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Usage Notes: Week 2



By Kevin Scott | 9/21/21 |

Week 2 is often a reaction week in the NFL. If teams do not change up their game plans from Week 1, often they struggle in Week 2. This seems to be what we saw from a team like the Saints, who crushed the Packers in Week 1 only to be embarrassed by the Panthers in Week 2. We also saw the Chiefs have their top option, Tyreek Hill, completely shut down by the Ravens.

The same is true for fantasy in a sense. Often we think we have our teams figured out after Week 1, and a dominant win has us thinking our team is going to stroll into the playoffs. This can lead to a rude awakening in Week 2. But whether you are 2-0, 1-1, or 0-2, remember that it’s still early. Don’t get overly confident, or overly down. Now is the time to grind, and learn, and use data to help you make the smartest decisions possible. So let’s dive in to some important data from the skill positions...

Antonio Gibson

Running Back

  • Saquon Barkley’s snap share jumped from 48% in Week 1 to 84% in Week 2. He still only saw 15 touches, but that is very encouraging. He looked quick and healthy, and should have some big games against softer defenses. He is a decent trade target after another poor statistical output, but just remember the Giants’ offensive line is subpar.

  • Antonio Gibson played on 61% of snaps in Week 2 (65% in Week 1). He received an extra 7 carries and extra 3 targets in Week 1, though. What is most concerning for his fantasy value was the huge uptick in touches for J.D. McKissic. McKissic saw 6 targets (5-83) and 4 carries (4-10-1). He got a carry in the red zone, which he scored on. I do not think McKissic will get many carries in the red zone this season, and the 13 carries for Gibson might be his season-low. But this was concerning, including Gibson’ mediocre usage in the passing game.

  • Alvin Kamara played on 84% of snaps, but that was only 37 snaps since the Saints were putrid and only ran 44 plays. He turned 8 carries into only 5 yards, and caught 4 of his 6 targets for only 25 yards. The Saints had less than 200 yards of total offense, in what is likely their worst game in decades. While it is discouraging for those who have any Saints on their rosters, you have to hope this is just one bad apple and that they rebound.

  • Christian McCaffrey played on 71% of snaps, his lowest share in recent memory, but the Panthers were blowing the Saints out allowing Chuba Hubbard to play for much of the 4th quarter. McCaffrey received 24 carries (72 yards and a TD) and also 6 targets (5-65). He is as consistent as you can get in fantasy football.

  • It was not a good day for Joe Mixon. He played on 84% of snaps, but the Bengals struggled to move the ball against the Bears, and he only rushed for 69 yards on 20 carries. He also only received 2 targets (1-2). This line is eerily reminiscent of 2020, so it is concerning. The positive is that no one else received a carry.

  • It was a strange game for Chicago, who won despite putting up only 206 yards of total offense. David Montgomery played on 80% of snaps and received 20 carries, but only ran for 61 yards. You have to hope this offense looks better in future weeks, which would be helped by a switch to Justin Fields at QB.

  • Nick Chubb played on 57% of snaps and Kareem Hunt played on 38%. Chubb rushed 11 times and Hunt rushed 13 times, and both received 1 target. Chubb was able to rush for 95 yards and a score, while Hunt rushed for 51 yards. Both were productive, but Chubb was the better fantasy producer. Both should be started weekly in most leagues.

  • Darrell Henderson played on 68% of snaps and Sony Michel played on 27%. In Week 1, Henderson played on 94% of snaps, so the Week 2 usage is noteworthy. This was the likely the plan because Michel wasn’t quite up to speed for Week 1. Henderson received 13 carries (53 yards and a score) and Michel went 10-46, so a pretty even split. Both were effective, but Henderson got all the receiving work (3-29 on 5 targets). That is encouraging for his fantasy prospects, but expect Michel to be a drain on Henderson’s carry totals.

  • It was a concerning day for those who roster Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines. In Week 1 they split the snaps 55-45%. In Week 2 Taylor played on only 45%, Hines on 37%, and Marlon Mack on 19%. Mack also got 5 carries. Taylor got 7 targets in Week 1 and Hines got 8, but in Week 2 they got only 1 and 2, respectively. If Mack is going to be involved, it means neither Taylor nor Hines are dependable weekly options.

