Week 2 Rankings

Updated 9/20 at 12:05 ET. Removed Alshon Jeffery and Delanie Walker. Added T.Y. Hilton at No. 49. Moved Chris Ivory down.    

All eyes were on Adrian Peterson Monday evening. They were soon diverted to Carlos Hyde, a sophomore back who not only stole the show from his future Hall-of-Fame counterpart, but led all Week 1 runners in fantasy points. Hyde’s 30.2 were 7.6 more than runner up Matt Forte, and would have tied for the eighth-highest total from any back in 2014. Hyde had a new career high for yards by halftime (83), and proceeded to better it after the break (85).  

How did a supposed two-down thumper have the best game of Week 1? By beating the Vikings every which way. Hyde dragged tacklers up the gut, but also burned them around the edge. He displayed a shocking amount of lateral agility, and a devastating ability to plant and go. Hyde’s spin-move field reversal on his first touchdown was the play of the night, but it was his ability to gain yards after contact that sustained his monster evening. Hyde rumbled for 86 yards after initial hits, the most for any back on opening weekend.  

Hyde complemented his power with patience, allowing blocks to develop and holes to open up. 17 of his 26 carries gained at least five yards, while five went for 10 or more. It was a tour de force of running, one that caught the Vikings just as off guard as fantasy owners.

Hyde won’t keep up his Week 1 pace. 168 yards is liable to be the season high for any back. Reggie Bush remains as a third-down threat (though not for Week 2), and the 49ers are not a great team. Game flow could make it hard to commit to the run. But Hyde has realized the potential that made him the No. 57 overall pick of the 2014 draft. He’s an NFL runner, and a savvy one at that. On preseason paper, he was a limited RB2. In regular season practice, he’s a top-15 back with high-end RB1 upside.

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Week 2 Quarterbacks

QB Notes: Whose questions concern you the least? That’s the story of Week 2 at quarterback. Not even Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers are immune. Coming off a QB10 finish against the Bills, Luck could be missing his No. 1 receiver, T.Y. Hilton, against the Jets. Rodgers, meanwhile, must do battle with the Seahawks, who held him to two touchdowns in two 2014-15 matchups. … So why are they still at the top? It doesn’t get any clearer behind them. Tony Romo is missing Dez Bryant. Tom Brady is facing the same Bills that decked Luck. Peyton Manning is … who really knows what’s going on there. So with no obvious answers, we’ll keep Luck and Rodgers in their catbird seats, and bet on talent instead of cutesy dart throws. … Matt Ryan’s “road struggles” haven’t always been rooted in reality. They were severe in 2013, but moderate last season. Ryan was actually much better on the road than at home in 2012. Heading into the Big Apple with Julio Jones against one of the league’s sorriest defenses, Ryan is a safe top-five play.

It isn’t easy being Tony Romo, is it? One week. That’s how much time Romo got to adjust to Dallas’ post-DeMarco Murray offense before losing Dez Bryant. Romo will be strained to the point of breaking as he tries, and almost certainly fails, to match last year’s efficiency. Thankfully, Week 2 offers a soft landing, as Dallas is headed to Philly to take on Chip Kelly’s perpetual shootout machine. And though times will be tough without Bryant, Romo doesn’t face a truly stiff test until Week 8’s showdown with Seattle. … Lost in the shuffle of Seattle’s upset loss in St. Louis was the fact that Russell Wilson attempted a career-high 41 passes. The fourth-year starter had previously never thrown more than 37 times in a game. It’s not going to be a new trend, but it’s clear the Seahawks are prepared to rely on Wilson more than ever. He’s a tantalizing weekly mix of floor and ceiling. … Marcus Mariota is that guy you’re probably trying to force into your lineup, but the Browns’ pass defense is considerably stiffer than Tampa’s. If Mariota carves up Joe Haden and company, then it will be time to start making tough decisions.  

