After a somewhat high scoring week #1, things settled down a bit in week #2. If you are 2-0, good for you. If you are 1-1, then you are like most of us. And if you are 0-2, DO NOT PANIC. It's only two weeks! Now is the time for fantasy owners to make moves (via free agency and trades) to improve their rosters. We all know who has been hot, but what about those cold players? I'll take a look at some of them, as well as offer the latest hot fantasy free agents for you to consider. Let's get right to it...

 

 

 

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (rib) was carted to the locker room with a rib injury early in the first quarter on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Veteran backup QB Jacoby Brissett finished the game and would be the starting quarterback moving forward if Tua can't play this week. Brissett is one of the better backups in the league, having been a starter for the Colts in the past. Certainly, if you own Tua, grabbing and stashing Brissett is an option, but that should only come if other solid starters in the league like Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater are not available. As for Brissett, remember, he is somewhat of a rushing QB, so there is a bit of upside to him if he starts this week against the Titans.

 

 

Chicago Bears QB Andy Dalton has a knee injury, and may not be able to start this week. As a result, rookie QB Justin Fields is on the verge of making his first career NFL start for the Bears against the Cleveland Browns. While Fields has a lot of upside, he also comes with the rookie downside. In other words, you can expect Fields to run at least 10+ times (he ran 10 times in relief last week) this week, and should have more success than the 31 yards he earned last week, having a full week to prepare for the game. Of course, turnovers could also come with his starting debut. Now, the Browns have a quality defense, so things won't come easy, but Fields should be able to get the football into the hands of his weapons like WR Allen Robinson and let them do their thing. That could lead to some big upside here. Take that into consideration if you need Fields!

 

 

New York Giants QB Daniel Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 249 yards and a score last Thursday night against Washington. What makes Jones intriguing is what he did on the ground. Jones also rushed nine times for 95 yards and a touchdown. Jones actually led the Giants in rushing on Thursday night. Through two games, he is 44-for-69 (63.8% completion rate) for 516 yards and two scores and has rushed 15 times for 122 yards and two more touchdowns. Believe it or not, Jones currently ranks as a top 5 fantasy QB, but that won't last. We all know his running won't continue at this pace since RB Saquon Barkley is getting healthy once again. Still, the Giants play a winless Falcons team this week, making Jones a very nice free-agent fantasy pickup for owners in need. He should be good for multiple TD passes in this one, and possible another rushing score too!

 

 

Through two games, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen is not producing as expected. Why? Let's take a closer look. First, he has faced two quality defenses in Pittsburgh and Miami. Secondly, the Bills had unexpected success running the football against the Dolphins as RB Devin Singletary and RB Zack Moss combined for three TD runs. Now, it's not like Allen has produced two stinker games, but I realize you did not draft him early to get 20 fantasy points per game. What do I say to that? Give it more time. The Bills host WAS this week, then play vs. HOU, @KC, and @TEN before their week #7 BYE. Look for Allen to excel in most of these games, so now is certainly not the time to trade or bench him! Allen remains a solid QB1 in any given week, and needs to be started by his fantasy owners. Count on it!

 

 

After throwing for five scores in week #1, New Orleans Saints QB Jameis Winston hit rock bottom last week against the surprising Carolina Panthers defense, completing only 11 of 22 passes for 111 yards, zero scores, and two picks! Now, he did run for a score, but this performance was anything but impressive. The Saints play at New England this week, a team that just shut down the entire New York Jets offense. The problem here is that beyond RB Alvin Kamara, the Saints lack quality players that can step up and produce in a real NFL game. WR Marquez Callaway is a perfect example. This situation makes Winston an extremely risky fantasy play until things change. And with the Patriots on the schedule this week, everyone but Kamara should benched, especially Winston!

