FFB WEEK 2 RECAP - The Costanza Is In Effect, Quote The Raven Nevermore

This week for our fantasy football NFL recap, we're gonna do bullet points to highlight the relevant fantasy players and other assorted tidbits! If you'd like, you can skip to the bold section at the bottom titled "What Do Now?" This is basically a summary and it offers (expert) fantasy advice on what to do moving forward.

As the fall crisp hits the air, another week of NFL action is in the books and we're learning more and more about our teams with every snap of the hog. I'm also learning some things about myself. 

The predominant discovery is that I'm a bad NFL bettor. I'm 1-9 through the first two weeks of NFL betting which is actually quite bad. I'd be better served to just flip a coin at this point. I can't find a winner to save my life and it's testing my confidence but don't worry, because I've got a solution. I've decided to do "The Costanza" next week and pick the bets I like, then do the complete opposite. 

 

Sunday was an all-time idiot day for me with the braindead bets but this is why we learn and grow. I'm already feeling better and it's a new week. "Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn was playing in my head on repeat, especially this verse: 

"It's gonna hurt every now and then, 
If you fall get back on again, cowgirls big boys don't cry" 

I am a big boy and we ride on. 

  

Thursday Night Football - Jalen HURTS The Vikings And Hoists Eagles To New Heights (s/o Jason Kelce)

Eagles - 34      Vikings - 28

Philly fans everywhere can breathe easy and unclench their assholes, the Birds are 2-0. Both their wins have been stressful but the Eagles sit at 2-0 atop a very crowded NFC East.

  • Jalen Hurts did what he needed to as a passer in this one, going 18-for-23 for 193 yards, 1 TD, and an INT. It was his ground effectiveness that should have fantasy owners feeling pointy. He ran it 12 times for 35 yards and scored 2 TDs. He had an absurd 13 rushing touchdowns last season and he's already on a good pace to match or surpass that in 2023. 25+ fantasy points while throwing for <200 yards goes to show how effective he is as a runner and that's as good as gold in fantasy.  

  • After only getting 3 touches last week, D'Andre Swift blew up for 28 carries, 175 yards, and a TD. 
    • In week 1, Kenneth Gainwell dominated the backfield. Nick Sirianni talked about how he wanted to get Swift more involved, and he did just that on Thursday. This is still very much a running-back-by-committee, and if Gainwell didn't miss the game with a rib injury, I have to think he would've been in the mix. 
      • MY TAKE: This one was big for Swifties, but he ain't getting 28 carries a game moving forward. It was a bit of fool's gold and the 24 fantasy points are nice for whoever threw him in there, but he was around 25% started in ESPN leagues so that wasn't a great deal of the fantasy population. Even with his RB3 showing this week, it's hard to trust this split backfield when Gainwell is healthy. 

  • DeVonta Smith torched the Vikings secondary, going for 131 yards on 4 catches and adding a TD. That's an average of 32.8 yards per reception for all you mathletes out there and Hurts was just lofting it up into the atmosphere for Smith to go retrieve. It's always fun to watch that skinny frame just sorta float through the air and somehow elevate over defenders and make contended catches. This didn't leave much for the little baby AJ Brown and he got very shouty with Jalen Hurts on the sideline at one point for not getting enough targets. Trouble in paradise? Or just competitive juices flowing? You be the judge. 

  • Things I didn't have on my bingo board through two weeks of NFL action: Kirk Cousins is currently QB1 overall. Preseason ECR of 13 and proving the doubters wrong, myself included. Playing from behind on Thursday, he aired that shit out for 31/44 for 364 and 4 TDs. We all knew he was a good enough passer but the lack of a running threat and trying to overcome deficits has him putting up numbies early. 

  • Another week passes us by, and no TD for Justin Jefferson. Spoiled fantasy owners everywhere are shitting bricks, but calm yourselves. It's not like he hasn't been great thus far, still sitting at WR6 overall. Yes, touchdowns would be nice and it hasn't been the hottest start to his fantasy season from that standpoint, but he's still doing a lot. On Thursday, he had two scoring chances and one of them resulted in a garbage touchback, but 11 catches for 159 yards and he's still on pace for 2,600+ receiving yards. Patience... the TDs will come.  

  • Jordan Addison has a touchdown in each of his first two NFL games, not a bad start for the slot specialist. 3 catches, 72 yards and a TD. Justin Jefferson demanding most of the attention has made it easier for Addison to sneak behind defenders 😈

  • KJ Osborn also added 3 catches for 34 yards and a TD.  

  • TJ Hockenson showed why he's widely regarded as a weekly top-3 tight end. 7 catches, 66 yards, and 2 TDs. This is a woefully thin position - there are arguably 3 premium fantasy TEs to own and he's one of them because of the Vikings' passing volume which can lead to explosions like this from Hock. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Kirk be throwin'. Start him if you got him.  
2. DeVonta & AJ Brown - both viable 
3. Exercise extreme caution with Swift/Eagles backfield, still very scary to me
4. Addison: Not a horrid flex play, low volume may be an issue, but... touchdowns are fun
5. Pick up KJ Osborn if he's available/you're desperate. He's their third or fourth best option but if it's a superflex league he's worth a look
6. Ty Chandler is worth a flier if you have room. The Vikings running game has been straight cheeks and if Mattison can't start finding holes they may switch gears.   


Joe Burrows In First Half, Ravens Dish Out Evenflow DDT And KO The Bengals 

Ravens - 27     Bengals -24
Shoutout to anyone that gets the wrestling reference

  • Something is up with Joe Burrow and he's not himself. 27/41 for 222 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT. He just hasn't been great yet, no other way to put it. Through two weeks he's bottom of the barrel, QB32. Literally dead last, behind Zach Wilson, even! He was awful in the first half on Sunday but got a little better as the day progressed, so that's encouraging. Maybe missing most of training camp has him getting his bearings, but the Bengals are once again 0-2 to start the season. Don't forget, they started 0-2 last year and then went on a tear. Hold steady, Chase and Higgins are studs and Burrow will be fine. 

