Key Takeaways
- The Miami Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football. Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concerning concussion and his future status is uncertain.
- James Cook had a huge fantasy performance for Buffalo, scoring 3 touchdowns. The Bills want to focus on running the ball and playing defense this season.
- Several key players are dealing with injuries heading into Week 2, including Christian McCaffrey, T.J. Hockenson, and Keenan Allen. Monitor practice reports closely.
- Rookie WRs like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had quiet Week 1 debuts but could see increased roles in Week 2. They remain high-upside stashes.
- The hosts provided start/sit advice for many players in the Week 2 matchups, highlighting players like Jalen Daniels, Drake London, and Jordan Mason as potential sleeper starts.
- The popular "Fantasy Faceoff" segment returned, with the hosts competing against each other with DraftKings lineups. The loser will have to spin the "Wheel of Shame" next week.
Introduction
In this episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright break down the Week 2 NFL matchups from a fantasy football perspective. They discuss key takeaways from Thursday Night Football, provide injury updates, analyze difficult start/sit decisions, and highlight potential sleeper plays. The episode also marks the return of the popular "Fantasy Faceoff" segment where the hosts compete against each other with DraftKings lineups.
Topics Discussed
Thursday Night Football Recap (4:10)
The hosts began by recapping the Thursday night game between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills:
- James Cook had a monster fantasy performance, scoring 3 touchdowns
- The Bills want to focus on running the ball and playing defense this season
- Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concerning concussion and his future status is uncertain
- Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle had disappointing games with Tua's injury
- Devon Achane looked good in his debut for Miami but played too many snaps coming off injury
Andy noted: "If you're not playing, like, if Buffalo is in a plus situation moving forward where they're heavily favored, you're not going to be able to count on wide receivers from Buffalo. That's just going to be the truth of the matter."
Injury Updates (14:55)
The hosts provided updates on several key injuries to monitor for Week 2:
- Christian McCaffrey (SF) - Limited in practice, status uncertain
- T.J. Hockenson (MIN) - Did not practice Thursday
- Kenneth Walker III (SEA) - Did not practice, dealing with oblique injury
- Keenan Allen (LAC) - Did not practice Thursday
- Tee Higgins (CIN) - Trending towards not playing in Week 2
Mike emphasized the importance of Friday practices: "If it's limited, then he could trend to actually play, and I'm going to be terrified to start him."
Giants at Commanders Preview (23:30)
Key points discussed for the Giants-Commanders matchup:
- The Commanders defense looks very beatable, making Daniel Jones a potential streaming option
- Sam Howell has a rushing yards prop of 51.5, highlighting his scrambling upside
- Terry McLaurin is still a recommended start despite a quiet Week 1
- Brian Robinson Jr. should be a solid RB2 play as a home favorite
Jason on McLaurin: "He's a player who. He should have a good game. Yeah, he should have a good game against the Giants. If there is a poor game from Terry this week, I'm going to be really freaked out."
Chargers at Panthers Preview (28:55)
The hosts were not optimistic about the Panthers offense in this matchup:
- Advised benching all Panthers players in 12-team leagues
- Expect a run-heavy approach from the Chargers
- Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen are must-starts if healthy
- Joshua Palmer could see increased targets if Allen is out
Andy stated: "I don't think you have to look at that side of the ball. I mean, genuinely, I wouldn't start a single player on that team."
Browns at Jaguars Preview (32:25)
Key takeaways for the Browns-Jaguars game:
- Amari Cooper is a strong buy-low candidate after a quiet Week 1
- Jerome Ford is locked in as an RB2 with high-value touches
- Travis Etienne remains a must-start despite some Week 1 concerns
- Calvin Ridley is preferred over Brian Thomas Jr. this week
Andy on Cooper: "I love Amari Cooper this week. I love, he's got a 59.5 yard receiving line at DK. The Jaguar by low right now by low Onamaari Cooper, you've got a banged up Jerry Judy. You've got no n joku. And jackville just lost two cornerback."
