There was a ton of noteworthy performances in Fantasy Football in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season. We saw quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Tom Brady, and even Jared Goff lead the way in scoring to begin the season. Sometimes playing someone like Goff could pan out like it did in Week 1, but it also could have backfired against the San Francisco 49ers.
Every week, you are always stuck making decisions on who you want to insert into your starting lineup. While some are safer options, you want someone that can have a ceiling game in your lineup.
As we enter the second week of the regular season, here are five boom-or-bust plays in Fantasy Football for Week 2.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
There was a lot of chatter surrounding Ja’Marr Chase ahead of his regular-season debut with the Cincinnati Bengals. Throughout the preseason and training camp, Chase struggled with drops, leading many to believe that he could sputter out of the gates.
On the contrary, Chase would catch five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 versus the Minnesota Vikings. Chase has an opportunity to have another productive performance in Week 2 against a porous Chicago Bears secondary. But at the same time, Chase is a rookie wideout and Chicago’s defensive front could cause issues for the offensive line of Cincinnati.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Texans
Not many people expected the Houston Texans to come out firing like they did in Week 1 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tyrod Taylor looked sharp in his first start with the Texans, proving that he’s still a solid quarterback in the NFL when he’s not having his lung punctured.
It was Brandin Cooks who was the main beneficiary of Taylor’s passes, hauling in five receptions for 132 yards. Trusting wide receivers on the Texans is going to be tough to do every week this season, but there’s a chance that Cooks could have another stellar showing in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns.
Elijah Mitchell, RB, 49ers
Everyone is going to be clamoring to get Elijah Mitchell on the waiver wire in Fantasy Football if he isn’t already on a team. Mitchell became the starting running back of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 following an injury to Raheem Mostert and Trey Sermon being a healthy scratch. The sixth-round pick out of Louisiana rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in Week 1 against the Lions.
While Mitchell could certainly explode again in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s hard to predict what Kyle Shanahan does at running back each week. For all we know, Sermon or Jamycal Hasty could lead the backfield in touches this week.
Tim Patrick, WR, Broncos
Another popular name to watch on the waiver wire in fantasy football is Tim Patrick of the Denver Broncos. Jerry Jeudy is going to miss more than a month of action after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 1. Patrick saw more playing time once Jeudy went down with an injury, catching four passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Even though Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant likely get the biggest boost from Jeudy’s absence, Patrick should have an opportunity to be the No. 2 wideout in the offense now. However, there’s also the chance that KJ Hamler emerges as the No. 2 wide receiver with the Broncos looking to replace Jeudy until he can return.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
There were good and not-so-good moments from Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1 versus the New England Patriots. Facing a Bill Belichick defense is never an easy task for a young quarterback, so mistakes were to be expected. However, the Miami Dolphins got the victory over the Patriots, giving Tagovailoa some confidence moving forward.
It was a good sign to see Tagovailoa connect with Jaylen Waddle often in Week 1 as he has an assortment of weapons, especially with Will Fuller returning in Week 2. While it depends on what version of Tagovailoa we get against the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa has an opportunity to be a solid option in Fantasy Football this week.
