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NFL Playoffs League - FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Studs and Duds: Week 2

Mon Sep 19 10:59am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Tua comes up huge in Week 2


This was a week where certain players scored so many fantasy points that they likely led teams to victories all by themselves. Some players had just huge, huge fantasy performances. It was a much better week of fantasy scoring than the opener. Hopefully, you were on the winning end of these big games in Week 2.    

Chiefs 27, Chargers 24

Fantasy Stud: Mike Williams. Williams was a bust in the opener but was huge in this game, having a monster game with Keenan Allen out of the lineup. Williams had eight receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. He has a huge weekly ceiling in this offense, so expect more of the same with Williams going forward. Hopefully, you didn’t overreact to his showing in Week 1 and bench him.

Fantasy Dud: JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster had a second game to forget, catching three passes for 10 yards. You just expected more from him after his big Week 1. This might be the norm for the Chiefs receivers, though, seeing them be hit or miss throughout the season. Smith-Schuster could end being a frustrating player for fantasy owners in this offense. 

Game Notes: Justin Herbert gutted it out in this one, despite injuring his ribs. He was 33-of-48 for 334 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. His injury is a concern going forward, so keep an eye on the players notes for the latest. 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire had just 12 touches but still produced well for fantasy teams. He ran eight times for 74 yards, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. He also caught four passes for 44 yards, giving him 118 total yards. 

Jaguars 24, Colts 0

Fantasy Stud: Christian Kirk. Kirk has firmly established himself as the top target in the Jaguars passing game. He had six receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He has six receptions each of his first two games and at least 75 yards each of those games. Kirk is on his way to a career best season. 

Fantasy Dud: Jonathan Taylor. This looked like a favorable matchup for Taylor, but that didn’t come to fruition with the entire Colts offense struggled. Taylor ran nine times for 54 yards and caught just a pass for nine yards. It was not a good showing for the big-time back. Things will look better for him in the coming weeks when the Colts receivers get healthier. 

Game Notes: Matt Ryan really struggled with his options in the passing game hurting. He was 16-of-30 for 195 yard without a touchdown and three interceptions. It was a game to forget for Ryan.

Trevor Lawrence had an impressive showing against a good defense, taking a step forward in his development. He was 26-of-31 for 241 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran three times for 11 yards. 

Patriots 17, Steelers 14

Fantasy Stud: Nelson Agholor. Agholor led the way at receiver for the Patriots this week. He had six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. He had just 28 yards the previous game, so this was a little bit of a surprise. But Agholor is more than capable of the big game, so this didn’t come out of left field. Agholor was targeted just six times, though, so he didn’t get a ton of volume. He made the most of his chances. 

Fantasy Dud: Rhamondre Steveson. Stevenson took a backset to Damien Harris much of the game. He ran nine times for 47 yards and caught just a pass for four yards. You can’t trust him right now in fantasy lineups. You kept hearing Stevenson would get more work in the passing game this year, but he has three catches on four targets in two games. Stevenson needs more volume to help fantasy owners.

Game Notes: Najee Harris played on his sore foot and had 20 total touches. He had 15 carries for 49 yards and caught five passes for 40 yards. He didn’t have a great fantasy performance but played a ton and still posted some decent point totals.

Jakobi Meyers had nine receptions for 95 yards. He has 13 receptions on 19 targets in two games. He gets a lot of volume in this passing game.  

Giants 19, Panthers 16

Fantasy Stud: Christian McCaffrey. He didn’t have one his normal monster games, but it was a good rebound performance from McCaffrey. He hit the 100-yard rushing mark. He had 15 carries for 102 yards and caught four passes for 26 yards. So he finished with 128 total yards and four catches. This looked a lot more like the McCaffrey we are used to for fantasy teams.  

Fantasy Dud: Robbie Anderson. Anderson came back down to earth after his huge fantasy game in Week 1. He caught just three passes for 32 yards. It was not a good follow up to his great game. Hem might be erratic like this throughout the season, though. This has been his track record some throughout his career. 

