NFL Week 2 delivered chaos, comebacks, and a pile of fantasy surprises. From high-scoring shootouts to quarterbacks exiting with injuries, this week's slate reminded us why no Sunday ever goes as expected. Let's dive into this NFL recap and break down the biggest fantasy football reactions from nine key matchups. For updated depth charts, check out Rotowire's NFL Depth Charts (https://www.rotowire.com/football/nfl-depth-charts/).
Jaguars at Bengals
The Bengals improved to 2-0, but the story is Joe Burrow's toe injury that forced him out in the first half. Without Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase's fantasy dominance remains safe, but Tee Higgins takes a hit if Jake Browning is forced to start. Chase shredded Jacksonville's secondary with 165 yards and a score on 16 targets, while Higgins salvaged his day with a 42-yard touchdown. Browning threw three interceptions yet remains a superflex option if pressed into action. Chase Brown's upside also takes a hit if Burrow misses time.
Jacksonville's passing attack remains a puzzle. Trevor Lawrence has been wildly inefficient with Brian Thomas, connecting on just five of 19 passes in two games. Parker Washington led the way with 76 yards, while Dyami Brown added a touchdown. The backfield was the bright spot as Travis Etienne posted 89 yards and a score on 16 touches. Rookie Bhayshul Tuten capitalized with 75 yards and a touchdown on 10 touches, quickly moving into weekly flex territory even with Etienne holding the lead role.
Giants at Cowboys
Dallas came out flat, but the
NFL Week 2 delivered chaos, comebacks, and a pile of fantasy surprises. From high-scoring shootouts to quarterbacks exiting with injuries, this week's slate reminded us why no Sunday ever goes as expected. Let's dive into this NFL recap and break down the biggest fantasy football reactions from nine key matchups. For updated depth charts, check out Rotowire's NFL Depth Charts (https://www.rotowire.com/football/nfl-depth-charts/).
Jaguars at Bengals
The Bengals improved to 2-0, but the story is Joe Burrow's toe injury that forced him out in the first half. Without Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase's fantasy dominance remains safe, but Tee Higgins takes a hit if Jake Browning is forced to start. Chase shredded Jacksonville's secondary with 165 yards and a score on 16 targets, while Higgins salvaged his day with a 42-yard touchdown. Browning threw three interceptions yet remains a superflex option if pressed into action. Chase Brown's upside also takes a hit if Burrow misses time.
Jacksonville's passing attack remains a puzzle. Trevor Lawrence has been wildly inefficient with Brian Thomas, connecting on just five of 19 passes in two games. Parker Washington led the way with 76 yards, while Dyami Brown added a touchdown. The backfield was the bright spot as Travis Etienne posted 89 yards and a score on 16 touches. Rookie Bhayshul Tuten capitalized with 75 yards and a touchdown on 10 touches, quickly moving into weekly flex territory even with Etienne holding the lead role.
Giants at Cowboys
Dallas came out flat, but the Giants' offense forced them to open up. Javonte Williams dominated again with 130 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 24 touches, cementing himself as a locked-in RB2. Dak Prescott produced 361 yards and two touchdowns, though constant pressure remains a concern. Jake Ferguson's team-high 12 targets (78 yards) and George Pickens' touchdown bounce-back shows fantasy life in this offense, especially when Dallas' porous defense forces shootouts.
Russell Wilson silenced critics with one of his best career games, tossing 450 yards and three scores. Malik Nabers (167 yards, 2 TDs) and Wan'Dale Robinson (142 yards, TD) exploded, and Robinson continues to shine as a reliable target. Rookie Cam Skattebo appeared to leapfrog Tyrone Tracy for lead-back duties, turning 17 touches into 57 yards and a touchdown. If the rookie surfaced on waiver wires after Week 1, he's a priority add. Wilson's performance came out of nowhere and likely highlighted how bad the Dallas defense can be.
Bears at Lions
Detroit vented its Week 1 frustrations by dismantling Chicago. Jared Goff feasted for 334 yards and five touchdowns against a non-existent pass rush. Jameson Williams' 108 yards and a score look nice, but he saw only four targets, making him a volatile option. Both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery scored while splitting opportunities, but Gibbs' 100 scrimmage yards underscore his higher ceiling. Montgomery remains more game-script dependent and best suited as a matchup play.
