Eyes of the Guru IDP Info, Week 3

We have no choice but to react and make decisions based on a tiny sampling of action after the first round of games. Week 2 gives us a lot more perspective and a much better idea if our Week 1 decisions we good or if some of those guys we picked up after strong games were products of the game plan or game flow. There are a lot of changes from week to week in the NFL, no matter what part of the season we are in.

Arizona Cardinals

We have not yet seen big numbers from Zaven Collins, but there is good reason to believe they are coming. He was solid against the Raiders on the field and in the box scores, going 6-2 with a forced fumble. More importantly, Collins has been on the sideline for one play over two games. That makes me feel pretty comfortable about starting him this week versus the Rams.

On the other side of that coin, Isaiah Simmons needs to be on the bench. He showed up big on the field late in Sunday’s game but his stat sheet was sparse. The reason was simple, he was not on the field much. Simmons finished 2-1 on 15 snaps. Meanwhile, Nick Vigil was 3-2 on 26 plays, and Tanner Vallejo even got into the game for 20 snaps. Simmons’ stock is virtually worthless at this point.

Jalen Thompson was questionable right up to game time with a toe injury. Once the game started, there was nothing to question. He handled the normal, every-down role, going 6-3 with a pass breakup, and seemed to come through the game as healthy as he went into it.

J.J. Watt is far from the player he once was, but if healthy, he has the potential to be a factor. Watt played 63% of the snaps in Week 2 and recorded the Cardinals’ lone sack. That is enough to put him on the radar but not enough to make Watt a starter against the Rams this week.

Markus Golden has been a virtual no-show so far with a tackle and two assists to date. Between the sore toe that had him on the injury report leading up to Week 1, and Chandler Jones moving on, it’s been tough sledding for Golden so far. I like his chances of breaking out at some point, but don’t expect it to happen this week.

Atlanta Falcons

There is no big news that will immediately impact the Falcons’ inside linebacker situation, but there are some interesting notes. Mykal Walker seems to be solidifying himself as the leader. He went 5-2 with an interception versus the Rams and played 92% of the snaps. Rashaan Evans, however, saw his playing time slip just a little, going 1-6 on 86%. The most interesting notes are that rookie Troy Anderson got on the field for the first time, logging nine snaps with a tackle and an assist, and Deion Jones, who is currently on IR, agreed to a restructured contract that could make it possible for him to stay with the team beyond this year.

The consensus expectation is that Anderson will eventually be the man in the middle for Atlanta but he has a long way to go in terms of experience. We’ll keep a close eye on this and see if his playing time continues to increase.

The Falcons’ pass rush, along with Grady Jarrett, went from boom in Week 1, to bust in Week 2. The Rams not only made sure Jarrett did not go off again, they shut him out completely. It’s hard to trust any player after a zero, but the Seahawks are a far more favorable matchup.

Jaylinn Hawkins was on the radar after going 5-1 and playing full-time in the opener. In Week 2 he split snaps with Eric Harris. Richie Grant’s numbers slipped from 5-5 to 3-3, but at least he played every snap. There is nothing to get overly excited about here, but there could be a little value in deep drafted leagues.

Baltimore Ravens

Marcus Williams came down a bit after the monster Week 1, but he is still looking like a star. The Ravens are playing a much different style of defense than what we have seen in years past and from what I can tell, there is no reason to think Williams will slow down.

When Baltimore is in their base defense with four defensive backs, Williams is working as the deep safety much of the time. When they go to the nickel, however, Kyle Hamilton is seeing most of the deep safety work, allowing Williams to work in a similar role to that of Jalen Ramsey, LJarius Snead, and Kenny Moore. He lines up in the slot and/or is free to move around and pick favorable matchups. The days of Baltimore safeties having no value seem to be over, but for now, it’s Williams and not Hamilton in the spotlight.

Patrick Queen had a slow game against the Dolphins, but that had more to do with the game flow than anything. He finished at 4-1 despite playing every snap. Miami went pass happy early and ran the ball just 16 times.