Game Notes: Kadarius Toney was active but didn’t do much once again in a reserve role. He caught two passes for no gain. Toney is yet to have a receiving yard in two games.

Richie James actually led the Giants in receiving yards. He had five receptions for 51 yards. James has five receptions and 50-plus yards in each of his first two games.   

Jets 31, Browns 30

Fantasy Stud: Garrett Wilson. Wilson had a coming out party for the Jets. He was the main target at receiver throughout the game. He had eight catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns. It was an impressive showing for the rookie. Wilson is quickly building a rapport with Joe Flacco and looks to be the real deal at receiver for the Jets. 

Fantasy Dud: Donovan Peoples-Jones. Peoples-Jones was targeted 11 times and caught six passes for 60 yards in Week 1. He didn’t catch a pass in this game and had just a target. Peoples-Jones showed he could be a frustrating player fantasy owners all season long. 

Game Notes: Nick Chubb had a great game, rushing 17 times for 87 yards and three touchdowns. Chubb also caught three passes for 26 yards. 

Amari Cooper showed his worth as the No. 1 target for the Browns. He hit the 100-yard mark, catching nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. 

Lions 36, Commanders 27

Fantasy Stud: Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown continues his torrid streak for the Lions. He continues to find the end zone on a weekly basis. He had nine receptions for 16 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran twice for 68 yards. St. Brown has established himself as an elite fantasy receiver. He just keeps posting big numbers. 

Fantasy Dud: T.J. Hockenson. There were a ton of fantasy points in this game, but Hockenson wasn’t a part of much of this. He had three receptions for 26 yards. Hockenson is off to a bit of a quiet start to his season. He has seven receptions but just 64 yards. He has time to get it going but suddenly has a lot more to compete with for targets in the Lions offense. 

Game Notes: D’Andre Swift was limited in the game but made the most of his chances. He ran five times for 56 yards, averaging 11.2 yards per carry. He also caught two passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. His sprained ankle didn’t seem to be much of an issue for him when in the game. 

Curtis Samuel was a big part of the offense once again for the Commanders. He had seven receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown. He led the Commanders in receptions and receiving yards. 

Bucs 20, Saints 10

Fantasy Stud: Bucs defense. The Bucs defense had a dominating performance. This unit had three interceptions, six sacks and held the Saints to just 10 points. The Bucs also returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown. This defense is one of the best in all of football and a must start for fantasy teams on a weekly basis. 

Fantasy Dud: Tom Brady. Brady had another ho-hum game for his fantasy owners. He failed to throw for 200 yards and scored just a touchdown. He was 18-of-34 for 190 yards and a touchdown with a lost fumble. Brady will get better in the coming weeks as they get healthier at receiver. But for now, it could be more of the same. 

Game Notes: Mike Evans had three receptions for 61 yards before getting ejected in the second half for a fight. The good news is he was able to play and looked healthy before the ejection.

Michael Thomas found the end zone for the second straight game. He had six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Dolphins 42, Ravens 38

Fantasy Stud: Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa had the best game of his career, leading his team to a huge come from behind victory on the road. He was 36-of-50 for 469 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions. It was some kind of performance from Tagovailoa. He is shaping up to be a legit QB1 for fantasy teams in this explosive offense. 

Fantasy Dud: Chase Edmonds. Edmonds took a backseat to Raheem Mostert most of this game, which was a surprise after his Week 1 workload. He had just five carries for 33 yards and caught a pass for eight yards. He did about nothing until breaking a 28-yard run late in the game. The Dolphins running back situation might be a hard one to figure out once again this season. 

Game Notes: The Dolphins had two receivers with double-digit receptions, 100-yard performances and two touchdowns. Tyreek Hill had 11 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle was nearly as good, catching 11 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. 

