Fantasy

9/18/22

13 min read

Josh Larky's Week 2 Fantasy Rankings

Week 2 Fantasy Rankings

Below, you'll find my Week 2 fantasy rankings for PPR/Half-PPR leagues. Included are my Top-32 QB Rankings, Top-43 RB Rankings, Top-55 WR Rankings and Top-24 TE Rankings for Week 2.

For each player, you can view their ranking, matchup and implied team total, according to Vegas. For example, the Chargers and Chiefs Vegas game total was 54.5 points, with the Chiefs favored by four (29.25 points implied for the Chiefs, 25.25 points implied for the Chargers). Seeing the implied point totals can help you understand which games are projected to be the highest scoring.

Top-32 QB Rankings

Rank Name Pos Team Opp Team Total
1 Josh Allen QB BUF TEN 29.75
2 Patrick Mahomes QB KC LAC 29.25
3 Jalen Hurts QB PHI MIN 27
4 Lamar Jackson QB BAL MIA 24
5 Justin Herbert QB LAC KC 25.25
6 Kyler Murray QB ARI LV 23
7 Matthew Stafford QB LA ATL 29
8 Russell Wilson QB DEN HOU 27.5
9 Tom Brady QB TB NO 23.5
10 Derek Carr QB LV ARI 29
11 Joe Burrow QB CIN DAL 25.5
12 Kirk Cousins QB MIN PHI 24.5
13 Carson Wentz QB WAS DET 23.5
14 Trey Lance QB SF SEA 25.75
15 Marcus Mariota QB ATL LA 18.5
16 Aaron Rodgers QB GB CHI 26.5
17 Daniel Jones QB NYG CAR 22.75
18 Jared Goff QB DET WAS 26
19 Justin Fields QB CHI GB 16.5
20 Trevor Lawrence QB JAX IND 21.5
21 Tua Tagovailoa QB MIA BAL 20.5
22 Matt Ryan QB IND JAX 25.5
23 Ryan Tannehill QB TEN BUF 19.75
24 Jameis Winston QB NO TB 20.5
25 Davis Mills QB HOU DEN 17.5
26 Geno Smith QB SEA SF 16.75
27 Mitchell Trubisky QB PIT NE 19.5
28 Baker Mayfield QB CAR NYG 20.25
29 Mac Jones QB NE PIT 21
30 Joe Flacco QB NYJ CLE 23
31 Jacoby Brissett QB CLE NYJ 17
32 Cooper Rush QB DAL CIN 17.5
  • There is a large tier drop after the Top-6 QBs this week.
  • Derek Carr has a phenomenal matchup this week against the Cardinals' atrocious secondary and is a priority start in 1QB leagues.
  • Carson Wentz is a worthy streamer for Week 2, coming off a promising Week 1 performance where he threw for more than 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Lions' defense was eviscerated by the Eagles in Week 1, and I expect this game to hit the over.
  • Do not drop Trey Lance. He ran 13 times in Week 1, and if you have him on your team, I'd recommend starting him. I don't want to dismiss Week 1 entirely, but the playing conditions were brutal and Fields and Lance combined for only 21 total completions in that game. Also, if George Kittle is back (Kittle is unlikely to play), that's further help for Lance. Even though he's my QB14 for Week 2, he's still a QB1 rest of the season for his upside. Exercise patience.

If you want to do your own advanced research, our brand new Tool, The Edge, makes it easier than ever. Free to use, and within one minute we guarantee you'll be finding powerful fantasy and betting insights.