 

 

Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan rebounded nicely on Sunday, completing 35-of-46 passes for 300 yards, two scores, and three picks in a high-scoring loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Basically, Ryan wasn't great as an NFL starter in this game, throwing three picks, but his fantasy statistics were much better than week #1. Although much of it was in garbage time, Ryan managed 22+ fantasy point in most scoring systems for the week, placing him #15 for fantasy QBs. Fortunately, the Falcons play the struggling New York Giants this week, which should mean more success for Ryan. And while he is likely to be ranked as only a mid-range QB2, fantasy owners in need could do a lot worse than to pick up Ryan if he was dropped last week and start him against New York. This week could be one of the few weeks the Falcons will win, and Ryan's fantasy owners would be the true winner if that occurs.

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable QB performances from last week... Washington QB Taylor Heinicke threw for two scores against the Giants last Thursday. Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr (ankle) threw for two scores on Sunday against the Steelers. Denver Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater threw for two scores on Sunday against the Jaguars. Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence threw for one score on Sunday against the Broncos. Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield threw for one score on Sunday against the Texans. Carolina Panthers QB Sam Darnold threw for two scores on Sunday against the Saints. San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo threw for one score and ran for one on the road against the Eagles on Sunday. Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for three scores on the road in a close loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. Finally, Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff threw for two scores on Monday night against the Packers.

 

 

 

 

A more detailed look at a few BUY LOW candidates from our "Acquiring & Trading Targets" feature... There are a few fantasy STUD RBs that under-performed in week #2 and fantasy owners should take note to possibly BUY LOW on them. First, Washington RB Antonio Gibson saw pass-catching RB J.D. McKissic outshine him on Thursday night football. McKissic out-gained him in yardage (86-73) for the game, but that is not the real story here. Gibson had some promising usage outside of the two-minute drill, playing in more second-and-long and third-and-medium plays than usual. In actuality, Gibson is gaining a larger role in the offense. The statistics just didn't show it last Thursday due to a high percentage of Washington's snaps coming in two-minute drills. Overall, Gibson played in more than 80% of snaps beyond the two-minute drills. If this isn't a BUY LOW opportunity for Gibson, I do not know what one is! Secondly, in Cincinnati, RB Joe Mixon disappointed his fantasy owners with only 69 rushing yards and one catch for 2 yards against the Bears. Looking closer, Mixon still saw 20 carries and was the only back to have a carry in the game! Moving forward, as long as he sees this type of usage, Mixon has the talent to be a top 10 fantasy RB for sure, as long as he stays healthy. And coming off this game, he will come cheaper now than at most other times later this season! BUY LOW on Mixon if you can!

 

-- Consider Selling High on Ty'Son Williams If... --

 

The Baltimore Ravens running game is one big beautiful mess right now. Yes, I said that's beautiful. Why? Because there is good to see in all three backs. RB Ty'Son Williams led the group on Sunday night, saw the majority of snaps and had the most rushing and receiving yards. Meanwhile, veteran RB Latavius Murray scored the only touchdown of the group. And in his first game as a Raven, RB Devonta Freeman had the longest run, a 31-yarder. Due to this run, there is a chance Freeman gets more involved in his second game, while practice-squader RB Le'Veon Bell could still join the active roster. In fact, any one of the four RBs could be leading the team in fantasy points a month from now. That is why SELLING HIGH on Williams at this time to upgrade another position on your team is wise provided Williams is not a weekly starter for you. This way you won't be stuck with a worthless player if the pecking order changes (and it could change quickly). Of course, if Williams is your current RB2, then trading him for another back like Falcons RB Mike Davis is a good idea too, since we know barring injury, Davis is likely to keep the starting job all season for the Falcons. Stability at RB is key for continued fantasy production! Do you get my drift here? Good!

 

 

The Detroit Lions have two solid RBs to use in their system. That said, the statistics from last night led some to believe that RB D'Andre Swift is starting to pull away from RB Jamal Wiliams, but that is not the case if you look at their usage. Neither scored in the game, and Swift produced more yards (78-37) in the game, but they each saw roughly equal playing time by down in addition to equal snaps close to the end zone. As a result, Williams should consistently see double-digit touches each game. And anytime you have a player that sees 10+ touches in a game, a lot of good can come from it for their fantasy owner. And remember, Swift has proven to be injury prone in his career, so if Swift goes down, Williams suddenly becomes a workhorse back! Just keep all of this in mind when you approach the Williams owner in your league and attempt to BUY LOW on him!

