Fantasy Football Week 2: Sunday Morning Gameday Preview

Welcome to another busy Sunday slate of NFL fantasy football action. With no bye weeks yet, we have 14 games to enjoy today.

In this piece, we take a comprehensive look at each game on the Sunday schedule, focusing on all of the fantasy-relevant information for managers to consider.

We can glean actionable information from the point spread and point total produced by Vegas, as well as pore over the important injury reports and revealing snap and usage trends from Week 1. It's all in the details when setting lineups in fantasy football, so we canvas the league in this column each and every NFL Sunday.

It's quite easy to confidently start superstars like the Cincinnati Bengals' A.J. Green, who has averaged 139 yards and scored three times in the past four meetings with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, but we'll also discuss which sleepers to consider in that division battle. 

One quick note for how we format this piece each week: The road team is the first team listed in the title; the home team is listed second. For example, we listed the Bengals first in the slide's title as they travel to Pittsburgh this week. 

Join us in discussing each of the 14 games for Sunday in this extensive overview of the slate. Feel free to post lineup questions and share counsel in the comments below.

Fantasy Football Week 2: New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants

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Game Preview

When these teams met in Week 8 last fall, fantasy fireworks went off—as they combined for the third-most points (101) in NFL history. The Saints' Drew Brees and Giants' Eli Manning combined for 13 passing touchdowns: the most in NFL history. It's no surprise then that this is the marquee matchup of the week for both season-long and daily fantasy purposes, as Vegas has this game positioned with the highest implied point total of the entire slate, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

For New York, we don't find any significant offensive injuries to note, but a key defensive player is ailing. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul could miss the team's home opener with a shoulder ailment, per Bill Pennington of the New York Times. We don't advise shares of either defense given the shootout potential, so only investors in individual defensive formats would want to take note of JPP's absence.

As for the Saints, only tight end Josh Hill is ruled out among regular offensive contributors. Per Pro Football Focus, Hill had a 36 percent snap rate last season, spending over half of those snaps blocking. Hill isn't a fantasy option, but this could spell more exposure for Coby Fleener, who merits deployment as a starter given the Saints' reliance on tight ends in the red zone over the past several seasons. 

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the must-start assets on each respective roster. 

Giants

Quarterback Eli Manning is an elite option behind center after throwing six touchdowns in this matchup last season, while the Giants' key skill players all merit trust in fantasy lineups this weekend. This includes Odell Beckham Jr., who scored three times against the Saints last season. This also extends to Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz, as Shepard's snap rate was 93 percent in Week 1 and Cruz was on the field for nearly 88 percent of the team's plays, per Pro Football Focus.

The Giants' backfield share affords Rashad Jennings a sizable early-down workload, as he consumed 18 of 24 rushes in Week 1. The Saints have ceded the second-most rushing yards (1,987) and seventh-most rushing touchdowns (13) to tailbacks since the start of last season, making Jennings a fine RB2 option. As for the team's tight ends, we can fade them outside of deep and desperate scenarios given the near equal share of snaps between Larry Donnell and Will Tye.  

Saints

This Drew Brees guy is pretty good it seems, already leading the NFL in passing yardage this season and having thrown a record-tying seven touchdowns last October against the Giants. Even on the road—where his numbers aren't as stellar as in the Superdome—we suggest starting Brees in all formats. Wideouts Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead are also must-starts against a retooled, but still susceptible, New York secondary. After Week 1's awesome usage rate, Snead can now be considered a high-end WR2 after being drafted as a borderline WR3 before the season.

Tailback Mark Ingram was on the field for just 41 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 1 after playing 62.7 percent of the plays in 2015, which is something to watch for in this contest. That said, we're still deploying him as a must-start asset since the Saints have produced the third-most rushes for their running backs within 10 yards of the goal line since 2014. At tight end, Fleener has a nice shot at redemption against a defense that surrendered the second-most fantasy points to tight ends last year in ESPN leagues.

Sleepers and Streamers

Options on each roster that offer underrated upside

The Giants' Shane Vereen is a change-of-pace receiving back who could be uniquely busy in this shootout climate, as he earned 44 percent of the backfield snaps in Week 1 (per Pro Football Focus), tallied nine receptions, 60 yards and a touchdown in this matchup last season.

