Week 2 Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers
Here’s a look at some of the fantasy players who had the best and worst performances of the weekend. These players are already on fantasy rosters in most leagues, so take this information into potential trade talks as you try to sell high or buy low.
Risers
Few players had a bigger day Sunday than Tua Tagovailoa
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Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
The Dolphins-Chargers game was projected to be an absolute fantasy bonanza, and it didn’t disappoint. Tagovailoa was one of the stars, throwing for 466 yards with three touchdowns (215 of those yards and two scores went to Tyreek Hill). Miami will have one of the most explosive passing games in the league, so Tua could be a draft bargain if he can avoid injuries. He’ll face the Patriots next weekend.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers
Aiyuk, Aiyuk, Aiyuk is on fire! The veteran wideout was red hot against the Steelers, catching all eight of his targets for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win. His 32.9 fantasy points is a new personal best, passing the 28.3 points he scored against the Falcons last year. One of the more underrated receivers in fantasy land, Aiyuk is making his claim to be an every-week starter in all leagues.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Jaguars
Ridley had zero rust in his first NFL game since 2021, catching eight passes for 101 yards with a touchdown and 24.1 points in a win over the Colts. He was clearly the top option in the passing game for Trevor Lawrence, as a third of his attempts went in Ridley’s direction. Some fantasy managers might want to sell high after this huge game, but I’d be holding tight and keeping Ridley on my rosters.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
Pittman was widely considered a risk for fantasy managers this season, as the Colts were going with a rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson. Well, that wasn’t a problem in Week 1. Pittman led the Colts with 11 targets (no one else had more than seven) for 97 yards with a touchdown and 23.7 fantasy points. This might be one of Pittman’s best games of the year, so try and sell high on him.
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Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens
Flowers blossomed into a fantasy star before our eyes, catching nine passes for 78 yards in a win over the Texans. The rookie, who saw a team-high 10 targets in the contest, finished with 17.7 points. No other receiver on the team saw more than three targets, so we know new offensive coordinator Todd Monken was featuring his talented rookie. It might be worth trying to sell high on him if possible.
Fallers
The Bengals offense
The Bengals offense was a big bowl of awful in Cleveland, scoring three points in a loss to the Browns. No one had a good game, with only Joe Mixon scoring more than 10 points (he had 10.1). That includes Joe Burrow, who scored 3.2 points, and Tee Higgins, who was held without a single catch on eight targets. This will likely be Cincinnati’s worst offensive game of the year though, so keep the faith.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
What do Baker Mayfield, Sam Howell, C.J. Stroud and Desmond Ridder all have in common? They scored more fantasy points than Jackson in Week 1. Yuck. He put up just 169 passing yards with no touchdowns and one interception, and his rushing totals (38 yards) left a lot to be desired. Let’s hope this is just a hiccup and not what playing in offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s offense means for Jackson.
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Najee Harris, RB, Steelers
It’s tough to blame Harris for his 5.3-point stinker, as the 49ers absolutely beat the breaks off the Steelers. That kept Pittsburgh from assembling any kind of ground attack, as the team ran the ball 10 times while Kenny Pickett attempted 46 passes. This performance is sure to freak fantasy managers out, as Harris had a bad start to the first half of last season. He’ll face the Browns next on the schedule.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
Gibbs was (and still is) one of the big breakout candidates among running backs, but he was a secondary piece in the Lions backfield in the opener. He played in just 19 snaps, saw nine touches including two targets, and scored eight points. Those totals paled in comparison to David Montgomery, who played 55 snaps, saw 21 touches and scored 13.4 points. It might be time to buy low on the rookie.
Drake London, WR, Falcons
London was calling, but no one was home in Week 1. The breakout candidate broke our hearts, catching no passes on one target vs. Carolina. What’s more troublesome is that the Falcons threw the ball just 18 times while running the rock a combined 26 times. Better days are certainly ahead for London, but can he really be a fantasy impact maker in an offense that runs the ball that much?
