Joe Burrow’s injury was the biggest fantasy football news from Week 2, impacting the entire Cincinnati Bengals offense.
Quarterback Jared Goff and the Miami Dolphins offense were among the top fantasy performers of the week.
Quarterbacks Justin Fields and J.J. McCarthy struggled, landing them on the list of fantasy losers.
Obviously, the biggest fantasy football news from Week 2 was the unfortunate injury to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow – and the impact it will have on the team’s offense for what could be several months.
Backup Jake Browning was able to step in and competently keep the chains moving by completing 21-of-32 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns (and also score on a 1-yard sneak). But he’s no Joe Cool.
While Ja’Marr Chase led all receivers with 16 targets and 14 catches, the other Cincinnati skill players were not as effective. And they won’t have the Jaguars defense to push around every week.
Meanwhile, the other major development was the … major development from Week 1 to Week 2 of several rookie running backs. Fantasy managers went in pretty heavy in drafts this year on the plentiful crop of young RBs. And the dividends are already starting to pay off.
Fantasy football winners for Week 2
Rookie RBs Quinshon Judkins, Cam Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten
While the collective output from rookie running backs was disappointing in Week 1, several of them saw their workloads increase Sunday.
Judkins signed his rookie contract, practiced with the Browns for the first time and led the team in rushing – all in the space of one week. He was drafted to be the lead back and was on Sunday, rushing 10 times for 61 yards.
The Giants’ Skattebo outsnapped Tyrone Tracy 33-27 against Dallas and scored his first NFL touchdown.
And Tuten saw far more work in the wake of the Jaguars trading Tank Bigsby, carrying eight times for 42 yards and catching a touchdown pass.
QB Jared Goff
There were some concerns in the preseason about how effective the Detroit Lions offense would be without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Maybe not with star RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, but moreso with Goff.
But the veteran was deadly efficient against the Bears, completing 23-of-28 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns – three of them to St. Brown. At the same time both Gibbs and David Montgomery scored rushing TDs. Just because Johnson has moved to Chicago, Goff (QB5 through two games) hasn’t forgotten how to use his many weapons.
Miami Dolphins offense
After a pitiful performance on both sides of the ball in their opener, the Dolphins offense looked much more like themselves at home against the Patriots. The still-horrible defense forced Tua Tagovailoa to throw 32 times, which opened the door for a 100-yard receiving day for Tyreek Hill, a touchdown for Jaylen Waddle and a team-high eight receptions (for 92 yards and a score) for De’Von Achane.
WRs Rome Odunze and Wan’Dale Robinson
Playing second fiddle to much more high-profile wide receivers on their own teams, both Odunze and Robinson turned double-digit targets into top-5 performances for the week. The Bears had to throw a ton in a blowout loss to Goff and the Lions. That opened the door for Odunze to catch a pair of TD passes among his seven receptions and 128 yards. Meanwhile, the Giants’ Robinson managed to get beyond the Cowboys secondary for some big-gainers in racking up 142 yards and a score.
Fantasy football losers for Week 2
QB Justin Fields
Burrow wasn’t the only starting quarterback to leave early in Week 2. Fields was just 3-for-11 for 27 yards when he was hit hard and left with a possible concussion. He was the No. 2 fantasy quarterback in the season opener, thanks in part to his two rushing touchdowns. Even if Fields is able to return soon, a head injury is a bad omen for someone who relies more on his legs than his arm for fantasy value.
RB Kaleb Johnson
Johnson is perhaps the biggest disappointment among the rookie running back crop. He was drafted as someone who could ascend to the lead back role in Pittsburgh, but instead he’s hardly seen the field on offense during the first two weeks. Given a chance in the return game to show off his elusiveness, Johnson committed a boneheaded play Sunday of not fielding a kickoff against Seattle and having it recovered in the end zone for a Seahawks touchdown. That won’t help his case.
TE Mark Andrews
While the Baltimore Ravens continue to generate yardage and points (a league-leading 81 through two games), Andrews has been silent. He’s had exactly one catch in each of the first two weeks – and fellow tight end Isiah Likely could be back from injury next week to cut into his value even more. After being drafted in the top eight at the position, Andrews is looking more like a drop.
QB J.J. McCarthy
Yes, McCarthy did redeem himself with a furious fourth quarter in the opener, but that momentum didn’t carry over into his second consecutive appearance in prime time. He was bad for all four quarters Sunday night vs. the Falcons, hitting on just 11-of-21 passes for 158 yards and turning the ball over three times. Even worse, he’s not getting the ball to his best weapons. WR Justin Jefferson had just three receptions for 81 yards and TE T.J. Hockenson has seemed to disappear with four catches in two games.