Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
Kate Magdziuk shares her Week 2 wide receiver rankings for standard scoring leagues and highlights several streaming options.
The good news? Fantasy football is officially back! The bad news? Week 1 wasn’t without without its bumps and bruises.
Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua is going on the injured reserve list after suffering a PCL sprain, set to miss at least the next four weeks. Rookie Rome Odunze is set to miss time with an MCL sprain, while his teammates DJ Moore (shoulder) and Keenan Allen (undisclosed) also suffered injuries, though they returned later. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison suffered a sprained ankle after spending a chunk of training camp nursing an injury to the opposite ankle. In short, it’s brutal out there, folks.
If all that wasn’t enough, there was also a knee injury to Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, which could very well temporarily diminish any fantasy value for their receivers, assuming a decrease in the quality of play with Malik Willis under center.
Ahead of Week 2 kickoff, you may need some extra help setting those lineups. Here is a look at my Week 2 wide receiver rankings in standard-scoring (non-PPR) fantasy football leagues, along with some of my favorite Week 2 sleepers to consider if you’ve fallen victim to one of the many injuries of the week.
Week 2 WR sleepers
Rostership percentages in Yahoo! Fantasy leagues are indicated in parentheses.
Wan’Dale Robinson (New York Jets vs. Commanders, 11%)
Admittedly, Wan’Dale Robinson is a player I prefer targeting in full-PPR scoring formats, which are a bit more forgiving when it comes to a lack of efficiency. However, this matchup against the Washington Commanders is too appealing not to put on the radar for those in need of a deep play this week. Despite ranking fourth in routes run for the Giants in Week 1, he finished the day leading the team with 11 total targets. That 29.7% target rate on routes run ranked fourth-highest on the week among wideouts to play 40+ snaps.
This week, Robinson — who plays primarily out of the slot — will face the Commanders, coming off an embarrassing loss where Baker Mayfield & Co. dominated 37-20. Robinson will be matched up against rookie cornerback Mike Sainstril out of the slot, who is credited as allowing a catch on 6-of-7 targets as the nearest defender in coverage for 55 yards and a score per PFF. This is a secondary that could be the ticket to getting the Giants back on track — or, at least, looking like an NFL team again.
Allen Lazard (New York Jets vs. Titans, 8%)
I promise I’m not just chasing points with this recommendation, though I am cringing as I write it. While Allen Lazard’s WR2 performance in Week 1 isn’t likely bound for a repeat, the fact that he earned five targets from Aaron Rodgers through the course of their wallop against the Niners is worth noting.
Understandably, this is an offense that runs through Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. However, Lazard stepped into the WR2 role for the offense as offseason FA signing Mike Williams continues working toward a full-time comeback post-ACL. He commanded targets in the role, too, ranking top-five in target rate on routes run at a whopping 29% — not all that far behind Wilson, who clocked a ridiculous 35.5%.
This week, the Jets will face the Tennessee Titans defense, which is probably an underrated unit in terms of overall hype with playmakers like L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuze and Rodger McCreery at cornerback, but the path for volume for Lazard is undoubtedly there.
Tyler Johnson (Los Angeles Rams vs. Cardinals, 2%)
Demarcus Robinson was the primarily named target in most waiver wire add articles following the injury to Puka Nacua. However, fantasy managers who missed out on Robinson (or are just looking for some upside) might pivot to former fifth-round pick Tyler Johnson. Robinson had already been slated into a near-full-time role as the boundary wideout opposite Puka Nacua, having run just four fewer routes than Cooper Kupp on the day. That means it might just be Johnson who has the most to gain in terms of value following Nacua’s injury.
After running just 12 routes in the first half, Johnson ran 21 total routes in the second half. In that second half, Johnson commanded five targets, hauling in four of them for 77 yards. He also had a higher target rate than Robinson in the second half, having been targeted on 23.8% of his routes run compared to Robinson’s 18.2% (though, notably, neither of them came close to Kupp’s ridiculous 50%).
This week, they’ll face a divisional rival in the Arizona Cardinals, who collectively earned PFF’s fourth-lowest coverage grade, allowing Josh Allen to throw for 232 yards, 2 touchdowns and no picks in addition to the damage their unit caused on the ground. It’s a great matchup for the former fifth-round pick to stand out in this high-volume Rams offense.