  • The Denver backfield also remains a bit murky. Melvin Gordon played on 59% of snaps and Javonte Williams on 41%, but both received 13 carries. Williams was more effective with his carries, going for 64 yards to Gordon’s 31. Gordon received 2 targets (2-38) and Williams 1 (1-10). It seems that Williams might be a better back, but we will have to wait until he is getting the majority of the carries to see him produce. I anticipate the split will continue.

  • It was a promising week for James Robinson, who played on 73% of snaps to Hyde’s 25%. He received 11 carries to Carlos Hyde’s 2, and got 3 targets to Hyde’s 2. Still, neither is worth much since the Jaguars’ offense is putrid. The team gained only 189 yards on the day.

  • Devin Singletary led the way for the Bills backs, playing on 66% of snaps and garnering 15 touches. Zack Moss was involved, and got 10 touches. Singletary produced 91 total yards and a score, and Moss produced 34 total yards and two scores. It was a good day for these runners, but it’s tough to trust either one on a weekly basis, since the Bills prefer to throw.

  • The Dolphins backs are sharing the work as the coaches stated they would. Gaskin got 61% of the snaps, Ahmed 31%, and Brown 12%. Myles Gaskin got 5 carries, Salvon Ahmed 6, and Malcolm Brown 5. The only encouraging note for those who roster Gaskin is that he received 5 targets and consistently gets the most usage on passing downs. Still, it is an ugly situation for fantasy and should be avoided if possible.

  • Damien Harris played on 41% of snaps, while James White played on 50%. In a game where the Patriots led the whole way, this is concerning for those who roster Harris. However, he handled 16 of the 23 backfield carries, producing 62 yards and a score. White, meanwhile, received 5 carries (20 yards and a score) and 6 targets, leading the team (6-45). He has been involved both weeks and is a flex option in deep PPR leagues.

  • Elijah Mitchell led the way for the 49ers, playing on 61% of snaps. He finished with 17-42 on the ground and 2-11 through the air. JaMychal Hasty (ankle) spelled him, playing on 36%. Trey Sermon (concussion) saw only 1 snap. You can start Mitchell in good matchups until we see a shift in this backfield.

  • Miles Sanders played on 67% of snaps, and he got 14 touches. This is likely to be the range where we see him most weeks, as that seems to be how the Eagles like to use him. If you need to start him, you are hoping he finds the end zone or gets more targets (only 2 on Sunday).

  • Without Josh Jacobs, it was indeed Peyton Barber (13-32) and not Kenyan Drake (7-9) getting the early-down carries. Barber is not a good player and should not be picked up, so the biggest impact is that Drake does not possess the upside we thought. He will not move into a three-down role, even if Jacobs is out.

  • Najee Harris played almost every snap (95%), but again struggled on the ground. The Steelers abandoned the run game, and Harris finished with only 10 carries for 38 yards. They simply cannot run behind this very poor offensive line. Harris salvaged his day in the passing game (5-43-1), but this is tough to count on weekly. It looks like Harris might be an early-round bust unless the Steelers can figure out how to block.

  • Chase Edmonds played on 64% of snaps, while James Conner played on 39%. They both received 8 carries, but Edmonds was far more effective (46 yards compared to 26 for Conner). Edmonds also got all the receiving work for the second straight week, catching all 5 targets for 29 yards. Edmonds is the back you want in Arizona, but as long as he’s splitting carries his upside is capped.

  • Mike Davis played on 64% of snaps in Week 2, and got 9 rushes and 7 receptions. He turned those touches into 63 yards. It isn’t a bad result against a tough Bucs defense, but the flip side is that the No.2 back, Cordarelle Patterson, got 7 rushes and 5 receptions, and turned those into 69 yards (with two scores). Davis was extremely effective in Carolina, but in this split with Patterson (who played on 33% of snaps) his upside is limited. Patterson is someone I’d pick up, since an injury to Davis could give him a huge workload.

