It’s time for another week of NFL and fantasy football action! We are still in the glorious pre-bye era, so there are a full 15 games to be played over the next three days. Let’s get right into breaking down the fantasy outlooks of every single one.
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Falcons 24.5, Panthers 19.0
Honestly, this isn’t that exciting of a game. The Falcons have a few studs, but it’s hard to see them being pushed into ceiling outcomes against their struggling division rivals. Meanwhile, the Panthers are those struggling division rivals, as the Bryce Young experience is going much the same as it has for most of his career so far this season.
Quarterbacks
As mentioned, Bryce Young has mostly been unable to maintain his late 2024 success so far in 2025. With that said, he did have a quality fantasy outing in Week 2 against the Cardinals, albeit mostly in garbage time. He’s not totally unplayable, but he’s just a backend QB2. Michael Penix Jr. has also seen negative fantasy changes from 2024. The Falcons are playing more conservatively, with the third-highest rush rate over expected in the league, and his ADOT has plummeted from a massive 10.6 to a below-average 6.9. He’s a better bet than Young with the Falcons’ superior total, but he’s still solidly in the QB2 range.
Running Backs
Bijan Robinson is a must-start every single week. In this soft matchup, he’s very much in the conversation to be the RB1 overall. In fact, this matchup is nice enough that Tyler Allgeier even has deep-league flex value. He has 26 carries through two games and had a solid outing last week, including a goal-line TD. For the Panthers, it’s all about Chuba Hubbard. His workhorse role is intact from 2024, including through the air, and he is a weekly RB2.
Wide Receivers
Drake London is impacted by the Falcons’ conservative playcalling and Penix’s change in aggressiveness, but not enough to make him anything other than an obvious must-start. At worst, he’s more of a WR2 than a WR1. Darnell Mooney was quiet in his 2025 debut last week. He sawa 19% target share, but that was only four targets. He’s just a boom-or-bust flex play in a likely comfortable game for this new-look Atlanta offense. Tetairoa McMillan is already the Panthers’ clear top target. He’s a solid WR2. Even coming off a two-TD game, Hunter Renfrow is just a pure desperation flex play.
Tight Ends
One other thing changed in Atlanta’s offense over the offseason: Kyle Pitts suddenly became an every-down player. That makes him a genuine TE1 candidate, although he is not immune from the overall low passing volume that the Falcons will likely have in this one. Ja’Tavion Sanders is trending in the right direction to be a fantasy starter, but he’s still clearly more of a TE2 than anything else.
Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland Browns
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Packers 24.75, Browns 16.75
This game has the most lopsided spread of the weekend, and it’s not surprising. The Packers comfortably won their first two games against theoretical playoff contenders in the Lions and Commanders. The Browns are many things, but playoff contenders is not one of them. If the Packers’ defense hadn’t looked so dominant to start the season, this might be a place where we could hope for garbage-time fantasy production from Cleveland. Given their projected total is the lowest of the week, we might be looking at a complete steamrolling instead.
Quarterbacks
Jordan Love has been one of the league’s most efficient QBs so far this season, but he simply hasn’t had to do much. That doesn’t look likely to change this week, so he settles in as a borderline QB1 whose fantasy success will likely be decided by how many passing TDs he racks up. Joe Flacco is essentially the opposite. He hasn’t been efficient, but the one thing keeping him at least a little intriguing is his 96 dropbacks through two games. Unfortunately, against this Packers defense, those dropbacks may be just as likely to result in negative fantasy plays as positive ones — Flacco is only a desperation option in 2-QB leagues.
Running Backs
The Browns’ run defense has quietly been effective, including shutting down Derrick Henry last week. With that in mind, this matchup is marginally less of an obvious smash for Josh Jacobs than it would otherwise be … but he’s still a locked-and-loaded RB1. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s backfield is a mess. Quinshon Judkins saw a ton of usage on limited snaps in his NFL debut last week. But it’s hard to see him jumping straight from a 26% snap share to a workhorse role, so Dylan Sampson and/or Jerome Ford will likely remain involved at least one more week. Given the brutal matchup, I’d avoid all three of them if you can, with Judkins being the most playable of the group.
