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    Willis focused on taking fewer sacks in Week 2

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    MIA Quarterback #2
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    Dolphins QB Malik Willis said he knows he must take fewer sacks in Week 2 against the 49ers.

    Willis stood in the pocket, holding onto the ball too long when trailing the Raiders in the second half last week. He is currently nursing a toe injury, though scrambling faster, or at least throwing on the run, might help him achieve his new goal. Checking down to explosive RB De’Von Achane would also be smart, but the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s David Furones instead highlighted Willis’ strong connection with rookie WR Caleb Douglas in his article on the subject. Getting the ball out of his hands quickly to either player would be a smart move. Willis’ Dolphins will likely be trailing often in the second half. Developing go-to responses to this situation would help out all involved for fantasy purposes.
How will Kamara and Etienne split backfield reps?
With Alvin Kamara likely to return in Week 2, Patrick Daugherty and Denny Carter evaluate how the Saints legend and Travis Etienne Jr. will affect each other's fantasy outlooks.

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  • MIA Quarterback #2
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    Willis popped up on the Dolphins’ injury report with a toe injury, though he was a full practice participant. This indicates the issue is minor enough for the 27-year-old to keep practicing at full strength. Note down Willis’ toe issue, but expect him to be back out there for Week 2 against the 49ers.
  • MIA Running Back #28
    Aside from QB Malik Willis, Achane was the only Dolphins player who touched the ball throughout the entire first quarter, totaling 25 scrimmage yards on three carries and two receptions. Unfortunately, the Raiders jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, forcing the Dolphins into a pass-heavy game script. Willis focused on aggressive downfield throws as the game progressed, which in turn limited Achane to 15 touches on the day, and only Willis entered the end zone. Achane looked like his normal speedy self, but unfavorable game scripts could be an issue for him all year. He is an RB2 against the 49ers in Week 2.
  • MIA Wide Receiver #7
    In preseason play, Douglas showed a real knack for getting open downfield, whether stretching the seam from the slot or working along the sideline, particularly during the scramble drill. Those traits showed up again today. The rookie wide receiver delivered multiple double-digit gains. Douglas snagged a 25-yarder on 2nd-and-26 after getting open for QB Malik Willis, who had rolled out of the pocket, evading defenders. The play set up a successful field goal attempt, giving the Dolphins their first points of the day. He helped set up the Dolphins’ next successful field goal on the following drive by snagging a 30-yard pass on an in-breaking route from the slot. Douglas is officially on the FLEX radar on volume against the 49ers next week.
  • MIA Quarterback #2
    Willis scrambled very effectively and was unafraid to test the Raiders’ defense deep. His pocket awareness seemingly waned as the Raiders extended their lead throughout the game, leading to two batted passes and three sacks taken in the fourth quarter, bringing his total to five on the day. Dolphins rookie WR Caleb Douglas looks like a hit, and RB De’Von Achane was his typically reliable self as a receiver. Willis should produce better box scores as the season progresses. He is a borderline QB1/2 against the 49ers next week.
  • MIA Wide Receiver #18
    “We believe those guys deserve to start, and we’re gonna start them,” was Hafley’s matter-of-fact Wednesday statement. His words come after the ‘Fins officially listed the third-round rookies as starters on Tuesday. His “pitch count” comments pertain to Bell’s summer stint on the NFI list as he completed his recovery from torn ACL suffered last season at Louisville. Starting a pair of Day 2 receivers in Week 1 is far from ideal for anybody, but no less so than trotting out Jalen Tolbert. The Dolphins are fully committed to their rebuild, and rookies like Bell, Douglas and Kevin Coleman are the biggest potential beneficiaries. Bell and Douglas belong on 12-team league watch lists, with Coleman worth a dynasty stash.
  • MIA Wide Receiver #7
    Douglas has seemingly secured a starting role in his rookie season. The big-bodied downfield wide receiver looked good in the first preseason game and played just three snaps in the second one. The Dolphins are expected to field a run-heavy offense, but Douglas could warrant FLEX treatment before long. He should be targeted late in drafts.
  • MIA Wide Receiver #7
    Douglas is worth a late-round pick. Dolphins QB Malik Willis attempted five passes tonight, sending two his way. Both of Douglas’ targets were downfield throws. Douglas erred on the first. After managing to get wide open, running toward the right sideline, the rookie wide receiver experienced a blip in his spatial awareness and ended up securing the pass while stepping out of bounds. Willis gave him another chance on a vertical route from the slot, firing a long ball to the lanky receiver downfield. Douglas fought contact with his right hand while high-pointing the pass with his left, and critically retained possession as he landed hard on his back. The third-round rookie looks good.
  • MIA Quarterback #2
    Willis’ lone incompletion was not his fault. His intended receiver stepped out of bounds during the catch. The Dolphins’ new quarterback was not afraid to push the ball downfield and scrambled twice in Commanders territory. One carry occurred in the green zone, and Willis managed to break an attempted horse-collar tackle before being pushed out of bounds at the four-yard line. Willis won’t fool you into thinking he is an elite quarterback, but his dual-threat profile should yield QB1 spiked weeks this season.
  • MIA Running Back #28
    Spring and summer reports indicated that the Dolphins’ new coaching staff wanted to operate a run-heavy offense. Those reports weren’t lying. Achane took run after run up the middle until he punched one in from one yard out. Questions remain as to how efficient this offense might be, but Achane is seemingly set to handle a large workload again this season. Backup RB Jaylen Wright was the RB2 tonight, taking his first carry for 13 yards up the middle.
  • MIA Wide Receiver #7
    Douglas has had some camp buzz after going 75th overall and appears to be holding off Tutu Atwell for a starting role. While this does not mean Douglas is necessarily going to be a fantasy factor this season, neither Malik Washington nor Jalen Tolbert have done much with their opportunities so far in their respective careers. It’s certainly possible — if not outright likely — that Douglas rides a high target share to be fantasy-interesting early.