  • The Bucs backfield continues to be tough to figure out, and I would avoid it completely if possible. Leonard Fournette played on 49%, Ronald Jones on 41%, and Bernard on 10% of snaps. Fournette led with 15 touches, Jones had 7 touches, and Bernard had 2. Clearly Fournette is leading this backfield, but it will switch in certain weeks, and Fournette has not shown much explosiveness.

  • Ezekiel Elliott played on 71% of snaps and got a healthy 18 touches, finishing with 97 total yards and a score. But Tony Pollard was the story of the day, as he finished with 16 touches for 140 total yards and a score, on only 34% of snaps. It is clear the Cowboys coaches see how dynamic he is and want to get him the ball more, even though they want Zeke involved. If you have Zeke, you aren’t happy about this development, but you still are going to start him every week. If you have Pollard, he can be started as necessary, but there will be slow weeks too, since he is only playing a third of the snaps.

  • Austin Ekeler went from zero targets in Week 1 to catching all 9 of his targets for 61 yards in Week 2. However, he only rushed the ball 9 times for 54 yards. That’s about what we expect from Ekeler, and if he continues to get that many looks he will finish as a top-10 running back.

  • Derrick Henry reminded everyone who may have forgotten that he is an elite back. He played on 76% of snaps and had a staggering 35 carries, which he took for 182 yards and 3 scores! Amazingly, had more receptions and receiving yards (6-55) than AJ Brown. He will have weeks where teams scheme to stop him, but he should always be in lineups.

  • Chris Carson played on only 63% of snaps on Sunday, ceding 26% to Travis Homer and 11% to Alex Collins. He also only received 13 carries, with zero targets. This is a bit concerning, and is something to watch. For now, Carson should stay in your lineups, but if he is not involved in the passing game moving forward, my advice will likely change.

  • Talk about an awful day for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Not only could he not get going on the ground (13-46), but he also did not receive a single target. He also fumbled away the game at the end. Darrel Williams is no threat to his workload, but Jerick McKinnon could begin to push for more work if CEH continues to struggle. For now, you likely have to play him and hope for a turnaround.

  • Ty’Son Williams looked good on Sunday night, rushing for 77 yards on 13 carries and also catching both of his targets for 16 yards. It was Latavius Murray with the goal line work, and he finished with 9-36-1. They also split snaps relatively equally, with Williams playing on 49% and Murray on 36%. So much depends on snap share moving forward but I prefer Williams as a play in Week 3.

  • D’Andre Swift needs a bigger role, but he likely won’t get it. Jamaal Williams has also played well and coaches love him, so we’ll have to live with 12-15 touches for Swift. He did play on more snaps (36 to 22 for Williams), but received only 8 carries and 5 targets. Williams got 7 carries and 3 targets. You can start either player, but neither can be elite while the other is still involved.

  • I predicted on Twitter early last week that we’d be reminded that Aaron Jones is one of the best running backs in the NFL. He played on 69% of snaps, but that likely would have been even higher if the game was close in the 4th quarter. Jones got 17 carries and 6 targets, and went for 115 total yards and four scores. These blowup games are always possible with Jones and this offense, and it’s why you always play him no matter what.

  • AJ Dillon looks like he will not move into a large role this season. He played on only 29% of snaps and I could see Kylin Hill getting more reps since he looks more dynamic.

Wide Receiver

  • Kenny Golladay played on 84% of snaps for the Giants and saw 8 targets (3-38). He struggled, dropping a few balls and looking out of sync with Daniel Jones. Meanwhile, Sterling Shepard played on 93% of snaps and received 10 targets (9-94). It certainly appears that Shepard is Jones’ favorite target, and that’s two weeks in a row he’s led the Giants receivers. Golladay has more season-long upside, but I would avoid him for now. Shepard is a decent flex play for as long as this hot streak lasts.

  • With Curtis Samuel out, Dyami Brown played on 87% of snaps and received 6 targets (3-34). He’s still learning the pro game, but if you’re desperate at receiver he could have a nice week or two during this stretch without Samuel (out at least until Week 4).

