Week 2 Fantasy Football Rankings

I will update these rankings throughout the week up until Sunday at 1 PM ET for injuries or other reasons. [Note: these are for standard (non-PPR) leagues, but you can simply move guys up or down based on how many passes they are expected to catch]

 

QUARTERBACK

1. Tom Brady (@ NO)

2. Aaron Rodgers (@ ATL)

3. Drew Brees (v NE)

4. Matt Ryan (v GB)

5. Russell Wilson (v SF)

6. Derek Carr (v NYJ)

7. Philip Rivers (v MIA)

8. Cam Newton (v BUF)

9. Carson Palmer (@ IND)

10. Ben Roethlisberger (v MIN)

11. Jameis Winston (v CHI)

12. Marcus Mariota (@ JAC)

13. Alex Smith (v PHI)

14. Kirk Cousins (@ LAR)

15. Jared Goff (v WAS)

16. Jay Cutler (@ LAC)

17. Tyrod Taylor (@ CAR)

18. Dak Prescott (@ DEN)

19. Matthew Stafford (@ NYG)

20. Carson Wentz (@ KC)

21. Joe Flacco (@ CIN)

22. Deshaun Watson (@ CIN)

23. Trevor Siemian (v DAL)

24. Blake Bortles (v TEN)

25. Andy Dalton (v HOU)

 

Tom Brady is going to torch a Saints defense that just allowed almost 400 passing yards and three touchdowns… Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan will have a duel on Sunday Night Football in a projected high-scoring game… There’s no reason to be concerned about Russell Wilson, who usually struggles in Green Bay; he should correct things at home… Philip Rivers had 17 fantasy points in Denver and gets the Dolphins this week… Cam Newton hopefully won’t miss wide-open receivers with a game under his belt to knock off the rust… Carson Palmer didn’t look good at all in Week 1, but the Colts defense looked even worse; he’s still a top-10 option… Ben Roethlisberger and Marcus Mariota are outside the QB1 territory for this week based solely on the matchup, though Big Ben is at home… Alex Smith is in a perfect spot—at home against a weak Eagles secondary—to keep up his hot start… Dak Prescott travels to Denver in Week 2… Jared Goff’s season opener proved that coaching matters a whole lot, and Sean McVay hosts his former team on Sunday.

 

 

RUNNING BACK

1. Melvin Gordon (v MIA)

2. Le’Veon Bell (v MIN)

3. Ty Montgomery (@ ATL)

4. Jay Ajayi (@ LAC)

5. Ezekiel Elliott (@ DEN)

6. Todd Gurley (v WAS)

7. Kareem Hunt (v PHI)

8. Jordan Howard (@ TB)

9. LeSean McCoy (@ CAR)

10. Devonta Freeman (v GB)

11. Leonard Fournette (v TEN)

12. Tevin Coleman (v GB)

13. Marshawn Lynch (v NYJ)

14. DeMarco Murray (@ JAC)

15. Dalvin Cook (@ PIT)

16. Christian McCaffrey (v BUF)

17. Mark Ingram (v NE)

18. Mike Gillislee (@ NO)

19. Lamar Miller (@ CIN)

20. C.J. Anderson (v DAL)

21. Carlos Hyde (@ SEA)

22. Jonathan Stewart (v BUF)

23. Ameer Abdullah (@ NYG)

24. Thomas Rawls (v SF)

25. Terrance West (v CLE)

26. Robert Kelley (@ LAR)

27. James White (@ NO)

28. Joe Mixon (v HOU)

29. Jacquizz Rodgers (v CHI)

30. Jamaal Charles (v DAL)

31. Kerwynn Williams (@ IND)

32. Tarik Cohen (@ TB)

33. Bilal Powell (@ OAK)

34. Rex Burkhead (@ NO)

35. Adrian Peterson (v NE)

36. Isaiah Crowell (@ BAL)

37. LeGarrette Blount (@ KC)

38. Frank Gore (v ARI)

39. Javorius Allen (v CLE)

40. Darren Sproles (@ KC)

41. Chris Carson (v SF)

42. Matt Forte (@ OAK)

43. Alvin Kamara (v NE)

44. Duke Johnson (@ BAL)

45. Jeremy Hill (v HOU)

46. Theo Riddick (@ NYG)

47. Derrick Henry (@ JAC)

48. Latavius Murray (@ PIT)

49. Andre Ellington (@ IND)

50. Paul Perkins (v DET)

 

