Skip to main content

Fantasy Football Targets Analysis: Week 2

Fantasy Football Targets Analysis: Week 2

Targets have become an important part of the fantasy football landscape. Even if a player has a rough outing, paying attention to how many targets he received can help us evaluate how valuable that player’s role is. Tracking those looks on a week-to-week basis is invaluable to giving your fantasy football squad the best chance to win.

View weekly target counts and leaders across the NFL partner-arrow

Arizona Cardinals last week @IND, this week vs. DAL

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Jaron Brown ARZ 11 4 73 0 0 36
J.J. Nelson ARZ 7 5 120 1 0 71
Larry Fitzgerald ARZ 6 3 21 0 0 50
Andre Ellington ARZ 5 3 12 0 0 60
Brittan Golden ARZ 2 1 29 0 1 50
Ifeanyi Momah ARZ 2 1 46 0 1 50
Troy Niklas ARZ 1 1 16 0 0 100

After leading the Cardinals in targets and receptions in Week 1, Larry Fitzgerald fell to third, behind Jaron Brown and J.J. Nelson. Fitzgerald hasn’t shown much burst in either game and isn’t getting open on crossing routes as easily as he had, even last year.

J.J. Nelson looks like he’s the real deal. Through the first two weeks, Nelson is the No. 3 fantasy WR, behind only Michael Crabtree and Antonio Brown. With touchdowns in back-to-back games as a starter and John Brown already ailing, Nelson should remain a big part of Arizona’s offense.

Kerwynn Williams was outplayed by Chris Johnson as a runner and went untargeted in the passing game. Bruce Arians has already indicated that Johnson’s role should grow, meaning Williams would have little fantasy value as a backup who doesn’t command targets.

Atlanta Falcons last week vs. GB, this week @DET

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Julio Jones ATL 9 5 108 0 0 56
Mohamed Sanu ATL 6 5 85 0 0 83
Taylor Gabriel ATL 3 2 14 0 0 67
Justin Hardy ATL 2 1 19 0 0 50
Austin Hooper ATL 2 2 7 0 0 100
Devonta Freeman ATL 2 2 16 0 0 100
Tevin Coleman ATL 2 2 3 1 0 100

After a big first half, Julio Jones only hauled in one pass in the second half. Granted, the Falcons had established a pretty big lead and went run-heavy, but Jones was torching the Green Bay secondary in the first half. Jones is a locked-in WR1 who should have no problems with Detroit’s cornerback tandem of D.J. Hayden and Darius Slay.

Austin Hooper had the same two targets, two receptions stat line as he had in Week 1, the difference was Hooper didn’t bust loose on huge gainers like he did against the Bears. With four targets in two games, Hooper isn’t a safe bet to be a consistent source of weekly targets or production.

Through two weeks, Mohamed Sanu is tied with Julio Jones for a team-high 14 targets. Tevin Coleman is losing goal-line carries to Devonta Freeman, but Coleman has out-targeted Freeman 8-4 so far in 2017. Freeman remains an every-week starter, while Coleman is on the flex radar.

Baltimore Ravens last week vs. CLE, this week @JAC

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Benjamin Watson BLT 8 8 91 0 0 100
Jeremy Maclin BLT 5 4 31 1 0 80
Javorius Allen BLT 5 5 35 1 0 100
Maxx Williams BLT 4 4 21 0 0 100
Mike Wallace BLT 3 1 7 0 0 33
Breshad Perriman BLT 2 0 0 0 1 0
Nick Boyle BLT 1 1 9 0 0 100

After receiving just one target in the opener, TE Benjamin Watson jumped up to a team-high eight looks this week, with a perfect catch rate. Watson should be first in line for targets from a Ravens three-man tight end rotation.

Joe Flacco heavily targeted his tight ends last year but threw only three passes their way in the opener, followed by a leap to 13 targets against the Browns. This is likely a situation where Flacco was simply taking what Cleveland, historically awful defending tight ends, was giving him.

Mike Wallace has been absent from Baltimore’s first two games. With only four targets, two grabs and 15 yards, it might be time for fantasy owners to cut bait.

Buffalo Bills last week @CAR, this week vs. DEN

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
LeSean McCoy BUF 7 6 34 0 0 86
Zay Jones BUF 6 2 18 0 1 33
Andre Holmes BUF 4 2 18 0 0 50
Jordan Matthews BUF 3 3 30 0 0 100
Charles Clay BUF 3 3 23 0 0 100
Patrick DiMarco BUF 1 0 0 0 0 0

The Bills faced a tough task in Week 2, traveling to Carolina to take on a Panthers defense that has only allowed three points in each of their first two games. The Panthers held Tyrod Taylor to only 125 passing yards and kept LeSean McCoy stifled and the Bills out of the end zone. Things won’t get much easier this week for Buffalo facing a stout Denver defense.

McCoy got only six rushing attempts in this game as the Bills found no success sustaining drives. McCoy has led the Bills in catches in the first two weeks, so even in a lousy Week 3 matchup against the Broncos, McCoy’s workload and receiving prowess means he’ll remain an RB2.

After a big opener, TE Charles Clay dropped down to three receptions for 23 yards. Clay caught all three targets, but Week 2 was a reminder that the Bills offense just doesn’t provide enough opportunities for Clay to sustain weekly use in fantasy leagues. He’s nothing more than a matchup-dependent weekly streamer when Buffalo is facing a lesser defense. Hosting the Broncos in Week 3, Clay won’t be a recommended start in any format.

Carolina Panthers last week vs. BUF, this week vs. NO

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Kelvin Benjamin CAR 8 6 77 0 0 75
Devin Funchess CAR 6 4 68 0 0 67
Christian McCaffrey CAR 5 4 34 0 0 80
Curtis Samuel CAR 3 2 7 0 0 67
Ed Dickson CAR 3 2 26 0 0 67
Greg Olsen CAR 2 1 10 0 0 50
Russell Shepard CAR 2 1 6 0 0 50
Damiere Byrd CAR 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jonathan Stewart CAR 1 0 0 0 1 0

TE Greg Olsen broke a bone in his foot and is expected to miss six weeks. Annually at or near the top of Carolina’s target hierarchy, his absence will cause Mike Shula to have to make major adjustments to his offense. Expect WR Devin Funchess and RB Christian McCaffrey to see the biggest uptick in targets.

McCaffrey is second on the club with 11 targets but leads the Panthers with nine grabs. McCaffrey is on pace to catch 72 balls this season, which would likely be a top-3 number for NFL running backs. With Olsen out for the foreseeable future and McCaffrey’s role potentially growing, this could be an excellent time to try to buy low from a frustrated CMC owner.

After nabbing only one of five targets in Week 1, Kelvin Benjamin had a much better showing in Week 2, hauling in six of eight and leading Carolina with 77 yards receiving. With the NFL’s worst pass defense on deck for Week 3, Benjamin looks like a good bet to threaten 100 yards and get into the end zone.

Chicago Bears last week @TB, this week vs. PIT

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Kendall Wright CHI 10 7 69 0 2 70
Tarik Cohen CHI 9 8 55 0 0 89
Zach Miller CHI 9 6 42 0 1 67
Josh Bellamy CHI 7 4 51 0 1 57
Deonte Thompson CHI 5 4 57 1 0 80
Jordan Howard CHI 1 0 0 0 1 0
Dion Sims CHI 1 0 0 0 0 0

RB Tarik Cohen has commanded nine targets in consecutive games and leads all NFL running backs with 16 receptions. With Jordan Howard last seen wearing a sling, Cohen could be in for a much larger role as both a runner and receiver should Howard miss time.

Don’t read too much into Mike Glennon’s 301 passing yards last week. The Bears were thoroughly hammered in Tampa and the vast majority of Glennon’s production against his former team came in garbage time. Mitchell Trubisky could get on the field sooner than later.

TE Zach Miller has a healthy 15 targets through two games, which ties Rob Gronkowski for fifth in the league among tight ends.

Cincinnati Bengals last week @TB, this week @GB

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Brandon LaFell CIN 7 4 30 0 0 57
A.J. Green CIN 6 5 67 0 0 83
Alex Erickson CIN 6 4 62 0 0 67
Giovani Bernard CIN 4 2 8 0 1 50
Tyler Eifert CIN 4 3 42 0 0 75

Andy Dalton has been brutal, leading to the Bengals canning their offensive coordinator in an effort to turn their season around. It won’t get any easier for the team this week, traveling to Green Bay to take on an angry Packers team. Dalton is averaging 197 passing yards per game, with no touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s not a recommended Week 3 play and his poor play assures that few Bengals will have weekly value.

A.J. Green was held in check against Houston and is hard to consider a top-tier, must-start weekly wideout with Dalton playing so poorly. Still, the Packers have only been middle-of-the-road at defending wide receivers, surrendering 29 fantasy points-per-week to WRs so far in 2017. Green should remain a weekly WR2, even as the Bengals work through a bad stretch.

TE Tyler Eifert is dealing with two separate injuries and is considered questionable at best for Week 3. Gio Bernard could pick up the slack with a few more looks if Eifert sits.

Cleveland Browns last week @BAL, this week @IND

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Rashard Higgins CLV 11 7 99 0 0 64
Corey Coleman CLV 6 1 9 0 1 17
Duke Johnson CLV 5 3 59 0 0 60
Seth DeValve CLV 4 2 61 0 0 50
David Njoku CLV 4 3 27 1 1 75
Sammie Coates CLV 3 0 0 0 0 0
Ricardo Louis CLV 2 2 27 0 0 100
Kenny Britt CLV 2 1 2 0 0 50
Randall Telfer CLV 1 1 20 0 0 100
Isaiah Crowell CLV 1 0 0 0 0 0

From the outhouse to the penthouse, Rashard Higgins was activated from the practice squad and ended up leading the Browns in every receiving category last week. Higgins played on 76% of Cleveland’s offensive snaps and should remain a big part of the weekly game plan with Corey Coleman now on IR with a broken hand.

Prized free agent addition Kenny Britt has hauled in two of five targets for 15 yards so far in 2017.