Conversely, the Saints' Travaris Cadet is assuming the pass-catching role on an offense that is second only to the Detroit Lions in targets to tailbacks over the past two seasons. Cadet and Vereen are ideal for point-per-reception formats, which lends increased value on a daily fantasy platform like Draft Kings, which hosts a PPR scoring key.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

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Game Preview

The Dallas Cowboys have won just once without Tony Romo as their starting quarterback over the past 15 games. The Washington Redskins' Kirk Cousins, meanwhile, enters this week with a streak of nine consecutive games completing at least 65 percent of his passes. If Cousins extends the streak to 10 games, he will tie Joe Montana for the longest such streak in NFL history.

Per Odds Shark, The Redskins are just slight favorites in a game with a fairly modest implied point total. But with relatively exploitable defenses on each side, we still find key fantasy assets to consider in this division battle.

Injury Updates

Outside of Romo's back injury, Dallas enters the game without any significant injuries of note on offense.

Only rookie receiver Josh Doctson is among the notable offensive players for Washington on the injury report. Given he practiced in full this week and saw the field for 12 snaps last week, we're again expecting limited usage as the team eases him into a regular role on a deep depth chart at receiver.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Cowboys 

Rookie signal-caller Dak Prescott is projected well outside the starting range in ESPN leagues given such conservative usage in the passing game, as he went just 2 of 10 on passes more than 15 yards downfield in Week 1 and kept most completions near the line of scrimmage. We can avoid Prescott outside of deep multi-quarterback formats.

Receiver Dez Bryant had the second-lowest yardage total of his career with just eight yards last week. Bryant has struggled with quarterbacks other than Romo in his career, averaging 9.1 yards per target and a 63 percent catch rate with Romo and just 6.1 yards per target and a 48 percent catch rate with other signal-callers.

The Redskins' Josh Norman is expected to cover Bryant in Week 2. He broke up both pass attempts to the Pittsburgh Steelers' Antonio Brown last week and earned the third-highest coverage grade last season on Pro Football Focus. We're still starting Bryant as a low-end WR2 with upside for more, but expectations are understandably tempered. 

Tight end Jason Witten thrived working with Prescott thanks to the high-percentage, short-yardage approach to the passing attack, earning a team-high 14 targets in Week 1. We don't expect such volume to persist, but top-10 value is present at a shallow position.

Ezekiel Elliott struggled to find efficiency on the ground against the New York Giants last week, but the Steelers' DeAngelo Williams gashed the Redskins for a huge total yardage and multi-touchdown outing. He's positioned as a borderline RB1 given such a sizable expected workload.

Redskins

Cousins' rare completion efficiency and Dallas' susceptible secondary is a nice combination for his fantasy stock, as he's projected as a solid QB1 in ESPN leagues this week. DeSean Jackson is an elite big-play threat and the only Washington receiver projected in the top 40 at the position on ESPN. We're clearly starting elite tight end Jordan Reed in this matchup, although we'd like to see him improve on his lackluster numbers against Dallas from last season (averaged just 39 yards in two meetings).

The Washington backfield isn't so easy to decipher, but the Cowboys rank just 28th against the run on Pro Football Focus over the small Week 1 sample. Matt Jones is expected to see the most touches and should be the goal-line option, as well. He's in the flex tier and not quite a solid RB2.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster? 

For Dallas, speedy wideout Terrance Williams posted a career-best 173 receiving yards against the Redskins in Week 17 last winter. Williams averages 80.7 yards per game against the Redskins over his career and just 40.6 yards against all other teams. Deep-league and daily fantasy interest builds based on this interesting outlier data. 

For the Redskins, deep PPR leagues might consider tailback Chris Thompson, as he netted 62 percent of the offensive snaps last week and could be a key receiving option if the team trails or enters the no-huddle offense often in this division matchup. Similarly to Williams, Thompson should be limited to deeper fantasy formats (we suggest at least 12 teams).

Fantasy Football Week 2: Tennessee Titans vs. Detroit Lions

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Game Preview

The Tennessee Titans have the worst record since the start of the 2014 season at just 5-28 over this span. The league's worst turnover margin (-3) in Week 1 felled their hopes after building an early lead against the Minnesota Vikings. 

The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, have a 7-3 record since offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter got the gig in the middle of last season. The team averaged just 19.9 points through Week 7 last season but has averaged 25.8 since he took over play-calling duties. Given these trends, the Lions enter as home favorites in a game with a relatively healthy implied point total hovering around 47 points, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Tennessee doesn't have any key offensive players facing injury issues. Enjoy this while it lasts, as the erosion of the NFL is nearly inescapable for each roster.

