RADIO
Mike Fanelli gives his fantasy football bold predictions for Week 2 of the NFL season, giving fantasy players something to think about when setting their lineups.
Week 2 is here, and I’m back with another edition of fantasy football bold predictions. This week’s list of bold predictions will include Anthony Richardson, Breece Hall, George Pickens, Quentin Johnston, and Luke Musgrave.
Every week, I will provide some fun and bold fantasy football predictions. While these bold predictions aren’t the most likely outcomes, they are things I believe could happen this week.
Let’s look at my five bold predictions for Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season.
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Anthony Richardson…
Struggles against the Houston Texans and finishes the week outside the top 15 quarterbacks
The former Gator hit the ground running last week. Richardson had an excellent NFL debut, totaling 223 passing yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. More importantly, the rookie had 10 rushing attempts for 40 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. He finished the week as the QB4, scoring 20.92 fantasy points. Richardson scored more fantasy points than Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson combined (19.06).
While the former Gator had more fantasy points than several superstar quarterbacks, including Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence, that won’t happen again in Week 2. The rookie has already earned the title “must-start every week” from some in the fantasy football industry. However, Richardson will struggle this week against the Texans. Despite the team having only three wins since the start of the 2022 season, Houston’s defense is talented.
Last year, the Texans held quarterbacks to only 13.6 fantasy points per game, the fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they shut down Lamar Jackson in Week 1. The superstar had only 169 passing yards and two turnovers, scoring 6.6 fantasy points. Had Michael Pittman Jr. not converted a screen pass into a 39-yard touchdown, Richardson would have scored 26.6% fewer fantasy points last week.
Breece Hall…
Finishes Week 2 outside the top 36 running backs
Many thought Hall would miss the first few weeks this season after the New York Jets signed Dalvin Cook. Instead, the second-year running back played in Week 1 and had some impressive runs. While it was awesome to see the former Iowa State star on the field after he tore his ACL last year, fantasy players should be afraid to start him in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Hall was the RB9 in Week 1, scoring 15.2 half-point PPR fantasy points. The second-year running back had 10 rushing attempts for 127 yards plus a reception for 20 receiving yards against the Buffalo Bills. However, his first two rushing attempts totaled 26 and 83 yards. Furthermore, Hall got caught from behind on the second rushing attempt. Yet, those two plays accounted for nearly 86% of his rushing yards in Week 1.
More importantly, the former Iowa State star averaged only 2.3 yards per rushing attempt on his other eight rushing attempts last week. Furthermore, he played 10 fewer snaps than Cook and only five more than Michael Carter. Meanwhile, the Cowboys held running backs to only 16.1 fantasy points and six rushing touchdowns last season, the second-fewest in the NFL in both categories. While many are ready to return Hall to his RB1 status, the second-year player won’t finish Week 2 inside the top 36 running backs.
George Pickens…
Belongs on the bench this week
The Pittsburgh Steelers had high expectations after impressing fantasy players during the preseason. Unfortunately, they were a disaster on offense against the San Francisco 49ers. Pickens had five receptions on seven targets for 36 receiving yards and 6.1 half-point PPR fantasy points in Week 1. He also almost had an impressive touchdown catch.
Unfortunately, Diontae Johnson suffered a severe hamstring injury in the loss. Reports say the team expects the wide receiver to miss a few weeks. However, Johnson says he is day-to-day. Regardless, it is unlikely the former Toledo star plays on Monday night, leading to fantasy players getting excited about Pickens’ fantasy upside this week. Yet, that’s a foolish mistake to make.
The Browns made Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals offense look like a middle school team in Week 1. They held Burrow to 82 passing yards, the lowest of his career. More importantly, Ja’Marr Chase had only 39 receiving yards on nine targets. Denzel Ward gave up only 26 receiving yards in Week 1. With Johnson on the sidelines, the star cornerback will be matched up against Pickens, making his life difficult on Monday night.
Quentin Johnston…
Joins Keenan Allen and Mike Williams as top 36 wide receivers this week
Many in the fantasy football community overreacted to the reports that Joshua Palmer would start the year as the No. 3 wide receiver for Los Angeles. Who cares! The former TCU star had more targets than Palmer in Week 1, earning three compared to one. Furthermore, he had a higher targets per route run rate, seeing a target on 18.8% of his routes. By comparison, Palmer had one target on 31 routes run (3.2%).
Quentin Johnston only scored 1.9 half-point PPR fantasy points in Week 1. Yet, he still outscored the veteran wide receiver. Hopefully, fantasy players can buy low on the rookie wide receiver before this week’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans. While the Miami Dolphins didn’t feel Johnston’s wrath, the Titans will on Sunday.
Tennessee had an awful secondary last season. They gave up the most fantasy points per game (33.5), the third-most receiving yards (3,199), and the second-most receiving touchdowns (22) to wide receivers. Furthermore, the Titans surrendered at least 60 receiving yards to Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed in Week 1. If Derek Carr can drop 305 passing yards on this defense, imagine what Justin Herbert and his three-star wide receiver can do this week.
Luke Musgrave…
Ends the week as a top-five tight end
The fantasy football community spent the offseason excited about the tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Dalton Kincaid and Sam LaPorta were the two most hyped-up rookie tight ends. However, we severely underestimated Musgrave. The Green Bay Packers are only one game into the Jordan Love era, but the former Oregon State tight end looks like a star in the making.
Last week, he was the TE10, scoring 6.5 half-point PPR fantasy points. The rookie finished first among tight ends with four or more targets in yards per route run (2.08). Despite having only three receptions, Musgrave also finished second among all tight ends in receiving yards (50). Furthermore, he played the most snaps of any Green Bay pass catcher or running back and had a 16.7% targets per route run rate. More importantly, the rookie was a couple of plays away from an elite Week 1 finish.
This week, Musgrave faces the Atlanta Falcons. Last year, they surrendered 12.3 fantasy points per game to tight ends, the fourth-most in the NFL. Furthermore, the Falcons had no answers for Hayden Hurst last week. The veteran was the TE2 in Week 1, scoring 12.6 fantasy points. He averaged 1.52 yards per route run and 2.52 fantasy points per reception. Musgrave is an excellent addition off the waiver wire. He is prime for a massive Week 2 performance.
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