Week 2 Fantasy Football Preview: Depth Charts, Risers, Fallers, Breakouts (2026)

September 17, 2026

Nathan Harvey's 10 fantasy football situations to watch in Week 2, including depth charts, role changes, risers, fallers, breakouts and busts for 2026.

Week 1 was total chaos. We had far more than 10 situations to watch closely, but overall, we got clarity and answers on several in the opening week.

Rashee Rice’s role was significantly diminished; Parker Washington was the Jaguars' WR1; Mike McDaniel’s offense looked bad; and Arizona was heavily split. However, we still left some key situations unclear that we'll need to evaluate next week.

With 10 new storylines to watch, here are the ones that fantasy managers should watch closely in Week 2.

Will Gibbs, Bijan, Walker, and Jeanty Maintain their Elite Usage?

One of the biggest Week 1 fantasy storylines was the workhorse roles for several top-tier running backs. Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Kenneth Walker III, and Ashton Jeanty all had more than 25 total attempts, over 145 scrimmage yards, and a touchdown in Week 1.

While all four backs had massive workloads, it appears all four teams want to keep these players as focal points in the offense. Both the Chiefs and the Raiders led most of the game, giving Walker and Jeanty more touches, but Gibbs and Robinson each played a ton despite being in close games.

After the games, quarterback Jared Goff praised Gibbs, saying, “We’re going to give him the ball as much as possible,” and Kevin Stefanski said that Robinson “wants as many touches as possible.”

Some of this will fluctuate based on game scripts, but expect all four backs to continue to dominate touches in their backfields. Fantasy managers should watch their usage and see if it dips in Week 2.

Are the New York Jets a Decent Offense?

Yes, it was only Week 1, but the Jets looked somewhat respectable in the 23-10 victory. Quarterback Geno Smith went without a turnover and completed 79% of his passes, a big change from his 2025 output with the Raiders.

7️⃣ pic.twitter.com/1h59BhsbYb

— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 15, 2026

With Smith looking sharp, Garrett Wilson had a strong outing, Adonai Mitchell produced, and the run game was fantastic, led by Breece Hall. The bad news is that they faced the Titans, who were bottom-five in points allowed in 2025 (28.1) and didn’t look good in the preseason or Week 1.

The Jets host the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, who ranked top-12 in both points and yards allowed in 2025. However, they will be without Micah Parsons, and this unit struggled against Carson Wentz and the Vikings last week.

A big week from New York could make Hall and Wilson fringe top-10 players while bringing Mitchell, Braelon Allen, and rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq into fantasy relevance.

How Will TreVeyon Henderson Factor into Patriots Backfield?

With second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) trending toward playing in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, how the Patriots split work in their backfield will be a major question answered this week.

Henderson and presumed starter Rhamondre Stevenson will split snaps, but both saw inconsistent usage throughout the 2025 season. Henderson appeared to take over the backfield from Stevenson in Week 9, but once the playoffs started, Stevenson out-snapped him 70% to 30%.

Henderson’s weakness as a pass-protector last season could lead the team to play Stevenson more, but the rookie averaged over five yards per carry, and Stevenson struggled to break any runs in Week 1. This will be an intriguing storyline in Week 2, with both expected to see playing time against the Steelers.

Does Jalen Coker Solidify Himself as a Breakout WR?

While it wasn’t out of nowhere, Panthers wideout Jalen Coker shocked the fantasy world and became a priority waiver-wire add in leagues where he was available. Against a banged-up Bears secondary, Coker hauled in eight of nine targets for 138 yards and two touchdowns, leading the receivers in snaps (84%), routes run (40), and targets.

Bryce Young goes long to Jalen Coker!

CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/y4dv1AgdzS

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

While Tetairoa McMillan is expected to be the lead receiver, Coker produced in Week 1 and late in the 2025 season, totaling 378 yards and three touchdowns in his last six games. He has a strong connection with Bryce Young, hauling in 75% of his targets and averaging over 10 yards per target in his three-year career.

He’ll face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, and their top cornerback, A.J. Terrell Jr., is expected to shadow McMillan. If Coker, who injured his ankle in Week 1, is healthy and able to exploit a favorable matchup with Terrell guarding McMillan, he could solidify himself as a must-start wide receiver moving forward.

Could Carson Wentz Become Minnesota's Full-Time Starter?

The Vikings pulled off a thrilling come-from-behind win against the Packers. After starting quarterback Kyler Murray went down with a concussion after 11 plays, Wentz came in and played well.

He led the Vikings on four straight touchdown drives to end the game, totaling 133 yards and three touchdowns, including two to star receiver Justin Jefferson. Murray isn’t expected to miss much time, but if it’s the Wentz show in Week 2, this will be one to watch.

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: Carson Wentz is proving why the #Vikings have believed in him. pic.twitter.com/439DBXRm5X

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2026

The Vikings face the Chicago Bears, who allowed the Panthers to score 37 points in Week 1, and Young to throw for 361 yards and three touchdowns. This Bears secondary could be a problem with 2025 interception leader Kevin Byard III gone and both Kyler Gordon and Coby Bryant out.

