Matchups: Hunting for a Blowup

1:00PM ET Games

Miami @ Buffalo

Bill Lazor's debut as Dolphins playcaller was a smashing success. In a complete 180 from last year, Miami featured a run-game commitment and schemed the ball to Mike Wallace in space, as he overcame Darrelle Revis' coverage en route to 7-81-1 stat line on 11 targets. Wallace beat Revis for a 14-yard touchdown and nearly had another on a nasty double-move versus Revis, but was slightly overthrown by Ryan Tannehill in the end zone. Even if they benched him due to Revis concerns, Wallace owners should be positively thrilled with the results. He's every-week WR2 entering a plus matchup. Bills top CB Stephon Gilmore is battling back from a groin injury, while RCB Leodis McKelvin got burnt to a crisp by the Bears last week. ... Among Miami's biggest Week 1 heroes was LT Branden Albert, who stoned surging Patriots RE Chandler Jones for zero hurries and will take on Bills RE Jerry Hughes this week. Tannehill is more two-quarterback-league starter than locked-in QB1 at Buffalo, but improved protection certainly bodes well for his year-long outlook. After absorbing a league-high 58 sacks in 2013, Tannehill was only sacked once in Week 1. ... Tannehill's Week 1 target distribution: Wallace 11; Charles Clay 6; Lamar Miller 5; Brian Hartline 4; Dion Sims 3; Brandon Gibson 1. ... Hartline is playing the old low-volume Riley Cooper position in Lazor's attack, while Gibson played just 47.4% of Miami's offensive snaps. I don't think either role player is worth owning in fantasy.

Clay parlayed his six targets into two catches for 27 yards against the Pats. Although Martellus Bennett opened up Buffalo's defense for a stat line of 8-70-1 in Week 1, it's worth noting Clay is used as an H-back and movable piece, whereas Bennett is an in-line tight end. I'd like to see Clay more consistently involved in Miami's passing game before treating him as a TE1. ... In terms of pass-to-run ratio, the Dolphins were the pass-heaviest team in football last year. Longtime run-game proponent Lazor has an entirely different philosophy, and it showed in the upset of New England. Despite a 10-point halftime deficit, the Fins continued to pound the rock and finished with 38 rushing attempts compared to 32 Tannehill passes. The regular season dress rehearsal and Week 1 have confirmed that Knowshon Moreno (24-134-1) is the lead runner in Lazor's backfield. Lamar Miller (11-59, 4-19-1) contributes in the passing game and changes the pace. Now facing a Bills defense that ranked bottom five against the run last year and coughed up 82 yards on 17 carries (4.82 YPC) to Matt Forte last week, Moreno is a locked-in RB2. Miller will remain involved, but is a shakier flex option due to what, for now at least, is an inferior run-game role. I do still really like Miller as an RB3. After persistent knee woes, I’m interested to see how long Moreno’s body lasts on workhorse usage.

E.J. Manuel protected the ball (one turnover) in his game-manager role during last week's upset of Chicago. The Bills' coaching staff allowed Manuel to fire off just 22 attempts, however, and the Bears held him under 20 yards on six scrambles. The sledding will be much tougher against a Dolphins defense armed with a genuinely elite edge-rush duo in Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, and one that can push the interior pocket via Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, and Earl Mitchell. Miami fielded the fiercest pass rush in football on Opening Day, sacking Tom Brady four times, forcing a pair of fumbles, and combining for six QB hits. ... Manuel's Week 1 target distribution: Robert Woods 6; Sammy Watkins 4; Mike Williams, Fred Jackson, and C.J. Spiller 3; Scott Chandler and Marquise Goodwin 1. ... After spending all of August as Buffalo's No. 4 receiver, Woods opened as the No. 2, playing 52 downs to Williams' 30. Watkins led the wideouts with 54 snaps. In a low-volume pass game with a quarterback who's still a major question mark and no truly defined roles in terms of targeting, all Bills receivers and tight ends are week-to-week crapshoots. If forced to choose between them in Week 2, I'd go with Woods. Woods plays Z and slot receiver, where Julian Edelman hung a 6-95 line on this same Miami defense last week. Woods is still only a WR4 in PPR. He's a WR5 in standard leagues.

Williams can be dropped in 10- and 12-team leagues. He will score some touchdowns over the course of the year, but they'll be impossible to predict. ... Watkins turned his four targets into 31 yards on three Week 1 receptions. He's a WR4 until the Bills establish some sort of rhythm between Manuel and their ballyhooed first-round pick. ... Chandler played 38 snaps on Opening Day, blocking on over half of them. He isn't a viable Week 2 streamer. ... The outlook for Buffalo's run game is much more positive. The Dolphins will be without two of their starting linebackers, as WLB Dannell Ellerbe is on I.R. following hip surgery and MLB Koa Misi is "out indefinitely" with what's thought to be a high ankle sprain. SLB Philip Wheeler is back from thumb surgery after missing Week 1, but was the second-worst run-defending 4-3 outside linebacker in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus. ... Spiller owners got some good Week 1 news. He out-snapped Jackson 29 to 28 against the Bears, also out-touching F-Jax 18 to 10. My guess is the touch distribution will be closer to 50:50 on a weekly basis, but this definitely bodes well for Spiller. As long as he's healthy and seeing heavy workloads, Spiller will be a borderline RB1 in fantasy. Still the favorite for goal-line and third-down work, Jackson is an every-week RB2/flex. Anthony Dixon got five carries in Chicago and is ahead of Bryce Brown on the depth chart. Brown was a healthy scratch.

Score Prediction: Dolphins 24, Bills 20

Editor's Note: Rotoworld's partner FanDuel is hosting a one-week $75,000 Fantasy Football Contest for Week 2's games. It's only $10 to join and first prize is $7,500. Starts Sunday, September 14th at 1pm ET. Here's the link.

Jacksonville @ Washington

Putrid run blocking was the primary cause for Jacksonville's Week 1 inability to put the Eagles away after building an early 17-0 lead. Jacques McClendon most noticeably got rag-dolled at center. Keep in mind the Eagles returned every critical front-seven member from last year’s top-ten run defense. Toby Gerhart's matchup gets easier in Week 2 against a Redskins defense that allowed 120 total yards to Arian Foster last week, while losing NT Barry Cofield to a severe high ankle sprain. Gerhart produced when he had lanes against Philly, but rarely had them. I expect him to have a few more in D.C. while racking up carries in what should be a competitive game from start to finish. Gerhart remains a solid RB2. ... Chad Henne's Week 1 target distribution: Marqise Lee 10; Allen Hurns and Marcedes Lewis 9; Mike Brown 5; Allen Robinson 3; Gerhart and Jordan Todman 2; Denard Robinson 1. ... Week 1 superstar Hurns (4-110-2) played well enough in August to confirm that he's clearly more than this year's Frisman Jackson or Kevin Ogletree, but I didn't go out of my way to add Hurns on waiver wires. Hurns is an average to above-average talent on a philosophically run-first team with a lot of mouths to feed, and Cecil Shorts (hamstring) eventually returning. Washington's pass defense offers a plus matchup, but I'm only treating Hurns as a WR3/4. It does look like Shorts will sit out Week 2, which puts Hurns squarely in WR3 discussion for this particular game.

Hurns had the better Week 1 box score, roasting burnable Eagles RCB Cary Williams, but Lee arguably had the most promising opener among Jags wideouts from a forward-thinking perspective. Continuing to run high-percentage routes at slot and Z receiver, Lee led Jacksonville in targets and played 87% of the snaps. In sub-packages, look for Lee to take on Redskins slot CB E.J. Biggers, while Hurns faces RCB David Amerson and LCB DeAngelo Hall outside. I expect the statistical pendulum to swing in Lee's direction this week. He's worth a WR3 look. ... Still working back from an injury-plagued camp, second-round rookie Robinson was the Jags' No. 4 receiver in last week's loss, behind Hurns, Lee, and Brown. When Shorts returns, Robinson may dip to No. 5. ... At the same time, Shorts' health has been a concern for so long that it isn't crazy to think he won't immediately regain his starting job. Shorts is a fringe WR5/6 at the moment. ... Despite nine targets, Lewis managed 35 yards in the opener. As Lewis doesn't run particularly well and isn't dominant after the catch, he'll need red-zone TDs to pay off as a streamer start. I don't pretend this is an accurate measure of Washington's tight end vulnerability, but it's perhaps notable that Texans tight ends combined for just one catch and six yards on three targets against the Redskins last week.

Anyone care to explain why Alfred Morris only got 14 carries in Week 1, while averaging 6.50 yards per tote, but Robert Griffin III dropped back 40 times against the Texans? Checkdown-machine Griffin lost a fumble, took three sacks, was barely used as a runner, and finished without a score. Meantime, Jacksonville's upstart defense sacked Nick Foles five times and forced three turnovers. At 43.5 points, Jags-Skins has the fifth lowest over-under of Week 2, and there are no signs of RG3 becoming an effective real-life or fantasy player. He's a QB2 until he shows something. The Redskins also appear to have eliminated read-option from their playbook. That is a big blow to Griffin's floor and ceiling. ... Rookie coach Jay Gruden's Opening Day usage of Morris was head scratching and maddening. The Redskins gashed the Texans on the ground, with Roy Helu adding 46 yards on four carries. The best player on Washington's offense right now, Morris only played 59% of the snaps and got vultured at the goal line by FB Darrel Young in the second quarter. Despite offseason puff pieces claiming Morris was improving in the passing game, he didn't see a solitary target against the Texans. Hopefully, Gruden will learn from his mistake and stick with the run against the Jaguars, who conceded 145 rushing yards to LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles last week. If Gruden keeps calling plays like he did against Houston, however, Morris is going to be a roller-coaster RB2.