Similarly, the Lions' roster is in good shape heading into this cross-conference contest.

Fantasy Fixtures 

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Titans

According to ESPN.com, quarterback Marcus Mariota is projected for the 14th-most fantasy points at the position this week after finishing 16th among signal-callers last week. The Lions have ceded the third-highest quarterback rating to opposing arms since the start of last season, so borderline QB1 potential is present for Mariota, considering the potential he offers as a rusher.

The Lions have allowed the third-most rushing scores to tailbacks since the start of last season. Tailback DeMarco Murray claims starting status in fantasy formats, albeit we'd like to see increased efficiency after he struggled to find per-carry productivity in Week 1. Understudy Derrick Henry only saw 30 percent of the snaps from the backfield last week with limited rushing opportunities, so he's merely a depth addition at this stage.

The only receiver who we can trust in lineups is rookie Tajae Sharpe, who led the team with 11 targets last week and is a fine option in point-per-reception leagues. The key pass-catcher for the Titans is tight end Delanie Walker, who should see increased usage after a quiet Week 1. Walker led the team in targets by over 80 percent last season and led the position in targets and receptions, as Mariota was fifth in the league in QBR targeting tight ends.

Lions 

Detroit's Matthew Stafford has been uniquely efficient with Cooter at the helm of the offense and is a top option at the position this week with a top-five projection in place on ESPN. Both starting wideouts are excellent fantasy options, as Golden Tate ran the fourth-most routes last season and is again a high-volume target to consider, while Marvin Jones enjoyed the team's highest average depth of target while also leading the team in targets in Week 1.

The backfield saw Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah each net five catches in Week 1's win over the Indianapolis Colts. Detroit paced the NFL last season in catches (135) and receiving yards (1,216) among running backs. The Titans have allowed the fewest receptions to backs over the past 17 games, but such rich usage elevates both of these backs to at least flex consideration, if not RB2 value in PPR leagues.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster? 

Henry's elite preseason results and rare combination of size and speed are still intriguing enough to consider as a sleeper, especially as Detroit has been so generous at the goal line to running backs since the start of last season.

For the Lions, let's get Eric Ebron in lineups at a shallow tight end position. The Titans have allowed 7.59 yards per target to tight ends since the start of last season—11th most in the league and above the league average allowance of 7.3 over this span.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

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Game Preview

Even though they kept pace with the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 1, the Miami Dolphins need better quarterback play from Ryan Tannehill, who ranked 30th in QBR in the NFL for the opening weekend. Heading to New England for another challenging road trip, the Dolphins are positioned as nearly touchdown underdogs in a game with a modest implied point total indicative of a potentially low-scoring affair, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes feature back Arian Foster is expected to play for the Dolphins despite a lingering hamstring injury. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports DeVante Parker is confident he'll suit up this week after missing Week 1 with a hamstring injury. 

All eyes are on New England's superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is listed as questionable for the contest, per the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe. ESPN's Mike Reiss writes he wouldn't be surprised to see Gronkowski sit again, so investors should have alternatives in place. It's tough to sit Gronkowski if he's deemed active, particularly in this shallow position. Wideout Chris Hogan is listed as questionable with a shoulder ailment, but practiced fully to start the week and is likely to suit up.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Dolphins

It's just Foster and wideout Jarvis Landry who earn endorsements as certifiable fantasy starters this week. Tannehill has struggled to produce viable fantasy numbers over the past season, while the roster doesn't offer many bankable assets past these two veterans.

Patriots

Shares of shifty wideout Julian Edelman are advisable given signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo completed all of seven of his targets to Edelman for 9.4 yards per target in Week 1. While Hogan is a nice flier to consider in deeper leagues if active, it's just Edelman who claims a bankable role in the passing offense if Gronkowski sits. 

Feature early-down workhorse LeGarrette Blount earned 19 touches in his lone meeting with Miami last season, while we again expect a hefty workload as the team looks to pound the Dolphins on the ground.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

The Dolphins' Kenny Stills saw an average depth of target over 28 yards last week. While he only hauled one of his six targets in, he was close to some big plays and could be a contrarian play in daily fantasy tournaments.

