We are back after Week 2’s action, and man, there were a lot of Week 1 victory laps that now look premature, as well as many surprises in game flow like the Giants at Cowboys crushing the O/U. Betz quips that it feels like Week 14 with all the injuries fantasy managers have to address. Borg’s empathy for the Bengals losing Joe Burrow gets ridiculed, while Mike recounts the stress induced by Jakobi Meyers and his late enzone targets. The Lions’ statement performance against the Bears left an impression on me as I was punished for benching Goff for Stafford.
Plenty of pain and sweat to go around in Week 2 for sure, all discussed on the Fantasy Footballers Dynasty podcast.
Before we get into it, remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Weekly Rewind
Trevor Lawrence
Betz highlights Lawrence’s inconsistency, noting he ranks 28th in passer rating and 32nd in completion percentage over expected, and struggles when plays break down (YPA of 4.2 on such plays). Betz also mentions the conversation around Brian Thomas Jr.’s performance and the “business decision” he made on the “alligator arms” play vs. Cincinnati (more on that from me later). The Jaguars’ scheme appears to be good, but Lawrence is a major missing piece on which we are still waiting. As far as BTJ, Betz fades the noise on his play based on his targets and past success with Mac Jones.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Mike is concerned about Harrison’s usage (a critical element I highlighted on his potential path to WR1), noting that the Cardinals’ offense isn’t designing easy plays for him and that he appears to have a low effort level on some plays, including a fade to the corner. Marv’s fantasy value is tied to the team’s ability to get him involved, which they are not currently doing. Borg mentions the TD pass to Michael Wilson, where it appeared designed to use Marv as a decoy to get him open. This offense should be scheming to maximize Marv instead. To compound issues with Marv, Kyler Murray is dead last in targets to his WRs when under pressure per the PFF graphic Betz mentioned.
Chris Olave & Juwan Johnson
Borg notes a condensed target share in the Saints’ volatile offense that benefits Olave and Johnson. Juwan Johnson has the second-highest first-read target share among TEs and is on pace for 170 targets, making him a potential top-five TE. Mike recommends sticking with Johnson, and Betz cites Kellen Moore’s use of the slot pass-catchers and the offensive pace as encouragement for both Johnson and Olave.
10 Target Takeaways for Week 3
Matthew Golden
Matthew Golden only has four total targets through two games, which the hosts note is a concerning start for a first-round WR. He has a significant opportunity with the injury to Jayden Reed. Unfortunately, there is some concern about the high level of trust the Packers have in Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft, who lead the team in routes run. Additionally, Green Bay’s scheme is run-heavy when leading, also limiting his opportunities. Mike wants to see 4+ targets consistently to really buy into Golden’s development.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Zay Flowers
Flowers is in a great position for dynasty leagues, with 44% of the Ravens’ first-read targets going his way. His usage is also expanding to include more downfield targets (Lamar Jackson missed him on three overthrows in the first half against the Browns). Flowers is on a similar production track to players like Stefon Diggs and DeVonta Smith. Betz has him locked in as a top-24 WR. Mike concurred with a WR2 projection and recommends holding Flowers.
Wan’Dale Robinson
Mike notes that Wan’Dale Robinson is an “eyeball player” who the Giants have not quite figured out how to use properly. However, he had three deep receptions in Week 2, which is an encouraging sign.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
JSN is trending toward the “200 & 2000 club” with a pace of over 196 targets and nearly 2,000 receiving yards. He has a 41% target share and accounts for 51% of the team’s receiving yards, making him the primary option for the Seahawks’ offense and a locked-in WR1. Betz attributes JSN’s rise to an expansion of his route tree from routes close to the line of scrimmage to higher value Crossers and Slants. The real JSN has been revealed! In an exercise of “this or that,” Betz and Mike would take JSN over Tetairoa McMillan, but Drake London and BTJ over JSN. I am so glad I made the bet on his dynasty upside this past Summer. With Sam Darnold at the helm, some fantasy managers may still be unsure it will last, so it is possible you could get JSN at a reasonable price, in my opinion.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is doing his damage so far aligned 71.4% aligned on the outside. A very encouraging development. The tight splits of Kubiak’s offense help, but maybe not just a slot specialist after all. pic.twitter.com/UvO0sdCJym
— Brandon Cain (@SeahawksNester) September 15, 2025
Terry McLaurin
McLaurin’s low production is due to QB Jayden Daniels being off the mark and facing frequent blitzes. Even so, Borg, Betz, and Mike advise not to panic and just hold McLaurin in dynasty leagues. They note that McLaurin’s usage (38% of first-read targets) is fine, but his fantasy ceiling is limited. He is a WR2/3 option at best that really needs TDs to elevate him to WR1 status.
