How'd everyone do? It's Monday morning, so here are my thoughts on each Sunday team's biggest fantasy story:
Dolphins -- Jarvis Landry earned 15 targets. That's monumental from a fantasy perspective, as I was getting buyer's remorse after drafting him in my league. Off-field issues, contract issues, and a new QB all threatened to undercut Landry's value. But if his first game of the season is any indication, he's picking up where he left off as Miami's #1 receiver (though DeVante Parker isn't far behind).
Chargers -- An ugly loss for L.A.'s new team. The most notable story here is Hunter Henry out-targeting Antonio Gates 7-4. I cautioned some folks not to get hung up on Henry's Week 1 letdown. He's the TE of the future in Charger-Land, and this season marks the future. Gates might have an occasional good game, but if you bought low on Henry this past week, you made a brilliant move.
Cardinals -- The running game is doomed for failure unless Andre Ellington (four touches for 18 yards) gets more involved. Kerwynn Williams' poor play won't suddenly improve as the season progresses. He is what this page warned he would be: a TD-dependent lead back with a short leash. Chris Johnson ran better (though that won't last), making Williams droppable in most leagues.
Colts -- There's always a lot to cover on each team. But limiting myself to just one player, I'm highlighting Jacoby Brissett faring well against a tough Arizona D. He remains on the two-QB league radar.
Eagles -- When I claimed last month that LeGarrette Blount was a "wasted top 100 pick" (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/08/contrarian-prediction-13-legarrette.html), I earned a decent share of push-back. But only two weeks into the season, he's an afterthought, with one catch for zero yards and no rushing attempts in Week 2's defeat. This is reason #194 why preseason rankings are largely bunk. Any of us can research these players better than most experts if we just take the time to discover what others haven't. Blount's 2016 production was meaningless on a new team in a new system. He's a TD-dependent, highly inefficient runner who could be declared inactive before too long.
Chiefs -- While he started slow, Kareem Hunt picked up dramatically in the second half, finishing with 100+ yards and two scores. Charcandrick West didn't make an appearance. Hunt has now solidified his standing as one of fantasy's most valuable RBs.
Patriots -- The last time I doubted Tom Brady was, well, during the 2016 preseason. This summer my head was on right. Brady should be ignored only in retirement, and assuredly he'll be the first to know when it's time to walk away. He and the stacked Pats offense picked apart the Saints on the road. That they did it with Brandin Cooks collecting only two catches for 37 yards is all the more remarkable. Brady was a top 2 QB in many preseason rankings (including FF4W's) and will be top 3 barring an injury.
Saints -- I could talk about the re-emergence of Brandon Coleman--an intriguing fantasy prospect a couple years ago who fell behind Willie Snead early and hasn't been fantasy relevant since. But the Alvin Kamara angle is more interesting, as the rookie outplayed Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson and is continuing to push for lead-back status. It won't happen unless Ingram or AP gets hurt (or traded). But just as it was this preseason, he's the most undervalued player in this backfield.
Vikings -- We should take a mulligan on Minnesota's Week 2 output, as Case Keenum's last-minute replacement of Sam Bradford, who's expected to return next week. The big story here is Dalvin Cook's continued efficiency (back-to-back 5.0+ YPC games. He remains a top 5 fantasy RB.
Steelers -- Martavis Bryant is back. A higher-than-average risk for not finishing the season, Bryant picked up 98 total yards on four touches, including three catches on four targets. He'll never be a high-volume play. But he offers some of the most boom of any boom-bust receiver.
Bears -- Tampa Bay's defense had something to do with limiting Chicago to seven points. But let's not kid ourselves: this is a team in transition, with no true #2 receiver and a backfield in flux. Jordan Howard was supposed to pick up where he left off last year, driving his way to RB1 status. Week 1, the concern was usage, as Tarik Cohen cut into his touches. Yesterday Cohen once again outplayed him, though it was more apparent with Howard rushing only nine times for seven yards. Howard is in a similar boat Jeremy Langford was in last Week 2: It's probably too late to trade him for decent value. But unlike last year, the backup, Cohen, isn't every-down-back material. So it's best to hold Howard and hope he turns things around.
Buccaneers -- Jacquizz Rodgers proved me wrong, earning 19 carries and posting RB1 numbers. I had thought we'd see the Charles Sims of 2015--one of the best pass-catching backs in the league. That said, I remain skeptical of Rodgers; he's one of the biggest sell-high RBs out there, and not only because Doug Martin will return in a few weeks. His next four games are against the Vikings, Giants, Patriots, and Cardinals. Martin would need to be out of the picture for Rodgers to be a confident RB3+ again.
