NFL Week 2 Round Up

Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup. As always, we will be highlighting this past week’s injury report, top performers, underperformers, and surprise producers. There was no shortage of stunning storylines during Week 2 of the 2023 NFL Season, so let’s recap the action.

INJURY ROUNDUP

Nick Chubb (CLE) - Knee

• Nick Chubb will miss the remainder of the 2023 after suffering a gruesome knee injury in the Browns Week 2 loss to the Steelers. Jerome Ford is the starter until further notice.

Brandin Cooks (DAL) - Knee

• Cooks is dealing with a nagging knee injury, forcing him to miss the Cowboys Week 2 contest. CeeDee Lamb is in line for increased targets sans Cooks.

David Montgomery (DET) - Quadricep

• Montgomery was forced out of the Lions Week 2 loss to the Seahawks with a quad injury. The veteran running back is expected to miss several weeks in recovery. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs will step up as the RB1 for the offense.

Anthony Richardson (IND) - Head (Concussion)

• Richardson was knocked out of the Colts Week 2 contest after being evaluated for a concussion. The big hit came on the rookie’s second rushing touchdown of the first half. If Richardson is unable to go in Week 3, expect a heavy dosage of Gardner Minshew in streaming/DFS lineups.

Evan Hull (IND) - Knee

• Rookie running back Evan Hull was placed on injured reserve this week, leaving Zack Moss as the only meaningful running back on the Colts roster.

D.K. Metcalf (SEA) - Rib

• Metcalf was forced out of the game with an apparent rib injury but would eventually make his return. He will likely be limited in practice this week so keep an eye on his availability in Week 3.

Jaylen Waddle (MIA) - Head (Concussion)

• Waddle took a big helmet-to-helmet hit in the closing frames of the Dolphins Week 2 victory over the Patriots. Waddle should be considered questionable and is a long shot to start in Week 3.

Joe Burrow (CIN) - Calf

• Burrow re-aggravated a lingering calf strain in Week 2 and is expected to miss some practice time leading up to the Bengals Week 3 matchup.

Saquon Barkley (NYG) - Ankle

• Managers feared the worst when Barkley left the game with a nasty-looking ankle injury. Fortunately, the injury is not severe although Barkley may miss a few games while recovering.

Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) - Knee

• Robinson remains doubtful while recovering from a lingering knee injury after receiving reparative surgery this offseason.

Lamar Jackson (BAL) - Hand

• Jackson injured his non-throwing hand against the Bengals in Week 2 but should be fine for another start in the Ravens' next game.

Odell Beckham Jr. (BAL) - Ankle

• Beckham Jr. is dealing with a reportedly minor ankle injury that will limit his participation in practice this week.

Davante Adams (LV) - Head (Concussion)

• Adams took a big hit in the fourth quarter, exiting the game to be evaluated for a concussion. The Raiders' top two wideouts are now in concussion protocol as Jakobi Meyers has yet to be cleared to play.

Jakobi Meyers (LV) - Head (Concussion)

• Meyers remains in concussion protocol after being knocked out of the Raiders Week 1 win.

Garrett Wilson (WR) - Midsection

• Garrett Wilson got the wind knocked out of him after a hard hit during the Jets' loss. Wilson was unable to return to the game but will carry a questionable tag to begin the week.

Logan Thomas (TE) - Head (Concussion)

• Thomas held onto a four-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter despite a vicious hit that would knock him out of the contest. Thomas is unlikely to clear concussion protocol before the Commanders' Week 3 game.

Austin Ekeler (RB) - Ankle

• Ekeler sat out the Chargers Week 2 loss while dealing with an ankle injury. His availability for Week 3 is also in question, leaving Joshua Kelley as the defacto RB1 on the offense.

Aaron Jones (RB) - Hamstring

• Jones was unable to shed his injury designation prior to the Packers Week 2 matchup, forcing AJ Dillon in the starting spot. Managers can expect more of Dillon if Jones remains out in Week 3.

Christian Watson (WR) - Hamstring

• Watson has yet to make his season debut, missing the Packers' first two contests while dealing with a hamstring injury. Romeo Doubs and rookie Jayden Reed are picking up the slack in Watson’s absence.