Le’Veon Bell is the top option for the rest of the season with David Johnson (wrist) out for an extended period of time, but the matchups this week give Melvin Gordon the #1 spot… Jay Ajayi should be well-rested after the rare Week 1 bye… Ty Montgomery is a top-five play after dominating backfield work for the Packers against Seattle… Kareem Hunt is a surefire RB1 after his Week 1 performance, but that will likely be his best game of the year… Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman saw 14 and 12 touches respectively last week, and there’s enough work to both be great fantasy plays in a possible shootout… Christian McCaffrey drew a lot of attention from the 49ers defense, which 1) shows how good he is and 2) opened things up for Jonathan Stewart; both are RB2/FLEX plays… Mike Gillislee carries risk in the New England backfield, but his scoring upside makes it difficult to keep him out of the lineup… It feels like a Mark Ingram game this week against the Patriots, but the Saints backfield might be the most frustrating situation in the league for 2017… Thomas Rawls is the Seahawks RB you want if he’s healthy… Kerwynn Williams could be in for a nice game against Indy if the Cardinals run away with it, but it will probably be a timeshare; I wouldn’t recommend placing a top waiver claim on him… Despite a lost fumble, Jamaal Charles looked good in Week 1 and will probably get 8-12 touches per week with room to grow.

 

 

WIDE RECEIVER

1. Julio Jones (v GB)

2. Jordy Nelson (@ ATL)

3. Antonio Brown (v MIN)

4. A.J. Green (v HOU)

5. Amari Cooper (v NYJ)

6. Larry Fitzgerald (@ IND)

7. Keenan Allen (v MIA)

8. Brandin Cooks (@ NO)

9. Mike Evans (v CHI)

10. Doug Baldwin (v SF)

11. Demaryius Thomas (v DAL)

12. Davante Adams (@ ATL)

13. DeAndre Hopkins (@ CIN)

14. Sammy Watkins (v WAS)

15. DeVante Parker (@ LAC)

16. Chris Hogan (@ NO)

17. Jeremy Maclin (v CLE)

18. Odell Beckham Jr. (v DET)

19. Michael Thomas (v NE)

20. Tyreek Hill (v PHI)

21. Michael Crabtree (v NYJ)

22. Stefon Diggs (@ PIT)

23. Randall Cobb (@ ATL)

24. Kelvin Benjamin (v BUF)

25. Alshon Jeffery (@ KC)

26. Tyrell Williams (v MIA)

27. DeSean Jackson (v CHI)

28. Martavis Bryant (v MIN)

29. Cooper Kupp (v WAS)

30. Golden Tate (@ NYG)

31. Corey Coleman (@ BAL)

32. Jamison Crowder (@ LAR)

33. Nelson Agholor (@ KC)

34. Emmanuel Sanders (v DAL)

35. Eric Decker (@ JAC)

36. Adam Thielen (@ PIT)

37. Dez Bryant (@ DEN)

38. Pierre Garcon (@ SEA)

39. Terrelle Pryor (@ LAR)

40. Rishard Matthews (@ JAC)

41. J.J. Nelson (@ IND)

42. Brandon Marshall (v DET)

43. Jarvis Landry (@ LAC)

44. T.Y. Hilton (v ARI)

45. Jordan Matthews (@ CAR)

46. Kendall Wright (@ TB)

47. Marqise Lee (v TEN)

48. Mike Wallace (v CLE)

49. Corey Davis (@ JAC)

50. Robby Anderson (@ OAK)

51. Ted Ginn (v NE)

52. Paul Richardson (v SF)

53. Sterling Shepard (v DET)

54. Kenny Golladay (@ NYG)

55. Donte Moncrief (v ARI)

56. Allen Hurns (v TEN)

57. Taylor Gabriel (v GB)

58. Devin Funchess (v BUF)

59. Mohamed Sanu (v GB)

60. Jaron Brown (@ IND)

 