One more interesting note: the Ravens had Blake Martinez and Jason Pierre-Paul in for visits on Tuesday. Stay tuned.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo came out with a big win on Monday night, but there was a cost. Dane Jackson and Micah Hyde both suffered neck injuries while Jordan Phillips left with a hamstring issue. Jackson’s hit looked bad but he was released from the hospital after being checked out. As I write this, there has been no update on Hyde. Both players are likely to miss at least one game and possibly several more. Jaquan Johnson should be next up at safety while rookie Kaiir Elam is in line to start on the corner.

Shaq Lawson joined a virtually equal four-man rotation at defensive end. Lawson, Greg Rousseau, Carlos Basham, and A.J. Epenesa played between 21 and 26 snaps. The count was probably affected by the blowout score.

Carolina Panthers

Frankie Luvu stood out for the second straight game, This time to the tune of 14 tackles (10 solos) and a pass breakup. Every year there is a veteran or two that come from nowhere to become a major factor. Luvu is playing virtually every snap and appears to be that guy for this season.

Shaq Thompson was invisible in the first half but came later in the game to finish with a good line of 6-4. There is no concern with his playing time (92%).

Carolina is counting on Yetur Gross-Matos to step up as the starter opposite Brian Burns, but thus far, he has not impressed. In two games Gross-Matos is 1-2 and has not put much pressure on the quarterback. Don’t be surprised if Marquise Haynes pushes for a bigger role over the next few weeks.

There has been some debate about the roles of Jeremy Chinn and Xavier Woods. This week I had time to take a close look at this situation. What I saw was two players in interchangeable roles. On the first dozen plays against the Giants, Woods lined up strong or in the box five times, Chinn four times, and both were deep in a cover-2 look on three plays. The bottom line here is, that we are probably going to see weeks with Chinn as the more productive guy, and weeks where Woods has the upper hand. That’s not good news for managers that grabbed Chinn as their DB1

Donte Jackson left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Myles Hartsfield should start with C.J. Henderson moving into the nickel role if Jackson misses time.

Chicago Bears

Need a corner for the rest of the season? Rookie Kyler Gordon might be your guy. He is playing on the outside in base packages, moving into the slot in the nickel, and has allowed 15 completions on the 20 passes thrown his way so far. His numbers have not been huge at 9-3 with a pass breakup over the first two games, but this guy has been around the ball a lot and has no problem putting a shoulder on the ball carrier in run support. The rookie corner rule is in play so he will have plenty of opportunity.

It would be nice to see Trevis Gipson on the field more. Right now, he is seeing passing down snaps in a time-share with starter Al-Quadin Muhammad. Gipson played less than 40% of the snaps over the first two games but is making the best of his opportunities by going 5-2-2 with a batted pass over the first two games along with some pressures.

Week 1 sensation Dominique Robinson was shut out on 21 snaps in game two.

Nick Morrow went 7-4 against the Packers, outproducing Roquan Smith who was 5-6. Smith is the better option week in and week out, but this shows us that Morrow is going to get his fair share. I expect this will happen a few more times before the season is over. The moral of the story is, don’t hesitate to make Morrow an every-week starter if you have him.

Cincinnati Bengals

The defending AFC Champions are a hot mess right now. The offense can’t keep Joe Burrow upright, and the defense can’t get to the opposing quarterback. Cincinnati is one of five teams with two or fewer sacks to date. This could be the week Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson get right against a Jets team that has given up five sacks in two games.

Logan Wilson was a huge disappointment last week going 2-1 with a forced fumble in what should have been a great matchup. Dallas ran the ball 27 times and completed 7 passes to running backs or tight ends. Chalk this one up as a fluke and move on with Wilson as a starter.

Jesse Bates is not getting it done for us. If it were just these two games, I would suggest patience, but the fact is, his lack of production started last year and is an unwelcome carryover. It might be time to move on while there are still good options on the waiver.

Cleveland Browns

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah stepped up big in Week 2, going 7-1 with a forced fumble, but there is still a concern as his playing time dipped below 80%. Anthony Walker saw a little uptick to 74% while Jacob Phillips poached just enough (39%) to make playing either Owusu-Koramoah or Walker a considerable risk.