  • I told you to pick up Gus Edwards or Justice Hill, in that order. This was the right call for Sunday. Gus Edwards had 10 carries for 62 yards and a TD. 

  • Ja'Marr Chase: 5 catches for 31 yards. YUCK. 

  • Tee Higgins: 8 catches for 89 yards and 2 TDs. NICE. 

  • It was a solid day for Lamar Jackson, throwing for 237 yards and 2 TDs and adding 12 runs for 54 yards. A nice bounceback after a lackluster week 1 and more like what owners have come to expect. 

  • Mark Andrews coming back seemed to help open things up for the Ravens offense and he found the endzone. 5 catches for 45 yards and a TD. 

  • Other Ravens receivers: Zay Flowers, 1 catch for 6 yards (YUCK x2) and Odell Beckham (3 catches for 29 yards, but got injured). Oh, and then Nelson Agholor came out of the clouds and caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a TD.

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. The Gus Bus is taking on new passengers, I suggest you buy a ticket and get on now. Justice Hill got 11 carries to Edwards' 10, but Edwards was at 6.2 ypc and scored a TD. This is still a committee but I think Edwards separated himself a bit yesterday and sees more work in the coming weeks. Justice Hill, if available, is still worth a pickup. 
2. Not that anyone's doing anything different, but hang tight with the entire Bengals offense. If history is any indicator, they'll finally wake up next week in what should be a shootout against the Rams. 
3. Do NOT pick up Nelson Agholor. Do NOT take the bait. Even if Odell Beckham Jr. remains out Bateman and Flowers are still there, and this wasn't a real thing.

Seahawks Win in OT as Tyler LOCKetts The Door On The Lions

Seahawks - 37      Lions - 31
  • That's better, Tyler Lockett. 8 catches for 59 yards and 2 TDs. His week 1 was highly out of character and to see him get back to his productive ways was comforting. His catch and run to the pylon ended up being the deciding factor in this OT thriller and he was back as WR9 in week 2. 
  • Jared Goff and Geno Smith dueled this one out till the very end. Geno Smith was great, going 32/41 for 328 yards and 2 TDs. Goff was equally strong with a 28/35, 323 yards and 3 TDs/1 INT game.
  • The Lions backfield just got a lot more interesting. Initially, David Montgomery was shouldering most of the load with 16 carries, 67 yards, and a TD. Check the injury reports and see what he does in practice this week because he left Sunday's contest with an injury. This might open it up for Jahmyr Gibbs, who carried 7 times for just 17 yards, but could see more work in the run game to go with his receiving duties (7 catches for 39 yards). 
  • Amon Ra St. Brown: 6 catches for 102 yards (NICE). All the TDs went to other Lions receivers but this is another consistent outing despite fighting through a minor injury midgame. 
  • Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond accounted for 3 TDs (Reynolds 2, Raymond 1) in the passing attack, which helps very few in fantasy terms. 
  • It wasn't the most efficient of Sundays for Kenneth Walker III, but he did punch it in twice for a 17 carry, 43 yard, 2 TD line. 
  • DK Metcalf was solid again: 6 catches for 75 yards. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Closely monitor David Montgomery this week if you're a Montgomery or Gibbs owner. It's a thigh bruise for Montgomery, so more or less a charlie horse, but those things hurt like a bitch and it may slow him down for a week or two. Craig Reynolds is the pickup there if Montgomery were to miss time, but he's still behind Gibbs.
2. Tyler Lockett is still set it & forget it. Hopefully this game put the week 1 fluke out of your mind. 
3. Josh Reynolds has been pretty damn good through the first two weeks and appears to be Goff's second option behind Amon Ra St. Brown. He's capitalized so far so he's worth a waiver add and some FAAB money if you need depth. 
4. Stash Zach Charbonnet, just in case. Seahawks running backs have a long, storied history of getting injured and he's a cheap add if available.   

Stroud Fun Disallowed By Loud Crowd As Colts Take Texans To Pound Town 

I'm genuinely sorry for that title. It sucks. 

Colts - 31       Texans - 20
  • Anthony Richardson was off to a beautiful start only to be prematurely yanked thanks to a concussion. It happened on this run, his second rushing TD of the day: 

  • It looked like Richardson couldn't decide whether to lower his shoulder or keep running toward the pylon (he had plenty of room to keep going outside), but he's gonna have to figure out a way to stay on the field. I love his size and I love watching him run, but he's gotta take fewer big hits. He got blasted on this play and from where I was sitting, it could've been at least partially avoided. 6/10 for 56 yards passing, 3 for 35 and 2 TDs on the ground in an injury-abbreviated week 2. 

  • Zack Moss was a late addition to the Colts active roster this week and he came up big. 18 carries, 88 yards and a TD. He looked... good?

  • Fourth year receiver Michael Pittman also seems like he's going to get a ton of catches this year. He's seen consistent targets in weeks 1 and 2, with 11 and 12 respectively. He's caught 8 passes each of the first two games and if Richardson is in the game it seems like they've got a good chemistry going. Also, there's not much else going on in the way of Colts receivers so that helps funnel passes his way. 

  • Playing from behind the entire game, CJ Stroud had a nice day, even if it was meaningless. 30/47 for 384 yards, 2 TDs, and no INTs is a good confidence builder, but the Texans stink and these were mostly all garbage time stats. 