The Browns haven’t had much success on the ground so far this season. Isaiah Crowell is sitting at 2.59 yards-per-carry and is the RB46 through two games. Things should ease up this week as the Browns take on an Indianapolis Colts defense that gives up over 20 weekly fantasy points to running backs.

Dallas Cowboys last week @DEN, this week @ARZ

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Dez Bryant DAL 14 6 55 1 2 43
Jason Witten DAL 11 10 97 1 1 91
Cole Beasley DAL 8 4 33 0 0 50
Ezekiel Elliott DAL 5 4 14 0 0 80
Terrance Williams DAL 4 4 17 0 0 100
Brice Butler DAL 2 1 18 0 1 50

Even with a bad matchup against Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., Dak Prescott didn’t shy away from feeding targets to Dez Bryant, who caught six balls including a red zone touchdown in Week 2. Bryant faces another difficult task in Week 3 against Patrick Peterson, but his high-volume target role (second in the NFL) assures that Bryant is a good bet for weekly WR1/2 numbers.

Jason Witten is playing a huge role in the Cowboys passing attack. With defenses attempting to blanket Dez Bryant with attention, Witten leads the NFL with 17 receptions on 22 targets. The Cardinals secondary has been good defending tight ends so far in 2017, but Witten should be in for another busy week of looks.

Cole Beasly isn’t getting open as much as he did last season. Beasley has logged 32 and 33 receiving yards in Dallas’ first two games. If Ezekiel Elliott gets going strong, it could mean even less opportunities for Beasley moving forward.

Denver Broncos last week vs. DAL, this week @BUF

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Demaryius Thomas DEN 8 6 71 0 0 75
Emmanuel Sanders DEN 8 6 62 2 2 75
Bennie Fowler DEN 3 1 8 0 0 33
C.J. Anderson DEN 3 3 36 1 0 100
Virgil Green DEN 3 2 11 1 0 67
Cody Latimer DEN 2 2 22 0 0 100
A.J. Derby DEN 1 0 0 0 0 0
Jeff Heuerman DEN 1 1 15 0 0 100

The No. 1 quarterback in fantasy football, Trevor Siemian, did a remarkable job dicing up the Dallas secondary in Week 2, evenly distributing 16 passes to his starting wideouts and three targets to each of his supporting cast. So far, Mike McCoy’s offense has been an excellent fit for Siemian, who has vastly improved his vision and speed at breaking down reads.

Demaryius Thomas has eight targets in each of Denver’s first two games, while Emmanuel Sanders has totaled 14. With a pair of TD grabs against Dallas, Sanders has outscored Thomas 2-0, but Thomas should be the best bet to lead Denver in red zone targets moving forward.

Still no clarity with Denver’s three-man rotation at tight end. Virgil Green, A.J. Derby, and Jeff Heuerman should all see action each week, with no clearly defined leader or favorite to command red zone looks. It’s a situation to avoid in fantasy football.

Detroit Lions last week @NYG, this week vs. ATL

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Eric Ebron DET 5 5 42 1 0 100
Golden Tate DET 4 4 25 0 0 100
Marvin Jones DET 4 1 27 1 0 25
Kenny Golladay DET 3 1 8 0 0 33
Theo Riddick DET 3 3 17 0 0 100
Darren Fells DET 1 1 3 0 0 100

Eric Ebron truthers unite! After a quiet opener, Ebron had an excellent Week 2 showing on Monday Night Football, catching all five targets for a team-leading 42 yards and his first touchdown on the young season. If Ebron can finally put it all together and earn consistent red zone targets away from Kenny Golladay and Theo Riddick, he has top-10 weekly potential.

RB Ameer Abdullah had his best game, setting career bests in carries and rushing yards. Strangely, Abdullah wasn’t targeted in the game and Theo Riddick only got three passes thrown his way. Week 1, in which Riddick got seven targets and Abdullah received three, is probably a better indication of how Matthew Stafford will utilize his backs in the passing game on a weekly basis.

The Falcons secondary sits in the bottom-10 of the NFL after the first two weeks, so Golden Tate should be a good candidate to bounce back with another week of 7+ targets. Tate has secured 14 of 16 targets so far in 2017, an 88% clip.

Green Bay Packers last week @ATL, this week vs. CIN

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Davante Adams GB 10 8 99 1 0 80
Martellus Bennett GB 10 5 47 0 1 50
Randall Cobb GB 9 6 60 0 0 67
Ty Montgomery GB 6 6 75 1 0 100
Geronimo Allison GB 5 3 24 0 0 60

Jordy Nelson exited Week 2 early with an injured quad. Early indications are that Nelson is very questionable for Week 3. Even if he suits up, Nelson could be limited or on a snap count. With Randall Cobb (shoulder) also ailing, We could see an increase in targets for Davante Adams, Martellus Bennett, and Ty Montgomery.

Montgomery has caught all 10 targets he’s seen so far in 2017 and currently stands as the No. 2 running back in fantasy football. Montgomery is on pace for 1,624 combined yards of offense in 2017.

