If week 1 was a liar, what do we say about week 2?

By Martin Richardson

In another wild week of NFL football, the fantasy football world had another strange week for players everywhere.

After a big scoring Thursday game involving the Bills and Lions (but not Jameson Williams) it looked like we were on track for another big scoring week with explosive plays everywhere. However, there was not a single touchdown for a WR or TE before Davonta Smith scored for the Eagles which was an hour into Sunday football. That’s rough. Especially if you needed a big game after being stung by that incredible Josh Allen performance.

Scores seemed low all over the place last week, with players scraping wins with low scores and games without touchdowns at all (thoughts and prayers to Caleb Williams who may be off life support by now).

Hopefully this week proves to be a bit more exciting, and the Falcons give us hope of an exciting weekend of football, for fantasy players with some exciting matchups and players who have the chance to make a difference in week 3.

ONES TO WATCH: THE GOOD

Mentioning Josh Allen so soon after last week may well be triggering for some, but he has started the season at an electric pace, scoring points and touchdowns for fun. Some were wondering if he would carry on that elite fantasy form in 2026 now that new head coach Joe Brady was no longer just an OC, but it’s done exactly what the Bills hierarchy wanted, making Allen the Bills an AFC force to be reckoned with.

For fantasy players, going up against Allen is a proverbial nail in the coffin before a ball has been thrown. His 9 total touchdowns and near 600 yards in the air make in an unstoppable force heading into every week of fantasy football. And its not as if his touchdowns are limited to throwing the ball; 4 four of those 9 touchdowns are from him rushing into the endzone as well (save a thought for James Cooks fantasy owners).

This week he goes against a totally lifeless Chargers who were dismantled by the Raiders last time round. This could well be a massacre before half time if the same Chargers turn up this week too.

Continuing the Bills love-in this week, I think I speak for most when I say that Dalton Kincaid has surprised many over two weeks, his 30-plus fantasy points rank him as number one at the position on ESPN and that’s just with a single touchdown, such is his impact; totalling 130 yards in week one at Houston and then another 95 against the Lions in week two. I wouldn’t be surprised if both Kincaid and Allen connect at least once this weekend to help them move on to 3-0 before a divisional matchup against the Patriots.

Just like Kincaid, another player who is perhaps surprising some is Chris Olave, who is sitting in the top 5 of fantasy wideouts heading into week 3. With some solid QB play from Tyler Shough, Olave went to town on the Lions with 182 yards from 13 targets and 10 receptions. As mentioned, week one can be a liar, but he then went off against the Ravens with 86 yards and a touchdown, with 10 targets and 8 receptions. Olave is a true WR1 with that kind of volume and with someone like Shough stepping up in his second year, Olave has the chance to continue to impress with some nice matchups against the Raiders and the born again (post demolition of the Packers) Falcons.

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The Ones to Watch: The Bad

It would be so easy to pile it on to the Chargers after another terrible performance in week 2. I’ll save that for next week depending on how they do against the Bills this week. There has to be some improvement, even if they lose, right? But their time is coming if they continue to lay an egg every week.

So, this week I’ll start down in Arizona where generational talent Marvin Harrison Jr continues to be a massive disappointment. It’s really clear that Trey McBride is the main man for the Cardinals, scooping in their only touchdown in the loss to the Seahawks and having over 20 targets already in 2 games.

Harrison has 4.

Harrison also has 33 receiving yeads this season. He was targeted once last week and just does not appear to be part of the Cardinals plans on offense. Training camp gave allusions to Harrison Jr being behind WR Michael Wilson in the pecking order and also in ability given those videos on X, and this seems to be the case. Wilson has 14 total targets and over 70 receiving yards from both games. A touchdown makes him very fantasy relevant compared to what Harrison can offer.

Heading into week 3, Harrison and the Cardinals have a tough ask against a red-hot 49ers team. This could mean once again that the offense lean on the dependable hands of Wilson and McBride, rather than force the issue of getting Harrison involved in the offense. All you have to do is look at that Seahawks game where they were chasing the game and they didn’t once look to Harrison to be a difference maker. This is definitely a week to sit Harrison and maybe readdress against a depleted Giants team next week. But I wouldn’t hold out much hope.  

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Maybe this is harsh, but we have to talk about the consensus third/fourth round pick Colston Loveland. Just like Marvin Harrison Jr, he has started the season in terrible form, with five targets and 3 yards over 2 games. In a game that was crying out for a touchdown against the Vikings, the Bears are calling designed plays for third string tight end Sam Roush, which is just wild to me given the talent that is on field with both Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet.

The loss of Caleb Williams to a near life ending hamstring injury will no doubt have some kind of impact on Loveland, and given that he has literally 0 fantasy points, maybe this can be good thing. However, its not Tyson Bagent that could be slinging the ball as he’s now in the concussion protocol, so it may well be Case Keenum that is under centre this weekend. The same Case Keenum who hasn’t taken a single snap in nearly three years.

I’m sure it will be fine (nervous laughing).

Ones to Watch: The Wildcards

Time now to look at two players on a team that doesn’t normally get a lot of love over the years and that WR pair Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell.

The Jets started well against the Titans (as you should because they continue to be garbage), they stumbled against a weird Packers team and head into a week 3 matchup against a Lions defense that is leaking yardage and points in both weeks so far. Whilst they still seem a little inconsistent, the Jets WR pairing of Wilson and Mitchell have started well. Wilson sits in the top 20 for the position with a solid touchdown and near 130-yard contribution. AD Mitchell has 120 yards but 15 targets across two games, shows is now the established WR2 for the Jets.

As I said, the Jets now face a Lions team that are haemorrhaging yards and points, with a big loss to the Bills, shipping 41 points, and then scraping a win against the Saints but allowing another 30 points in that game. This could mean that both Wilson and Mitchell are in line to make a big contribution to fantasy matchups this weekend.

MARTIN RICHARDSON

NFL/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST

A Yorkshireman living in Lancashire, Martin is a massive NFL fan but his heart belongs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also a huge Fantasy Football enthusiast and spends far too long crunching the numbers! Follow him at @MRBucsFan31

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