  • The struggle is real for Dameon Pierce, as defenses presumably focus on shutting down the run and putting the game solely on Stroud. 15 carries for 31 yards (YUCK FOR A THIRD TIME).

  • Nico Collins had 7 catches for 146 yards and a TD, he's the Texans' top receiving option. Rookie Tank Dell also scored his first NFL touchdown with 7 catches for 72 yards and a score. Finally, John Metchie had his first career reception after spending last year battling leukemia which is a cool story. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Obviously, Zack Moss is a waiver candidate, but with some caveats. He's viewed as more of a short-term answer, as Jonathan Taylor will be back in 2 more weeks, so don't overspend. However, what JT will look like is anybody's guess, but he's their guy when he does return. As of now, Moss is all they've got and if you're in a spot of trouble or JT pulls some more stunts, he's worth investing in. 
2. Trust in Pittman, even if Minshew plays next week. He's the clear lead pass catcher and I don't see anyone else in that offense deterring a steady stream of targets his way. Minshew is a capable backup and there shouldn't be any significant falloff for Pittman, even if Richardson is out. 
3. Hold Dameon Pierce, but he may be worth benching against tougher matchups for a week or two while they figure it out. Obviously only do so if you have a better alternative, but he's a flex option at best currently. 
4. If you're in a superflex league, check to see if Gardner Minshew is available. See above. 

Buccaneers Booty Blast The Bears Back To The Bronze Age

Bucs - 27      Bears - 17
  • I'm ready to declare Justin Fields the biggest fantasy disappointment of the young season thus far. I'm not even sure that's a hot take, because he's been that bad. 16/29 for 211 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs and a rushing TD. The second interception was an embarrassing pick-six thrown directly to Shaq Barrett on their own 2 yard line. Indescribably bad decision and his glaring lack of production as a runner is worrisome (4 rushes, 3 yards in week 2). Either he needs to take it on himself to use his legs more, the Bears scheme needs to be drastically changed to accommodate his gift as a runner, or both. Enough is enough, what the hell are they doing in Chicago? 

  • Khalil Herbert has been a fantasy bummer thus far, but the Bears have been painfully unproductive, so he's simply a runoff of their collective diarrhea start. If (when?) they make the required tweaks to this offense, maybe he holds more value but 7 carries for 35 yards just isn't gonna cut it.

  • DJ Moore actually had a nice game with a few chunk plays and caught 6 balls for 104 yards. Chase Claypool made up for his weirdly lazy play in week 1 with 3 catches for 36 yards and a TD.

  • Talk about a comeback, Baker Mayfield has been rock solid through his first two games in Tampa Bay. Sunday's 317 yards and 1 TD was more than enough to lead the Bucs past Chicago. 

  • The primary beneficiary of Baker's impressive Sunday was Mike Evans. 6 catches for 171 and another TD, his second in as many games. Chris Godwin hovered around 8.5 points, his second 50-60 yard, scoreless game to start the season. 

  • Another bright spot for the Bucs offense was Rachaad White. After last week's middling output, he finally found the endzone to go with 17 carries and 73 yards. This isn't totally unexpected going back to last week when he got 100% of the team's redzone snaps, but it's still encouraging. This bodes well for the rest of the season for his touchdown potential. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Justin Fields is too talented not to be running the ball more. I'm not sure what the game plan is in Chicago, but if they turn him loose he'll put up gaudy rushing numbers and reward fantasy owners. How patient will folks be with Fields? QB16 currently and not even close to meeting expectations. Coincidentally they're in no danger of actually winning real life football games as long as he's a "pocket passer" so they might wanna get him running sooner rather than later. 
2. Until the Bears figure it out, if that ever happens, Khalil Herbert is a flex option at best. The Bears offense is miserable right now and for them to work through the kinks, Justin Fields will have to run the ball more. More Justin Fields runs means less for Herbert, so I think that leaves Herbert in a tough situation one way or the other. 
3. The same goes for DJ Moore. It'll be hot and cold for him and he goes as Justin Fields goes. 
4. Buy Mike Evans, Godwin isn't consistent enough and Baker likes him some Evans, clearly.
5. Definitely buy up Rachaad White if given the opportunity. He's getting the majority of the carries and literally all of the red zone snaps. 

Kelce, Chiefs Ensure It's A 'Cruel Summer' For The Jags

Chiefs - 17      Jaguars - 9 

My head told me to hammer this game because I've been real bricked up on Lawrence/Ridley/Etienne this year. I've never been more sure of anything in my betting life. I thought at home the Jags would be able to score some points and make this a game. In my mind, this was a coming-of-age game for Lawrence and he would duel Mahomes down to the last whistle. Just another example of how broken I am with regards to the NFL because the Jaguars scored exactly zero touchdowns and it was a big fat loss. This is where we come back to "The Costanza". Lesson learned. 
  • Patrick Mahomes has been uber-reliable to start the year, as you might expect. Sunday he was 29/41 for 305 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT. He got his boy Kelce back, which was good, and also ran for 30 yards. Overall, it's impossible to be upset with that in what was a terribly low-scoring affair. Travis Kelce had just 4 catches for 26 yards and a TD as he gets back into the swing of things, but these two are one of, if not the most exciting combos in football and I expect big numbers to come.

  • Again, not a ton of scoring in this game but Isaiah Pacheco dominated the touches on Sunday. He brings hard running and good hands out of that backfield. 12 carries for 70 yards and a single reception for Pacheco. The next closest was Jerick McKinnon who only had 1 carry and 3 catches. Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 1 carry and 2 catches. The backfield is Pacheco's to lose but who knows what Andy Reid does next week and I feel as though this is one is subject to change just based on the scenario. 