Griffin's Week 1 target distribution: Pierre Garcon 12; DeSean Jackson 9; Niles Paul 4; Andre Roberts and Helu 3; Logan Paulsen 2; Jordan Reed 1. ... With Reed (hamstring) sidelined for the foreseeable future, expect Garcon and D-Jax to pick up targets, while in-line TE Paulsen and special teamer Paul share time. Washington's tight end slot is a fantasy situation to avoid. Reed owners should try to hang onto him as an injured TE2. ... Garcon and Jackson owners can try hanging their hats on Gruden's pass-first philosophy buoying their receivers' production while RG3 works out kinks, adjusting to a pro-style offense for the first time in his career. Reed's loss also theoretically helps. In Week 1, at least, both Garcon and D-Jax were fed footballs relentlessly at the short and near-intermediate levels. I don't think Garcon and Jackson will continue to see that sort of volume if Gruden smartens up and uses his lethal rushing attack to win games, but I'm in see-it-I'll-believe-it mode there. I understand he's only been a head coach for one game, but I'm not convinced Gruden knows what he's doing. He was an unimpressive coordinator in Cincinnati as well. ... Helu is obviously going to be involved in Gruden's offense, particularly if he continues to feature the pass. Coming off a six-touch, 61-yard opener, Helu remains the Redskins' featured passing-game back and is a sturdy handcuff for Morris. He should be owned in 12- and 14-team leagues.

Score Prediction: Jaguars 20, Redskins 17

Dallas @ Tennessee

The Titans opened Week 1 at Kansas City with three straight punts. They proceeded to dominate thereafter. Upping the tempo in a no-huddle attack, coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Jake Locker the reins and he capitalized in one of the sharpest performances of his career. Finishing 22-of-33 passing for 266 yards with two TDs and 14 rushing yards, Locker played composed and confident football while peppering big-play threat Justin Hunter with a team-high eight targets, and finding Kendall Wright and Delanie Walker on red-zone scores. It was exactly the kind of performance I hoped to see from Locker entering a cupcake Week 2 clash with the defense-less Cowboys. Dallas was predictably gashed every which way by San Francisco last Sunday. Locker is probably my favorite FanDuel QB1 this week. I'd start him over Jay Cutler, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Tony Romo, and Philip Rivers. ... Locker's Week 1 target distribution: Hunter 8; Wright 7; Nate Washington 6; Walker 4; Dexter McCluster, Leon Washington, and Taylor Thompson 2. ... Although Hunter didn't technically "start" at Kansas City, he did play 63.4% of the snaps. Hunter's playing time and usage are sufficient enough for fantasy owners to start him as a high-upside WR3 in this matchup. A Week 2 blowup candidate, Hunter gets the most favorable coverage draw amongst Titans wideouts, running most of his routes against Cowboys draft bust RCB Morris Claiborne.

Slot man Wright is also in an appealing spot. On his third NFL team, fourth-year UDFA Sterling Moore is Dallas' primary slot corner. I don't think Wright will wind up seeing the volume he did last season under Whisenhunt, but I still like him as a WR3, particularly in this game. ... Washington looks to be more of a role player in Whiz's attack, while Hunter and Wright are the featured pass catchers. Washington blocked on nearly half of his Week 1 snaps. Walker turned his four targets into 37 yards and a score. I don't think Walker or Washington would be a terrible Week 2 "punt" play -- they're facing the Cowboys, after all -- but I prefer Hunter and Wright by a sizable margin. In daily-league tournaments, I do think it's worth exploring starting Washington as a sort of "fade" on Hunter. Hunter may be heavily owned. ... The Titans used a four-back rotation at Kansas City. Shonn Greene (15 touches) started and was the clear-cut early-down back. Dexter McCluster (10 touches) was second in the rotation, playing on passing downs and changing the pace. Return man Leon Washington (four touches) was third. Rookie Bishop Sankey (six touches) was No. 4, not playing until the second half. Until something changes, only Greene can be viewed as a viable flex play. Sankey's time should come soon enough -- the Titans clearly want him to succeed -- but he's an RB3/4 for now. Greene has a tasty Week 2 matchup against a Dallas defense that coughed up 116 yards and a TD on 23 carries (5.04 YPC) to Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde last week, losing top LB Justin Durant (groin) along the way.

The Titans deserve a cap tip for bottling up Jamaal Charles in Week 1. As for treating Tennessee as a run defense to fear, I'm still in prove-it mode. Particularly after losing ILB Zach Brown to a season-ending pectoral tear, the Titans are simply undermanned up front with two sub-235-pound inside 'backers and numerous 4-3 defensive linemen trying to play in a 3-4. The offensive line Tennessee will face in Week 2 is far more formidable than Kansas City's. Dallas' front five paved the way for DeMarco Murray to paste San Francisco for a 22-118-1 Opening Day rushing line. The Cowboys should dominate in the trenches. ... Tony Romo's first-half decision making was abysmal in last week's loss to San Francisco. The good news is Romo has a history of rebounding solidly from three-interception games. As calculated by ESPN Dallas' Tim McMahon, Romo's combined stats coming off outings of three picks or more include a 68.7% completion rate with a 268-yard average and 10:5 TD-to-INT ratio, in a seven-game sample size. Romo is more low-end than mid-range QB1 at this point, but I don't think he's suddenly a terrible fantasy start. The Titans' pass defense did play well enough at Arrowhead last Sunday that exploring short-term alternatives to Romo would be understandable. Just keep in mind Cowboys-Titans has a 49.5-point over-under, the third highest of the week.

Romo's Week 1 targets: Terrance Williams 7; Dez Bryant and Jason Witten 6; Cole Beasley 5; Murray 4; Lance Dunbar and Devin Street 3; Dwayne Harris 2; Gavin Escobar 1. ... Bryant was in and out of last Sunday's game against the 49ers, battling dehydration and only playing 75% of Dallas' snaps. Expect a full workload against the Titans. Tennessee has begun using top corner Jason McCourty in shadow coverage of enemy No. 1 receivers. McCourty picked off Alex Smith twice last week and is a solid starter, but not someone I'd sweat as a Dez owner. ... Williams theoretically gets the easier draw against No. 2 CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, although Wreh-Wilson's coverage was stout at Kansas City. PFF charted him with just three catches allowed for 40 scoreless yards on seven targets. Williams turned in a solid opener, but I'm still viewing him as a boom-or-bust weekly WR3 and would treat him that way in Week 2 lineup decisions. ... Tennessee's defense permitted a combined 6-78-1 stat line to Anthony Fasano and Travis Kelce in Week 1. Witten had a slow first game (2-14) thanks in large part to 49ers ILB Patrick Willis' shutdown coverage, but should remain a mid-range TE1 fixture. ... While Murray played 64 Week 1 snaps and handled 25 touches, Dunbar played only four downs, catching three passes for 21 yards. I think Dunbar will get more usage going forward, but especially in standard leagues wouldn't be opposed to dropping him for higher-ceiling RB4/5 stashes.

Score Prediction: Titans 27, Cowboys 23

Arizona @ NY Giants

Andre Ellington could be a week-to-week headache for the foreseeable future, racking up "limited" or missed practices and shuttling in and out of games while attempting to play through a torn peroneus longus in his foot. The good news is he still turned 18 touches into 80 yards in Arizona's opener, including five receptions. The workload suggests Ellington should be safe to employ as an RB2 in PPR leagues. He's more of a non-PPR flex while losing carries and red-zone work to the Jonathan Dwyer-Stepfan Taylor "big back" duo. The Giants played poorly as a team in Week 1, but defended the run well, limiting Detroit rushers to 76 yards on 30 carries (2.53 YPC). Ellington, battling an injury, is now playing on a short week following last Monday night's late game. I don't feel great about him in Week 2. ... The two suddenly-popular notions that Larry Fitzgerald is either "done," or has been phased out of Arizona's offense are both silly. Fitz's four-target, 22-yard opener was certainly disappointing, but the pass-first Cardinals need Fitz to maintain a prominent role to consistently play competitive offense. From Santonio Holmes-Hines Ward, to Mike Wallace-Antonio Brown, to Reggie Wayne-T.Y. Hilton, Bruce Arians' offenses have always featured multiple wideouts. And it remains to be seen whether small-school rookie John Brown is ready to carry that mail. Arians' likeliest reaction to last week's underusage of Fitzgerald is overusage against the Giants. At worst, I'd still treat him as a high-end WR3.

Carson Palmer's Week 1 target distribution: Michael Floyd 7; Brown and Ellington 5; Fitz 4; Ted Ginn, Rob Housler, Dwyer, and Taylor 3; John Carlson 1. ... Offseason rumblings of Floyd taking over as Arizona's No. 1 receiver appeared entirely true in last week's win over San Diego. Not only did he lead the Cards in targets and receiving, Floyd out-snapped Fitzgerald 67 to 64 and was Palmer's go-to guy in critical situations. The TDs will come. In Week 2, Floyd takes on a Giants defense that Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate combined to torch for a combined 13-257-2 stat line last week, on only 17 targets. The Giants have a solid cornerback trio in LCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, RCB Prince Amukamara, and slot CB Walter Thurmond III, but generated very little pass rush last Monday night. Palmer is nearing age 35, but can still be lethal when his pocket is clean. In above-average matchups like this, Palmer should be a viable QB1 all season. Floyd is already on the WR1 fringe. ... The Cardinals went three wide on nearly 60% of their Week 1 plays, so 4.34 speedster Brown had a lot of involvement. Ginn is Arizona's clear No. 4 receiver at this point. I don't think Brown will become a trustworthy WR3 barring an injury to Floyd or Fitz, but he should be in line for some blowup weeks like Mike Wallace and T.Y. Hilton both had under Arians as rookies. He's a fantasy WR4/5. ... Dwyer was a hot pre-Week 1 waiver grab, but won't be usable unless Ellington misses time. Dwyer did play clearly ahead of Taylor, seeing 25 snaps to Taylor's six. Dwyer is Ellington's handcuff.

The Cards did not use Patrick Peterson in shadow coverage during last Monday's win over San Diego, instead leaving him strictly at left corner a la Richard Sherman. Antonio Cromartie was stationed at RCB. It may make no difference for New York's dysfunctional passing game, but is noteworthy moving forward. Faux-shutdown corner Peterson was beaten for a third-quarter TD by 33-year-old Malcom Floyd. ... Victor Cruz's opening-night usage was both surprising and worrisome. Displaying alligator arms, Cruz dropped two of his six targets at Detroit, finishing with 24 yards. Unexpectedly, the Giants did not use Cruz on high-percentage throws close to the line, instead sending him on intermediate and deep patterns. Cruz is going to be a fantasy bust if the Giants continue to funnel offense through plodder TE Larry Donnell and 5-foot-9 Jerrel Jernigan. The Giants will also keep on sucking. ... Eli Manning's Week 1 target distribution: Donnell 8; Jernigan 7; Cruz 6; Rashad Jennings 5; Rueben Randle 3; Daniel Fells and Andre Williams 1. ... Essentially utilized as a perimeter decoy, Randle played 93.5% of New York's Week 1 snaps. But Eli and OC Ben McAdoo showed no noticeable interest in getting Randle the ball. Randle is a WR4/5 until the Giants display on-field evidence that they can get him the rock. He'll run routes into Cromartie and Peterson's coverage this week.