Top-43 RB Rankings

Rank Name Pos Team Opp Team Total
1 Jonathan Taylor RB IND JAX 25.50
2 Christian McCaffrey RB CAR NYG 20.25
3 Saquon Barkley RB NYG CAR 22.75
4 Leonard Fournette RB TB NO 23.50
5 Dalvin Cook RB MIN PHI 24.50
6 Joe Mixon RB CIN DAL 25.50
7 James Conner RB ARI LV 23.00
8 Nick Chubb RB CLE NYJ 17.00
9 Austin Ekeler RB LAC KC 25.25
10 Derrick Henry RB TEN BUF 19.75
11 Antonio Gibson RB WAS DET 23.50
12 D'Andre Swift RB DET WAS 26.00
13 Darrell Henderson RB LA ATL 29.00
14 Cordarrelle Patterson RB ATL LA 18.50
15 Javonte Williams RB DEN HOU 27.50
16 Aaron Jones RB GB CHI 26.50
17 Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB KC LAC 29.25
18 AJ Dillon RB GB CHI 26.50
19 Najee Harris RB PIT NE 19.50
20 Jeff Wilson RB SF SEA 25.75
21 Kareem Hunt RB CLE NYJ 17.00
22 Miles Sanders RB PHI MIN 27.00
23 Josh Jacobs RB LV ARI 29.00
24 Mark Ingram RB NO TB 20.50
25 Rex Burkhead RB HOU DEN 17.50
26 Travis Etienne RB JAX IND 21.50
27 Michael Carter RB NYJ CLE 23.00
28 Rhamondre Stevenson RB NE PIT 21.00
29 Ezekiel Elliott RB DAL CIN 17.50
30 Kenyan Drake RB BAL MIA 24.00
31 James Robinson RB JAX IND 21.50
32 Rashaad Penny RB SEA SF 16.75
33 David Montgomery RB CHI GB 16.50
34 Chase Edmonds RB MIA BAL 20.50
35 Breece Hall RB NYJ CLE 23.00
36 Devin Singletary RB BUF TEN 29.75
37 Jamaal Williams RB DET WAS 26.00
38 Zack Moss RB BUF TEN 29.75
39 Melvin Gordon RB DEN HOU 27.50
40 Kenneth Gainwell RB PHI MIN 27.00
41 Damien Harris RB NE PIT 21.00
42 Tony Pollard RB DAL CIN 17.50
43 Jerick McKinnon RB KC LAC 29.25
  • I feel very good about the Top-6 RBs this week. The Bengals line hampered Joe Mixon, and he won't get 36 opportunities in Week 2 like last week. The Cardinals' offense has more holes than a leaky boat (OLine, WR talent, play-calling), and this could affect James Conner, even though he's a bell cow. Nick Chubb doesn't catch passes. Derrick Henry is going to suffer due to the Titans' lackluster offense.
  • While AJ Dillon had a better role than Aaron Jones, Jones did run more routes and has the track record of explosive plays and fantasy production. If Week 2 is similar to Week 1, I'll flip them heading into Week 3.
  • Najee Harris has no business suiting up for Week 2 after re-injuring his foot (Lisfranc). He is adamant about suiting up in Week 2, but my ranking reflects my skepticism regarding his effectiveness.

  • Alvin Kamara is dealing with a rib injury and is not expected to play. Plus, the Buccaneers are a difficult matchup. Consider me concerned.
  • The 49ers will likely lean on the run game, with Lance looking uncomfortable in Week 1. Wilson had four games above 20 fantasy points in 2020 and scored in two of his three starts in 2021. No other SF RB touched the ball after Elijah Mitchell went down in Week 1.

  • Rex Burkhead out-snapped Dameon Pierce 49 to 19. Burkhead out-carried him 14 to 11. Burkhead ran 25 routes to Pierce's five and out-targeted him eight to one. Burkhead is a pure volume play, after showcasing one of the best roles among any RB in fantasy football.
  • I am not pushing the panic button on Travis Etienne, yet. He was targeted (and overthrown) in the end zone, and dropped another red zone pass. His three red zone targets tied with Javonte Williams for first among RBs in Week 1. He averaged nearly 12 yards per carry and earned 4 targets on 22 routes. This was also his first NFL game action, ever. I'm trusting the talent here.
  • Both Michael Carter and Breece Hall had substantial roles in Week 1. It feels strange to rank two RBs from a terrible offense in the Top-34, but the usage was there. Ten carries and 9 targets for Carter, 6 carries and 10 targets for Hall.
  • Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are in a world of trouble. Their rankings reflect my stance that neither has any upside for Week 2. The Bengals contained Najee Harris in Week 1, and Cooper Rush is one of the worst backup QBs in the entire NFL.
  • I'm starting Rhamondre Stevenson on multiple fantasy teams this week with Ty Montgomery now on IR. Damien Harris has no history of pass-catching in the NFL, and I'd rather be a week ahead on someone with Rhamondre's well-rounded profile.