Kendre Miller (RB) - Hamstring

• Miller will have to wait at least one more week before making his rookie debut for the Saints.

Jamaal Williams (RB) - Hamstring

• The Saints are becoming increasingly thin at running back after beginning the season with an array of riches at the position. Williams has no timetable for return after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2.

Diontae Johnson (WR) - Hamstring

• Johnson remains sidelined with no timetable for return.

Kenneth Gainwell (RB) - Ribs

• An unfortunate injury forced Gainwell to cede his RB1 throne to D’Andre Swift after just one week atop the depth chart.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN

Arizona Cardinals: Good Enough To Lose

• The start of the 2023 season has gone exactly as the Cardinals have hoped. The team is maintaining a competitive fire in close matchups while simultaneously losing in order to maintain draft position. Now this is a team that knows how to properly tank!

• Josh Dobbs was a surprisingly serviceable fantasy streamer in Week 2, posting 228 yards with 41 rushing yards and two touchdowns (1 Passing/1 Rushing).

• James Conner appears to be the only startable fantasy asset on the team as of now.

Atlanta Falcons: Honey Bijan

• The Falcons were able to steal a win on Sunday despite some erratic quarterback play from Desmond Ridder.

• Ridder was finally able to uphold a positive performance from his pass-catchers while producing the first top-12 fantasy finish of his young career.

• Bijan Robinson is the real deal. The rookie running back posted 20.2 fantasy points in Week 2, tallying 19 carries for 124 yards and 48 receiving yards on five receptions.

• Drake London bounced back after a putrid Week 1 performance.

• Kyle Pitts is unstartable until further notice. Jonnu Smith saw more snaps and targets than Pitts in Week 2.

Baltimore Ravens: Zay WHAT!?

• The Ravens open up the season 2-0 after a perfectly executed gameplan against the Bengals.

• Zay Flowers is officially on the shortlist for Catch-of-the-Year after “Mossing” two defenders with a David Tyree-esque helmet catch to help lead the Ravens' scoring drive.

• Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman are merely tertiary options as Nelson Agholor operated as the team’s number two wideout.

• Mark Andrews returned after missing Week 1, leading the team with eight targets. Andrews caught five balls for 45 yards for one touchdown.

Buffalo Bills: Bills Deliver Black and Silver Beatdown

• The Bills rebounded in a big way after their stunning overtime loss to the Jets in Week 1.

• Josh Allen and company produced 450 total yards, tallying 267 passing yards, 183 rushing yards, and 38 points with help from an astoundingly stingy defense.

Carolina Panthers:  Coming up Short

• Bryce Young struggled to find momentum against a stingy Saints defense in Week 2. The first-overall pick of the 2023 Draft is 0-2 to start his career as he sets off against the Seahawks in Week 3.

Chicago Bears: Barren Fields

• Just Fields looks incredibly incompetent as an NFL passer.

• The Bears offensive scheme and head coach Matt Eberflus’ laughable negligence have done Fields no favors. Eberflus has now lost 12 consecutive games as the Bears head coach.

• Unlike Week 1, D.J. Moore was able to withstand Fields’ poor delivery, catching six of his seven targets for a team-high six receptions and 104 yards.

• Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert are playing vulture to each other’s production.

• Cole Kmet is an excellent post-hype sleeper as the fourth-year tight end continues to produce serviceable fantasy outings.

Cincinnati Bengals: Division Doormats

• The Bengals fall to 0-2 after another questionable offensive performance.

• Joe Burrow has produced just 304 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception across his first two games.

• Tee Higgins paced the Bengals in receiving production following a goose-egg outing in Week 1 where he failed to catch any passes despite eight targets.

Cleveland Browns: Losing it All

• The Browns Week 2 loss to the Steelers was overshadowed by an even darker cloud. Star running back Nick Chubb will embark on the long road to recovery after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

• Deshaun Watson has been nothing more than a mediocre liability since his return to the NFL. Week 2 embodied more of the same middling efficiency from the Browns quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys: D-Fence!