  • Terry McLaurin played on 100% of snaps, impressive for any receiver. He received a whopping 14 targets, a 30% target share. He turned those into 11-107 and a score. He is a weekly must-start, regardless of who is at quarterback.

  • Adam Humphries surprised in Week 2, playing on 70% of snaps and clicking immediately with Taylor Heinicke. He received 8 targets (7-44). I would not add him at this point unless you are in a very deep league. Most weeks he will have closer to 2 or 3 receptions.

  • Marquez Callaway played the most snaps among the Saints receivers (73%), but got only 4 targets (2-8). I am not taking much from this Saints game, although any team looking this bad is concerning for season-long fantasy upside.

    D.J. Moore

  • D.J. Moore, for the second straight week, showed that he is clearly the No.1 receiver in Carolina. He played on 88% of snaps, 9 more snaps than Anderson, and received 11 targets (8-79-1). That’s a 29% target share, which is elite. Start Moore every week, regardless of matchup.

  • The Bengals played in 11 personnel (3 wide receivers) almost the entire game. All three of Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase played over 87% of snaps. Chase actually played 1 more snap than Higgins and 3 more than Boyd, but he received the fewest targets (4). He salvaged his day with a late score (2-54-1). While the output was frustrating for fantasy managers, he is out there a ton and it was a frustrating day overall for the Bengals offense. Higgins received a 33% target share, garnering 10 of 30 targets (6-60-1) and Boyd got 9 (7-73). These players will trade off having big weeks, but Higgins and Chase are worth a start every week.

  • It was another encouraging day for Darnell Mooney. He played on 89% of snaps and led the team with 8 targets. That was good enough for a 33% target share on a day when they only threw 24 passes. If this offense ever starts clicking, Mooney could be a league winner. I’d grab him now if you can, but just remember it might be mid-season before the offense picks up steam.

  • Brandin Cooks played on 92% of snaps in Week 2 and received a ridiculous 14 targets on only 29 throws (48% target share). He turned those into 9-78-1. I knew Cooks would be their only option in the passing game, but I did not expect them to have this much success. If you took Cooks in the middle rounds, you have to like his production so far.

  • Cooper Kupp was again the top receiver for the Rams, with Robert Woods their 1A. Kupp played on every snap, and Woods played on all but 1 snap. Kupp received a 37% target share and Woods a 30% target share. Kupp had 9 catches for 163 yards and 2 scores, and Woods had 5 catches for 64 yards. There will be weeks when Woods out-produces Kupp, but for the second week in a row it was Kupp going hog wild. Both are every-week starters.

  • Michael Pittman Jr. did in Week 2 what I was expecting him to do in Week 1. He took over the receiving work for the Colts, garnering a 33% target share and producing 8 catches on 12 targets for 123 yards. It seems he is clicking with Wentz (ankles), and this could make him a very viable option this season.

  • With Jerry Jeudy injured, Courtland Sutton came to play. He received a 35% target share, going 9-159 on 12 targets. No other receiver saw more than 4 targets (Fant got 6), so it was truly the Sutton show. It was extremely encouraging that he was clicking with Bridgewater, and bodes very well for the rest of his season. The only thing to keep in mind is that it came against the Jaguars, so he will face tougher tests.

  • Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler both played on more than 70% of snaps. Patrick received 4 targets (3-37-1) and Hamler received 3 targets (1-5). It seems that either Hamler is simply not very good or he is just not clicking with Bridgewater. Patrick is a low-end flex option while Jeudy is out, but Hamler looks like he can be dropped.

  • The Jaguars have looked awful two weeks in a row, and neither receiver has been able to produce much. In Week 2, D.J. Chark had 4 targets and only caught 1 for 19 yards. Laviska Shenault had 7 targets but only caught 2 for -3 yards. While they both played on 80% of snaps, until the offense starts clicking (if they ever do), both will be fairly useless. Marvin Jones (88% of snaps) seems to be Lawrence’s favorite target and had 6-55-1 on 11 targets. But, it is difficult to trust any Jaguars players at this point.