The league's most vulnerable team to tight ends a year ago, Arizona opened 2014 by coughing up a combined 8-105 stat line to Antonio Gates and Ladarius Green. Donnell runs 4.91 and lacks after-catch ability, but should have openings in Week 2. He's worth a look if you're desperate at tight end. ... No. 3 receiver Jernigan is currently an 85% player in McAdoo's offense. He managed 25 yards on seven Week 1 targets and also had a drop. Don't be surprised if UDFA Corey Washington begins eating into Jernigan's playing time as soon as this week. Washington's lone Opening Day target came in a red-zone formation. ... Jennings dominated snaps (42) and touches (20) over rookie Williams (20, 5) against the Lions. Jennings struggled to 2.9 yards per carry, but Williams wasn't any better (1.8 YPC). I still think Williams' playing time will rise gradually as the season moves forward, but he's going to have to start capitalizing on his opportunities. Jennings is a locked-in RB2. Although this matchup isn't ideal versus a stout Arizona run defense, Jennings scored 19.6 PPR points versus a similarly tough Lions front in Week 1. Most critically, Jennings handled goal-line carries after subbing out for Williams in scoring situations during the preseason. That is a major, unforeseen plus for Jennings' fantasy ceiling.

Score Prediction: Cardinals 23, Giants 17

New England @ Minnesota

The Vegas prognosticators see Pats-Vikes as a high-scoring affair, assigning it a 49-point over-under, the fourth highest of Week 2. It's a game to lean toward in lineup decisions. ... Rob Gronkowski didn't quite look explosive on his 38 Week 1 snaps, but led the Patriots in targets and was thrown at by Tom Brady on 29% of his plays. Put simply, Brady loves Gronk. Even if it takes a month or so for Gronkowski to regain burst and fluidity, he'll remain an elite TE1. Gronk is a critical part of New England's red-zone offense, where his 6-foot-6, 265-pound frame and dominant physicality create severe mismatches. Expect his playing time to grow as the weeks move forward. Minnesota's defense allowed seven catches to Rams tight ends last week. ... Over Shane Vereen's last 16 games, including playoffs, he has 87 carries for 430 yards (4.94 YPC), to go with 67 receptions for 646 yards. Vereen has scored eight all-purpose TDs during that span. He was New England's clear lead back in Week 1 against the Dolphins, playing 71% of the snaps and turning 12 touches into 71 yards with a two-yard touchdown plunge. Vereen is an every-week RB2 in standard leagues and a borderline RB1 in PPR. ... I do think Stevan Ridley will get more work going forward than he did against the Dolphins. The Patriots need a power running game to execute their game plan-specific, opponent-based attack, and Ridley is easily their best power back. Ridley is a dicey flex play after a 22-snap, 28-yard opener, but I think he's more likely to rebound than not.

Saturday Update: Friday's Adrian Peterson news moved the over-under from 49 to 48 points, although the Pats are now six-point favorites. They were previously roughly three-point favorites, depending on where you looked. So from a fantasy perspective on New England's side, this is still a game where they are expected to score a lot.

The Rams' Shaun Hill-Austin Davis dumpster fire didn't give us a convincing read on how Minnesota will play pass defense under new coach Mike Zimmer. I'm starting Brady until a bigger sample size gives me reason not to. Brady had a slow Week 1 due in large part to pass-protection woes, but the Vikings lack the up-front talent of the Dolphins' defense, and their back-four personnel is generally unimposing. In a game with a high-scoring projection, I like Brady's odds of picking it up. ... Brady's Week 1 target distribution: Gronk 11; Kenbrell Thompkins 10; Julian Edelman and Vereen 8; Brandon LaFell 6; Danny Amendola 5; Tim Wright and Brandon Bolden 3; Ridley 2. ... Ballyhooed rookie James White was a healthy Week 1 scratch and is safe to drop in 12-team leagues. ... As noted by Adam Levitan, Thompkins and LaFell pathetically combined for 37 yards on 16 targets in last week's defeat. It's only a matter of time before Aaron Dobson captures a big role in New England's passing game. Keep him stashed as a WR5 with sneaky WR2 upside. ... Entrenched as the Patriots' No. 1 wideout, Edelman played all but three snaps against Miami, leading the team in both receptions and yards. He's an every-week WR3 in standard leagues and should score in the WR2 range in PPR. ... Wright only played 21 snaps in Week 1. Amendola played 61, but was mostly ignored by Brady. Amendola and Wright are low-volume role players in this offense.

From a real-life football standpoint, there wasn't a more disappointing run defense than New England's in Week 1. Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller hollowed out the Patriots for 193 yards and a score on 35 carries (5.51 YPC) despite the healthy returns of NT Vince Wilfork and ILB Jerod Mayo. Mayo, in fact, earned the single-lowest run defense grade of all NFL inside linebackers in Week 1, according to Pro Football Focus. After a relatively slow opener (21-75-0), Adrian Peterson is set for a blowup game. ... When surrounded by a high-volume run game and effective defense, much-maligned Matt Cassel actually has a pretty successful track record. The Vikings provided him with both elements in last Sunday's 34-6 drubbing of the hapless Rams. Cassel was limited to 25 pass attempts, which is precisely where OC Norv Turner should want him. The voluminous run game should remain for Minnesota in Week 2, but the defense may not look as stingy against Brady & Co. Cassel is a two-quarterback-league option only against the Pats. Even in a projected high-scoring affair, I wouldn't stream him.

Saturday Update: Peterson has been deactivated for Week 2 and should be viewed as out indefinitely. The NFL's new discipline policy has stiff penalties for crimes like the one Peterson committed. (He's admitted to it.) There is a realistic chance he doesn't play again this year. Matt Asiata is the best pickup for running back-needy owners. Although Asiata is a classic plodder (4.77 40, 8'8" broad jump), the Vikings seem to view him as a functional back who can pass protect and handle lots of work. The Vikings are also very aware of Cassel's limitations, and that he will only succeed if complemented by a heavy-volume run game. Asiata will get a ton of carries as long as game flow allows.

On Jerick McKinnon: McKinnon is the pickup for non-running back-needy owners. A flat-out freak athletically, McKinnon is exceptionally raw as a converted small-college quarterback but shined at tailback this preseason, averaging 4.9 YPC on 22 carries and catching four passes. He should definitely be owned in all leagues, and offers more upside and league-winning potential than Asiata. But it may take several weeks for McKinnon to become truly start-able in fantasy, and there is a chance he doesn't become start-able at any point this year. He's a volatile, sky-high-ceiling pickup. I'm stashing him wherever possible as an RB4/5. I'm willing to cut pretty much any WR5 to make room.

More Peterson Fallout: It would not surprise me if the Vikings feed Cordarrelle Patterson five-plus carries a game moving forward. When watching Patterson on college tape, it stood out how natural he looked when utilized as a traditional tailback. OC Norv Turner is clearly willing to employ Patterson in similar fashion, giving him three Week 1 carries, which C-Patt turned into 102 yards and a touchdown. The removal of Peterson from Minnesota's offense could be huge for Patterson's fantasy value. All he needs is touches, and he's now likely to get more.

Cassel's Week 1 target distribution: Greg Jennings 7; Cordarrelle Patterson 5; Kyle Rudolph 4; Peterson and Jarius Wright 3; Rhett Ellison and Matt Asiata 1. ... Rudolph's Opening Day targets disappointed, but he scored a red-zone touchdown and led all Vikings non-QB skill-position players in snaps, playing 55-of-58 downs (94.8%). Rudolph should be locked into fantasy lineups as an every-week TE1. ... The Patriots did not employ Darrelle Revis as a shadow corner against the Dolphins. With New England using a lot of zone, Revis played almost every snap at left cornerback in usage similar to Richard Sherman's. Bill Belichick can be unpredictable with personnel deployment, but all we have to go on is Week 1. Assuming Revis continues to stay put and play "sides," he'll match up mainly with Jennings on Sunday. There is some concern about Revis shadowing Patterson among media members, but Patterson's tailback-wideout hybrid usage would be virtually impossible for any corner to track down. I like Patterson as an every-week WR2, and view Jennings as a low-end WR3.

Score Prediction: Patriots 28, Vikings 20

New Orleans @ Cleveland

A positive takeaway from New Orleans' Week 1 loss to Atlanta was its effective rushing attack, keyed by Mark Ingram (13-60-2) and dominant interior line play. The Saints averaged 4.96 YPC as a team with Ingram in the lead-back role. Week 2 provides another favorable matchup, as Cleveland yielded 127 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries (4.54 YPC) to Pittsburgh rushers on Opening Day. As this is a game New Orleans should generally control, expect Ingram to stay in the 12-15 touch range. Here's a noteworthy stat: Over the Saints' last 11 games, Ingram has rushed 98 times for 542 yards (5.53 YPC) and four TDs, adding 11 catches with an additional score. Ingram has played incredibly well for a sustained stretch, but his limited workloads remain a forward-thinking fantasy concern. He won't stay consistent living on goal-line scores. If Ingram has another big week, owners should explore selling high. Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson aren't going away. .... Robinson punched in a two-yard TD in Week 1, but finished with just six touches. He's an RB3/4 and would need an Ingram injury to become a reliable starter. ... Thomas rushed seven times against the Falcons, adding six catches for 58 yards on seven passing-game targets. Despite being involved in a three-headed backfield, Thomas is a steady RB2/flex in PPR. He has the Saints' passing-back role on lock. ... There's nothing to fear about the Browns' defense at this point. Even Joe Haden was opened up by Antonio Brown for a 5-116-1 line last Sunday. I expect Mike Pettine's group to improve as the season moves along, but for now I'm comfortable attacking it.