Don’t you dare say Sam Bradford was a Week 1 bust. Despite a ragged first half — he entered the break 15-of-27 for 117 yards (4.33 YPA) — Bradford finished with the third-most yards of his career (336), and fourth-most attempts (52). Bradford went 21-of-25 for 219 yards (8.76 YPA) in the second half, nearly bringing the Eagles all the way back from a 20-3 deficit. Consistency has never been Bradford’s calling card, but he’s going to consistently roll up attempts, and hopefully touchdowns, in Chip Kelly’s fast-paced attack. Bradford’s Week 2 matchup could scarcely be more inviting in the Cowboys. … Being hailed as the week’s top play in many circles, Drew Brees offers up a bit of a trap. Yes, he’s getting a Bucs defense that just got humiliated by a quarterback making his first career start, but the matchup is not as inviting as it seems. For starters, two of Brees’ worst 2014 starts came against Lovie Smith’s defense. He tossed twice as many picks (six) as touchdowns (three) against Tampa, and posted QB ratings of 70.1 and 61.4. The latter came as the Bucs were actively trying to tank in Week 17. Then there are Brees’ 2015 issues. Beyond Brandin Cooks, Brees’ weapons are highly suspect, and he’s not going to get another 98 receiving yards from Mark Ingram. By all means, fire Brees up in re-draft leagues, but he’s not the golden-eagle play he appears to play in DFS.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for one or zero touchdowns in 4-of-6 starts without Martavis Bryant last season. That’s 66 percent. With Bryant, Roethlisberger managed fewer than two scores in only 4-of-10 starts. You do the math. Big Ben had little issue between the 20s without Bryant last Thursday, but things quickly bogged down in the red zone. Roethlisberger managed, yes, one solitary touchdown in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Patriots. Roethlisberger will keep racking up attempts in his three remaining games without Bryant, just don’t act surprised when he continues to have issues cashing them in. … For all Rex Ryan’s bluster, he hasn’t had as much success stopping Tom Brady as he’d like you to believe. In 13 starts (including the playoffs) against Ryan’s Jets, Brady completed 299-of-496 passes (60.2 percent) for 3,487 yards (7.03 YPA), 23 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Not quite on par with Brady’s career marks, but hardly embarrassing. However, the numbers turn more in Ryan’s favor when you isolate them to Brady’s road starts. There Brady was a more pedestrian 132-of-230 (57.3 percent) for 1,526 yards (6.63 YPA), nine touchdowns and five picks across six games. Throw in the fact that Ryan has his most intimidating defense in half a decade, and you have a matchup where Brady will be a lower-end QB1 after leading the pack in Week 1.

Look for Eli Manning to force the issue with Odell Beckham. … We broke down Peyton Manning’s struggles on Monday. The short of it: The warning signs are real, but you never dirt the casket of a player of Manning’s caliber until you’re sure it’s real. We’re nowhere near that point with Peyton. It’s just that, on a short week on the road against a defense that’s already forced a quarterback change, he’ll be hard to trust as more than a low-end QB1. … Flip a coin between Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer, who are both headed on the road after strong home openers. I’ll give the edge to Rivers, who’s far steadier than his desert counterpart, and turned in arguably the most impressive performance of Week 1. Rivers has also always been unusually effective away from home. (9/18 Note: I lied! Decided to go all aboard the Palmer Express.) … Tyrod Taylor was mighty impressive against the Colts, but threw only 19 passes, and attempted a modest nine runs. He finished as the QB19 in fantasy. Give him a little while. … Joe Flacco will be a barely-there QB2 until the Ravens establish some semblance of a downfield threat. … There’s little reason to expect a top-20 performance from Johnny Manziel.   

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Week 2 Running Backs

RB Notes: Like quarterback, there’s no runner who clearly belongs at the top. I’ll give the nod to Marshawn Lynch, who decked the Packers for 267 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries (5.9 YPC) in two 2014-15 matchups. The Packers got shredded by Matt Forte in Week 1, and lost ILB Sam Barrington in the process. … One of Week 1’s main takeaways: It’s still Forte’s offense in Chicago. Forte rushed 24 times for 141 yards — his most since Week 7, 2011 — and drew eight targets in the passing game after averaging that number a season ago. The Cardinals represent a tough matchup, but Forte’s touch floor combined with his likely goal-line opportunities make him a clear top-three play as running back works to sort itself out for fantasy purposes. … Coming off a two-touchdown Week 1, Jeremy Hill gets a Chargers defense that allowed 4.3 yards per carry in Week 1, and 4.5 in 2014. Game flow should work in his favor in a contest that figures to be tight.