Wide Receivers
With Jayden Reed out, the Packers’ wide receiver room might finally be predictable. Dontayvion Wicks is filling Reed’s shoes in the slot, Romeo Doubs is playing his usual role as an every-down snap eater, and Matthew Golden will hopefully see more work as the team’s deep threat. The responsible way to rank this trio is probably Doubs > Wicks > Golden, with the rookie being the most high-variance member of the group. But I’ve always been a believer in Wicks, who consistently produces (or at least earns and then drops targets) when he is on the field. Regardless, there won’t be much volume to go around in this one, so they’re all just flex plays. For Cleveland, Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman are also flex plays. It’s tempting to say they will rack up garbage time production on 50+ Flacco dropbacks, but Green Bay has so far shut down two much more talented offenses even in positive game scripts.
Tight Ends
Tucker Kraft injured his knee on Thursday, and we haven’t really gotten clear reporting on the severity of the issue. If I had to guess, he misses at least this week. If he’s active, he’s a locked-in TE1. If not, Luke Musgrave could be a viable streaming option. The Browns may be the only team in the league with two genuinely viable fantasy TEs. Both David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. are borderline TE1s, especially in PPR formats where they can rack up checkdowns from Flacco.
Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Texans 21.25, Jaguars 22.75
Based on the narratives currently surrounding these teams, you’d think the Jaguars were sitting at 0-2 with just 28 points in two games, not the Texans. Neither of these quarterbacks is living up to their once-lofty expectations, but there are still talented players on both sides. With the close projected totals, could we get a surprisingly exciting game? Stranger things have happened.
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence’s struggles are making headlines, but he hasn’t played that badly to start the season. C.J. Stroud has certainly been worse. With that said, they are both mid-range QB2s this week, although I definitely prefer T-Law.
Running Backs
The Texans took a step in the right direction in Week 2 by making Dameon Pierce a healthy scratch and giving Woody Marks more snaps than Dare Ogunbowale. The fourth-round rookie is this backfield’s only hope of having any kind of juice … but his role is still too small for him to be playable as of yet. The majority of touches will go to Nick Chubb, who is an RB3 we are hoping falls in the end zone. For the Jaguars, Travis Etienne is the clear RB1 and a solid fantasy RB2 … although Bhayshul Tuten is nipping at his heels and has deep-league flex appeal of his own.
Wide Receivers
Nico Collins is still a stud and a must-start WR1 every week. After him, the most interesting Texans receiver is Christian Kirk, who should be making his Houston debut this week. Until we see his role, however, Kirk is nothing but a deep PPR flex option. For the Jaguars, Brian Thomas Jr. is still a must-start coming off a bad (and frankly, weird) performance in Week 2. He has seen elite usage so far and might see even more this week in a squeaky wheel situation. Travis Hunter has also seen better usage than his production would indicate, so he’s still a valid flex play. However, he is seeing fewer snaps than (and has been outproduced by) Dyami Brown, who is a streaming flex option in his own right.
Tight Ends
Dalton Schultz and Brenton Strange are both in the realm of “TEs who run a solid amount of routes but aren’t dynamic playmakers or featured parts of their offenses.” That makes them both TE2s.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Bengals 19.75, Vikings 22.75
Before the season, this looked like a potentially epic matchup between superstar Joe Burrow and ascending young talent J.J. McCarthy. Instead, we get Jake Browning vs. Carson Wentz in a matchup with one of the lowest totals of the week. There are still clear fantasy studs on both sides here, but it’s hard not to think about what could have been.
