Week 2 Recap/Fantasy Update + Player Picks

Week 2 of the NFL season is officially over, and there’s a lot to unpack. From fantasy outbursts to injuries and upsets, this week had a bit of everything. 

Concerning Injuries

Injuries happen every week in the NFL, but the most alarming was Joe Burrow’s foot. Reports indicate that the duration could range from 4–5 weeks to 3 months. Jake Browning stepped up big on Sunday, but missing Burrow for more than a week changes everything for the Bengals. Staying on the QB trend, it looks like both Brock Purdy & JJ McCarthy will miss some time. Mac Jones, of course, collected the start in week 2 already for the Niners, and it's been announced that Carson Wentz will start game 3 for the Vikes, something to look at going forward. 

Game Recaps

This slate gave us some wild ones. The Bills and Ravens kept rolling, both blowing out division rivals, putting up 30 and 41 points. We saw another backup QB shine too, as Mac Jones put up 279 yards, 3 TDs, and no picks.

The NFC West looks loaded, with the Rams and Cardinals joining the 49ers at 2-0. The Packers stayed hot Thursday night, while the Lions bounced back hard with a 50-burger on the Bears and former OC Ben Johnson. The Vikings dropped to 1-1 after an ugly SNF loss to the Falcons.

Other highlights

The Colts pulled out a win over Denver thanks to a late leverage penalty, and Giants-Cowboys turned into a classic. Malik Nabers tied it late with a 48-yard TD, but Brandon Aubry’s 46-yard kick sent that game into OT, where Dallas would come out on top. 

MNF was eventful to say the least. We saw a hot start to the Bucs-Texans game, and although there was a strong ending with a clutch game-winning drive from Baker, CJ Stroud continues to struggle. The Raiders-Chargers game proved the same. At the same time, Herbert looked strong once again, the picks caught up to Geno and the Chargers breezed by the Raiders 20-9. 

Fantasy Feelings

Through Weeks 1 and 2, fantasy football has been wild in terms of who’s hitting big and who’s falling flat. Some breakout stories have dramatically shifted the perception of player value. Puka Nacua, for example, has already become nearly unbenchable, putting up strong receiving numbers plus a surprising 45-yard rushing touchdown in Week 2. Meanwhile, there have been high-end players who were drafted early but have under-performed — big names that managers picked confidently, only to see lackluster weeks due to tough matchups or low volume. Bijan Robinson held down his stud status with solid Week 1 output, while BTJ, in contrast, was almost invisible in certain games and drastically undercut expectations.

On top of that, players many thought to be sleepers or mid-round WR2s are flashing strong floors, making lineups more unpredictable. For instance, Zay Flowers emerged strongly in Week 1 with a high target share, big yards, and a touchdown, helping to shift projections across PPR formats. On the RB side, someone like De’Von Achane is showing elite efficiency per touch.

High & Low Performances 

• Chase Brown: After nearly hitting the 20-point mark in Week 1, he fell back down to earth with just 8 points. Without Joe Burrow in the lineup, Brown’s value as an RB2 is shaky at best, especially if defenses start stacking the box against him.
  

• Ja’Marr Chase: He silenced the doubters in a big way. After a quiet 4-point opener, he erupted for 36 fantasy points on 165 yards and a touchdown, reminding everyone why he was a first overall draft pick.
  

• Brian Thomas Jr. & Terry McLaurin: Both had quiet outings, finishing in the single digits. BTJ’s target share dipped, while McLaurin just couldn’t find rhythm against tight coverage, making them frustrating starts for managers who expected more.
  

• Amon-Ra St. Brown: A monster bounce-back game — 122 yards and 3 touchdowns, good for nearly 40 fantasy points. He’s proving to be one of the most reliable WR1s in the game when healthy.
  

• RB studs: Jonathan Taylor looked like his old self with 29.5 points, while James Cook (26.5) continued his strong early-season run. Christian McCaffrey stayed steady as always with 22.7, once again cementing himself as the safest RB in fantasy.
  

• Malik Nabers: The young stud delivered his long-awaited breakout, dropping 37.7 points with explosive plays all over the field. He slotted right between Amon-Ra and Chase as one of the week’s top scorers, showing WR1 upside moving forward.
  

• Quarterbacks: It wasn’t just the skill positions stealing the show. A couple of QBs went nuclear, with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson both finishing in the 30+ range, while others like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert were surprisingly pedestrian.
  

Lineups are finally starting to take shape as we move past the chaos of the first two weeks. Breakout names like Javonte Williams and Ricky Pearsall are carving out steady roles in fantasy lineups, proving they can be trusted moving forward. On the other hand, players such as Colston Loveland and Kaleb Johnson are trending in the opposite direction, looking more like future free agents than reliable starters. The early volatility is beginning to settle, and managers are starting to see which players will be season-long studs — and which ones won’t survive roster cuts.

TNF Player Picks

If you tailed last week’s blog, you cashed. Hollywood Brown cleared his 5-catch line, and Josh Jacobs cruised over 77.5 rushing yards. That puts us at 1-1 on the year and up 2 units.

For this week:

• James Cook: more than 62.5 rushing yards.

• Jaylen Waddle: less than 51.5 receiving yards. 

James Cook has now gone for over 100 yards in both his first 2 games. I'd look to see the Bills explode offensively once again, and yet it will be on the shoulders of James Cook. The Dolphins struggle mightily on the defensive side of the ball, especially on the interior. Look for Cook to break through more than once.

As for Waddle, the Bills' offence should force the fins to throw the ball, yet I wouldn't look at Waddle to be a cornerstone. Hill should still dominate the targets, and with Achane having the receiving targets he has to start this year, Waddle should be left behind.