Fantasy Focus: Week 2 Recap, Week 3 Preview
Week 2 did not fail to surprise us at all with the continued struggles of top players and more devastating injuries. Here are my takeaways from each team in every game:
Broncos vs. Chiefs- Well so much for the worries about Peyton Manning and Emmanuel Sanders. Manning played very well with 256 yards and three scores. He's still a viable QB1. Both Sanders and Demaryius Thomas benefited from Manning’s success, catching 8 of their 14 targets. Sanders scored twice and Thomas went over 100 yards. Both are WR1s. It may be time to hit the panic button with C.J. Anderson. He struggled again with just 27 yards and 2.3 yards a carry. Ronnie Hillman also out-touched Anderson. Last week will be the last time Jamaal Charles is on the hate list. The potential Hall of Famer went for over 100 and a score. He's a top 3 back the rest of the season.
Lions vs. Vikings- Adrian Peterson. That's about it for the Vikings. He totaled 192 all-purpose yards on 31 touches. It's fair to say the rust has been shaken off. As for the rest of the Vikings’ options, they're going to be hard to trust. Both Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace both don't get enough looks to warrant a starting spot in fantasy at the moment. Keep both if you can, but neither are a must hold for now. Ameer Abdullah cooled off Sunday, with just 18 yards from scrimmage on 7 touches. He will be up and down, but he's still an every week starter due to his dynamic athleticism.
Rams vs. Redskins- Running back Matt Jones erupted for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was barely out-snapped, but out-touched presumed starter Alfred Morris. Jones is a must add for the time being and firmly on the flex radar for Thursday’s game at New York. The Rams struggled to run the ball, with Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham combining for only 8 rushes for 26 yards. This is a situation to avoid until Todd Gurley returns and gets a majority of the carries.
49ers vs. Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger will not go away. He was at it again on Sunday with 369 yards and 3 scores. He has completely eclipsed the likes of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees and should be considered a top 5 quarterback going forward. With Carlos Hyde injured most of the game and being on the losing end, the 49ers’ pass attack came alive. Torrey Smith finished with 120 yards and a touchdown; Anquan Boldin, 60 and a touchdown. The matchup won't quite be as good as the Steelers’ weak secondary each week, but the 49ers figure to be losing a majority of their games and they should be decent WR3s in the future.
Patriots vs. Bills- Dion Lewis has emerged as the man to own in the Patriots backfield the past two weeks. After running well without LeGarrette Blount against the Steelers, Lewis followed it up with an even more impressive showing with Blount back from suspension and against a stout Buffalo front. Lewis figures to embrace the Shane Vereen-role as the pass-catching back for the Patriots. Although the Patriots mix it up weekly with their running back touches, Lewis figures to be involved each week. Pick him up if he's available. Sammy Watkins got back on track with 60 yards and a score. He will be inconsistent, but he remains a low-end WR2.
Titans vs. Browns- Travis Benjamin has caught at least one deep ball score from Johnny Manziel in consecutive weeks. While the sample size is small and these scores seem like flukes, I think Benjamin is a solid deep-league add who has tremendous upside. In any leagues that count return yards and scores, he's a must own and start. We got our first glimpse of Dorial Green-Beckham’s talent on Sunday. His stat line won't wow anyone, but he scored on a post route where he beat premier cornerback Joe Haden. DGB is a great stash for now, as he could explode later in the year.
Texans vs. Panthers- Cam Newton had a monster game against a stingy Texans’ defense with three scores. Even with the lack the of weapons, Newton still produces in large part to rushing. He is still outside the top 10, but is a decent starting option week to week. Hopkins struggled Sunday against an elite Panthers’ secondary with just 5 catches for 53 yards on 11 targets. The volume with always be there, but the quarterback play will limit his production at times. He's still an elite option each week.
Buccaneers vs. Saints- Even in victory, Mike Evans came away catch less on just 3 targets, as he played a limited amount of snaps. Drafted as a top 12 receiver, Evans has disappointed due to a hamstring injury. Hopefully he can shake off the injury and get back to being the top receiver he was last year. Surprisingly, the Saints struggled at home against a bad Buc’s defense. Brees claimed to have injured his shoulder, but as of today it is not thought of to be serious. Regardless of the injury, Brees can no longer be considered a top 5 play at quarterback. Brandin Cooks and Mark Ingram are still solid weekly plays, but if the offense continues to struggle, their upside will remain limited.
Cardinals vs. Bears- Larry Fitzgerald turned back the clock on Sunday with three scores on 8 receptions. Fitz won't be able to to match his strong performance of these past 2 weeks, but he is entrenched in top 30 status for the time being and he and Carson Palmer seem to have a rapport that is lacking with the other receivers. Jay Cutler was one of many quarterbacks to go down Sunday. He will miss at least 2 weeks with a hamstring injury. With Jeffery and now Cutler sidelined, the only reliable fantasy options on the Bears’ offense are Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte.
Chargers vs. Bengals- Jeremy Hill was benched after losing two fumbles and making matter worse, Gio Bernard capitalized by gaining 123 yards on 20 carries. Hill is still the one to own, but he is not the slam-dunk RB1 once thought and Bernard will matter. Melvin Gordon showed the potential on Sunday with 88 yards on 16 carries. He was very effective, breaking tackles and running strong north and south. Woodhead is still the preferred option for now, but Gordon will have a role as a low-end RB2 in fantasy.
Falcons vs. Giants- Leonard Hankerson received 11 targets to Roddy White’s one. This may just be a one game aberration, but with White’s age combined with his health over the past couple years, it may be a change in hierarchy in the Falcons’ pass attack. White is
no longer a fantasy starter. Odell Beckham silenced his doubters with a monster performance. He caught 7 balls for 146 and a touchdown. With the receiver position marred with injuries and underperformance, Beckham is one of the few that can be counted on weekly for elite numbers.
Dolphins vs. Jaguars- After an underwhelming performance last week, Allen Robinson came through in a big way against the Dolphins. His 155 yards and two scores proved right his offseason hype. If you were one of those who lost cause he was on your bench (I sure was), move on and get him in your lineup every week from now on out. Rishard Matthews played well again with 115 yards on 6 receptions. With DeVante Parker due for a bigger role as the season progresses, Matthew’s value is due to regress eventually. He’s still a solid add in deeper leagues in the short-term.
Ravens vs. Raiders- Raiders’ receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper shined in a supposedly tougher matchup against the Ravens. Cooper is a high-end WR3 and an every week starter for now and Crabtree is a worthwhile add in all leagues, especially with him drawing 24.