A juicy nugget from Rich Hribar’s must-read Worksheet? The Eagles’ 16 rushing attempts on Monday evening were the third fewest of the Chip Kelly era. Look for Kelly to establish his ground attack in Sunday’s Cowboys grudge match, and for DeMarco Murray to at least double last week’s eight carries as he seeks vengeance against his former team. … Jamaal Charles had an ordinary day as a runner in Week 1, but saved his fantasy effort by securing 5-of-8 targets in the passing game, turning them into 46 yards and a touchdown. Charles had only one five-catch effort in all of 2014, and averaged a meager 3.9 targets. A return to his 2013 numbers — where he caught 70 passes and averaged 6.9 looks — would jack his weekly floor back into the top five. Denver is an imposing matchup, but Charles should be in for a heavy workload in a game that’s shaping up to be knock down, drag out. … The Seahawks are likely to remain a top-three run defense this season, but Eddie Lacy’s job is to finish drives. He’ll get ample opportunity to do so in a showdown with a sneaky high over/under.

The Vikings handed Adrian Peterson the ball just 10 times in a 20-3 loss on Monday. Expect a major corrective in Week 2 as AD plays makes his first home appearance since Dec. 1, 2013. … Mark Ingram was the RB16 in Week 1, but it was thanks to his uncharacteristic 8/98 day as a receiver. That’s not repeatable, especially with C.J. Spiller tentatively on pace to return. That means Ingram has to blow last week’s 9/24/0 rushing line out of the water if he wants to be a top-15 option. As Evan Silva points out, the conditions are favorable for Ingram to do just that. The Saints are 10-point favorites in a game with a 47 over/under, meaning Vegas expects Ingram to be milking clock for the majority of the second half. Vegas is smart. … Drew Brees targeted his running backs 18 times in Week 1. Spiller will be worth immediate FLEX consideration if he indeed suits up. … Ronnie Hillman stole seven totes from C.J. Anderson on Denver’s 17-play, game-sealing drive on Sunday, but still averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Anderson was heavily involved as both a runner and pass catcher. Bell-cow duties remain his.

LeSean McCoy was an east/west nightmare in Week 1, but the soft underbelly of the Pats’ defense should have him going north and south. … Chris Ivory was exceptional in Week 1, but game flow figures to be an issue in a road jaunt where the Jets will probably have to pass to keep up. … The surprise of Week 1, DeAngelo Williams should be in for another 20-plus touch afternoon against the 49ers. … Alfred Morris was similarly surprising on opening day, but the Rams’ lightning quick defense will test his ability to piece together chunk gains. … Joseph Randle’s 19 touches were 11 more than any other Cowboys back against the Giants, but Lance Dunbar actually out-snapped him 32-28. That was thanks to a frantic pace, one that will quite possibly be repeated against the Eagles. Randle’s likely goal-line looks leave him on the RB2 radar, but Dunbar is a sneaky FLEX play. … Tevin Coleman ran circles around Devonta Freeman against the Eagles, and at least for one week, proved he was more than a home run threat. Coleman could solidify his RB2 status with another nice day against the Giants.

Game flow — also known as their teams falling behind early — could be an issue for T.J. Yeldon and Latavius Murray all season. That being said, both appear to have the every-down roles necessary to boost their floors. … Ameer Abdullah did what he needed to do in Week 1, but Joique Bell isn’t dead yet. Another week of 2.3 yards per carry could change that. … Owners shouldn’t assume more than 12-15 carries in LeGarrette Blount’s return, but there’s every reason to believe he’ll immediately step in as Bill Belichick’s early-down back. The Pats didn’t have one in Week 1. … Bruce Arians has said Chris Johnson will be the “lead dog” in Andre Ellington’s absence. Arians is a man of his word. … The Titans gave Terrance West every opportunity to vulture Bishop Sankey against the Bucs, but he wasn’t up to the task. Sankey emerged as a stronger FLEX option in the process. … Tre Mason will be a low-end RB2 if he plays. If Todd Gurley makes his NFL debut, it’s likely to be as a FLEX option on 8-10 touches. … Danny Woodhead is ahead of Melvin Gordon right now. … Don’t be surprised if Week 1 goes down as Dion Lewis’ best game of the season. He’s a low-end RB3.

