Fantasy Football Week 2 Cheat Sheet: Identifying Sleepers for Deep Leagues
The first week of the NFL season didn't go as many might have expected. Fans saw a handful of upsets and a few surprises on the fantasy front.
Looking past the disappointing Week 1 fantasy performances of players like Mark Andrews, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Chris Olave, injuries raise many questions heading into Week 2.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is set to miss multiple weeks with an MCL sprain. Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua suffered his own knee injury, and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey could miss another week with his calf injury.
"Not only is Christian McCaffrey out tonight, but there's a real chance he's not going to play on Sunday either," ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Monday (h/t Alex Simon and Grant Marek of SFGate.com).
Many managers may need to turn to their benches or to the waiver wire to field functional lineups this week. Here, you'll find a few sleepers worth considering in deeper leagues, along with an updated look at our top point-per-reception (PPR) flex rankings.
Week 2 Flex Top 40
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1. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
4. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
5. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
6. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
7. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
8. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
9. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
10. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
11. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
12. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
14. Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
15. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
16. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
17. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
18. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
19. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
20. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
21. Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
22. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
23. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
24. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
25. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
26. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
27. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
28. Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
30. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
31. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
32. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
33. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
34. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
35. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
36. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
37. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers
38. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
39. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
40. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Sleeper: Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Managers pivoting away from Love for the next few weeks should have Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield high on their priority list. He has a tough matchup against the Detroit Lions in Week 2, but he's also coming off a 289-yard, four-touchdown performance.
Managers in larger leagues, however, might have to dig even deeper to find a fill-in quarterback. For this week, at least, Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller Justin Fields could be a viable option.
Russell Wilson (calf) is expected to eventually make his Pittsburgh debut. However, it may not come against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
"As I sit here today, we're preparing as if Justin is going to be our quarterback," head coach Mike Tomlin said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
Fields was far from perfect in Week 1, but his dual-threat ability gives him a solid fantasy floor. Against the Atlanta Falcons, Fields passed for 156 yards and rushed for 57 yards, though he didn't find the end zone. This week, he'll face a Broncos team that allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in Week 1.
Fields is rostered in less than 20 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
Sleeper: Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Managers should try to scoop up 49ers backup running back Jordan Mason if they can. As previously mentioned, McCaffrey might not face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, and Mason showed enough on Monday to justify a prominent role even after McCaffrey returns.
The 2022 undrafted free agent rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets and added a five-yard reception.
Of course, Mason will be a very popular waiver-wire target this week. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby should serve as a viable alternative.
Travie Etienne Jr. is probably still the Jaguars RB to roster because of his PPR upside. However, Bigsby proved to be the more efficient runner in Week 1, and the Jags employed an even split.
While Etienne had 12 carries, two receptions and 59 scrimmage yards, Bigsby rushed 12 times for 79 yards.
This week, the Jaguars will host a Cleveland Brown defense that boasts talent but had serious execution issues on both sides of the ball in Week 1. If Jacksonville can get up early at home, it may lean heavily on Bigsby to close out the game.
Bigsby is rostered in less than 10 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
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Sleeper: Demarcus Robinson, WR, Los Angeles Rams
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Fresh off a five-catch, 121-yard, one-touchdown performance, Lions wideout Jameson Williams will likely be among the top waiver-wire targets entering Week 2. Rams receiver Demarcus Robinson will probably be close behind.
Nacua is headed to injured reserve with a PCL sprain and will miss at least four weeks.
Naturally, that will boost the stock of No. 1 receiver Cooper Kupp, but it should provide opportunities for Robinson as well.
Robinson has carved out a prominent role as Los Angeles' third wideout, and he should now serve as the No. 2 option opposite Kupp. He had a solid four catches for 42 yards against the Lions on Sunday and should have bigger numbers against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.
The Cardinals allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in Week 1.
While Robinson didn't see his first target until Week 9 last season, he had a strong stretch to end the year. Between Week 11 and Week 17—the Rams were on bye in Week 10 and largely rested starters in the finale—he had at least 40 receiving yards and a touchdown in four of seven games. He didn't score in Week 17 but had six catches for 92 yards.
Robinson could again have similar production during Nacua's absence. He's rostered in less than 20 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
*Fantasy roster and scoring information via FantasyPros
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