  • The Bills’ receiving group is clear. It is Stefon Diggs, then Emmanuel Sanders, then Cole Beasley, then Gabriel Davis. That’s the order we have seen in the first two weeks for snap share and target share, so that’s how I see it playing out. Sanders and Beasley will both have spike weeks and both will disappoint in other weeks. Davis will have weeks when he scores, but other weeks when he doesn’t see a target (like Week 2).

  • With Will Fuller out, it was DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle who dominated the work for the Dolphins at receiver. Preston Williams did return and played on 30% of snaps, and Albert Wilson got 55%. But Parker (74%) and Waddle (64%) got most of the looks, garnering 9 and 8 targets, respectively. The offense looked bad and lost Tua Tagovailoa early in the game to a rib injury, but these are two to keep an eye on as we move forward.

  • Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor both played over 85% of snaps, but neither did much (4-38 and 4-28, respectively). Neither should be started until this offense shows it can produce more yards and points.

  • Passing games don’t get much worse than the Jets. Zach Wilson threw four interceptions and zero touchdowns. Elijah Moore led the receivers with 78% of snaps, so that was encouraging, and he also received 8 targets (4-47). Corey Davis only produced 2 catches for 8 yards on 5 targets. This is not surprising, since Belichick always tries to take away the top option for the opposing team, and he again did it effectively. Better days are ahead for Davis and Moore, as long as Wilson can figure out how to protect the ball.

  • Deebo Samuel led the way again for the 49ers receivers, playing on 70% of snaps and receiving 8 targets (27% target share). He caught 6-93. He is clearly the top option in the passing game, so start him with confidence until that changes.

  • Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk saw about half the snaps (54%) and received only 2 targets (1-6). He must be benched until he is playing more.

  • DeVonta Smith received 7 targets, a 30% target share, but caught only 2 for 16 yards. Reagor saw 5 targets, a 21% target share, but only caught 2 for 5 yards. Hurts went 12-23, so it was a rough day for the Eagles offense in general, which is concerning.

  • It was the best game of Henry Ruggs’ young career. He played on 67% of snaps and got 7 targets, catching 5 for 113 yards and a score. Certainly his day would not have looked as good without the 61-yard score, but that counts. He moves into weekly flex consideration.

  • The Steelers worked hard to get Chase Claypool involved, peppering him with 9 targets. Unfortunately, he only caught 3 of them. His upside is immense, but he must continue to improve his overall game in order to reach that upside. Meanwhile, Diontae Johnson again led the way with 12 targets, and caught 9 for 105 yards. He is a weekly must-start due to his involvement in the offense. Finally, JuJu Smith-Schuster was third with 7 targets, catching 6 for 41 yards. However, JuJu led the way in snap share (96%) and also is worth a weekly start, despite having a much lower upside.

  • Adam Thielen played on 100% of snaps and scored again. He got 7 targets, a 22% target share. Justin Jefferson played on 87% of snaps and also scored, but received 10 targets (an elite 31% target share). Jefferson only went 6-65-1, but it could have been a bigger day. KJ Osborn played on 59% of snaps and caught 5 of 6 targets for 91 yards and a score. Most of his production came on an early 64-yard touchdown, so he is definitely behind the other two from a snap and target share perspective.

  • Rondale Moore led the Cardinals in receiving in Week 2, catching 7 of 8 targets for 114 yards and a score. That included a 77-yard touchdown reception and he finished with a 22% target share. This was a breakout performance, but don’t overreact since without the long touchdown the stats would not be dominant. He also only played on 46% of snaps. Still, this was a very encouraging performance.

  • DeAndre Hopkins received only 4 targets on the day, an 11% target share. He caught them all for 54 yards and a score, salvaging his day. The Vikings schemed to take him away, so I’m not concerned about this result. A.J. Green also scored, his first TD as a Cardinal, and he caught 3 of 6 targets for 44 yards. Even Christian Kirk was involved, catching 3 of 4 for 65 yards. All three played on more snaps than Rondale Moore, but that is likely to change.

  • As expected, Mike Evans bounced back from a sub-par Week 1, catching 5 of 9 targets for 75 yards and two scores. Keep him in your lineups. Yes, he is volatile, but yes, he will win you weeks.

