A quick-hit recap of what really mattered from Thursday through Sunday. We skip the obvious studs and instead focus on usage trends, injuries, and key shifts that actually impact your lineup decisions.

Welcome to the Monday edition of the Daily Dose newsletter, our “Fantasy Fallout” day. In this article, you will get a quick rundown of the relevant things we learned from the week’s games from Thursday through Sunday. 

We won’t talk about every single player and we usually won’t spend time on studs who go nuts (no one needs to be told to start Saquon Barkley right now!), but rather, the idea is to update you on usage trends, injuries, and other relevant things to help your decisions with your teams for the coming week and beyond.

COMMANDERS @ PACKERS

• Washington RB Austin Ekeler suffered a season-ending Achilles injury late in the Commanders’ loss in Green Bay. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt should see an expanded role moving forward.
• Green Bay WR Jayden Reed suffered a broken collarbone that will require surgery. He will miss 6-8 weeks, and his absence could afford role-playing WRs like Matthew Golden and Dontayvion WIcks more snaps and opportunities.
• Packers’ TE Tucker Kraft turned seven targets into a monster 6-124-1 line. He leads the team in all major receiving categories through two weeks and is an every-week starter.

GIANTS @ COWBOYS

• Russell Wilson was cooking in Dallas, totaling 450 passing yards in a wild overtime loss. Wilson struggled in Week 1 when the Commanders were getting consistent pressure, but he was outstanding in Week 2 as the Cowboys let him get comfortable. The Giants’ next two games are against the blitz-happy Chiefs and the strong pass rush of the Chargers.
• Giants wide receivers Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson were electric, combining for 17 receptions, 309 yards, and three touchdowns. Nabers is obviously a no-brainer starter, but Robinson is the story here as he showed downfield ability and a weekly ceiling we had not seen anything close to in the past.
• It appears we have a full blown RB committee in New York, with Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. splitting the work nearly evenly. Skattebo could become the feature back here sooner than later.
• No injuries or surprising usage for the Cowboys, with all of their main players having solid games.

SEAHAWKS @ STEELERS

• Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba was terrific, as always, but veteran WR Cooper Kupp had a nice game with seven receptions for 90 yards after a disappointing opening week. The two receivers combined for two-thirds of the team’s targets, a trend that we should expect to continue. 
• Seattle RB Kenneth Walker III outplayed Zach Charbonnet in Week 2. Walker may have taken control of the backfield with 118 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches, while Charbonnet managed only 10 yards on 15 carries. Walker gets a juicy matchup with the Saints in Week 3.
• Aaron Rodgers targeted six different players between four and six times. DK Metcalf is the only receiver or tight end you can trust here.
• Steelers RB Jaylen Warren pulled away from Kenneth Gainwell a bit in Week 2. Warren played 58% of the snaps (compared to 42% for Gainwell) and had 134 yards from scrimmage on 18 touches. Warren is a solid Flex starter next week against the Patriots, while Gainwell is nothing more than a bench stash for now.

RAMS @ TITANS

• The Rams offense ran as expected, with the trio of Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Kyren Williams accounting for 70% of the team’s offense. All three of the aforementioned players are locked-in starters regardless of matchup, but no one else on this team is startable in fantasy.
• Titans RB Tony Pollard had another “meh” fantasy output. But, make no mistake, this is his backfield, as he played 90% of the team’s snaps and handled nearly all of the running back opportunities.
• Rookie WR Elic Ayomanor made a highlight touchdown catch and finished the first half with a 5 // 46 // 1 receiving line, but he was shut out in the second half. He is a promising talent and played 73% of the team’s snaps, making him a great target if he is still available in your league.

BILLS @ JETS

• Jets QB Justin Fields left the game to be evaluated for a concussion in the second half, and he did not return. Veteran QB Tyrod Taylor came in to finish the game and appears likely to start next week at Tampa Bay. 
• As was the case in Week 1, the Jets offense ran almost entirely through RB Breece Hall and WR Garrett Wilson. The results were much worse this week, as the Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and handled them very well. 
• Bills RB James Cook was the star of the show with 135 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns. 
• Ten players were targeted in the passing game for Buffalo, with no one posting a useful fantasy score. This is an offense that spreads the ball around, which means everyone except James Cook and Josh Allen are risky starts in a given week.

