After a Week 2 that saw three future Hall of Fame quarterbacks leave the game with an injury, or get replaced outright by the backup, let’s look back on some winners and losers from a fantasy perspective. And if your team was hit with the early injury bug, or you just suffered some tough losses to open up the year, keep your eye on some of the waiver targets for this week. It’s still early, don’t lose hope if you’re 0-2! Winners are considered players who weren’t necessarily in line for a standout fantasy performance that ended up doing well, and losers are stars or ascending players who didn’t quite live up to their weekly hype.
Winners
Dak Prescott (27.76 points)
Dak had another impressive performance against Washington, and he is now ranked QB2 in fantasy through two weeks. He looks much more comfortable in Kellen Moore’s offense, even completing a long touchdown pass to former Jets legend Devin Smith. Prescott and the Cowboys play the Dolphins in Week 3, so you’re starting Dak as well as any other Cowboys on your roster.
Jimmy Garoppolo (22.78 points)
After a poor week 1 performance, Jimmy G rebounded against the Bengals and had his offense looking impressive. He almost had 300 yards and 3 scores, including a quick pass to rookie Deebo Samuel. He faces a tough defense in week 3 against the Steelers and then has a bye, so he may not be worthy of a start for the next few weeks.
Dalvin Cook (25.1 points)
Against a stingy Mike Pettine defense in Green Bay, Cook had a great day that including a 75-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. It is safe to say he is fully back from his leg injury last year, and he will be an RB1 for the rest of the season. Minnesota is run heavy, so if the score is close, Cook will be involved all game.
Ezekiel Elliott (18 points)
The Cowboys eased Zeke into the offense last week, but this week he has more snap in the first half than he did all of week 1. The workhorse picked up right where he left off last season, posting 111 yards and a score. He plays Miami in week 3, so Zeke is a must start.
Chris Godwin (18.1 points)
Chris Godwin is emerging as the second receiver in Tampa Bay alongside Mike Evans, scoring in his season straight game to start off the season. If Jameis continues to throw 25+ passes a game, Godwin is a solid option going forward. They now have a long week before playing the Giants on Sunday, so Godwin is in line for another solid game.
Cooper Kupp (12.6 points)
After tearing his ACL last season, Cooper Kupp had an impressive run against the Saints, breaking multiple tackles and getting tackled just short of the goal line. He has averaged 6 catches per game, and has the potential to go over 100 yards with a score every week. The Rams offense is high powered, so chances are you’re starting Kupp more often than you’re benching him.
DK Metcalf (12.1 points)
My sleeper of the week was DK Metcalf, and he had a reasonable day, catching 4 passes for 61 yards and a score against the Steelers. He looked to be Russell’s favorite target through two weeks, and his size and physicality makes him a great red zone target. Look for DK to build off his solid start.
Deebo Samuel (15.4 points)
The rookie wideout led the 49ers in targets with 7, catching 5 of them for 87 yards and a 2-yard score. He was on the field for 60 snaps in week 1, so his usage outlook for the season is promising. Expect Deebo to remain in the starting lineup moving forward, giving him plenty of upside in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Losers
Marcus Mariota (13.44 points)
Mariota had a hot start last week, but came out of week 2 with a disappointing loss. He also ended up on the injury report with a quad injury, so it will be one to monitor looking ahead. A matchup against Jacksonville is not very promising, so Mariota may be a sit for week 3.
Cam Newton (11.32 points
Two straight poor performances for Cam Newton is something very rare for the once dual threat quarterback. He has a whopping -2 yards on the ground, which is not a good sign for fantasy owners. He has a favorable matchup against the Cardinals, but it’s hard to have confidence in #1 at this point. Look for better options in week 3.
Marlon Mack (6.3 points)
Marlon Mack looked great in week 1, but was ineffective for much of week 2. He surrendered snaps to Hines and Wilkins, despite the game being close throughout. Indianapolis may continue splitting the carries in the backfield, as they true to find an identity on offense. He will have a tough test against Atlanta week 3.
Alvin Kamara (6 points)
In a game that watched Drew Brees leave with a thumb injury, Kamara was not as involved as many would think with a backup quarterback. He has 13 attempts in each of the first 2 games, which seems rather low for a fantasy first rounder. With a full week of Teddy Bridgewater practicing, Kamara should have a better game against the Seahawks.
Christian McCaffrey (5.3 points)
With a struggling Cam Newton, CMC also had a poor game, due to all the stacked boxes he faced against Todd Bowles defense in Tampa. If Cam continues to struggle, it will be rough sledding for McCaffrey. A week 3 matchup against the Cardinals should have him trending back towards his week 1 production.
Damien Williams (5.6 points)
Not only did Williams fail to find the end zone for the Chiefs, but he also left with a knee injury. McCoy didn’t play well during his absence, and he is undergoing an MRI Monday. The Chiefs didn’t seem to want to run the ball, and who can blame them when they have Patrick Mahomes. A tough matchup against Baltimore doesn’t bode well for Williams, so you may need to look elsewhere at the running back position.
DeAndre Hopkins (4 points)
Shadowed by Jalen Ramsey throughout the entire game, Hopkins was unable to get things going to build off his hot week 1 start. It was a low scoring game on both sides, so the fantasy value was not to be had. DeAndre Hopkins will bounce back against the Chargers, who just allowed Kenny Golladay to have a good game in week 2.
Sammy Watkins (4.9 points)
After many people rushed to grab him on waivers after week 1, Sammy went back to being the Sammy we had seen since 2014. He is too inconsistent, not to mention playing in an unpredictable offense in Kansas City, to feel comfortable starting him most weeks. He will have good games sporadically, but will be more of a dart throw with the emergence of Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman.
Waiver Targets
Jaylen Samuels
Although the MRI revealed nothing significantly wrong with James Conner, the Steelers will look to have a committee approach with their backfield, especially with Mason Rudolph leading the offense. If Conner is to miss time this season, Samuels becomes a must add in almost all leagues.
Raheem Mostert
More backfield injuries in San Francisco pave the way for Mostert to take over the lead role. Kyle Shanahan has shown a great deal of confidence in him, as shown by his 16 touches in week 2. If Breida surrenders anymore carries, Mostert may be the starter in the upcoming weeks.
Terry McLaurin
With back to back weeks with a touchdown to start his career, Terry McLaurin is a must add in leagues for week 3. He has shown the ability to stretch the field and get open, something the Redskins haven’t had since Desean Jackson. Even if Case Keemun gets benched down the road, McLaurin’s college quarterback Dwayne Haskins will takeover, so the chemistry will still be present. McLaurin is a top WR option for the rest of the season.
Demarcus Robinson
Similar to Sammy Watkins, Robinson is on this list due to the offense he is in. There will be weeks where he has 20+ points, but there will also be weeks when he has less than 8 points. He is a stash and wait until he proves he can be a weekly starter.
Mecole Hardman
Hardman looks to have the highest upside of all Chiefs wide receivers throughout the absence of Tyreek Hill. He didn’t post a catch in week 1, but came back strong with a 4 for 61 and a touchdown stat line. His downfield speed is intriguing, and if there is a Kansas City wideout to be had, it is Mecole Hardman.