Geronimo Allison played over 80% of snaps in Week 2 for Green Bay, catching three of five targets for 24 yards. Should Nelson miss this week, Allison would be in line to start on the outside, opposite of Davante Adams against a Bengals secondary that has allowed the fewest yards to opposing wide receivers.

Houston Texans last week @CIN, this week @NE

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
DeAndre Hopkins HST 13 7 73 0 0 54
Braxton Miller HST 4 2 10 0 0 50
Tyler Ervin HST 4 3 16 0 0 75
Lamar Miller HST 3 3 26 0 0 100

Don’t get your hopes up for any sort of positive offensive developments from the Texans against a New England pass defense that looked awful in Week 1 and gave up plenty of garbage time production to the Saints. The Texans have lost six straight to the Patriots by an average score of 34-13.

Only two Texans wide receivers have even logged a single target this year and DeAndre Hopkins is leading the league with 28 targets on the season. Hopkins has been the intended recipient of 48% of the team’s passes so far in 2017, an incredible and unsustainable rate. Nuk will clearly be the primary focus of Bill Belichick this week, but pure volume dictates that Hopkins is too heavily-involved to sit.

Will Fuller practiced for the first time since breaking his collarbone in training camp. Fuller’s presence would certainly help open things up for the Texans, who only have 289 passing yards in the season’s first two contests.

Indianapolis Colts last week vs. ARZ, this week CLE

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Jack Doyle IND 8 8 79 0 0 100
Donte Moncrief IND 7 2 18 0 1 29
Kamar Aiken IND 7 3 31 0 1 43
T.Y. Hilton IND 5 4 49 0 0 80
Frank Gore IND 2 0 0 0 1 0
Robert Turbin IND 1 1 8 0 0 100
Brandon Williams IND 1 1 20 0 0 100

With Andrew Luck already ruled out for Week 3, Jacoby Brissett will be under center for his second straight start in Indy. Brissett was much more effective than Scott Tolzien was in the Colts’ opener. Brissett completed 54% of his throws for 216 yards and threw an interception and should have a better game against a questionable Cleveland secondary.

After a lackluster opener, Jack Doyle emerged from Week 2 as Brissett’s favorite target. Doyle corralled all eight targets thrown his way and should be an excellent fantasy option in Week 3 facing a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed the most catches (19), touchdowns (2) and third-most receiving yards (162) to enemy tight ends.

Donte Moncrief and Kamar Aiken have combined to catch only seven of their 19 targets with two drops so far in 2017. As long as Luck remains out of the lineup, there’s little hope of the Colts consistently producing a fantasy-relevant wideout other than T.Y. Hilton, who is also off to a sluggish start.

Jacksonville Jaguars last week vs. TEN, this week vs. BAL

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Marqise Lee JAX 12 7 76 0 1 58
Allen Hurns JAX 7 6 82 1 0 86
Chris Ivory JAX 4 3 31 0 0 75
Keelan Cole JAX 3 2 13 0 0 67
Leonard Fournette JAX 3 2 21 0 1 67
Marcedes Lewis JAX 2 0 0 0 0 0

With Allen Robinson lost for the year, Marqise Lee looks like the Jags’ new WR1, followed by Allen Hurns. Jacksonville’s receiving corps combined to catch 15 of 22 targets in Week 2, with the vast majority of that production coming in the fourth quarter after the Titans had put the game away.

That garbage time narrative has been a boon to Blake Bortles’s fantasy success over the past two seasons but is unlikely to help him in 2017. If Bortles starts committing turnovers and the Jaguars begin losing games, Bortles will be replaced by Chad Henne.

Allen Hurns has drops in consecutive games but is in no danger of having his role reduced. Bortle’s penchant of tossing picks could lead to a lot of trouble in Week 3 against an opportunistic Ravens secondary that has already picked off eight interceptions in 2017. Should be another week of 20+ carries for Leonard Fournette.

Kansas City Chiefs last week vs. PHI, this week @LAC

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Travis Kelce KC 9 8 103 1 0 89
Tyreek Hill KC 6 4 43 0 0 67
Chris Conley KC 4 4 55 0 0 100
Kareem Hunt KC 3 3 28 0 0 100
Albert Wilson KC 3 2 22 0 0 67

Predictably, Alex Smith and the Kansas City passing game cooled off considerably after an impressive showing in New England. With Smith reverting back to game manager form, the Chiefs fell off to 251 passing yards and one touchdown, which is closer to what we can expect on a week-to-week basis.

Travis Kelce had a monster Week 2, with eight grabs, 103 yards, and a touchdown. Kelce alone sits atop the ‘elite fantasy tight ends that are healthy’ ranks and has hauled in a team-high 13 receptions and 15 targets for the Chiefs through two games. Kelce remains an elite option in Week 3 versus the Chargers.

Kareem Hunt has secured all eight targets he’s seen on the season for 126 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Those receiving numbers alone would qualify Hunt as the WR10 through the season’s first two games, just ahead of Davante Adams and Randall Cobb.

