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

We Must Overreact Immediately! Week 2 Outliers

Week 2 of the 2019 fantasy football season brought many surprises and unexpected sleepers and busts. Mike Riggall analyzes common overreactions to such performances in order to provide reasonable advice to fantasy owners.

Through the first two weeks of the NFL season, we are starting to get a better handle on whether certain players are breaking out, or are one-week wonders.

After Week 1, it was unclear whether Marquise Brown would be able to sustain his fantasy production off his 18% snap share. However, in Week 2, Brown saw a huge increase to his snaps, playing on 64.6% of offensive plays which makes a full-on breakout extremely likely for the rookie out of Oklahoma. Fellow rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown, on the other hand, followed up his 100-yard debut with a three catch, 25-yard performance.

Now, here is a breakdown of some of the good and bad performances from Week 2 to help guide you with lineup and roster decisions moving forward.

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.

 

Demarcus Robinson (WR, KC)

Week 2 Stats: 6 targets, 6 catches, 172 yards and 2 TD

Robinson played on 95.8% of the Chiefs offensive snaps in Week 2 and came through for fantasy owners in a big way. We have seen this before from Robinson. He’s been asked to play an expanded role due to injury in the past, and he normally fails to come through when given the opportunity. However, 2019 may be a different story for Robinson. In 2018 when Sammy Watkins missed time, Robinson played anywhere from half of the Chiefs offensive snaps, to 72.9%, and exceeded 40 yards receiving only twice. As long as Tyreek Hill is out, and Robinson continues to play almost 100% of the Chiefs offensive snaps, he will be a viable WR3 option in 12-team leagues.

Bottom Line: The Chiefs have several mouths to feed in their passing attack, and it’s very likely that Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson or Travis Kelce will absolutely explode or dud any given week. If a defense attempts to take out one of those pass-catchers, the others will burn the opposition and produce in a big way.

 

D.J. Chark (WR, JAX)

Week 2 Stats: 9 targets, 7 catches, 55 yards and 1 TD

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver DJ Chark played on 76.8% of the snaps in Week 2 which is about where he was in Week 1. Chark, however, had a steep increase in targets (nine) this week against the Houston Texans.

Bottom Line: Chark appears to be breaking out and should be owned in all 12-team leagues as Gardner Minshew appears to favor Chark over Dede Westbrook through his first two games. Although Chark is currently in WR1 territory, he cannot be rolled out in 12-team leagues as anything other than a WR3 until he clearly establishes himself as the lead receiver in Jacksonville.

 

Devin Smith (WR, DAL)

Week 2 Stats: 3 targets, 3 catches, 74 yards and 1 TD

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin didn’t suit up against the Redskins in Week 2 and Devin Smith took his place in the lineup. Smith saw about 18% of the snaps in Week 2 which is about the same amount Austin saw in Week 1. Smith looked explosive at times, especially on his 51-yard touchdown catch.

Bottom Line: Michael Gallup is slated to miss a few weeks due to a knee injury requiring a surgical procedure, which means Smith may be viable in Gallup's absence. The Cowboys use a lot of 11-personnel with Randall Cobb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup each playing at least 72.46% of the Cowboys' offensive snaps through the first two weeks of the season. Monitor this receiver situation throughout the week, because Smith may be a viable option in deeper 12 and 14-team leagues if he starts in place of Gallup.

 

Robert Woods (WR, LAR)

Week 2 Stats: 2 targets, 2 catches, 33 yards

LA Rams wide receiver Robert Woods came up extremely small on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Although Woods didn’t produce for fantasy purposes, he led all Rams wide receivers playing on 98.6% of the offensive snaps. Meanwhile, it was Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks rewarding owners with touchdowns. In fairness to Woods, he had a touchdown catch taken off the board due to a questionable holding penalty.

Bottom Line: There are three mouths to feed in the Rams receiving corps, and bad fantasy performances are bound to happen from time to time. If a fantasy owner in your league is panicking because Woods didn’t produce in Week 2, this is a buy-low situation.

 

Josh Gordon (WR, NE)

Week 2 Stats: 5 targets, 2 catches, 19 yards

The New England Patriots looked to get newly acquired Antonio Brown involved in Week 2 against the Dolphins as Tom Brady clearly looked his way in the red zone. Although it's likely that Brown's presence will hurt Gordon's fantasy production, Gordon did see an increase in snaps from Week 1 to Week 2, going from 70% to 79.2%.

Bottom Line: The Patriots ran the ball more than they threw it in Week 2 in the blowout win over the Dolphins, so it's too early to tell if Gordon will disappear now that Brown has been added to the roster. If Brown's legal situation lands him with a suspension, then Gordon's fantasy status will be elevated. If Brown is not suspended, we really need to pay attention to snap rates and target share against an opponent other than Miami. Don't panic with Gordon just yet, but if you receive a comparable trade offer for Gordon (James White, Mike Williams, Cooper Kupp) you should strongly consider it. Gordon should only be in your fantasy lineup if he has a good cornerback matchup until we have more data with Brown in the picture.

 

Christian McCaffrey (RB, CAR)

Week 2 Stats: 16 carries, 37 yards, 6 targets, 2 catches, 16 yards

After Carolina's Week 2 game against the Buccaneers, the common narrative around NFL circles was that Cam Newton is injured and can no longer throw the ball downfield. Newton quietly threw for 333-scoreless yards against the Buccaneers, and part of the reason he was able to do so (as inaccurate as he was) is because the Buccaneers keyed on stopping McCaffrey.

Bottom Line: Don't panic with McCaffrey, he is still the focal point of the Panthers offense and he will rebound. Do not sell low in a trade.

 

Joe Mixon (RB, CIN)

Week 2 Stats: 11 carries, 17 yards, 5 targets, 3 catches, 10 yards

Joe Mixon is off to an extremely slow start for the Cincinnati Bengals. Through the first two weeks of the season, the Bengals have been without their starting left tackle Cordy Glenn. In Glenn’s absence, Andre Smith has performed very poorly, as he’s not athletic enough to block on the edge. In Week 2, Mixon had several chunk plays called back during critical moments of the game when the score was still close. These holding penalties not only negated big gains and first downs, but they put the Bengals in a hole and crippled any momentum their offense had.

Bottom Line: Things will get better for Mixon because they can’t get any worse. He played through his ankle injury and looked good running the ball. When Cordy Glenn returns to the starting lineup, the Bengals rushing attack should be much improved. Mixon is a prime buy-low player right now.

 

George Kittle (TE, SF)

Week 2 Stats: 3 targets, 3 catches, 54 yards

Kittle is currently not living up to expectations based on where you likely drafted him as TE14 through the first two weeks of the season. Against the Bengals in Week 2, the 49ers ran the ball 42 times and only put the ball in the air 26 times. Even though the 49ers didn't need to throw it a lot to beat the Bengals, George Kittle still registered as TE11 on the week.

Bottom Line: Kittle has underwhelmed early, but the 49ers have been winning in convincing fashion. As a result, Jimmy Garoppolo has only needed to put the ball in the air a total of 53 times through two games. For context, Andy Dalton threw the ball 51 times in Week 1 alone. The moment things get competitive for San Francisco, Kittle will start getting targeted more.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




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

Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF