In the fantasy football world, we rarely receive credit for the good calls but often hear about the bad ones. It’s part of the life, and I’ll own my picks that don’t pan out, so please allow me to call out my early-season success. If you’d like to preview the dynasty fantasy football risers of the week, a quick look at my breakout players I wrote about a month ago features many of the same names.
Week 2 was a strong week for my breakout players and was a much better offensive performance from the NFL than what we saw in Week 1. Let’s dive into those players who improved and hurt their dynasty stocks the most this week.
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers & Fallers
Dynasty Fantasy Football Risers
Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)
One of the players I wrote about the most this offseason was Tucker Kraft, who exploded on Thursday night with six receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown. His 24.4 PPR fantasy points are the most for a tight end in week 2 through Sunday’s games. After an efficient showing last season, the Packers emphasized the need to get Kraft more involved this year, and you’re seeing just that.
On Thursday, Kraft led the team with 28 routes run while hitting a target share of 23%. Through two games, 75 of Kraft’s 140 receiving yards have come after contact, continuing his excellence in that category from last season. Jayden Reed is headed to injured reserve (IR) with a fractured collarbone, providing an opportunity for Kraft to cement himself as the top target in the Packers’ offense.
Troy Franklin (WR – DEN)
The dark horse of my five breakout picks this season, Troy Franklin, caught eight of his nine targets on Sunday, tallying 89 yards while adding one score. His 24 PPR fantasy points stand as the seventh-most on the week and mark his highest score in his young career. In my breakout players article, I wrote about Franklin’s ability to separate last season, coupled with the jump he has taken as a route runner and physical presence, but I did not anticipate his dominant target share in week 2.
Franklin drew nine targets, with the next closest Bronco seeing just four. His 42-yard reception represented his big-play ability with separation down the sideline, while he was also active catching passes across the middle. Sean Payton made him a priority, getting him the ball on screen passes near the line of scrimmage and downfield. He’s the most versatile receiver in Denver and has a connection with Bo Nix dating back to college, and he’s cemented himself as the clear No. 2 WR for the Broncos.
Drake Maye (QB – NE)
I touted Drake Maye as a breakout due to his completion percentage and accuracy as a rookie, his arm strength and room for an increased average depth of target (aDOT), and his rushing tendencies/upside. On Sunday, Maye put all of those on display with an efficient line, completing 19-of-23 passes for 230 yards and two passing touchdowns while adding 10 carries for 31 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Maye aired it out 46 times in Week 1 and posted 287 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He will need to improve his overall yardage output in a pass-happy game script, but his efficiency and rushing upside make him a strong QB1 bet going forward.
Rome Odunze (WR – CHI)
The WR4 through Sunday, Rome Odunze caught seven of his 11 targets for 128 yards and two scores for 31.8 PPR fantasy points. He played every snap on Sunday, posting a 33% target share and 59% air yardage share. His 2.17 yards per route run so far this season are well ahead of his 1.18 total in his rookie season, and through two games, he looks like the Bears’ top wide receiver.
Odunze’s 20 targets on the season would agree, with the next closest Bears sitting at 12 and 11 targets. It’s good to see Ben Johnson making great use of the former first-round pick, who looks primed for a second-year breakout.
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAX)
The Jaguars traded Tank Bigsby to the Eagles, paving the way for Bhayshul Tuten to take over as the team’s primary backup to Travis Etienne and showing their confidence in the rookie. Etienne is the clear leader of the backfield, playing 47 snaps on Sunday compared to 18 for Tuten and 11 for LeQuint Allen, but Tuten touched the ball on 55% of his snaps with two receptions and eight carries.
Tuten made the most of his touches, recording 42 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards, with one score through the air. He will need to be on the field much more frequently to have consistent value. Based on his performance on Sunday, the Jaguars will likely increase Tutuen’s usage, and he may eventually push Etienne for the No. 1 RB role.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Fallers
DeMario Douglas (WR – NE)
For much of training camp, the word out of Foxborough was that DeMario Douglas was Drake Maye’s favorite target and top option. The third-year slot receiver, operating in Josh McDaniels’ offense for the first time, was expected to take advantage in an offense without a true No. 1 WR. A touchdown salvaged his Week 1 performance, but he’s recorded just three receptions for six yards on the season after catching his only target on Sunday. That’s the bad news.
The worst news is that Douglas played just 15 snaps against the Dolphins, falling to fourth on the depth chart. With Mack Hollins in the lineup and playing on the outside, New England kicked Stefon Diggs into the slot in 3-WR sets, leaving Douglas on the outside looking in. The good news is that there seems to be no consistency in the Patriots’ receiver room, so perhaps Douglas can reemerge. For now, Douglas’ value is in a free fall.
Braelon Allen (RB – NYJ)
The drumbeat for Braelon Allen entering the season was louder than Nick Cannon at Atlanta A&T University. Despite the noise and immediate uptick in value for Allen, he toted the rock just twice on Sunday for 11 yards. His nine snaps not only trailed Breece Hall‘s 30 but also Isaiah Davis‘s 10. This is primarily a result of the Jets’ trailing game script, leaving Davis to operate more on passing downs, but it’s an example of how Allen can disappear.
Although Allen played more than Davis in a close game in Week 1 and happened to fall into the end zone, he managed just 1.5 yards per carry on six rushes for nine yards. Ultimately, Allen seems to be an inferior runner to Hall and a non-factor in the passing game, leaving little room for him to make an impact.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
The Baltimore Ravens have scored 81 points through two weeks, amassing nearly 700 yards of total offense, and yet, Mark Andrews has totaled seven yards on two receptions. Andrews played over 80% of the snaps this week after hitting 75% last week, but he has failed to make an impact despite the full workload.
Lamar Jackson is spreading the ball around with DeAndre Hopkins, Tylan Wallace and Devontez Walker getting involved, leading to just four targets for Andrews across the first two weeks. To make matters worse, Isaiah Likely has returned to practice and has a good chance to play in Week 3. If you can still get out on Andrews or in on Likely, act now, as that window may be closing for good.
Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC)
Through two games, Isiah Pacheco has garnered 15 carries for 47 yards, adding three receptions for 10 yards and a total of 8.7 fantasy points. Entering the 2024 season, Pacheco was drafted in the second round as a low-end RB1. After an injury-riddled season, Pacheco stood out as a potential value this year, but he has failed to live up to his depressed RB24 value.
Kareem Hunt has just two fewer carries than Pacheco thus far, and out-gained him this week with 31 yards on eight carries. The Chiefs have been ineffective on the ground, and there’s simply not enough room for multiple running backs in this backfield. Brashard Smith is primarily used on passing downs but lingers as an alternative option if Pacheco can’t get going, while the team could also turn to Elijah Mitchell if things don’t improve. No matter how you slice it, we’re close to panic time for Pacheco.
Roschon Johnson (RB – CHI)
After being inactive in Week 1 with a toe injury, Roschon Johnson returned to the Bears’ backfield this week as the presumptive backup to D’Andre Swift. Instead, Kyle Monangai operated as the team’s No. 2 RB. Swift totaled 39 snaps to Monangai’s 28 while Johnson did not see the field on offense.
It’s a tough break for Johnson, made even worse by the fact that Monangai took on such a large share of the snaps and workload. In Week 1, the backfield belonged to Swift, but Monangai carried the ball eight times this week compared to Swift’s 12. The rookie also ran 15 routes to Swift’s 16, suggesting he’s carved out a meaningful role in the offense, leaving Roschon out of the mix.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
