Week 2 was the time to see if our eyes were deceiving us. Were the Week 1 studs legit? Was it really time to panic about some of our underperforming high draft picks? Were the Giants really not going to score a single point this season? (OK, that was a stretch, but it looked a little hairy there through six quarters).
We got some of our answers in Week 2, so let’s recap!
10 Studs
- Puka Nacua – 147 yds. 15 receptions
- Kyren Williams – 100 total yds. 2 TDs
- Daniel Jones – 321 pass yds, 59 rush yds, 2 passing TDs 1 rushing TD
- Keenan Allen – 111 yds, 2 TDs
- Mike Evans – 171 yds, 1 TD
- Raheem Mostert – 121 yds, 2 TDs
- Nico Collins – 146 yds, 1 TD
- Hunter Henry – 52 yds, 1 TD
- Brian Robinson – 129 total yds, 2 TDs
- Bijan Robinson – 170 total yds
So, you spent half of your FAAB dollars on a guy some of your league mates had never heard of. You were mocked and told that you could’ve gotten him for so much less (if only you knew the other bids). And, of course, you were asked what happens when Cooper Kupp comes back.
Well, Puka Nacua rewarded your good faith with 15 grabs on 20 targets and that’s something Kupp has never done. He seems fully capable of filling Kupp’s role while he’s out, and you know what’s better than one Kupp? Make it a double.
- WR Rankings: Aerial Show in Minneapolis
- RB Rankings: Bell Cow Rings Loud in DC
- QB Rankings: Make Room for the Rookie
- TE Rankings: YAC Attack in Detroit
- Amazing How Low-Priced These Guys Are
- Doubt Patrick -- Just a Little Bit
- Waiver Wire Picture Is Getting Clearer
- The Studs and Duds from Week 2
If by some chance Puka is available in your league, get him. One more thing: if you benched him because you were afraid the 49ers would shut him down, you may have cost yourself a W – couldn’t be me. No, never…
Meanwhile, Kyren Williams' abilities apparently made Cam Akers inactive. Well, maybe not Williams himself, but Akers tweeted out that he was “confused” about being a healthy scratch in Week 2. Williams didn’t disappoint and will be the guy going forward as the Rams seek a trade for their other running back.
DANNY DIMES! Hoo boy, finally. It looked bad for Big Blue through six quarters of the season. After being smacked around by Dallas in Week 1, they were being shut out at halftime to the lowly Cardinals. But Daniel Jones is the guy fantasy owners took for his rushing upside. He also got new weapon Darren Waller involved.
All these things are positive, but the Giants don’t play the Cardinals every week. It does look like their defense isn’t going to keep them in many games, so it’ll be up to Dimes to use his arms and legs going forward and, hopefully, that means more points ahead.
A couple of “old guys” are really representing out there through two weeks. Keenan Allen is doing Keenan Allen things with Justin Herbert. He caught both of Herbert‘s passing touchdowns while dominating the target share through two weeks.
In Tampa, Mike Evans scored again while on his way to 171 yards and another Buccaneers W. Evans is clicking with Baker Mayfield early on and putting to rest some post-Brady questions. Both veterans are top-5 fantasy receivers in the young season.
Is Raheem Mostert back to Raheem MustStart? While the Patriots did their best to limit the Dolphins’ passing attack, Mostert gashed them on the ground with 121 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard, untouched run into the end zone. Some of his production will be based on Mike McDaniel’s schemes, but you could do a lot worse than starting a guy in the Dolphins offense.
Hunter Henry’s stat line isn’t eye popping, but it’s clear Mac Jones is looking his way. Henry’s not going to score every week, but in an offense that might not have many dynamic plays, he’ll be a threat in the red zone whenever New England gets close.
Welcome, Nico Collins. You might not see many “in real life” wins this season, but we don’t care! Your career day shows that Texans rookie QB C.J. Stroud is gonna keep looking your way, and he’s going to need to. Dameon Pierce has left a lot to be desired in the ground game through two weeks, and the offense is going to be in comeback mode quite a bit this season. Keep it rolling, young man!
The law firm of Robinson and Robinson didn’t need to make much of a case in Week 2. Brian Robinson made sure everyone knew he was *the* guy in the Commanders backfield. His 18 carries lapped the field as Antonio Gibson only carried it twice. Gibson might grab a touchdown or two in the passing game, but I’m not worried.
Bijan Robinson impressed with his 172 total yards, but don’t gloss over the fact that they were scoreless and *probably* (no, no, DEFINITELY) shouldn’t have been. Falcons coach Arthur Smith doesn’t care about your fantasy team, we get it, but maybe he should care about using his best players on his own team. Robinson is the 2-minute back in Atlanta, but when the Falcons get close to the goal line, they barely have him on the field. He’s taken just two snaps inside the 5.
Duds
I wrote about the Bengals last week and taking a “wait and see” approach and, quite frankly, I’m not loving what I see. They made it a game against Baltimore and came up just short, that’s the good.
But if I’m a Ja’Marr Chase backer (and I am! I have him in plenty of leagues) then I’m not thrilled with my investment so far – 10 grabs and 70 yards won’t cut it, but I’m an optimist. I’m not selling and I’d look to buy low if any league mate is desperate.
The caution is Joe Burrow’s wonky calf muscle. Missed time for him won’t give me extra confidence in Chase, obviously, but he’s too talented to be this hapless … right?
Let’s throw Alexander Mattison, Josh Jacobs, and Jahmyr Gibbs on this pile, also. Mattison has just never quite seemed to be able to be the No. 1 stud RB he seems to be when he was playing second fiddle to Dalvin Cook.
Where is Josh Jacobs the rushing champion? He’s frustrated and so are we. HE HAD NEGATIVE TWO YARDS AGAINST THE BILLS. That’s not rust, that’s just broken.
As for Gibbs, I’ve been tempering my expectations because of what I saw happen to D’Andre Swift in Detroit (he’s pretty good, eh?). A David Montgomery injury might drastically change the situation for Gibbs, but we’ll have to see it. If I were Gibbs, I’d look into joining the auto worker strike down the road to demand more from the powers that be.
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