Justin Fields Explodes, C.J. Stroud Implodes: Alan Goldsher’s NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

This one is personal.

Like New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields, I suffer from epilepsy—the whole story of which can be heard here—and as most epilepsy sufferers are aware, the disease doesn’t boast many celebrity advocates because…well, I don’t know exactly why.

Maybe it’s because epilepsy is a vaguely embarrassing syndrome—when you have a seizure on the ground of the Hoboken PATH stop (which I have), suffice it to say it’s not a proud moment.

Maybe it’s because epilepsy treatment is boring and difficult to explain—it’s basically, try a drug, see if it controls your seizures, and if it doesn’t, you lather, rinse, and repeat.

Whatever the reason, rarely do you hear a public figure address the disease, let alone admit they have it.

While Fields hasn’t gone out of his way to discuss his epilepsy, he hasn’t shied away from it, unafraid to talk about his seizures when asked:

"The last one I had I felt it right away, so I went to lay down and I still had it. I went to sleep. I guess I had it in my sleep, then I woke up and my head was hurting. So when I wake up and my head's hurting, I know I had a seizure. My body's sore. When you have a seizure, usually all your muscles flex up ... you've been flexing your muscles for 45 seconds or a minute. So I know when I'm about to have one now, I usually just try to lay down and go to sleep."
Justin Fields

If only for that reason, no matter where he’s playing, I’ll always, always root for my fellow epileptic.

And I’ll root for him to crush it in Week 2 so I look like a bold prediction genius.

But I’m Not a Bold Prediction Genius

Because I’m a football masochist, let’s revisit Week 1’s boldies so we can see just how badly I pooped the bed:

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith: 125-plus receiving yards and two-plus receiving touchdowns

Dude had a grand total of three targets, so he had no chance. I forgot that Philly doesn’t really like passing. Oops.

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson: 200-plus rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns

Should’ve rolled with 200-plus receiving yards, TBH. The top pick of my fantasy draft hit the century mark through the air, but managed just 24 rushing yards. That said, what with his six receptions, he crushed in PPR leagues. Like mine.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow: 400-plus passing yards

Turns out this Myles Garrett guy is pretty good at football, and, as a whole, the Browns D doesn’t suck. What with 113 yards through the air and three sacks, the Joe Burrow MVP March is off to a terrible start.

Colts QB Daniel Jones: 100-plus rushing yards and team’s leading rusher

Blew this one—Jones managed just 26 yards on the ground—but I get points for citing him as a beast.

Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty: 175-plus all-purpose yards

Forty total all-purpose yards is way worse than 175 all-purpose yards. I'm good at math.

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers: Five interceptions

Five interceptions, four touchdowns, apples, oranges.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels: Two-plus interceptions, two-plus sacks, and under 200 total yards

I had high hopes for Abdul Carter and the New York defense, but Giants gonna Giant. That said, I was only 33 yards and two picks away from nailing this one.

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold: Less than 125 passing yards

Slingin’ Sammy managed just 150 yards through the air, so sooooooo close. But he stunk, so I was correct in principle.

Now Let Me Embarrass Myself Again

Avert your eyes, because here comes my Week 2 cluster-eff:

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

Jets QB Justin Fields: 250 all-purpose yards, three all-purpose touchdowns

This may not be as bold as one might think, because A) The Bills are coming off of a short, emotional week, and B) On Sunday night, Lamar Jackson torched the Buffalo D to the tune of 279 all-purpose yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. Justin Fields is Jackson lite (very lite, actually), but he has the above factors on his side.

New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins

Patriots QB Drake Maye: 300 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown

Colts QB Daniel Jones beat the tar out of what looks like an epically lousy Dolphins defense, and Maye’s pro comp is peak Daniel Jones, so look for the sophomore to roll into Hard Rock Stadium with swag, and roll out of Hard Rock Stadium with a career game.

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions

Bears WR Luther Burden III: Two receiving touchdowns, with one going for 40-plus yards

Man, do the Lions miss their former O-coordinator, Ben Johson, as witnessed by their anemic 13-point, 271-yard wimp-out in Green Bay. And man, are the Bears happy to have Ben Johnson as their head coach. Johnson’s a tricky, tricky man, so he’ll have Caleb Williams target his rookie WR3 early and often.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers: Three interceptions

This one’s wishful thinking. (Remember, I’m a Bears fan). But the smug future Hall of Famer looked like the Rodgers of old (gross), and three picks seems super-unlikely, even against a Seahawks D that intercepted a pair of Brock Purdy passes on Opening Day. But, Bears fan.

Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: 100 rushing yards and Ravens RB Derrick Henry: 200 rushing yards

Two, two, two boldies in one! Cleveland allowed a grand total of 46 rushing yards to the Bengals in Week 1, but they’ll be traveling to Charm City, where they’ll have to deal with a pissed off Ravens squad who, despite putting up 40 points, had their heart broken by Josh Allen on Sunday night. They will take it out on their division rival. And it won’t be pretty.

Carolina Panthers vs. Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Defense: Five interceptions

Yeah, Panthers signal caller Bryce Young finished up 2024 on a heater, but he opened up 2025 with a stinker, racking up an embarrassing 20.1 QBR. In their Week 1 clash with New Orleans, the Cards D didn’t pick mediocre second-year QB Spencer Rattler, but at home, they’ll abuse Young—and possibly his backup, Andy Dalton.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.: 315-plus passing yards and 35-plus rushing yards

Penix fell a mere two yards short of 300 yards in his impressive Opening Day coming out party, but facing a tough Vikes D, he’ll serve notice to the league that he’s legit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans

Buccaneers defense: Four recovered turnovers

I’m two bad C.J. Stroud performances away from being completely out on the Texans QB. His garbage Week 1 outing—188 passing yards, 32 rushing yards, one pick, three sacks, 43.3 QBR—was a Bryce Young-level fiasco, and with Joe Mixon and Tank Dell down for the count, I don’t see things improving against a Bucs D that will want to shine on Monday night.

Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts

Daniel Jones: 275-plus passing yards, 75-plus rushing yards, three all-purpose touchdowns

Out on Stroud, in on Jones. The first-year Colt was flat-out awesome in his Indy debut, finishing the week as fantasy QB3, while the Broncos defense, which some thought would be among the best in the league, looked good-but-not-great against Tennessee and their rookie signal caller, Cam Ward. At home, Jones will prove himself to be a potentially elite fantasy option for the remainder of the 2025 season.