Fantasy Football Week 2 Recap: 14 Things You Need To Know

NFL Week 2 provided us with a very compelling Sunday afternoon. Two games went to overtime and six others were separated by one score. If you like fantastic finishes, this was your week. Seattle walked it off in Detroit. The Giants had their biggest comeback in half a century, Denver hit a ridiculous Hail Mary before failing on the conversion attempt. There was certainly no shortage of excitement. As you might expect, there were also numerous notable fantasy performances. We have a lot to talk about.

Top Players

Mike Evans may be Baker Mayfield’s new best friend. He averaged 28.5 yards per catch on his six grabs on Sunday. It was thanks in large part to a spectacular 70-yard catch and run that set up a Buccaneer touchdown. The play was the second-longest of his career. Evans is no stranger to big games. His 171 receiving yards represented the eighth time he has topped 170 yards in a game.

Mike Evans 17-game pace after two weeks of action:

102 receptions
2,014 yards
17 TDs

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 17, 2023

Tee Higgins is out of the doghouse. After putting up a goose egg in his first game of the season, Higgins came roaring back. He totaled 89 yards receiving and found the end zone twice in a defeat against the Ravens. He leads the Bengals in targets this season with 20.

Brian Robinson continued to stake his claim to the bellcow role in the Commanders’ backfield. He carried the ball 18 times and caught two passes, compiling 129 scrimmage yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns in a Washington win at Denver. If available on your league’s waiver wire, Robinson is a must-add.

Flop Players

Calvin Ridley had a disappointing outing against Kansas City. In what was expected to be a higher-scoring affair, Jacksonville was only able to score nine points. His eight targets tied for second on the team, but Ridley made only two receptions for 32 yards. Fantasy managers were left disappointed after his starring role in Week 1.

Kyle Pitts was targeted five times but only came up with two catches for 15 yards. His bizarre underutilization continued as the Falcons have not made him a focal point of their offense despite spending a top-five draft pick on him in the 2021 NFL Draft. He remains a frustrating fantasy option with no career multi-touchdown games and only three contests with 100+ yards.

Breece Hall was barely involved in Dallas on Sunday. The second-year back carried just four times for nine yards. He was targeted twice in the passing game but failed to make a reception as he was out-touched by Dalvin Cook on a dismal day for the Jets’ offense.

Pop Players

Puka Nacua was a target hog, yet again. It is fair to say he popped last week, but he continued his surprising breakout in his second career game. He broke the single-game record for receptions by a rookie, catching 15 against San Francisco. After being targeted 15 times in his debut, he saw 20 targets in his second appearance. No player has ever caught 25 passes in the first two games of their career.

Puka Nacua is the first player in NFL history to have 10+ catches and 100+ yards in each of his first two games 🤯🤯

— UKPigskin (@UK_Pigskin) September 17, 2023

Jayden Reed showcased his world-class speed racing to the end zone for the first of two receiving scores. He caught four of his eight targets for 37 yards. What was most impressive was his usage in the passing game as he led the team in targets.

Jayden Reed, not only with the 2 TDs, but a 32.0% target share, which EASILY led the team.

— Scott Rinear (@MunderDifflinFF) September 17, 2023

Tank Dell had his welcome to the NFL moment as he led the Texans in targets. Dell put away seven of them for 72 yards and his first career touchdown. In a game where rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud put the ball in the air 47 times, Dell was the only player with double-digit targets.

Nico Collins was another Houston receiver who hit big on Sunday. Also catching seven passes, Collins more than doubled up Dell’s yardage total with 146 yards. He also caught a touchdown from Stroud as Houston spent much of the day in catch-up mode. Either Texans receiver would be worth adding to your roster if available.

Kyren Williams is a real thing. He led the Rams’ backfield in touches for a second consecutive week. He tallied 100 total yards and added a score on the ground and another through the air. He was second on the team in targets behind the prolific Nacua. Making one catch, Ronnie Rivers was the only other running back to touch the ball on Sunday.

Drop Players?

Anthony Richardson may have been on his way to a tremendous second career start. He ran for two scores in the first six minutes in Houston. Having hit his head sharply on the second touchdown, he was removed from the game to be evaluated for a concussion. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. His status for the next game will need to be monitored throughout the week.

David Montgomery left the game in the second quarter with a thigh injury. He was on his way to a productive afternoon with 67 yards and a touchdown. He would not return to the game. Speaking after the game, Montgomery said he expects to be out for “a couple weeks.”

Saquon Barkley nearly qualified for multiple categories in this week’s recap. After gaining just 34 yards in a scoreless first half, he was beginning to look like a flop. The Giants came out of the half looking like a new team and Barkley helped lead the way to a comeback. He wound up rushing for 63 yards and a touchdown. Barkley also added 29 yards and another touchdown on six receptions. He left late in the 4th quarter with a knee injury. He is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.