  • As for the receiving corps, this one was spread out. Skyy Moore led the attack with 3 catches, 70 yards and a TD which was a welcome sight after his week 1 stinker. Justin Watson had 3 catches for 62 yards, Noah Gray 3 for 38, Kadarius Toney 5 for 35, and Jerick McKinnon 3 for 24 (plus Kelce, which was covered above). The Chiefs are taking the "we don't have to have one single stud WR on our team to be good" theory to heart and just letting Patrick Mahomes make everyone else around him better. 

  • It was very "meh" for Trevor Lawrence, just 22/41 for 216 yards. Also ran for 26 yards, as if the 2.6 points was enough to salvage his fantasy day. Damn near dead last in fantasy rankings for TLaw, QB29. Not a single touchdown to speak of for the Jags offense. 

  • Travis Etienne: 12 carries 40 yards, 2 catches for 2 yards. Gross. 

  • Christian Kirk: 11 catches for 110 yards, not a bad day and the Jags' only fantasy option to report. 

  • Calvin Ridley: Draped with L'Jarius Sneed all day, Ridley was held to 2 catches for 32 yards.
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. This was but a stumble for the Jags and they're better than they played Sunday. I believe in this offense and there were some bad breaks on Sunday that took TDs off the board. Ride with Ridley moving forward. 
2. Mahomes is QB4 through two weeks and it feels like he hasn't even been fully activated. It's almost been boring. Maybe this is the new normal for him without a legit top receiver, but even if that's the case he's still an elite option.
3. Speaking of the Chiefs receivers, they're a cacophony and I'm not sure where to go if you're trying to pinpoint one warm body for your fantasy team. I would lean Skyy Moore but he didn't have a single catch in week 1, so it's hard to tell what you're gonna get on a weekly basis. There almost certainly won't be a singular guy that gobbles up targets in this offense outside of Kelce, so tread lightly.  


Arthur Smith And The Falcons Fudge Pack The Packers

Falcons - 25      Packers - 24

  • The Falcons have been frisky thus far and a gutsy finish helped them defeat the Packers Sunday. This was largely thanks to Bijan Robinson's true coming out party, carrying 19 times for 124 yards and hauling in 4 passes for another 48. He tipped the touch scales in his favor and this honestly looked more like what they drafted him to do after a somewhat reserved week 1. Tyler Allgeier was still around with 48 yards on 16 carries, but he couldn't find much room to operate and they leaned heavily on Bijan to mount the fourth quarter comeback. 

  • Again, with the running game clicking so well, Desmond Ridder played game manager and did what was needed, going 19/32 for 237 yards, 1 TD, and an INT. He also had 10 carries for 39 yards and a sneaky little rushing TD as the cherry on top. Week 2 QB10 in an offense that doesn't feature much in the way of passing, all in all a good day for the second year signal-caller. He looked fairly slick as a ballcarrier on top of a sufficient game through the air, a good fit for this offense.

  • With Ridder appearing to settle in a bit, Drake London was able to get in the endzone. 6 catches for 67 yards and a TD is good, but I still worry about the Falcons' from a playcalling standpoint. They're still so dependent on the run and situations will only call for heavy passing so often. London could be at the mercy of the game scripting more often than not, but he's the Falcons' unequivocal top receiver. 

  • Kyle Pitts: 2 catches for 15 yards. I said he was bench-worthy last week. I'm saying this now: You can drop him. There are more productive tight ends on the waiver wire, I promise. 

  • For a while, Jordan Love looked incredible, but the lack of Aaron Jones and Christian Watson proved too much and they fizzled in the fourth quarter, falling to 1-1. This game might've looked different if the Packers had those two offensive starters, but none of that matters. Love finished 14/25 for 151 yards and 3 TDs. He's been efficient so far, but the Packers may or may not fully trust him yet, only throwing it 25 times. He found Dontayvion Wicks for 1 touchdown and Jayden Reed for his second and third on the day. AJ Dillon rushed 15 times for 55 yards but it wasn't enough to hold off the Dirty Birds. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. The Atlanta timeshare continues, at least for now. I'm suddenly less confident in Tyler Allgeier after this game, but I do feel confident that the touches will stay somewhat divided. 60-40% is what I initially predicted, and I think that's still a fair assessment. 
2. Desmond Ridder is going to look a lot better because of Bijan Robinson and that's totally fine. The threat with Robinson might even make him a viable starter, especially in superflex leagues. 
3. This game really highlights how important Aaron Jones and Christian Watson are for the Packers. The passing game was used sparingly and AJ Dillon isn't the lead back that Jones is.  
4. DROP. KYLE. PITTS. Yeah I said it. What more do we need to see? 

The Bills Take The Raiders To PF Changs And They All Get Food Poisoning And Shit Their Pants

Bills - 38     Raiders - 10

  • The Raiders came back down to earth after a fun week 1 and Jimmy Garoppolo was at QB31 after 16/24, 185 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. Third worst QB fantasy performance in week 2. The Raiders scored early on a Davante Adams catch and run, but after that it was a lone field goal to cap their scoring and Josh Allen ran all over them. Davante Adams finished with 6 catches for 84 yards and the touchdown, so he had a nice day but he was just about the only one. 

  • He needed a rebound game and he got it. Josh Allen: 31/37, 274 yards, 3 TDs. Zero turnovers, only 1-2 attempted hurdles, and an all-around great game. QB7 on the week. That's more like it. 

  • Josh Jacobs had negative rushing yardage in this game. How is that even possible? 9 carries, -2 yards. Is he in "fuck it" mode? Or was it just that kind of day. He did catch 5 passes for 51 yards so maybe it was just a full abandoning of the running game. Carry on.