Los Angeles Chargers last week vs. MIA, this week vs. KC

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Keenan Allen LAC 10 9 100 0 0 90
Melvin Gordon LAC 8 7 65 0 0 88
Hunter Henry LAC 7 7 80 0 0 100
Tyrell Williams LAC 4 4 54 0 0 100
Antonio Gates LAC 3 2 11 1 0 67
Travis Benjamin LAC 3 1 11 0 0 33

Keenan Allen has started his 2017 campaign with consecutive 10-target weeks and is fifth in the NFL in targets (20) and third in the league in receptions (14.) Up next, Allen faces a solid Kansas City secondary consisting of Marcus Peters, Phillip Gaines, and Terrance Mitchell. Allen is a locked-in WR1.

After putting up goose eggs in the opener, Hunter Henry rebounded nicely in Week 2, securing all seven targets for 80 yards. Now that the Chargers have gotten Antonio Gates the all-time record for touchdowns scored by a tight end, it’s entirely possible that Henry will continue to outpace Gates in playing time, targets and fantasy production.

With 12 catches through two games, Melvin Gordon is on pace to nab 96 balls in 2017. Obviously, this rate isn’t sustainable, but Gordon’s role as a three-down workhorse is secure and as long as he can stay healthy, Gordon is a strong candidate to finish as a top-5 fantasy running back.

Los Angeles Rams last week vs. WAS, this week @SF

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Cooper Kupp LAR 6 3 33 0 0 50
Robert Woods LAR 4 1 8 0 0 25
Todd Gurley LAR 3 3 48 1 0 100
Tavon Austin LAR 3 1 5 0 0 33
Sammy Watkins LAR 2 2 30 0 0 100
Tyler Higbee LAR 1 0 0 0 0 0
Derek Carrier LAR 1 1 9 0 0 100

Tavon Austin, who was called the team’s No. 1 receiver in training camp, has caught two of four targets for 12 yards. On a positive note, Austin has also rushed four times for 14 yards, so he’s equally inadequate in both phases of the game. Austin can safely be dropped in fantasy leagues.

Cooper Kupp has received six targets in each of LA’s first two contests, which has led the receiving corps in both games. Kupp has played only 69 snaps so far in 2017, which trails both Robert Woods (88) and Sammy Watkins (83.) Tavon Austin has logged only 16 snaps.

Todd Gurley’s nine targets are tied with Robert Woods for the second-most on the club. Gurley’s increased role in the passing game has led to a fast start and Gurley trails only Kareem Hunt atop the fantasy running back leaderboard.

Miami Dolphins last week @SD, this week @NYJ

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Jarvis Landry MIA 15 13 78 0 1 87
DeVante Parker MIA 9 4 85 0 1 44
Kenny Stills MIA 4 2 37 1 0 50
Julius Thomas MIA 3 3 26 0 0 100
Jay Ajayi MIA 2 2 4 0 0 100

Despite being shadowed by Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward, DeVante Parker had a solid first game with Jay Cutler under center. Parker only caught four of nine targets but made a couple of big plays and Cutler was willing to challenge Hayward deep. These are promising developments for Parker, who was lauded as a breakout player heading into 2017. Parker should have a much easier second game facing an uninspiring New York Jets secondary.

Jarvis Landry’s 15 targets tied Dez Bryant for most in the NFL in Week 2 and Landry’s 13 grabs led the league. Over 70% of Cutler’s yardage and nearly three-fourths of Cutler’s targets in Miami’s first game went to Landry and Parker, which bodes very well for the Dolphins, who could potentially have two stud wideouts and a star running back.

It’s only one game, but Kenny Stills’ role looked quite similar to the one he played last season. Stills isn’t a reliable source of weekly targets or catches, but his deep speed means he is always a candidate to break a long touchdown. Stills remains a boom-or-bust WR4.

Minnesota Vikings last week @PIT, this week vs. TB

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Stefon Diggs MIN 6 2 27 0 0 33
Adam Thielen MIN 6 5 44 0 0 83
Kyle Rudolph MIN 5 4 45 0 0 80
Laquon Treadwell MIN 5 3 33 0 0 60
Jerick McKinnon MIN 4 3 9 0 0 75
Dalvin Cook MIN 3 2 0 0 1 67

After an excellent Week 1, the Vikings tailed off considerably with Case Keenum taking the start for an injured Sam Bradford. Early indications are that Bradford is trending in the right direction and is tentatively expected to start in Week 3, which would be a positive development for all Vikings fantasy players.

Keenum evenly distributed the ball between Minnesota’s top three wide receivers and TE Kyle Rudolph. In their opener, Bradford focused more on pushing the ball to Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, who combined for 18 Week 1 looks.

After playing 51 of 65 snaps in Week 1 (78%), Dalvin Cook only played 37 snaps (57%) last week. This was probably more of a product of the Vikings trailing for the whole game, as Cook still dominated touches and is in no danger of giving up his featured role.