Rotoworld

  • BUF Wide Receiver #10
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    Khalil Shakir caught 3-of-6 targets for 38 yards in the Bills’ Week 2 win over the Lions.

    Shakir continued in a gadgety role for the Bills, primarily working the short areas of the field in addition to receiving snaps out of the backfield. That could change in the immediate future after lead receiver DJ Moore departed in the second quarter with what appeared to be a significant shoulder injury. Even so, Shakir is best left on the waiver wire in all but the deepest fantasy leagues.
  • BUF Wide Receiver #0
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    Keon Coleman caught all six targets for 63 yards in the Bills’ Week 2 win over the Lions.

    Coleman could be a hot name on the waiver wire following Week 2 after DJ Moore departed with what appeared to be a significant shoulder injury in the first half. The third-year veteran continues to tease at untapped upside in this high-powered offense but has yet to fully break through for consistent production. Maybe that changes now as his role potentially grows without Moore. It will also be interesting to see how, if at all, his route tree changes in the absence of Moore, particularly considering the team has Joshua Palmer to operate as the field-stretching, Z-type receiver, the latter of whom caught his only target for a 43-yard touchdown on a broken coverage against the Lions. Coleman is a speculative waiver addition ahead of a much more forgiving matchup against the Jets in Week 3.
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    Dalton Kincaid caught 7-of-8 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ Week 2 win over the Lions.

    Kincaid truly did it all in this one, routinely in the middle of the blocking scrum on long James Cook runs in addition to his work through the air. His 95 yards handily paced the team, with his first touchdown of the young season coming from 16 yards out near the end of the second quarter. Kincaid remains one of the most efficient pass-catchers in the league on a per-route basis and has worked his way into the upper echelon of fantasy assets at the position. He remains a locked-in TE1 when the Bills host the Jets in Week 3.
  • BUF Running Back #4
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    James Cook rushed 21 times for 135 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ Week 2 win over the Lions, adding four yards on one reception.