  • As for the Buffalo backfield, James Cook led the way with 17 carries and 123 yards. Tragically, Latavius Murray and Damien Harris were the ones to receive red zone snaps and they each scored a TD, much to the chagrin of Cook owners.

  • Bills receivers had a fun day. Gabe Davis: 6 catches, 92 yards and a TD. Stefon Diggs: 7 catches for 66 yards, 10+ fantasy points despite no TD. Khalil Shakir and Dawson Knox both got short TD passes and Dalton Kincaid caught 5 for 43. When Josh Allen is on these guys can fly around and put up points. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Josh Jacobs had a rough go of it on Sunday, but they were down 21-10 at the half and the Raiders were trying to play catch up. On one hand, don't think too much into this fantasy performance. On the other, I halfway jokingly suggested "fuck it" mode. He does have just 46 total rushing yards through weeks 1 and 2 so it makes ya think.
2. It was good to see James Cook finally break out, but simply having Latavius Murray on the roster should worry Cook owners. Murray is a notorious TD vulture, as is Damien Harris, and I worry that he'll do everything until they get to the redzone. 
3. Dalton Kincaid is the sexy choice for a Buffalo tight end, but Dawson Knox still sees tons of redzone action and has rapport with Josh Allen from spending 4 years with him. Plus, their target share is virtually the same (10 to 9 in favor of Kincaid). Again, at such a thin position, he's on the waiver wire and he's currently TE10 if you're interested in such things. 

Ryan Tannehill TanneTHRILLS As Titans Trounce Chargers

Titans - 27       Chargers - 24

  • The seat continues to warm up for Brandon Staley who snatched defeat from the clutches of victory once again. Justin Herbert lacks the killer instinct, the Chargers played not to lose, and they ended up doing just that. Herbert was 27/41 for 305 yards and 2 TDs, a QB11 Sunday.
  • With Austin Ekeler out on Sunday, Joshua Kelley took over lead back duties but struggled on 13 carries for just 39 yards.  
  • Keenan Allen was a popular receiver on Sunday and Herbert found him for 8 catches, 111 yards, and 2 TDs. Mike Williams was also busy with his 8 catches for 83 yards. 
  • The Titans were awaiting confirmation that Ryan Tannehill had a pulse after a disgusting week 1, and he delivered with 20/24 passing for 246 yards and a TD. He also ran once for 12 yards and a rushing touchdown. Considering the 25 carries for Derrick Henry, this is what Tannehill and Titans fans needed to see.
  • The Titans receivers showed up and it was nice to see Treylon Burks' name called a few times. He caught a long pass or two and totaled 3 catches for 76 yards. DeAndre Hopkins was also present and accounted for, but only caught 4 passes for 40 yards. Tannehill's passing score went to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine which helps the roughly 0% of fantasy owners that started him.
  • The Clydesdale Derrick Henry had a nice day, 25 carries for just 80 yards but a TD for his first of the year. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Derrick Henry remains the focal point, but they're gonna ride him 'til the wheels fall off. Snag Tyjae Spears if you can, he had 10 touches and I suspect he'll eventually get more. This is a "break glass in case of emergency" pickup, so only do so if you have the room to stash him. 
2. Treylon Burks was about two steps away from a long TD on Sunday, but DeAndre Hopkins is getting the lion's share of the targets in Nashville (18 through the first two games). I still like his volume, even if the Titans defer to the ground more frequently than the air. 

49ers Use Christian's Powers To Banish Rams In West Coast Turf War

49ers - 30     Rams - 23

  • It was a weird game for Brock Purdy, who just went 17/25 for 206 and no TDs. He was having some issues throwing it downfield and that might be a concern moving forward, but again, he did what was required to secure the win. He did have a rushing touchdown, so it wasn't a total goose egg. 
  • Part of the reason Brock Purdy doesn't have to throw it 50 times a game is the one we call CMC. Christian McCaffrey again lit it up with 20 carries for 116 yards and a TD. This is becoming commonplace for him and he's living up to his early first round ADP. 
  • Again, zero passing TDs for the 49ers, but Deebo Samuel was back up to his old tricks as a runner and punished his way to 5 carries for 38 yards and a TD. He also caught 6 passes for 63 yards. 101 all purpose yards and a TD makes Deebo owners very happy after a slow week 1. 
  • Brandon Aiyuk was quiet, 3 catches for 43 yards. George Kittle has all but dissipated from the passing game and had 3 for 30. 
  • Matthew Stafford was so-so, completing 34 of 55 passes for 307 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. Not terrible, but not quite enough to elevate them over the 49ers.
  • The Rams offense was spearheaded by Kyren Williams this week, who scored the Rams' only two TDs. With Cam Akers on the fritz, Kyren Williams took over and performed nicely with 14 carries for 52 yards and a TD to go with 6 catches for 48 yards and another TD. It was a satisfying game for anyone that spent big FAAB money on him this week and he figures to be an integral part of this offense the rest of the way. 
  • Rookie sensation Puka Nacua is on fire. 15 more catches for 147 yards. He's the first player in NFL history to go for 10+ catches and 100+ yards in his first two games. Truly amazing stuff and another one that's been worth every penny for those lucky enough to have gotten him on waivers. 
  • Another one that's picked up the slack in Kupp's absence has been Tutu Atwell. He's done well with his 17 targets through these first two games playing second fiddle to Puka Nacua, sitting at WR24 at the moment. Again, his numbers will deflate a bit but the Rams have to be thrilled with how the "backups" have performed while Kupp sits out. 
WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Brock Purdy isn't startable right now, even in one of the more explosive offenses in the league. Give him some time and maybe they rely more on the air attack, but right now it's the CMC show and Purdy is more of a bystander. 
2. Flip a coin - Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk on a weekly basis is a headache. You gotta start 'em both, but they've alternated huge performances in weeks 1 and 2. It's a good problem to have if you're the 49ers, not so much in fantasy. 
3. Puka Nacua is the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. Watch out Justin Jefferson, there's a new kid on the block, he goes by Puka, and he's also on pace for 2,000+ yards. Never mind the fact that Cooper Kupp will be back in two weeks and his 39% target share won't last, we're gonna enjoy the moment and relish in the glory that is Puka. Even with Cupp's return, he's proven himself to be a nice cog in the Rams machine.
4. Cam Akers is officially out. Such a bizarre situation! Lots of people got burnt by him last year, and it's bled over into this year. I mentioned last week that the backfield was murky and it's confirmed that Cam Akers has once again fallen out of favor, for whatever reason. It sounds like he may get traded, so Akers can be considered a "hold", but it's understandable if you drop him. He's hurt too many people over the last two seasons. The reality is, with Nick Chubb going down and some backs getting banged up across the league, he may have value elsewhere. Who knows what the hell the deal is, but he was objectively good at the end of last year, so it's worth a bit of risk if you can be patient. If he goes somewhere else maybe they can coexist better than he does with McVay. 