In addition to getting carved up on the ground, Cleveland played leaky Week 1 pass defense, allowing Ben Roethlisberger to pile up 365 yards while competing 67.6% of his throws at a whopping 10.7 yards per attempt. The Browns spoke openly this week of reducing rookie RCB Justin Gilbert's playing time after he was the primary victim in Markus Wheaton's 6-97 game. Expect Drew Brees to improve on last week's relatively modest totals. He's a top-five QB1, as usual. ... Brees' Week 1 target distribution: Jimmy Graham 10; Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks 8; Thomas 7; Joe Morgan 3; Robert Meachem 2; Ingram and Robinson 1. ... Cooks, Colston, Thomas, and Ingram's high-production openers bode well for Graham, who faced frequent double teaming against Atlanta. When teammates capitalize, these things tend to come full circle. Now set up for a blowup game, I'm FanDueling Graham in a few spots this week. ... It will be interesting to see if Cooks' usage takes a hit as Kenny Stills returns from his quad injury, and Graham has more productive weeks. In addition to eight targets, Cooks ripped off 18 yards on an end-around at Atlanta. But Cooks only had nine total yards after halftime. I still expect Cooks to be a volatile WR3, but he's definitely worth starting at Cleveland. ... Colston looked as sharp as ever in Week 1, parlaying eight targets into 110 yards on five receptions. Over his last 11 games, Colston has 66 catches for 871 yards and five touchdowns. That's a 96-catch, 1,267-yard, 7.3-touchdown pace. He's an every-week WR2.

Want to know how committed to the run game the Browns are? They entered the second half of last week's game against Pittsburgh down 24 points. Instead of trying to rally back on Brian Hoyer's arm, they implemented an up-tempo run-heavy approach, firing off 19 second-half run plays en route to 121 yards (6.37 YPC). Shaking off a disappointing preseason, tackle-shedding rookie Terrance West was the star of the show and enters Week 2 as Cleveland's lead back with Ben Tate (knee) on the shelf. Per PFF, New Orleans' defense missed a league-high 23 tackles in Week 1. West will be a rock-solid RB2 until Tate returns. ... Whereas West handled 38 snaps and 16 touches off the bench last week, UDFA Isaiah Crowell managed to score two touchdowns among 14 plays and five carries without a passing-game target. Crowell is a very good prospect and worth owning in 12- and 14-team leagues, but he's ticketed for the No. 2 role in the Browns' new 1-2 punch. Also superior in both pass protection and as a receiver, West is the top fantasy bet in Cleveland during Tate's absence.

Hoyer performed well in his game-manager role, avoiding turnovers and executing designed high-percentage throws. Hoyer is in the two-quarterback-league conversation in a potential shootout against the Saints, but the way the Browns are using him leaves Hoyer off the standard-league radar. QB1 streamers should look more toward Jake Locker (vs. DAL) and Andy Dalton (vs. ATL) this week. As long as Hoyer continues to protect the ball and keep Cleveland competitive, he will hold off Johnny Manziel. ... Hoyer's Week 1 target distribution: Andrew Hawkins 10; Taylor Gabriel 6; Jordan Cameron 5; Travis Benjamin and Miles Austin 3; Jim Dray and Gary Barnidge 2. ... Dray and Barnidge figure to share time at tight end with Cameron battling a sprained shoulder. Both journeyman types, it's hard to imagine starting either in a fantasy league. I suppose it's worth noting Barnidge is the slightly better athlete. Dray plays more snaps. ... Hawkins started at X receiver against the Steelers and led Browns wideouts in snaps (40). The Browns ultimately used a four-man receiver rotation, with Hawkins, Austin, Benjamin, and Gabriel all sharing time. None of them played fewer than 30 downs, or more than 40. Until Cameron returns, Hawkins will be the best bet in the group for targets and receptions. He's on the WR3 map in PPR leagues. I'd avoid the other three.

Score Prediction: Saints 30, Browns 20

Atlanta @ Cincinnati

I've been openly skeptical of Giovani Bernard with the notion in mind that the Bengals would play power-running offense under longtime power-ball proponent Hue Jackson. They didn't play power ball in Week 1. The shotgun-based offense was more like old Eagles coach Andy Reid's; heavy on draw runs and beautifully designed screens with "new-aged" concepts like fast tempo and read option. Between the 20s, at least, the offense was exciting to watch. And if the Bengals continue to play in this manner, I think Bernard can be more than functional -- and oftentimes dynamic -- as a clear-feature back. Now facing an Atlanta defense that was gashed by New Orleans for 28-139-5.0-3 on the ground last week, Bernard is in the RB1 conversation. ... Jeremy Hill capitalized on his four carries, gaining 19 yards (4.75 YPC), but played just ten snaps and can only be viewed as a change-of-pace back until something changes. He's just an RB3/4, though it's worth noting that Bernard continues to struggle on the ground. Over his last five games, including January's playoffs, Gio has managed 168 yards on 65 carries (2.58 YPC). Bernard has one touchdown in his last eight games. There's still definitely room for Hill's role to increase, particularly due to Cincinnati's red-zone woes. Mike Nugent kicked five field goals at Baltimore, and Cincinnati's lone touchdown came on a late-game bomb to A.J. Green. At 6-foot-1, 233 with a no-frills downhill running approach, Hill is a quintessential red-zone bruiser. He remains a volatile flex option this week.

Andy Dalton played with poise and comfort in Cincinnati's revised offense, completing 65.8% of his 38 throws for 308 yards and a touchdown, while avoiding turnovers against a Baltimore defense that historically gives him problems. There aren't many reasons to think the Falcons' talent-deficient defense will hinder him. Atlanta has decent secondary play, but little pass rush. Dalton isn't particularly strong armed or athletic, but he is efficient and accurate enough to pick apart a defense from clean pockets. I like Dalton as a low-end QB1 in this possible shootout. The over-under is a healthy 49 points. ... Dalton's Week 1 target distribution: Gio 10; Green 9; Brandon Tate 6; Mohamed Sanu and Jermaine Gresham 5; Tyler Eifert 3. ... As Eifert went on I.R./return with a dislocated elbow, the Bengals' website suggested this week that Jackson may turn to Bernard as his open-field mismatch weapon, giving Hill more time in the backfield. Gresham is now the primary tight end, but isn't viewed in the same light as Eifert by Cincy's coaching staff. If forced to choose between Week 2 tight end streamers, I'd take my chances with Travis Kelce and even Larry Donnell over Gresham. ... Green was a monster against the Ravens and remains a top-five WR1 versus Atlanta, which surrendered stat lines of 5-110 and 7-77-1 to Saints wideouts Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks last week. ... Sanu lined up in the backfield and primarily in the slot in Week 1, totaling 40 yards on five touches. Sanu will be a better real-life than fantasy player until Marvin Jones (foot) returns.

Matt Ryan's Week 1 target distribution: Julio Jones 9; Roddy White and Harry Douglas 7; Levine Toilolo and Devin Hester 6; Steven Jackson 3; Devonta Freeman 2; Antone Smith and Jacquizz Rodgers 1. ... Atlanta's passing game matches up favorably with Cincinnati's defense on the perimeter. 36-year-old LCB Terence Newman and 31-year-old RCB Pacman Jones struggled mightily in last week's win over Baltimore. Newman gave up a ton of cushion and was burned repeatedly underneath, while Jones served up an 80-yard TD to 35-year-old Steve Smith. Bengals top CB Leon Hall plays inside in nickel packages, where he'll spend most of this game on slot man Douglas. Expect Julio to mostly face Pacman, while Roddy takes on Newman. Both Falcons wideouts are WR1s. ... Toilolo saw more Opening Day usage than expected, but benefited from the game's shootout pace versus New Orleans, and finished under 20 yards. Entirely touchdown dependent, Toilolo is a low-ceiling TE2. He's essentially Scott Chandler 2.0. ... Avoid chasing Hester's 5-99 stat line into Week 2. Although it's clear Hester has a role on offense, he only played 21-of-75 snaps (28%) against the Saints and is Atlanta's fourth receiver. It wouldn't surprise me if Hester's Week 1 goes down as his most productive game all year.

Ryan was the MVP of last Sunday's upset of New Orleans, but it's probably only a matter of time before Atlanta's pass-protection woes catch up to him. If rookie LT Jake Matthews (ankle) can't play against the Bengals, the Falcons will turn to old Bears draft bust Gabe Carimi on Ryan's blind side, with historical turnstile Lamar Holmes at right tackle. Ryan deserves tons of credit for last week, but he's a poor bet to remain that productive against a strong Cincy defense on the road. Ryan is more mid-range to low-end QB1 than top-end fantasy starter this week. ... The Falcons used all four of their tailbacks in Week 1 against the Saints, which will cause fantasy headaches if it keeps up. S-Jax led the way in snaps and touches, but Rodgers wasn't far behind in terms of playing time. Quizz and Smith both scored touchdowns. Rookie Freeman is currently fourth in line, and would be a timeshare member in the event of a Jackson injury. I don't see the value in rostering Freeman in 10- or 12-team leagues because he isn't a clear handcuff. Jackson is the lone Week 2 flex option of the group, but not a very good one. By using so many backs, the Falcons seem intent on limiting Jackson's workload in an attempt to keep him healthy. The Bengals served up a productive rushing line to Justin Forsett (11-70-1) on Opening Day, but I still think their run defense will prove to be a season-long strength.

Score Prediction: Bengals 27, Falcons 21

Detroit @ Carolina

Cam Newton watched with a fake smile as fill-in starter Derek Anderson led Carolina to a Week 1 victory. Sprinting gleefully on the sideline and rooting his teammates on, Cam observed Anderson make aggressive intermediate and vertical throws to Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen, both of whom pulled down touchdowns and made numerous contested catches. Newton's top target in the preseason, Benjamin was especially impressive, snaring a 26-yard TD pass with Bucs RCB Mike Jenkins draped all over him. Now facing a depleted Detroit secondary, Benjamin should be locked into fantasy lineups as a WR2/3. Anderson was fantastic in relief, but Benjamin's outlook improves with Carolina's starter restored. ... The Panthers played their cards perfectly by holding out Newton, who was inactive due to hairline fractures in his ribs. Most of OC Mike Shula's playbook should be at Cam's disposal in Week 2, after coach Ron Rivera named him the starter early this week. Fantasy owners understandably worried about Cam in August and early September. They should be thankful the Panthers played it safe, and start Newton as a high-ceiling QB1 versus the Lions. I think Newton's weapons will prove to be the best of his career this year. Perhaps most promisingly, Carolina's offensive line held up well against a talented Bucs defensive front in Week 1. Anderson was sacked once.