    Cook jumped out to a scorching start on the ground, reaching the century mark in rushing before the half. Still, fantasy managers were left scratching their head as they watched Josh Allen account for three touchdowns from inside the five, two on the ground and one through the air. It wasn’t until a 22-yard carry that was down at the one late in the fourth quarter that the team rewarded Cook with a short-yardage touchdown, finally allowing fantasy managers their first taste of sweet touchdown copium from their first-round draft pick on the young season. Cook is likely to remain busy when the Bills host the Jets in Week 3, where he will remain a locked-in RB1.
  • BUF Quarterback #17
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    Josh Allen completed 20-of-31 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the Bills’ 41-31, Week 2 win over the Lions, adding 69 yard and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

    Was it ever a doubt that Super Josh would make an appearance in the franchise’s first game in their new stadium? To the utter dismay of James Cook fantasy managers, Allen accounted for three touchdowns from inside the five against the Lions, two with his legs and one with his arm, extending his NFL-record for games with multiple rushing touchdowns and multiple passing touchdowns to 10 in the process. The unquestioned overall QB1 in fantasy circles continues to prove the doubters wrong as the Bills surge to 2-0 atop the AFC ahead of a home meeting with the Chargers in Week 3. Allen remains a top-tier fantasy asset until pigs fly.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
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    Jameson Williams caught 2-of-4 targets for 33 yards in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Bills.

    Williams continues to be primarily utilized as a deep threat in the Detroit offense, which is not the development fantasy managers were expecting following offseason reports that his route tree would be expanded in the new year. The mounting injuries along the offensive line have limited Goff’s time in the pocket to the point where Williams rarely has enough time for his routes to develop, leading to the down production through two weeks. Whether either of those two variables changes in the immediate future remains to be seen, leaving us to treat Williams as nothing more than an upside WR3 in the interim. He will be a difficult start in Week 3 when the Lions host the Jets.
  • DET Tight End #87
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    Sam LaPorta caught 6-of-7 targets for 52 yards and a touchdown in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Bills.

    LaPorta combined with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs to be the primary targets for quarterback Jared Goff on a night where relentless pressure from the Bills forced the offense to primarily attack the intermediate areas of the field. That could be the norm for this offense moving forward considering the mounting injuries along their offensive line, which are likely to be felt the most against opponents with a legitimate pass rush. That may not be the case in Week 3 when the Lions host the Jets, a team that is likely to also utilize elevated rates of zone coverage. LaPorta has had stark man-zone splits throughout his career and could see less volume due to matchup. He’ll be a low-end TE1 against the Jets.
  • DET Wide Receiver #14
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    Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 9-of-13 targets for 142 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Bills.

    St. Brown did not catch his first pass until six minutes left in the second quarter but was the primary cog of the offense after the break as the Lions worked to overcome multiple 17-point deficits. He found paint for the first time on the team’s first possession after the break before adding a second in the two-minute drill from 27 yards out. St. Brown now has 209 yards and four touchdowns on 19 receptions through two games an looks every bit of the elite WR1 fantasy managers invested a first-round pick into this offseason. Although volume through the air might be more difficult to come by in Week 3, St. Brown remains a top-tier WR1 when the Lions host the Jets in Detroit.
  • DET Running Back #0
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    Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 16 times for 52 yards in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Bills, adding 61 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.

    Gibbs was effectively the entire game plan out of the gates, scoring the team’s only first-half touchdown from 11 yards out in the second quarter. He would be used far less after the break as the Lions attempted to come back from multiple 17-point deficits, although the six receptions on eight targets and a touchdown through the air helped push his counting stats into clear RB1 territory for the second consecutive week to start the season. Fantasy managers that were lucky enough to secure the 1.01 in drafts this offseason are sure to be content with the early returns. Gibbs will once again be an elite fantasy option when the Lions host the Jets in Week 3.
  • DET Quarterback #16
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    Jared Goff completed 26-of-38 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns in the Lions’ 41-31, Week 2 loss to the Bills, adding seven yards on three carries.

    The Lions staked the Bills to a 21-point lead early in the second quarter, eventually taking a 27-10 deficit into the break. The closest they would get the rest of the game was a 10-point deficit, but the offense finally came alive in the final two frames. Goff tossed a pair of touchdowns to alpha wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and one each to Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs, salvaging the poor team performance with an elite fantasy score for managers brave enough to start him on the road in the elements. The Lions fall to 1-1 ahead of a much more forgiving home matchup against the Jets in Week 3, where Goff will look to return another QB1 performance.