Week 2 Fantasy Football Comebacks and Concerns

Written by Tyler Draisin

All Players Mentioned in this Article:

Quarterbacks: Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow,  Caleb Williams, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott

Wide Receivers: Marvin Harrison Jr, DK Metcalf, Amon-Ra St Brown, Malik Nabers, Davonte Adams, Drake London, Ceedee Lamb, George Pickens, Ja'Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Tank Dell, Michael Pittman Jr,  Amari Cooper, Brandon Aiyuk, Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave

Tight Ends: Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Dalton Kincaid

Comeback or Concern?

Each of the following players heavily underperformed in week 1 compared to their expectations. With a 2nd week of data in the books, let's look at who just had a fluke game in week 1 and who could have a concerning season in Fantasy Football this year.

We're so Back - Players with Week 1 Flukes who Bounced Back & Can Start Moving Forward

The following players all had disappointing showings in Week 1 but did enough in Week 2 for fantasy managers to have confidence in starting them on their rosters this season.

Arizona Cardinals - WR Marvin Harrison Jr (+ 27.6) & QB Kyler Murray (+ 14.34) 

Marvin Harrison Jr - WR103 Week 1: 1.4 points - WR1 Week 2: 29.0 points

Kyler Murray - QB15 Week 1: 14.2 points - QB1 Week 2 : 28.54 points

The Arizona Cardinals are so back, as quarterback Kyler Murray found his connection with rookie star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr and both finished as the top scoring fantasy producers in their positions. This stack should confidently be on all starting rosters and expect solid games to continue as they only improve in this relationship as the season progresses.

Seattle Seahawks - WR DK Metcalf (+ 23)

WR63 Week 1: 5.9 points - WR2 Week 2: 28.9 points

Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf had a concerning showing against the Broncos in Week 1, but Metcalf was peppered with targets in week 2, proving why he should be starting in at least the WR2 slot on all rosters. Expect DK to be the primary target in Seattle and be the top performing receiver on the team, despite competition starting to emerge from a year-2 Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Detroit Lions - WR Amon-Ra St Brown (+ 18.6)

WR71 Week 1: 4.3 points - WR10 Week 2: 22.9 points 

After a very concerning Week 1 performance, Amon-Ra St Brown looked more like his usual self this week, relieving managers who drafted him in the 1st round of their fantasy drafts in 2024. Despite the breakout of year-3 wide receiver Jameson WIlliams, it appears that St Brown should continue his role as the primary passing target for quarterback Jared Goff, with Williams most likely taking the role of 2nd target from year-2 tight end Sam LaPorta instead.

New York Giants - WR Malik Nabers (+ 17.1)

WR32 Week 1: 11.6 points - WR3 Week 2: 28.7 points

The New York Giants have a long season ahead of them, but rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had himself a great game in the Giants’ tight loss to the Washington Commanders. Quarterback Daniel Jones targeted Nabers with an impressive 18 targets, allowing Nabers to prove that he was deserving of being the 2nd wide receiver drafted in the NFL this year. Expect solid and startable numbers from Nabers as he gets most of the Giants’ targets each week moving forward, however do not expect Daniel Jones to perform this strongly and take into consideration the favorable matchup against the Washington defense this week.

Las Vegas Raiders - WR Davante Adams (+ 15.1)

WR37 Week 1: 10.9 points - WR5 Week 2: 26.0 points

The Las Vegas Raiders pulled off an unexpected upset against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, largely due to Adams being targeted twice as many times as in the Week 1 loss to the Chargers. Historically, Davante Adams has been a respectable player (both in fantasy and the NFL), and has had a range of fantasy production over the course of the season. Despite the addition of rookie tight end Brock Bowers, expect usual boom/bust production from Adams this season and don’t be surprised if he scores 8 or 38 fantasy points in any given week.

Atlanta Falcons - WR Drake London (+ 13.9)

WR83 Week 1: 3.5 points - WR19 Week 2: 17.4 points

3rd Year Falcons receiver Drake London was cursed with poor quarterback play for the first 2 years of his career. With the offseason acquisition of veteran Kirk Cousins and rookie Michael Penix Jr, Drake London was primed for the best season of his career. After a dud in the low-scoring loss to the Steelers, the Falcons had fantasy managers concerned about what the season in store was going to look like. In Week 2, the Falcons pulled off an impressive last-minute victory in Philadelphia over the Eagles and Drake London finished with a solid box score. If Kirk Cousins continues playing like he did in game 2, expect top 20 wide receiver production as London's floor this season.

Cincinnati Bengals - QB Joe Burrow (+ 9.12)

QB27 Week 1: 8.1 points - QB10 Week 2: 17.22 points

Joe Burrow’s debut last week was highly anticipated to see how well he recovered from his wrist injury sustained last season. When he underperformed in an unexpected loss against the New England Patriots, many Joe Burrow managers were quite concerned for his season outlook. With a nail-biting loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Burrow had a productive Week 2 in fantasy, even without a strong performance from Ja’Marr Chase and the absence of receiver Tee Higgins. Burrow’s performance this week should give fantasy managers confidence in starting him each week in their quarterback slot.