• The Cowboys' defense has allowed 10 total points through the first two weeks of the NFL season. The team forced one turnover via a fumble and recovery, posting 4 team sacks while allowing just 215 yards of total offense (151 Passing, 64 Rushing).

• CeeDee Lamb put Sauce Gardner in a melting pot in Week 2. Lamb hauled in 11 of 13 targets for 143 yards.

• Veteran wideout Brandin Cooks missed the contest due to a lingering knee injury.

Denver Broncos: From Hail Mary to Heartbreak

• The Broncos and Commanders Week 2 matchup was a surprising slugfest filled with electric moments.

• Russell Wilson forced the Broncos into a game-tying 2-point conversion with a last-second Hail Mary pass in the fourth quarter.

• Unfortunately, Wilson would fail to complete a 2-yard strike for the win, leaving the Broncos 0-2 to start Sean Payton’s coaching tenure.

• Jerry Jeudy made his return after being sidelined in Week 1 with a hamstring injury but had little to no effect on the game.

• Rookie wide receiver Marvin Mims ran just five total routes throughout the Broncos Week 2 contest. Mims tallied two targets, catching both for 113 yards and one touchdown. Time for more playing time.

• Brandon Johnson found the end zone twice, including the Hail Mary score that put the Broncos within winning distance.

• Javonte Williams is the clear RB1 for this offense, leading the backfield in rushing yards, rushing attempts, targets, receptions, routes run, and snap percentage.

Detroit Lions: Lions Pride Diminished

• The Lions dropped a winnable game to the visiting Seahawks in Week 2, losing 37-31 in overtime.

• The team coughed up three turnovers (2 Lost Fumbles/1 Interception) while allowing the Seahawks to climb back from a 21-7 deficit.

• David Montgomery is expected to miss several weeks with a quad injury, opening up the gates for Jahmyr Gibbs as the Lions' unquestioned RB1.

Green Bay Packers: Butt Fumble, Meet Butt Stumble

• Jordan Love jumped his own snap count during a hilariously mistimed quarterback sneak, costing the Packers the drive and inevitably the game in a one-point loss to the Falcons.

• Rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed led the team in targets (8), collecting four catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns.

• Christian Watson remained sidelined with a hamstring Injury.

Houston Texans: Collins in the Air Tonight

• C.J. Stroud has developed an instant connection with top wideout Nico Collins.

• The Texans rookie quarterback has surpassed 300 passing yards in each of his first two starts with Collins being the prime benefactor.

• Collins tallied 146 receiving yards and one touchdown, catching seven of nine targets as the team’s unquestioned top wideout.

• Rookie wideout Tank Dell saw a team-high ten targets, catching seven for 72 yards and one touchdown. Dell could have and should have had two touchdowns but lost one score due to a costly holding penalty against the offense.

Indianapolis Colts: Taylor Swiftly Forgotten

• Anthony Richardson tallied two rushing scores in the first frame before being forced out of the game with a concussion.

• Gardner Minshew stepped up as the starter, leading the Colts to victory while completing 19/23 pass attempts for 171 yards and one touchdown.

• Zack Moss was the only Colts running back to receive a touch in Week 2. The team’s new starting running back totaled 88 yards on 18 attempts with one touchdown while catching all four of his targets for 19 yards. Moss is a high-quality streamer against positive matchups

Jacksonville Jaguars: Duval Falls Short

• The Jaguars/Chiefs anticipated shootout was anything but as the two teams tallied the lowest combined point total of the entire Week 2 slate.

• The Jaguars defense kept Mahomes and company in check for much of the game, allowing just 17 points.

• Unfortunately, the Jaguars were unable to mount a single touchdown drive, finishing the game with 9 points on three field goals.

Kansas City Chiefs: Barely Scraping By

• The Chiefs offense is meandering through games, barely scraping by with their first win of the season in a 17-9 slogfest against the Jaguars.

• Travis Kelce made his 2023 season debut, asserting himself as the team’s best receiving option once again.

• Kadarius Toney caught all five of his targets for 35 yards but was outproduced by Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, and backup tight end Noah Grey.