PATRIOTS @ DOLPHINS

Your weekly roadmap to the wire. Each Tuesday, Tony Kneepkens highlights the top adds across positions — complete with FAAB recommendations and context to help you prioritize based on your league size and format

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening). Priorities and FAAB recommendations are meant to differentiate between some of the options available and are assuming 12-team, single-QB, fantasy formats.

It’s not the strongest week for waivers despite my first “high-priority” waiver recommendation of the season. There are more options at WR and TE than there are at QB, or especially at RB, if you’re looking to add depth to your fantasy roster this week.

QB Pickups

Daniel Jones, IND, Week 3 at TEN

• Jones shows up here again as a top QB to add after performing admirably against a usually stingy Broncos’ defense last week, passing for 316 yards and a TD while rushing for another score. He’s set up for success in Indy, spreading the ball around to his outstanding rookie TE Tyler Warren and a talented group of four Colts WRs.
• Low-priority add. Jones is my favorite QB pickup based on his dual-threat upside, and his matchup at Tennessee this week looks like a fine spot to use him if your starter is injured or in a tougher matchup of his own.
• 5% or less of FAAB.

Jake Browning, CIN, Week 3 at MIN

• Browning is set to take the reins of the high-powered Bengals offense with superstar QB Joe Burrow out for multiple months with a toe injury. Browning threw for 241 yards, two TDs, and three interceptions in the Bengals’ win over the Jags and added a short rushing TD as well.
• Low-priority add. Browning has a history of filling in for Burrow, having started the final seven games of the 2023 season. Browning threw for 11 TDs and ran for three more scores in those games and finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in five of those starts. Despite all of the positives, the immediate matchup at Minnesota is tough, and there are other strong QB options to consider. I like adding Browning to a team looking for a second QB to cover byes or play in certain matchups.
• 3% or less of FAAB.

RB Pickups

Tyler Allgeier, ATL, Week 3 at CAR

• Allgeier has 10+ carries in both Falcons games to start the year while filling a complementary role to superstar RB Bijan Robinson. He’s tied for second on the team with 104 scrimmage yards through two weeks.
• Low-to-medium priority add. It’s not the strongest week for immediate RB help from the waiver wire, but if you’re desperate, you could flex Allgeier against a Panthers team allowing over 5.0 yards per carry. Even if you don’t need to start him, Allgeier is still a great bench stash as the primary backup RB on a strong offense.
• 10% or less of FAAB.

Blake Corum, LAR, Week 3 at PHI

• Corum turned his five Week 2 carries into 44 yards and a TD and is the only Rams RB with a touch this season other than starter Kyren Williams. Corum has been rotated in for an entire offensive series at a time, rather than having a more specific role carved out for him.
• Low-priority add. Corum is the right kind of bench stash as a primary backup RB on a solid offense. It’s a bonus that his team has shown it is willing to play him in various downs and distances.
• 5% or less of FAAB.

Some additional lower-priority RB adds to consider:

• Kenneth Gainwell (PIT)– Has 8+ touches in both games to start the year, potential bye-week coverage in PPR leagues.
• Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez (WAS) – One or both will likely serve a complementary role to rookie phenom Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the wake of Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury. A situation to monitor for now.

IR stash candidate(s): Tyjae Spears (TEN)

WR Pickups

Troy Franklin, DEN, Week 3 at LAC

Each week, Juan Carlos Blanco spotlights 4–5 under-the-radar plays who combine DFS tournament upside with season-long streaming value. These matchup-driven picks are usually available in most leagues.

Each week, Streaming Sleepers will highlight at least five non-QB skill-position players that currently have sub-20% start or roster rates in season-long leagues but may be prudent options this week due to matchups and other circumstances, particularly in deeper formats. 

Additionally, the plays suggested here could be viable DFS large-field tournament options for the coming slate and are likely to carry modest ownership rates in that format as well.

Nick Chubb, HOU at JAX – 18% start rate

Chubb’s current sub-20% start rate gives us a big name to start this week’s article with, and his relatively sparse usage by fantasy managers is at least slightly surprising. 

The four-time 1,000-yard rusher looks healthier than he did in 2024 with the Browns, was encouragingly involved in the passing game in Week 2 (2-29 line on two targets), and boasts a 38.5% broken-tackle rate through his first pair of games despite tough matchups against the Rams and Buccaneers’ run defenses.