Patriots WRs
Borg notes that the Patriots’ WR room has only accounted for 39% of the team’s targets, and rookie DeMario Douglas only ran nine routes. Mike isn’t particularly interested in buying low on anyone except for Kyle Williams, who he believes has an opportunity to step up.
A.J. Brown
AJB is a potential buy-low window for A.J. Brown due to his low average depth of target (A-DOT) of 7.3 and Jalen Hurts‘s lack of downfield completions. Betz identifies this as a chance to acquire him in a trade, but only if it can be done without overpaying.
Troy Franklin
Mike believes Franklin can be the second WR behind Courtland Sutton, but cautions that Sean Payton could “rug pull” and shift the target distribution away from him. For now, just ride him if you have him.
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Ricky Pearsall
Betz suggests trading for Ricky Pearsall before Brock Purdy‘s return from injury if the opportunity exists in your league. He notes that Pearsall had a strong Week 1 with Purdy and is likely to be solid once he returns. Borg suggests the acquisition might cost you a late first. Based on my film study of Pearsall so far, I believe he is worth that cost.
Nico Collins
Borg questions if the Texans will “blunder” Nico Collins, as he had an unreal TD catch but then didn’t see another target for the rest of the first half. Mike still has high hopes despite concerns with the offensive line. Betz and Mike value Nico over BTJ in dynasty value.
Week 2 Film Deep Dive
This week, Brian Thomas Jr. and Cam Skattebo drew my attention. BTJ’s boxscore production over these first two weeks piqued my curiosity. As for Skattebo, his increased snap share drew me in to see how his skill set was translating. Is there reason to panic on BTJ? Could Skattebo be taking over in New York?
Brian Thomas Jr.
What in the “Craigslist Missed Connections” is going on in Jacksonville? Brian Thomas Jr. and Trevor Lawrence are leaving so much production on the field, with drops, uncatchable passes, and miscommunications driving fantasy managers nuts. Despite these struggles, BTJ’s film shows he’s still earning a high volume of targets (19 in two games) and running excellent routes to create separation.
I heard accusations of “alligator arms” on this play. The more I watch it, the less sure I am that I agree with this statement. Is it possible BTJ saw incoming defenders and decided to settle? Is it possible that BTJ and TLaw aren’t seeing the field the same way? pic.twitter.com/KgqSGi7S3v
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 16, 2025
The core issue appears to be a lack of synchronization between the two. The “alligator arms” play (clip above), for example, may not be low effort, but rather a miscommunication on the route, given the collapsing zone. Similarly, on another key play, Lawrence threw a back-shoulder pass while BTJ saw a 1-on-1 matchup he could win deep. Given his ample evidence of beating press coverage, the issue could be the QB and WR not seeing the field the same way.
Another indicator that TLaw and BTJ are seeing the field differently, we have this play.
Trust BTJ and this flips field position or scores. BTJ is capable of winning most times vs press DBs…
The offense already looks solid, but imagine if this pair were in sync! pic.twitter.com/ZHDJZ9LQf4
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 16, 2025
Ultimately, this is a “R-E-L-A-X” situation. BTJ still has the talent, and their chemistry just needs more time to develop. Hold onto him, as buy-low sharks will be looking to capitalize on those spooked by his box score.
Cam Skattebo
Is the Cam Skattebo takeover of the Giants’ backfield underway? Nate Henry‘s Snap Count Observations showed a significant shift, with Skattebo out-snapping Tyrone Tracy 55% to 44% after seeing just eight snaps in Week 1. What may be more notable is the fact that Tracy went from 50 snaps in Week 1 to 28 in Week 2, while Skattebo more than 4x’d his Week 1 snaps, increasing from 8 to 35. While I concur with Nate that neither was spectacular, this usage trend suggests a potential 50-50 split going forward. Skattebo’s film reveals his game is exactly as expected: all power and competitive toughness, with a punishing running style that should translate to goal-line TDs. His vision is still developing, especially in Outside Zone runs, and the Giants’ offensive line remains a suspect unit (no OL in the top-50 of PFF run-blocking grades), but he’s a piece you want on your roster as a high-floor RB2. Tyrone Tracy will still have the edge in the passing game as a converted WR, but Skattebo’s role is a positive sign for dynasty managers.
Skattebo shows solid vision on this Counter run then displays his competitive toughness and play strength.
Skattebo has better vision in Gap and Pull-style runs, but Outside Zone vision in addition to NYG’s sub-par blacking in the scheme limits his upside. pic.twitter.com/prZ56UMoYM
— Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern) September 17, 2025