X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Players Sending Out Warning Signals Heading Into Week 2

Although it is only Week 2 of the NFL season, it is never too early to begin trying to spot and diagnose concerning trends for your top fantasy players. With that being said, it is important to remember that it is way too early to panic on any one player. Although you will have to make room for some of the top wire adds each week, don’t forget to practice patience and give your draft picks some time to settle in.

This article will be based largely on player performance (or lack thereof) sans additional circumstances such as injuries or missed games due to trades or suspensions that would obviously cause their production to suffer. For example, David Johnson going down and missing upwards of two months is a tough blow that has decimated fantasy teams everywhere. However, the damage his injury does is clear and not much additional analysis is needed.

Instead, this segment will focus on healthy players that are underperforming, with the rule of thumb being that no player will appear on this list more than three times throughout the season.

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Heed the Warning Signs

Andy Dalton (QB, CIN)

Andy Dalton had a Sunday for the ages. With four interceptions, no touchdowns, and a fumble, no matter what scoring format you play in you more than likely lost points if you started him. In his defense, he was going up against a Baltimore team that routinely features a solid defense, and they look to be very good again this year. That still doesn’t excuse Dalton’s performance though, as he looked out of sorts from the opening drive and became a non-factor early in the first quarter.

Fortunately, many fantasy owners that did draft Dalton have him on their bench as a back-up for bye weeks and injuries. It won’t hurt you to keep him stashed for now to see if the outlook gets any better. However, if you drafted him to be your guy this year, you might want to play the wire to see if you can get a better long-term solution for the year at your quarterback position. AJ Green and Tyler Eifert owners will be the true losers if Dalton’s ineptitude continues. Green is elite, and even in this abomination he still drew 10 targets and netted 76 yards. He will be fine this year, but his ceiling will be severely capped if Dalton doesn’t improve quickly. Eifert owners should be a bit more concerned right now though, as he only had one target for four yards despite the fact that the Bengals were playing from behind the whole game.

Jordan Howard (RB, CHI)

While the hype around Tarik Cohen might be just slightly overblown, he is the real deal and has definitely shown that he will be a necessary part of the Chicago Bears game plan every week. Remember what happened last year in the Bears’ backfield? Jeremy Langford was named the starter by the coaching staff before he went down in Week 2, and Jordan Howard took a hold of the featured role and never looked back. Is Howard a couple of missed games away from losing his starting spot? Probably not. He is certainly more talented than Langford, whose fall from grace has landed him on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Thankfully, Howard did look good with the work he got, and was able to put points on the board.

With that being said though, Cohen did get a lot of work and could very well force a timeshare at the very least. The worse-case scenario would be Cohen potentially out-snapping Howard at some point down the line. Howard still has the edge here for now, seeing 38 Week 1 snaps, while Cohen was nipping at his heels with 28. Howard saw more touches as well with 16 to Cohen’s 13, but he wasn’t nearly as productive, as the rookie racked up 113 all-purpose yards while Howard only managed half that with 66 yards. The Bears’ receiving core has been left barren with the departure of Alshon Jeffrey and both Cameron Meredith and Kevin White being placed on IR, so there should be enough volume for both of these RBs to produce. If you drafted Howard with a first or second round pick though, you might struggle to get that kind of value back from him this season, as he is seemingly trending towards RB1/RB2 status.

TY Hilton (WR, IND)

Although everyone knew that TY Hilton would struggle until Andrew Luck returned to the field, there’s nothing quite like watching an affirmation of what you already know to be true unfold in front of your eyes. Before this summer’s fantasy football drafts, we knew that Luck would be missing at least the first few weeks of the season, and Hilton’s ADP more or less reflected that. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports noted just last week that Luck isn’t yet at the “intensive throwing” stage in his rehab program, and it could be well in to October before he sees his first game action. From there, it will be a couple of more weeks before he is able to knock the rust off and get back in-sync with his receivers. Add it all up, and you could be missing out on the type of production that Hilton only seems able to manage with Luck for half of your fantasy season.

It is unclear who will be under center for the Colts in Week 2. Scott Tolzien’s performance against the St. Louis Rams was so poor and the team was being blown out so badly that he was replaced by Jacoby Brissett, who hadn’t even been with the team for a week. Either way, Hilton’s numbers will sag under the lack of quality quarterback play, and he will mostly be boom or bust week to week. The ceiling for his booms will be out of this world, but those games will be few and far between for at least another month.

Eric Ebron (TE, DET)

For years now we have all been saying “this is for sure the year that Eric Ebron puts it all together.” He very well could, and his performance against the Arizona Cardinals who were among the top three in defending the tight end position last season shouldn’t necessarily lead to immediate panic. Still, a nine yard, two catch game doesn’t inspire much confidence in this being his year, and the volume that he has enjoyed over the past few years could be threatened.

When you look at the weapons that the Detroit Lions have all over the field, the concern about Ebron’s production becomes real. Theo Riddick was already going to vulture work from Ebron across the middle, but if Ameer Abdullah stays healthy, that could be 10 passes a game at least going to the backfield. The emergence of Kenny Golladay is also a situation that needs to be monitored. As of right now, Golladay’s rookie season could go either way, but at the very least he could eat away at a few of the red zone looks that could have gone to Ebron on a weekly basis. And if Golladay does take off, it will allow Golden Tate to play to his strength and line up in the slot a lot more. This too could put a cap on Ebron’s opportunities. Ebron will hopefully be able to bounce back against a Giants defense that gave up 59 yards and a touchdown to Jason Witten Sunday night, but owners will want to keep a close eye on the wire over the next couple of weeks.

 

More Week 2 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF