Week 2 in the NFL has come and gone and I think the one thing we have all learned so far is….that we really have no idea who is what at this point in the season. There are a plethora of players who either were a non factor in week one, and balled out in week 2, or balled out in week one and disappeared in week 2. Lets check out those biggest winners and losers for week 2. Note: In order to be on the biggest loser list, the player needs to have had some kind of expectations going in to the game.
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Quarterbacks
Biggest Winners
After a pretty mediocre performance in week 1, Kyler Murray bounced back in week 2, hitting his rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr for 2 TDs in just the 1st quarter. Murray finished the day 17 of 21 for 266 yards and 3 TDs. He added 59 rushing yards to the list to finish QB1 for the week.
Jalen Hurts also bounced back in week 2 (in fantasy points anyway), after a pretty average week one. Hurts and the Eagles lost the game against the Atlanta Falcons, but Hurts drew up a pretty good fantasy stat line of 183 yards passing and 1 TD, while adding 85 rushing yards and a tush push TD.
Biggest Losers
After scoring big fantasy points in week one, and being QB1, Josh Allen fell off (in fantasy numbers), in week 2. The Bills had short fields most of the day, while RB James Cook turned in a big day to further limit Allen’s stat line. In week 1, Allen rushed for 2 TDs, while in week 2, Allen only rushed for 2 yards. The Bills only needed 139 passing yards from Allen for a convincing win against the Miami Dolphins. Allen’s day ended great for the Bills, but not so great for Allen fantasy owners.
Tua Tagovailoa had a most unfortunate game last Thursday night. His Dolphins not only took a beating at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, but he threw 3 INTs, the last going for 6 the other way, and ended up concussed later in the game, and is now out for an unknown amount of time.
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Running Backs
Biggest Winners
Alvin Kamara has really benefited from New Orleans’ new OC Klint Kubiak’s offensive schemes. Kamara was actually really good in week one, but in week 2 he took it to a whole new level. He rushed for 115 yards and 3 TDs, while adding 2 receptions for 65 yards, one being a 57 yard TD. Kamara was RB1 in week 2, and it wasn’t even close.
The previously mentioned James Cook put a hurtin’ on the Dolphin’s defense rushing for 78 yards in only 11 attempts, averaging a whopping 7.1 yards per carry! 2 of those rushes went for TDs, while he added yet another TD on a 17 yard reception.
Biggest Losers
Rachaad White was only able to muster 18 rushing yards on 10 attempts. In week 1, he had 6 receptions for 75 yards, but in week 2 he only had 1 reception for 5 yards. He did leave the game briefly due to a groin injury, so hopefully for White, the Bucs and White fantasy owners, his injury is not serious, and he can get things going again.
Personally I had very low expectations for Ezekiel Elliott, but some fantasy owners took a chance on his return to Dallas. So far, not so good. In week 2, he was only able to come up with 16 yards on 6 carries, while adding another 16 yards on 2 receptions in the Cowboys embarrassing loss to to Saints.
Wide Receivers
Biggest Winners
Week 1 did not go well for rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr., to say the least. His one reception went for only 4 yards. Week 2 was quite the contrary. While he only had 3 more receptions than the previous week, Harrison turned 4 receptions into 130 yards and 2 TDs!
I’m not sure how many fantasy owners were expecting Calvin Ridley to be WR2, but here he is. Ridley was somehow able to catch 1 TD pass in tight double coverage, and rushed for another TD on an end around earlier in the game. He finished with a total of 77 receiving yards and the 2 fore mentioned TDs.
Biggest Losers
Only 4 days after a pretty stellar home opener stat line of 7-130-1, Tyreek Hill was only able to secure 3 receptions for 24 yards, adding 12 yards on one rushing attempt, on Thursday night against the Bills. Unfortunately, the Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa hadn’t played too well before leaving the game due to a concussion, which was a big part of Hill’s drop off in fantasy numbers.
Even though Terry McLaurin had 6 receptions, 22 yards was all he could muster out of that. In non-PPR leagues, that does not fare well. McLaurin only produced 17 yards in week 1 as well. The new offensive scheme in Washington DC is not fitting McLaurin’s skill set very well.
Tight Ends
Biggest Winners
After kind of a slow start in a week 1 win against the NY Jets, George Kittle got things rolling in a week 2 loss against the Vikings. Kittle was able to haul in 7 passes for 76 yards a 1 TD, and a TE1 title for week 2.
Trey McBride – just stays steady. He had 5 receptions in week 1, and now 6 more in week 2 for 67 yards. his fantasy numbers were boosted by his fumble recovery he scooped and scored late in the game.
Biggest Losers
Travis Kelce – Kelce was only able to secure 1 catch for 5 yards. Kelce fantasy owners are not happy about how Kelce has played this year, thus far.
Sam LaPorta – After finishing 2023 as a clear cut TE1 for the league, LaPorta has been disappointing for fantasy owners in 2024. In week 2, LaPorta had 2 receptions for 13 yards.
Defense
Biggest Winners
Even though James Cook ran for 3 TDs, the story of the game was Buffalo’s defense. They held Miami to only 10 points, while collecting 2 sacks and 3 INTs, one of them going for a TD.
Biggest Losers
I keep hearing how the LA Ram’s defense will be just fine without Aaron Donald. Are we sure? The Ram’s D gave up 41 points to the Arizona Cardinals, producing only 1 sack.
Thanks for checking out my article for week 2’s biggest fantasy winners and losers! Be sure to check out my weekly article on the biggest fantasy winners and losers, along with other weekly articles I’ll be putting out on injury status of players, potential waiver wire pick ups and more!
To get all the latest gear for these players and more, go check out the NFL Shop now!