This could turn into a shootout in Chicago. If Wentz leads the Vikings to 2-0, Kevin O’Connell will face a tough decision with Murray waiting in the wings.

Will Christian Watson and Matthew Golden Dominate the Packers' Target Share Once Again?

The Packers blew another game while leading by double digits, but Jordan Love and the passing-game volume are worth watching. Only Saints quarterback Tyler Shough threw more passes than Love in Week 1, as the sixth-year quarterback threw for 387 yards and two touchdowns.

With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks leaving in the offseason, all eyes were on the split in the receiver corps. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden were the guys. Both had over an 83% route share and a 19% target share, combining for 242 yards.

WATSON TD!

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/NVEU4ikenf

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 13, 2026

While those two dominated, Jayden Reed saw usage similar to his first three seasons, playing just 57% of snaps and rarely being used in 2WR sets. Tucker Kraft was limited to 66% of snaps but should see more work as he recovers from his 2025 knee injury.

Based on usage and production, Watson and Golden are the receivers to own. However, Love won’t throw 42 times every week, making this target split worth monitoring.

Will Arizona’s Offense Look Formidable Against Seattle?

While nearly every football fan thought the Arizona Cardinals would fall apart, they upset the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. Led by Jacoby Brissett and star tight end Trey McBride, the Cardinals’ offense looked just as productive as, if not more so than, it was in 2025.

They ranked fifth in the NFL in passing yards last season and signed running back Tyler Allgeier and drafted Jeremiyah Love, who scored a touchdown in his debut. Along with an upgraded offensive line and signing Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their head coach, the Cardinals have the pieces for a productive offense, and it showed in Week 1.

Now they play the Seattle Seahawks, one of the NFL’s best defenses, which forced three turnovers against Drake Maye. While Arizona was beaten badly by Seattle in 2025, the Cardinals scored the fourth-most points and yards against them.

The Seahawks are favorites, but another strong offensive showing could put Brissett and others on the fantasy map.

Can Denver’s Offense Turn It Around?

Offensive coordinator Davis Webb's debut didn't go as planned in Week 1, as the Broncos were decimated by the Kansas City Chiefs. Through one week of action, Denver ranks dead last in total yards (192), 28th in points (10), and 29th in third-down conversion rate (2/12).

Bo Nix struggled, the run game was nonexistent, and wideouts Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton combined for just 13 yards. The bright spot is that Nix has struggled in Week 1 starts in all three of his seasons, averaging 148 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and seven turnovers in those three games.

With their offensive talent and an offensive line that has been among the best in the NFL over the past two seasons, Nix and the Broncos should bounce back. However, they face a Jacksonville defense in Week 2 that ranked among the NFL's top 10 in 2025 and looked outstanding against the Browns in Week 1.

The Broncos will adjust heading into a marquee home matchup against the Jaguars. How Nix and Webb perform in their second game will be a major storyline to watch in Week 2.

Will the Rams Bounce Back in Week 2?

Like the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Rams looked out of sync in Melbourne, Australia. No team scored fewer points than the Rams in Week 1 (7), and they ranked 22nd in total offense (290) and 25th in passing yards (168).

In 2025, the Rams ranked first in points (30.5), yards per game (394.6), and yards per play (6.2). With MVP Matthew Stafford, a top-seven rushing attack, and two elite receivers in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, they had it all last season.

After their elite 2025 season, regression was likely, but not to this extreme extent. After the long trip to Australia, they are back in the States and should be firing on all cylinders against the New York Giants.

However, if they keep struggling, this massive regression could affect multiple early-round picks, including Nacua, Kyren Williams, and Adams. Many eyes will be on Sean McVay and the Rams on Monday Night Football to see how they respond.

Are the New York Giants the Real Deal?

While the Rams will look to bounce back, they face a New York Giants offense that was firing on all cylinders against the Cowboys in Week 1. In their first game with new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, the Giants scored 28 points, gained 395 yards, and dominated time of possession against a very good Cowboys defense.

Jaxson Dart had one of the best games of his young career, completing 79% of his passes and posting the second-highest passer rating of Week 1 (134.2). With Malik Nabers active, Isaiah Likely a force, and an elite rushing attack, the Giants could be legitimate threats in the NFC.

“He was probably the guy of everybody in the league that surprised me the most at how well he played in Week 1.”

—@kurt13warner on Jaxson Dart against the Cowboys 🌟 pic.twitter.com/5XXqxTKjj8

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 16, 2026

However, instead of facing a Cowboys defense that was the worst in the NFL last season, they will face a Rams defense looking to bounce back after a poor showing against the 49ers. Dart and the Giants will be on primetime again. If they beat the Rams, they will be the talk of the NFL and an offense fantasy managers should target in 2026.

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