Bills -- I told a bunch of folks to sell high on LeSean McCoy this past week. His McCoy-like performance last week against the Jets was not indicative of what we'll see going forward. Everyone looks good against the Jets. The real test is when a run-heavy offense like Buffalo's meets a defense that's capable of crowding the box and forcing the sub-par Tyrod Taylor to win games. I overvalued McCoy this preseason because he was one of the few dependable workhorses. But he's now at risk of being no better than an RB2 most weeks. We should have a better sense by month's end.
Panthers -- This should have been a game Cam Newton and the Panthers dominated. Regardless, the big story is Greg Olsen's broken foot. After not missing a game since 2007, fantasy's perennial (at least since 2013) near-elite TE could miss the rest of the season. Ed Dickson takes over, but obviously is worth adding in only the deepest leagues. There remains hope that Olsen could return in November. But in leagues with small benches, he simply isn't worth stashing.
Titans -- In predicting the 7th ranked DeMarco Murray wouldn't be a top 15 RB this season, I wrote on July 30, "We challenge assumptions when the assumptions are based on flawed logic. I have yet to read any analysis on Murray that justifies his RB1 ranking" (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/07/contrarian-prediction-7-demarco-murray.html). It might be premature to claim that Derrick Henry is Tennessee's lead back. But followers of this blog know where I've stood all summer: pass on Murray at his ADP and grab Henry earlier than his ADP. Yesterday the divisions were stark. Henry, whose preseason ADP was RB34 (compared to FF4W ranking him 18th) is now more valuable than Murray.
Jaguars -- Do I have to write about this team? The Blake Bortles situation is painful to watch. But with Allen Robinson out of the picture, I pushed Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee last week as must-roster wideouts. Both of them proved startable, with Hurns winning the day. I continue to prefer Lee for the rest of the season.
Browns -- I was all set to write about yet another dismal Isaiah Crowell performance ("Calling Matt Dayes . . ."). But Corey Coleman suffered what is reportedly a broken hand. The most interesting fantasy implication hinges on whether Josh Gordon is reinstated. I'll believe it when I see it, though Gordon did go to rehab and is hoping Roger Goodell brings him back as early as September. If that happens, Gordon will be Cleveland's clear-cut #1 receiver (once he gets back in shape). There's simply no one else on this team worth talking about from a fantasy perspective.
Ravens -- I'm passing on discussing the running game because they ran over the Browns. If they do the same against Jacksonville next Sunday, then they could be for real. In the meantime, the big story is Mike Wallace, who now has back-to-back one-reception, sub-10-yard performances. The addition of Jeremy Maclin hurts his cause, as does a potentially improved running game. Wallace is about a week away from being droppable in most 10- and some 12-team leagues.
Jets -- There are points in every season when players' values shifts dramatically. The points could occur in a moment in time (such as during an injury), in the span of a few hours or days, or sometimes during a few weeks--as long as it takes for the fantasy universe to come around to a new way of thinking about a particular player. Right before Week 1, I explained why Bilal Powell and Matt Forte needed to be avoided on draft day--or traded if they were already rostered (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/09/updates-on-ezekiel-elliott-andrew-luck.html). Powell has now begun the season with two straight worthless outputs, and you'd be hard-pressed to find any takers in trade talks. And while Forte rebounded nicely yesterday, it's a mirage. Although it happened sooner than expected--probably because the game was a blowout--rookie Elijah McGuire got some run and looked good. Whether or not he's the answer in New York is meaningless. What matters here is Powell is teetering on fantasy irrelevance. If he can't get going against the Dolphins next week, you might be stuck carrying an unusable former RB2.
Raiders -- While blowouts are rarely good indicators of future fantasy success, Jalen Richard asserted himself yesterday as Marshawn Lynch's backup. That matters a helluva lot in a league where handcuffs (particularly for formerly retired 31-year-olds like Lynch) are extremely valuable. Richard might not be a bell-cow if Lynch goes down, but he'll be on the RB2 radar.
Cowboys -- Jason Witten came back to life, and I'm not buying it. If you have Witten, now's the time to trade him--for example, to the guy who had Olsen.
Broncos -- When did Trevor Siemian become great? Can he keep this up? When you're throwing to Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, anything's doable. But this has caught me completely off-guard.
Redskins -- Rob Kelley might have a fractured rib. Samaje Perine will be one of the hottest waiver adds in shallow leagues (he's presumably rostered in most other leagues). Chris Thompson's miraculous performance is not replicable unless he doubles his weekly touches (he had only six Sunday). All eyes will be on Perine.
Rams -- Todd Gurley got his groove back. A universal top 2 overall pick last summer, the third-year pro enjoyed his best game since 2015. Those who invested in him at his RB1 value have to be feeling good. Which Gurley will show up weeks 4 to 7 against Dallas, Seattle, Jacksonville, and Arizona? As goes Gurley during those four games, so goes Gurley the rest of the season.
49ers -- I was down on Carlos Hyde all preseason and never expected him to be even half-decent yesterday in Seattle. Instead, he was the lone bright spot on a team that still hasn't found the end zone--and which might not until Week 5 against Indy (next up: Rams and Cardinals).
Seahawks -- Three players need to be highlighted here, or I'm doing this game justice. This should have been a blowout win. It wasn't because Seattle's o-line can't protect Russell Wilson, and more than that, Wilson didn't hit targets he normally hits. If Wilson can't put up gaudy numbers at home against one of the NFL's worst D's, he's no longer in the QB1 conversation barring personnel changes or a significant revamping of the offense--something that might encourage quicker, shorter passes and faster decision making in general. Meanwhile, Eddie Lacy was inactive and Thomas Rawls flopped, catapulting Chris Carson to a lead-back role that's now his to lose. A crazy--but not wholly unexpected--turn of events, as Lacy entered the season overrated and Rawls entered it with more question marks than career games played. And finally, Tyler Lockett enjoyed his second best performance since last September while soaking up a co-team-high nine targets. My 39th ranked preseason WR (compared to a WR-58 ADP), Lockett has WR3+ potential whenever healthy. While he still has much to prove, yesterday was a promising step.
Packers -- A tough loss for Green Bay, made worse by the losses of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. If either misses time, Davante Adams and Martellus Bennett would become that much more valuable, while Geronimo Allison could get some extra looks. But the big story here is Ty Montgomery proving me wrong with 110 yards and two TDs on 16 touches. His YPC remains troubling, but let's be clear: at least for now, he's everything Montgomery proponents expected him to be, rendering intriguing preseason talent Jamaal Williams useless.
Falcons -- Either Mohammed Sanu or Taylor Gabriel were going to step up in this one. Sanu got it done. While no receiver beyond Julio Jones will be reliable this season, Sanu is earning enough targets to be a comfortable dart throw in any half-favorable matchup.
Dolphins -- Jarvis Landry earned 15 targets. That's monumental from a fantasy perspective, as I was getting buyer's remorse after drafting him in my league. Off-field issues, contract issues, and a new QB all threatened to undercut Landry's value. But if his first game of the season is any indication, he's picking up where he left off as Miami's #1 receiver (though DeVante Parker isn't far behind).
Chargers -- An ugly loss for L.A.'s new team. The most notable story here is Hunter Henry out-targeting Antonio Gates 7-4. I cautioned some folks not to get hung up on Henry's Week 1 letdown. He's the TE of the future in Charger-Land, and this season marks the future. Gates might have an occasional good game, but if you bought low on Henry this past week, you made a brilliant move.
Cardinals -- The running game is doomed for failure unless Andre Ellington (four touches for 18 yards) gets more involved. Kerwynn Williams' poor play won't suddenly improve as the season progresses. He is what this page warned he would be: a TD-dependent lead back with a short leash. Chris Johnson ran better (though that won't last), making Williams droppable in most leagues.
Colts -- There's always a lot to cover on each team. But limiting myself to just one player, I'm highlighting Jacoby Brissett faring well against a tough Arizona D. He remains on the two-QB league radar.
Eagles -- When I claimed last month that LeGarrette Blount was a "wasted top 100 pick" (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/08/contrarian-prediction-13-legarrette.html), I earned a decent share of push-back. But only two weeks into the season, he's an afterthought, with one catch for zero yards and no rushing attempts in Week 2's defeat. This is reason #194 why preseason rankings are largely bunk. Any of us can research these players better than most experts if we just take the time to discover what others haven't. Blount's 2016 production was meaningless on a new team in a new system. He's a TD-dependent, highly inefficient runner who could be declared inactive before too long.
Chiefs -- While he started slow, Kareem Hunt picked up dramatically in the second half, finishing with 100+ yards and two scores. Charcandrick West didn't make an appearance. Hunt has now solidified his standing as one of fantasy's most valuable RBs.
Patriots -- The last time I doubted Tom Brady was, well, during the 2016 preseason. This summer my head was on right. Brady should be ignored only in retirement, and assuredly he'll be the first to know when it's time to walk away. He and the stacked Pats offense picked apart the Saints on the road. That they did it with Brandin Cooks collecting only two catches for 37 yards is all the more remarkable. Brady was a top 2 QB in many preseason rankings (including FF4W's) and will be top 3 barring an injury.
Saints -- I could talk about the re-emergence of Brandon Coleman--an intriguing fantasy prospect a couple years ago who fell behind Willie Snead early and hasn't been fantasy relevant since. But the Alvin Kamara angle is more interesting, as the rookie outplayed Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson and is continuing to push for lead-back status. It won't happen unless Ingram or AP gets hurt (or traded). But just as it was this preseason, he's the most undervalued player in this backfield.
Vikings -- We should take a mulligan on Minnesota's Week 2 output, as Case Keenum's last-minute replacement of Sam Bradford, who's expected to return next week. The big story here is Dalvin Cook's continued efficiency (back-to-back 5.0+ YPC games. He remains a top 5 fantasy RB.
Steelers -- Martavis Bryant is back. A higher-than-average risk for not finishing the season, Bryant picked up 98 total yards on four touches, including three catches on four targets. He'll never be a high-volume play. But he offers some of the most boom of any boom-bust receiver.
Bears -- Tampa Bay's defense had something to do with limiting Chicago to seven points. But let's not kid ourselves: this is a team in transition, with no true #2 receiver and a backfield in flux. Jordan Howard was supposed to pick up where he left off last year, driving his way to RB1 status. Week 1, the concern was usage, as Tarik Cohen cut into his touches. Yesterday Cohen once again outplayed him, though it was more apparent with Howard rushing only nine times for seven yards. Howard is in a similar boat Jeremy Langford was in last Week 2: It's probably too late to trade him for decent value. But unlike last year, the backup, Cohen, isn't every-down-back material. So it's best to hold Howard and hope he turns things around.
Buccaneers -- Jacquizz Rodgers proved me wrong, earning 19 carries and posting RB1 numbers. I had thought we'd see the Charles Sims of 2015--one of the best pass-catching backs in the league. That said, I remain skeptical of Rodgers; he's one of the biggest sell-high RBs out there, and not only because Doug Martin will return in a few weeks. His next four games are against the Vikings, Giants, Patriots, and Cardinals. Martin would need to be out of the picture for Rodgers to be a confident RB3+ again.
Bills -- I told a bunch of folks to sell high on LeSean McCoy this past week. His McCoy-like performance last week against the Jets was not indicative of what we'll see going forward. Everyone looks good against the Jets. The real test is when a run-heavy offense like Buffalo's meets a defense that's capable of crowding the box and forcing the sub-par Tyrod Taylor to win games. I overvalued McCoy this preseason because he was one of the few dependable workhorses. But he's now at risk of being no better than an RB2 most weeks. We should have a better sense by month's end.
Panthers -- This should have been a game Cam Newton and the Panthers dominated. Regardless, the big story is Greg Olsen's broken foot. After not missing a game since 2007, fantasy's perennial (at least since 2013) near-elite TE could miss the rest of the season. Ed Dickson takes over, but obviously is worth adding in only the deepest leagues. There remains hope that Olsen could return in November. But in leagues with small benches, he simply isn't worth stashing.
Titans -- In predicting the 7th ranked DeMarco Murray wouldn't be a top 15 RB this season, I wrote on July 30, "We challenge assumptions when the assumptions are based on flawed logic. I have yet to read any analysis on Murray that justifies his RB1 ranking" (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/07/contrarian-prediction-7-demarco-murray.html). It might be premature to claim that Derrick Henry is Tennessee's lead back. But followers of this blog know where I've stood all summer: pass on Murray at his ADP and grab Henry earlier than his ADP. Yesterday the divisions were stark. Henry, whose preseason ADP was RB34 (compared to FF4W ranking him 18th) is now more valuable than Murray.
Jaguars -- Do I have to write about this team? The Blake Bortles situation is painful to watch. But with Allen Robinson out of the picture, I pushed Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee last week as must-roster wideouts. Both of them proved startable, with Hurns winning the day. I continue to prefer Lee for the rest of the season.
Browns -- I was all set to write about yet another dismal Isaiah Crowell performance ("Calling Matt Dayes . . ."). But Corey Coleman suffered what is reportedly a broken hand. The most interesting fantasy implication hinges on whether Josh Gordon is reinstated. I'll believe it when I see it, though Gordon did go to rehab and is hoping Roger Goodell brings him back as early as September. If that happens, Gordon will be Cleveland's clear-cut #1 receiver (once he gets back in shape). There's simply no one else on this team worth talking about from a fantasy perspective.