Chubb appears to have a firm grasp of the lead role and appears to have regained the explosiveness to gain some yards after contact, something he was amply capable of before his injury.

Elic Ayomanor, TEN vs. IND – 1% start rate

Ayomanor has been getting plenty of press in sharp fantasy circles since preseason, and even though he’s yet to deliver his first breakout game, it seems to be bubbling up under the surface. 

As has already been mentioned in various pieces of OWS content, Ayomanor had the most unrealized air yards in Week 1. He then mustered a 4-56-1 line on six targets in Week 2, making an OBJ-like one-handed grab down the right sideline and a fantastic hustle play that resulted in a contested-catch TD.

Ayomanor currently lays claim to a whopping 39.7% of the Titans’ air yards, is drawing a target on 48.8% of his routes, and owns a solid 73% snap rate. The Colts’ defense did an admirable job against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Week 1 but allowed 42- and 23-yard gains to Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims, respectively, in Week 2. 

Quinshon Judkins, CLE vs. GB – 6% start rate 

Xandamere breaks down the Thursday Night Football matchup with leverage angles and roster construction tips — the perfect way for fantasy players to start learning DFS through Showdown.

XANDAMERE’S SHOWDOWN SLANT

It’s already Week 3, and this season is flying by. We start off the week with the Dolphins visiting the Bills for a big 49.5 total game in which Buffalo is favored by 11.5 or 12.5, depending on where you look. The Dolphins defense has looked pretty atrocious to start the season, while the Bills have scored 30 and 41 points in their first two games, which is driving the high total in this one. 

INJURY UPDATE: After writing this article, Jaylen Waddle showed up on the injury report as questionable. Looks like he’s likely to play, but if he misses or is at all limited, it adds more weight to the idea of Achane being used more out wide with Wright also on the field at the same time. It would also be a big boost to Washington and Westbrook-Ikhine.

BUFFALO

We’ll start with the Bills, where James Cook has had a red-hot start to the season, scoring 3 touchdowns and racking up 176 rushing yards and a 6/61 line through the air. Not bad for two games. What’s more important is what while Cook’s snap counts are still modest (keep in mind the Bills pulled their starters last game as they blow out the Jets), his share of rushing work is excellent – he saw 13 of 16 RB carries in Week 1 and 21 of 32 in Week 2 (and keep in mind that Week 2 had some garbage time in which Ray Davis got some extra carries). The knock against Cook has always been a combination of volume and Josh Allen vulturing touchdowns. Those concerns are still valid (Josh Allen has 5 carries inside the 5-yard line compared to just three for Cook), but Cook getting to 21 carries in an easy win would be awfully nice for his value if it turns out to be a trend. Will it? I don’t know – given what we’ve seen from Buffalo for years, I’d bet against it – but I could be wrong. What we do know is that Cook’s ceiling is excellent, even with modest volume, because of how good an offense Buffalo has. We know the matchup is excellent against a mediocre Dolphins D (their strength is their line but “strength” is just in comparative terms, as so far they have not been very good against the run). Behind Cook, Ty Johnson has been in a very modest role to start the season with just 7 touches in two games, but I expect better things are coming for him, and he’s a viable punt play (with no real floor). Ray Davis is unlikely to see much work unless the game blows out, but with the Bills being huge home favorites, he deserves to be in onslaught player pools. Otherwise, you’re just hoping for a lucky TD. 

Showdown Ownership Projections!

Ownership updates automatically

In the passing game, the Bills are the absolute worst. One week after Keon Coleman played 88% of the snaps and looked like he might be the new WR1, he only played 51% of the snaps (again, everyone played fewer than normal, but no WR going over 51% is more like the Bills of old, with them spreading things around from the start). Look, when it comes to Bills pass catchers, your guess is really as good as mine. Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Josh Palmer should be the main guys, but Elijah Moore and Tyrell Shavers are going to play more than anyone (including Bills fans) wants to see. Coleman’s the best bet here as a talented second-year receiver who is leading the team in targets so far, performed well in Week 1, and could well take a step forward this season, but “best” is still fairly fragile. At just $6,800, he’s a risk worth taking in my opinion. Shakir is fine – his per-target upside is modest, so he usually needs volume or a score to pay off – he’s better in builds based around competitive games, and there isn’t really anything that makes him stand out to me beyond just being attached to a good offense. Palmer is interesting as he’s priced around the kickers and won’t project especially well (that price range is often a wasteland for skill position players; they get lost among the kickers and their ownership is low), but he’s somewhat quietly second on the team in targets while also leading in yards per reception. Good volume plus deep targets = boom potential once things connect, and this Miami secondary is pretty darn bad. Moore and Shavers should be in player pools, but both are thin.