Las Vegas Raiders: Dropping Duds

• The Raiders were the only team in the AFC West to escape Week 1 with a win as the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos all posted losses.

• They immediately fell back to .500 in Week 2 after being decimated by a rebounding Bills squad.

• Josh Jacobs had nine rush attempts for negative two yards.

Los Angeles Chargers: Coffee's For Closers

• The Chargers still cannot figure out how to close out games and hold onto a lead. 

• Their 2022 season ended with a monumental collapse against the Jaguars in the playoffs.

• 2023 started with much of the same as the team squandered a second-half 10-point lead to the Dolphins in Week 1.

• Week 2 yielded much of the same as the Chargers lost in overtime to a middling Titans team.

• Josh Kelley got the start for an injured Austin Ekeler but failed to produce despite his increased opportunity share.

• Keenan Allen is proving he hasn’t lost a step as he ages, catching eight of 10 targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

• Mike Williams led the team with 13 targets, hauling in 8 for 83 yards.

• Rookie Quentin Johnston continues to be a disappointment.

• Justin Herbert is the only quarterback in the NFL to have more than 500 passing yards in their first two games with no interceptions and no wins.

Los Angeles Rams: A New Alpha

• Puka Nacua now holds the NFL record for most receptions and targets by a rookie wideout in their first two games.

• The Rams receiver is placing himself in rarified air as his unsuspecting year-one breakout continues.

• Cam Akers was listed as a healthy scratch, leaving Kyren Williams as the starting running back. The Rams are reportedly exploring trade options for Akers.

Miami Dolphins: Monster Mostert

• Raheem Mostert exploded on a 43-yard touchdown run, marking his second score of the day. Mostert finished with 18 attempts for 121 yards and two scores in the Dolphins win over the Patriots.

• Tua Tagovailoa can be one of the most effective and lethal quarterbacks in fantasy if he can clean up his turnovers.

• Jaylen Waddle led the Dolphins with 86 receiving yards but was forced out of the game late in the fourth quarter with a concussion.

Minnesota Vikings: SK(0-2)L

• The Vikings drop to 0-2 after a back-and-forth battle with the Eagles in Week 2.

• Justin Jefferson is pacing to set the single-season receiving yards record, continuing his league-wide dominance with 11 receptions for 159 yards.

• Rookie wideout Jordan Addison caught his second touchdown in as many games, proving to be an elite secondary option alongside Jefferson.

• Through three games only three wideouts have run a route for the Vikings: Jefferson, Addison, and K.J. Osborn.

• T.J. Hockenson hauled in two touchdowns to go alongside seven receptions and 66 receiving yards. 

New England Patriots: Back to Basics

• The Patriots' offense was playing at a surprisingly up-tempo pace in Week 1, attempting 54 total passes to just 22 rush attempts.

• The offense regressed in passing efficiency in Week 2 as Mac Jones completed 31/42 attempts for 231 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

• Rhamondre Stevenson led the Patriots backfield in every category.

• Davante Parker swapped spots with Kendrick Bourne as the team’s top target earner, a role that will likely rotate every single week between the Patriots' six starting wide receivers.

New Orleans Saints: Jones’in For the Win

• Tony Jones stepped up as the lead running back after Jamaal Williams was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Jones handled 12 rushes for 34 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the Saints narrow victory over the Panthers.

• Derek Carr is a quarterback of two halves, matching his dreadful first-half performance from Week 1 with another stinker in Week 2 but supplementing that with an incredibly efficient passing performance in the second frame of each game.

New York Giants: Big Apple Bounceback

• The Giants had by far the worst performance of any team in Week 1 as they got shut out at home with a 40-point deficit against division rivals.

• The Team bounced back big in Week 2, taking advantage of a weak Cardinals roster. 

• Daniel Jones finished the Week as the QB1 overall, posting 31.74 points.

New York Jets: Big Apple Turnovers

• Zach Wilson got his first full start of the 2023 season, tallying three interceptions as the Jets got trounced by the Cowboys.

• Garrett Wilson is a YAC monster, capable of taking any target to the house for six points but even he cannot withstand the continuous dysfunction of such poor quarterback play.

