Let’s dive into some news and notes around the league, my top fantasy plays and favorite picks for Week 2.
Notes:
• Let’s open this by saying you should relax, regardless of the outcome in Week 1. This is very much preseason action for most of the teams around the league. If your team had a killer week, congrats on being 1-0. If things did not go according to plan, do not do anything drastic just for the sake of doing so.
• It did not take long for injuries to become a factor, and it was a brutal week for tight ends. George Kittle is expected to miss 3-5 weeks with a hamstring injury. Brock Bowers and Evan Engram were also knocked out of action in Week 1. Juwan Johnson, Harold Fannin Jr. and Zach Ertz are some options to fill in at tight end if needed.
• We got some clarity about some running back situations around the league. Omarion Hampton got most of the touches for the Chargers. As expected, J.K. Dobbins and Rhamondre Stevenson received the bulk of the snaps over rookies RJ Harvey and TreVeyon Henderson with the Broncos and Patriots, respectively. The Jaguars trading away Tank Bigsby means Travis Etienne is the No. 1 back in Jacksonville.
• We also got some confusion in some spots. Are Zach Charbonnet and Jordan Mason the lead backs for their teams? Who is the guy in Kansas City? I am stashing all three backfields in Week 2 to see how things play out.
• Like we all expected, the top receivers after one week are Zay Flowers, Quentin Johnston, Emeka Egbuka, Keon Coleman and Deebo Samuel. Meanwhile, Ja’Marr Chase, Nico Collins, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill all laid major duds. Expect a bounce back from your stars. Temper your expectations for the rest of the receivers.
• Daniel Jones had a terrific week, but we have seen this movie before. He will have moments where he shines, but let’s face it, the Dolphins’ defense is dreadful. Jones should be rostered in Superflex leagues, but I am not ready to add him in 1QB leagues.
• Remember to check the weather heading into Sunday for your kicker selection.
Thursday Night Game: Commanders vs. Packers
Sunday Night Game: Falcons vs. Vikings
Monday Night Games: Buccaneers vs. Texans, Chargers vs. Raiders
Start ‘Em:
Quarterback: Dak Prescott
Running Back: Dylan Sampson
Wide Receiver: Keenan Allen
Tight End: Brenton Strange
Defense: 49ers
Sit ‘Em:
Quarterback: Daniel Jones
Running Back: Isiah Pacheco
Wide Receiver: Cooper Kupp
Tight End: Cade Otton
Defense: Chiefs
Sleepers:
Quarterback: Bryce Young
Running Back: Kenneth Gainwell
Wide Receiver: Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Tight End: Harold Fannin Jr.
Defense: Chargers
NFL Picks for Week 2
All odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook at time of writing
Weekly Pick ‘Em (Season Record: 10-6)
Packers (vs. Commanders)
Patriots (at Dolphins)
Bengals (vs. Jaguars)
Ravens (vs. Browns)
Cowboys (vs. Giants)
Rams (at Titans)
Bills (at Jets)
Lions (vs. Bears)
Steelers (vs. Seahawks)
49ers (at Saints)
Cardinals (vs. Panthers)
Broncos (at Colts)
Eagles (at Chiefs)
Vikings (vs. Falcons)
Buccaneers (at Texans)
Chargers (at Raiders)
Five Picks Against The Spread (Season Record: 2-3)
Giants +6 at Cowboys
49ers -4.5 at Saints
Panthers +6.5 at Cardinals
Falcons +5.5 at Vikings
Buccaneers +2.5 at Texans
Five Over-Under Totals (Season Record: 3-2)
Commanders-Packers under 48.5
Patriots-Dolphins under 43.5
Rams-Titans under 41.5
Seahawks-Steelers over 39.5
Broncos-Colts under 42.5
One Bold Prediction for the Week
Week 1: Trevor Lawrence finishes as a top-10 QB against the Panthers. (Miss)
Week 2: Zay Flowers remains the overall WR1 after torching the Browns.
See Also: Fantasy Football Player Rankings