For the Patriots, receiving back James White is a notable flex option in PPR leagues with the Dolphins having allowed the most receiving scores to running backs over the past season.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans

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Game Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs have won 11 straight regular season games, the longest active streak in the NFL and longest in franchise history. The Chiefs' Alex Smith threw for 363 yards and netted a career-high in completions in Week 1. Smith has never thrown for 300 yards in consecutive games, while the Texans ranked seventh in pass coverage last season on Pro Football Focus.

The Chiefs drubbed the Texans 30-0 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last season, but a retooled Houston offense looks to make this contest much more competitive. As for the Vegas indicators, the game opened as a pick and now just slightly favors the Texans by fewer than two points in a contest with a low implied point total on most books, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

The Chiefs' Jamaal Charles is expected to miss another game, as he's listed as doubtful and unlikely to play, per the team's site. Spencer Ware is expected to play and consume a heavy workload, however, despite earning a questionable tag with a toe ailment. Houston doesn't have any offensive injuries of note.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Chiefs

We don't trust Smith to repeat last week's high-volume passing production, thus he's again just a middling QB2. Jeremy Maclin is the lone wideout we'd start in all fantasy formats on the Chiefs' roster, while Ware is a must-start tailback given his heavy workload and league-leading 199 yards from scrimmage in Week 1. At a shallow position, we'll start tight end Travis Kelce with an eye on his steady target share.

Texans

Houston brought in tailback Lamar Miller with plans to finally feed him with a heavy workload after years of efficient, but limited, work for the Miami Dolphins. Well, the plan is already working, as Miller earned career highs in rushes and touches in Week 1 and is a bankable RB1 even against the Chiefs' respectable front seven.

Second-year cover corner Marcus Peters of the Chiefs is expected to cover superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins of the Texans, but we're still starting Nuk with high confidence given his rare target share and elite talent level on contested catches. Rookie speedster Will Fuller led the team in targets and could have an even more impressive pro debut had he not dropped a sure touchdown on a well-placed deep ball. Fuller merits flex consideration for his upside.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

Both defensive units offer some streaming upside given deep and talented rosters. As the home team, we favor using the Texans and their talented edge rushers.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

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Game Preview

The Ravens' Joe Flacco has tallied 22 total touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns and is 13-2 in his career versus them, his best record of any foe he's faced at least five times. The Browns are essentially the NFL version of the NBA's 76ers of the past few seasons—intent on building via the draft without much regard for a competitive product this season. As such, the Ravens enter town as sizable road favorites, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

We already know Robert Griffin III is placed on injured reserve for the Browns, while the Ravens list second-year wideout Breshad Perriman as questionable with a calf injury. Given Perriman was listed as a full-practice participant twice this week, per Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, he's likely to play.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Ravens

In the must-start mix for the Ravens' skill players we only find tailback Justin Forsett, who tallied 170 yards from scrimmage against the Browns in their first meeting last season, and wideout Mike Wallace of major interest. Wallace enjoyed an average depth of target of 16 yards downfield in Week 1 and could again prove valuable in a vertical receiving role. 

Baltimore's defense is a nice play here, especially with the Browns sending out a mistake-prone Josh McCown behind center. We do, however, list several assets from the team in the streaming section below. 

Browns 

The key fantasy starter for Cleveland is seemingly their early-down workhorse Isaiah Crowell, who coach Hue Jackson plans to feed with a sizable workload, per Pro Football Talk's Zac Jackson.

"

"We just have to hand it to him enough times,” Jackson said, per the team’s official transcript. “If you have a runner you believe in, you have to give him the ball. He has to get a feel for the game and be able to play within the structure of what you are trying to accomplish with the offensive line. That’s why I said I take responsibility for that. I think he is off to a good start. We just have to give him opportunities to go show his ability."

"

With McCown under center, tight end Gary Barnidge is again in the TE1 tier, as he was a no-show in working with Robert Griffin III last week and proved productive with McCown last season. We don't trust any of the Browns' wideouts, but do find some upside angles to discuss below.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster? 

The Browns' Corey Coleman is a talented rookie wideout with big-play potential, as evidenced by the fact he led college football in receiving touchdowns last season. With McCown feeding him targets, he's a low-end flex play for those in need of a plug-in this week. As for receiving back Duke Johnson, we'd like to see him earn a more viable touch share with Crowell, but usage as a flex in PPR leagues is palatable.