Top-55 WR Rankings

Rank Name Pos Team Opp Team Total
1 Cooper Kupp WR LA ATL 29.00
2 Davante Adams WR LV ARI 29.00
3 Justin Jefferson WR MIN PHI 24.50
4 Ja'Marr Chase WR CIN DAL 25.50
5 Stefon Diggs WR BUF TEN 29.75
6 A.J. Brown WR PHI MIN 27.00
7 Tyreek Hill WR MIA BAL 20.50
8 Mike Williams WR LAC KC 25.25
9 Mike Evans WR TB NO 23.50
10 Amon-Ra St. Brown WR DET WAS 26.00
11 Tee Higgins WR CIN DAL 25.50
12 Deebo Samuel WR SF SEA 25.75
13 Courtland Sutton WR DEN HOU 27.50
14 Marquise Brown WR ARI LV 23.00
15 Diontae Johnson WR PIT NE 19.50
16 Christian Kirk WR JAX IND 21.50
17 Brandin Cooks WR HOU DEN 17.50
18 Jerry Jeudy WR DEN HOU 27.50
19 Terry McLaurin WR WAS DET 23.50
20 Jaylen Waddle WR MIA BAL 20.50
21 Gabe Davis WR BUF TEN 29.75
22 D.J. Moore WR CAR NYG 20.25
23 Elijah Moore WR NYJ CLE 23.00
24 Michael Thomas WR NO TB 20.50
25 JuJu Smith-Schuster WR KC LAC 29.25
26 Allen Robinson WR LA ATL 29.00
27 CeeDee Lamb WR DAL CIN 17.50
28 Adam Thielen WR MIN PHI 24.50
29 Hunter Renfrow WR LV ARI 29.00
30 DK Metcalf WR SEA SF 16.75
31 Russell Gage WR TB NO 23.50
32 Jarvis Landry WR NO TB 20.50
33 Tyler Boyd WR CIN DAL 25.50
34 Rashod Bateman WR BAL MIA 24.00
35 Darnell Mooney WR CHI GB 16.50
36 Allen Lazard WR GB CHI 26.50
37 Josh Palmer WR LAC KC 25.25
38 Curtis Samuel WR WAS DET 23.50
39 Drake London WR ATL LA 18.50
40 Devonta Smith WR PHI MIN 27.00
41 Tyler Lockett WR SEA SF 16.75
42 Amari Cooper WR CLE NYJ 17.00
43 Brandon Aiyuk WR SF SEA 25.75
44 Jahan Dotson WR WAS DET 23.50
45 Robbie Anderson WR CAR NYG 20.25
46 Greg Dortch WR ARI LV 23.00
47 D.J. Chark WR DET WAS 26.00
48 Parris Campbell WR IND JAX 25.50
49 Garrett Wilson WR NYJ CLE 23.00
50 Donovan Peoples-Jones WR CLE NYJ 17.00
51 Zay Jones WR JAX IND 21.50
52 Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR KC LAC 29.25
53 Chris Olave WR NO TB 20.50
54 Jakobi Meyers WR NE PIT 21.00
55 Chase Claypool WR PIT NE 19.50
  • The Top-7 WRs this week are in their own, elite tier. I loved the Week 1 usage from all of them, and trust each individual talent.
  • Amon-Ra is undeniable at this point, with at least 10 targets each of his past six games (averaging more than 11 per game during this stretch). He is a WR1 until this trend changes.
  • Deebo Samuel is impossibly tough to rank. Eight targets and 8 carries in Week 1, but Lance looked awful and the weather was a major factor. My ranking for him will probably make me look silly, but I'm not sure in which direction.
  • Christian Kirk was a 20% or higher target share WR his first two years before DeAndre Hopkins came to Arizona. Twelve targets and a 6-117-0 stat line in Week 1, and I'm a believer in the 2022 breakout.
  • Terry McLaurin is at risk of tumbling down the rankings, but  Wentz's strong performance in Week 1 is helping him. The target competition of Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson likely means McLaurin's target share will fall from prior season levels, but this offense looked good in Week 1, and McLaurin is still probably the best WR on this team.
  • Gabe Davis is a difficult player to rank. The fantasy points were there in Week 1, and Josh Allen looks like an MVP candidate once again. But, his target total (5) was far behind Stefon Diggs (9), and his busted play TD catch should not be expected on a weekly basis. Additionally, he's listed as questionable this week and plays on Monday Night Football. He's a risky play, and if you don't have the stomach to wait until MNF (or don't have a backup plan), I'd recommend dropping down as far as Drake London at WR39.
  • Michael Thomas is back, with a 25% target share in Week 1. After two years of limited game action, a strong performance in Week 1 helps me confidently rank Thomas many spots higher than last week.
  • Allen Robinson is not dead yet. He was on the field for nearly every snap, and the Rams' offense looked poor overall against the Bills. This is a get-right matchup against a leaky Atlanta defense, and the Rams' 29-point implied team total is the third highest in Week 2.
  • I want no part of CeeDee Lamb this week. Eleven targets in Week 1 were great to see, but the offensive line looked overwhelmed at times, and now Dak Prescott is out for the next two months. Expect frequent double teams and continued efficiency struggles from Lamb, given the QB situation and the lack of any other viable WRs to keep defenses honest.
  • Hunter Renfrow has a date with the Arizona secondary, he is a strong start this week after the Chiefs moved the ball downfield at will against ARI in Week 1. WR31 in my Week 2 fantasy rankings may prove to be too conservative given the matchup and his Week 1 role.
  • With Julio Jones just ruled OUT, Russell Gage is a strong start, as the clear-cut WR2 for the Buccaneers.
  • Curtis Samuel takes a large leap in the rankings heading into Week 2, after an 11-target performance. The worrisome stat to keep in mind - and why he isn't further up my rankings - was his 14 total air yards. Without downfield targets, and with some expectation that McLaurin emerges as the team's overall target leader, tread carefully with Samuel, despite an incredible Week 1.
  • Devonta Smith will likely be inconsistent all season with the arrival of A.J. Brown, and Jalen Hurts' deficiencies as a passer. Still, though, I'll be starting him in deeper 12-team leagues in Week 2. The routes were there, and he still received 4 targets in Week 1.
  • Dotson should be prioritized on waivers ahead of Samuel and is my pick when evaluating the two for the rest of the season. However, for Week 2, I still lean towards Samuel, the veteran. Dotson is still a fine Week 2 start in deeper 12-team leagues.
  • Robbie Anderson is the third option (behind Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore) in a bad offense. His Week 1 performance is likely his 2022 ceiling, and I'd exercise caution with him. We have a long track record of knowing who he is for real-life and fantasy football.
  • Donovan Peoples-Jones had a different role in Week 1 than in 2021. His depth of target was halved, and the target share skyrocketed. He's an interesting player to monitor, but this Cleveland passing offense will force him to thread the needle to be consistently fantasy relevant.