Dallas Cowboys - WR Ceedee Lamb (+ 5.4)

WR23 Week 1: 13.6 points - WR15 Week 2: 19.0 points

While quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t have the most impressive performance in the Cowboys shocking loss against the New Orleans Saints, star receiver Ceedee Lamb returned to his normal self as wide receiver fantasy superstar. What was likely another down week due to the blowout, fantasy managers can expect Ceedee to continue performing as a top 5 wide receiver each week this season.

Baltimore Ravens - TE Mark Andrews (+5.7) & Buffalo Bills - TE Dalton Kincaid (+5.2)

Mark Andrews - TE28 Week 1: 3.4 points, TE10 Week 2: 9.1 points (+ 5.7)

Dalton Kincaid - TE38 Week 1: 2.1 points, TE14 Week 2: 7.3 points (+ 5.2)

Week 1 was very disappointing for all tight ends not named Brock Bowers, but Ravens tight end Mark Andrews and 2nd-year Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid were exceptionally disappointing due to their offseason expectations. Mark Andrews was heavily shown up by fellow Ravens tight end Isiah Likely, making many managers question if Mark Andrews had lost his role as Lamar Jackson’s favorite pass-catcher. In week 2, Andrews outperformed Likely as they both scored a typical amount of points and brought the panic back down to earth. During the offseason, Kincaid was speculated to be Josh Allen’s primary pass-catcher and Week 1 did not prove that same sentiment. After their week 2 performances, both highly-drafted tight ends should receive a healthy amount of volume from their elite level quarterbacks and finish (at the very least) within the top 6 of fantasy tight ends this year.

It's so Over - Players with Concerning Week 1 & Week 2 Fantasy Production

The following players all had disappointing showings in Week 1 and did not improve enough (or at all) in Week 2 and should be concerning assets for fantasy managers in the long season ahead.

Pittsburgh Steelers - WR George Pickens (- 8.6)

WR24 Week 1: 13.5 points - WR64 Week 2: 4.9 points

With the Steelers offseason quarterback upgrade and departure of Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh wide receiver George Pickens was primed for a breakout year and to emerge as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers. Instead of that happening, Pickens scored 13.5 fantasy points in a game where the Steelers pulled off a narrow victory scoring 18 points via 6 field goals. Week 2 was another low-scoring win against the Denver Broncos, with Pickens scoring less than half of his Week 1 fantasy production. These low-touchdown games provide little scoring opportunity for Pickens and in turn a concerningly low ceiling for his fantasy production this season, especially when up against opponents more formidable than the Falcons and Broncos.

Cincinnati Bengals - WR Ja’Marr Chase (- 4.7)

WR28 Week 1: 12.2 points - WR47 Week 2: 7.5 points

Drafting Ja’Marr Chase this year was a risky pick at his ADP due to his contract situation with the Cincinnati Bengals resulting in him missing most of the pre-season. In Week 1, Chase caught all 6 of his targets for an unimpressive 62 yards in an unexpected loss against the New England Patriots. This could be excused due to the issues mentioned previously, but fantasy managers expected his fantasy production to only go up from there. This was not the case in his Week 2 loss to the Chiefs, as Chase had 1 less target and nearly half as many yards. One could hope for more production against more formidable defenses, however the Week 1 loss to the Patriots argues the possibility of the alternative. Week 3 will be very telling for Chase’s season, if he is unable to score elite fantasy production against a struggling Washington Commanders defense, don’t expect Ja’Marr Chase to have a WR1 season this year.

New York Jets - WR Garrett Wilson (- 1.8)

WR29 Week 1: 12 points - WR33 Week 2: 10.2 points

Jets receiver Garrett Wilson was primed for an elite breakout season this year, as the primary target for a healthy Aaron Rodgers. In Week 1, Wilson had a solid 11 targets but only caught 6 of them for 60 yards against a strong San Francisco defense. This Week 1 fantasy production was understandable with the tough 49ers matchup, however Wilson’s Week 2 production was disappointing against a respectable Titans defense. In Week 2, Wilson had nearly half of his week 1 targets with a similar amount of yards to his Week 1 showing. The Jets schedule this year is going to be tough, as they will be up against some very formidable defenses until their week 12 bye week. While Garrett Wilson will be a consistent WR2/FLEX option this season, don’t expect him to emerge as an elite asset this season.