Baltimore's Terrance West could earn some sneaky value if he earns goal-line work for the Ravens out of the backfield, yet we trust Forsett more in the yardage department. As for sleepers on this roster, we also dig Joe Flacco's upside given his scoring history against this team, as well as tight end Dennis Pitta and wideout Steve Smith Sr., who could earn sizable target shares in what could be a blowout given the ingredients heading in.

Fantasy Football Week 2: San Francisco 49ers vs. Carolina Panthers

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Game Preview

The last time the 49ers started a season 2-0 they went to the Super Bowl, but to match that start they'll need to overcome their position as massive underdogs in Carolina this Sunday, per Odds Shark. The Panthers are the biggest favorites of the week, as they have won 10 straight home games—the longest current streak in the league—and have won their last four home games by an average of 25.5 points.

Injury Updates

Only the Panthers claim a notable offensive injury scenario, as the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person reports Jonathan Stewart is likely to play despite being listed as questionable with an ankle ailment.

Fantasy Fixtures 

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

49ers

San Francisco had 144 rush yards between the tackles last week, more than any game in 2014. Such success could prove more difficult against Carolina, a defense that has ceded the ninth-fewest yards per carry (3.89) to tailbacks since the start of last season. This said, feature back Carlos Hyde is projected as a borderline RB2 on ESPN thanks largely to expected workload. Outside of Hyde's volume-driven interest, we'd avoid this roster entirely in regards to bankable fantasy commodities.

Panthers 

The MVP in both fantasy and real football last season, quarterback Cam Newton is projected for the highest output of all players this week by ESPN. Stewart is a talented tailback, yet a bit limited in the upside department given Newton's rushing prowess and the team's lack of targets for the backfield in the passing phase. Given the team's position as heavy favorites, however, game script could prove favorable and run-heavy, thus he's a low-floor RB2 entering the contest.

At wideout, it was nice to see Kelvin Benjamin thrive in his return to the field in Week 1, as the hulking receiver resumed his rapport with Newton and is a top-25 option at the position this week. Tight end Greg Olsen claims one of the steadiest production patterns in the league and is a must-start asset at a shallow position.

Carolina's defense is another must-start commodity to load up on both seasonal and daily fantasy formats, as the 49ers' fast-paced offense promises to offer big-play upside to this ball-hawking defense.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

If the game gets out of hand, as the line suggests, Torrey Smith could get deep a few times and produce a fantasy-worthy line. We're not sending him out there with any real trust, so it's more of a deep-league flier or daily fantasy angle to consider. 

The Panthers' Ted Ginn earns increased value in leagues that reward return yardage and is a contrarian flier to stack with Newton in daily fantasy tournaments. While he didn't earn significant usage in the passing phase in Week 1, Devin Funchess delivers upside given he played on over half the team's snaps in Denver and has rare big-play ability given his huge catch radius and red-zone skill set.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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Game Preview

In arguably the best matchup of the entire week, this division battle of bitter rivals could come down to how well Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger takes care of the ball, as he's gone 10-1 against the Cincinnati Bengals when throwing one or no interceptions and is winless in the two games he's thrown multiple interceptions. Vegas has the Steelers positioned as just field goal favorites in a contest with a healthy implied point total found in the upper 40s, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Only the Steelers' wideout Markus Wheaton is questionable to play in this game of notable offensive options on both sides. Given he participated in full practices several times this week, we can expect him to go.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Bengals 

The Bengals' A.J. Green is an elite option who has averaged 139 yards and scored three times in the past four meetings with Pittsburgh. Of the Bengals' duo of backs in their shared backfield breakdown, Jeremy Hill has the better position as a fantasy asset given a stronger share of goal-line duties. Giovani Bernard, to his credit, averaged 101 yards from scrimmage against the Steelers last season. He's in the flex discussion. Signal-caller Andy Dalton is a borderline QB1, as this game does have some shootout potential.

Steelers

Pittsburgh has a trinity of must-start fantasy assets in Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams. The Bengals ceded 155 total yards to Matt Forte in Week 1, setting an excellent precedent for Williams as the bell cow in this contest.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

While we're avoiding both defenses where possible given the aforementioned shootout ingredients, the Steelers offer two notable sleepers to consider in slot maven Eli Rogers and tight end Jesse James. Both could return value given sizable target shares in Week 1.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Arizona Cardinals

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Game Preview 

The Tampa Bay Bucs scored 31 points in a Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, which tied for the third-most points in team history for a season opener. Tampa has never opened a season with consecutive 30-point outings, something the Arizona Cardinals would like to prevent.

