Fantasy studs and duds: Forsett, McCoy look to rebound
Which performances from the NFL openers were real and which were one-week anomalies? It isn't easy in Week 2 to tell the difference.
STUDS
QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: Priced slightly below other top names, the vet should thrive at home against a defense that allowed four touchdown passes to rookie Marcus Mariota. A stack with wideout Brandin Cooks rivals gumbo in its deliciousness.
RB Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens: The Forsett-centered rushing attack should fare better than the 56 yards it could manage in Week 1. Against the Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati's Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard totaled 151 yards and two scores.
RB LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills: Not the best “return on investment” price, but there’s big potential. The New England Patriots were gashed by DeAngelo Williams in the Thursday kickoff. McCoy started to find his footing late in Week 1, and with a bit of rest, he should build on that performance.
St. Louis Rams Defense/special teams: It’s hard to pass up what could be the league’s best defense against the Washington Redskins' timid, erratic Kirk Cousins, who threw two picks and managed just 196 passing yards last week at home.
WR Golden Tate, Detroit Lions: Tate caught four of his six targets for 24 yards in a subpar game from quarterback Matthew Stafford. But as defenses continue to hover around Calvin Johnson, Tate should benefit with more targets.
Week 2 fantasy football rankings
DUDS
RB Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins: Morris went wild in Week 1 (25 carries, 121 yards), but the Rams are a brick wall up front.The Redskins will have trouble moving the ball, especially with WR DeSean Jackson sidelined.
WR Kendall Wright, Tennessee Titans: Four catches, 101 yards and a score — a great Week 1. But he’s expected to see a lot of cornerback extraordinaire Joe Haden. QB Marcus Mariota will be content to look elsewhere.
RB LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots: He’s returning from his one-game suspension but immediately has to deal with the Buffalo Bills and one of the league’s best defensive lines. Expect New England to lean more on slasher Dion Lewis as Blount will find it tough to break through.
QB Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs: The Broncos suffocated Baltimore's Joe Flacco in Week 1 and their pass rush should be a big test for the Chiefs offensive line.
WR Andre Johnson, Indianapolis Colts: Johnson struggled with only four catches for 24 yards against the Bills, and he’s probably going to draw wideout-snuffing cornerback Darrelle Revis. Donte Moncrief is a better play as the replacement for the injured T.Y. Hilton.
FantasyScore podcast: What to do about Dez Bryant, Peyton Manning, Week 2 picks, more
SLEEPERS
RB Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans: Terrance West only piled on the touches in garbage time; Sankey, who averaged 6.2 yards per carry Sunday, is the main option (including around the goal line). The Cleveland Browns were pummeled by the Jets' Chris Ivory in Week 1.
TE Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers: Davis looks to be more involved in this version of the Niners offense, installed by Geep Chryst. He was targeted six times, catching three for 47 yards. He has an attractive matchup, considering the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed four touchdown catches to tight ends in the opener, including three to Rob Gronkowski.
WR Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys: The Philadelphia Eagles allowed the second-most PPR points to wideouts in Week 1, chiefly because they couldn’t contain Julio Jones. Williams may not put up Jones-like numbers, but in his first week replacing Dez Bryant as the No. 1 wideout, he’s primed to break off at least one big play.
QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: The Chiefs' Alex Smith exposed a shoddy Texans secondary last week and gave a blueprint for how best to attack. Houston yielded the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in Week 1. Newton is short-handed without top target Kelvin Benjamin, but if his offensive line can adequately tame J.J. Watt, he could pick them apart.
QB Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: An against-the-grain play with plenty of support: New Orleans is a tough place to play as a visitor, but the Saints defensive backfield has been decimated by injuries. After a rough start, Winston settled in during garbage time last week, and he could have Mike Evans back.