Lamar Jackson will get overlooked because his team lost, but Jackson was spectacular for the Ravens. He was 21-of-29 for 318 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He also hit a 100 yards rushing, running nine times for 119 yards and a touchdown. 

49ers 27, Seahawks 7

Fantasy Stud: Tyler Lockett. Lockett was one of the few bright spots for the Seahawks. He had a 100-yard showing, finishing with nine receptions for 107 yards. Lockett didn’t even top 30 yards in Week 1, so this was a welcome sight for fantasy owners. Lockett might still have some fantasy value this year - even with Geno Smith as his starting quarterback.    

Fantasy Dud: Rashaad Penny. Penny is another player off to a rough fantasy start. He had six carries for just 15 yards and didn’t catch a pass. Penny has failed to top double-digit fantasy points each of his first two games. And Kenneth Walker is back in the mix, taking work from Penny this week. Things are not looking good for Penny right now. 

Game Notes: Trey Lance broke his ankle injury early in the game and had to be carted off the field with an air cast. It was not a pretty site for Lance, who needs surgery to fix the injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. 

Jimmy Garoppolo played well in relief of Lance and will be the likely starter the rest of the season. He was 13-of-21 for 154 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He also ran four times for five yards and a touchdown, giving him two scores without a turnover in the game. 

Rams 31, Falcons 27

Fantasy Stud: Cooper Kupp. Kupp did lose a fumble late in the game but that didn’t stop him from having a huge fantasy game once again. He had 11 receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Kupp has double-digit receptions and 100-plus yards each of his first two games. He has 30-plus fantasy points each of those games. Kupp is as good as it gets right now. 

Fantasy Dud: Kyle Pitts. Pitts continues to have a rough start to his expected breakout season. He had two receptions for 19 yards. Pitts has the exact same line each of his first two games, catching two passes for 19 yards. He has plenty of time to turn it around, but his start has been really disappointing for all his fantasy owners. 

Game Notes: Cam Akers was back in good graces with the Rams coaching staff. He actually led the Rams in rush attempts after barely touching the field Week 1. Akers ran 15 times for 44 yards while Darrell Henderson had 10 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Allen Robinson was a bigger part of the offense this week after barely seeing the ball his first game with the Rams. Robinson had four receptions for 53 yard and a touchdown. 

Cowboys 20, Bengals 17

Fantasy Stud: Noah Brown. Brown has a clear rapport with new quarterback Cooper Rush and it showed in this game. He had five receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. Brown has five receptions in each of his first two games and has legit fantasy value in this offense as long as he is in the starting lineup. 

Fantasy Dud: Joe Burrow. There were a lot of duds for the Bengals, but Burrow is the top one for the Bengals. He didn’t even top 200-passing yards. Burrow was 24-of-36 for 199 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Burrow has been under heavy pressure each of the first two games, which is a big concern for his fantasy owners right now. He needs to stay upright to make plays.

Game Notes: Cooper Rush showed well in his first start this season. He was 21-of-33 for 244 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He moved the offense and led his team to a victory against a good team.

Tee Higgins looked just fine in his return from a concussion. He had six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. 

Broncos 16, Texans 9

Fantasy Stud: Coutland Sutton. Sutton was one of the few good fantasy performers in this game. He had seven receptions for 122 yards. Sutton has 17 targets the first two games and is the clear top target for Russell Wilson in the passing game. He should continue to get a heavy workload going forward.   

Fantasy Dud: Javonte Williams. This looked like a great matchup for Williams to post a huge line, but that didn’t happen. He made plays but his lack of work in the passing game really hurt his fantasy line, especially since he didn’t score a touchdown. Williams had 15 carries for 75 yards and caught a pass for 10 yards. The good news is he had five more touches than Melvin Gordon, getting more playing time than the veteran back.

Game Notes: Jerry Jeudy suffered a shoulder injury early in the game and was unable to return. He had a catch for 11 yards and a carry for a yard before leaving. This is an injury to watch going forward. He could miss some time.

