A Monday Night Football doubleheader is still on the docket. However, there were plenty of ups, downs and interesting happenings to dig into from Thursday’s and Sunday’s games. Let’s look at a few disappointments from Week 2.
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Top Disappointments
The RB Deadzone Strikes Again
The rise of Williams in LA’s backfield came at the expense of Cam Akers. He was a healthy inactive. Gamers should cut him, even in deeper leagues.
Dameon Pierce‘s struggles aren’t entirely his fault. Houston’s offensive line is a trainwreck.
Right guard Shaq Mason is the only OL who started today’s game who began training camp with the #Texans as a starter. Everyone else is an injury substitute with Laremy Tunsil (knee) sidelined today, and following players on IR: Kenyon Green (torn labrum), Tytus Howard (hand…
– Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 17, 2023
Still, Pierce has failed to live up to expectations relative to his average draft position (ADP).
Alexander Mattison has also lived down to the nickname “Midison” bestowed upon him by his detractors. Minnesota has passed at a blistering 73% rate in neutral game scripts through two contests.
The pass-happy approach hasn’t been kind to Mattison’s fantasy value. Yet, the offensive tendencies are the least of his problems. He’s rushed for only 62 scoreless yards on 19 attempts and corraled six receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown. Mattison has averaged a pitiful 3.3 yards per touch. Maybe Dalvin Cook wasn’t the only reason Mattison failed to earn a meaningful complementary role in Minnesota’s offense through his first four seasons.
Gamers who drafted Pierce and Mattison have no choice but to hope for better games, either with an improvement in underlying data to continue to hold or adequate enough surface stats to trade for something of value.
Denver’s Toxicity Hearkens Memories of System of a Down
Putting aside the bad joke for the nu-metal fans reading, Denver’s offense is a nightmare for fantasy football. According to Pro-Football-Reference, the Broncos ran only 58 offensive plays in Week 1. They ran 62 in Week 2. However, they ran seven plays (11.3%) in a mad dash, culminating in a successful hail mary on their final drive of the game.
The lack of play volume is problematic for their skill-position players unless Russell Wilson recaptures his big-play form from his peak. Moreover, gamers should tread carefully with Marvin Mims after his blow-up game. According to Late-Round Fantasy Football creator JJ Zachariason, Mims ran only five routes in Week 2.
Marvin Mims ran 5 — FIVE — routes against the Commanders. He was targeted twice on those routes and caught both passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Maybe use him more, @Broncos.
– JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) September 18, 2023
Gamers with medium-to-deep benches can stash Mims. However, they shouldn’t start him until he’s more consistently involved in the offense.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