New England Patriots last week @NO, this week vs. HOU

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Rob Gronkowski NE 9 6 116 1 1 67
James White NE 8 8 85 0 0 100
Chris Hogan NE 6 5 78 1 0 83
Brandin Cooks NE 4 2 37 0 1 50
Phillip Dorsett NE 3 3 68 0 0 100
Dwayne Allen NE 1 0 0 0 0 0
James Develin NE 1 1 6 0 0 100

That was more like it. After a miserable Week 1 showing, Tom Brady blew the Saints out of their own gym. By halftime, Brady was already well over 300 yards passing and three touchdowns en route to a 447-yard, QB1 finish. Despite the seemingly poor matchup with Houston’s defense, Brady should have no problems dispatching the punchless Texans. The Patriots have won six straight in this series with by an average margin of 21 points.

Gronkowski injured his groin in the same game in which he scored his 69th-career touchdowns (eye roll emoji) but is expected to be fine for this matchup. Gronk looked like his old self against the Saints, hauling in six of nine targets for 116 yards, one touchdown and dropping what would have been another score.

Chris Hogan filled in for an injured Danny Amendola (concussion) and caught five of six targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Once Amendola is cleared, Hogan, Amendola, James White and Brandin Cooks could all spend time in the slot on a weekly basis.

New Orleans Saints last week vs. NE, this week @CAR

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Michael Thomas NO 9 5 89 0 0 56
Alvin Kamara NO 7 3 51 0 2 43
Ted Ginn NO 6 3 24 0 1 50
Mark Ingram NO 5 4 24 0 0 80
Brandon Coleman NO 5 4 82 1 0 80
Coby Fleener NO 4 3 33 1 0 75
Josh Hill NO 3 3 29 0 0 100
Michael Hoomanawanui NO 1 1 8 0 0 100

The Saints were thoroughly outplayed at home by the defending Super Bowl champions and at 0-2, are dangerously close to falling out of playoff contention early. A loss to the Panthers in Carolina this week would make it very difficult for the Saints to keep this team together after this season. With Drew Brees in the final year of his contract, this could be the end of the road for a memorable offense.

Coby Fleener scored in his second-straight game and sits at TE7 through two weeks. Fleener has the second-fewest yards and catches among top-10 tight ends and will remain a touchdown-dependent weekly option.

Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn had similar stat lines in the Saints’ first two games and should expect similar usage for one more week until Willie Snead returns in Week 4. A trip to Carolina to face a Panthers defense that has allowed just three points in back-to-back games awaits the Saints this week. Slight boost to Ginn if you buy into the ‘revenge game’ narrative.

New York Giants last week vs. DET, this week @PHI

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Evan Engram NYG 7 4 49 1 0 57
Brandon Marshall NYG 5 1 17 0 1 20
Odell Beckham Jr. NYG 5 4 36 0 1 80
Sterling Shepard NYG 4 2 23 0 0 50
Shane Vereen NYG 3 3 27 0 0 100
Roger Lewis NYG 2 2 13 0 0 100
Rhett Ellison NYG 2 2 21 0 0 100
Paul Perkins NYG 2 2 12 0 0 100
Jerell Adams NYG 1 1 38 0 0 100
Orleans Darkwa NYG 1 1 3 0 0 100

 

Odell Beckham, still working his way back from an injured ankle, played only 61% of the Giants’ snaps and was limited to catching four of five targets for only 36 yards. Brandon Marshall was far worse and after two games is the WR100.
At 0-2, the G-men are off to a rough start. Eli Manning has thrown for only 459 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions and currently occupies the QB27 spot in fantasy scoring, just ahead of Andy Dalton. Until Manning can turn his play around, the Giants skill position players will have a hard time being relevant.

New York’s lousy offensive line is much to blame for the team’s early struggles. Manning is constantly under duress and starting running back Paul Perkins, who is averaging an unbelievably bad 1.9 yards-per-carry, is finding no room to run. The Giants won’t find it easy to get back on track in Week 3, traveling to Philadelphia.

New York Jets last week @OAK, this week vs. MIA

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Jermaine Kearse NYJ 5 4 64 2 0 80
Matt Forte NYJ 4 4 38 0 0 100
Robby Anderson NYJ 4 2 28 0 0 50
Jeremy Kerley NYJ 3 3 14 0 0 100
Will Tye NYJ 3 1 4 0 1 33
Charone Peake NYJ 1 1 3 0 0 100
Bilal Powell NYJ 1 0 0 0 1 0

Jermaine Kearse was the surprising star of Week 2, catching four balls for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Though the vast majority of this production came in garbage time, it might not be a fluke as Kearse led the Jets in targets last week as well. Still widely available on the waiver wire, Kearse looks like New York’s WR1 and has a positive matchup in Week 3 against the Dolphins.

After playing just 30 snaps in Week 1, Bilal Powell only saw 18 in Week 2 and touched the ball just six times. Powell seems to have fallen out of favor and has been out-snapped by Matt Forte in both games.

Ardarius Stewart lost nearly all of his playing time to Jeremy Kerley, who logged 44 snaps and caught three of three targets during Week 2’s blowout loss at Oakland.

