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Week 2 Fantasy WR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts at wide receiver

20 Sep 2020, 04:36 by Billy Heyen

The wide receiver positiondidn't wait long to present fantasy football owners with injury issues. Week 1 saw Kenny Golladay (hamstring), Courtland Sutton (shoulder), Mike Evans (hamstring),and Mike Williams (shoulder) dominate the news due to their questionable statuses. Heading into Week 2, it's worth acknowledging that WR, unlike RB, doesn't always present obvious replacements. Targets often get spread around when injuries pop up out wide. In making our Week 2 fantasy WR rankings, you'll notice that we've ranked many banged-upwideouts under the assumption that they'll be on the field, and we haven't (yet) given big boosts to the guys who might get more snaps if they're out.

It gets complicated when trying to account for injuries. Some players only play the slot, while some play the Z or Xpositions. If a top WR is out, that also means the other team's best cornerback might now guard the No. 2-turned-No. 1 guy, which could hurt more than help (see Preston Williams and DeVante Parker). Often, WR injuries just lead to more production for TEs or pass-catching RBs. Most of this ranting is just to say that you're better off playing your backup WR who might be a second wideout on a decent team rather than scouring the waiver wire for handcuff-type playerseven if you're already frustrated by your starters' injuries.

WEEK 2 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

One player worth talking about showed out when the lights were bright in the Thursday night opener. Will Fuller caught eight passes for 112 yards, and unlike when DeAndre Hopkins ran many of the underneath routes and Fuller went deep, Fuller popped up all over the field for targets. He looks like a legit, every-week WR2 (at least, as long as he's healthy). There were also preseason doubts about both Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins, but those were pretty much put to bed by their consistent usage as the second options out wide for Houston and Kansas City, respectively.

We wanted to keep an eyeon the 49ers' WR situation early in the seasonwith Deebo Samuel (foot) going on Injured Reserve and set to miss up to three weeks. Rookie Brandon Aiyuk, Kendrick Bourne, and Trent Taylor all have the potential to be fantasy relevant if things break their way - but in Week 1, 49ers WRs combined for less than 15 total targets. A Week 2 matchup with the Jets will be tempting us to start at least one of those guys, but after a highly disappointing Week 1, none seem worth it.

WEEK 2 NFL DFS CASH LINEUPS:
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If possible, it's definitely worth having an Arizona WR in your lineup Week 2. Washington's secondary is not its strong suit, and with the way the Cardinals spread it out on offense, they could have multiple players put up big numbers. It won't just be Hopkins -- Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald could join the party.

WEEK 2 NFL DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS:
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Unlike we all predicted, the Tampa Bay-New Orleans game wasn't quite a fantasy bonanza. Michael Thomas got dinged up, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans struggled to get free and Emmanuel Sanders didn't do much in his Saints debut. We still believe in both of these offenses going forward, and at least Godwin, Evans, and Thomas are must-starts still in Week 2 -- don't overthink it with top-12 WRs. (Update: Thomas will miss Week 2 because of a high-ankle sprain, making Sanders a must-start and Tre'Quan Smith an interesting sleeper.)

WEEK 2 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder

And if you're looking to add a few sleepers, we're fond of Jacksonville'sLaviska Shenault Jr., Indy's Parris Campbell, and in extra deep leagues, Detroit's Quintez Cephus. You could also pick up the eternal fantasy tease, Marquez Valdes-Scantling. After a long TD in Week 1, maybe he'll repeat the trick in Week 2 against the Lions.

Note: We'll continue to update our WR rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest movement and individual player analysis.

Week 2 Fantasy WR Rankings (Standard)

These rankings are for non-PPR leagues.