Benjamin and Olsen should vie all season to be Cam's first read. In Week 2, Olsen takes on a Lions defense that surrendered a combined 6-63-1 stat line to the Giants' underwhelming tight end group of Larry Donnell and Daniel Fells last Monday night. This is a plus matchup for Olsen. ... Jerricho Cotchery is the No. 3 option in Carolina's passing attack. He efficiently secured 4-of-4 targets for 32 yards at Tampa Bay, but is a low-ceiling WR4/5 in fantasy leagues. ... The Panthers' backfield is a fantasy black hole. The three-way committee prevents Jonathan Stewart from finding a rhythm as runners are shuttled off and on the field, while Mike Tolbert remains Carolina's red-zone back, and even vultured clock-killing open-field carries in last Sunday's win at Tampa Bay. DeAngelo Williams is the favorite for sheer rushing attempts, but doesn't get much usage in the passing game and will always be a poor bet for weekly scores. In 10- and 12-team leagues, upside seekers should view the entire group as waiver-wire fodder. Barring an injury to one of the RBBC members -- made less likely by the fact that all three see limited workloads -- there won't be a consistent producer. And the Week 2 matchup for all three is particularly difficult. After finishing 2013 as a top-six run defense, the Lions stymied the Giants for 53 yards on 22 carries (2.41 YPC) in Week 1.

Friday/Saturday Update: DeAngelo missed practice on Thursday and Friday with a thigh injury. If he can't play against Detroit, Stewart will fill in as Carolina's lead runner, with Tolbert in the mix for change-of-pace and red-zone work. Keep in mind this is a very difficult matchup against a stout Lions run defense, and late-week reports out of Carolina suggest Stewart won't necessarily get 20-plus carries. The Charlotte Observer indicated Tolbert and Fozzy Whittaker will see increased roles. It's possible the Panthers simply no longer see Stewart as a player capable of handling big workloads, after so many career injuries, even with Williams out of the picture. Stewart feels like a possible trap play in daily leagues. He still offers theoretical upside and is a viable flex option in re-draft settings.

The Lions played dominant offense in their Week 1 drubbing of a quietly above-average Giants defense. The matchup gets considerably tougher in Week 2, on the road to face arguably the NFL's premier front seven. Still, in a week with few lofty over-unders, Matthew Stafford deserves to be treated as an every-week QB1. Detroit's offseason supporting-cast upgrades are already making a major difference. Sure-handed new No. 2 wideout Golden Tate secured 6-of-6 targets for 93 yards against the G-Men, while Reggie Bush and Joseph Fauria each chipped in 20-plus-yard receptions. And Megatron never left Stafford's side. ... Stafford's Week 1 target distribution: Calvin Johnson 11; Tate and Bush 6; Fauria 3; Eric Ebron 2; Brandon Pettigrew and Joique Bell 1. ... The Panthers' defense remained stout in all areas during last week's win over Tampa Bay. I don't think any member of Stafford's arsenal has a particularly appealing Week 2 matchup. You start Calvin every week because, well, he's Calvin, and Tate can be viewed as no worse than a WR3. ... The Lions' rotating tight end triumvirate lacks fantasy value, at least for the time being. Ebron played 18 snaps in Week 1, fewer than Fauria's 29. Pettigrew played 43, but blocked on 65% of them, according to PFF. He secured his lone target for nine yards.

The Bell-Bush timeshare was about as even as it gets in last Monday night's win over New York. While Bell played 35 downs and handled 16 touches, Bush played 31 and parlayed 15 touches into 64 total yards. As expected, superior between-the-tackles runner Bell led the Lions in carries and scored a fourth-quarter touchdown from three yards out. Bush is being schemed into space by rookie OC Joe Lombardi, but Bell is in better position to rack up fantasy points due to his goal-line role and larger workload. Carolina's defense is incredibly stout up front, but it's hard to imagine benching Joique at this point. The Lions are going to move the ball on most opponents, setting up scoring chances. Bush is a less desirable play, particularly in this matchup. The Panthers' linebackers have requisite sideline-to-sideline range to eliminate big plays on the second level, and Bush is unlikely to do much, if anything on the ground. It doesn't help that Bush dealt with knee swelling during the practice week. ... One thing I love about this Detroit offense from a fantasy perspective is that we know where the ball is going: Megatron and Tate, and Bush and Bell. The Lions' tight ends aren't big offensive factors yet, and there is no substantive No. 3 receiver siphoning targets.

Score Prediction: Panthers 23, Lions 21

4:05PM ET Games

St. Louis @ Tampa Bay

Rams-Bucs has the lowest over-under among all Week 2 games, projected at a pathetic 37 points. If you're looking for tiebreakers on lineup decisions, lean away from this game. ... Josh McCown's Bucs debut wound up producing 210 total yards and two touchdowns, but the road was rocky. He threw two picks, fumbled twice, and absorbed three sacks, making numerous ill-advised decisions and ostensibly attempting to play a gunslinger's role when McCown should've been managing the game. To be fair, Tampa's offensive line was overwhelmed by the talented Panthers defensive front. To glance ahead, they have a similarly rough Week 2 matchup with the Rams' disruptive front four. McCown is more of a two-quarterback-league play than QB1 streamer. I do think we'll see McCown play better against weaker defenses than Carolina's. ... McCown's Week 1 target distribution: Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans 9; Brandon Myers 8; Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Chris Owusu, Bobby Rainey, and Doug Martin 2; Luke Stocker 1. ... I was really impressed by Evans' debut. He totaled the same amount of targets as a legit No. 1 NFL receiver in V-Jax, and had a touchdown called back. Evans is already worth WR3 consideration. He's a boom-or-bust play, but worth a look in this plus matchup. ... Seferian-Jenkins (foot) appears unlikely to play, locking in Myers as Tampa's primary tight end. Keyed by long-armed, athletic rover 'backer Alec Ogletree's cover skills, however, the Rams were the NFL's stingiest team versus tight ends in 2013, and held Kyle Rudolph to 16 yards in Week 1. I'd rather start Larry Donnell than Myers in Week 2.

For much of his career, V-Jax has flip-flopped slow games with huge ones. I've never liked using that odd fact to prognosticate, but it's true. He also has a far more favorable matchup this week than last. St. Louis' safety group is among the weakest in football, and LCB Trumaine Johnson remains sidelined by an MCL sprain. The Rams are starting 5-foot-10, 190-pound sixth-round rookie E.J. Gaines opposite inconsistent RCB Janoris Jenkins. V-Jax is 6-foot-5, 241 while Evans is 6-foot-5, 231. One of them is probably going to go off. Maybe both will. ... ... The Bucs' backfield is complicated with Martin trying to battle back from a knee injury while also apparently coming off a late-game benching in favor of Rainey. Ultimately, Rainey is a change-up back and no real threat to Dougie. Still, the cloudiness combined with a tough matchup makes Martin a mid-range to low-end RB2 gamble. The Rams coughed up a 67-yard TD run to Cordarrelle Patterson on Opening Day, but limited Adrian Peterson to 75 scoreless yards on 21 carries (3.6 YPC). I'd still lean more toward starting Martin than away from it, but can understand putting him on a "wait-and-see" week if you have strong alternatives. Martin did get some good news this week, as LG Logan Mankins resumed practicing fully after missing all but ten Week 1 snaps with a hyperextended knee. Mankins is a difference-making run blocker.

Saturday Update: Although Martin is listed as questionable for Week 2, the Tampa Bay Times reported he is expected to start versus St. Louis. I'd have him penciled into fantasy starting lineups unless I owned great alternatives. Coach Lovie Smith re-announced Martin is the Bucs "lead back" on Friday, and promised to reporters that the Bucs will stay "committed" to their running game despite floundering in the opener.

Perhaps the most worrisome takeaway from St. Louis' opener was the team's inability to sustain a ground game due in large part to ineffective run blocking, in a home matchup with the Vikings. The Rams now go on the road to face a more-talented Bucs defensive front, which stymied the Panthers' Week 1 rushing attack for 113 scoreless yards on 33 carries (3.42 YPC). The good news for Zac Stacy is he operated as St. Louis' lead back for most of last Sunday's loss. The bad news is Stacy still finished with only 12 touches, before losing late-game work to Benny Cunningham (nine touches). Until Stacy pulls clearly away from Cunningham, he can only be treated as a low-end RB2/flex. Owners with solid running back depth should treat Stacy as an RB3, at least for now. Cunningham remains an RB4/5 hold. To play remotely adequate offense this season, the Rams must field a high-volume rushing attack. They didn't against the Vikings, and until the blocking improves, it's hard to be optimistic about this St. Louis team playing competitive weekly football. I expect Bucs DT Gerald McCoy to live in the Rams' backfield this week. ... I realize Brian Quick had a productive Week 1 game. I also think he's a candidate to post two catches for 18 yards Sunday at Tampa Bay. I'm going to keep this brief: With no clarity or effectiveness at quarterback in St. Louis, I want no part of the Rams' passing "attack" in a Week 2 matchup projected as the lowest-scoring game of the week.

Saturday Update: I wrote above that the Bucs have a talented defensive front. That was before we found out Friday that LE Adrian Clayborn would go on year-ending injured reserve, and RE Michael Johnson was ruled out with a high ankle sprain. So Stacy and Cunningham will be facing a Tampa defense in Week 2 that is without both of its starting defensive ends. Stacy owners desperately need him to take this opportunity and run away with the Rams' clear-cut feature back job. The Rams play the Cowboys next.

Score Prediction: Buccaneers 23, Rams 13

Seattle @ San Diego

The Seahawks confirmed Marshawn Lynch's workload won't be reduced whatsoever when they added money to his contract in late July, ending Lynch's brief holdout. That notion was re-confirmed in Seattle's Opening Day win over Green Bay, as Lynch parlayed 20 carries and a reception into 124 yards and two scores. Perhaps most promisingly, Seattle's offensive line dominated Green Bay in the trenches. Now facing a San Diego team playing on a short week following last Monday night's late game against Arizona, lock in Lynch as an elite RB1. ... Russell Wilson's Week 1 target distribution: Percy Harvin 7; Doug Baldwin 5; Zach Miller 4; Jermaine Kearse and Ricardo Lockette 3; Luke Willson and Lynch 1. ... Harvin was also Wilson's most heavily targeted weapon in the preseason. I'm interested to see if Harvin's body holds up on the workload he saw versus the Packers, but he should be a fantasy monster as long as he's upright. Utilized on high-percentage pass routes and jet-sweep runs, Harvin turned 11 touches into 100 total yards. The usage was reminiscent of Reggie Bush during Pete Carroll's USC tenure. Harvin is an every-week WR2.

