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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 Lamar Jackson, Josh Jacobs, Chris Godwin, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Hayden Hurst.
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 2024 NFL season.
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Lamar Jackson…
Won’t finish the week as a top-10 quarterback
Jackson had an impressive Week 1 performance, totaling 25.1 fantasy points in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The superstar quarterback completed 63.4% of his 41 pass attempts for 273 yards and a touchdown. Furthermore, he had 16 rushing attempts for 122 yards. Jackson had 100 or more rushing yards for the 14th time in his career, the most by a quarterback in NFL history.
Lamar Jackson has reached 100+ rushing yards for the 14th time in his career.
The most by a QB in NFL history.
📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/NyMr0TwaeX— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
More importantly, the superstar’s 122 rushing yards accounted for 66% of the Baltimore Ravens’ total in the game. While he missed practice earlier in the week with general soreness, that isn’t why Jackson will struggle in Week 2. The Ravens face the Las Vegas Raiders in his home opener. Last week, the Raiders struggled against the Los Angeles Chargers, losing 22-10.
Furthermore, Las Vegas couldn’t stop the run. It surrendered 6.5 yards per rushing attempt, as J.K. Dobbins had 135 yards on 10 attempts in his first game back from a torn Achilles. While Derrick Henry got phased out of the game in Week 1, expect Baltimore to feature the future Hall of Famer in a game the team should easily win.
Last year, Jackson won the NFL MVP but was a boom-or-bust fantasy football quarterback. He had some massive performances but also had several bust weeks. Jackson wasn’t the problem during the bust weeks. Instead, the Ravens blew their opponent out of the water, leading to a run-heavy game script and limited work for the superstar quarterback.
Unfortunately, Sunday’s matchup likely ends up that way for Jackson.
Josh Jacobs…
Will be a massive bust if Jordan Love doesn’t play
Many had high hopes for Jacobs heading into his Green Bay Packers debut. The veteran had a solid performance, ending the week as the RB26, scoring 11.4 half-point PPR fantasy points. He had 16 rushing attempts for 84 yards and two receptions for 20 receiving yards in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, Jacobs won’t be in any of my fantasy football lineups in Week 2 if Love doesn’t play. The Packers lost their star quarterback late in the Week 1 loss to an MCL sprain. While the team hasn’t ruled him out for Sunday’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, Love is a long shot to play. Therefore, Malik Willis will likely make his first start of the year.
The Colts defense can crowd the line of scrimmage and do everything to shut down Jacobs, forcing Willis to beat them. Some will say that doesn’t matter after the performance Joe Mixon had against Indianapolis in Week 1. He had 25.3 fantasy points on 33 touches in the win. However, the veteran was outstanding because of volume and not his talent.
Mixon’s 13% missed tackle forced rate ranked 15th among 25 running backs with at least 12 rushing attempts, while he had a 0% explosive run (per Fantasy Points Data). Furthermore, his longest rushing attempt went for 13 yards. By comparison, C.J. Stroud’s longest run in the game was also 13 yards.
Expect Jacobs to struggle on Sunday, as his matchup isn’t as great as many believe.
Chris Godwin…
Has over 100 receiving yards
Last year was one to forget for Godwin and fantasy players with him on their team. The former Penn State star averaged 9.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, his lowest average since his rookie year in the NFL. Furthermore, the veteran had only two receiving touchdowns, his lowest total since his rookie season.
Thankfully, he looks primed to bounce back in 2024. Godwin was the WR11 in Week 1, scoring 18.3 fantasy points. The veteran was outstanding despite Mike Evans ending the week as the WR6, totaling 20.6 fantasy points and two receiving touchdowns. However, Godwin led the team in receiving yards with 83 against the Washington Commanders while also finding the end zone.
Chris Godwin with the catch and the stretch for the TD!
📺: #WASvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/RKSftFVMxh— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
While the matchup in Week 1 played a role in Godwin having a massive fantasy performance, the veteran wide receiver played one of the best games of his career. He averaged 3.77 yards per route run, the sixth most among wide receivers with at least 20 routes last week (per Fantasy Points Data). The former Penn State star had a higher average than A.J. Brown and Nico Collins.
Godwin has another excellent matchup this week. He faces a Detroit Lions defense that surrendered 135 receiving yards to slot receivers in Week 1, the third most in the NFL (per Fantasy Points Data). Furthermore, the Lions gave up the most air yards last week (164). Don’t be surprised if Godwin has over 100 receiving yards, a touchdown, and another top-10 finish in Week 2.
Wan'Dale Robinson…
Finishes the week as a top-24 wide receiver
While Malik Nabers is the top wide receiver for the New York Giants, Robinson is a sneaky good option this week. He had a solid Week 1 performance, totaling 8.8 half-point PPR fantasy points. The former Kentucky star led the Giants with 12 targets in their loss to the Minnesota Vikings, five more than the rookie star receiver.
More importantly, Robinson dominated snaps from the slot. He ran 83.9% of his routes from the slot in Week 1, the most on the team. Furthermore, the third-year receiver posted a 26% targets per route run rate from the slot and a 34% overall rate last week, leading the Giants in both categories (per Fantasy Points Data).
Fantasy players shouldn’t be surprised to see Robinson earn a massive target share. Daniel Jones has always loved to throw to his slot receiver. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders gave up the third-highest yards per route run average (3.09) and the highest receiving first downs per reception rate (17.8%) to slot receivers in Week 1.
Furthermore, three of Baker Mayfield’s four passing touchdowns against Washington last week were by a slot receiver.
Jones is far from a starting-caliber quarterback. However, Tommy Devito had three passing touchdowns in the Week 11 matchup against the Commanders last season. After Washington gave up 20.6 fantasy points to Mike Evans, 18.3 to Chris Godwin, and 9.7 to Jalen McMillan, expect Robinson and Nabers to thrive against their awful secondary.
Hayden Hurst…
Finds the end zone against the Carolina Panthers
The tight-end position was a fantasy nightmare in Week 1. There were only three tight ends to score double-digit half-point PPR fantasy points last week. Isaiah Likely scored 21.6, Foster Moreau had 12.3, while Kyle Pitts totaled 10.1. However, fantasy players should expect the superstar tight ends to rebound after a disappointing opening week.
Unfortunately, there were multiple injuries at the tight-end position in Week 1, with David Njoku and Jake Ferguson suffering potential multiple-week injuries. Hurst is a sneaky streaming option replacement for fantasy players struggling at tight end. Last week, he scored 4.3 fantasy points in the win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hurst had two receptions on three targets for 33 receiving yards in Week 1. However, the veteran should have had a touchdown. Unfortunately, Justin Herbert didn’t see him wide open in the end zone. More importantly, the Panthers got obliterated by the New Orleans Saints tight ends last week, giving up 26 fantasy points to Moreau, Juwan Johnson, and Taysom Hill.
After Joshua Palmer's drop, Justin Herbert missed a wide-open Hayden Hurst (No. 88) in the endzone, instead checking it down to Palmer.
Have to rip the ball into the endzone there. pic.twitter.com/tL6UXjWWFy
— Jason Reed (@EatYourReedies) September 8, 2024
Carolina surrendered the most fantasy points to tight ends in Week 1. While Hurst didn’t find the end zone against the Raiders, he was the team’s receiving tight end.
According to Fantasy Points Data, the veteran had 19 pass play snaps compared to 12 for Will Dissly and Stone Smartt combined. Furthermore, Hurst had the second-most routes run on the team in the red zone last week (four). Don’t be surprised if the veteran finds the end zone against his former team.
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