The Report: Game-by-Game Breakdown for Week 2

Seven months without football is a long time. When we finally get to NFL’s opening week, we’re all starved for football. And then we get overloaded with 16 games and all types of crazy stuff happening. It’s easy to overreact to what happens in Week 1.

We all do it.

But the NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. A lot of what we saw last week really doesn’t indicate anything about what we can expect in 2024. If you’re feeling the need to freak out after a bad fantasy week, take a deep breath and relax. While you’re at it, here’s what you need to know for Week 2.

Each week in The Report, I’m going to go through every game and give you the information you need to make the most informed decisions possible for your fantasy football rosters. I’ll provide some key about matchups, trends and anything else we need to know about each contest.

Note: The Report will be updated as I finish writing up each game, so be sure to check back throughout the end of the week. Games will be periodically added until Saturday morning.

Buffalo @ Miami

Josh Allen has dominated the Miami Dolphins, throwing multiple touchdown passes in all 13 of his career matchups against them. That’s the longest such streak against a single team in NFL history. In addition to his passing prowess, Allen has been a major factor in the Buffalo Bills’ ground game, accounting for 17 of the team’s 24 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons. He’s dealing with a minor injury to his non-throwing hand but will be fine in this one. He remains an elite fantasy option.

In the Bills’ Week 1 game, running back James Cook led the backfield, totaling 103 scrimmage yards. He dominated the snaps, playing 35 compared to Ty Johnson’s 13 and Ray Davis’s 6. Cook is the clear feature back, but unfortunately his fantasy upside is capped in the RB2 range. Despite running hard, he doesn’t get looks at the goal line, which minimizes his touchdown potential.

Rookie receiver Keon Coleman made a solid NFL debut with four receptions for 51 yards, while third-year receiver Khalil Shakir also made an impact, catching three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Shakir has now amassed 578 receiving yards in his last 11 games, which is solid. Unfortunately, he continues to come off the field in two-receiver sets. That lack of reps makes it very tough to trust Shakir in fantasy lineups. Coleman is more playable, but he should only be considered a flex option. Tight On the other hand, tight end Dalton Kincaid got off to a slow start, with just one catch in Week 1, that’s the third time in five games that he’s had one or fewer receptions. It’s still early though, and Kincaid gets the benefit of the doubt this week as a top-10 tight end.

Raheem Mostert will be sidelined for this game due to a chest injury, while the status of fellow running back De’Von Achane remains uncertain as he deals with an ankle issue. Achane made a solid impact in Week 1, recording 10 rushes for 24 yards and a touchdown, along with seven receptions for 76 yards. If Achane is good to go, he’ll be a top-10 running back with Jeff Wilson Jr. sliding into flex territory. Achane seems likely to play, but if he misses the game the Dolphins will need to also rely on rookie Jaylen Wright to carry some of the load. Check our rankings after inactives are announced for the final ordering of this backfield.

Tua Tagovailoa got off to a strong start in Week 1, completing 23 of 37 passes for 338 yards and a touchdown. He’ll continue to air it out in this one and can be considered a back-end QB1. His primary weapon, Tyreek Hill, continues to shine early in the season, averaging 93.3 receiving yards per game in the first two weeks of the season, which is the highest in NFL history (minimum 15 games). Hill also added another milestone in Week 1, recording his 22nd career game with at least 5 receptions, 125 receiving yards, and a touchdown, surpassing Antonio Brown and Calvin Johnson for fifth all-time in that category. Only Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison Sr. and Terrell Owens have more such games.

Jaylen Waddle complemented Hill’s performance with an impressive outing of his own, tallying 109 receiving yards in Week 1. This marked Waddle’s 11th career game with over 100 receiving yards, demonstrating his consistent ability to stretch the field and be a reliable target for Tagovailoa. Both Hill and Waddle firing on all cylinders and are locked into fantasy starting lineups.