The Chargers' defense looked better last Monday night than Carson Palmer's final stat line suggests (302 passing yards, 64.9%, two TDs, no picks), but DC John Pagano's unit isn't one to be feared. Given more playmaking freedom by the Seahawks' offensive staff this year, Wilson is a certified QB1. This game's 44-point over-under is middle of the pack, but Wilson's rushing numbers raise his floor, and his dual-threat game offers plenty of ceiling. For the foreseeable future, Wilson should be viewed as an every-week starter and 2014 statistical breakout candidate. ... With Lynch dominating carries and Seattle scheming Harvin the rock in the passing game, Baldwin, Miller, Kearse, and Willson are mere role players fighting for scraps. One of them will probably turn in a nice box score at San Diego. Who will it be? Your guess is as good as mine. They're all low-volume players in OC Darrell Bevell's offense. I see Baldwin as a low-upside WR4/5, Kearse as a WR5, and Miller and Willson as clear-cut TE2s.

In addition to a stout Seahawks run defense, complicating Ryan Mathews' Week 2 matchup are up-front injuries to C Nick Hardwick (neck) and RT D.J. Fluker (knee/ankle). Hardwick is out for the year. Fluker should play, but potentially at less than 100%. When healthy, both are excellent run blockers. Mathews paid off with a Week 1 touchdown, but his usage was a bit disappointing, totaling 60 yards on just 14 touches. Against Seattle, I would explore benching Mathews if you have a reasonable alternative. ... Ladarius Green remains a high-ceiling TE2 stash, but only ran ten pass routes in last week's loss to Arizona, finishing with two catches for 24 yards. Green played 26 snaps, ten fewer than No. 3 wideout Eddie Royal. A ray of light for Green owners was Royal's trio of drops among six targets. Green needs the San Diego coaching staff to implement more two-tight end packages, and fewer three-wide sets. Green is essentially competing with Royal for playing time. ... Over their last four games including January's playoffs, Seattle has held Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Colin Kaepernick, and Drew Brees to a combined 95-of-149 passing for 931 yards (6.25 YPA) with a 4:5 TD-to-INT ratio and two lost fumbles. The Seahawks have not been quite as impenetrable in road games, but this is certainly an imposing enough matchup to relegate Philip Rivers to QB2 status.

Rivers' Week 1 targets: Antonio Gates 10; Keenan Allen 9; Floyd and Royal 6; Green and Mathews 2; Danny Woodhead 1. ... I'm not opposed to sitting every single Charger in Week 2. As Seattle is a six-point favorite in a game with a 44-point over-under, San Diego is projected to score under 20 points. ... After a 37-yard opener and now facing Byron Maxwell and Richard Sherman, Allen is shaping up as a prime buy-low target ahead of Week 3. Allen is a dicey WR2/3 this week, although Jordy Nelson did have nine catches against Seattle on opening night. Allen's nine Week 1 targets were a good sign for his season-long outlook. ... Gates' usage at Arizona is a reminder that he isn't going away, even if his ceiling is a low-end TE1. The Seahawks tend to defend tight ends just as stingily as they do wideouts, however. Gates is capable of a decent game, but the best bet is to look elsewhere. ... Floyd dropped a 4-50-1 line on the Cardinals last Monday night, beating Patrick Peterson for a six-yard score. Floyd, 33, has been in the league for a decade. He's never finished higher than the No. 31 overall fantasy receiver. ... Whereas Mathews handled 14 Week 1 touches and played 24 snaps, Woodhead mixed in on 32 downs but only touched the ball seven times. Donald Brown played eight snaps, handling two carries. Post-Ken Whisenhunt, it's conceivable Woodhead won't come anywhere near his 2013 rushing and receiving usage. He should be on benches and/or waiver wires until further notice.

Score Prediction: Seahawks 27, Chargers 20

4:25PM ET Games

Houston @ Oakland

Only Rams-Bucs has a lower over-under this week than Texans-Raiders, which is projected at 40 points. There are a few must-start studs on Houston's side, and one intriguing option for Oakland. The rest of the skill-position players should be avoided. ... At age 28 with a laundry list of past injuries, it will be interesting to see if Arian Foster's body holds up on workloads like last week's. Foster piled up 29 touches, including 27 rushing attempts, en route to a 120-total-yard game against the Redskins. Jonathan Grimes and Alfred Blue had one carry apiece. New coach Bill O'Brien seems content to ride Foster into the ground. Foster should stay productive against the Raiders, who were gutted by the Jets for 212 yards and a score on 34 carries (6.24 YPC) in Week 1. Foster is an RB1 as long as he stays upright. ... Andre Johnson is the Texans' other must-start stud. Peppered with a team-high nine targets by Ryan Fitzpatrick in last week's win over the Redskins, seemingly ageless Andre continued to show no signs of slowdown en route to a 6-93 stat line. In LCB Carlos Rogers and SS Charles Woodson, the Raiders have two starting defensive backs who are actually older than Johnson. ... DeAndre Hopkins broke off a 76-yard touchdown against Washington after the Skins left him uncovered in the slot. His usage was still disappointing, seeing only five targets in a game where the Texans got nothing from their tight ends with Garrett Graham (back) on the shelf. This is a good matchup for Hopkins, but there are better WR3 bets out there, particularly with Graham returning this week.

As expected, Fitzpatrick was a low-volume game manager against the Redskins. O'Brien limited FitzMagic's impact on the game by dialing up just 22 pass attempts while leaning heavily on the rushing attack. Expect similar employment in Week 2 at Oakland. Fitzpatrick is a low-upside two-quarterback-league starter. I think he will be worth streaming as a QB1 in games where opponents force O'Brien to put more on Fitzpatrick's plate. ... Fitzpatrick's Week 1 target distribution: Johnson 9; Hopkins 5; Damaris Johnson 3; Ryan Griffin and Foster 2; C.J. Fiedorowicz 1. ... Rookie Fiedorowicz was an every-down player in Week 1 against the Redskins, but blocked on a whopping 77% of his snaps. There are no signs of Fiedorowicz becoming a useful member of Houston's passing game. ... The aforementioned Graham should be, eventually. I'm in wait-and-see mode with Graham, who I still like as a sneaky TE2 worth using against defenses that are vulnerable to tight ends. In no scenario would Graham be a strong Week 2 play, but I think he's worth rostering in deeper leagues, and perhaps by Jordan Cameron (shoulder) or Jordan Reed (hamstring) owners.

It was mentioned in this space last week that Raiders rookie Derek Carr struggled mightily under pressure during the preseason, albeit in a small sample size. The sample grew in Week 1 against the Jets, and the results were similarly unpretty. The Jets held Oakland's offense to a pathetic 158 total yards, a franchise low since 2009. Rex Ryan blitzed Carr on half of his dropbacks in an approach Texans DC Romeo Crennel would be smart to copy. Even with Jadeveon Clowney (knee scope) out of the way, Carr isn't a viable two-QB-league start in Week 2. ... Rookie quarterbacks tend to require strong running games to succeed. Oakland showed no signs of fielding one in Week 1 against the Jets. Granted, the matchup was fierce, but Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren McFadden, and Marcel Reece combined for an anemic 26 yards on 14 carries (1.86 YPC). Until we see actionable evidence that the Raiders can run the football against any opponent, MJD is a weak RB3, and McFadden is an RB4. With that said, I'm giving McFadden a serious look as an RB2/flex play in this game if Jones-Drew (hand surgery) sits out. McFadden would presumably handle the bulk of Oakland's carries against a Houston defense that got shredded for 137 yards on 18 carries (7.61 YPC) by Alfred Morris and Roy Helu last week.

Friday Update: If you have an expendable roster spot, grab Latavius Murray before Sunday's game, just to see what happens. Jones-Drew is not expected to play, and on Thursday evening OC Greg Olson hinted Murray would form a timeshare with McFadden against the Texans. SPARQ aficionado Zach Whitman discussed Murray's eye-popping athleticism in this column before the season.

Carr's Week 1 target distribution: Denarius Moore 8; Rod Streater 7; Mychal Rivera 5; James Jones, Jones-Drew, and Marcel Reece 3; McFadden 1. ... Moore and Streater started out wide, with Jones playing in three-receiver sets. Incredibly inefficient, Moore turned his team-high eight targets into eight yards. ... Possession receiver Streater went 5-46-1 against the Jets and is the best fantasy option in Oakland's receiver corps right now. I'd still be loath to start him in a fantasy league, but perhaps he'll carve out high-end WR4 production over the course of the year. ... Jones needs to get into the starting lineup. He only played 32 Week 1 snaps, but parlayed his three targets into three catches, 34 yards, and a touchdown that gave Oakland some late-game life. If Jones can progress into an every-down receiver role, he'll offer the highest ceiling in Oakland's wideout group. ... Offseason puff-piece all-star Andre Holmes got onto the field for two plays against the Jets. He was not targeted. ... Athletically-deficient Rivera is playing ahead of David Ausberry for the moment, in case you were wondering. Unlikely, I know.

Score Prediction: Texans 20, Raiders 14

NY Jets @ Green Bay

Shake off Aaron Rodgers' predictably slow opener in Seattle and start him confidently against the visiting Jets. Whereas Raiders rookie Derek Carr was unable to expose New York's secondary flaws, a far more competent passer will likely succeed in doing so. Green Bay's offensive line remains a concern after losing RT Bryan Bulaga to an MCL sprain, so expect the coaching staff to compensate by keeping TE Andrew Quarless in to help struggling fill-in Derek Sherrod pass block. If Bulaga tries to play at less than 100 percent, Quarless is similarly a good bet to play on the line of scrimmage. ... Rodgers' Week 1 target distribution: Jordy Nelson 14; Randall Cobb 9; Quarless 4; Eddie Lacy and James Starks 3; Jarrett Boykin and Richard Rodgers 0. ... Grab Boykin off waivers if he was dropped in your league. He's an underrated WR3 against the Jets. Boykin's Week 1 goose egg resulted from decoy usage, as he was assigned to occupy Seahawks LCB Richard Sherman's coverage so Nelson and Cobb would work against RCB Byron Maxwell and slot corner Marcus Burley. Particularly due to Green Bay's tight end deficiencies, Boykin will be far more involved going forward. He's a sleeper to catch 70-plus passes in 2014.