Fantasy football: Week 2 WR rankings
Fantasy Football Rankings – Week 2
#
Player (team)
Matchup
ECR
vs. ECR
1
Tyreek Hill (MIA)
vs. BUF
1
0
2
Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)
vs. TB
3
+1
3
CeeDee Lamb (DAL)
vs. NO
2
-1
4
A.J. Brown (PHI)
vs. ATL
4
0
5
Mike Evans (TB)
at DET
6
+1
6
Cooper Kupp (LAR)
at ARI
5
-1
7
Justin Jefferson (MIN)
vs. SF
7
0
8
Garrett Wilson (NYJ)
at TEN
9
+1
9
Deebo Samuel Sr. (SF)
at MIN
8
-1
10
Nico Collins (HOU)
vs. CHI
11
+1
11
Ja’Marr Chase (CIN)
at KC
10
-1
12
Brandon Aiyuk (SF)
at MIN
12
0
13
Jaylen Waddle (MIA)
vs. BUF
14
+1
14
Rashee Rice (KC)
vs. CIN
13
-1
15
Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI)
vs. LAR
15
0
16
Malik Nabers (NYG)
at WAS
16
0
17
Drake London (ATL)
at PHI
20
+3
18
DK Metcalf (SEA)
at NE
17
-1
19
Chris Olave (NO)
at DAL
18
-1
20
DJ Moore (CHI)
at HOU
19
-1
21
DeVonta Smith (PHI)
vs. ATL
21
0
22
Davante Adams (LV)
at BAL
24
+2
23
Michael Pittman Jr. (IND)
at GB
25
+2
24
Zay Flowers (BAL)
vs. LV
23
-1
25
Amari Cooper (CLE)
at JAC
22
-3
26
Xavier Worthy (KC)
vs. CIN
26
0
27
George Pickens (PIT)
at DEN
27
0
28
Chris Godwin (TB)
at DET
28
0
29
Stefon Diggs (HOU)
vs. CHI
30
+1
30
Terry McLaurin (WAS)
vs. NYG
31
+1
31
Tank Dell (HOU)
vs. CHI
29
-2
32
Keenan Allen (CHI)
at HOU
33
+1
33
Jameson Williams (DET)
vs. TB
32
-1
34
Jayden Reed (GB)
vs. IND
34
0
35
Tee Higgins (CIN)
at KC
50
+15
36
Christian Kirk (JAC)
vs. CLE
37
+1
37
Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC)
vs. CLE
35
-2
38
Calvin Ridley (TEN)
vs. NYJ
36
-2
39
Khalil Shakir (BUF)
at MIA
39
0
40
Rashid Shaheed (NO)
at DAL
38
-2
41
Diontae Johnson (CAR)
vs. LAC
40
-1
42
Christian Watson (GB)
vs. IND
42
0
43
Courtland Sutton (DEN)
vs. PIT
43
0
44
Joshua Palmer (LAC)
at CAR
44
0
45
Ladd McConkey (LAC)
at CAR
41
-4
46
DeAndre Hopkins (TEN)
vs. NYJ
48
+2
47
Brandin Cooks (DAL)
vs. NO
45
-2
48
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA)
at NE
47
-1
49
Keon Coleman (BUF)
at MIA
46
-3
50
Gabe Davis (JAC)
vs. CLE
49
-1
51
Romeo Doubs (GB)
vs. IND
54
+3
52
Tyler Lockett (SEA)
at NE
51
-1
53
Jakobi Meyers (LV)
at BAL
53
0
54
Jordan Addison (MIN)
vs. SF
63
+9
55
Adonai Mitchell (IND)
at GB
56
+1
56
Jerry Jeudy (CLE)
at JAC
55
-1
57
Greg Dortch (ARI)
vs. LAR
57
0
58
Demarcus Robinson (LAR)
at ARI
52
-6
59
Darnell Mooney (ATL)
at PHI
58
-1
60
Rome Odunze (CHI)
at HOU
76
+16
61
Curtis Samuel (BUF)
at MIA
61
0
62
Andrei Iosivas (CIN)
at KC
59
-3
63
Mike Williams (NYJ)
at TEN
70
+7
64
Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG)
at WAS
60
-4
65
Jalen McMillan (TB)
at DET
62
-3
66
DeMario Douglas (NE)
vs. SEA
65
-1
67
Michael Wilson (ARI)
vs. LAR
64
-3
68
Adam Thielen (CAR)
vs. LAC
67
-1
69
Alec Pierce (IND)
at GB
66
-3
70
Rashod Bateman (BAL)
vs. LV
68
-2
71
Luke McCaffrey (WAS)
vs. NYG
71
0
72
Quentin Johnston (LAC)
at CAR
69
-3
73
Dontayvion Wicks (GB)
vs. IND
74
+1
74
Ja’Lynn Polk (NE)
vs. SEA
72
-2
75
Darius Slayton (NYG)
at WAS
78
+3
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.
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