Quarterbacks
It’s easy to be optimistic about both of these backup QBs. Jake Browning averaged 20 points per game filling in for Burrow in 2023. Carson Wentz pulling a Sam Darnold and riding Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson to fantasy viability is by no means impossible, especially against a weak Cincinnati defense. But these guys are still backups for a reason, and the low totals aren’t encouraging. They’re both high-risk/high-reward QB2 options.
Running Backs
Chase Brown has seen arguably the best usage of any RB in the league through two weeks. But with Aaron Jones sidelined and literally no other meaningful competition, Jordan Mason might actually have the best projected workload in this game. They are both borderline RB1s on volume alone, with upside for huge games if their respective QBs can provide competence.
Wide Receivers
I don’t care who is under center; Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are must-starts. The same isn’t quite as true for Tee Higgins, who falls to WR3 territory. It’s definitely not true for Jalen Nailor or Adam Thielen, who are not viable outside of incredibly deep leagues.
Tight Ends
Cincinnati’s tight ends weren’t seeing good enough usage to be playable with Burrow; they’re definitely not usable with Browning. T.J. Hockenson is also on massive bust watch, but the lack of other viable fantasy TEs keeps him as a borderline TE1.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Steelers 23.0, Patriots 21.5
Contrary to their reputations, these teams both rank in the bottom eight in terms of defensive EPA per play. That plus relatively close totals means this game could sneakily be exciting, although both offenses come with their own warts as well.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers came back to Earth in Week 2 after an explosive Steelers debut. He’s just a backend QB2. Drake Maye is more exciting, as his mobility brings upside. He’s a backend QB1.
Running Backs
The story of both of these backfields is rookie running backs with smaller roles than fantasy drafters were hoping for. For the Steleers, Kaleb Johnson is a complete non-factor. Jaylen Warren is the lead back and a backend RB2, while Kenneth Gainwell is also involved enough to deserve deep-league flex consideration. Rhamondre Stevenson showed out last week for the Patriots, but TreVeyon Henderson is more involved than Johnson (it’s a low bar), and Antonio Gibson is filling the Gainwell role. He’s in the RB3 range, while Henderson is a boom-or-bust flex and Gibson is a desperation dart.
Wide Receivers
In shallower leagues, there might only be one playable receiver in this one, and even DK Metcalf is just a WR2. Calvin Austin III is the other Steelers WR to consider, but he’s not inspiring. For the Patriots, Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs are the relevant names (sorry Demario Douglas). Boutte easily leads the team in routes but has a concerningly low target share, while Diggs is the reverse. They’re both deep flex options.
Tight Ends
From being surprise TE1s last year, both Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry have fallen from grace. Henry’s usage fall-off is less dramatic, so he’s a high-end TE2 while Jonnu is on the lower end.
Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Rams 20.5, Eagles 24.0
Apparently, winning a Super Bowl just turns teams into joyless winning machines. The Eagles are following the Chiefs’ blueprint of grinding out wins while producing far fewer fantasy points than their talent would suggest they should. Can the Rams score enough to (tush) push them out of their comfort zone? If we trust the projections, probably not.
Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts is a lot less valuable now that he has given up on throwing the ball down the field. But his insane rushing TD equity means he is still an elite QB1. On the other side, Matthew Stafford is absolutely cooking so far this season. But he adds no value with his legs, and this is a tough matchup, so he is just a QB2.
Running Backs
Saquon Barkley has scored exactly 16.4 Half-PPR points in both of his games so far this season. He’s a locked-in RB1. Things are trending against Kyren Williams, as Blake Corum had a big game last week (although his usage is being slightly overblown), and the Eagles’ run defense is dominant. Even still, volume and TD equity make him an RB2.
Wide Receivers
At this point, especially while other top contenders deal with issues, Puka Nacua might just be the WR1 every week he is healthy. Davante Adams is also a must-start WR2 despite the tough matchup — he has a 32% target share so far this season. For the Eagles, I’m giving A.J. Brown at least one more week to do something before downgrading him further than a high-end WR2. It’s a similar story for DeVonta Smith, who drops to WR3 territory but is still very playable.