The Cardinals led the league in blitz percentage last season with a 45 percent rate, but only blitzed the Patriots on 20 percent of the dropbacks in the previous week's loss. We can expect an uptick in pressure as they look to make second-year signal-caller Jameis Winston uncomfortable in the pocket. Given their strong 2015 season and deep and talented roster, the Cardinals enter this matchup favored by a touchdown on most books, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates 

Neither team enters with notable injuries on offense. 

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Bucs

Winston is projected for the 17th-most fantasy points at quarterback this week by ESPN, suggesting he's a mid-level QB2 and not in the QB1 discussion. There is an argument to play him as a streaming asset if you're waiting on the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, for example, but on the road against a proven defense isn't an ideal spot for value. As for their skills players, wideout Mike Evans and feature back Doug Martin are both bankable assets given strong respective market shares of the offense.

Cardinals

Quarterback Carson Palmer struggled in Week 1 on vertical throws, completing just 40 percent of his passes at least 10 yards downfield, but we'll forgive this small sample after he thrived in leading the league in QBR on such throws last season. Given that the Bucs allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks last season and Palmer's talented crew of pass-catchers, he's fittingly projected as a QB1 fixture this week by ESPN.

Tailback David Johnson is tied with Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers in yards from scrimmage since Week 12 of last season and is clearly a must-start asset and arguably the top option at the position this week. As for the Cardinals' trio of talented receivers, trusted veteran Larry Fitzgerald claims the most bankable and projectable fantasy floor, while big-play mavens Michael Floyd and John Brown could do damage against an exploitable secondary.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

Veteran wideout Vincent Jackson earned seven targets last week, but hauled in just two of them and failed to establish a steady rapport with Winston. The Cardinals' secondary is deep and talented in coverage, so Jackson is just a contrarian daily fantasy player to consider. In deep PPR formats, we can envision flex value for Charles Sims, but the floor is relatively low against a sound front seven.

The Cardinals' defense has the upside for big-play potential as home favorites, but a relatively low floor given the high implied point total.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams

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Game Preview

The Los Angeles Rams, then of St. Louis, won both games against the Seattle Seahawks last season and have only lost once to their division rivals in the past two seasons. This trend could shift as the Rams' offense was horrendously inept in Week 1. The Seahawks are favored by almost a touchdown across most books, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

ESPN's Sheil Kapadia believes Russell Wilson will start behind center despite suffering an ankle injury last week, but the ailment could force him to deliver fewer designed runs and do more of his work from the pocket.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Rams

This is bound to be the briefest team breakdown of the entire column, as only the Rams' tailback Todd Gurley is worthy of fantasy interest from the entire roster. Even then, Gurley is projected 22nd at the position by ESPN given the utter lack of offensive support and the ability for the Seahawks to stack the box on early downs without much risk.

Seahawks

Even with the potential limitations with his dual-threat skill set, Wilson could thrive in facing a defense that allowed the San Francisco 49ers' to somehow post the highest QBR of Week 1. The training wheels could come off for Thomas Rawls in this one, making the talented tailback an excellent upside RB2 to consider. Given a share for targets on the depth chart past Doug Baldwin, we only really trust him among the team's pass-catchers.

The Seahawks' D/ST is the top fantasy option at the position by a good margin, as the Rams' inept offense offers this ball-hawking group immense upside.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

The Seahawks' Tyler Lockett is always a threat to break a deep touchdown, which is aided by the potential for Wilson to stay home in the pocket. Tight end Jimmy Graham was limited to a small target share last week, but red-zone upside remains in play as a sleeper candidate.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders

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Game Preview

The Oakland Raiders are in a position to start the season 2-0 as they host the Atlanta Falcons as home favorites in a game that claims shootout ingredients given an implied point total just shy of 50 points, per Odds Shark. Oakland's passing game could thrive in this setup, as the Falcons registered the fewest sacks in the NFL last season and didn't register one in Week 1's loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs. Atlanta hasn't started 0-2 since 2007, so this game is vital to avoiding their worst start in nearly a decade.