Rank	Player
1	Davante Adams, GB vs. DET
2	DeAndre Hopkins, ARZ vs. WAS
3	Tyreek Hill, KC @ LAC.
4	Julio Jones, ATL @ DAL
5	Amari Cooper, DAL vs. ATL
6	Allen Robinson, CHI vs. NYG. Robinson and Anthony Miller both managed solid games in Week 1, and the Giants might be an even friendlier fantasy matchup than the Lions. Mitchell Trubisky has proven to be streaky in his NFL career, but he ended on a high note in Week 1 and could carry that on into Week 2.
7	Odell Beckham Jr., CLE vs. CIN. The Browns' passing attack looked brutal at times in Week 1, but Beckham saw double-digit targets and should continue to be in your fantasy lineup as long as he sees that many looks.
8	JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT vs. DEN
9	Adam Thielen, MIN @ IND. Kirk Cousins threw only five first-half passes Sunday, but Thielen had multiple catches before the break and got behind the defense for a touchdown in the second half. There might not be room in this offense for a secondary receiver, but there is room for Thielen.
10	Mike Evans, TB vs. CAR
11	Robert Woods, LAR @ PHI
12	Calvin Ridley, ATL @ DAL. Ridley caught two touchdowns in Week 1 and was one of three Atlanta WRs to catch nine passes. We were high on his breaking out a year ago, and maybe we were just a year too early.
13	Keenan Allen, LAC vs. KC. While Tyrod Taylor wasn't great in Week 1, he looked for Allen near the sticks often. Consistent targets make Allen a very strong PPR play and a still solid standard-league choice.
14	Cooper Kupp, LAR @ PHI
15	DJ Chark, JAX @ TEN
16	Marquise Brown, BAL @ HOU. Brown didn't quite have the Week 1 he did a year ago, but he surpassed 100 yards and was Lamar Jackson's most-frequent WR target. We're just hoping for consistency from Hollywood in Year Two.
17	Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. NE. Stephon Gilmore doesn't always cover slot stars like Lockett, so chatter around Gilmore's task is worth monitoring leading into Week 2. Gilmore could make Lockett a tough play in standard formats, although still a good one in PPR.
18	Courtland Sutton, DEN @ PIT
19	Stefon Diggs, BUF @ MIA. Diggs and Josh Allen already showed a good Week 1 rapport, connecting on eight passes. The Dolphins won't pose any more threat than the Jets did defensively, so you can keep counting on Diggs.
20	T.Y. Hilton, IND vs. MIN
21	D.J. Moore, CAR @ TB
22	Will Fuller V, HOU vs. BAL. Fuller did his part to step into DeAndre Hopkins' shoes, catching eight passes for 112 yards in the Thursday night opener. Baltimore's defense just shut down OBJ and the Browns, though, so Fuller could be more of his boom-or-bust self in Week 2.
23	Terry McLaurin, WAS @ ARZ
24	Emmanuel Sanders, NO @ LV. In his Saints debut, Sanders saw five targets and caught three for 15 yards, though he did manage a TD. There hasn't really been a role in this offense for receivers beyond Michael Thomas to maintain fantasy relevance, so unless Thomas is injured, Sanders is a low-upside WR3. (Update: Thomas will indeed miss Week 2, giving Sanders even more upside this week.)
25	Corey Davis, TEN vs. JAX
26	Jarvis Landry, CLE vs. CIN
27	DK Metcalf, SEA vs. NE. See Tyler Lockett. If reports suggest Gilmore will guard Metcalf, he's a risky play.
28	John Brown, BUF @ MIA. Brown caught six passes of his own in Week 1, including a touchdown, despite the new presence of Diggs. It looks like the two can co-exist in the Buffalo offense.
29	A.J. Green, CIN @ CLE
30	Mike Williams, LAC vs. KC. Williams wasn't expected to play in Week 1 until we got to Sunday. The only receiver Tyrod Taylor looked to throw deep to was Williams, which gives him some upside week-to-week (and against Kansas City, plenty of passing could be in order).
31	Tyler Boyd, CIN @ CLE
32	Michael Gallup, DAL vs. ATL
33	CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. ATL
34	Henry Ruggs III, LV vs. NO. Ruggs looked great out of the Las Vegas slot until getting hurt Sunday, but as long as he's ready for Week 2, he should be the best Raiders fantasy option outside of Josh Jacobs. And for whatever it's worth, the Saints looked most vulnerable against Tampa Bay slot receiver Scotty Miller in Week 1, a similar role to what Ruggs fills.
35	Julian Edelman, NE @ SEA
36	Darius Slayton, NYG @ CHI
37	DeVante Parker, MIA vs. BUF
38	Brandin Cooks, HOU vs. BAL
39	Marvin Jones, DET @ GB
40	Parris Campbell, IND vs. MIN. Campbell tied T.Y. Hilton for a team-high nine targets Sunday. The second-year man from Ohio State turned them into six catches for 71 yards. He'll be a solid PPR flex play going forward.
41	Diontae Johnson, PIT vs. DEN
42	Sammy Watkins, KC @ LAC. Watkins put to rest the thought that he wouldn't be Kansas City's No. 2 WR in 2020. There are enough weapons in the KC offense that Watkins won't always have good weeks, but he also has week-to-week upside with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball.
43	DeSean Jackson, PHI vs. LAR
44	Anthony Miller, CHI vs. NYG. Miller caught four-of-six targets for 76 yards and a score in Week 1. With the highest target totals usually going to Allen Robinson, Miller will probably be inconsistent, but he can have solid fantasy weeks.