Tight Ends
The Rams’ lead TE is Tyler Higbee, but he’s still just a desperation “hope for a TD” play. Dallas Goedert is back from injury and immediately back in the TE1 conversation — he is by no means immune from the Eagles’ passing-game struggles, but the state of the TE position means he is a playable option.
New York Jets @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Jets 18.5, Buccaneers 25.0
It’s a sad world we live in where this 25-point total for the Buccaneers is the fourth-highest of the weekend. Meanwhile, the Jets, with Tyrod Taylor at the helm, have the third-lowest projection. This game is all but destined to be a blowout; it’s just a question of what kind of blowout we will get.
Quarterbacks
There was a time when Tyrod Taylor was an exciting dual-threat QB in his own right. At 36, what’s left of his mobility only does just enough to keep him in the borderline QB2 conversation. Baker Mayfield is a solid QB1, although we will have to see what approach new OC Josh Grizzard takes if Tampa Bay gets out to an early lead.
Running Backs
Breece Hall’s results were far worse in Week 2 than Week 1, but his usage was arguably better. He’s an RB2, with a low floor if the Jets’ offense continues its total collapse from last week, but a high ceiling if he can hit on a big play or two. Bucky Irving’s usage is elite, and he is a locked-in RB1. Rachaad White had a genuinely good game last week and could benefit from a lopsided game script, but he’s still just a flex option at best.
Wide Receivers
Garrett Wilson is the only Jets receiver worth playing. He might even benefit from increased passing volume with Taylor instead of Justin Fields, but he’s still just a WR2. For the Buccaneers, I do think the Emeka Egbuka hype has jumped the shark a little; outside of the three TDs he’s scored, his usage is nothing special. He’s a WR3 (assuming he plays through a hip/groin injury), although his presence does knock Mike Evans down to the WR2 range.
Tight Ends
Mason Taylor and Cade Otton are two more members of the Out There Enough You Can Play Them And Hope For A Touchdown Tight End Club. Otton is on the team more likely to score, so he’s the preferred option, but they are both pure dart throws.
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Colts 24.0, Titans 19.5
Full credit to Shane Steichen, who has proven so far this season that he only needs competence at the QB position (to go with talented weapons and an excellent O-line) to orchestrate a great offense. Meanwhile, Cam Ward is flashing just the right amount to still have a bright future while simultaneously killing the Titans’ offense for the moment.
Quarterbacks
Everything Daniel Jones has been doing is excellent. I’m a little hesitant to crown him a locked-in QB1 given he won’t get a QB sneak TD (or two) every game, but he’s at worst a high-end QB2 at this point. Cam Ward is only an option if you’re desperate in a 2-QB format.
Running Backs
Both Jonathan Taylor and Tony Pollard are in the conversation for the truest bell cows in the league right now. That is enough to make Taylor an elite RB1 on a good offense and Pollard an RB2 on a bad one.
Wide Receivers
Michael Pittman is back from his broken back, has a QB who isn’t historically inaccurate, and is back to being a weekly WR3. Josh Downs has the talent but not the usage, so he’s just a flex play. For the Titans, Elic Ayomanor is seeing usage almost as good as Calvin Ridley’s. The issue is that their offense is barely good enough to support one receiver, let alone two. That makes them both flex options, with Ridley still being the safer of the two.
Tight Ends
Tyler Warren is questionable with a toe injury but is already a must-start TE1 when he is healthy. Chigoziem Okonkwo is another classic TE2.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Washington Commanders
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Raiders 20.5, Commanders 23.0
The Commanders will be without Jayden Daniels in this one, which means it’s Marcus Mariota time. Meanwhile, the Raiders followed up a promising Week 1 performance with an ugly primetime showing against the Chargers. Thankfully, these defenses are both definitely exploitable, so we could still see solid performances from both offenses.