Injury Updates

The Falcons' Devonta Freeman is the only injury of note on both sides of the ball, but practiced in full this week, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Falcons

The Falcons Julio Jones is due for a bounce-back outing given the gaudy numbers the Raiders' secondary ceded to the New Orleans Saints' receivers last week. Also of note is the fact Jones was held to four receptions last week and hasn't been limited to four-or-fewer catches in consecutive games since 2012. Fire him up in all formats, but we're sitting signal-caller Matt Ryan on the road, as he's produced just three passing scores over his past four road games.

The Atlanta backfield is a bit trickier to read, as Freeman and second-year tailback Tevin Coleman saw an almost even split for snaps, while Coleman proved more efficient by a wide margin in the yardage department in Week 1. Freeman remains the more bankable asset given preseason trends as the lead goal-line option, but a frustrating committee could be developing. We're advising patience with Coleman, as he's not yet trustworthy given the unclear nature of this backfield over this early sample.

Raiders

We're excited for the fantasy prospects of the Raiders' passing game in this one, as Atlanta's absentee pass rush could signal upside for Derek Carr and his top two targets, Michael Crabtree and especially Amari Cooper.

Feature back Latavius Murray is also in a strong position to produce, as only the San Francisco 49ers have allowed more rushing scores to tailbacks than the Falcons since the start of last season. If Oakland builds an early lead, it could be a busy day for Murray.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

Mohamed Sanu enjoyed a fine start to his career in Atlanta last week, but we're a bit skeptical in trusting him past flex consideration in deeper formats given his lack of production pedigree. Coleman has some upside in deeper formats if he is indeed due half of the touches in this backfield.

For the Raiders, their defense claims some sleeper potential given Khalil Mack and the team's pass rush can prove potent, although the high point total suggests we should only consider this in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. San Diego Chargers

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Game Preview

One of these AFC teams will leave with a victory, that much is certain. Past that amazing analysis, we can determine this conference matchup has shootout potential given two talented passing offenses and an implied point total just a few points shy of 50 points, per Odds Shark. The real key in this game for fantasy purposes is the presence of some specifically exploitable defensive matchups we highlight in the sections below.

Injury Updates

The Jaguars' team beat writer John Oehser reported tight end Julius Thomas practiced in full this week. We can expect him to play despite suffering an ankle injury last week. As for tailback Chris Ivory, he's been ruled out, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The Chargers don't have any significant offensive injuries to note.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Jaguars

The Chargers were respectable against opposing fantasy arms last season—ceding just 15.3 fantasy points per game in ESPN leagues—but just surrendered the most completions and second-most yards of Kansas City Chiefs' Alex Smith's career. The Jags' Blake Bortles is a mistake-prone signal-caller but one with some real fantasy upside in this matchup.

The key target for Bortles is Allen Robinson, who set a career high in targets last week with 15, while no other peer on offense topped five targets in Week 1. Robinson is locked and loaded as a WR1, while Allen Hurns is also a starting asset in the WR3 tier given the healthy point total for this contest.

The most interesting asset other than Robinson might be T.J. Yeldon, as the Chargers have ceded the fifth-most receiving yards, the most yards per reception (8.62) and the third-most rushing touchdowns and second-most yards per carry (4.97) to running backs since the start of last season. That's a lot of production potential to consider, so we can forgive Yeldon's 1.9 yards per carry last week and instead focus on the matchup and the fact he netted 25 touches last weekend.

Chargers

Philip Rivers led the NFL in passing attempts and only he and the Saints' Drew Brees averaged as many as 300 yards per game. The Jaguars ranked 30th in pass coverage grading on Pro Football Focus last season, so this volume-driven attack can still produce even in the wake of Keenan Allen's season-ending injury.

Talk of tailback Melvin Gordon dominating the early-down snap share didn't really happen in Week 1, even as he scored twice and the team led for much of the game. Danny Woodhead led the backfield in snaps 50 to 23 and ran 28 routes to Gordon's three while also earning nine red-zone snaps to Gordon's four. This is compelling evidence to keep Woodhead fixed as an RB2 in standard formats and a borderline RB1 in PPR formats. Gordon is a touchdown-or-bust RB2 at this stage against a Jacksonville defense that ranks in the top five in rushing yardage allowance to backs over the past season.