Top-24 TE Rankings

Rank Name Pos Team Opp Team Total
1 Travis Kelce TE KC LAC 29.25
2 Darren Waller TE LV ARI 29.00
3 Mark Andrews TE BAL MIA 24.00
4 Kyle Pitts TE ATL LA 18.50
5 Dalton Schultz TE DAL CIN 17.50
6 Gerald Everett TE LAC KC 25.25
7 Zach Ertz TE ARI LV 23.00
8 Dallas Goedert TE PHI MIN 27.00
9 T.J. Hockenson TE DET WAS 26.00
10 Tyler Higbee TE LA ATL 29.00
11 Albert Okwuegbunam TE DEN HOU 27.50
12 Pat Freiermuth TE PIT NE 19.50
13 Dawson Knox TE BUF TEN 29.75
14 Logan Thomas TE WAS DET 23.50
15 Taysom Hill TE NO TB 20.50
16 Cole Kmet TE CHI GB 16.5
17 Robert Tonyan TE GB CHI 26.50
18 David Njoku TE CLE NYJ 17.00
19 Hayden Hurst TE CIN DAL 25.50
20 Evan Engram TE JAX IND 21.50
21 Tyler Conklin TE NYJ CLE 23.00
22 Hunter Henry TE NE PIT 21.00
23 Juwan Johnson TE NO TB 20.50
24 Kylen Granson TE IND JAX 25.50
  • Travis Kelce is in his own tier, by a lot.
  • Darren Waller, Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts can be grouped together as Tier 2. I am not confidently starting any TE after the Top-4.
  • George Kittle didn't practice on Wednesday due to a groin injury. If you have Kittle on your team, prepare for him to miss Week 2.
  • Gerald Everett had a strong Week 1 performance, with 4 targets, going 3-54-1 on the day. Two of his four targets came in the red zone, too. With Keenan Allen out for Week 2, Everett did see an uptick in volume. He's worth starting as long as Allen misses time.
  • Tyler Higbee had 11 targets in Week 1 and deserves the boost in the rankings that I gave him. But, I highly doubt Robinson will garner two targets on a weekly basis.
  • Albert Okwuegbunam ran about 75% of possible routes and brought in 5 of 6 targets for 33 yards. One of his targets was in the red zone. I have him at TE12 this week, so you should start him in 12-team leagues for Week 2.

These Week 2 Fantasy Rankings will be updated throughout the week. Make sure to check this post each day this week as the news hits.

 


RELATED