Jadeveon Clowney made some IDP managers happy with his line of 2-0-1, a forced fumble, and a recovery. Unfortunately, he left the stadium in a boot after suffering an ankle injury. There is a strong chance he will be out versus the Steelers. In fact, the Browns could be very shorthanded at defensive end on Thursday, Myles Garrett missed practice early in the week with a sore neck, and Chase Winovich was placed on IR Tuesday with a hamstring. Garrett was limited on Wednesday, and early signs are positive. Alex Wright, Isaiah Thomas, and Isaac Rochell make up the rest of the depth chart at defensive end.

Dallas Cowboys

With Jayron Kearse out, Donovan Wilson moved into an every-down role at strong safety and was rather productive. Wilson led the team in tackles at 6-2 and should continue to be a factor versus the Giants this week.

Leighton Vander Esch finished second in tackles and put up a strong line of 4-3-1 with a pass breakup. Interestingly, he led the Cowboys linebackers in snaps as well, seeing 90% of the action. It is also interesting that Anthony Barr (87%) played more than Micah Parsons (84%). The signs suggest this could be the norm going forward as the coaching staff seems content to lean heavily on Parsons as a pass rusher. When Parsons was drafted, many speculated he would be the next Bobby Wagner. Right now, he looks more like the next T.J. Watt. Dallas is just as happy either way, and so are most IDP managers.

Dorance Armstrong stepped up with a pair of sacks against the Bengals. I’m not yet ready to rely on him as an every-week play, but a matchup with the Giants is enough to keep him in my lineups this week. New York is tied for the third most sacks allowed (8) through two weeks.

Denver Broncos

The news is not good for anyone expecting more from Jonas Griffith. He put up three solo stops for the second week in a row but adding insult to injury, his snap share went down to 41%. We’ll keep an eye on him going forward but for now, make better use of that roster spot.

Alex Singleton was not much better on the stat sheet at 2-3 with a pair of pass breakups, but he played 95% of the snaps. Josey Jewell has not yet returned to practice, so Singleton is in line for another start against a San Francisco offense that should continue to be a solid matchup for linebackers.

DreMont Jones went 4-2-2 with a forced fumble in Week 2. The question now becomes, is he for real or just a mirage? Expecting two sacks per week is not realistic, but Jones is one of a relatively small number of defensive linemen to play 80% of their team’s defensive snaps in each of the first two games. Jones battled injuries last year but went 10-6-5.5 over a six-game stretch late last season. At the very least, he is someone to keep on our radar.

As anticipated, Caden Sturns (5-1) replaced Justin Simmons at strong safety and played every snap in Week 2.

Patrick Surtain II suffered a chest injury that is not considered serious, but he could miss a game or two.

Detroit Lions

Aiden Hutchinson had a huge game, going 5-1-3 versus the Commanders. The breakout was great for those managers that drafted him and a sign of great things to come. That said, keep an eye on the team’s practice reports this week. Hutchinson was gimpy for much of the second half and was seen hobbling after nearly every play late in the game. The fact that he kept playing is promising, but injuries tend to get worse the day after when the soreness sets in.

The Lions’ defense shifted gears for Week 2 and looked significantly different. In the opener, they rarely deployed more than two safeties, but against the Commanders, they had three safeties on the field for all but one play. Will Harris worked as more of a strong safety/nickel linebacker, seeing a lot of time in the box and posting solid numbers of 5-3 with a pick. After a monster Week 1, Tracy Walker was relegated to a more traditional free safety role, which took a big toll on his numbers (1-4). One of these safeties is going to be productive on any given week. The problem right now is figuring out which one for this week. Without some inside information, this is tough to call.

Malcolm Rodriguez had a solid game against Washington. His snap count was up a bit to 73%, and he was 5-3 on the day. Meanwhile, Alex Anzalone went 4-2 on 90% of the plays, while Chris Board (4-0) saw his playing time cut in half from Week 1.

Jeff Okuda banged up but returned. Amani Oruwariye was inactive and is not likely to suit up again this week.

Green Bay Packers

With the Bears’ offense struggling, the only Green Bay defenders with good numbers were the pass rushers. De’Vondre Campbell finished at 2-2, but there is nothing to be concerned about as he played every snap. Quay Walker managed 3-2 with a pass defended, but there might be a reason for concern as he played less than 80% of the snaps. This is one we need to keep a close eye on.

