Week 2 FantasySP Experts Preview: Isaiah Likely, Cooper Kupp, Baker Mayfield and More
The experts at FantasySP answer five questions in advance of Week 2 of the NFL season.
Only one week of the NFL season is gone. That means we have 17 more in the regular season followed by four extra weeks with at least one playoff game. We’re spoiled for football as we ease into the fall season.
We are never satisfied, though, always looking for more content and knowledge to help us set the best possible fantasy lineup. Some decisions will work and others won’t, but it feels like you’re doing something productive for your team when reading articles in preparation, right?
Well, the experts here at FantasySP have come together again to help you prepare for another week of fantasy football. Morgan Rode, Ted Chmyz, Mark Morales-Smith and Daniel Hepner all gathered around the same Google Doc to answer five questions in anticipation of Week 2.
Name a player who had a good Week 1 but will struggle in Week 2.
Morgan: The most obvious choice to me is Jayden Reed. He erupted in Week 1 and now will likely be without Jordan Love this week. Malik Willis might not even pass for 138 yards in the game (what Reed went for in Week 1). Reed could still put up a decent fantasy number with several rushing attempts, but I highly doubt he gets close to last week’s total.
Ted: Assuming it’s cheating to take Alec Pierce and his three targets, I’ll go with a potentially controversial take and say Isaiah Likely. Likely is this week’s hottest waiver pickup for good reason, but he still had just a 69% route participation rate in Week 1. That’s not enough to provide consistent production, and we could see that as soon as this Sunday.
Mark: I agree with Morgan, it has to be Reed. That passing attack is going to be a nightmare with Willis at quarterback. I don’t want any piece of it.
Daniel: Stefon Diggs scored two touchdowns in Week 1, an obvious fantasy boon, but his six receptions turned into just 33 yards. It’s too hard for a player to consistently score touchdowns; Nico Collins (and maybe Tank Dell) is more likely to get volume and explosive plays, and Diggs will have less impactful weeks when he’s not finding the end zone every three catches.
Conversely, who had a quiet Week 1 but is primed to succeed this week?
Morgan: Mark Andrews. There’s a lot of talk of Likely overtaking Andrews, but I think the veteran bounces back in a big way this week and puts those thoughts to bed. I think Andrews has plenty in the tank and shows that with a monster Week 2 performance.
Ted: Chris Olave. He didn’t need to contribute much in the Saints’ rout of the Panthers, but Klint Kubiak’s new offense is clearly a massive improvement from whatever the Saints were doing last year. New Orleans’ WR1 should get involved in a tougher matchup with the Cowboys.
Mark: Terry McLaurin. He should get on the right track against a Giants team that can’t seem to do anything on either side of the ball. This will be our first glimpse of his connection with Jayden Daniels.
Daniel: Amon-Ra St. Brown had just three catches for 13 yards against the Rams while teammate Jameson Williams racked up 134 total yards and a touchdown. It might have just been one of those games, or maybe LA was keyed in on stopping St. Brown. The star receiver isn’t going to stay quiet forever, though, and last year in the playoffs, St. Brown caught eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay, his Week 2 opponent.
Who is a good quarterback that a Jordan Love owner could possibly grab as a free agent to plug in this week?
Morgan: Baker Mayfield. He was great in Week 1 after a pretty strong finish to the 2023 season. Mayfield should be rostered in just about every league now and is a good-to-great starting option most weeks. Mayfield can at least hold you over for the next couple weeks.
Ted: Justin Fields. He looked surprisingly competent as an NFL quarterback on Sunday, and, more importantly, saw 10 designed runs and four scrambles. In career games with at least five carries, Fields has averaged 17.4 fantasy points. With at least 10 carries, he has averaged 21.5 fantasy points. Rushing volume for quarterbacks is a fantasy cheat code, and Fields should take advantage this week with Russell Wilson still sidelined.
Mark: I was actually between Baker and Fields. If you need a QB who can win you a game, I’d roll with the upside of Fields and his rushing ability. If you just need a QB who isn’t going to kill you, Mayfield should be a safe option who can give you a great game but is more likely to give you a good game. I’m split between Morgan and Ted here.
Daniel: I’ll go with a possibly scary option and say Daniel Jones. He was awful in Week 1, as was everyone in a Giants uniform, but things look brighter heading into Week 2. New York matches up with Washington, maybe the worst pass defense from last season and the team that just gave up nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns to Mayfield. Jones isn’t a fantasy option often, but this might be his best chance at a good performance.
Give us a running back, wide receiver, or tight end sleeper who is set up for a big week.
Morgan: I like Colby Parkinson. He had a solid showing in Week 1 and now should be involved more with Puka Nacua out with his knee injury. At a weak fantasy TE spot, Parkinson has a chance to be one of the best options in Week 2 and for the next month with Nacua out.
Mark: Alexander Mattison. No one gets excited about starting Mattison, but he out-snapped Zamir White in Week 1 and was the clear passing-down back. He also scored the only TD. The Raiders are going to get destroyed by a Ravens team coming off a brutal loss. I expect them to be trailing almost immediately, and Mattison should PPR his way to a strong fantasy game.
And finally, who will be the fantasy MVP of Week 2?
Morgan: I’m sticking with the Rams and saying Cooper Kupp. The veteran looked like his old self after Nacua left the Week 1 game, and now Kupp should be the dominant No. 1 wideout he used to be. After Tyreek Hill, I think Kupp could finish as fantasy WR2 this week.
Ted: Breece Hall. It didn’t amount to much because the Jets struggled so much against the 49ers, but his usage in Week 1 was absolutely elite. In a lighter matchup against the Titans, he’s going to explode.
Mark: I mentioned him earlier, and my pick is Jayden Daniels. This will be his coming out party as a passer, and he’s going to destroy the Giants. The Giants will also score on them because Washington appears to have the worst defense in the league. Expect a monster game from Daniels on Sunday.
Daniel: Lamar Jackson put up a strong fantasy performance against the Chiefs, maybe the best defense in football. Now he gets to face the Raiders, who have some high-level pieces but lack talent overall. After starting 0-1, I have to imagine the Ravens are going to do everything they can to secure a win against a weak team and let their star quarterback be the focus.
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