Nelson and Cobb move around enough that trying to pinpoint which Jets corners they'll face is probably a waste of time. We do know New York's back end is short on talent, even if LCB Dee Milliner (high ankle sprain) returns. Nelson is an every-week WR1. Cobb is a WR1/2. ... Rookie TE Rodgers played only 20 snaps against the Seahawks, got blown up as a run blocker, and was not targeted. I'd rather stash superior athlete Brandon Bostick, who is currently on his way back after missing Week 1 with a "slight" fibula fracture. ... Eddie Lacy resumed practicing fully late this week after an opening-night concussion. The brain injury is a reminder that Lacy owners must roster James Starks, who as expected was Green Bay's clear-feature back in Lacy's absence. Lacy's heavy-volume role in a potent offense that will set up scoring chances keeps him in the RB1 range against the Jets, but be aware of this difficult matchup. After finishing 2013 as the NFL's No. 3 run defense, the Jets erased the Raiders' run-game attempts last week. As a team, Oakland -- literally -- gained 25 yards on 15 carries. That's a 1.67 YPC average.

Although Geno Smith made some bad decisions in last week's win over Oakland, resulting in two turnovers, he consistently got rid of the football quickly to negate the Raiders' pass rush and racked up a whopping ten rushing attempts, which is a major boon to his fantasy value. There is a conceivable scenario where Rodgers lights up New York's depleted back four in this game, forcing Jets OC Marty Mornhinweg to call more aggressive offense. As the Packers' defense is in no way imposing, Smith offers sneaky upside as a two-quarterback-league start. I wouldn't stream him as a QB1 in this road game, but I'd at least briefly consider it. Becoming an above-average passer and buoyed by rushing usage, Geno is a highly underrated fantasy asset. ... Smith's Week 1 target distribution: Eric Decker 6; Jeff Cumberland, Jeremy Kerley, and Chris Johnson 5; Jace Amaro 4; Greg Salas 2; David Nelson 1. ... Geno-Decker was a somewhat popular Week 1 FanDuel stack. It didn't pay off, but is worth contemplation this week. I expect the Jets to have to throw more in this matchup, increasing Decker's targets. A lot of people were down on Decker entering the season, but I'm treating him as an every-week WR2.

I think someone will eventually emerge from the Jets' pass-catching corps behind Decker, but for now it's a wasteland. Cumberland, Kerley, Amaro, Salas, and Nelson are vying for scraps. Rookie Amaro only played 22 snaps in Week 1. Nelson started over Kerley. Cumberland is a pretty established JAG. ... Green Bay's depleted defensive front was gashed by Seattle in the NFL opener, surrendering 207 yards and two TDs on 37 carries (5.6 YPC) to Marshawn Lynch & Co. Lynch regularly sauntered into well-blocked alleys. Chris Johnson only played 33 snaps in Week 1, but handled a team-high 18 touches and should stay in that range at Lambeau. I don't love CJ?K as a player, but I like his matchup and role. He's a quality RB2 bet this week. ... Chris Ivory handled 30 snaps against the Raiders, turning ten carries into 102 yards and a touchdown. Because Ivory isn't involved in the passing game, his usage may take a step back against the Packers, particularly if Rodgers gives Green Bay a lead. Despite the plus on-paper matchup, Ivory is a dicey flex play. I have Ivory going in one league as an injury replacement for Ben Tate, but don't feel great about it.

Score Prediction: Packers 28, Jets 21

Kansas City @ Denver

Chiefs LE Mike DeVito and ILB Derrick Johnson's Week 1 Achilles' tears loom large for Kansas City's run defense. In last week's opener, Tennessee ran ten times for 26 yards (2.60 YPC) before All Pro-caliber Mike 'backer Johnson went down. After Johnson got injured, the Titans ripped off 136 yards on 28 runs (4.86 YPC). A designated plugger, DeVito was a top-four run defender in PFF's 3-4 defensive end grades last year. This is an ideal matchup for Montee Ball, who should run wild as an elite RB1 and recommended FanDuel play. ... Although Ball struggled on perimeter runs in last Sunday night's whipping of Indianapolis, he dominated touches (25) while C.J. Anderson managed four carries without a target. Ronnie Hillman is technically the Broncos' No. 2 back, but apparently fell behind due to an illness last week. Either way, Denver's pecking order behind Ball is a situation to monitor. Any player second in line for carries in the league's premier offense is worth a fantasy bench stash. ... Manning squared off with Chiefs DC Bob Sutton's defense twice last season, combining to go 46-of-75 passing for 726 yards (9.7 YPA) with six touchdowns and two picks. Kansas City's defense is even more vulnerable now than it was then. As usual, expect a big game from Peyton.

Manning's Week 1 target distribution: Demaryius Thomas 11; Emmanuel Sanders 9; Julius Thomas 8; Andre Caldwell 5; Ball 2; Cody Latimer and Jacob Tamme 0. ... Julius dropped a TD hat trick on the Colts and should stay hot against Kansas City, where SS Eric Berry is trying to play through a debilitating heel injury, and injured Johnson was a key part of the Chiefs' middle-of-field pass coverage scheme. Only Jimmy Graham is a better tight end bet than Orange Julius in Week 2. ... Sanders played an almost Percy Harvinian role against the Colts, racking up six catches for 77 yards, primarily on high-percentage routes, and adding 11 yards on the ground. I think Sanders is more of a WR3 in standard leagues, but could push for WR2 value in PPR. ... As veteran readers of this column know, Peyton makes it a habit of keeping his weapons happy. So when a pass catcher is coming off a relatively slow game, that player is always a good bet for a blowup in the following week. The arrow currently points directly at Demaryius following his sluggish 4-48 opener. Against a porous Chiefs pass defense that got shredded by Jake Locker at Arrowhead last week, Demaryius is my fantasy WR1 overall for Week 2. ... Until Wes Welker returns -- which could be soon -- Caldwell will fill the role-playing No. 3 receiver role. He's fourth in line for targets in Denver's pass-catching corps, and not a serious fantasy option. ... Latimer played zero snaps in Week 1 and has depth-chart climbing to do. He's just a WR5 in 12- and 14-team leagues.

Jamaal Charles is the Chiefs' best player by a sizable margin. As he only got 11 touches in the opener, it's no surprise that Kansas City lost. Charles finished with 34 yards from scrimmage; his lowest total in any game last year was 72. After clearly underutilizing a player, it's common for coaches to react by overcompensating the subsequent week. Keeping the ball in Charles' hands and out of Manning's would give Kansas City its best shot in this game, anyway. Charles totaled 18 and 21 touches in last year's two meetings with Denver. Even if the Chiefs fall behind on the scoreboard, expect Andy Reid to keep scheming Charles the rock. ... The Chiefs' passing offense was completely lost without Dwayne Bowe against the Titans, as wideouts Donnie Avery, Frankie Hammond, and Junior Hemingway managed to turn a combined 17 targets into 106 scoreless yards. They were brutally inefficient. Back from suspension, Bowe will be greeted by Aqib Talib's shadow coverage in Week 2. Bowe looked spry in the preseason and will definitely give Kansas City's offense a lift, but it may only be as a blanketed decoy against the Broncos. I like Bowe as an underrated season-long WR3, but would tread lightly in this game.

Travis Kelce's Week 1 usage also disappointed, although that was by design and less game-flow impacted. Kelce played 18-of-56 snaps (32%), continuing to run behind Anthony Fasano (90%). Fasano was targeted six times, Kelce five. Despite Kelce's clearly-superior talent, he isn't yet reliable re-draft option and comes with an alarming amount of volatility. I would seriously explore starting Kelce at Denver in a FanDuel tournament, however, if you're interested in an inexpensive punt. The Chiefs will need ways to generate explosive offense to stay competitive against Manning. With Talib on Bowe, Charles and Kelce are their best bets. And Kelce racked up nearly 50 yards on just 18 snaps last week. That is an indication of his big-time potential. ... Avery's 13 targets versus Tennessee were a product of Bowe's absence, and almost certainly not a sign of things to come. In all likelihood, Avery has already seen his heaviest-target game of the season. With Bowe now back, avoid chasing Avery's Week 1 usage into Week 2. ... Alex Smith was abysmal in last week's loss to Tennessee, tossing three picks and repeatedly underthrowing intended targets. He is a slightly appealing QB1 streamer at Denver, however, based on the game's shootout potential. Chiefs-Broncos has a 51-point over-under, the second highest of the week. I'd still rather start Jake Locker (vs. DAL), Carson Palmer (@ NYG), or Andy Dalton (vs. CIN).

Score Prediction: Broncos 34, Chiefs 23

Sunday Night Football

Chicago @ San Francisco

Week 1 didn't provide a dependable snapshot of San Francisco's defensive effectiveness in the post-Aldon Smith, Navorro Bowman, Donte Whitner, and Glenn Dorsey era. The 49ers were aided by Tony Romo's atrocious first-half decision making and general all-around ineptitude while getting pummeled on the ground, serving up a combined 23-127-5.5-1 rushing line to DeMarco Murray & Co. I still believe San Francisco has a competitive defense, but not one to be feared for fantasy matchup purposes. Murray's opener suggests Matt Forte should have the smoothest path toward a productive Week 2. After a slow preseason, Forte exploded for 169 total yards in last week's loss to the Bills, leading Chicago in both rushing and receiving. ... The Bears appear to be getting San Francisco's pass defense at the right time. Top CB Tramaine Brock is considered doubtful due to a sprained big toe. RCB Chris Culliver and slot corner Jimmie Ward are both coming off of concussions, although they are expected to play. The Niners sacked Tony Romo three times on Opening Day, but for the most part Romo's pocket was clean. Still, the uncertainty of Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Alshon Jeffery's (hamstring) health makes Cutler a concerning Week 2 fantasy investment. Fantasy owners are just going to have to track the situations into Sunday morning before setting lineups.

Cutler's Week 1 target distribution: Marshall 12; Martellus Bennett 10; Forte 9; Jeffery 6; Santonio Holmes 5; Josh Morgan and Micheal Spurlock 3. ... I'll put an update in this space on Friday night and/or Saturday. My guess as of late Thursday/Friday morning was that Marshall will play, but Jeffery won't. If Jeffery does not, Morgan would figure to get the nominal "start," but Holmes would be the superior fantasy flier. In a tasty matchup, Holmes would be on the WR3 map and worth a look in daily leagues. ... Bennett had a big Week 1, but I don't expect it to carry over into the second game. The 49ers shut down tight ends with ILB Patrick Willis' coverage, last week holding Jason Witten under 20 yards. ... Even if he isn't technically 100%, Marshall is a must-start at San Francisco. With Bennett facing a good chance of being eliminated by Willis, and Jeffery of being inactive, Marshall could get force fed targets at a rate that is abnormally high, even for him. I'd have him dark-penciled into fantasy lineups at the moment.

