Week 2 was highlighted by a flurry of scoring and an onslaught of injuries. Seven teams broke the 30-point threshold on the back of huge games from several fantasy studs. Nevertheless, many owners will be crying themselves to sleep after key performers such as Tony Romo, Lamar Miller, Eddie Lacy, Jordan Cameron, and Jay Cutler were knocked out of games, reminding owners everywhere why depth is crucial in fantasy football.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ backfield is a soon-to-be murky situation
When fantasy owners dished out a high pick for the talented Jeremy Hill, they were hoping for a repeat of the sophomore tailback’s 1124-yard, nine-touchdown 2014 campaign. After scoring two touchdowns in Week 1, Hill promptly had an eventful Sunday that included a brief injury exit, two fumbles, and a benching. Hill’s back-up Giovani Bernard has already amassed an astonishing 37 touches and 227 yards. With numbers like those, the Bengals are going to have a hard time taking Bernard off the field. It may be the right time to buy low on Bernard, but be warned, a timeshare is looming—one that is sure to provide owners with weekly headaches.
A disastrous day in Dallas
As the brilliant Ron Burgundy once said, “Boy, that escalated quickly.” Only one week ago things were looking just fine for the Dallas Cowboys. With Romo under centre and wide receiver Dez Bryant primed to tear up the league, this team appeared poised to build on last season’s 12-4 record, but no such luck. Bryant is out for six-plus weeks with a broken foot bone and now—to Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones’ delight—the franchise quarterback has been diagnosed with a fractured left clavicle. Oh, and tight end Jason Witten supposedly suffered injuries to both his ankles and a knee to add injury to injury. The rest of the Cowboys’ season may be difficult to watch as they will have to rely on a mediocre run game to hide the abysmal quarterback play of Brandon Weeden.
The Steelers are a force to be reckoned with
Things are heating up in Steel city after Pittsburgh dismantled the San Francisco 49ers 43-18. Big Ben was sharp as usual, putting up 369 yards and three touchdowns, along with a herculean 195-yard effort by Antonio Brown. Backup halfback DeAngelo Williams also managed to score three touchdowns. With Brown quickly cementing himself as the league’s most consistent receiver, and the impending returns of all-purpose superstar Le’Veon Bell in Week 3 and up-and-coming wideout Martavis Bryant in Week 5, the Steelers offence is going to be a wrecking ball. Invest heavily in this team if given the opportunity—it is sure to be a fantasy goldmine.
The implosion of the Eagles
Upon receiving the go-ahead to rebuild his squad this off-season, Philadelphia Head Coach Chip Kelly did not hesitate to make some pretty drastic moves. In only a few months, the football community watched as star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin relinquished his Eagles uniform and veterans LeSean McCoy and Nick Foles were shipped out and replaced with Demarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, Kiko Alonso, and Sam Bradford. The result was an unwatchable Week 2 performance. The fiasco of a game included a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, picks, fumbles, and an Eagles run game that finished with a measly seven total yards. Until Kelly fixes the offensive line, the offence as a whole will continue to suffer.
Julio Jones and Matt Ryan: The best tandem in football
Hot off a two-touchdown, 141-yard torching of the Eagles in Week 1, wide receiver Julio Jones once again put up an awe-inspiring performance this week against the New York Giants. He reeled in a franchise-record 13 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown in the win. Julio’s speed, pass catching ability, and overall athleticism make him a mismatch for nearly every corner in the game. As long as quarterback Matt Ryan maintains his elite performance, Jones will be a threat to break 100 yards and find the end zone every Sunday.
Quarterback play at its finest
Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor, Colin Kaepernick, Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton. What do these men have in common this week? Surprisingly, they find themselves in the top-10 quarterback fantasy performers of Week 2, ahead of superstars like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Although these signal-callers aren’t the most attractive names to have in bye-week or two-quarterback lineups, they have proven that the NFL does have quarterback depth, and that they can pay dividends from time to time if you’re willing to take the risk. To grieving Romo owners looking to swing a big name replacement in a trade, consider streaming some of the aforementioned names based on weekly matchups. Solid picks this week include Taylor against the Dolphins and Carr versus the lowly Browns.
Terrific article!