The Bears endured another tough defensive matchup, but Rome Odunze's breakout continued. He turned 11 targets into 128 yards and two scores, showing every sign of a sophomore surge. DJ Moore remains involved but inconsistent, sitting under 10 PPR points each week. D'Andre Swift managed a garbage-time touchdown yet remained inefficient, but locked in as a volume RB2. Chicago's passing game should stabilize with easier opponents, keeping Odunze in weekly starter territory. Moore may be more matchup dependent until the Chicago offense turns the corner.
Rams at Titans
Matthew Stafford delivered a vintage second half, feeding Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. Both wideouts topped 100 yards with touchdowns, reaffirming their status as strong fantasy options. Kyren Williams logged 19 touches for 80 yards without scoring but remains a volume-based RB2 with weekly TD upside. As Stafford settles in, Los Angeles' passing stack looks like a solid fantasy football bet.
Rookie Cam Ward was overwhelmed by the Rams' pass rush, taking five sacks in a game script that went against him. Tony Pollard's 92 yards on 20 carries provided floor stability even without a touchdown. Calvin Ridley's quiet six targets are no concern, he'll rebound in better matchups. The story is rookie Elic Ayomanor, who mirrored Ridley's production while scoring. If still available, Ayomanor is a solid waiver option and weekly PPR flex candidate.
Patriots at Dolphins
New England took advantage of Miami's defense, leaning heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson. He produced 142 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 16 touches, reasserting himself as the clear RB1. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson was overshadowed by Stevenson and even Antonio Gibson, keeping Henderson as a fringe flex. Drake Maye threw only 23 passes, hurting the receivers, but his three total touchdowns and 31 rushing yards kept him a borderline QB1. Kayshon Boutte's lone 16-yard touchdown grab bailed out managers who started him. I still like Boutte as a WR5 with upside.
Miami's team meeting seems to have paid dividends. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 315 yards and two scores while Tyreek Hill (109 yards) and Jaylen Waddle (TD) got back on track. De'Von Achane was the star, catching eight passes for 92 yards and a touchdown despite struggling on the ground. His role as a passing-game weapon cements him as a fantasy stud. Rookie Ollie Gordon looks like pure bench depth with little standalone value unless injuries strike.
49ers at Saints
Mac Jones stepped in for the injured Brock Purdy and thrived under Kyle Shanahan, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns. Jauan Jennings returned from injury to lead the team in receiving and looks like a weekly top-40 option with upside. Ricky Pearsall offered steady production with 56 yards, while Christian McCaffrey handled his usual heavy workload, proving healthy and dominant. With Shanahan's system humming, Jones is a viable superflex fill-in.
The Saints' defense may be dreadful, but it keeps their offense fantasy-relevant. Rookie Spencer Rattler threw three touchdowns, keeping him in superflex play. Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Juwan Johnson all posted double-digit PPR points and remain strong floor options. Alvin Kamara's 27 touches for 120 yards were encouraging, showing he still carries a workhorse role. Fantasy managers should continue firing up Saints skill players even in difficult matchups.
Bills at Jets
Buffalo won with balance, riding James Cook to 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Cook's workload surge this year has vaulted him into RB1 status after years of rotation. Josh Allen's quiet day (148 passing yards, no TDs) reminded managers that Buffalo can win without him airing it out. Dalton Kincaid led the team with six targets, but without a true alpha receiver, predicting Bills pass-catchers will be week-to-week. Look for shootouts to unlock their upside.
The Jets fell hard after last week's optimism. Justin Fields exited with a concussion after a disastrous 3-of-11 start. Garrett Wilson managed 50 yards thanks to Tyrod Taylor, but his ceiling is capped until Fields regains form. Breece Hall's 38 yards on 12 touches highlighted how vulnerable the offense can be. Fantasy managers should keep Hall and Wilson in lineups for floor stability but may need Fields on the bench until consistency is proven.
Browns at Ravens
Lamar Jackson torched Cleveland with four touchdown passes despite only 225 yards through the air. Derrick Henry was bottled up, rushing for just 23 yards on 11 carries. Obviously, this was a weird one off for Henry. The receiving corps remains unpredictable, with Devontez Walker and Tylan Wallace grabbing touchdowns while DeAndre Hopkins scored for the second straight week. Mark Andrews has been invisible so far, but with injured personnel expected back, he's a sneaky buy-low candidate before his role expands again.