Quarterbacks
Geno Smith had a brutal outing last Monday night, but this is a decent potential bounce-back spot. High volume means he is still a viable QB2. Marcus Mariota has weapons and a great matchup, but it’s still very difficult to trust him as more than a risky QB2. A lot will depend on whether he can still add value with his legs in the 11th year of his career.
Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty looks lost in pass pro, is losing receiving work to Dylan Laube, and is running behind a terrible O-line. But I’m still starting him as a clear RB2 — the talent is there, and it’s not like he’s not getting touches.
Wide Receivers
I’ve always been a Terry McLaurin doubter, so take this with a grain of salt … but I don’t see how we can rank him above Deebo Samuel at this point. Samuel has five more targets through two weeks, and he might see extra work with Austin Ekeler unfortunately done for the year. With that said, Mariota under center makes them both backend WR2 or even WR3 options. Jakobi Meyers, who has been seeing excellent volume, is likely above them both as a solid WR2.
Tight Ends
As long as he’s active, Brock Bowers is a must-start. Zach Ertz has been excellent to start the year, but he gets a substantial downgrade without Daniels. He is just a borderline TE1.
Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Broncos 21.75, Chargers 24.25
The Chargers are letting Justin Herbert cook, with easily the highest pass rate over expected in the league. And it’s working, as they beat the Chiefs in Week 1 and dismantled the Raiders last Monday. Meanwhile, Sean Payton is up to his old tricks in terms of usage, and Bo Nix seems to be hitting a sophomore slump.
Quarterbacks
I’m a little scared of this LA defense, but Bo Nix’s mobility still makes him a borderline QB1. Justin Herbert, on the other hand, is a more solid QB1, even against a tough Denver defense, given the way the Chargers have been running their offense.
Running Backs
I’m also a little worried about this matchup for J.K. Dobbins. His usage is good, but not great, which means a tough game script could pose issues. He’s a low-end RB2 or high-end RB3. RJ Harvey hasn’t seen his role grow enough to be more than a flex option. For the Chargers, the big question is whether Najee Harris’ role will continue to grow at the expense of Omarion Hampton. Hampton is still the better option, but he’s just an RB3 to Harris’ flex.
Wide Receivers
Last week, Troy Franklin was the Broncos’ clear WR1, in everything from routes to targets to production. Courtland Sutton played a far smaller role than usual, the first time he has really been affected by Sean Payton’s constant shifts in usage. Sutton is still the top option for this week, but he deserves a downgrade to the questionable WR3 range. Franklin is a boom/bust flex play. Meanwhile, the Chargers’ pass-heavy approach and lack of other options have allowed them to sustain three viable fantasy WRs through two weeks. Ladd McConkey is a WR2, while Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen are both appealing flex options.
Tight Ends
With Evan Engram out, neither of these teams has a fantasy-relevant tight end … and that was true even before, if we’re being honest with ourselves.
New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Saints 17.0, Seahawks 24.5
This game has the second-largest spread of the week. I honestly think that’s a little harsh on the Saints, who haven’t looked that bad. It’s not like this Seahawks team is a world-beater, although Sam Darnold has been decent and their defense seems excellent. At the very least, Kellen Moore’s team has been playing fast, which should mean plenty of opportunities for both of these teams.
Quarterbacks
Although I do believe Spencer Rattler and the Saints haven’t looked too terrible, that’s only relative to expectations. He’s still arguably the worst fantasy option among starting QBs, even in a week with multiple backups playing. In a good matchup, Sam Darnold is a solid QB2.
Running Backs
Alvin Kamara isn’t quite his vintage self, but he’s still seeing excellent usage. It’s hard to argue with him as a high-end RB2. Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet was surprisingly listed as doubtful today with a foot injury. That means the Seahawks’ backfield will be the Kenneth Walker III show. He is arguably an RB1 set for bell cow usage in a great matchup.