Saturday Update: Marshall (ankle) and Jeffery (hamstring) are both listed as questionable. Marshall only did "slight" jogging on the side of Friday's practice. Jeffery participated on a limited basis, but was noncommittal afterwards when asked if he'll play at San Francisco. Both Bears wideouts are game-time decisions. Owners of Marshall and Jeffery would be savvy to grab Santonio Holmes because of this game's late start. An insurance pickup, Holmes would be a solid WR3 play against a banged-up 49ers secondary after seeing five targets off the bench in Week 1.

Chicago's revamped defensive personnel isn't paying dividends yet. Typically sack-prone E.J. Manuel rarely felt heat in Week 1 en route to a 72.7% completion rate and just one sack absorbed. No match for LT Cordy Glenn, Bears RE Jared Allen will now take on 49ers three-time Pro Bowler Joe Staley. Coming off a highly efficient opener, look for Colin Kaepernick to build on his success versus the visiting Bears. If forced to choose between the two, I'd start Kaepernick over Cutler. Kaepernick's 29-yard TD missile to Vernon Davis in Week 1, by the way, was a throw only maybe two or three people on the planet can make. ... Kap's Week 1 targets: Anquan Boldin 9; Davis 6; Michael Crabtree 4; Stevie Johnson 2; Brandon Lloyd 1. ... After missing time with hamstring and calf ailments, Crabtree was eased into the Week 1 lineup, playing a disappointing 64% of San Francisco's offensive snaps. Perhaps downgrade Crabtree from a WR2 to WR3 until we get visual evidence he's a huge part of the offense, but that should come shortly. He practiced fully all this week, so there should be no lingering injury concerns. In nickel passing sets, the Bears' outside corners are 33-year-old Charles Tillman and rookie Kyle Fuller. ... The slot corner is 5-foot-8 Tim Jennings. Jennings has been a good cover guy, but is playing the slot for the first time in his NFL career and struggled in Week 1. This is a good matchup for Anquan Boldin, who runs inside routes and is coming off an 8-99 opener. Boldin led all 49ers wideouts in Week 1 snaps. Crabtree maintains the highest ceiling in San Francisco's receiver corps. Boldin is the safest Week 2 bet.

We named Davis as a recommended Week 1 play and he came through with two touchdowns, but he will struggle for consistency on such light targeting, especially as Crabtree rounds into form. This is another good matchup for Davis against a weak Chicago linebacker and safety corps. But fantasy owners need to begin thinking about selling him high. He's going to be a fantasy roller coaster. ... Lloyd and Johnson played 22 and 19 snaps, respectively, on Opening Day. They are rotating role players who may help the 49ers in spots, but are of no use to fantasy owners. ... Every year, fantasy people try to put Frank Gore out to pasture. They're doing it again after Week 1. Granted, rookie Carlos Hyde excelled and capitalized on his carries at Dallas, but he only played 15 snaps. Gore played 42 and out-touched Hyde 16 to seven. Gore is the 49ers' team leader, in addition to being the best pass-protecting back in the league. Barring injury, he is not going away. Expect a box-score rebound this week, as San Francisco takes on a Chicago defense that yielded 174 yards on 27 combined carries (6.44 YPC) to Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller, and Anthony Dixon last Sunday. The Bears were gashed for long runs on read-option plays by the Bills. The 49ers can obviously do similar things with Kaepernick. Gore remains a rock-solid RB2. Until his workload grows -- and it may not -- Hyde is a dicey flex option. He's basically in the same boat as Chris Ivory, although Ivory is playing more snaps and getting the ball more.

Score Prediction: 49ers 24, Bears 21

Monday Night Football

Philadelphia @ Indianapolis

Colts-Eagles has the highest over-under of all Week 2 games with a 54-point projection. Target this game in daily leagues and re-draft lineup decisions. ... Shaking off a sack- and turnover-filled first half in last week's comeback win, Nick Foles finished with 322 yards and two TDs as the Eagles upended the Jaguars 34-17. Playing lightning fast with Chip Kelly's foot on the gas, Philly ripped off 82 offensive snaps, the second most of any NFL team. Sheer play volume will help mask inefficiencies, while Foles' talented and deep supporting cast will create yardage and points. In a much more favorable matchup with Indy's sieve-like defense, Foles is an elite fantasy QB1 and worth a serious look on FanDuel. ... Foles' Week 1 target distribution: Jeremy Maclin 10; Riley Cooper 7; LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles 6; Zach Ertz 5; Brent Celek and Jordan Matthews 4. ... Although Ertz wasn't heavily targeted, his usage was promising. He played 59.8% of Philly's snaps -- way up from last year's 41% -- and ripped off gains of 26, 26, and 25 yards on three receptions. Ertz ran 34 pass routes, only eight fewer than Jimmy Graham and seven more than Vernon Davis. Now facing a Colts team that got lit up by Denver's tight ends for a combined 8-112-3 stat line last Sunday night, Ertz is a high-ceiling TE1. ... Coming off a 4-29 opener, Cooper is a player to avoid in Week 2. As he runs most of his routes down the left sideline, Cooper will be draped in Colts RCB Vontae Davis' coverage for most of this game. Arguably the only good player on Indy's defense, Davis helped hold Demaryius Thomas to a 4-48 opener. Demaryius Thomas is a little bit better than Riley Cooper, I think.

Saturday Update: Providing a lift for Ertz's Week 2 matchup is the absence of Colts ILB Jerrell Freeman, who was ruled out Saturday with a hamstring injury. Freeman is Indianapolis' primary pass-coverage linebacker. Freeman's inactivity could also be a boost to McCoy and Sproles' matchups.

We saw exactly what we wanted to see from Maclin on Opening Day. In addition to his team-high ten targets, Maclin played 92% of Philly's offensive snaps and could've had a much bigger day than his already-potent 4-97-1 if not for a few misfires by Foles. If Ertz has the best Week 2 matchup among Eagles pass catchers, Maclin isn't far behind. He'll run the majority of his routes against burnable LCB Greg Toler and should also see some time in the slot. ... The targets weren't there for rookie slot receiver Matthews, but the playing time was. He played 57 downs. Matthews is a hold as a WR4. His opportunities should gradually rise. ... Primarily a blocker and possession tight end, Celek out-snapped Ertz 59 to 52, but isn't a big part of the Eagles' passing attack. A block-first tight end, Celek is a low-ceiling TE2. ... The Colts generally defended the run well in last week's loss to Denver, holding Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson to a combined 94 yards on 27 carries (3.48 YPC). That is notable, but you're obviously still trotting out McCoy as arguably the premier RB1 play of Week 2. I'm FanDueling McCoy in several spots. ... Currently a 38% player in Philly's offense, Sproles played a much bigger role than I expected. While owners can't count on 31-year-old Sproles to break off 49-yard touchdown runs like he did against the Jaguars, his playing time and workload make Sproles a viable flex, particularly in PPR leagues. When Sproles is in the game, Kelly is feeding him the ball.

It's conceivable that this game plays out similarly to last week's for Indianapolis. The Colts fell behind the Broncos by a large early margin due to lackluster defensive play. Andrew Luck rallied Indianapolis to at least make it a game, finishing with 389 all-purpose yards, two passing scores, and a rushing touchdown. And Philly's defense is not nearly as talented as Denver's. Particularly with OLB Robert Mathis (Achilles') now lost for the season, the Colts are going to be a sieve defensively. Luck will have to put this team on his back on a weekly basis. He should be a fantasy point machine. ... Luck's Week 1 target distribution: Reggie Wayne 13; T.Y. Hilton 11; Coby Fleener 8; Ahmad Bradshaw 6; Dwayne Allen and Hakeem Nicks 5; Trent Richardson 4; Donte Moncrief 1. ... Wayne will likely spend most of this game in Eagles top CB Brandon Boykin's coverage, although slot corner Boykin is 5-foot-9 and change and 180 pounds. I don't really see him as a matchup to fear. Based on the game's high-scoring projection and Wayne's high-volume role, he's a locked-in fantasy WR2/3. ... At least one of the Colts' outside wideouts will probably go off on Monday night. Jaguars UDFA Allen Hurns torched Eagles RCB Cary Williams last week, and Nicks generally runs his patterns on Williams' side of the formation. At the same time, Hilton's role is much larger in Indy's offense, and we know Hilton is always a candidate to tear the cover off, while mixing in clunkers. Treat Hilton as a high-upside WR3. Nicks is worth a WR4/flex look in fantasy leagues with deeper starting lineups.

Fleener is a good athlete. He isn't very good at football, a reality that is confirmed basically every time he plays. He managed 21 yards on eight targets in Week 1, repeatedly getting out-muscled. Theoretically this is a plus matchup for Fleener, whom Colts OC Pep Hamilton insists on giving quality playing time. I'd rather invest fantasy starts in better football players. ... In-line TE Allen finished Opening Day with a good-looking stat line (5-64-1), although it was buoyed by a tackle-shedding 41-yard touchdown jaunt. As good at football as Allen is -- he's essentially the inverse of Fleener -- he isn't likely to score many long TDs like that with 4.85 speed. I liked Allen as a fantasy start last week, and like him again this week, but he won't sustain TE1 production in his current low-volume role. I'd consider selling Allen high if he has another big week. There are a lot of owners out there desperate at tight end right now. Allen is probably most current owners' TE2. ... Although game flow and Hamilton's implementation of hurry-up packages had something to do with it, Bradshaw out-snapped T-Rich 45 to 30 in Week 1 and out-gained him 85 to 51 despite one more offensive touch for Richardson. It's abundantly clear Bradshaw is a better fit for the Colts' offense. He's already on the flex radar, especially in PPR leagues. Richardson isn't going away yet because the Colts won't throw in the towel after one game, but he's no more than a low-end RB3 at the moment. As Richardson is used mostly as a rusher, while Bradshaw appears to be the Colts' primary pass-game back, T-Rich also gets a difficult matchup. A top-ten run defense in 2013, the Eagles' defensive front lived in the Jaguars' backfield last week, holding Jacksonville to 64 scoreless yards on 25 run plays (2.56 YPC).

Score Prediction: Eagles 30, Colts 27