• Breece Hall was frustrated with his usage as the team put him on a pitch count despite an incredible Week 1 performance.

• Dalvin Cook is dusty.

Philadelphia Eagles: Swift With It

• The biggest takeaway from the Eagles' narrow 25-20 victory over the Patriots is Kenny Gainwell’s apparent usage and role as the favored running back.

• D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny (healthy scratch) appear to be nothing more than depth pieces at the early juncture of the 2023 season.

• That is until Gainwell was listed as inactive for Week 2. Swift took over as the lead back, putting on a career performance with 175 rushing yards on 28 carries with one touchdown.

• A.J. Brown appeared frustrated on the sidelines with his usage, or lack thereof as DeVonta Smith destroyed the Vikings' defense in Week 2. 

• Smith and Brown have long been tethered as the WR1(A) and WR1(B) of the Eagles but it appears as if Brown is tired of playing second fiddle when Smith is feasting.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Pickett to Pickens

• George Pickens served as the unquestioned alpha receiver sans Diontae Johnson in Week 2. Pickens saw a team-high 10 targets, catching only four. He did, however, tally 127 yards and one touchdown on said catches.

• T.J. Watt became the Steelers all time sacks leader in Week 2.

San Francisco 49ers: Purdy, Purdy, Purdy, Good.

• Brock Purdy became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns while going undefeated in each of their first six regular season starts.

• Purdy almost extended that streak to seven games in Week 2 against the Rams but failed to find the endzone during the contest.

• Christian McCaffrey proved why he is perennially a league-winning fantasy asset, bursting for a 51-yard run, his second rush for over 50 yards this season. McCaffrey finished with 116 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown while adding three receptions for 19 yards.

Seattle Seahawks: Working Overtime

• The Seahawks offense failed to produce in Week 1, dropping a winnable game to the underdog Rams at home.

• The team fought back in Week 2, overcoming a 14-point deficit to force overtime and an eventual victory over the Lions.

• Tyler Lockett hauled in the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns.

• Kenneth Walker III found the end zone twice, leading the Seahawks backfield with 17 rush attempts for 43 yards.

• Zach Charbonnet will surely need an injury to Walker III if he hopes to make a significant impact in his rookie season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Playmaker Baker

• Baker Mayfield appears to be amidst a career resurgence as the Buccaneers starting quarterback. Mayfield has led the team to a 2-0 start, posting 490 passing yards on a 69.1% completion rating with three touchdowns and no turnovers through his first two starts of the season.

• Rachaad White took advantage of an exploitable Bears defense, racking up 73 rushing yards and one touchdown on 17 attempts while catching all five of his targets for an additional 30 yards.

• Mike Evans is Mayfield’s favorite target through the first two games. Evans tied Godwin with a team-high eight targets but vastly outproduced his teammate, catching six for 171 yards and one touchdown.

• White is the clear favorite to lead the Buccaneers backfield this season but rookie running back Sean Tucker is not far behind if White fails to produce.

Tennessee Titans: Titans Topple Chargers in Overtime

• The Titans got back in the win column in Week 2, stealing an overtime win away from the Chargers.

• Derrick Henry managed just 3.2 yards per carry, tallying 79 yards on 25 attempts with one touchdown.

• Tyjae Spears continues to reap significant volume from Henry, posting eight rushes for an uber-efficient 49 yards. 

• Ryan Tannehill found the end zone on a 12-yard rush attempt, completing 20/24 passes for 246 yards and another touchdown.

• Treylon Burks had the first positive outing of his NFL career, leading the team with 76 receiving yards on three receptions (four targets).

• DeAndre Hopkins suited up despite a late injury designation, catching four passes for 40 yards on a team-high five targets.

Washington Commanders: Commanders Stay the Course

• The Commanders were able to hold off a late surge from the Broncos despite a last-second Hail Mary that put their opponents in position to push the game to overtime.

• The Commanders are now 2-0 on the back of a very solid rushing game from Brian Robinson and surprisingly competent quarterback play from first-year starter Sam Howell.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at Broto Fantasy Football.

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By Matt Ward