 

 

Don't look now, but Atlanta Falcons backup RB Cordarrelle Patterson is coming off a 2-TD game where he saw 12 touches with 5 catches on 6 targets in the passing game! While RB Wayne Gallman may be the pure handcuff for starting RB Mike Davis, it is Patterson that is producing more than enough to keep Gallman inactive on gameday. In fact, the way the Falcons are using Patterson, he now has some stand-alone value in fantasy. Basically, Patterson has carved out a role as the backup running back, but one who can also be involved in the passing game. On Sunday, Patterson wasn't very effective rushing the ball, but saw nearly as many carries as Davis (9-7). Fantasy owners in need should pick up Patterson and stash him for when the BYEs begin. He may be an inconsistent source of fantasy production, but when you are seeing upwards of double-digit touches most weeks, you do garner serious fantasy consideration for a start when the roster is thinned out by BYEs.

 

 

Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (toe/ankle) missed last week's game and remains very "iffy" to play this week. With Jacobs out, RB Peyton Barber was the primary runner on Sunday, rushing 13 times for 32 yards. A significant reason for his lack of success with the run was the Steelers' quality run defense. In the game, Barber had -15 yards before contact and 47 yards after contact. If Jacobs misses this week's game, odds are very good that Barber will find more success against the so-so Dolphins run defense. Remember, the Dolphins just gave up THREE rushing TDs to the Bills! So, smart Jacobs fantasy owners should grab Barber off their waiver wire and play the waiting game. Others in need might want to wait and see before picking Barber up off the wire to see if Jacobs will indeed sit or play.

 

 

Buffalo Bills RB Devin Singletary started in impressive fashion on Sunday with a 46-yard touchdown run in the first three minutes against the Miami Dolphins. However, he gained just 36 yards on his other 12 carries. Backup RB Zack Moss was inactive in week #1, but was active on Sunday, working his way more into the game as time progressed. In fact, Moss scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Bills will likely run a lot less in most games, since they are unlikely to have such a big lead early like they did on Sunday. That said, when they do run, it's more likely that Singletary won't dominate touches, meaning his fantasy value could never be higher than it is right now. As a result, Singletary owners may want to consider SELLING HIGH if he is a RB3/RB4 on your roster. It just makes good fantasy sense!

 

 

Let's take a look at some of the other more notable RB performances from last week... Miami Dolphins RB Malcolm Brown saw 5 carries on Sunday against the Bills. Miami Dolphins RB Salvon Ahmed saw 6 runs on Sunday against the Bills. Chicago Bears RB Damien Williams saw 4 touches with 2 catches on Sunday against the Bengals. Houston Texans RB Phillip Lindsay scored on 6 touches on Sunday against the Browns. Cleveland Browns rookie RB Demetric Felton scored on 2 catches on Sunday against the Texans. Los Angeles Rams RB Sony Michel relieved injured RB Darrell Henderson (rib) and saw 10 carries against the Colts. He would start if Henderson can't play. New York Jets RB Michael Carter saw 13 touches on Sunday against the Patriots. Teammate RB Ty Johnson saw 12 carries in that game. Philadelphia Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell saw 8 touches on Sunday against the 49ers. Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard scored on 16 touches on Sunday against the Chargers.

There are two studly wideouts in the NFL who have started a bit slow. And for the same reason, they are both BUYT LOW candidates. First, Tennessee Titans WR A.J. Brown scored in week #1, but caught just three passes for 43 yards on Sunday. However, he still tied for the team lead in targets. Bottom Line: He should have better games once teams focus more on teammates RB Derrick Henry and WR Julio Jones. That makes him a solid BUY LOW player for fantasy owners to target. Meanwhile, Seattle Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf is also a great BUY LOW target for fantasy owners for the exact same reasons as Brown. He saw as much playing time and targets as WR Tyler Lockett, but on Sunday, it just didn't lead to the same production. Metcalf should be just fine for fantasy in future weeks as well. In other words, if you need a boost at wideout, consider BUYING LOW on either Brown or Metcalf! You really can't go wrong with either one!

Arizona Cardinals rookie WR Rondale Moore is an exciting player. Moore had a highlight reel 77-yard touchdown catch on Sunday where he was as open as you'll ever find a wide receiver. In addition, he also led the team in targets, catches, and receiving yards, while taking some snaps away from WR Christian Kirk. That makes him a must pickup for fantasy football owners, although he's not yet a must-start for fantasy until he is consistently used as a starter opposite WR DeAndre Hopkins. One thing is clear, though. The Cardinals love their talented rookie, so there is every indication he will continue to see more action on the field of play moving forward, and less on the bench playing behind WR Christian Kirk. Grab and stash for now and consider starting him moving forward is the play here.

 

Believe it or not, Minnesota Vikings second-year WR K.J. Osborn is making a significant impact! He was a big part of the Vikings offense for a second straight game, leading the team in receiving yards and scoring a touchdown. While most of that production came in the first minute of the game with a 64-yard catch, he clearly has a tight hold on the #3 WR job in the passing game. And its clear that veteran QB Kirk Cousins likes to spread the wealth around, which gives Osborn a solid chance to make an impact in any given game. With TE Irv Smith (knee) out for the season, Osborn has clearly picked up the slack and should be picked up off your league waiver wire this week! He could prove to be quite valuable when the BYE weeks hit!

 

 

Many thought WR Emmanuel Sanders wouldn't make much of an impact on the Buffalo Bills roster. And while his numbers through two weeks are not that impressive, he is making an impact with an important role on the team. Sanders actually led the Bills in receiving yards per catch on Sunday, while finishing with the second-most targets. The Bills had a two-score lead eight minutes into the game, which allowed them to run much more usual. That limited the production in the passing game, but it's clear that Sanders has a significant role in their scheme. And that is why he's a solid fantasy free-agent pickup for owners who miss out on other targets like Vikings WR K.J. Osborn. Grab and stash Sanders if you can, as you may need to start him once the BYE weeks arrive!

 

 

Let's see here. Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr (knee) is still uncertain to play this week after sitting out the first two games. Meanwhile, WR Jarvis Landry (knee) has a sprained MCL and is now on IR, meaning he's out for the next three week at least. WR Anthony Schwartz (knee) is dealing with a knee injury himself, so he barely played on Sunday, failing to catch his only target in the game. That leaves veteran WR Rashard Higgins and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones if OBJ sits out another game. In fact, both receivers played at least 43 snaps on offense in Sunday's game, although they combined for just three catches. The things working against them right now are that the Browns are likely to go even more run-heavy in their offense against the Bears this week. Another factor is the tight ends, who combined for a whopping 11 catches on Sunday. As such, the best play here is to grab and stash either DPJ or Higgins and play the waiting game to see if OBJ plays later this week. Only time will tell!

 

 

After playing as a backup in week #1, San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk returned to the starting lineup for Week #2. He played roughly two-thirds of the offensive snaps, while WR Trent Sherfield playing the other third. That did not lead to much production, though. The 49ers used 22 personnel on 17 snaps, which limited the playing time of all of the receivers. As a result, Aiyuk caught just one of two targets in the game for 6 yards. That said, there is potential for Aiyuk's role to grow, especially when the team falls behind. As such, Aiyuk fantasy owners should continue to HOLD him and keep playing the waiting game. Sooner or later, Aiyuk will be needed so the last thing you want to do is dump him only to see him produce a good game and land on your opponents roster and be used against you down the road in a key fantasy playoff game. Hey! Don't think it won't happen!