At tight end, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox are still splitting time (somewhat inexplicably) with Knox, oddly, leading the way. They’re basically just eating each other’s ceiling. Kincaid has 10 targets to Knox’s 7 and is also a much better pass catcher. He’s clearly the stronger play of the two, but Knox is cheap enough to be a viable punt, as he’s in the “if he catches 1 or 2 passes and finds the end zone, he’ll probably be optimal” price range. TE3 Jackson Hawes isn’t likely to play a ton in a competitive game, but he’s caught a pass in both games, he’s $600, and thus he can also be viewed as a punt.

Eight viable pass catchers, not including running backs? Cool, thanks, Buffalo. Maybe just play your best players more. My overall favorites in order are Coleman, Palmer, and Kincaid, with the rest just being guys I’d mix and match into builds. 

MIAMI

Each Friday, Mike Johnson tackles lineup and trade dilemmas pulled from the OWS X. Real questions, real context, and actionable advice to guide you through the toughest calls of the week.

Some things in fantasy football are easy. We know we should start Ja’Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson. We know we should bench the backup running back who is only on our roster in case of injury and the guy who was ruled out early in the week. A lot of the decisions are made for us. However, there are a lot of things that are not so simple. All of the “in between” situations are what can make the difference between a few wins and losses, and therefore it can be the difference between a successful season or a failed season. Every Friday, we are here to help!!

I’ll take questions each week in our #fantasy-football channel in our Discord from people looking for Start/Sit advice and give my thoughts. This article will feature a few of those questions and responses each Friday, so join our Discord to be a part of the conversation or ask questions of your own!!

Question 1 :: Start two (PPR): Jaylen Warren, Calvin Ridley, Travis Hunter, or Jordan Mason? (PSUBALTFAN)

Answer:: I would say lock in Ridley for his home opener and a matchup he should find more room in than last week in Denver.  Then, I am going to say no to Mason first, as it is a full-PPR league and the team seems likely to use Aaron Jones for most of the RB receiving work. The Falcons’ run defense also looked solid last week, so it isn’t a spot that screams high efficiency for Mason. Travis Hunter is tempting facing the Bengals, but it is hard to trust the role after his coach said he would play more defense this week. Warren showed his versatility last week and clearly has Aaron Rodgers’ trust, but he’s also working in a timeshare. Ultimately I think it is a coin flip between Hunter and Warren, with the state of your team and matchup being the deciding factor. Hunter has the higher upside, and if you think you might need a ceiling performance from that spot to pull off the victory, go with him. If you just need a solid outing, Warren might be your guy. 

Question 2 :: Start two (PPR): Jaylen Waddle, Garrett Wilson, Tetairoa McMillan, & Emeka Egbuka (Brooks Truck)

Answer :: Waddle is his team’s third option and battling a shoulder injury while they struggle to get things going. I will eliminate him to start. Wilson is going to have a massive target share this year and this is a game that is likely to be low-scoring or have the Jets playing from behind…. let’s pencil him in. For the last spot, we have McMillan or Egbuka. The way McMillan was deployed in Week 1, he will have tough matchups with the Cardinals boundary corners this week and Egbuka should be busy again in a game where the Bucs may struggle to get their running game going. I’d say go with Wilson and Egbuka.

Question 3 :: I was wondering your take on who to start in my 2 Flex spots (PPR, 12-man league): Juwan Johnson, Kyle Pitts, Xavier Legette, Darnell Mooney, Rhamondre Stevenson (Bebo30)

Every Saturday, MJohnson86 posts full positional rankings (QB, RB, WR, TE, DEF) to get you ready for Sunday’s slate. Built for 12-team, full-PPR formats — with insights that translate across most league settings.

The weekend is here and it’s time to get our lineups set before Sunday’s full slate of games. Each week, the Saturday edition of the Daily Dose will feature my rankings for all players who have yet to play a game this week. Obviously this will not include the Thursday games, but always feel free to hit me up in Discord or on X/Twitter if you have some tough decisions around guys who play on Thursday. 

