Midweek Report Weeks 2-3

Week 2 of the NFL season was the week of the comeback. The Jets, Dolphins, and Cardinals all won despite having win percentages under three percent as late as the fourth quarter. The Dolphins and Ravens gave us what might be the game of the year in week two. After being up three touchdowns early in the fourth quarter, the Ravens gave up 21 unanswered points to the Dolphins, who eventually won on a late touchdown. This game gave us all of the week’s top performances, as Lamar Jackson, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Tua Tagoovailoa all had over 38 fantasy points. Hopefully, next week will provide as much entertainment as last weekend. In this article, I will try to pinpoint some of the best performances and pickups for the week to help you set your lineup.

Quarterback:

Start of the Week: Matthew Stafford LAR

Matthew Stafford has not had the most inspiring start to the season. The Los Angeles quarterback has thrown five interceptions in his team’s first two games. This past week, he at least put up a formidable fantasy stat line as he added 272 passing yards and 3 touchdowns to his 2 interceptions. This week, the Rams are playing a poor Cardinals defense. While the turnovers will likely persist, this game has shootout potential, and Stafford owners will be happy next Tuesday.

HM: Justin Fields CHI, Justin Herbert LAC

Waiver Priority: Jared Goff DET

Jared Goff tore up the Commanders’ secondary this week for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Week two was the first week where the revamped Detroit offense truly showed its potential. The revamped Detroit defense proved they can keep any opposing team in the game. This combination bodes well for Goff as he finally has some healthy weapons, which should lead to high QB2 numbers for the rest of the season.

HM: Marcus Mariota ATL, Zach Wilson NYJ

Running Back:

Start of the Week: Leonard Fournette TB

While the entire Buccaneers offense seemed a bit off-sync against the Saints, they still managed to get Leonard Fournette the ball 26 times. This week, Tampa Bay’s offense will bounce back against a Green Bay Packers team who allowed one of the worst offensive lines in the league to bully them in the running game. Fournette will carry the banged-up Buccaneers on Sunday and produce a top-five fantasy performance.

HM: David Montgomery CHI, Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC

Waiver Priority: Darrell Williams

This spot is pretty dry again this week, but Darrell Williams will have a significant role in Arizona’s offense if James Conner missed time with an injury. Darrell Williams played well in mop-up duty today with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. If your team needs him to start, Darrell Williams can easily approach RB2 numbers for a team needing a running back.

HM: Eno Benjamin ARI, Jerick McKinnon KC

Wide Receiver:

Start of the Week: Courtland Sutton DEN

The entire Denver offense looked off this week against the Texans. Sutton, however, was the lone bright spot with 7 receptions for 122 receiving yards. Accounting for well over half of your quarterback’s passing yards is rare, but Courtland Sutton seemed like the only viable target for Russell Wilson this week. With the possibility that Jerry Jeudy is injured and a soft matchup against the San Francisco 49ers’ secondary, a top-five wide receiver finish is not out of the question.

HM: Michael Thomas NO, Tee Higgins CIN

Waiver Priority: Noah Brown DAL

While many did not think it would happen, Noah Brown seems to have supplanted himself as the wide receiver two for Dallas for the time being. Cooper Rush looked his way on many key plays against Cincinnati on the way to a 5 reception, 91 yards, 1 touchdown performance. Dak Prescott sounds like he will be back sooner than later from his injury. A healthy Dak Prescott will lead to flex value for Noah Brown, who is only owned in 0.8 percent of leagues.

HM: Richie James NYG, Nelson Agholor NE

Tight End:

Start of the Week: Darren Waller LV

While many viewed Darren Waller as a bust in the offseason, the Las Vegas tight end has quietly put up two above-average weeks. He caught a touchdown against the Cardinals and tied for second on the team in targets. That is exactly what Waller owners want to see as consistent volume has been an issue throughout his career. This week he is playing a team with a soft middle of the defense in Tennessee. Waller is almost a lock for a touchdown on Sunday, and a top-three finish is not out of the cards.

HM: Dawson Knox BUF, Dalton Schultz DAL

Waiver Priority: Gerald Everett LAC

Gerald Everett was a player who went under the radar as a free agent signing. No one thought the former Seahawks tight end would be getting the looks he has been over the past two weeks. Everett has totaled 9 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown over his first two games. With cupcake matchups against the Jaguars and Texans coming up, tight-end-needy teams can have a confident start, even if Keenan Allen returns.

HM: Tyler Conklin NYJ, Logan Thomas WAS