Giants Storm The Vatican To Come  On The Back Of  Back On The Cardinals

Giants - 31     Cardinals - 28

  • Truly an insane comeback for the Giants. One that they needed in a big way after last week's beatdown from the Cowboys. This was the Daniel Jones that the Giants paid big money for and he led the charge in the second half as the G-Men outscored the Cardinals 31-8. 26/37 for 321 yards, 2 TDs and an INT for Dimebag Daniel. More importantly, 9 carries for 59 yards and a rushing TD. Despite being kind of a huge dork, Daniel Jones can run and he was the solo top QB in week 2 scoring 31.7 fantasy points.
  • It was a little better this week for Saquon Barkley, carrying 17 times for 63 yards and a TD. He also caught 6 passes for 29 yards and a receiving TD. Very solid fantasy performance from Saquon and much-needed after last week. Unfortunately, he got rolled up on and sprained his ankle, so just as quickly as he got started, he could miss some time with that.
  • Jalin Hyatt, the rookie with a severe case of the zoomies, got involved on Sunday with 2 catches for 89 yards. He's got next-level speed and should get more targets as the season goes on and he gets more comfortable with Jones. Darren Waller has been a strong addition for the Giants so far and had 6 catches for 76 yards. It's been a slow-ish start for Waller but he saw his targets increase from 5 to 8 this week, he played 90% of the snaps, and he'll continue to get comfortable with Daniel Jones. Lastly, Isaiah Hodgins caught the other TD from Jones on 4 catches for 40 yards.  
  • Still waiting for Kyler Murray's return, the Cardinals let one get away on Sunday. They got out to an early lead, heading into halftime up 20-0. At the 9:34 mark in the 3rd quarter, the Cardinals were up 28-7. From there, the Giants scored 24 unanswered to complete the comeback. Despite a conservative second half, Joshua Dobbs had himself a nice game. 21/31 for 228 yards and a TD. He also flashed the legs with 3 carries for 41 yards, including a long 23 yard TD run that ended with him taking on the safety to fall forward into the endzone. 
  • James Conner continues to put together strong fantasy performances. He's quietly one of the more reliable running backs and in week 2 he carried 23 times for 106 yards and a TD. There are a pair of rookies behind him in the pecking order, but he carries true bell-cow status at the moment.
  • Again, the Cardinals got horribly conservative in the second half of this one, allowing the Giants to edge their way back into it and eventually kick a game-winning FG with 19 seconds left. Zach Ertz led all Cardinals receivers with 6 catches for 56 yards. Michael Wilson had 3 for 56, Marquise Brown had 6 for 54 and a TD, and Trey McBride had 2 for 32. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. If you own shares in Saquon and he can't go, Matt Breida is your guy. Prioritize that pickup. 
2. Throw a few dollars at Jalin Hyatt. The Giants don't have a ton of help at receiver. He only got 2 targets this week, but he can fly and the Giants don't have another legit deep threat.
3. The Cardinals are a bit of wildcard until Kyler returns, but Dobbs has been fine and would be a fine superflex option if he's out there.

Jets Piss Poor Efforts Jettisoned By Jerry Jones And The Cowboys

  • Look away, all ye Jets fans. You're bad again! Zach Wilson sits on the sideline and legitimately looks so nervous he could puke. Well, watching him makes me want to puke. 12/27, 170 yards, 1 TD, and 3 INTs. His only TD on the day came on a big play from Garrett Wilson, who had 2 catches for 83 yards and a TD, but this offense is just pure garbage with Wilson at the helm. 
  • The Jets' leading rusher was, you guessed it, Zach Wilson (5 carries, 36 yards). Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook totaled 8 carries for 17 yards between the two of them. The Cowboys defense has been elite, but this was a disaster. 28 rushing yards from people not named Zach Wilson is inexcusable. Additionally, Tyler Conklin had 5 catches for 50 yards, but that's really it. That's literally all there is to say about the Jets offense from Sunday. It was that ridiculously bad and the Jets might wanna explore free agency for a new QB. Unbearable.
  • This was the Dak Prescott that Cowboys fans have been waiting to see. Dak was stellar on Sunday as he went 31/38 for 255 yards and 2 TDs. Again, no interceptions. It's still early but limiting his turnovers was a key focus for him this offseason, and he's done well on pledge that so far. 
  • It was a bit of a grind for Tony Pollard who carried it 25 times for just 72 yards (2.9 ypc). Luckily, he added 7 catches for 37 yards to offset a subpar game on the ground. Rico Dowdle also received 8 touches and Deuce Vaughn scurried around for 6 touches. It was anudder lopsided affair, so everyone got a little piece of the pie.
  • CeeDee Lamb put up elite numbers with 11 catches for 143 yards. He's also directly responsible for the death of Sauce Gardner's Twitter, which was deleted after he got roasted on the field and subsequently roasted online. Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker didn't do much (4 total catches for 12 yards combined), but they did catch Dak's two TD passes. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Had it not been for one chunk play, Garrett Wilson was mostly shut down. Beware Garrett Wilson as long as Zach Wilson is the one throwing passes in NY. 
2. In that same vein, avoid all Jets offensive skill players. That includes Breece Hall. Maybe this is harsh and maybe this wasn't a fair assessment as the Cowboys defense has been lights out, but I'm at ground zero with this offense as long as Zach Wilson is around.

Cardiac Commanders Survive Hail Mary, Blessed To Beat Broncos 

Commanders - 35      Broncos - 33

  • What a finish! Sam Howell leads the Commanders to a 35-33 win over the Broncos. He was 27/39 for 299 yards and 2 TDs. QB14 for week 2 with a TD going to Terry McLaurin (5 for 54) and Logan Thomas (2 for 22). Jahan Dotson has been a slow fantasy starter, just catching 3 passes for 22 yards (just 5 for 40 last week). 
  • The backfield is decidedly Brian Robinson Jr.'s in Washington. He carried 18 times for 87 yards and punched in 2 rushing TDs. A splendid RB1 week 2. He also caught 2 passes for 42 yards, a nice add-on to an already lovely stat line. Conversely, Antonio Gibson only carried twice for 9 yards and caught 3 passes for 44 yards. Light involvement from Gibson, and Robinson appears to be the favorite there until further notice. 
  • The Broncos took it down to the wire on a completed Hail Mary from Russell Wilson only to see the two-point conversion fail. Russ was good, 18/32 for 308, 3 TDs and 1 INT. He also ran 6 times for 56 yards which is encouraging for Denver fans and Wilson owners alike.
  • Javonte Williams is still working his way back to full strength, or so we'll assume. He carried 12 times for 44 yards. Not much of a factor, but again, he's coming off a knee injury so maybe he gains more steam as the season goes on. 
  • The deep threat finally manifested in the form of Marvin Mims Jr. and he caught both of his targets for 113 yards and  TD. Other receivers of note: Courtland Sutton caught 5 passes for 66 yards, Brandon Johnson's only two catches went for 66 yards and 2 TDs (including the Hail Mary), and Jerry Jeudy had 3 catches for 25 yards. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. For now, bench and hold Jahan Dotson. Terry McLaurin is still the WR1 in Washington and Dotson may be more touchdown-dependent than I initially thought. He might even be behind Curtis Samuel in the hierarchy right now. Let him earn a slot in your starting lineup and until then, he can be safely stashed away. 
2. Antonio Gibson is droppable unless you want him as a handcuff for Robinson. Otherwise, head for open waters.
3. Be patient with Jerry Jeudy. He was WR21 last year in a season where he missed 3.5 games. He's got it in him and maybe his hamstring isn't 100% yet, but stay the course. 

Raheem Doing The MOSTert Leads Dolphins, Patriots Forced To Belichick Themselves Before They Beliwreck Themselves

Dolphins - 24     Patriots - 17

  • Another close finish, the Dolphins are 2-0 and Mike McDaniel might just be a genius. Watching him find the smallest chink in the armor of the Patriots defense then exploit that was delightful. He was calling plays with a smile on his face like a psycho because he knew he'd found a weakness, and it worked. In Sunday's case, that weakness was stopping Raheem Mostert. He carried 18 times for 121 yards and 2 TDs, one of those coming with 8:45 remaining in the 4th to extend their lead to 24-10.
  • Tua Tagovailoa managed this one well, going 21/30 for 249, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was under constant pressure from Matthew Judon, but he was able to get it to his two star receivers enough to satiate fantasy owners. Jaylen Waddle had 4 catches for 86 yards but has yet to find the endzone this year so far. Tyreek Hill caught 5 passes for just 40 yards but tacked on another TD. These two receivers remain arguably the most formidable offensive threat in the league and consistent fantasy producers.
  • It was an ugly first 3 quarters for the Patriots, but they rallied at the end with two 4th quarter touchdowns to make it a game. Mac Jones followed his QB1 performance last week with a QB23, leveling things out. He was 31/42 for 231 yards, 1 TD and an INT. 
  • Rhamondre Stevenson continues to chug along with 15 carries, 50 yards and a TD. He also caught 3 passes for 10 yards. Zeke continues to be a nonfactor in that offense, for whatever it's worth. 
  • In the red zone, there's not a better bet than Hunter Henry. Mac Jones looks to him constantly and he caught 6 passes for 52 yards and another TD. He's currently TE1 overall and seems to have a target on his chest around the endzone.    

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. The Pats receivers are still a mess. This week, Devante Parker led all New England pass-catachers with 6 catches for 57 yards. Hunter Henry is at TE1 and currently the best bet to give you consistent points and touchdown potential in that offense (they don't got no receivers!).
2. Jaylen Waddle is due for a TD. He gets one in week 3, no doubt in my mind. 
3. Keep riding Rhamondre. 
4. Drop Zeke like a bad habit. 