Green Bay held the Seahawks in check last week, but Julio Jones in Atlanta is a different story… Antonio Brown is obviously an elite play, but the Vikings are a formidable matchup, making him “only” #3… Tee up Larry Fitzgerald against the Colts secondary… Keenan Allen will be tough for the Dolphins to contain as he lines up all over the formation… I want to put Brandin Cooks higher in a revenge game (especially after what Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen did to them), but I could see the Saints trying to take him away… Philly receivers got behind Josh Norman a couple times last week; I am starting Sammy Watkins confidently this week, and Cooper Kupp is a nice play in PPR leagues… DeVante Parker is an every-week, matchup-proof play for me… You would think Michael Thomas is the guy that will get Bill Belichick’s attention, leaving him as a low-end WR2… Tyreek Hill has a tremendous matchup with the Eagles secondary without Ronald Darby, but fantasy owners should keep in mind that most of his Week 1 production came on a busted coverage; still, even if he’s not a polished route runner, Andy Reid knows how to get him the ball… Those relying on Odell Beckham Jr. are in a tough spot with New York playing on Monday night; I’d look elsewhere if possible, as he could be a decoy if active… Maybe Corey Coleman can repeat his Week 2 performance in 2016 with a 5/104/2 line against Baltimore, but I was calling their defense the NFL’s best before they shutout the Bengals in Week 1… Avoid Dez Bryant against Denver and T.Y. Hilton against Patrick Peterson if you can… Terrelle Pryor left a lot on the field in Week 1 against the Eagles and that will be as easy as it gets for him.

 

 

TIGHT END

1. Rob Gronkowski (@ NO)

2. Greg Olsen (v BUF)

3. Travis Kelce (v PHI)

4. Jimmy Graham (v SF)

5. Jordan Reed (@ LAR)

6. Hunter Henry (v MIA)

7. Kyle Rudolph (@ PIT)

8. Zach Ertz (@ KC)

9. Delanie Walker (@ JAC)

10. Tyler Eifert (v HOU)

11. Coby Fleener (v NE)

12. Cameron Brate (v CHI)

13. Julius Thomas (@ LAC)

14. Charles Clay (@ CAR)

15. Martellus Benentt (@ ATL)

16. Eric Ebron (@ NYG)

17. Evan Engram (v DET)

18. Austin Hooper (v GB)

19. Jason Witten (@ DEN)

20. Jared Cook (v NYJ)

21. Benjamin Watson (v CLE)

22. Jesse James (v MIN)

23. Antonio Gates (v MIA)

24. Evan Baylis (@ CIN)

25. Jack Doyle (v ARI)

 

Rob Gronkowski should explode after being held in check last week… It’s muddled after that, as Travis Kelce has a difficult matchup with the Eagles and Jordan Reed is fighting through a toe injury… Greg Olsen should be a good option if Cam Newton’s accuracy improves, which it should… Call me crazy, but I think Hunter Henry is still going to be a midrange TE1 after being used almost exclusively as a blocker in Week 1; he’s too good to not use a receiver, so hopefully it was a gameplan-specific thing against Denver… Zach Ertz will have an easier time with Eric Berry (Achilles) out, but the Chiefs are still tough against the position… I’m not high on Martellus Bennett, but the touchdown-upside is there on Sunday Night Football.

 

 

DEFENSE

1. Baltimore Ravens (v CLE)

2. Arizona Cardinals (@ IND)

3. Seattle Seahawks (v SF)

4. Houston Texans (@ CIN)

5. Carolina Panthers (v BUF)

6. Kansas City Chiefs (v PHI)

7. Oakland Raiders (v NYJ)

8. Cincinnati Bengals (v HOU)

9. Los Angeles Rams (v WAS)

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (v MIN)

11. New York Giants (v DET)

12. Denver Broncos (v DAL)

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (v TEN)

14. Tennessee Titans (@ JAC)

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (v CHI)

16. Detroit Lions (@ NYG)

17. Buffalo Bills (@ CAR)

18. Los Angeles Chargers (v MIA)

19. Dallas Cowboys (@ DEN)

20. Philadelphia Eagles (@ KC)

 

 

KICKER

1. Justin Tucker (v CLE)

2. Stephen Gostkowski (@ NO)

3. Mason Crosby (@ ATL)

4. Matt Bryant (v GB)

5. Giorgio Tevaecchio (v NYJ)

6. Will Lutz (v NE)

7. Blair Walsh (v SF)

8. Dan Bailey (@ DEN)

9. Cairo Santos (v PHI)

10. Graham Gano (v BUF)

11. Brandon McManus (v DAL)

12. Phil Dawson (@ IND)

13. Greg Zuerlein (v WAS)

14. Cody Parkey (@ LAC)

15. Dustin Hopkins (@ LAR)