Fantasy football injuries, cheat sheet NFL Week 2: Brock Purdy to miss multiple weeks
Welcome to the Week 2 fantasy cheat sheet, a one-stop shop for The Athletic’s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis. Bookmark this page and check back for updates.
Player rankings referenced in the body of this article are as of the time noted below. For updated rankings, see the “Fantasy football player rankings” section at the bottom.
The latest NFL news and headlines
Last updated: 1:38 p.m. ET, Sept. 11
Injury news | Weather report
Featured games | Waiver wire
Usage Insights | Fantasy football player rankings
Injury report
These are the major, fantasy-relevant injury situations to monitor this week. For a more comprehensive list, refer to the chart below. Projected positional fantasy rankings in this piece are from The Athletic’s Jake Ciely.
Thursday night
Sunday 1 p.m.
George Kittle, TE; Jauan Jennings, WR; Brock Purdy, QB, SF: Kittle has been placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, and Purdy will miss two to five weeks. If you need a TE to roster, Brenton Strange, Juwan Johnson, Hunter Henry, Dallas Goedert, Harold Fannin or Zach Ertz are good options if available. Jennings will not have surgery on his shoulder and could return for Week 2. While he will take some of Ricky Pearsall’s targets, having two good WRs on the field helps everyone and could also allow Pearsall to break free more. While the 49ers appear confident in Mac Jones, all of the unknowns move Pearsall into Flex territory.
Isaiah Likely, TE, BAL: Mark Andrews had a terrible Week 1 (1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards). If Likely returns, it will be interesting to see how the two tight ends are used.
Jaylen Wright, RB, MIA; Darren Waller, TE; Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA: Without Wright in the backfield Week 1, De’von Achane dominated carries. Well, he had 7, but averaged 7.9 YPC, and the Dolphins only ran 12 times (two were by QBs). Rookie Ollie Gordon rushed twice for 4 yards. It’s Achane’s backfield for now; the lead RB also had four receptions and a TD. As for Waller and Waddle (Ciely’s WR45), Miami’s pass attack wasn’t inspiring enough in Week 1 to make them or their replacements valuable.
James Cook, RB, BUF: Cook logged a limited practice session due to a hamstring injury but is now off the injury report.
Malik Nabers, WR, NYG: Nabers is no stranger to the injury report, but he started in Week 1 and is now off the report for Week 2. However, he finished at WR29, well below his preseason ADP, and QB Russell Wilson completed only 45.9% of his passes. However, Nabers is still Ciely’s WR3 this week. There’s no way Wilson plays that poorly two weeks in a row. Right?
Sunday 4 p.m.
Evan Engram, TE, DEN: Engram was in the medical tent twice before exiting Week 1’s game. If he can’t play, see the above entry on George Kittle for more TE options.
Xavier Worthy, WR, KC: Worthy dislocated his shoulder and is taking it “day by day.” If he can’t play, the only pass catchers that matter for fantasy in Kansas City are WR Hollywood Brown (Flex) and TE Travis Kelce (Ciely’s TE3 for Week 2).
Will Shipley, RB; Dallas Goedert, TE, PHI: After a TE14 (11.4 points) finish in Week 1, where Goedert saw 35% of team targets, he’s unlikely to play in Week 2 due to a knee sprain. Shipley’s injury wouldn’t mean much if the Eagles hadn’t traded for Tank Bigsby, and it still might mean nothing. But Philly’s game plan with Bigsby will be one to watch in Week 2 — not because Saquon Barkley isn’t the bell cow, but the Eagles may want to use the star RB less after last year’s incredibly high usage.
Sunday night
Drake London; Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL: London is expected to suit up for Week 2, and if Mooney can get back on the field, the Falcons stand a better chance against Minnesota. Given the lack of depth in Atlanta’s WR room, London is an easy fantasy start, especially given his chemistry with Michael Penix. London had 35.7% of team targets in Week 1.
Monday night
Chris Godwin, WR, TB: Godwin, inactive Week 1, is targeting a Week 5 return, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Mike Evans (who secured 26.7% of team targets Week 1) and Emeka Egbuka (who scored 22.7 PPR FPTS in Week 1) are both in WR2 territory facing the Texans in Week 2.
Brock Bowers, TE, LV: Bowers hit the injury report ahead of Week 2 after a knee issue caused him to exit the game in Week 1. Bowers’ backup, Michael Mayer, who had caught four passes for 38 yards in Week 1, could be an interesting option if Bowers sits. However, Vegas’ No. 1 TE downplayed the injury following the matchup against New England.
Christian Kirk, WR, HOU: After not playing in Week 1, Kirk could get the nod in Week 2. If so, Stroud will get another veteran pass catcher to help course-correct Houston’s offensive woes.
Weather report
For more information on the impacts of weather, read Jake Ciely’s fantasy football strategy guide to weather.
Featured games
Statistics are from TruMedia unless otherwise noted.
Thursday night
Washington Commanders (1-0) vs. Green Bay Packers (1-0)
- Venue: Lambeau Field — Green Bay, Wis.
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- TV: Prime Video
- Streaming (local): Fubo (try for free)
The Commanders and Packers came into the season with high expectations and won their Week 1 matchups. While Green Bay QB Jordan Love finished as QB17, he completed 72.7% of his passes, had a passer rating of 128.6 and finished fourth in expected points added per dropback (EPA/DB), soaring over the Detroit Lions (27-13). Josh Jacobs (Ciely’s RB7 for Week 2) was the bell cow and should be again. Knowing which pass-catchers Love will target is tricky (as it was all of 2024). In Week 1, WR Jayden Reed saw 22.7% of team targets, TE Tucker Kraft saw 20.2% and WR Romeo Doubs came in third at 18.2%. Hyped rookie Matthew Golden only saw two targets and ran only 13 routes. Still, according to PFF, Love (along with Commanders’ QB Jayden Daniels) gets a “Good” matchup against Washington’s D.
While Green Bay held the Lions to only 13 points, Daniels and Goff are two very different quarterbacks, and Washington’s QB is still Ciely’s QB4 this week. Look for Terry McLaurin to bounce back after a lackluster 4.7 PPR-point opener. He still cornered 28% of the team’s receiving air yards on only four targets, and Green Bay’s propensity for scoring should force Daniels to pass. McLaurin is a fringe-WR2/Flex starter this week. Deebo Samuel had 34.5% of team targets in Week 1, finishing with 14.7 PPR points, but his ceiling is a little lower; however, he’s still a solid Flex play in Week 2. More than anything, Week 1 brought clarity to Washington’s backfield. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (10 carries, 0 receptions, 82 yards and a TD in Week 1) will be the primary rusher, while Austin Ekeler will fill the pass-catching role (6 carries, 3 receptions, 26 yards rushing, 31 yards receiving) — both should be slotted in Flex slots.
Sunday night
Atlanta Falcons (0-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
- Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
The Falcons lost to Tampa Bay (23-20), but Michael Penix looks like the quarterback of the future in Atlanta. For fantasy purposes, he finished as QB10 with 24.02 points on 42 pass attempts and no interceptions. Neither Bijan Robinson nor Tyler Allgeier had a good Week 1 on the ground, splitting carries (12 and 10, respectively) and totaling 48 yards between them. However, Robinson caught 6 passes on 7 targets for 100 yards and a touchdown, making him incredibly valuable in PPR formats. WR Drake London was targeted 15 times before exiting the game with a shoulder injury, and TE Kyle Pitts had 7 receptions for 59 yards. If London sits Week 2, Pitts becomes a valuable tight end, as Atlanta has no WR depth.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (Ciely’s QB16 in Week 2) had a rough start to his NFL debut, but he led the Vikings to a comeback win, displaying his rushing ability (14-yard TD rush) in the process. He needs to improve upon his completion percentage, and isn’t a starter outside of 2QB/Superflex leagues yet, but he could jump up the ranks as he settles in. Justin Jefferson had 1.40 PPR points through the third quarter, but added 13 in the fourth. As his chemistry with McCarthy improves, Jefferson should settle into his undisputed WR1 role, but it may take a few weeks for his ceiling to materialize. Tight end T.J. Hockenson suffered from an inconsistent passing attack in Week 1, finishing with only 15 yards through the air. But he did see 4 targets, second only to Jefferson on the team. Now, to the Vikings’ new-look shared backfield: Jordan Mason had 15 carries to Aaron Jones’ 8 in Week 1, but Jones saw more targets and scored a TD. I like Mason better than Jones in Week 2, but both are relegated to the Flex spot.
Monday night
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) vs. Houston Texans (0-1)
- Venue: NRG Stadium — Houston
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC, ESPN
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Baker Mayfield and the Bucs started the season right with a W over the Falcons. Mayfield was fantasy’s QB11 (22.58 points), and Emeka Egbuka was fantasy’s WR5 with 22.7 PPR points and two TDs with a 1.17 EPA/target (11th overall). Mike Evans disappointed in Week 1 but has a chance to return to form in Week 2, as Tampa WRs get a middle-of-the-road defensive matchup. While Evans only had 10.1 PPR points, he saw 26.7% of the team’s targets and 34.8% of the team’s receiving air yards. RB Bucky Irving (Ciely’s RB11) hopes to get back on track against Houston’s 18th-ranked rush defense (per PFF), though he averaged only 2.6 yards per carry in Week 1.
The Texans and QB C.J. Stroud only put up 9 points on the Rams in Week 1. While Stroud had a 70.4 Comp%, he also threw an interception, was sacked three times and finished with a 74.3 passer rating. Houston’s pass catchers were … non-existent. Nico Collins tied TE Dalton Schultz for the team lead in targets with 5 each, but neither eclipsed 30 yards. Rookie WR Jayden Higgins led the team in yardage with 32. Nick Chubb fared better running with 4.6 YPC and 60 yards, but didn’t score. In fact, the only player to put up notable points was kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, who hit all three of his field goals, two of them over 50 yards. Collins is still an WR1, but Houston’s offense, as a whole, needs to improve before any skill position player is truly reliable.
Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
- Venue: Allegiant Stadium — Las Vegas
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Two undefeated teams (yes, I know it’s just been one week) in the AFC West play the week’s final game — a late one. Can Geno Smith and Justin Herbert (QB5 in Week 1) build on their Week 1 passing attacks? Let’s hope so. They each aired it out for over 300 yards, benefitting everyone around them. Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston (WR3, W1) outplayed his preseason ADP and is flying off waiver wires, while Ladd McConkey was a fringe WR2 with 13.4 PPR points. Rookie Omarion Hampton led the backfield, though inefficiently with 3.2 YPC, while Najee Harris saw one carry and one target. But it was Hampton’s first NFL game, and he’s still an RB2 in Week 2.
Jakobi Meyers, one of my favorite ADP steals each year, finished with 17.7 PPR points in Week 1 and saw 30.2% of the team’s targets. Even though he left the game early, TE Brock Bowers finished as TE2 overall and saw 24.2% of the Raiders’ targets. With Amari Cooper’s retirement came opportunities for Tre Tucker and Dont’e Thornton, who each finished with 45+ yards, though Tucker took home the TD. Vegas’ passing attack looks better with Smith under center and Pete Carroll installed as head coach. Ashton Jeanty had a tough time rushing (2.0 YPC, 38 yards, 1 TD) against New England’s ninth-ranked rush defense (PFF), and Las Vegas is one spot ahead in eighth. Ciely believes in the young back, ranking him RB10 for Week 2. Here’s hoping Las Vegas can get Jeanty some holes to run through.
Jake Ciely’s Week 2 waiver wire
Excerpt from Jake Ciely’s Week 2 waiver wire, with advice for even the deepest of leagues.