Raiders at Ravens Preview (38:25)
The hosts discussed the following points for Raiders-Ravens:
- Mark Andrews is expected to bounce back after a quiet Week 1
- Jakobi Meyers is in the concussion protocol, monitor his status
- Davante Adams should see increased targets this week
- The Raiders backfield remains a situation to avoid for fantasy
Mike on Andrews: "I would expect the wheel to run over, not even be squeaky. This is just full run over Gardner Minsho in the locker room, especially when, say, throw me the ball."
Rams at Cardinals Preview (45:45)
Key points for the Rams-Cardinals matchup:
- Matthew Stafford is a viable streaming option against Arizona's defense
- Cooper Kupp is an elite WR1 play and could see massive volume
- Marvin Harrison Jr. is expected to be more involved in Week 2
- James Conner is a solid RB2 play at home
Andy on the Rams offense: "My hesitancy is the offensive line. The offensive line for the Rams just got decimated in Detroit. They lost at least three starters, possibly four starters. I mean, it's like that, that, that line is just they their makeshift now already in week two."
Steelers at Broncos Preview (52:05)
The hosts were not optimistic about fantasy production in this low-scoring matchup:
- Very low 36.5 point over/under total
- Pittsburgh's defense is an elite streaming option
- Pat Freiermuth was highlighted as a potential sleeper TE play
- Javonte Williams remains difficult to trust in fantasy lineups
Jason on Freiermuth: "I talked up Pat Friarmuth. He's my start of the week. I think they're going to need him when you've got Stan on George Pickens and the, you know, last year at least the the Denver Broncos could not guard the tight end."
Bengals at Chiefs Preview (55:35)
Key takeaways for the Bengals-Chiefs matchup:
- Joe Burrow is not recommended as a fantasy start until he looks better
- Ja'Marr Chase remains a must-start WR1
- Isaiah Pacheco could see an increased workload for KC
- Kadarius Toney is an intriguing flex option in deeper leagues
Andy on Burrow: "I think Joe Burrow'going to get it together. I think he's going to be week, week four. Yeah, sure. Maybe it'll be week four. And as soon as I see him look good out on the field, then I'm gonna scoop him up."
Bears at Texans Preview (58:55)
The hosts discussed the following points for Bears-Texans:
- Justin Fields is a viable QB1 play with rushing upside
- Dameon Pierce should bounce back after a quiet Week 1
- Nico Collins and Tank Dell are intriguing flex options
- Cole Kmet's usage was concerning in Week 1
Mike on the Bears defense: "So one of the things I'm most excited to watch for this weekend is this Bears defense because I think they're really, really, really good and they looked unbelievable."
Falcons at Eagles Preview (1:03:00)
Key points for the Falcons-Eagles matchup:
- Bijan Robinson remains an elite RB1 play
- Drake London is a recommended start despite a quiet Week 1
- Kyle Pitts saw encouraging usage and is a TE1 option
- DeVonta Smith could see increased targets as the Eagles' slot receiver
Andy on London: "I'm goingna start Drake London this week. You're not going to have every week be great. You're not going to have every week be against TJ Watt."
Fantasy Faceoff (1:12:10)
The hosts competed against each other with DraftKings lineups:
- Andy's key players: Jalen Daniels, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amari Cooper
- Jason's key players: Kyler Murray, Breece Hall, Cooper Kupp
- Mike's key players: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jordan Mason, Rashee Rice
The loser will have to spin the "Wheel of Shame" on next week's episode.
Conclusion
The hosts provided comprehensive analysis of the Week 2 matchups, highlighting key injuries, potential sleepers, and difficult start/sit decisions. They emphasized the importance of closely monitoring practice reports and being willing to pivot based on the latest information. The return of the "Fantasy Faceoff" segment adds an extra layer of entertainment and friendly competition to the show. Listeners now have actionable advice to help set their lineups for a successful Week 2 in fantasy football.