and 32.3% of ESPN Leagues
Gibson saw 12 touches in Week 2 (11 carries and one reception) as he totaled 103 yards. The backfield still belongs to Rhamondre Stevenson but the Patriots have thrown the ball on average just 25.5 times-per-game through the first two weeks of the season. They’re relying heavily on the rushing game and Stevenson can’t shoulder that load alone. Let’s also not forget that Gibson is a very talented receiving back, better than Stevenson in that aspect.
Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins) - Owned in 21% of Yahoo and 25.2% of ESPN Leagues
Wright may be the healthiest running back in Miami at this point. Raheem Mostert is dealing with a chest injury and Jeff Wilson Jr. suffered an oblique injury on Thursday during the Dolphins’ loss to the Buffalo Bills. Achane was also a bit of a game-time decision with an injury designation coming into Thursday as well. Anyway you look at, you want a running back getting touches in this offense. The team drafted Wright for a reason, despite having an already loaded running back room. It’s also worth noting that the team will be without Tua Tagovailoa for some time and will need to rely on the running game more.
Wide Receivers
Jauan Jennings (San Francisco 49ers) - Owned in 2% of Yahoo and 1.4% of ESPN Leagues
We learned on Monday that Deebo Samuel has suffered a calf strain and will likely miss at least three weeks. The biggest benefactor of that will be Jennings. Obviously, Jennings isn’t the type of receiver to fill Samuels’ role completely, but there’s no doubt that targets will be up for grabs and Jennings is in line to take most of them.
Demarcus Robinson (Los Angeles Rams) - Owned in 42% of Yahoo and 33.6% of ESPN Leagues
Robinson was already the benefactor of the Rams being without Puka Nacua who hit the IR following Week 1 but now Cooper Kupp left the second half of the Rams’ game with the Cardinals due to an ankle injury. Robinson saw just four targets in Week 2 but the options are getting limited for Matthew Stafford to throw the fall to.
Quentin Johnston (Los Angeles Chargers) - Owned in 7% of Yahoo and 6.9% of ESPN Leagues
We’ve talked extensively since the off-season due to the lack of quality weapons for Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Johnston was one of the biggest storylines a season ago, a first round receiver who looked to have been a bust. He burst onto the scene in Week 2, catching five-of-six targets for 51 yards and two scores. He also saw five targets in Week 1. Without much in terms of competition for targets, this could be a breakout season for the former first round pick.
Alec Pierce (Indianapolis Colts) - Owned in 28% of Yahoo and 13.4% of ESPN Leagues
If you thought (myself included) Pierce’s Week 1 performance was a flash in-the-pan, you would be wrong. He followed up his big opening week with a five reception for 56 yards and a touchdown performance against the Packers. He also saw seven targets. Again, this has all been done without Josh Downs but what Pierce has done through the first two weeks of the season can’t be ignored.
Romeo Doubs (Green Bay Packers) - Owned in 45% of Yahoo and 30.1% of ESPN Leagues
Right now is the ideal time to add Doubs to your roster. The Packers leaned on the running game in their Week 2 victory over the Colts with Malik Willis under center. During the first two weeks of the season, Doubs led the Packers’ receivers in snaps, routes ran and targets. Jordan Love hasn’t been placed on the IR so he shouldn’t be out for an extended period of time.
Tight End
Hunter Henry (New England Patriots) - Owned in 25% of Yahoo and 10.1% of ESPN Leagues
The connection between Hunter Henry and Jacoby Brissett can’t be ignored. In the Patriots’ Week 2 loss to the Seahawks, Henry caught eight-of-12 targets for 109 yards. You read that right, 12 targets. Any tight end, especially with how poor the position is overall, seeing 12 targets in a game needs to be rostered.
Mike Gesicki (Cincinnati Bengals) - Owned in 5% of Yahoo and 2.6% of ESPN Leagues
If I asked you who the Bengals’ most targeted player was through the first two weeks of the season, would you say Gesicki? Because if you didn’t, you’d be wrong. He caught seven-of-nine targets for 91 yards in Week 2 against the Chiefs. That brings his season total to 13 targets through two weeks. Again, any tight-end averaging 6.5 targets needs to be rostered.
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