As for the San Diego receiving corps, Travis Benjamin will be tested as the team's top target and merits the leap to borderline WR2 value assuming an uptick in market share. The safest pass-catcher outside of Woodhead might just be Antonio Gates, who remains a red-zone asset despite his advanced age and poor showing last week.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster?

A fine sleeper for this fun matchup is Tyrell Williams of the Chargers, who could earn a sizable leap in routes and targets with Allen's massive target share up for grabs.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos

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The Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts have started their past several seasons in disparate fashion, with the Broncos looking to go 2-0 for the fourth straight season, extending their streak to the longest in the league. The Colts, meanwhile, have started 0-2 the past two seasons and are looking to avoid a third consecutive season with such a slow start. Given their elite defensive group, the Broncos are favored by nearly a touchdown in a game with a middling implied point total, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

The Colts' T.Y. Hilton was limited in practice earlier in the week with a knee ailment but resumed full participation to end the week, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59. As for the Broncos, wideout Demaryius Thomas figures to be a game-time decision given a hip injury that has limited him throughout the week of practice, according to Nick Groke of the Denver Post.

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster. 

Colts

Andrew Luck isn't in an ideal spot to produce given the Broncos' stingy secondary, but he's also at the helm of a pass-happy offense with several scoring weapons to lean on. ESPN has him projected all the way down at 21st at the position, but we're not as wary given his scoring upside and the potential for game script to fuel a pass-heavy offense.

As for his top targets, Hilton remains a borderline high-end WR2 and Donte Moncrief is a fine option for red-zone usage given his scoring rapport with Luck. Expectations for both are a bit tempered given the elite defensive foe, but they are still fixtures in lineups. We're not so enthused with tailback Frank Gore's fantasy prospects against a stingy Denver defense, and we agree with his borderline top-40 projection from ESPN.

Broncos

We find two bankable skill players for this fine matchup against a depleted Colts' defense missing several starters on defense, namely in the secondary. Receiver Emmanuel Sanders is a must-start WR2 with upside for much more, while workhorse back C.J. Anderson merits must-start status in all formats and could be the best option at the position this week given how great he looked last week.

We're fading Thomas where possible, as we suggest looking into the sleeper tier for say the San Diego Chargers' Tyrell Williams as a solution. We're not fading the Denver defense, however, as turnovers and sacks could come in bunches given the upside their pass rush affords them.

Sleepers and Streamers 

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster? 

The Colts' Dwayne Allen is a potential TE1 given his red-zone rapport with Luck, especially as he could net favorable matchups with the Broncos' linebackers. For the Broncos, tight end Virgil Green is similarly in a nice spot for touchdown potential.

Fantasy Football Week 2: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

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Game Preview

The Green Bay Packers lost to the Minnesota Vikings in the final regular season game last year, but they haven’t lost consecutive games to their division rivals since 2008. Going way back in history, this is just the second time since 1924 the Packers start their season with two road games, but they enter the Vikings' new stadium as slight favorites, per Odds Shark. For the Vikings, this is notably the first start for new quarterback Sam Bradford.

Injury Updates 

Neither team enters with notable injuries on offense. 

Fantasy Fixtures

This section quickly covers the top players on each respective roster.

Packers

Aaron Rodgers lost his first two career starts in Minnesota, but he has lost just once in the past six visits and has no interceptions over this six-game stretch. Rodgers has 17 touchdowns to no picks over that sample and remains a must-start asset in all formats. 

We're rolling out Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb in all formats, while we're only expecting low-end RB2 output from Eddie Lacy, who needs to earn goal-line work to return value in all likelihood. As for his familiar history, Lacy has rushed for 100 yards in four of six career games against the Vikings.

Vikings 

Minnesota's Adrian Peterson averaged just 0.9 yards after contact per rush last week, but he is still a must-start asset given his touchdown pedigree. Peterson has been held to fewer than 70 yards rushing in three of four against the Packers, but he has scored each time. The ceiling isn't so high, it seems, but the floor is still solid. If he struggles again, Peterson could become an ideal buy-low asset.

We're not trotting Bradford out there in fantasy formats just yet, but wily wideout Stefon Diggs is a sneaky WR3 asset, especially in PPR leagues.

Sleepers and Streamers

Which players offer underrated upside on each roster? 

Even though he was quiet last week, we'll give tight end Jared Cook one more shot as a streaming asset given his preseason chemistry with Rodgers.

Target, snap and defensive trend data sourced from an ESPN database.