Now that Week 1 of the NFL has come and gone, let’s take a look at what Week 2 has in store for us.
If you picked up a loss in your season opener like I did (Matt Ryan and tailbacks Arian Foster and Kevin Smith were a big part of that), then you might be prowling the waiver wire to see how you can improve your club moving forward. But remember that it’s a long season, so it’s good to exude patience.
Considering my defense, which was Atlanta (yeah, I’m not big on picking defenses early in fantasy drafts), is taking on Peyton Manning and the high-powered Broncos attack on Monday night, I nabbed the San Diego Chargers ‘D’ off the waiver wire and dropped the Falcons (I’m usually a matchup guy with defenses) due to their matchup with the Tennessee Titans. As much as I like Titans tailback Chris Johnson and all he brings to his team, I came away impressed with how the Bolts defended Darren McFadden (who I own) and the Raiders running game on Monday night.
San Diego held McFadden to just 32 yards on the ground and didn’t allow the Raiders to find the end zone until the fourth quarter, when the game was out of reach. The Chargers also picked up three sacks, two by veteran linebacker Shaun Phillips, and constantly harassed Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer, who finished the evening 32 of 46 passing for 297 yards and a score.
San Diego first-round pick Melvin Ingram looks like he’ll play a big role in San Diego’s defense this year. The former South Carolina Gamecock finished with only one tackle, but he added a forced fumble and flashed good pass-rush ability. Former Broncos receiver/punt returner Eddie Royal also gives the Bolts a dangerous return man who can help pad the stats.
Another defense to watch is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were lights out against Cam Newton and the high-powered Carolina Panthers offense. The Bucs held Carolina to just 10 yards rushing, picked off Newton twice and sacked him three more times in their 16-10 win.
Tampa doesn’t have a great matchup at the New York Giants this weekend, but they might be a good defense to nab in future matchups. The Bucs front four, led by former first round picks Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn, is one of the best young units in the league and should be a force if they can stay healthy.
Two more defenses to keep an eye on are Denver and Dallas. The Broncos defense has a tough matchup against Atlanta in Week 2, but the Cowboys could be a good play against Seattle. However, the Seahawks are always a tough team at home, so keep that in mind.
One guy who didn’t last long on the waiver wire in my 10-team league this week was Buffalo tailback C.J. Spiller. Spiller played well for the Bills down the stretch a year ago, and had a big day after starter Fred Jackson went down with a LCL (knee) sprain. The former Clemson star had 169 yards rushing and a score on just 14 carries. With Jackson out, Spiller will get his chance to shine.
Other popular waiver wire pickups included Dallas wide receiver Kevin Ogletree (eight catches for 114 yards and two TDs on 11 targets), New England’s defense (for some reason they weren’t drafted in my league), Washington tailback Alfred Morris (28 carries for 96 yards and two TDs), Pittsburgh tailback Jonathan Dwyer (nine carries for 43 yards) and Green Bay receiver James Jones (four catches for 81 yards and a score on six targets). Dwyer did not practice Wednesday due to a foot injury, but he should be ready to go versus the Jets this weekend.
On a side note, Rashard Mendenhall, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury a year ago, practice Wednesday, but the team is bringing him along slowly. It is uncertain whether he will play or not against the New York Jets on Sunday.
Show The Splinters:
Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay: Jennings groin injury could keep him on the bench when the Packers take on the Bears Thursday night. Jennings owners should monitor his situation closely.
Jeremy Maclin, WR Philadelphia: Maclin has a hip injury and may miss the Eagles game against the Ravens. Again, keep an eye on his status.
Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo: Jackson is out and should not be in any starting lineup. If you have Jackson, hopefully you got lucky and landed Spiller on the waiver wire.
Atlanta Falcons Defense: Quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver offense isn’t a good matchup for Atlanta. You may want to keep them reserved this week or look to add another unit.
Let See The Field:
C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo: With Jackson out, Spiller gets the chance to show how good he really is. He has a great matchup with Kansas City and should post some big numbers.
Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington: This kid is the real deal folks. If you picked him, you may have gotten the steal of the draft. This guy has all the tools to be a great one. And he’s a class act too.
San Diego Chargers Defense: These guys really made an impression on me last week and I like their matchup with the Titans at home. Tennessee starting quarterback Jake Locker is still learning and he could be in for a long day if the tough San Diego run defense can slow tailback Chris Johnson.
James Jones, WR, Green Bay: The last time Green Bay and Chicago hooked up, Jones had four catches for 50 yards and two TDs. If Jennings is unable to go, Jones will slide into the starting lineup as the Packers No. 2 wideout, with Jordy Nelson moving into the No. 1 role. That will likely mean Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, one of the better corners in the NFL, would be on Nelson, which could mean a bid day for Jones.
Willis McGahee, RB, Denver: McGahee had a tough matchup against Pittsburgh a week ago, but he could see more daylight against the Falcons defense on Monday night.
Kevin Ogletree, WR, Dallas: The Cowboys’ receiving corps will face a pretty tough secondary when the team takes on Seattle, but Ogletree could be the beneficiary of that if he draws safety Cam Chancellor in coverage. Chancellor is more of a run defender than pass defender and Ogletree could have a big game working the middle of the field.
Biggest Blunder of Last Week:
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina: Minus 1-yard! Really! Come on man! What a rip-off a week ago. Last year he ran wild over the Bucs defense in two games but that wasn’t the case in Week 1. Again, minus 1-yard on six carries. Man that crow was tasty.