Wide Receivers
Chris Olave’s usage has been better than his production, but that is starting to become a theme of his career. He’s still a high-end WR3, although Seattle’s defense is a tough matchup for receivers in particular. That matchup also affects Rashid Shaheed, who is a boom/bust flex option. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has seen truly absurd usage for Seattle so far, with a 41% target share and a 61% air yards share. He’s a WR1. Cooper Kupp also rebounded last week after a rough Seahawks debut; he’s a flex option.
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson’s usage has been excellent across the board. With the state of the position, he should be treated as a no-doubt TE1. The Seahawks don’t have a viable fantasy TE.
Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Bears 24.25, Cowboys 25.75
This is one of the games of the week, with a massive 50-point total. Neither of these teams has been able to stop anyone on the defensive side, and they have both put up points offensively. I’m a little skeptical of Caleb Williams’ ability to make good on his half of the bargain, but this has all the makings of a fantasy explosion.
Quarterbacks
I may be skeptical, but Caleb Williams is undeniably a QB1 in this spot; he just projects too well to ignore. The same goes for Dak Prescott.
Running Backs
D’Andre Swift is questionable with a quad injury. If he plays, he’s an RB2 option. If he doesn’t, Kyle Monangai becomes a potential streaming RB3. For the Cowboys, it’s all about Javonte Williams, who has easily outperformed expectations through two weeks. He should keep rolling as an RB2 against Chicago.
Wide Receivers
Rome Odunze has officially overtaken DJ Moore as the Bears’ WR1. But Moore still has a solid role, and that’s more than enough in this environment. The sophomore is a WR2, while the veteran is a high-end WR3. For the Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb is a no-brainer start, and George Pickens should also be in lineups. His 17% target share is a little underwhelming, but this matchup is juicy enough to look past it and call him a borderline WR2.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet is still holding off Colston Loveland as the Bears’ lead TE; neither of them is worth playing. Jake Ferguson is normally another classic TE2, but he gets a bump to TE1 territory in this hopefully high-octane environment.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Cardinals 21.25, 49ers 24.25
It looked for a second as though Brock Purdy might be back for this one, but instead, we are getting another helping of Mac Jones. Jones was solid enough last week, although the Cardinals’ defense might provide at least slightly more resistance than New Orleans did. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 2-0, but they didn’t look hugely convincing against two of the worst teams in the league. This will be an interesting test for Kyler Murray and Co.
Quarterbacks
Watching Kyler Murray play is often frustrating, but his mobility makes him a solid back-half QB1. With solid weapons in his huddle and Kyle Shanahan in his ear, Mac Jones is a QB2.
Running Backs
It’s not a massive shift, but James Conner is bleeding work to Trey Benson. His efficiency has also been less stellar than usual to start the season. He’s a backend RB2 in my eyes, while Benson is only a desperation flex option. Christian McCaffrey is a must-start as long as he is healthy (please stay healthy).
Wide Receivers
Two weeks into his sophomore season, Marvin Harrison seems like the same boom-or-bust WR3 he was as a rookie. That’s not terrible, but it is disappointing. Michael Wilson is on the field alongside Harrison enough to be a flex play in particularly deep leagues. For the 49ers, I’m still team Jauan Jennings over Ricky Pearsall. But the difference isn’t massive — they are both WR3 options.
Tight Ends
Trey McBride is a stud and a weekly must-start. Jake Tonges saw just enough usage with George Kittle out in Week 2 that he’s worth mentioning … but not worth starting.
Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Chiefs 25.5, Giants 19.5
This is a matchup between a high-flying offense featuring a gun-slinger quarterback … and the Kansas City Chiefs. Okay, that’s probably giving the Giants a bit too much credit, especially now that they no longer get to face the Cowboys’ defense. But the Chiefs have continued their ugly offense from last year, and it’s even less impressive when they aren’t winning.
