Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Projections for Players With Matchups We Love

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Projections for Players With Matchups We Love
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LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 11: Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz (11) on the field in the third quarter during the game between the Washington Commanders and the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 11, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
1Quarterback
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
2Running Back
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Jordan Poyer #21 of the Buffalo Bills, to trail 10-7, during the 2022 NFL season opening game at SoFi Stadium on September 08, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
3Wide Receiver
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Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Projections for Players With Matchups We Love

Sep 16, 2022

Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Projections for Players With Matchups We Love

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

In fantasy football, you're typically better off choosing talent over a favorable matchup.

Ideally, though, you don't have to choose.

When a great player draws a great matchup, that's when the box scores can really go bananas. So, after laying out our Week 2 rankings at the three marquee positions, we're spotlighting a player at each spot with a matchup they can exploit and projecting their potential output.

Quarterback

LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 11: Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz (11) on the field in the third quarter during the game between the Washington Commanders and the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 11, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 11: Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz (11) on the field in the third quarter during the game between the Washington Commanders and the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 11, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Top 10

1. Josh Allen, BUF (vs. TEN)

2. Jalen Hurts, PHI (vs. MIN)

3. Lamar Jackson, BAL (vs. MIA)

4. Russell Wilson, DEN (vs. HOU)

5. Kyler Murray, ARI (at LV)

6. Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. CHI)

7. Tom Brady, TB (at NO)

8. Matthew Stafford, LAR (vs. ATL)

9. Carson Wentz, WAS (at DET)

10. Joe Burrow, CIN (at DAL)

Matchup to Exploit: Carson Wentz at Detroit Lions

Wentz had some unsightly moments in his Commanders' debut, but it didn't keep him from putting up big numbers in the box score.

All told, he went 27-of-41 for 313 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed six times for 12 yards.

That type of production can play any week, and Detroit could be the type of defense to yield another huge stat line. The Lions couldn't contain Jalen Hurts in Week 1 (243 passing yards, 90 rushing yards and a touchdown) and allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to the position last season, per Yahoo.

Projected stats: 260 passing yards, two touchdowns, 18 rushing yards

Running Back

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Top 20

1. Jonathan Taylor, IND (at JAX)

2. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (at NYG)

3. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. CAR)

4. Dalvin Cook, MIN (at PHI)

5. D'Andre Swift, DET (vs. WAS)

6. Joe Mixon, CIN (at DAL)

7. Leonard Fournette, TB (at NO)

8. Derrick Henry, TEN (at BUF)

9. Alvin Kamara, NO (vs. TB)

10. James Conner, ARI (at LV)

11. Antonio Gibson, WAS (at DET)

12. Javonte Williams, DEN (vs. HOU)

13. Najee Harris, PIT (vs. NE)

14. Aaron Jones, GB (vs. CHI)

15. Nick Chubb, CLE (vs. NYJ)

16. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (vs. CIN)

17. Miles Sanders, PHI (vs. MIN)

18. Josh Jacobs, LV (vs. ARI)

19. Darrell Henderson, LAR (vs. ATL)

20. AJ Dillon, GB (vs. CHI)

Matchup to Exploit: Saquon Barkley vs. Carolina Panthers

Welcome back, Mr. Barkley!

The former No. 2 pick seemed back in his pre-injury form in Week 1, as he repeatedly gashed the Tennessee Titans. His 18 carries yielded 164 yards and a touchdown. His seven targets turned into six receptions for another 30 yards. He paced all running backs in fantasy production and landed fifth overall, per FantasyPros.

It might be a stretch to call for identical numbers, but he has a chance to make it close. The Panthers had zero answers for the Cleveland Browns' tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, who combined for 187 rushing yards, 26 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Projected stats: 117 rushing yards, 38 receiving yards, two touchdowns

Wide Receiver

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Jordan Poyer #21 of the Buffalo Bills, to trail 10-7, during the 2022 NFL season opening game at SoFi Stadium on September 08, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Jordan Poyer #21 of the Buffalo Bills, to trail 10-7, during the 2022 NFL season opening game at SoFi Stadium on September 08, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Top 20

1. Justin Jefferson, MIN (at PHI)

2. Cooper Kupp, LAR (vs. ATL)

3. Davante Adams, LV (vs. ARI)

4. Stefon Diggs, BUF (vs. TEN)

5. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (at DAL)

6. Tyreek Hill, MIA (at BAL)

7. Michael Pittman, Jr. IND (at JAX)

8. Deebo Samuel, SF (vs. SEA)

9. A.J. Brown, PHI (vs. MIN)

10. Mike Evans, TB (at NO)

11. DJ Moore, CAR (at NYG)

12. Terry McLaurin, WAS (at DET)

13. Diontae Johnson, PIT (vs. NE)

14. Brandin Cooks, HOU (at DEN)

15. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (vs. WAS)

16. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (vs. CIN)

17. Marquise Brown, ARI (at LV)

18. Courtland Sutton, DEN (vs. HOU)

19. Jerry Jeudy, DEN (vs. HOU)

20. Tee Higgins, CIN (at DAL)

Matchup to Exploit: Cooper Kupp vs. Atlanta Falcons

Kupp's 2021 season should be impossible to reproduce, and maybe it will prove to be that way. Apparently, he never got that memo, though.

One year removed from tallying 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, he picked up right where he left off in the opener. Up against a Buffalo Bills defense that allowed the fewest fantasy points to receivers last season, per FantasyPros, Kupp turned 15 targets into 13 receptions for 128 yards and a score.

His Week 2 sequel could be even better, provided the Rams have reasons to keep passing late in the game. The Falcons allowed the third-most fantasy points to wideouts in Week 1 after surrendering the fifth-most last season.

Projected stats: 10 receptions for 106 yards, one touchdown

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10049154
Primary Tag
Carson Wentz