2021 Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings: TE, K, DEF

T.J. Hockenson hopes to keep the Lions’ passing attack afloat while Tyler Higbee aims to cement his status as an every-down player.

Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Receiver

Week 2 Tight Ends

RK	Player	Opp
1	Travis Kelce	@BAL
2	Darren Waller	@PIT
3	George Kittle	@PHI
4	T.J. Hockenson	@GB
5	Mark Andrews	KC
6	Kyle Pitts	@TB
7	Tyler Higbee	@IND
8	Noah Fant	@JAC
9	Logan Thomas	NYG
10	Robert Tonyan	DET
11	Rob Gronkowski	ATL
12	Cole Kmet	CIN
13	Dallas Goedert	SF
14	Jared Cook	DAL
15	Jonnu Smith	@NYJ
16	Gerald Everett	TEN
17	James O’Shaughnessy	DEN
18	Hunter Henry	@NYJ
19	Austin Hooper	HOU
20	Dawson Knox	@MIA
21	Blake Jarwin	@LAC
22	Juwan Johnson	@CAR
23	Dalton Schultz	@LAC
24	Zach Ertz	SF
25	Mike Gesicki	BUF
26	Adam Trautman	@CAR
27	Tyler Kroft	NE
28	Tyler Conklin	@ARI
29	Albert Okwuegbunam	@JAC
30	Anthony Firkser	@SEA
31	Kyle Rudolph	@WAS
32	Eric Ebron	LV
33	Hayden Hurst	@TB
34	Dan Arnold	NO

TE Notes: Darren Waller drew three more targets than any other player in football Week 1. If you saw the Raiders’ receiver corps, you know that could remain a theme. … George Kittle turned five Lions targets into 78 yards. It was a good outcome in a non-competitive game. This week’s Eagles contest could go similarly sideways, but a healthy Kittle will basically never fall out of the top three. … The T.J. Hockenson plan went, uhh, according to plan. The Lions’ receiver corps is one of the most embarrassing in recent memory. For Week 2 Hock will be facing a Packers D that coughed up two Week 1 scores to Juwan Johnson. … Lamar Jackson was bad in Week 1, ergo Mark Andrews didn’t produce in Week 1. Jackson has also traditionally struggled against the Chiefs, limiting Andrews to 6/37 over the sides’ past two meetings. … #WeMustAdjust when it comes to Rob Gronkowski, but don’t be surprised if Week 1 ends up something of a high-water mark. This is such a deep offense, and the Bucs will be committed to keeping their veteran healthy.

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Kyle Pitts’ Week 1 was a Rorschach test if there ever was one. As a loud Pitts summer fader, you might expect me to take some sort of “victory lap,” but any respectable reading of the data cautions against it. Pitts’ eight targets were tied for third at the position. He drew a 24.2 target share. He lined up out wide or in the slot on 78 percent of his plays. Not to mention, the Falcons’ receiver depth chart was indeed nonexistent behind Calvin Ridley. Even if Pitts ends up struggling, it’s hard to see how he isn’t a top-eight tight end based on sheer volume alone. … Tyler Higbee played 100 percent of the Rams’ Week 1 snaps. None of his other stats matter, though his five receptions and six targets were both second of the team. His 68 yards were third. That is a bulletproof top-eight setup. … Another 100 percent snap player was Logan Thomas. That is not even close to the norm at such a rugged position. Thomas did struggle to produce as the Football Team’s offense floundered and lost Ryan Fitzpatrick to injury. For what it’s worth, Thomas went 5-of-9 for 74 yards from Taylor Heinicke in the Wild Card Round.

Eight targets feels like a nice over-under for Noah Fant without Jerry Jeudy. Albert Okwuegbunam also grows in importance to this offense. … Throwing Robert Tonyan‘s Week 1 in the trash and moving on. … I had suspicions all summer the Bears were going to force the issue with Cole Kmet. It appeared to be a worthy project against the Rams. … As feared, Dallas Goedert‘s value is being cannibalized by all manner of factors, including but not limited to DeVonta Smith‘s addition and Zach Ertz‘s continued presence. TE1 consistency will be impossible to come by. … All three of Hunter Henry‘s Week 1 targets came in the second half. We aren’t even close to “cased closed” with Jonnu Smith being the preferred pass catcher. … One of only 10 tight ends to play at least 80 percent of his team’s Week 1 snaps? Jaguars mainstay James O’Shaughnessy, who caught six passes on eight targets in the process. We have taken notice. … Perhaps unsurprisingly, Adam Trautman and Juwan Johnson were both Week 1 snap hogs for the receiver-deficient Saints. For now the benefit of the doubt goes to Johnson’s red zone looks. ... Uhh, ya got any gum?

Week 2 Kickers

RK	Player	Opp
1	Harrison Butker	@BAL
2	Justin Tucker	KC
3	Ryan Succop	ATL
4	Greg Zuerlein	@LAC
5	Matt Prater	MIN
6	Matt Gay	@IND
7	Chris Boswell	LV
8	Chase McLaughlin	HOU
9	Mason Crosby	DET
10	Tristan Vizcaino	DAL
11	Tyler Bass	@MIA
12	Daniel Carlson	@PIT
13	Jason Sanders	BUF
14	Jason Myers	TEN
15	Evan McPherson	@CHI
16	Greg Joseph	@ARI
17	Younghoe Koo	@TB
18	Robbie Gould	@PHI
19	Brandon McManus	@JAC
20	Jake Elliott	SF
21	Aldrick Rosas	@CAR
22	Rodrigo Blankenship	LA
23	Ryan Santoso	NO
24	Cairo Santos	CIN
25	Josh Lambo	DEN
26	Michael Badgley	@SEA
27	Austin Seibert	@GB
28	Nick Folk	@NYJ
29	Dustin Hopkins	NYG
30	Graham Gano	@WAS
31	Joey Slye	@CLE
32	Matt Ammendola	NE

Week 2 Defense/Special Teams

RK	Player	Opp
1	Washington Football Team	NYG
2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	ATL
3	New England Patriots	@NYJ
4	Los Angeles Rams	@IND
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	LV
6	San Francisco 49ers	@PHI
7	Denver Broncos	@JAC
8	Green Bay Packers	DET
9	Cleveland Browns	HOU
10	Buffalo Bills	@MIA
11	New York Giants	@WAS
12	Miami Dolphins	BUF
13	New Orleans Saints	@CAR
14	Seattle Seahawks	TEN
15	Kansas City Chiefs	@BAL
16	Chicago Bears	CIN
17	Indianapolis Colts	LA
18	Los Angeles Chargers	DAL
19	Jacksonville Jaguars	DEN
20	Arizona Cardinals	MIN
21	Minnesota Vikings	@ARI
22	Philadelphia Eagles	SF
23	Cincinnati Bengals	@CHI
24	Carolina Panthers	NO
25	New York Jets	NE
26	Las Vegas Raiders	@PIT
27	Baltimore Ravens	KC
28	Dallas Cowboys	@LAC
29	Houston Texans	@CLE
30	Tennessee Titans	@SEA
31	Atlanta Falcons	@TB
32	Detroit Lions	@GB