  • Meanwhile, Antonio Brown showed why he was selected after both Evans and Godwin in drafts. He played on 44% of snaps and caught one of his three targets. He is even more of a boom-bust option, and whether or not you start him should depend on your other options and the Bucs opponent.

  • Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb both played almost all of the snaps. Cooper finished with only 5 targets (3-24), as the Chargers looked to take him away. Lamb finished with 9 (8-81), and looked great. Lamb will continue to push for lots of targets every week, and both should always be in your lineups.

  • Mike Williams and Keenan Allen both played over 75% of snaps and both were busy. But it was Williams who again led the team in targets, with 10. That was a 24% target share, while Allen received 8 (19%). Williams turned those targets into 7 catches for 91 yards and a score, his second elite line in as many weeks. He is looking like one of the steals of draft season early on, and you should have him in your lineups. Allen went 4-108 and will have some huge games too, and is still a weekly must-start.

  • Julio Jones had his welcome party to the Titans, leading the team with 6 receptions for 128 yards. Teams are going to have a hard time knowing who to double-team on a weekly basis. A.J. Brown struggled and finished with 3 receptions for 43 yards, on 9 targets. However, he played on 84% of snaps, so I am confident bigger days are coming for him.

  • Tyler Lockett had another huge day, finishing with 8-178-1 on 11 targets. That was good enough for a 35% target share! DK Metcalf also had a 35% target share in this concentrated offense, but was only able to produce 6-53. Both should be in your lineups weekly, as the spike weeks will come for Metcalf.

  • Tyreek Hill played all but one snap and was simply doubled on every play. He finished with only 4 targets (3-14), likely his worst game of the season. The Chiefs will work on this and find ways to get him the ball, as it made a big impact. Without him being open the other receivers did step up, with Hardman going 5-55 on 8 targets, Robinson 3-46-1 on 4 targets, and Pringle 2-63-1 on 2 targets. But KC missed Hill.

  • Marquise Brown has had a fantastic start to his season. He again led the Ravens in receiving, catching 6 of 10 targets for 113 yards and a long touchdown. In any game where the Ravens will need to throw the ball, he is an excellent start.

  • With Tyrell Williams out, it was Quintez Cephus who stepped in as the No. 1 option for the Lions. He got 7 targets (4-63-1), and played on 89% of snaps. Since he played well, he may have earned himself the chance to remain a full-time player. As a result, he is worth a pick-up in most leagues.

Tight Ends

  • Logan Thomas played on 100% of snaps again, and received 7 targets. While he looked open, Heinicke preferred to target Adam Humphries on many of the shorter routes. If he can get on the same page with Heinicke, he will have some very big days. Continue to start him with confidence.

  • Adam Trautman played on 52% of snaps and did not receive a target. Juwan Johnson played on 41% of snaps and received 3 targets (1-23). Again, I am not going to take much from this Saints game, but I will avoid both of these tight ends until one of them becomes consistent.

  • For the Panthers, Ian Thomas played the most snaps at tight end (52), followed by Tommy Tremble (29), and then Dan Arnold (22). However, it was Arnold who received the most targets (4) and went 3-55. He is basically a receiver playing tight end and seems to have a nice rapport with Darnold, so if he can get to even 50% of snaps he is worth a pickup in deep leagues.

  • Cole Kmet played on 72% of snaps but only received 1 target. Again, the Bears offense was awful in Week 2, so you have to hope for a switch to Fields at some point.

  • The Browns have three tight ends who are all capable of producing. In Week 2, Austin Hooper played on 69% of snaps, David Njoku on 59%, and Harrison Bryant on 51%. Hooper got 4 targets, Njoku 2, and Bryant 4. In this sort of situation I say avoid all of them.

  • Tyler Higbee played on 100% of snaps, but he only received 1 target (1-8). I suppose there are weeks like this, but a talented receiving tight end playing every snap is worth starting every week, unless you happen to have a top TE option on your team as well.

  • We had a Jack Doyle sighting in Week 2. He played on 75% of snaps (compared to 40% for Mo Alie-Cox) and received a whopping 8 targets (5-64). I wouldn’t add him yet unless you have deep rosters, but if this continues he will have some nice weeks for sure.