Houston Texans

With most teams using heavy rotations along their defensive lines, IDP managers are almost forced to consider some linemen that play around half of their team's defensive snaps. It makes for a lot of hit-or-miss situations, but the only thing we can do is look hard at matchups and try to make the right decisions. The Texans are one of those hard-to-call teams. In Week 1, it was Jerry Hughes with the big numbers. In Week 2 it was Rasheem Green at 3-2-1.5 and Jonathan Greenard at 1-0-1, while Hughes did nothing. None of these guys came close to a 60% snap share. In all, the Texans had five defensive ends play at least 31% of the snaps.

Along with Hughes, Kamu Grugier-Hill (3-2) and Jalen Pitre (2-3) both came crashing back to reality in Week 2. Both Grugier-Hill and Pitre played all the snaps, so chalk this one up as a fluke. That said, the Bears are not a great matchup this week.

The rookie corner rule is in play with Derek Stingley, who has been picked on heavily. He had seven combined tackles and a pass breakup in Week 1 then came back against Denver with eight solo stops and a pair of knocked-down passes. Opponents are targeting him often, with 23 passes thrown to the man he is covering over the first two games. That is the second most in the league. The Chicago passing game has not been good so don’t expect a lot this week, but after that, Stingly could be a valuable commodity in corner-required leagues.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts were dominated badly by Jacksonville, so some of the numbers might be skewed. Unless/until we see differently, be aware that Nick Cross played 65% of the snaps, with Rodney McLeod logging just short of 50%. It’s hard to say for sure if there will be a change coming this week, but the situation tells us to stay away from Cross until we see what is going on here.

Shaquille Leonard has been practicing for a while now but was not in uniform for Week 2 and is not a lock to get back on the field against the Chiefs this week. Until he returns, Zaire Franklin (8-1) is a three-down linebacker that is putting up quality numbers. E.J. Speed has also been solid but plays only in base personnel packages. Sooner or later, the lack of snaps will catch up with him.

Dayo Odeyingbo saw more action in Week 2 (16 snaps) but has a long way to go before he is a factor.

Jacksonville Jaguars

No Jaguars defender recorded more than four solo stops against the Colts. Simply put, the Colts were not able to sustain anything on offense. With 12 rush attempts and 16 complete passes, there was not enough opportunity in what should have been a great matchup for Foye Oluokun and Devin Lloyd. The matchup should not be an issue this week in Los Angeles.

Kansas City Chiefs

The good news is that Willie Gay Jr played 92% of the snaps and went 6-5 with a pair of pass breakups in Week 2. However, he had a much better game on the stat sheet than on the field. Gay looked good on some plays, but he also overran some plays, missed a couple of tackles, and made at least one significant mistake in coverage. He will have some time to contemplate his performance. Off the field, Gay was hit with four-game vacation compliments of the commissioner's office, for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. I’m not sure if rookie Leo Chenal, Darius Harris, or Elijah Lee will pick up the available playing time.

With rookie Trent McDuffie on the shelf, fellow rookie Jaylen Watson moved into the nickel role in Week 2. He made an impact against the Chargers with a huge interception return for a score and falls under the rookie corner rule.

Justin Reid disappoints again, going 3-1 with a pass breakup despite an excellent matchup. Rookie Brian Cook played just six snaps but could see his role begin to expand over the next few weeks. Unless Reid can pick it up, I would expect to see Cook with a much bigger role when the team comes out of their bye in week eight.

Carlos Dunlap is showing up strong on his limited snap count but so far the Chiefs have not hinted about a digger role.

Las Vegas Raiders

Chandler Jones fell short again, showing two tackles and an assist on the stat sheet. For the second time. He played a whopping 90% of the snap again, as did Maxx Crosby. Twice is a trend but I just can’t make myself give up on Jones yet. This is one of those proven guys that will blow up the week after I give up on him.

Last week I pointed out the low snap total for Denzel Perryman. Shortly after posting the article, I learned he had suffered an ankle injury. The results were the same: Divine Deablo went 6-9 while playing every snap, and Jayon Brown 8-4 on 77%. The difference is that we still don’t know who will be the three-down linebacker once Perryman is healthy. The ankle injury is not bad, so he could be back before long. If that doesn’t happen this week, look for another strong game for Deablo and Brown. Brown has the extra incentive of facing his former team in Week 3.