Quarterbacks
The one bright side of the Chiefs’ offensive struggles is that Patrick Mahomes is feeling the need to do it all himself, with over 57 rushing yards and a TD on the ground in each of his first two games. He’s a solid QB1 against a Giants defense that was just shredded by Dak Prescott. To his credit, Russell Wilson did cook last week. But he’s likely to find tougher sledding against the Chiefs’ defense; he’s a QB2.
Running Backs
Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are the dual leaders of one of the ugliest backfields in the NFL. Pacheco sees slightly more work, but Hunt has played the majority of snaps near the goal line. With that in mind, they are both uninspiring flex options. Cam Skattebo emerged as the Giants’ RB1 last week. That makes Tyrone Tracy Jr. unplayable outside of desperate flex situations. However, Skattbeo is just a flex play himself, still in a committee and facing a great Chiefs run defense.
Wide Receivers
Marquise Brown still led KC’s receivers in targets in Week 2, but five looks was nothing like the 16 he saw in Week 1. Behind him, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton were also involved. Brown is a decent flex play, while the other two are dart throw options. (This is all assuming Xavier Worthy doesn’t play, although he is technically listed as questionable.) For the Giants, Malik Nabers is still a locked-in WR1. Wan’Dale Robinson proved last week that he is not just a low-ADOT merchant. That probably won’t last, but adding upside makes him a more exciting flex option than he was a week ago.
Tight Ends
Travis Kelce is a shadow of his former self, but he’s still a solid TE1 while the Chiefs’ top two receivers are out. Theo Johnson saw five targets last week, elevating himself to the “maybe he falls in the end zone” tier of tight ends.
Detroit Lions @ Baltimore Ravens
Monday, 8:20 p.m. ET | Projected Totals: Lions 24.25, Ravens 28.75
This should be an absolute banger of a Monday Night Football game. The Ravens have scored at least 40 points in both of their games so far this season, while the Lions just proved they don’t need Ben Johnson by dropping 52 on the Bears. With Detroit’s home/road splits, it would be nicer if they were in the dome, sweet dome. But this is a smash fantasy spot regardless.
Quarterbacks
At this point, I’m ranking Lamar Jackson as the QB1 every week until he gives me a reason not to. I am a little hesitant of jumping right back on the Jared Goff train, especially on the road against a theoretically tough defense. But, after last week, it’s impossible to deny his ceiling, so he’s a borderline QB1.
Running Backs
Derrick Henry had the worst game of his Baltimore career last week. He’s still an obvious RB1 this week. So is Jahmyr Gibbs, who would benefit if the Lions end up playing from behind as projected. On the flipside, I’m a little suspicious of David Montgomery against a tougher opponent. It’s just so hard to see how he has a great fantasy outing without hitting the end zone. Of course, he’s always very liable to score, so he’s still a solid RB3.
Wide Receivers
Zay Flowers seems to be emerging as the true alpha in Baltimore’s passing offense, with a 40% target share through two weeks. He’s a must-start WR1 as long as this continues. After him, Rashod Bateman is still the second-best Ravens WR, even if he is the only one who hasn’t scored a touchdown. Guys like DeAndre Hopkins, Tylan Wallace, and Devontez Walker certainly could get lucky again thanks to playing alongside Lamar in a high-scoring environment, but Hopkins leads that trio with just a 33% route participation rate. I’d avoid them all. For the Lions, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a no-doubt WR1, Jameson Williams is a boom/bust WR3, and Isaac TeSlaa is still not running enough routes to be at all playable (yet?).
Tight Ends
Mark Andrews has reached the point where “he is a top red zone target in an elite offense” isn’t going to cut it to make him a TE1 anymore. He’s not unplayable, but he’s closer to the TD-dependent dart-throw guys than to the true TE1s. Sam LaPorta, on the other hand, is still on the right side of that line as a middling TE1.