Ravens -- I'm passing on discussing the running game because they ran over the Browns. If they do the same against Jacksonville next Sunday, then they could be for real. In the meantime, the big story is Mike Wallace, who now has back-to-back one-reception, sub-10-yard performances. The addition of Jeremy Maclin hurts his cause, as does a potentially improved running game. Wallace is about a week away from being droppable in most 10- and some 12-team leagues.
Jets -- There are points in every season when players' values shifts dramatically. The points could occur in a moment in time (such as during an injury), in the span of a few hours or days, or sometimes during a few weeks--as long as it takes for the fantasy universe to come around to a new way of thinking about a particular player. Right before Week 1, I explained why Bilal Powell and Matt Forte needed to be avoided on draft day--or traded if they were already rostered (http://www.fantasyfootballforwinners.com/2017/09/updates-on-ezekiel-elliott-andrew-luck.html). Powell has now begun the season with two straight worthless outputs, and you'd be hard-pressed to find any takers in trade talks. And while Forte rebounded nicely yesterday, it's a mirage. Although it happened sooner than expected--probably because the game was a blowout--rookie Elijah McGuire got some run and looked good. Whether or not he's the answer in New York is meaningless. What matters here is Powell is teetering on fantasy irrelevance. If he can't get going against the Dolphins next week, you might be stuck carrying an unusable former RB2.
Raiders -- While blowouts are rarely good indicators of future fantasy success, Jalen Richard asserted himself yesterday as Marshawn Lynch's backup. That matters a helluva lot in a league where handcuffs (particularly for formerly retired 31-year-olds like Lynch) are extremely valuable. Richard might not be a bell-cow if Lynch goes down, but he'll be on the RB2 radar.
Cowboys -- Jason Witten came back to life, and I'm not buying it. If you have Witten, now's the time to trade him--for example, to the guy who had Olsen.
Broncos -- When did Trevor Siemian become great? Can he keep this up? When you're throwing to Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, anything's doable. But this has caught me completely off-guard.
Redskins -- Rob Kelley might have a fractured rib. Samaje Perine will be one of the hottest waiver adds in shallow leagues (he's presumably rostered in most other leagues). Chris Thompson's miraculous performance is not replicable unless he doubles his weekly touches (he had only six Sunday). All eyes will be on Perine.
Rams -- Todd Gurley got his groove back. A universal top 2 overall pick last summer, the third-year pro enjoyed his best game since 2015. Those who invested in him at his RB1 value have to be feeling good. Which Gurley will show up weeks 4 to 7 against Dallas, Seattle, Jacksonville, and Arizona? As goes Gurley during those four games, so goes Gurley the rest of the season.
49ers -- I was down on Carlos Hyde all preseason and never expected him to be even half-decent yesterday in Seattle. Instead, he was the lone bright spot on a team that still hasn't found the end zone--and which might not until Week 5 against Indy (next up: Rams and Cardinals).
Seahawks -- Three players need to be highlighted here, or I'm doing this game justice. This should have been a blowout win. It wasn't because Seattle's o-line can't protect Russell Wilson, and more than that, Wilson didn't hit targets he normally hits. If Wilson can't put up gaudy numbers at home against one of the NFL's worst D's, he's no longer in the QB1 conversation barring personnel changes or a significant revamping of the offense--something that might encourage quicker, shorter passes and faster decision making in general. Meanwhile, Eddie Lacy was inactive and Thomas Rawls flopped, catapulting Chris Carson to a lead-back role that's now his to lose. A crazy--but not wholly unexpected--turn of events, as Lacy entered the season overrated and Rawls entered it with more question marks than career games played. And finally, Tyler Lockett enjoyed his second best performance since last September while soaking up a co-team-high nine targets. My 39th ranked preseason WR (compared to a WR-58 ADP), Lockett has WR3+ potential whenever healthy. While he still has much to prove, yesterday was a promising step.
Packers -- A tough loss for Green Bay, made worse by the losses of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. If either misses time, Davante Adams and Martellus Bennett would become that much more valuable, while Geronimo Allison could get some extra looks. But the big story here is Ty Montgomery proving me wrong with 110 yards and two TDs on 16 touches. His YPC remains troubling, but let's be clear: at least for now, he's everything Montgomery proponents expected him to be, rendering intriguing preseason talent Jamaal Williams useless.
Falcons -- Either Mohammed Sanu or Taylor Gabriel were going to step up in this one. Sanu got it done. While no receiver beyond Julio Jones will be reliable this season, Sanu is earning enough targets to be a comfortable dart throw in any half-favorable matchup.