Cleveland showed grit against a tough defense, and the big news was Quinshon Judkins' workload. The rookie logged 13 opportunities for 71 yards, flashing RB2 potential going forward. Jerry Jeudy led with eight targets, while Cedric Tillman found the end zone. The tight end split between David Njoku and Harold Fannin could limit both, though each is clearly part of the weekly game plan. Expect steady floor production across Cleveland's pass catchers with Joe Flacco at the helm.
Panthers at Cardinals
For fantasy managers, garbage time may be the saving grace for Carolina's skill players. Bryce Young remains a terrible NFL QB, but late-game stat padding boosted the passing box score. Chuba Hubbard scored a meaningless touchdown in a second straight game, salvaging RB2 value despite inefficiency. That said, give credit to this game's king of garrbage time- Hunter Renfrow caught seven passes, including two TDs. He's a PPR flex until Jalen Coker (quad) returns from injured reserve. Tetairoa McMillan may be touchdown-limited on a struggling offense, but steady volume keeps his floor high in PPR formats. Carolina's offense is ugly, but the garbage-time script provides just enough fantasy utility for most of the key players.
Arizona coasted after building an early lead, limiting fantasy upside across the board. Trey McBride was the lone standout, continuing to prove he was worth a premium fantasy draft pick. James Conner saw moderate work but scored a touchdown, maintaining RB2 status when game flow allows. Marvin Harrison Jr. was quiet with two catches for 27 yards, but Kyler Murray's low 24-pass attempt day explains it, so don't downgrade either player going forward.
Broncos at Colts
Bo Nix capitalized on a short-handed Colts defense, throwing three touchdowns on just 206 yards. That efficiency won't last, keeping him as a borderline QB1 rather than a locked-in starter. J.K. Dobbins handled the backfield, producing 85 yards and a touchdown to solidify RB2 status. R.J. Harvey should stay on benches as Tyler Badie continues cutting into backup work. Troy Franklin stole the spotlight with eight catches for 89 yards and a score, emerging as Denver's clear No. 2 receiver and a must-add waiver target.
The Colts put up 29 points against a stout Denver defense, showing this offense is no fluke. Jonathan Taylor dominated with 215 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, while Daniel Jones turned in a dual-threat gem with 316 passing yards, two total scores, and surprising poise in Shane Steichen's scheme. We have to view Jones as an upside QB2 right now. Josh Downs rebounded with 51 yards on eight targets, inching back toward flex viability. Tight end Tyler Warren continues to rise, leading the team with 79 yards and establishing himself as a weekly top-five fantasy option.
Eagles at Chiefs
It wasn't a banner day for Philadelphia's offense, but the Eagles still did enough to defeat Kansas City in a rematch of last season's Super Bowl. Saquon Barkley carried the load with 88 yards and a touchdown, giving him back-to-back high-floor fantasy performances while bigger games should come. Jalen Hurts attempted only 22 passes for 101 yards, but his goal-line touchdown salvaged value. This was a floor performance, and Hurts remains a high-floor QB1. A.J. Brown rebounded with eight targets, though just five catches for 27 yards showed his week-to-week volatility in this scheme. He should be viewed as a boom-or-bust top-30 WR right now.
Kansas City's rushing attack looks broken, as three backs combined for only 55 yards. Patrick Mahomes had to lead the ground game himself with 66 rushing yards and a score. Missing his top two receivers, Mahomes relied on mobility to stay in the QB1 mix, but his ceiling should rise once Xavier Worthy returns soon, and Rashee Rice returns in Week 7. Isiah Pacheco looks far from his pre-injury form, making him nearly unstartable after a 22-yard day on 10 carries. Hollywood Brown caught all five targets but managed just 30 yards, keeping him a volatile boom-or-bust option until the Chiefs' receiving corps is healthy.
Injuries
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow exited with a toe injury and it later diagnosed as turf toe. His status going forward is unknown.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields suffered a concussion.
NFL Week 2 showed us how quickly fortunes can change, both on the scoreboard and in fantasy football. Whether it was unexpected quarterback heroics, rookies flashing early, or stars struggling, these NFL game recaps highlight the adjustments managers need to make. Stay aggressive on waivers, trust volume, and keep scanning weekly projections (https://www.rotowire.com/football/projections-weekly.php) to stay ahead of your league.