Oakland Raiders last week vs. NYJ, this week @WAS

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Michael Crabtree OAK 6 6 80 3 0 100
Jared Cook OAK 5 4 25 0 0 80
Amari Cooper OAK 5 4 33 0 1 80
DeAndre Washington OAK 3 3 15 0 0 100
Marshawn Lynch OAK 2 1 4 0 0 50
Cordarrelle Patterson OAK 1 1 6 0 0 100
Seth Roberts OAK 1 0 0 0 0 0
Lee Smith OAK 1 1 9 0 0 100

The Jets were able to contain Amari Cooper, who declined from 12 targets down to five but got slaughtered by Micahel Crabtree, who caught all six of his targets for 80 yards and three touchdowns. Cooper was the primary red-zone focus in the opener, but Crabtree got those looks against the Jets. Now 34 regular-season games into his NFL career, Cooper is still looking for his first opportunity to nab a touchdown in consecutive games.

TE Jared Cook has five targets in back-to-back games, but his yardage fell off, from 56 yards last week to a mere 25 in Week 2. If he can maintain five looks a game, Cook can be a cheap source of catches for tight end streamers.

Running backs have combined to catch four of five targets in both of Oakland’s games but haven’t yet surpassed 40 receiving yards. Perhaps that will change in Week 3 when the Raiders travel to Washington to face a Redskins defense that has allowed 11 catches, 93 yards and two touchdowns to opposing running backs so far in 2017.

Philadelphia Eagles last week @KC, this week vs. NYG

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Alshon Jeffery PHI 13 7 92 1 0 54
Zach Ertz PHI 8 5 97 0 0 63
Torrey Smith PHI 7 4 66 0 2 57
Darren Sproles PHI 5 2 30 0 0 40
Nelson Agholor PHI 3 1 9 1 0 33
Mack Hollins PHI 3 3 32 0 0 100
Wendell Smallwood PHI 2 1 -3 0 1 50
LeGarrette Blount PHI 1 1 0 0 0 100
Trey Burton PHI 1 1 10 0 0 100

Alshon Jeffery had an impressive Week 2 showing, including a heads-up play where he rolled into the end zone after catching a ball and falling down, untouched at the 1-yard line. Jeffery is now averaging 10 targets a game and should remain a solid weekly WR2.

There was some talk of the Eagles reducing LeGarrette Blount’s carries last week. Not only did they reduce them, Blount didn’t log one single tote in Week 2 and played on six snaps.

Giants’ cornerback Janoris Jenkins is expected to play this week after missing Monday night’s home loss to Detroit. Jenkins, who was slated to cover Marvin Jones, has shut down abilities and will be a bad matchup for whatever Eagles wideout he lines up with.

Pittsburgh Steelers last week vs. MIN, this week @CHI

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Antonio Brown PIT 10 5 62 0 0 50
Eli Rogers PIT 6 3 32 0 1 50
Jesse James PIT 4 4 27 0 0 100
JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT 4 3 16 1 1 75
Le’Veon Bell PIT 4 4 4 0 0 100
Martavis Bryant PIT 4 3 91 1 0 75

The Steelers offense played well in Week 2, but not up to their capabilities. With the exception of Martavis Bryant, who only got four targets, most of Pittsburgh’s offense had underwhelming performances when you consider the Steelers led the whole way and won the game by 17 points.

On 22 targets, Antonio Brown already finds himself in his customary spot atop the NFL reception and receiving yards categories. Chicago’s cornerback tandem of Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper are going to have their hands full trying to contain the best wideout in the game.

Le’Veon Bell only played 43 snaps in Week 1 but jumped up to 68 in Week 2. The breakout game is coming.

Seattle Seahawks last week vs. SF, this week @TEN

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Tyler Lockett SEA 9 6 64 0 0 67
Doug Baldwin SEA 8 6 44 0 0 75
C.J. Prosise SEA 6 3 22 0 0 50
Paul Richardson SEA 5 2 19 1 0 40
Luke Willson SEA 3 3 25 0 0 100
Jimmy Graham SEA 2 1 1 0 0 50
Tanner McEvoy SEA 2 0 0 0 2 0
Chris Carson SEA 1 1 7 0 0 100

The Seahawks had a disappointing home debut, struggling to establish a consistent offense and having to come from behind to defeat the lowly San Francisco 49ers 12-9. Through two weeks, Russell Wilson is only the 24th ranked fantasy signal-caller playing behind Seattle’s porous offensive line.

Paul Richardson tied for the team lead with seven targets in Week 1, then had the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Richardson looks like he is the clear WR2 opposite Doug Baldwin and could be on the weekly WR3/4 radar if Seattle can establish a consistent passing attack.

San Francisco 49ers last week @SEA, this week vs. LAR

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Marquise Goodwin SF 6 3 26 0 1 50
Pierre Garcon SF 5 3 26 0 0 60
Carlos Hyde SF 5 3 19 0 0 60
Trent Taylor SF 4 2 6 0 0 50
Matt Breida SF 1 1 3 0 0 100
George Kittle SF 1 1 14 0 0 100
Garrett Celek SF 1 1 6 0 0 100

The 49ers showed a lot of heart, battling the vaunted Seahawks in Week 2 before ultimately losing 12-9. Despite the strong showing by San Fran’s defense, Brian Hoyer had a second-straight poor showing, completing 15 of 27 for a paltry 99 yards (3.66 yards-per-attempt) and an interception. Hoyer looks like a questionable fit in Kyle Shanahan’s offense and his incompetence is holding down the entire 49ers offense.