Dameon Pierce had a much bigger role in the offense in Week 2. He ran 15 times for 69 yards. Rex Burkhead didn’t even have a carry in the game. Pierce also caught a pass for eight yards. 

Cardinals 29, Raiders 23

Fantasy Stud: Darren Waller. Waller had a six receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. He had a good showing at a position that has really struggled this year. Waller has played pretty well to start his season, catching 10 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. Waller is an elite talent at a shallow fantasy position.

Fantasy Dud: Davante Adams. Adams did find the end zone, but was still a disappointment because he caught just two passes in the game. He still failed to score double-digit fantasy points in the game. He had two receptions for 12 yards and a touchdown. It was not the showing you would expect from Adams, who posted a monster game in Week 1.

Game Notes: James Conner had to leave the game early because of an ankle injury. Given his injury history, this is a concern for Conner going forward. His injury opened the door for Darrel Williams to get his first work of the season. He played well, running eight times for 59 yards and a touchdown. 

Zach Ertz had eight receptions for 75 yards. He led the team in receptions and yards. Ertz seems to be getting healthier and healthier each week, finally getting over that calf injury. 

Packers 27, Bears 10

Fantasy Stud: Aaron Jones. Jones had maybe the best performance of any running back this week. He was huge, rushing 15 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 170 total yards and two touchdowns. The Packers made it a point to establish the run and Jones took advantage of the workload. 

Fantasy Dud: Cole Kmet. Well, we guess last week wasn’t as much of a fluke as we thought. For the second straight game, Kmet went without a catch. Many thought this was going to be a breakout season for Kmet, but that seems a little far fetched after two games. He is not involved in the offense at all right now. This has been a disastrous start for him. 

Game Notes: David Montgomery was the only bright spot for the Bears offensively. He hit the 100-yard mark, rushing 15 times for 122 yards. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry. 

Allen Lazard returned from his injury and found the end zone. He didn’t get a ton of work, but caught two passes for 13 yards and a score. His playing time should ramp up as he gets back to full strength. 

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Cody Davis Mar 28 4:50pm ET
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Jayden Daniels Mar 28 2:50pm ET
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Brian Thomas Jr. Mar 28 2:50pm ET
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Jalyn Holmes Mar 27 3:20pm ET
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Neville Hewitt Mar 27 3:10pm ET
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Sam Franklin Mar 27 3:10pm ET
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Jayden Daniels Mar 27 3:00pm ET
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The Las Vegas Raiders may be targeting a quarterback that can escape the pocket and pick up chunk gains with his legs in the upcoming NFL draft. When asked what type of QB gives opposing defenses the most problems from his experience as a former linebacker, head coach Anthony Pierce said, "A damn runner." The Raiders are scheduled to meet with LSU QB and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels on Wednesday after his pro-day workout. Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns for the Tigers last year and also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. In order to snag Daniels, the Raiders will likely have to move up from 13th overall in the first round, and the team has expressed the willingness to do what it takes to make that happen. Pierce recruited Daniels out of Southern California five years ago to play at Arizona State, so he's very familiar with him.

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Talanoa Hufanga Mar 27 3:00pm ET
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Tank Bigsby Mar 27 2:50pm ET
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It's clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars want to keep lead running back Travis Etienne Jr. fresh for the entire season in 2024. In the final six games in 2023, the Jaguars averaged just 79 yards per game on the ground. They finished 23rd overall with 96.8 yards per game on the ground. In an effort to keep Etienne fresher, part of the team's plan in the run game is getting second-year back Tank Bigsby more involved. He played just 141 snaps in his rookie season, carrying the ball 50 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. A couple of fluky turnovers ensured he didn't see much more time down the stretch. "We have to get Tank going, the bottom line. He is too good, that's why we drafted him. I think early he had some 'what is that' type plays for whatever reason right or wrong. Again, in and out of the lineup," said head coach Doug Pederson.

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