Week 2 Receivers

WR Notes: I had Antonio Brown ranked No. 4 last week. It took him all of 12 hours to make me look like an idiot, shredding the Patriots for 9/133/1. Lesson learned. … Julio Jones over his past five games: 41/754/4. The New York Football Giants won’t be stopping him. … Odell Beckham’s 5/44/0 Week 1 was his first sub-90 yard effort in 10 games. I still think he’ll finish as this year’s No. 1 receiver. … Peyton Manning’s arm would be a bigger concern for Demaryius Thomas if so much of the duo’s damage didn’t come on screens. Even if Manning continues to play “Duck Hunt,” Thomas will be going “Mortal Kombat” on opposing defenses. … Jordan Matthews is who we thought he was. Matthews was an alpha No. 1 in Monday’s narrow loss to the Falcons, catching 10-of-12 targets for 102 yards. Matthews ripped open seams in the middle of the field, and tacked on yards after the catch. He’s a legit WR1.

Working against DeAndre Hopkins in Week 2? Elite Panthers CB Josh Norman, and new quarterback Ryan Mallett. Working in his favor? He’s awesome. Hopkins has done just about everything he needs to do to prove he’s an every-week WR1. … Alshon Jeffery looked healthy in Week 1, but Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson looked improved. Of course, as Pro Football Focus’ Patrick Thorman points out, it’s been bigger receivers who have given Peterson the most trouble. Jeffery is four inches taller than the wideout Peterson shut down in Week 1, Brandin Cooks. Stopping Jeffery could be an indication Peterson might finally have some game to match his name. … Emmanuel Sanders drew 12 targets in Week 1. Maybe Gary Kubiak’s offense won’t be such a concern after all. … Keenan Allen is already 19.4 percent of the way to his 2014 catch total. Of course, Allen had two 10-catch efforts last season, but Allen and the Chargers both swore he was more committed to his craft this offseason. The proof was in the pudding on Sunday.     

Randall Cobb (shoulder) didn’t look 100 percent in Week 1, and now he has an even bigger concern for Week 2: Richard Sherman. The Seahawks took Sherman off his left-corner island against the Rams, freelancing him for 23-of-59 snaps, mostly in the slot. Perhaps it was a one off, but it could be an indication Sherman will finally get to shadow an opposing No. 1 every now and then. Even if Sherman isn’t blanketing Cobb, he could be erasing Davante Adams for the second straight matchup. Sherman enveloped Adams in the NFC Championship Game, holding him to one catch for seven yards on three targets. … Mike Evans (hamstring) is tentatively on track for Week 2. The Saints are not a scary matchup. Evans could make Jameis Winston forget his horrid Week 1 in a hurry. … Jeremy Maclin’s Chiefs debut wasn’t what it could have been thanks to a lopsided first-half score, but I firmly believe he’ll finish as a top-18 receiver for Andy Reid’s offense. … Steve Smith Sr. was sluggish against the Broncos, struggling to unstick himself from coverage and get open downfield. He’ll remain a target hog — the Ravens have no choice — but he needs to be better than he was in Week 1, where he also dropped a potentially game-winning touchdown.

Amari Cooper has a tough Week 2 matchup in Ravens CB Jimmy Smith, but I’ll keep betting on his talent for the time being. … John Brown caught four passes for 46 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter on Sunday and then … nada. Could he run into the same issue Michael Floyd did last season, that there are only so many targets to go around on a team that’s three deep at receiver? Maybe. But Carson Palmer and coach Bruce Arians both appear more in love with “Smokey” than they ever were with Floyd. … Larry Fitzgerald’s 87 yards would have been his fourth most of 2014. Fitz did great work over the middle of the field, but he’s still more WR3 than WR2. Circumstance pushes him more into the latter category this week. … Brandon Marshall had Joe Haden last week. Now he gets Vontae Davis. Tough way to start the season. … Kendall Wright could be a poor man’s Julian Edelman for Marcus Mariota, always compiling, never getting respect. … The Cowboys need Terrance Williams more than ever, but nothing in his history suggests he can be more than a streak-shot specialist. Maybe that will finally change in the absence of Dez Bryant, but low-end, boom-or-bust WR2 is his ceiling until further notice.