Most of the leagues I play in are full-PPR, 12-team leagues and these rankings are designed for those settings – you may need to make some slight adjustments based on your own league settings.

QB :: 

1. Josh Allen
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Joe Burrow
5. Justin Herbert
6. Justin Fields
7. Kyler Murray
8. Patrick Mahomes
9. Dak Prescott
10. J.J. McCarthy
11. Drake Maye
12. Bo Nix
13. Trevor Lawrence
14. Caleb Williams
15. Baker Mayfield
16. Geno Smith
17. Cam Ward
18. Jared Goff
19. Tua Tagovailoa
20. Daniel Jones
21. Michael Penix Jr.
22. C.J. Stroud
23. Aaron Rodgers
24. Spencer Rattler
25. Mac Jones
26. Russell Wilson
27. Matthew Stafford
28. Bryce Young
29. Sam Darnold
30. Joe Flacco

RB ::

1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Bijan Robinson
3. Saquon Barkley
4. Derrick Henry
5. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. De’Von Achane
7. Ashton Jeanty
8. James Conner
9. Chase Brown
10. Bucky Irving
11. Jonathan Taylor
12. Breece Hall
13. Omarion Hampton
14. James Cook
15. Kyren Williams
16. Travis Etienne Jr.
17. Alvin Kamara
18. Chuba Hubbard
19. Tony Pollard
20. D’Andre Swift
21. Javonte Williams
22. Jaylen Warren
23. TreVeyon Henderson
24. David Montgomery
25. Zach Charbonnet
26. J.K. Dobbins
27. Aaron Jones Sr.
28. Jordan Mason
29. Dylan Sampson
30. Tyrone Tracy Jr.
31. RJ Harvey
32. Kenneth Walker
33. Rhamondre Stevenson
34. Trey Benson
35. Isiah Pacheco
36. Kenneth Gainwell
37. Braelon Allen
38. Brian Robinson Jr.

WR ::

Mike Johnson — with over $500,000 in DFS profit — highlights his top plays at each position for DraftKings. This article is perfect for DFS players and season-long managers curious about testing their skills in tournaments.

Welcome back to my (@MJohnson86) Player Grid. The format will vary slightly from JM’s Player Grid, as we each see things slightly differently and play in slightly different contests, but should complement his thoughts and content very well for those looking to build their lineups for the week. The format of this article will vary slightly from my FanDuel Player Grid, which will be more direct in terms of which players I like. Enjoy!!

The Core

This is a list of players that stand out to me at each position from using my “Checking the Boxes” criteria outlined in my course you can find in our Marketplace. This list is a starting point, from which I build out lineups using game theory and roster construction concepts (which we will also touch on) with the mindset being to find the best plays with big ceilings. Low ownership is a bonus, but not a must. This section will focus primarily on three positions – running back, tight end, and defense – as the other two positions (quarterback and wide receiver) tend to have more dependent tendencies which I try to attack from other angles (which we will get into in the other sections). I like all of these plays on all sites unless otherwise noted:

Running Back ::

• Christian McCaffrey– In the “don’t overthink it” role for this week is CMC, who had the league’s best role in Week 1 and has a matchup with a middling (at best) defense. The Saints’ offense plays at light speed as well, meaning more volume for the 49ers. He should be about $9k in this spot. 
• Breece Hall – The Jets may have had the heist of all heists, getting Tanner Engstrand as their offensive coordinator from the Lions despite Detroit having the same opening. Hall plays the Bills, who just got lit up by a physical running game and are down their best defensive lineman. This should be a vintage Breece game.
• Travis Etienne Jr. – When a player has a huge game and then his team trades away his main competition, I pay attention. When that player is in the highest total game of the week and facing a defense we spent all of last year targeting, I don’t need much more convincing.
• Chase Brown – Brown had a “fine” game in Week 1, but where he really shines is in those high-scoring Bengals games. This week, they are sporting one of the highest team totals on the slate.
• Saquon Barkley – This is a huge matchup and the team is going to ride Barkley. This Chiefs defense is not what it used to be and Saquon could put the slate out of reach quickly with his game-breaking ability.
• De’Von Achane – The lone bright spot for Miami in Week 1 was Achane. He had a 70% rushing share and 18% target share before they emptied the bench. This week, the offense should fare much better and his usage is elite.

Tight End ::