Los Angeles Chargers

Drue Tranquill continued to play well in Week 2. His modest numbers of 4-3-.5 were nothing to get excited about, but it is worth mentioning that his role expanded to an 84% play share. If he continues to see that kind of workload, he will remain roster worthy as at least a solid backup.

Kenneth Murray had two tackles early then vanished for the rest of the game. His play share fell below 50% but as of early on Wednesday, I have seen nothing suggesting an injury, nor was there any mention of one during the game.

Los Angeles Rams

Jalen Ramsey was quiet in the tackle department in Week 2 but saved his fantasy managers with a pick and a couple of passes defended. I have not yet had time to watch this game closely. When I do, later in the week, I’ll be looking to see if the loss of Troy Hill caused a shift in how Ramsey was used.

Hill landed on IR Tuesday with a significant groin injury. His backup, Decobie Durant, went 1-1-1 with an interception before coming up lame with a hamstring injury. It will be interesting to see how the team negotiates this problem. Robert Rochell would be next on the depth chart at corner, but we could see more of Jordan Fuller as the fifth defensive back. His snap count jumped to almost 60% against the Falcons.

Bobby Wagner got off to a fast start against Atlanta, then vanished in the second half. There has been no mention of an injury. His snap total shows 100% participation, so we have to write this one off as a mirage for now.

Everyone still hanging onto Ernest Jones got a bone in Week 2. He had a productive outing, going 5-7, and his snap count was up to almost 80%. If he continues to see around 80% of the playing time, Jones should provide useful numbers on most weeks.

Miami Dolphins

I was cautiously optimistic when Brandon Jones blew up in Week 1 but was still concerned that once Eric Rowe returned, so might the timeshare that kept Jones from being a star last year. Those concerns were realized in Week 2. Jones started the game, but in the end, he played just three snaps more than Rowe with both seeing less than 65% of the action. If this continues, and there is no reason to think it would not, Jones will still have some good weeks, but consistency will be an issue as it was last year.

Jerome Baker has been on the field for all 116 defensive plays this season. He has four tackles and three assists to show for it. This is who Baker has become in this scheme. If it plays out like the 2021 season, he will have six or seven solid outings and six or seven horrible ones. If there are good options available, take one of them and save yourself the frustration.

Minnesota Vikings

Harrison Smith had a monster game with 13 solo stops but was not on the field for the last series because he was in the locker room being evaluated for a concussion. Minnesota might have rookie Lewis Cine available this week. Camryn Bynum has been filling in for him at free safety.

Jordan Hicks was huge in Week 1 but not so much against the Eagles. His IDP managers were saved by a late interception, but the three solo tackles left those managers wondering what happened. His snap share slipped just below 80%, which was a contributing factor. What we are likely seeing is that some weeks it will be Hicks, as it was in Week 1, and other weeks it will be Eric Kendricks, who went 7-1 against the Eagles, with the better numbers.

New England Patriots

Injuries are the lead story for the Patriots, who lost JaWhaun Bentley and Davon Godchaux to back injuries and Kyle Dugger to a knee in Week 2. We still await word on how serious these are as of early Wednesday. Mack Wilson picked up the snaps at linebacker and would presumably get the call if Bentley misses time. Carl Davis is the next man up at defensive tackle, though we could see a boost in playing time for Christian Barmore and Lawrence guy as well. Adrian Phillips took over as a full-time safety after Dugger left and would be a worthy addition if Duggerrr misses additional time.

New Orleans Saints

Nothing changes from Week 1 to Week 2 with the Saints linebackers. Demario Davis played every snap, Pete Werner worked on 81% of them, and Werner was the more productive of the two.

Marcus May (3-1) had a much more pedestrian day than in Week 1, but I am not overly concerned. The Buccaneers ran the ball 27 times, but Leonard Fournette rarely got past the defensive line, much less into the secondary. Maye’s snap total was down a little to 85%. He went into the game with a sore ankle, so I’m not reading much into that right now either.