Worry Report
(Scale 1-5: more ducks = more worry)
- Dolphins: ♾🦆 — After one week, “Infinity Duck” is here? Yep! The Dolphins look broken. We’re talking “blow up the team” broken, and while there is time to fix things, Mike McDaniel had an entire offseason to readjust to defenses outplaying him.
- Kenneth Walker, RB, SEA: 🦆🦆🦆🦆 — Yes, I reported that sources said the Seahawks wanted Walker to “bellcow” this year, but we also talked about how you can’t bellcow unless you’re on the field. Walker missed the preseason, including most practices, and it showed. Even if Walker is still working back to 100%, I don’t see how the Seahawks go away from a timeshare, given Zach Charbonnet’s effectiveness.
- Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC: 🦆🦆🦆 — The good news is that Pacheco is the early-down option. The bad news is that Kareem Hunt is solidly involved, and the Chiefs need to be in heavy control to warrant RB1 upside for Pacheco.
- Calvin Ridley, WR, TEN: 🦆 — Buy low where you can. The Titans have a bit softer go of it this week (Rams) before things get easier overall, and Ridley had 32.0 TmTGT%.
- A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, WR, PHI: 🦆 — This is the Eagles with Jalen Hurts… and Saquon Barkley. We’ll get WR1 performances… from both. Brown will also be a fringe WR1 in FPPG, and Smith will be in the Top 25. It’s just a rollercoaster ride.
- Jerry Jeudy, WR and David Njoku, TE, CLE: 🦆🦆 — Cedric Tillman breaking out was going to cool off Jeudy and/or Njoku a bit already. Now, Harold Fannin is in the mix, with Dylan Sampson a nice pass-catcher out of the backfield. That’s a lot of options, even for when Joe Flacco gets pass-happy.
Usage insights
If you want to maximize your roster, you need to constantly monitor opportunities to add breakout players. Brandon Funston and I scour usage metrics to mine meaningful, actionable insights.
Eye-catchers
Geno Smith, LV | 10.6 Yards Per Attempt (YPA): YPA is a trusted predictive stat when it comes to fantasy success. For example, of the top-six quarterbacks in this category (Lamar Jackson, Smith, Fields, Justin Herbert, Jones, Josh Allen), Smith (QB13) is the only one who finished outside the top six in fantasy points. Given that YPA often reflects a team’s preferred offensive game plan (how willing they are to throw downfield), Vegas’ QB could have higher fantasy finishes ahead.
Smith’s 10.6 YPA in Week 1 ranked just under Lamar Jackson, and the Raiders led for much of the second half. Only 21% rostered, Smith gets a tough matchup in Week 2 (the Los Angeles Chargers), but depending on league depth, he still has streaming value considering the other QBs under 50% rostered are few.
Calvin Austin, PIT | 65.6% air yards reception percentage (AYRec%): If you are among the 2% rostering Pittsburgh’s Roman Wilson in hopes he can secure the No. 2 receiver role, you can feel free to cut him loose this week, perhaps for Pittsburgh’s actual No. 2 receiver, Austin. While Wilson managed just 10 snaps in Week 1, Austin soaked up 65.6% of the team’s air yards, third-best among WRs, behind Smith-Njigba’s ridiculous 90.4% mark and Malik Nabers’ 69.7%. Austin finished with a WR16 line of 4/70/1.
Jake Ciely’s Week 2 fantasy football player rankings
Get Ciely’s full Week 2 analysis. Plus sleepers and projections.
- Sadly, there is no perfect widget out there. I know many view this on your phone, but 1) use the rankings widget on a PC/laptop/etc., if possible or 2) open in your phone’s browser, especially for Android users, to get the scrolling to work (or Android people can try a two-finger scroll).
- ECR = “Expert” Consensus Ranking (which isn’t updated consistently by everyone, so take it with a grain of salt).
- Updated regularly, so check up to lineups locking.
(Photo of Brock Purdy: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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