45	Allen Lazard, GB vs. DET. Lazard caught all four of his targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. He'll always play second fiddle to Davante Adams, but he'll remain useful as long as Aaron Rodgers is throwing him the football.
46	Scotty Miller, TB vs. CAR
47	Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB vs. DET. MVS caught four of his six targets for 96 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown (he would've had another touchdown over the top if not for an ankle tackle). MVS might be a one-trick pony, but if he can do it this well, he's a high-risk, high-reward flex play going forward.
48	Preston Williams, MIA vs. BUF. The Dolphins will likely be without DeVante Parker (hamstring) in Week 2, but that's not an immediate boost for Williams, who will have to match up more often with star cornerback Tre'Davious White. This could be another offensive wasteland for Miami.
49	Breshad Perriman, NYJ vs. SF
50	Robby Anderson, CAR @ TB. Anderson was second on the Panthers in targets and caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. The flashes he showed with the Jets could turn into more consistent production if Teddy Bridgewater maintains a decent standard of play.
51	Tre'Quan Smith, NO @ LV
52	Sterling Shepard, NYG @ CHI
53	Mecole Hardman, KC @ LAC
54	N'Keal Harry, NE @ SEA. Harry received six targets in Week 1, one behind Julian Edelman for the New England lead. A Cam Newton-led offense is certainly going to look different, but the bright side for Harry is that he looks like the top outside receiver on the Patriots. In matchups better than a game at Seattle, that might be worth something.
55	Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ vs. WAS
56	Danny Amendola, DET @ GB
57	Russell Gage, ATL @ DAL. Gage caught nine passes for 114 yards in Week 1, making him one of three Atlanta wideouts to reel in nine throws. Playing from behind certainly helped Gage pad his stats as Atlanta's No. 3 WR, and while he'll take a back seat at times, he's another possible PPR pickup and near-flex play.
58	Quintez Cephus, DET @ GB. With Kenny Golladay looking like a likely absence again, Cephus could see a repeat of his 10 Week 1 targets.
59	Golden Tate, NYG @ CHI
60	Christian Kirk, ARZ vs. WAS. If Arizona can pass protect, multiple Cardinals receivers should have good days against this secondary, but it's tough to count on anyone other than Hopkins after such a quiet Week 1 for Kirk (one catch, zero yards on five targets).
61	Jalen Reagor PHI vs. LAR. It was Reagor getting open deep in Week 1, not DeSean Jackson. The Rams secondary could cause issues for the rookie, though.
62	Kendrick Bourne, SF @ NYJ
63	Jerry Jeudy, DEN @ PIT
64	Curtis Samuel, CAR @ TB
65	Adam Humphries, TEN vs. JAX
66	Hunter Renfrow, LV vs. NO. Renfrow was only targeted twice in Week 1, and as long as Henry Ruggs is healthy, Renfrow will play a back seat in this offense, even in PPR formats. However, against New Orleans, the Raiders might be forced more, lifting the value of all of their receivers.
67	Cole Beasley, BUF @ MIA
68	Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX @ TEN. Shenault was a dynamic weapon in the pass game Sunday, along with being given a shot to run the football. Jacksonville will continue to get the ball into this talented rookie's hands, and he'll have a few big games before the season is out.
69	James Washington, PIT vs. DEN
70	Van Jefferson, LAR @ PHI. Jefferson and Josh Reynolds alternated series in Week 1, and until that changes, neither will be consistent enough to be a fantasy starter.
71	Justin Jefferson, MIN @ IND
72	Josh Reynolds, LAR @ PHI. See Van Jefferson.
73	Greg Ward, PHI vs. LAR
74	Demarcus Robinson, KC @ LAC. Robinson outplayed Mecole Hardman in Week 1. If you don't have a piece of the Chiefs offense and want one, Robinson should be available on the waiver wire.
75	Bryan Edwards, LV vs. NO
76	Zach Pascal, IND vs. MIN
77	Jakeem Grant, MIA vs. BUF
78	Randall Cobb, HOU vs. BAL. Cobb played the high majority of snaps in Week 1 yet did almost nothing. Maybe he'll benefit from Marlon Humphrey locking up Will Fuller, but probably not enough to matter in fantasy.
79	Trent Taylor, SF @ NYJ. Taylor tied for a team-high with five targets Sunday, but he only caught two for seven yards. He could have deep-league PPR relevance against a bad Jets team that allowed a lot of underneath catches to Buffalo, but nothing more.
80	Brandon Aiyuk, SF @ NYJ. Aiyuk was inactive Week 1 with a hamstring injury, and he'll have to make it back on the field before we can get a good gauge of how he'll fit in this offense.
81	Kenny Stills, HOU vs. BAL
82	Chase Claypool, PIT vs. DEN
83	John Ross III, CIN @ CLE
84	Olabisi Johnson, MIN @ IND. Johnson out-targeted Justin Jefferson, 4-3. And Johnson caught three of those targets for 56 yards, more yards per catch than we became accustomed to with him a season ago. Minnesota's offense won't support a secondary WR right now, though.
85	Jalen Guyton, LAC vs. KC. Guyton played No. 3 WR snaps for the Chargers with Mike Williams back on the field. In a Tyrod Taylor-led offense, you can likely do better.
86	Steven Sims, WAS @ ARZ
87	Miles Boykin, BAL @ HOU. Boykin caught three-of-four targets for 37 yards in Week 1 and played the most snaps on the Ravens, so that's something, at least.
88	Devin Duvernay, BAL @ HOU