 

 

The following wideouts caught at least two passes or scored this past weekend and deserve fantasy consideration: New York Giants WR Darius Slayton (3-54-1), Las Vegas Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow (5-57), Las Vegas Raiders WR Bryan Edwards (3-40), Denver Broncos WR Tim Patrick (3-37-1), Indianapolis Colts WR Zach Pascal (5-38-1), New York Jets WR Elijah Moore (4-47), New York Jets WR Braxton Berrios (7-73), Philadelphia Eagles WR Quez Watkins (2-117), Arizona Cardinals WR A.J. Green (3-44-1), Seattle Seahawks WR Freddie Swain (5-95-1), Kansas City Chiefs WR Byron Pringle (2-63-1), Kansas City Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman (5-55), Kansas City Chiefs WR Demarcus Robinson (3-46-1), Baltimore Ravens WR Sammy Watkins (4-44), and Detroit Lions WR Quintez Cephus (4-63-1).

 

 

 

 

Where did Arizona Cardinals TE Maxx Williams come from? Good question. He only saw one targets in week #1, but that all changed on Sunday, when he suddenly caught all 7 of his targets for a whopping 94 yards against the Vikings! That makes him a great fantasy free-agent pickup, right? Not so fast. Why? Well, it will be difficult for him to repeat this performance because he only ran a route on just more than half of the Cardinals' pass plays. Arizona prefers to run four-WR sets more than any other team in the NFC, which will only rise now that they trust rookie WR Rondale Moore more after his big 7-114-1 stat line on Sunday. As a result, I would use caution when considering Williams this week. His performance could be more fluke that anything else!

 

 

A changing of the guard is happening in Pittsburgh. Rookie TE Pat Freiermuth is IN, while veteran TE Eric Ebron is on his way OUT. Yes, the young rookie caught all four of his targets for 36 yards on Sunday, while Ebron failed to catch either of his two targets in the game. More importantly, Freiermuth saw his snap lead on Ebron grow to 33-24 in favor of the rookie. In addition, Freiermuth ran 23 routes in the game, compared to only 18 for Ebron. This is not to say that Freiermuth is a solid fantasy starter right now, but owners in need down the road should consider picking up the young rookie to stash and hold until the right times comes. And don't be surprised if that rime comes before October!

 

 

Indianapolis Colts veteran TE Jack Doyle is once again making a push to become fantasy relevant, But should you pick him up if you need a boost at TE? Well, Doyle had a slight lead in routes run for the Colts in Week #1 at the position, which turned into a large lead in Week #2. This led to five catches for 64 yards on Sunday against the Rams, making him one of the more productive tight ends on the day. And while Doyle should lead the Colts' tight ends in routes and targets moving forward, it won't be surprising if TE Mo Alie-Cox continues to be involved, taking more snaps over time. And then there's the health of QB Carson Wentz (ankles). If Wentz can't play, then QB Jacob Eason will start and all bets are off with regard to targeting the tight ends. Just keep that in mind if you want to pick up Doyle and possibly start him this week.

 

 

Fantasy owners of Green Bay Packers TE Robert Tonyan are obviously happy with his production on Monday night. At least when you look at the box score... a 3-52-1 stat line is solid, but unfortunately, there is some discouraging news to share for those who didn't keep a close eye on his usage in the game. While Tonyan caught all three passes thrown his way and scored, he was rarely in the game on two-tight end sets. He was typically on the field when Green Bay used 11 personnel, but that leaves him out of a lot of passing situations. Even when the Packers were within a few yards of scoring, Tonyan wasn't always on the field, which will make Tonyan very inconsistent from week to week. In other words, Tonyan figures to be mostly TD-dependant once again in 2021. That might urge his fantasy owners to consider SELLING HIGH after he scores. Just a thought...

 

 

The following tight ends caught at least two passes this past weekend or scored and deserve fantasy consideration: Las Vegas Raiders TE Foster Moreau (2-34-1), Buffalo Bills TE Dawson Knox (2-17-1), Denver Broncos TE Albert Okwuegbunam (4-24), Cleveland Browns TE Harrison Bryant (4-49), Carolina Panthers TE Dan Arnold (3-55), Dallas Cowboys TE Blake Jarwin (3-37), Tennesee Titans TE Mycole Pruitt (3-43),

 

The following is the 2nd in-season free agent player rankings list for the 2021 NFL season. If you're looking for a free agent off your leagues' waiver wire to fill a need (maybe depth), these are the players to consider...

 

 

 

End.