Monday Night Football Pt. 1 of 2 - Mardi Gross: Saints Barely Scrape By Panthers

Saints - 20      Panthers - 17

  • I'm not one to bitch and moan about the quality of NFL games. Not to mention on a Monday night when there's two of them on at the same time. But watching Derek Carr play quarterback will make a man physically ill. 21/36, 228 yards, 1 INT. Truly pitiful.  
  • The only real success their offense had was when Taysom Hill was in the game. 9 carries for 75 yards out of the wildcat formation. If Derek Carr continues to stink up the town, maybe just play Taysom Hill - he can make the throws Derek Carr is making and brings a running element to the table. 
  • Jamaal Williams went down early with a hamstring, but Tony Jones Jr. stepped in with 12 carries, 34 yards, and 2 TDs. This is your signal to check to see if he's available. 
  • Chris Olave had a nice night catching 6 passes for 86 yards. Two straight double digit fantasy performances but the Saints are touchdown-challenged so far. Michael Thomas also played, catching 7 for 55. Rashid Shaheed surfaced again with 4 catches for 63 yards and he may just be a pesky threat on the outside. 
  • He's still a work in progress, but Bryce Young struggled at times in Monday's primetime matchup against the Saints. He was 22/33 for 153 yards and a TD, but the offense in general was lukewarm. He learned that the safe option for a checkdown at all times is Adam Thielen, tossing it his way 7 times for 54 yards and a TD. Young also spotted green grass a few times and ran twice for 34 yards. Here was his second scramble where he showed good composure and vision (even if the slide was bad).
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/JyZ2Di48mx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 26, 2023.   

  • Miles Sanders rushed 14 times for 43 yards and didn't get much going there. Chuba Hubbard only carried twice for 16 yards but did catch 5 passes for 34 yards, a nice change-of-pace option for the Panthers. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. Chris Olave is too talented not to get his targets. Getting the ball in his hands is imperative, whether it's Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, or Taysom Hill. The Saints know that, and they'll do it. 
2. Check in on Jamaal Williams this week as he nurses a bad hammy. Tony Jones filled in nicely so bid accordingly if you're a Williams owner, just know he's a temporary fix. He's the #2 waiver pickup this week, but don't blow your bankroll, Alvin Kamara is coming back soon. 
3. That's two consecutive starts for Michael Thomas, by my count. He's seen 8 and 9 targets, respectively, in his first two games of 2023, which is a positive. He's managed 12 total catches for 113 yards and I'm thinking he's back. 
4. It's a hard sell on any of the Panthers right now, but Adam Thielen is playing almost 90% of offensive snaps and seems like Bryce Young's security blanket. 9 targets in week 2 and that should be stable going into week 3. 

Monday Night Football Pt. 2 of 2 - Dildo-Infested Offenses Do Battle: Steelers Beat Browns 

Steelers - 26      Browns - 22

  • Somehow, the Steelers ended up winning this game. It was stupid and ugly, and there are serious concerns surrounding Kenny Pickett, but they won. Kenny Pickett completed just 50% of his passes, 15/30 for 222 yards, 1 TD, and an INT. It's discouraging that his decision-making stinks and his accuracy has looked off. I know it's meaningless and the preseason isn't a good gauge, but this is disappointing considering how good he looked leading up to the regular season. Mike Tomlin and the lads pulled this one out, but there's significant work to be done if Kenny Pickett wants to keep his job. 
  • Last night was frustrating for Najee Harris fantasy owners as he plodded along to 43 yards on 10 carries. Meanwhile, his backup, Jaylen Warren, showed explosiveness and versatility. Warren ran 6 times for 20 yards and broke through with 4 catches for 66 yards. I'm not sure how this shakes out as the season goes on, but Jaylen Warren is inching closer to taking over the top role. 
  • The Steelers were at their best when George Pickens was heavily featured in the passing game. He caught 4 passes for 127 yards and TD, a breakout game and a wake-up call. GET HIM THE BALL. There isn't much pop elsewhere in this offense, and for them to be effective they've gotta get the ball into his hands. 
  • On the other side of the ball, Deshaun Watson was equally ineffective. 22/40 for 235, 1 TD, and an INT. 6 runs for 22 yards and a pair of timely personal fouls more or less took them out of this one. It was capped off by a strip sack fumble picked up by TJ Watt for a defensive touchdown that sealed the deal. 
  • Nick Chubb broke his leg. I'm sure you saw it, it was gnarly and nauseating and he's done for the year. We don't have to talk about it because it stinks. On the bright side, Jerome Ford came. into save the day with 16 carries and 106 yards to go with 3 catches for 25 yards and a TD. The Browns were surely rattled by losing Chubb, the best player in that offense, but Jerome Ford might've lessened that blow with how well he played. 
  • Amari Cooper had a nice game: 7 catches for 90 yards. David Njoku was second in receiving yards, 4 catches for 48 yards and Elijah Moore had 3 for 36. Not a superb night through the air thanks to Jerome Ford's emergence. 

WHAT DO NOW?:
1. SPEND ALL THE MONEY ON JEROME FORD. This should be obvious. Everyone is gonna be putting in claims for Jerome Ford, make sure you win this one. He's the waiver wire target of the week and the heir apparent to the Browns backfield. Maybe they bring Kareem Hunt back, or Cam Akers finds his way to Cleveland, but Stefanski has already come out and said Ford is the guy. SPEND ON JEROME FORD. 
2. If he's still there and if you have any FAAB money left, SPEND SOME ON JAYLEN WARREN. It feels like Najee Harris is losing his grip on lead back duties and Jaylen Warren has proven himself. 
3. I think the Steelers understand that George Pickens needs the football. He can make special things happen with the ball in his hands. Pickens stock: up. 
4. I thought we'd get pre-suspension Deshaun Watson this year, but in Monday's matchup he didn't run the ball and looked uncertain as a passer most of the time. He's currently just QB15 and unless he can give you consistency, he can't be trusted. 
-
As always, make sure to get your dudes on the waiver wire. Especially Jerome Ford. Thanks for reading and come back for next week!

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