New York Giants

It didn’t take long for the Giants to recognize their deficiency at the inside linebacker positions. Tae Crowder saw a reduced snap count (83%) while Austin Calitro and Tae Crowder played very little. Instead, New York turned reverted to last year’s approach, playing a big nickel as their base defense against the Panthers.

Julian Love stepped up with eight tackles and a sack while Dane Belton worked in the nickel linebacker/slot role on many of his 46 snaps and put up five solo stops with a fumble recovery. Xavier McKinney was the low man this time around, but that could change weekly just as it did last year. Belton and Love are available in a lot of leagues. Love will be the priority target but Belton could be solid as well.

Leonard Williams is expected to miss some time with a knee injury, but it is not expected to require surgery. Quincy Roche is the likely candidate to fill in.

New York Jets

One of the things we were watching for going into last week’s games was a possible role reversal between Kwon Alexander and Quincy Williams. A look at the box score added to that concern with Alexander going 6-1 while Williams was 4-1. Everyone with Williams on their rosters can breathe easy, at least for now. There was no change in playing time with Williams logging 66 of a possible 67 snaps while Alexander played 31. What is helping Alexander’s production is that he is playing on the weak side while Williams is stuck on the strong side in three linebacker personnel. Providing Williams holds onto the sub-package snaps, he will be the more productive on most weeks.

The Jets took a couple of injury hits that might have some IDP impact. Quinnen Williams suffered a foot injury, and John Franklin-Myers left the game with a toe. Franklin-Myers has been limited in early week practices, but I have not seen an update on Williams as of Wednesday morning. If these guys miss time or are limited, look for Sheldon Rankings to have a bigger role at tackle, and we could see a lot more of rookie Jermaine Johnson at defensive end. With Carl Lawson off to a slow start at 2-2-.5 over two games, a bigger dose of Johnson might be just what the Jets need anyway.

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia is among the many teams that are using mass rotations across their defensive front. Nine linemen saw action against Minnesota with Josh Sweat leading the team’s defensive ends in snap share at 57%. Sweat saw 71% of the snaps in the opener and appears to have taken over as the Eagles’ number one end. The potential for a low snap count is an issue. On the other hand, the Washington offense has already allowed six sacks to defensive ends, and the Philadelphia defense is playing well.

Every year a few players parlay big seasons into major paydays, only to fall on their faces with their new teams. So far, Haason Reddick is at the top of this year’s list of players that should have stayed where they were. He is not seeing as much playing time, is 3-1-0 over the first two games, and has been a complete non-factor both on the field and in the box scores. We know what this guy is capable of when the role fits. That might be enough to get him one more week on the roster, but if he fails to step up this week, it is time to cut our losses and move on.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The loss of T.J. Watt and a matchup with a team not named the Bengals had the Steelers defense looking rather pedestrian in Week 2. They had no sacks in Week 2, which is a rarity in itself for this team. This week’s matchup with division rival Cleveland does nothing to help, as only the Chiefs have allowed fewer sacks over the first two games.

Seattle Seahawks

Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton have combined for an impressive 29 tackles, 15 assists, and a sack in two games. With both players accounting for at least ten combined stops in each outing, it is safe to say this is real and likely to continue.

Tackle Al Woods blew up for seven tackles in Week 2, including six solos. Unfortunately, this one is not real. Woods has a game or two like this every year but is never able to repeat. He was 5-2-1 in Week 2 last season, then had six tackles and seven assists total over the next nine games.

Rookie Boye Mafe Stepped up with a 4-0-1 mark in his second NFL game. He may well be the Seahawks’ best pass rush threat already and has the potential to be a major IDP factor. For that to happen, it would take a lot more than the 19 snaps he played in the opener and the 23 last week versus San Francisco.

Seattle is notorious for playing so many guys along the defensive line that none of them can be productive with any consistency. One positive sign is that Darrell Taylor has been on the field for at least 70% of the action in both games so far. Maybe Mafe will eventually get that much opportunity. Taylor has certainly done nothing with it.

The bad news for those of us that added Josh Jones last week is that he posted a weak 3-1 versus the 49ers. The good news is that he never came off the field when Seattle was on defense. Seattle’s strong safety has traditionally been an IDP factor. Jones is no Jamal Adams, but he is going to have a lot of good games.