Except for Carlos Hyde, who has looked terrific. Hyde rushed for 124 yards in Seattle and to date for the season has caught eight of 11 targets. Hyde’s success and guaranteed workload put him on the fringe of the weekly RB1/2 line.

Seattle’s cornerbacks were superb in Week 2, limiting San Francisco’s wideouts to 58 receiving yards. Pierre Garcon, after accounting for 10 targets in Week 1, was held to three catches on five looks this week. Garcon and the San Fran receiving corps should rebound against the Rams this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week vs. CHI, this week @MIN

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Mike Evans TB 9 7 93 1 1 78
DeSean Jackson TB 7 3 39 0 0 43
Adam Humphries TB 3 2 18 0 0 67
O.J. Howard TB 3 1 17 0 0 33
Cameron Brate TB 3 2 24 0 0 67
Chris Godwin TB 2 0 0 0 0 0
Alan Cross TB 1 1 6 0 0 100

Tampa Bay tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard combined to catch only three of six targets for 41 yards in the Bucs’ opener. What was interesting was that Howard logged 48 snaps (68%) and Brate only played 38 (53%.) These two will appear quite often in ’12’ sets, but it will take a few games before we get a clear idea of how their usage in the passing game will play out.

Unsurprisingly, Mike Evan led the Bucs in all receiving categories. Evans is an elite NFL talent and plug-and-play, matchup-proof fantasy asset.

Minnesota cornerback Trae Waynes suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 and could miss some time. With Terrance Newman moving from slot corner to outside, DeSean Jackson should have a decided advantage in coverage this week for the Bucs.

Tennessee Titans last week @JAC, this week vs. SEA

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Rishard Matthews TEN 5 3 43 0 0 60
Eric Decker TEN 5 3 32 0 0 60
Delanie Walker TEN 4 4 61 0 0 100
Corey Davis TEN 3 1 4 0 0 33
Jonnu Smith TEN 3 2 30 1 0 67
DeMarco Murray TEN 2 1 3 0 1 50
Taywan Taylor TEN 1 1 42 0 0 100

After leading the team with six catches and 10 targets in Week 1, first-round pick Corey Davis tweaked a hamstring and was limited to a single, four-yard reception on three targets. With a contest looming with Seattle’s elite secondary, Davis won’t be a recommended start in Week 3.

Rishard led Tennessee with 48 snaps this week, while Eric Decker declined from 60 in Week 1 to 44 this week. Decker is off to a slow start but is still getting looks, especially in the red zone.

Wide receiver snaps could continue to decline if the Titans run more ’12’ sets with Delanie Walker and Jonnu Smith. Smith has four targets in the first two games, including his first NFL touchdown against the Jaguars.

Washington Redskins last week @LAR, this week vs. OAK

Player Team Target Rec. Yds TD Drop Rate
Chris Thompson WAS 6 3 29 0 1 50
Jordan Reed WAS 6 6 48 0 0 100
Jamison Crowder WAS 4 4 47 0 0 100
Terrelle Pryor WAS 3 2 31 0 1 67
Ryan Grant WAS 2 1 11 1 0 50
Samaje Perine WAS 1 1 0 0 0 100
Vernon Davis WAS 1 1 13 0 0 100
Josh Doctson WAS 1 0 0 0 0 0

After Rob Kelley left the game with a fractured rib, rookie rusher Samaje Perine got 22 touches but generated just 67 yards of offense. When he’s healthy, Kelley is likely to remain the starter but will continue to lose receiving work to Chris Thompson.

Terrelle Pryor flashed some big-play ability and potential in training camp, but it hasn’t transferred over into the regular season. Pryor caught six of 11 looks in Washington’s opener but managed just two grabs for 31 yards in their Week 2 victory. It might take a while for Pryor to click with Cousins, but the Redskins/Raiders Week 3 tilt offers the highest over/under on the board, so there’s a good chance we’ll see some fireworks in this game and Pryor will get going.

Jordan Reed has caught 11 of 14 targets but is nursing a bruised chest and an injured toe.

SubscribeiTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Google Play | TuneIn | RSS

Jody Smith is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jody, check out his archive and follow him @JodySmithNFL.

More Articles

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Thor Nystrom’s Final Picks & Predictions

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Thor Nystrom’s Final Picks & Predictions

fp-headshot by Thor Nystrom | 2 min read
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Full Seven Rounds Every Pick & Prediction

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Full Seven Rounds Every Pick & Prediction

fp-headshot by Scott Bogman | 15+ min read
Top 6 NFL Draft Burning Questions (2024 Fantasy Football)

Top 6 NFL Draft Burning Questions (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by John Supowitz | 3 min read
2024 NFL Mock Draft With Trades: Mike Fanelli (6.0)

2024 NFL Mock Draft With Trades: Mike Fanelli (6.0)

fp-headshot by Mike Fanelli | 13 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

15+ min read

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Thor Nystrom’s Final Picks & Predictions

Next Up - 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Thor Nystrom’s Final Picks & Predictions

Next Article