Donte Moncrief is getting a massive opportunity in the expected absence/decoy-hood of T.Y. Hilton (bruised knee). He produced a 6/46/1 line on 11 targets in Week 1, and outplayed Andre Johnson, who looked bored and old. The catch? He could be doing battle with Darrelle Revis. You’re going to want to force Moncrief into your lineup after winning him on the waiver wire, but don’t do so at the expense of an established WR2. … Dealing with an erratic Blake Bortles against the Panthers, Allen Robinson made things even worse by committing two drops. There should be better days ahead, but the entire Jags offense was mighty unimpressive in Week 1. … Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith can both atone for their quiet openers against Pittsburgh’s swiss-cheese secondary. … Nelson Agholor caught only pass against the Falcons, but played 59 snaps. Upside remains. … There’s no shame in experimenting with Cole Beasley as a WR4. … Brandon Coleman outplayed Marques Colston in Week 1, but that’s not saying much. Neither is an inspiring WR3 for the time being.    

Week 2 Tight Ends

TE Notes: Rob Gronkowski has 57 touchdowns in 66 career games. … Travis Kelce tweaked his hip in the midst of dismantling Houston, but he’s good to go for Thursday Night Football. … Jimmy Graham’s Seahawks debut went about as well as expected considering St. Louis’ usually stingy tight end defense. … The Cowboys need Jason Witten, but as the esteemed Mr. Rich Hribar points out, the Eagles haven’t surrendered a touchdown to a tight end since last Week 2. It could be a good week to fade Witten in DFS. … The rumors have been confirmed: Tyler Eifert will be the Bengals’ No. 2 option in the passing game. Granted, the Week 1 competition wasn’t exactly fierce in Oakland, but Eifert should be a target hog for the weak-armed Andy Dalton down the seams. Eifert and A.J. Green could do wonders for each other, commanding attention and giving the other more room to operate.

Bruce Arians’ Cardinals have traditionally had issues covering tight ends, and Patrick Peterson will be squaring off with Alshon Jeffery. Expect a lot of looks for Martellus Bennett. … Heath Miller just won’t go away, especially with Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant not around to steal targets. … Jordan Cameron appears ready to stretch the seams for a team that needs a target or two who can do work beyond the short area of the field. … Jordan Reed is primed and ready to be the Redskins’ No. 2 pass catcher in the absence of DeSean Jackson, but has a tough Week 2 draw in Alec Ogletree and the Rams. … Zach Ertz’s Week 1 went better than planned. Ertz played 52-of-74 snaps, while Brent Celek played just 27-of-74. That would have been Celek’s fewest snaps of 2014. Perhaps Ertz’s breakout is on tap, after all.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins cleaned up against the Titans, but did so in garbage time, and without Mike Evans in uniform. Wait a few more weeks before you start forcing him into your lineup as a surefire TE1. … Playing the most snaps of his career, Ladarius Green had his first five-catch game. Don’t look now, but this might finally be happening. … Even with T.Y. Hilton likely to sit/be a decoy, Dwayne Allen will kill you if he doesn’t get in the end zone. … Jared Cook led the Rams in receiving against the Seahawks, but we’ve seen this movie before. Make him prove it over the course of 3-4 games. … Eric Ebron boomed in Week 1 (scored an 18-yard touchdown), but also busted (committed his customary drop). He’s still not ready for prime time. … With the Bills possibly ready to triple team Rob Gronkowski, Scott Chandler is worth a DFS dart throw after turning his only Week 1 target into a one-yard touchdown. … Gavin Escobar is a hail mary for DFS tournaments.                

Week 2 Kickers

Week 2 Defense/Special Teams