Tariq Woolen has already become a starter and is playing well for a rook. While everyone is looking at him and wondering if he can be the next Richard Sherman, another under-the-radar corner is stepping up. No one is paying attention to fourth-year journeyman Michael Jackson. All Jackson has done in two games is record ten tackles (nine solos), account for a pair of turnovers, break up a pass, and score. He has been on the field for all but three snaps so far and is at the very least, a player to consider if you need a corner.

San Francisco 49ers

Twice is a trend, and strong safety Talanoa Hufanga followed up his huge Week 1 with a solid 5-1 and 2 passes defended against Seattle. I was initially concerned that nearly all his production came in the first half. After watching some of the second-half action, it looks more like a game flow issue than anything likely to hold him back this week versus Denver.

Dre Greenlaw played every snap and had a solid outing at 6-2. For anyone concerned about Fred Warner going 1-2, Seattle only ran 46 offensive plays in the game with 12 of them being handoffs to running backs. There was simply not enough opportunity for Warner.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Logan Ryan’s Week 2 fantasy points were somewhat salvaged by a pass breakup and a forced fumble, but after two games, it looks like he has finally landed in a situation that will stunt his IDP value. He is not playing full-time and when he is on the field, Ryan is usually working as the deep safety, allowing Antoine Winfield to be the playmaker. It’s a great situation if you have Winfield, but if Ryan is your guy, it’s time to start looking hard at other options.

Carlton Davis had a respectable Week 1 at 4-1 with a pass defended. He blew up in Week 2, going 8-1 with a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Reference put out a headline this week stating that teams are not shying away from Davis, who has seen a league-leading 25 passes thrown his way already. To put this in perspective, it’s not a case of teams picking on Davis who is allowing only a 52% completion rate. Rather it is a case of Davis drawing coverage on the opponent's best receivers.

Akiem Hicks is expected to miss some time with a foot injury. This opens the door for second-round pick Logan Hall to get on the field a lot more.

Tennessee Titans

On top of suffering an ugly blow-out loss, the Titans took another injury blow to their pass rush in Week 2 when Bud Dupree left with a hip problem 18 snaps into Monday’s game, and Ola Adeniyi followed him a little later with what looked like a wrist issue. The Titans could go into Week 3 with Rashad Weaver, Dylan Cole, and recently signed Tak McKinley as their top three edge defenders.

When a team takes a beating as the Titans did, their linebackers usually have big games with the opponent running the ball late in the game. That was not the case here as the Bills insisted on throwing the ball down the Titans’ throat. That said, even with 20 running plays, David Long should have produced more than two combined tackles. My heart wants me to be concerned about this, possibly because it cost me a close game. My head, however, recognizes several explainable issues that culminated in this disaster. James Cook handled eleven of those carries and is not an inside runner. Long was limited to an 82% play share, but that was because Tennessee pulled starters in the fourth quarter, etc. There is also the point that Zach Cunningham was not all that much better at 4-1. The bottom line here is that I still have confidence that Long will be a good one for us down the road.

This is a good year for the rookie corner rule as we add Roger McCreary to the list of first-time starters putting up good numbers. All he did in Week 2 was lead the league in solo tackles by a corner with eleven.

Washington Commanders

Kameron Curl wanted to play last week, probably because he was afraid that if he didn’t, his starting job might not be there when he comes back. The way Darrick Forrest is playing, Curl is probably right, and it might already be too late. In two games as the starter, Forrest is 12-3 with two turnovers and has looked just as good on the field as on the stat sheet.

Jonathan Allen took a step back in Week 2. Playing with a tender groin has a way of doing that to any player. The concern is that groin injuries tend to linger and are easily aggravated. A healthy Allen is a beast, but we may not see that guy for a while.

Cole Holcomb had a better week with ten combined tackles. The issue is that only three of them were of the solo variety. I am not concerned with Holcomb yet, but I am a bit worried about Jamin Davis. He finished at 3-1-1 against Detroit, but his snap count plummeted from 93% in Week 1 to 62% in Week 2. I like this week's matchup for both of these players, but I have to see that Davis is going to consistently see 80% of the action before I can trust him as a starter.

That does it for this week’s offering. Best of luck in round three!

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