At the end of a historic week, fans often turn to doubt instead of optimism when evaluating their fantasy starts or sits. Here’s a list of 3 players that could not only replicate great performances from Week 1, but possibly exceed them.
☘︎ BOOMS ☘︎
WR, Makai Lemon, PHI
Makai Lemon was a huge disappointment last week, fantasy-wise. A whopping 4 targets led to 3 receptions and -5 yards for the Eagles’ first-round pick. As the horizon of next week is upon us, Lemon is looking to silence the doubts from a Philly fanbase that easily gets frustrated.
There might still be time before Eagles fans have to hit the panic button on their first-round pick, Makai Lemon. Week 2 has historically been a great week for Lemon. Looking at his days at USC, his freshman year opened with a game of 1 catch for 0 yards, and the next week, he followed it up with his season high in receptions (3). His sophomore year opened with 1 catch for 22 yards, then 3 catches and his first collegiate touchdown the following week. His junior year Week 1 started well with 7 receptions for 90 yards, but Week 2 he almost doubled his yards (158) on 3 fewer receptions (4) and had 2 massive touchdowns.
If this pattern continues in a matchup against a terrible Titans defense, we could see Makai Lemon show us why he was a first-round pick fast.
The Titans defense last week let up 367 total yards, and 215 of that came through the air. This Philadelphia Eagles team is one that knows winning and how to score when it matters. I can see them drawing up plays specifically for Lemon in the red zone this week and getting him his first NFL touchdown in Week 2.
QB, Brock Purdy, SF
How many times must Brock Purdy show us he’s legit until we listen? Purdy showed up and showed out in Australia in Week 1 against a “Super Bowl favorite” Rams team.
Brock Purdy was up to Brock Purdy things as he threw for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns on 25 of 34 attempts, and then seemingly everyone forgot. Purdy has shown us time and time again that he is the powerhouse of this filthy 49ers offense, which is #4 in points scored over the last 3 years.
The 49ers offensive line is really what helped the former Mr. Irrelevant in Week 1. At only a 19% pressure rate, Purdy had all the time in the world to deliver impactful throws. And when the Rams defense did disrupt the pocket, Purdy excelled at extending the play, scrambling, and turning a broken play into a meaningful one, as he turned 5 of his scrambles into 4 first downs.
Purdy is a great option at quarterback as he is slated to face off against a terrible Miami defense traveling to San Francisco. I can see Purdy doing a lot of play action in the red zone with running back Christian McCaffrey to get the defense moving around and make mistakes on their own. The 49ers aren’t scared to run up the score, and I can see them doing that this week.
WR, Christian Watson, GB
Christian Watson absolutely exploded in Week 1, having arguably his best game of his career thus far. Green Bay is set to play the New York Jets, and I see Watson continuing his production into this week.
6 catches for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns on 8 targets. Watson was huge for fantasy owners in Week 1 (32.7 FPts). Watson was a clear WR1 option for the Packers as he saw a career-high 75% of offensive snaps.
This high usage, alongside his big-play potential, makes Christian Watson a must-start against a bad Jets team. If the Packers offensive line can hold the Jets’ defensive front, which had 27 pressures in Week 1 and was 3rd in blitz rate, Watson will BOOM this week!
☘︎ BUSTS ☘︎
RB, Javonte Williams, DAL
Javonte Williams was a small bright spot when he faced off Monday night against the Giants. He rushed 12 times for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also tacked on 5 receptions on 5 targets and scored through the air as well.
The reasoning I have behind Williams possibly being a bust coming into Week 2 isn’t due to his competition or play. It’s more due to his usage and the team around him.
If Week 1 told us anything, it’s that the Cowboys aren’t as good as anybody thought and that could negatively impact Williams production. Dallas leaned heavily into the passing game, having a 1:1.89 run-to-pass ratio. And although Williams scored twice, it was clear he wasn’t a primary option. 12 rushes isn’t a lot for a running back taking up ~70% of the Cowboys’ total carries. His receptions made up for it in Week 1, but Dallas is set to play Washington, who just held former 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley to 10 rushes for 83 yards and 1 catch for -3 yards.
If Saquon doesn’t dominate Washington, I have a hard time believing Javonte Williams will.
WR, Carnell Tate, TEN
Carnell Tate was another disappointing rookie receiver in Week 1. However, I don’t see the upside heading into Week 2 unlike other rookies like Makai Lemon.
Tate tied Wan’Dale Robinson for the team high in receptions last week (6), but unfortunately, was held to a measly 38 yards. That’s only 6.33 yards per reception for the Ohio State deep threat.
If you’re looking for production on a team like Tennessee, I’d still lean toward co-star Wan’Dale Robinson or running back Tony Pollard, although I’d stay away from the Titans altogether.
The Titans’ offensive line struggles contributed a lot to the troubles of Tennessee’s passing game, as Cam Ward got sacked 3 times, managed only 140 passing yards, and was running for his life all afternoon. Against a much better Philadelphia Eagles defense, the Titans are going to be smothered offensively and will have another lackluster performance come Week 2.
RB, Rhamondre Stevenson, NE
Rhamondre actually didn’t look too bad in Week 1. He played a solid role as a primary back in a season-opening loss to Seattle, one of the best defenses in the NFL.
The issue I have when evaluating a player like Stevenson is he can go overlooked in a loaded Patriots offense. And with the return of running back co-star TreVeyon Henderson, Stevenson’s production is about to get cut in half.
If you’re looking to get FLEX production out of Stevenson, I’d still stay away. TreVeyon Henderson saw most of New England’s red zone snaps last regular season and was more productive with them, having a higher yards per carry (5.1) compared to Stevenson’s 4.6. Henderson also scored more last season with his red zone touches, making Rhamondre Stevenson a big fantasy red flag until this changes.
With New England facing off against Pittsburgh, I can see the Patriots having a bounce-back week, but Stevenson could still go overlooked and underused.
Leave a Reply