  • Noah Fant was the second most targeted on the Broncos, getting 6 targets and catching 4 for 33 yards and a score. While it wasn’t a huge output, his steady involvement in the passing game makes him one of the best tight end options in the league. Start him with confidence.

  • Mike Gesicki had a better week in Week 2, playing on 64% of snaps. No other tight end played on more than 30% of snaps, although 4 total tight ends played. Gesicki played way fewer snaps in Week 1, so this was encouraging, as were his 6 targets. He went 3-41.

  • Jonnu Smith (hip) played on only 50% of snaps, while Hunter Henry played on 81%. This could have been due to the injury Smith has been struggling with. Smith received 5 targets (4-28) and Henry 4 (2-42). Neither is an exciting option, but again there are so few options at tight end that you might have to start one of them.

  • What a disappointing start to the season for George Kittle. He played on every snap (95% in Week 2), but only received 4 targets and caught them all for 17 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo looked terrible in this game, missing open receivers often, but with the 49ers 2-0, I don’t see a change coming soon. For those who invested an early round pick in Kittle, this start likely has their team in trouble.

  • Dallas Goedert played on 66% of snaps but only received 2 targets. Again, the Eagles offense struggled to get anything going against the 49ers, so I’m not too concerned.

  • Darren Waller dominated in Week 2, playing on 92% of snaps and tying for the team-lead with 7 targets. He caught 5 for 65 yards. You must start him every week.

  • It appears we have seen a changing of the guard for the Steelers, as I hinted at last week. Pat Freiermuth played more snaps than Ebron (33 to 24), and received 4 targets to Ebron’s 2. Further, Freiermuth caught all 4 targets for 36 yards, while Ebron didn’t catch either of his targets. I think we will see this gap widen as we move along, making Freiermuth a very nice pickup if he’s available in your league.

  • Maxx Williams (ARI) came from nowhere to catch all 7 of his targets for 94 yards. He played on 75% of snaps as well. This is interesting, and makes him a target worth adding in deep and tight end-premium leagues. Keep in mind there are lots of players to target in this offense, and Williams played 80% of snaps last week with only 1 target. Consistency will likely not be there for him. Still, in this tight end landscape it’s something to pay attention to.

  • Kyle Pitts played on 79% of snaps and received 6 targets, finishing with 5 catches for 73 yards. That is an elite stat line for tight ends, and he is going to get better. Start him with confidence.

  • Rob Gronkowski again had a very nice game, catching 4 of 5 targets for 39 yards, with two touchdowns. His weekly usefulness will depend on whether or not he scores, and there are many mouths to feed in Tampa. But when Brady is throwing 4+ touchdowns on a weekly basis, it is easy to keep Gronk in your starting lineup.

  • Dalton Schultz played more snaps than Blake Jarwin (73% to 47%), but Jarwin got 4 targets to Schultz’s 2. Both are tough starts when they are sharing the snaps. I would roster them in deep leagues, but unless your desperate, I’d hold off on starting either until one gets more clearly established as the receiving weapon.

  • Anthony Firkser did not play due to injury Sunday, and in his absence the Titans’ tight ends put up 6 receptions for 73 yards. He could have posted a decent day, and it was encouraging for his future prospects. He is likely to be dropped and could be an option in deep leagues.

  • It was a very disappointing day for Gerald Everett, who played on 80% of snaps but only received 2 targets (1-3). This Seattle offense struggled, so he should be benched until things start clicking.

  • Mark Andrews played on 75% of snaps and caught all 5 targets for 57 yards. He will end the season as a top 5 tight end if this usage continues, so don’t worry about his lack of touchdowns so far.

  • T.J. Hockenson is officially elite. He again played almost every snap and led the team in targets with 9 (8-66-1). If you drafted him, you likely have yourself a top-3 tight end if he stays healthy.

Kevin Scott is a fantasy pro who has made over $100,000 playing fantasy football. Catch his podcast "Grinding the Data" and you can follow him on Twitter @kevinscottff.