Chicago Bears - QB Caleb Williams (+ 0.16), WR DJ Moore (+ 1.3),  WR Rome Odunze (+ 3.2)

QB Caleb Williams - QB31 Week 1: 7.2 points - QB29 Week 2: 7.36 points

WR DJ Moore - WR41 Week 1: 10.0 points - WR30 Week 2: 11.3 points

WR Rome Odunze - WR93 Week: 2.10 points - WR61 Week 2: 5.3 points

The Chicago Bears were heavily anticipated to have a comeback season with the offseason addition of Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, and drafting of 1st overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams, and 1st round pick Rome Odunze as the teams 3rd receiver. The Bears traded away their last-year quarterback Justin Fields and drafted Caleb Williams as his franchise replacement. Williams has only completed about half of his passes and has yet to score a touchdown in his first 2 NFL games, despite an impressive supporting cast. In this supporting cast, Keenan Allen has been injured and deserves a healthy week before judging his fantasy production. Veteran Bears receiver DJ Moore has seen a solid amount of targets (8 & 10) but has yet to provide top 24 receiving production, and rookie receiver Rome Odunze has yet to catch more than 2 passes in his first 2 NFL appearances. The Chicago Bears are currently 1-1 and have only found the end zone in the running game as of yet. Caleb Williams and the Bears receivers still have plenty of time to get this passing game together, but even if we do see them start catching in the end zone, expect the touchdown passes to be scattered amongst the talent on the team. Until proven otherwise, use caution when placing anyone in the Bears passing game in your starting fantasy lineup.

Houston Texans - WR Tank Dell (- 6.6)

WR49 Week 1: 8.9 points - WR95 Week 2: 2.3 points

Year-2 wide receiver Tank Dell had his rookie season cut short due to injury but showed fantasy managers enough talent to be a solid starter for the Houston Texans. Despite having Dell and fellow receiver Nico Collins as a strong receiving duo, the Texans traded for former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs in the offseason. The addition of Diggs has taken more of a toll on Dell’s fantasy production than expected, with Dell having 7 and 4 targets in the first 2 weeks of the season. Tank Dell has struggled in hauling in these targets, giving him only 3 catches in Week 1 and 1 sole catch in Week 2 for negative 3 yards. There is a world where Tank Dell returns to elite fantasy production, but it’s very unlikely to see that happen this year without Collins or Diggs missing any time this season. For now, Dell is not a player you can trust on your starting roster and should remain on fantasy benches until proven otherwise.

Indianapolis Colts - WR Michael Pittman Jr (- 2.0)

WR58 Week 1: 7.1 points - WR63 Week 2: 5.1 points

After missing the vast majority of his rookie season, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson returned with an impressive Week 1 production. However, this production was largely due to his rushing ability and 2 passing touchdowns, neither of which went to experienced Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Richardson has shown signs of struggle in the passing game since his NFL return, and in turn affects Pittman Jr’s fantasy production. In the first 2 weeks, Pittman Jr has only caught 7 of his 15 targets, for a total of 52 passing yards. Expect 6-10 targets each week towards Pittman Jr, but unless Richardson’s accuracy improves, Michael Pittman Jr should not be a starting wide receiver on any fantasy rosters this season.

Cleveland Browns - WR Amari Cooper (+ 0.5)

WR79 Week 1: 3.6 points - WR72 Week 2: 4.1 points

Similarly to previously mentioned Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr, the issues with Browns receiver Amari Cooper are no fault of his own, and instead of his quarterback and play calling. Amari Cooper has only been able to catch 5 of his 17 targets this season, for a total 27 passing yards. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has not looked great this season so far, and if he does not improve in his throwing, do not expect Amari Cooper to put up starting wide receiver numbers on your fantasy team against any respectable defenses moving forward.

Kansas City Chiefs - TE Travis Kelce (- 4.8)

TE15 Week 1: 6.4 points - TE47 Week 2: 1.6 points

The Kansas City Chiefs are off to a 2-0 start and look to be playing much stronger in the passing game for the first time since the departure of Tyreek Hill. This success for the Chiefs is evident of a larger issue regarding Travis Kelce’s fantasy success and shows that he does not need to be Mahomes’ top target in order for the franchise to win games. With the injury to Isiah Pacheco, we might see a slight increase in Kelce’s production until Pacheco returns from Injury Reserve. Do not expect to see the elite production that we’ve come to expect from Travis Kelce in years prior.

Thin Ice - Players with Disappointing Week 1 Production but Earned 1 More Week

While all of the previously mentioned players could bounce back this season, it is more unlikely for those causing concern than these 5 players who are on thin ice. Each player on this list had an immensely disappointing Week 1 performance, but due to their talent, matchups, and signs of improvement, have a higher chance to redeem themselves in Week 3. Depending on if these players improve on their Week 2 performances or not in Week 3, will reflect how they should be viewed for the rest of the season. If they are unable to provide a strong showing in any of the first 3 weeks, they will be due for a concerning year in fantasy this season. If they can continue to show improvement as the weeks progress, it's reasonable to assume that they can continue to rise through the season and end their year as a respectable fantasy starter.

QB Patrick Mahomes - QB12 Week 1: 15.1 points - QB14 Week 2: 12.94 points

QB Dak Prescott - QB17 Week 1: 11.5 points - QB15 Week 2: 12.92 points

WR Brandon Aiyuk - WR67 Week 1: 4.8 points - WR40 Week 2: 8.3 points

WR Terry McLaurin - WR78 Week 1: 3.7 points - WR42 Week 2: 8.2 points

WR Chris Olave - WR85 Week 1: 3.1 points - WR26 Week 2: 12.8 points